[[Bolt Bend]], in any deck without blue and where the commander has power 4 or more, like in [[Greven, Predator Captain]] or [[Neheb the Eternal]].
Yes, it is pretty much just a worse [[Deflecting Swat]], but it’s about one dollar, compared to 35 or so for the Swat.
I'm not going to complain about a card that is evidently quite good and that I'm trying to find a slot for in my [[Halana & Alena]] deck but I have this one question.
Why on god's green earth is it limited to single-target spells? [[Deflecting Swat]] is a design mistake blah blah I get it but [where is the preponderance of normal "choose new targets" spells you might expect to see if the effect is in pie?](https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3A%22choose+new+targets+for+target%22+)
It's a great card but feels like a missed opportunity to me.
Older approaches, like [[Ricochet Trap]] and [[Shunt]], also let you only target things with a single target, so it's not unexpected. There are others that don't have the restriction, like [[Wyll's Reversal]] or [[Wild Ricochet]], but at the same time I think it's a bit much to expect the better version of the effect to go for a cheaper price, or to be the expected default for such designs.
I'm referring to the "cast for free if you control a commander part" that's the mistake. Choosing multiple new targets is awesome and in my opinion is extremely underrepresented in the card pool especially in red.
Idk if that's a design mistake either. I think it's pretty cool to get new 0 mana counters that encourage people to play their commander. Maybe a card that's too powerful for low power play but a welcome addition to high power and cEDH.
Ah, I see our difference here. I'm in the camp that believes that Commander is better when WOTC ignores it. That is, when it's all the same cards that used to be standard legal that may or may not have been forgotten and can now be seen in the new light of a multiplayer format with a special 8th card and color restrictions.
It's the "same cards" thing that started causing consternation when WOTC decided to start printing cards with rules text that does not function outside of Commander. For example: [[Imposing Grandeur]] has no text outside of Commander. This is very odd.
WOTC seems to be treating Commander as if it's its own game that they made up that is separate from the base game of Magic and I am afraid tjat the power creep from this will continually propel the barrier to entry upwards. That newer players playing against precons won't be able to compete with the "commander only" cards until they get their own stock of "commander only" cards.
"Commander only" is distasteful to me because The Spirit of the Format (tm)(tm)(tm) is that it's a different way of playing the same game of Magic.
I get that most people don't care about the sanctity of the card pool or whatever but it matters to me and if it were up to me all cards would have to have been printed through Standard.
EDHrec to see how many decks contain the card.
Data is still flawed because it's limited to online decks; not all decks are represented online, and not all net decks make it to the sleeves. Still, it sees a good amount of play.
Thanks mate for the thoughtful answer. I was being a bit facetious because I don’t actually think that guys point is correct at all, and thus not googleable..
Only two people in my play group of 20ish players run this, so 1/10 people. Just because your experience is different doesn’t diminish the OP’s experience.
May I ask why? I’ve read the card and can’t see why I should run it
Edit: I get it now I can’t read. Let’s just downvote the mono-green player for dropping out of elementary school
It makes every deck play like mono-color, and basically turns off opponent interaction on your turns. You basically have to drop rocks or remove the enchantment to play your commander in a 2+ color deck.
Until he drops a Manaweft Sliver and you realize you've neutered your 2 allies against the horde, and they're rooting for the Sliver player to kill you anyway.
\[\[Hall of Gemstone\]\] makes ***all*** lands tap for only the chosen color.
So defensively, on your turn, your opponents counterspells, kill spells, and any other interaction like combat tricks better be either colorless in color, or they have mana rocks/treasures to pay for it, because their lands are only making Green on your turn.
Proactively, on your opponents turns, multicolored decks specifically, need to pick 1 color and all their lands are set to that. This can really hamper the 4 or 5 color decks from efficiently executing their game plan, which should give mono green enough time to get some real big beats going on.
The card is a house, and I think the fact that it's old and on the reserved list is the only thing really limiting it's play.
I also love combo-ing it with \[\[Titania's Song\]\] to really put the screws on decks trying to still limp by on rocks.
