Koll, the Forgemaster + Diamond Lion + Sai of the Shinobi + Thousand-Year Elixir

Koll, the Forgemaster

Diamond Lion

Sai of the Shinobi

Thousand-Year Elixir

How it works

1. Cast Diamond Lion by paying 2.
2. When Diamond Lion enters, Sai of the Shinobi triggers, attaching itself to Diamond Lion.
3. Activate Diamond Lion by tapping it, sacrificing it and discarding your hand, adding three mana of any color.
4. When Diamond Lion dies, Koll triggers, returning Diamond Lion from your graveyard to your hand.
5. Repeat.

This clever loop turns the unassuming Diamond Lion into a self-recycling mana engine by leveraging a few pieces of equipment and some clever artifact support. With Thousand-Year Elixir granting the Lion pseudo-haste, it can tap immediately to sacrifice itself and generate three mana. Sai of the Shinobi is the linchpin that makes this work; its triggered ability automatically equips itself to the Diamond Lion as it enters, ensuring the Lion is always considered equipped. Because the Diamond Lion is thus equipped when it dies, Koll, the Forgemaster triggers and dutifully returns it right back to your hand for another deployment.