Steelswarm Operator + Filigree Sages + Training Grounds

Steelswarm Operator

Filigree Sages

Training Grounds

How it works

1. Activate Steelswarm Operator's second ability by tapping it, adding that can only be spent to activate abilities of artifacts.
2. Activate Filigree Sages by paying , untapping Steelswarm Operator.
3. Repeat.

This clever loop turns Steelswarm Operator into a specialized mana engine by leveraging its ability to tap for two blue mana dedicated solely to artifact abilities. Normally, untapping Filigree Sages to reset the loop would cost two generic and one blue mana (`{2}{U}`), but the presence of Training Grounds reduces that activation cost to just `{1}{U}`. Because the mana produced by Steelswarm Operator's second ability fully covers this discounted cost while satisfying the restriction that it be spent on artifact source abilities—since Filigree Sages is an artifact creature—the loop can repeat indefinitely.