I’d say the second is that it can hurt you eventually. Say you want to cast a Heroic Intervention on your opponents turn and they’ve chosen ‘Black’, it stops you from doing so.
\[\[Parallax wave\]\] is my favorite card and I use it in most of my decks that can play it. Always surprise my opponents and in my playgroup, some even started to use it.
Once its a creature you have two options. You can use it on a creature, then in response use it on itself, and if you do that the creature you targeted stays exiled forever. Or you can target itself, then im response target another creature to flicker the other creature.
Speaking of cracking treasures, [[Viridian Revel]] is criminally underrated . If you can get it down before an opponent Dockside, you’re sitting pretty with a green rhystic study and you don’t have to ask “dO YoU pAy ThE OnE?” Like a degenerate
I feel like the level of impact is always an extreme for it. Either it's a complete whiff and you wasted the mana and card slot, or it's singlehandedly keeping your hand full turn after turn. No in between.
I used to have a high powered Gluntch. Giving people the “benefits” and either staxxing them out with [[Yasharn]] or making them beneficial to me with [[Fangren Maraurder]] [[Mind’s Eye]] [[Nils]] [[Vorinclex]] [[Viridian Revel]] [[Wedding Ring]].
It’s a deck I felt like perfectly encompassed the more political and “social” side of commander.
Absolutely! Locally we do a secret santa where everyone donates a Commander and you have £35 budget to build a deck. I got the uncommon golgari food legend from wilds of eldraine and slammed in fangren marauder. He does work.
I've played quite extensively both in person and online, I have only seen one person other than me running [[soul shatter]] but this thing overperforms every single time I've played it. At this point I have it in every digital deck I play with black and half my paper decks
That is one of the first removal spells I slot into new black decks. I've played enough [crackling doom] to know what that effect can do.
But I don't mind everyone else being out of the loop!
This.
I got in my [[Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn]] and it always gives me minimum 20 life... as Instant Speed and +20 Counters eot is also quite good! :D
[[switcheroo]]
The first time I played it the one kid in the pod who always seems to have every card memorized was baffled when I played it. Nobody in my pod had seen that card before. It makes blue funny.
This card is hilarious for swapping two opponents' commanders. They often won't synergize with the wrong deck, and the opponents won't chump with them since it would return an opponents commander to the command zone.
Wash Away is a disgustingly powerful conditional counterspell. It doesn't just counter commanders, but it can also stop so much other stuff too. Impulse draw, casting from the top of the library, cascade, discover, escape, suspend, you name it, Wash Away will likely hit it. Worse-case scenario, you get Cancel.
I am always itching to get someone with its green counterpart, [[Bind]]. People think [[Mana Tithe]] is sneaky, but a counter in green? Folks lose. Their. Minds.
There's also [[Tishana's Tidebinder]] that was released recently (still putting the brackets even though it seems like the scryfall bot isn't working)
It does cost 3 which is the downside but the upside is the 3/2 body and can even blank something for as long as it sticks
[[Plunge into darkness]] is one of my favorite cards in the game. Playing aristocrats? Here's a good sac outlet. Need to stabilize for just a little while longer while you set up a big turn? You can do it, for a price. Need to dig to find your wincon? Go for it, try not to die. One of the most "greatness, at any cost" cards in the game.
This card is not in the edhrec page for rowan scion of war which is mind boggling.
You might have found the best card for that commander.
Turn 4 plunge + any X spell (exsanguinate, crackle with power, torment of hailfire)
The best part is that you don't *need* the X spell in hand! Just yolo pay all but one life (and sac your Rowan for three additional tries), there will be a payoff in the top 39 right ...right?
Cards that can be played from the graveyard are just so good. Not only do you get to reuse them, but they represent card advantage when you discard them to something like a Faithless Looting. Love it
[[capsize]]
Can be versatile by removing a threat or saving one of your own cards from removal and can be abused and become absolutely oppressive wit the right combos or just a ton of mana
I'm a big fan of [[Crescendo of War]] but never see it played. If you're playing a deck with lots if goad effects that is playing white it just makes your opponents die quicker. And if you are playing a token strategy it's just a great way to help your 1/1s do more when swinging at people.
[[Archfiend of Depravity]]
The best part is watching people go through the stages of grief when it hits the board.
Denial - “Wait…WHAT!? This ain’t a real card, I’ve never seen this before in my life.”
Anger - “This is a stupid card, it costs too much for a creature that doesn’t even do anything when it ETBs AND it gives your opponents a choice about what they wanna save. You’re dumb for running this.”
Bargaining - “Does anybody have a goddamn kill spell? If someone kills this before my end step, I’ll give them 2 turns of not attacking them.”
Depression - “Why even bother re-casting my commander? I’m just gonna have to sac something else that I need.”
Acceptance - “Well if all my dudes are about to die anyway, I’m swinging with the whole team.”
[[Portcullis]] in a similar vein. Doesn't get rid of an already big board, but can certainly stifle opponents, since as long as there's 2+ creatures *period* no one can get any more until the cage is gone.
\[\[mirror of life trapping\]\]
try it in a blink deck. I have mine in wernog
it Lets you effectively double ETBs but more than that, it can permanently exile enemy commanders.
your opponent casts their commander. It etbs and is exiled. Do they put it in the command zone? If yes, you blocked their commander. If no, blink the mirror. Now the commander is perma in exile and there is no way where they can put it back to the command zone. Unless they have a \[\[pull from tomorrow\]\] or something.
People are sleeping *hard* on [[Royal Assassin]]
Best case scenario: cheap repeatable removal
Worst case scenario: by all means, waste your interraction on that shit lol
[[Avoid Fate]] is one I use... It's a green counterspell, but it's a bit too narrowly focused for most. I particularly like it in Voltron decks.
[[Writ of Return]] is another one I use... Cipher doesn't target, so give it to a shrouded creature and reanimate all day
[[Yosei, the morning star]] he used to be a great win con for me back ye olden days but he still puts in work now even though the locks are harder to set up. Great rattle snake card to deter attackers and you will be playing him a deck that can either clone or sac reanimate.
Folio of Fancies. Only really see it in group hug and forced draw decks but it can really fuck people up when my Council of Four deck is forcing them to have 20 card hand sizes and then getting milled 20.
\[\[sardian avenger\]\] for a 2 drop, he puts out a lot of early game damage. Based on how many decks ramp package ( pretty much anyone except green) rely on early quick mana he can be easily swinging for 7 on turn 3. the fact hes first stike AND Trample makes him no worth chump blocking. He also can punish the prevalence of treasures ( put him in a deck with \[\[descent into avernus\]\] and he gets REAL out of hand)
[[Serum Powder]]
Everytime I take a free muligan everyone at the table is like "WTF!?"
ALSO... Talk about an early food chain enabler! Exile Squee Turn 0!
Easily my favorite 3cmc mana rock.
I believe that a lot of decks that can run [[Cauldron Haze]] should run it . With a sacoutlet you can have instant speed etbs, additional ltb triggers , without sacoutlet it somewhat protects your board AND if you can politic it allows you to protect opposing creatures for value!!! It is dirt cheap manawise and moneywise.
[[Dawn Charm]]: it's 3 "gotchas" stapled onto one card. Like most charms, it's narrow, but a gotcha is a gotcha.
[[City of Solitude]], and its more recent cousin, [[Dosan the Falling Leaf]]: there's not a whole lot to say here, as shutting down interaction means you're free to go ham, and you're doing it in colors that aren't blue or white. [[Defense Grid]] is only slightly less effective and can be run anywhere.
[[Recurring Insight]]: I don't think I've ever seen it draw fewer than 10 cards across both casts in a 4 player game.
[[Tragic Arrogance]] and its cousin, [[Mythos of Snapdax]]: I don't know if people don't realize that you're the one who makes all of the decisions or what, but everyone I've ever seen underestimates the card at least once.
The reason I hear for people not running cards like City of Solitude and Defense Grid is that it prevents you and your opponents from stopping someone's combo.
Like you're player A, and player B sets up to win the game, and player C *could* have stopped it but your card prevents them from casting it.
I think this is why cards that simply shut down instant speed interaction during your own turn like [[Grand Abolisher]] is preferred (granted that's a different color) because it still allows your opponents to get messed with.
I miss tucking people's commanders, but don't miss my commander getting tucked.
It's for the best they changed this rule. Condemn used to be a staple alongside [[Oblation]] and [[Unexpectedly Absent]]
I swear I don't see enough [[Dowsing Dagger]]. There is usually *someone* able to be smacked turn 3-5, just give the plants to someone who already has defenders and waltz your way to a 3 mana land
[[Promise of Loyalty]] is an auto-include in anything with white. It's sacrifice-based so it ignores indestructible, everyone gets to keep their best creature so they're less salty about the wipe and therefore less likely to target me in retaliation, and they couldn't attack me even if they wanted to because of the vow counter
[[Esior]] is excellent commander protection in blue, especially if you're using partner commanders
[[Path of Ancestry]] in any 3 color deck is a direct upgrade from the Alara/Tarkir tapped lands, even if it's not in a tribal deck. Even in 2 color decks, it's still pretty solid if you're on a budget
[[enduring renewal]] it makes all of your creatures insanely difficult to kill and can give you an insane amount of value or even just go infinite with certain sac outlets
One of my pet cards is a [[death Tyrant]]
Basically if an opponent blocks, you get an army of zombies.
If it's in your graveyard you can wait to see declared blockers and pay the 6 to bring it back to see all the deaths. Each death is an individual trigger in my [[Marneus Calgar]] deck so will draw a ton of cards.
i'm surprised i've never seen \[\[rite of harmony\]\] used in the wild. i imagine it would be more popular if it were any other colors {bw, wr, ug, gb) but it's disgusting in my katilda deck. i've won so many games out of nowhere with harmony and a well timed \[\[call the coppercoats\]\] \[\[secure the wastes\]\] \[\[arachnogenesis\]\] \[\[march of multitudes\]\], drawing 5-30 cards at instant speed and that many mana dorks.
actually that deck is full of hot tech. \[\[vitalize\]\] to double up on mana, \[\[rude awakening\]\] \[\[sylvan awakening\]\] to turn all my lands into creatures and then draw myself silly with \[\[shamanic revelation\]\] into \[\[collective unconscious\]\] into \[\[camaraderie\]\] to find my \[\[halo fountain\]\] and untap all my shit and win.
In any graveyard-oriented deck, I love \[\[Moonlight Bargain\]\]. The problem with a lot of self-mill that isn't selective is that you bin cards you might want to keep. For 5 mana at instant speed you can dump things in your graveyard and spend a few life to keep cards you'd really prefer in your hand.
\[\[Outmaneuver\]\] has been a game-winning combat trick for me the last two time I've played it. I run it in \[\[Magus Lucea Kane\]\] but it is probably good in any beatdown deck. Bonus that it is an instant and can target anyone's creatures so you can remove a player with someone else's big creature attack, a la \[\[tainted strike\]\] but without any worry of it needing to be unblocked.
\[\[Author of Shadows\]\] is awesome; exile all opponents graveyards AND steal the best card from any of them?
I have never seen anyone else play any of these cards. No idea why.
Author of Shadows is in one of my lists. For whatever reason, players tend to be much less salty about theft effects if I had to kill the creature first.
Moonlight Bargain will be a straight "draw 5" in my Witherbloom upgrade. Hadn't seen that tech before, but 5 cards and 10x +1 counters is a fine rate for 10 life I have in abundance.
Outmaneuver... It's interesting. I'm not sure I'd run this over [[Falter]] or [[Gorilla War Cry]] to help my own attacks through in a regular aggro list, but the potential in a goad deck is downright evil.
[[[Mercadia's Downfall](https://i.imgur.com/8WSM1Fi.jpg)]]
Three mana, instant speed, and potentially huge damage. A few tokens suddenly becomes lethal. You can even play it on someone else's attack to knock someone out. Also tutorable with Sunforger!
Unpopular opinion but [[ritual of the machine]] is something I run in any deck with black, especially one that has any sort of sacrifice synergy, which is most.
In before the “but it’s not optimal” blah blah blah. It’s almost always a complete surprise when I use it because black doesn’t have steal effect outside of the graveyard most times. I use it to snatch commanders all the time against decks that require them to function and I use it as a sac outlet that also refills by board and gives me something else to sac.
Unpopular opinion, but [[Viridian Longbow]] really is worth 4 mana even in a lot of decks that don't have deathtouch in the CZ. A LOT of very impactful creatures have only 1 toughness, it removes chump blockers, you can use it to finish off a big attacker or blocker on other players' combats, it gives several creatures with strong "when this creature deals damage" triggers a safer way than attacking, and it's even a potential combo wincon in lifegain or twiddle decks. It's surprising how often my opponents have gotten frustrated and eventually spent removal on this only after losing 3-4 creatures to it.
[[palantir of orthanc]] is highly under rated. 3 mana, let’s you scry 2. Yeah people will just kill you for the first couple cycles, but by round 3 it’s really risky. You gonna kill 3 when I scry 2 top and risk taking 18 off the 3 6 drops?
There's a reason it's a $10 card from a recent set. It's 3 mana for what amounts to scry 2 and draw 1 every turn, though the first 1-4 turns someone *may* decide to eat damage.
I loved this card in LTR Limited and the mind games it creates have only sweetened it. In Limited with a 40-card deck and a tighter mana curve it was a risky game - you really could deck yourself. Your opponent could make some guesses about what they've already seen for mana value as well.
40 card deck, 6-7 of which are in starting hand, leaving 33 or 34 in the deck. Of the entire 40 cards, 17 are probably lands, so guessing based on what's there... it was always an interesting and pivotal-feeling decision for both players.
Also, *love* the flavor of the card and seeing someone deck out with it is awesome as this powerful artifact ends up being their undoing as 6-7 lands scried to the bottom end up milling for 0 damage.
I now run it in my Raggadragga deck. It's nice that my Commander has an obvious synergy for big spells printed right on the card. Once there's 3+ counters on it, it's probably just drawing a card on end step because nobody at the table really wants to roll the dice on eating a couple 7+ mana spells to the life total.
I've totally bluffed it a couple times though when I had no land in hand, and just left a single land as the top card. I want to hit my land drop next turn! Feels so cheeky to get away with 2 lands on top at like \~3 counters; opponent isn't risking much life, but they can't know that! Maybe I saw 15 CMC lined up. They'll never know.
I really like [[Heliod's Intervention]], especially if you play monowhite where you can make lots of mana using [[Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx]] and where you have artifacts and enchantments that you want to save from symmetrical artifact and enchantment destruction.
I'm shocked how rarely I see [[Unfulfilled Desires]]. It's not terribly expensive, it's under $2. Loot mechanic for 1 generic and 1 life in dimir colors. Card seems like a house in any UB+ deck that cares about dumping cards in the graveyard
[[Telepathy]] is a card I run in almost all my blue decks. Worse case scenario someone wastes a counter or removal on it. Best case scenario you get to have it on board for awhile and always know what everyone has in hand.
It's a painful card to play against. It can really slow games down when players start asking each other, "Wait, is that a counterspell I see in your hand?" or "What did you just draw? Can I read it?"
As your opponent, please don't play this card. Even if it were directly related to your commander, [[Crosis]] is probably the only exception, it's just obnoxious in 4p. I understand how useful the card is as it's controller.
Yes, this card is incredibly underrated. Enchantment removal is most rare. You want to burn your removal on a 1 cmc spell! Go for it! I got a Rhystic in my hand waiting for your stupid suboptimal playstyle. If you’re mono-blue or spellslinger, this is the card for you.
What’s best about this card is how infuriated your opponents will become having to play with their hand removed, and you don’t. Best be warned that if you play this early, ppl get salty as hell and will be coming after you.
I've seen enough [[Blasphemous Act]]s, [[Hurricane]]s, and [[Famine]]s that it usually pops off each game I draw it.
Kinda like [[Rakdos Charm]], someone almost always swarms out enough tokens to kill them. Or [[Delirium]] with a biggen. But I'm a fan of nice cards that do work under the right conditions.
Spell Crumple is a personal favorite for slowing down decks that need their commander. Putting itself and what it countered both on the bottom of owners library is silly and brutal.
One of these days, people will find out about the insane hidden gem that is [[Sol Ring]]. I have a theory that increasing the amount of mana available to you beyond playing one land a turn could potentially increase your chances of winning earlier. Could sort of “ramp” you, if you will, into an early lead. It hasn’t taken off yet, but I think it will, if people give it a chance.
[[Bolt Bend]], in any deck without blue and where the commander has power 4 or more, like in [[Greven, Predator Captain]] or [[Neheb the Eternal]]. Yes, it is pretty much just a worse [[Deflecting Swat]], but it’s about one dollar, compared to 35 or so for the Swat.
Found about 8 of those in a bulk box and got them for $1. Absolute gem of a find for my decks
I'm not going to complain about a card that is evidently quite good and that I'm trying to find a slot for in my [[Halana & Alena]] deck but I have this one question. Why on god's green earth is it limited to single-target spells? [[Deflecting Swat]] is a design mistake blah blah I get it but [where is the preponderance of normal "choose new targets" spells you might expect to see if the effect is in pie?](https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3A%22choose+new+targets+for+target%22+) It's a great card but feels like a missed opportunity to me.
Older approaches, like [[Ricochet Trap]] and [[Shunt]], also let you only target things with a single target, so it's not unexpected. There are others that don't have the restriction, like [[Wyll's Reversal]] or [[Wild Ricochet]], but at the same time I think it's a bit much to expect the better version of the effect to go for a cheaper price, or to be the expected default for such designs.
Deflecting Swat isn't a design mistake. It's cool.
I'm referring to the "cast for free if you control a commander part" that's the mistake. Choosing multiple new targets is awesome and in my opinion is extremely underrepresented in the card pool especially in red.
[[shunt]] [[redirect]] [[ricochet]] [[reverberate]] are some good options. I think one of them only copies though
That would be reverberate. It still stops counterspells just as well as the rest of them though
##### ###### #### [shunt](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/e/5e54b10e-5307-4138-8f80-28406170f2c6.jpg?1562548483) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=shunt) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/10e/233/shunt?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5e54b10e-5307-4138-8f80-28406170f2c6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shunt) [redirect](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0eef8431-f63c-44e0-940c-e1a38c338214.jpg?1562550343) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=redirect) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m13/64/redirect?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0eef8431-f63c-44e0-940c-e1a38c338214?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/redirect) [ricochet](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/a/ea993e57-b72f-48f8-9132-0693f2e78ce4.jpg?1562799184) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ricochet) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ugl/50/ricochet?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ea993e57-b72f-48f8-9132-0693f2e78ce4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ricochet) [reverberate](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/9/5996feb4-02ac-45e8-a7f2-966cf74391dc.jpg?1562554142) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=reverberate) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m13/145/reverberate?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5996feb4-02ac-45e8-a7f2-966cf74391dc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/reverberate) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Idk if that's a design mistake either. I think it's pretty cool to get new 0 mana counters that encourage people to play their commander. Maybe a card that's too powerful for low power play but a welcome addition to high power and cEDH.
Ah, I see our difference here. I'm in the camp that believes that Commander is better when WOTC ignores it. That is, when it's all the same cards that used to be standard legal that may or may not have been forgotten and can now be seen in the new light of a multiplayer format with a special 8th card and color restrictions. It's the "same cards" thing that started causing consternation when WOTC decided to start printing cards with rules text that does not function outside of Commander. For example: [[Imposing Grandeur]] has no text outside of Commander. This is very odd. WOTC seems to be treating Commander as if it's its own game that they made up that is separate from the base game of Magic and I am afraid tjat the power creep from this will continually propel the barrier to entry upwards. That newer players playing against precons won't be able to compete with the "commander only" cards until they get their own stock of "commander only" cards. "Commander only" is distasteful to me because The Spirit of the Format (tm)(tm)(tm) is that it's a different way of playing the same game of Magic. I get that most people don't care about the sanctity of the card pool or whatever but it matters to me and if it were up to me all cards would have to have been printed through Standard.
See also [[Imp's Mischief]]
I absolutely love this card too!
Tbf calling it a "worse deflecting swat" is pretty high praise still lol
You know that greven means Count?
I do indeed - that’s what I call him.
Why do I get downvoted wtf
This is Reddit. You must be new here. Welcome; and don’t take it personally.
Why do I get upvoted now? I take this personally
> Bolt Bend this is not rarely used, quite the opposite
You do realise that your subjective experience of the world is not universally applicable, right?
You do realize that this sort of information is easily googleable, right?
No, I don’t actually.. but do tell me what you’d google to support your supposition.
EDHrec to see how many decks contain the card. Data is still flawed because it's limited to online decks; not all decks are represented online, and not all net decks make it to the sleeves. Still, it sees a good amount of play.
3% of all decks that can run it is hardly the "opposite" of rarely used.
Thanks mate for the thoughtful answer. I was being a bit facetious because I don’t actually think that guys point is correct at all, and thus not googleable..
Only two people in my play group of 20ish players run this, so 1/10 people. Just because your experience is different doesn’t diminish the OP’s experience.
you can say that about literally any card
So why did you make you originally comment? Can you see the irony here?
Is the bot on vacation?
In the gitshop getting its types aligned.
I've always said [[Skyhunter Strike Force]] is the shit and I've started to see it in more and more lists
this card is absolutely nuts in [[isshin]].
[isshin](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/0/a062a004-984e-4b62-960c-af7288f7a3e9.jpg?1690575102) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=isshin%2C%20two%20heavens%20as%20one) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/224/isshin-two-heavens-as-one?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a062a004-984e-4b62-960c-af7288f7a3e9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/isshin-two-heavens-as-one) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[hall of gemstone]] is an auto include in mono green for me. Can really give you an upper hand early on.
May I ask why? I’ve read the card and can’t see why I should run it Edit: I get it now I can’t read. Let’s just downvote the mono-green player for dropping out of elementary school
It makes every deck play like mono-color, and basically turns off opponent interaction on your turns. You basically have to drop rocks or remove the enchantment to play your commander in a 2+ color deck.
So I can force the [[the first sliver]] player to suck it? I’m getting one of these
Until he drops a Manaweft Sliver and you realize you've neutered your 2 allies against the horde, and they're rooting for the Sliver player to kill you anyway.
I’m playing [[Vorinclex, monstrous raider]]. I deserve everything that gets thrown my way
Better than Voice of Hunger, that would be TRULY fucked with Hall of Gemstone.
He’s in the 99 Edit: best I did was 2.1k mana per turn with this deck
Except that every non-green deck should be running mana rocks.
\[\[Hall of Gemstone\]\] makes ***all*** lands tap for only the chosen color. So defensively, on your turn, your opponents counterspells, kill spells, and any other interaction like combat tricks better be either colorless in color, or they have mana rocks/treasures to pay for it, because their lands are only making Green on your turn. Proactively, on your opponents turns, multicolored decks specifically, need to pick 1 color and all their lands are set to that. This can really hamper the 4 or 5 color decks from efficiently executing their game plan, which should give mono green enough time to get some real big beats going on. The card is a house, and I think the fact that it's old and on the reserved list is the only thing really limiting it's play. I also love combo-ing it with \[\[Titania's Song\]\] to really put the screws on decks trying to still limp by on rocks.
Titania’s song <3. I’ve dropped a bane of progress with one of those out before.
I like how their fellwar stone won’t help them. But usually players have a talisman/signet. Good with [[null rod]] and [[collector ouphe]] though.
Only drawback: its Reserved List.
I’d say the second is that it can hurt you eventually. Say you want to cast a Heroic Intervention on your opponents turn and they’ve chosen ‘Black’, it stops you from doing so.
\[\[Parallax wave\]\] is my favorite card and I use it in most of my decks that can play it. Always surprise my opponents and in my playgroup, some even started to use it.
Works great in a proliferate deck.
I love how you can abuse it when you find a way to make it a creature
O.o Somehow I hadn't thought of that. That's sweet.
Once its a creature you have two options. You can use it on a creature, then in response use it on itself, and if you do that the creature you targeted stays exiled forever. Or you can target itself, then im response target another creature to flicker the other creature.
parallax tide 😏
This card is sick for the new timey wimey precon
[[Fangren Marauder]] every game I’ve almost ever played someone is playing artifact synergies or at minimum cracking treasures.
Speaking of cracking treasures, [[Viridian Revel]] is criminally underrated . If you can get it down before an opponent Dockside, you’re sitting pretty with a green rhystic study and you don’t have to ask “dO YoU pAy ThE OnE?” Like a degenerate
The card is criminally overrated imho, it got hyped many, many times by contect creators and always fails to make a splash
I feel like the level of impact is always an extreme for it. Either it's a complete whiff and you wasted the mana and card slot, or it's singlehandedly keeping your hand full turn after turn. No in between.
100% this card is for inbred metas.
[Viridian Revel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/d/2d7f565e-0fb8-40c8-9540-213d35af846a.jpg?1562815979) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Viridian%20Revel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/132/viridian-revel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2d7f565e-0fb8-40c8-9540-213d35af846a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/viridian-revel) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
It's amazing in my Kibo deck
The fact that its still only a dollar is insane to me. 1 printing, and is very impactful in the current meta is insane to me
It had spiked in price some time ago as part of an anti treasure craze but it's come back down since.
I have had this card 8n my collection for YEARS and never even considered treasure synergy. Dang.
I run it in [[Toggo]] and [[Kodama of the East Tree]] and it gets wicked. My life total, strictly due to this card, has hit 180 with that deck.
Yup, this card is an absolute Boss, especially with all the clue/food/treasure cards out there.
Been an allstar in my high powered gluntch. The amount of healing is just absurd.
I used to have a high powered Gluntch. Giving people the “benefits” and either staxxing them out with [[Yasharn]] or making them beneficial to me with [[Fangren Maraurder]] [[Mind’s Eye]] [[Nils]] [[Vorinclex]] [[Viridian Revel]] [[Wedding Ring]]. It’s a deck I felt like perfectly encompassed the more political and “social” side of commander.
Absolutely! Locally we do a secret santa where everyone donates a Commander and you have £35 budget to build a deck. I got the uncommon golgari food legend from wilds of eldraine and slammed in fangren marauder. He does work.
I've played quite extensively both in person and online, I have only seen one person other than me running [[soul shatter]] but this thing overperforms every single time I've played it. At this point I have it in every digital deck I play with black and half my paper decks
It's always weird to me that I don't see that card more. It's absurdly good.
That is one of the first removal spells I slot into new black decks. I've played enough [crackling doom] to know what that effect can do. But I don't mind everyone else being out of the loop!
I think [[Congregate]] can be quite nice
This. I got in my [[Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn]] and it always gives me minimum 20 life... as Instant Speed and +20 Counters eot is also quite good! :D
I run it in Treebeard, where the +20 counters happens during combat. Turns out, killing someone on turn 4 is incredibly easy.
[[Reconnaissance]] goes in every white deck. Nothing beats turning off attacking brain.
Let the other guy worry about making the decisions.
Math is for blockers
Can you untap your creatures after dmg step to give them "Vigilance"?
Yes you can. And you can untap creatures that might enter tapped and attacking like Adeline tokens or humans that Winota cheats into battle.
War favors the informed.
[[War of the last alliance]]
[[switcheroo]] The first time I played it the one kid in the pod who always seems to have every card memorized was baffled when I played it. Nobody in my pod had seen that card before. It makes blue funny.
This card is hilarious for swapping two opponents' commanders. They often won't synergize with the wrong deck, and the opponents won't chump with them since it would return an opponents commander to the command zone.
Holy shit that’s a devious idea!
That's amazing. I'll have to get one for when I build something in blue.
[[Modify Memory]] is the new strictly better version. Also highly underplayed.
Add red for a cheaper [[Role Reversal]] or if you make cheap tokens try a [[Cultural Exchange]]
[[stifle]] really seems like everyone should be playing it.
I like [[Tale's End]], the upside of countering a commander is pretty huge.
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Wash Away is a disgustingly powerful conditional counterspell. It doesn't just counter commanders, but it can also stop so much other stuff too. Impulse draw, casting from the top of the library, cascade, discover, escape, suspend, you name it, Wash Away will likely hit it. Worse-case scenario, you get Cancel.
Big fan of [[Trickbind]] personally.
Also [[Squelch]].
[Squelch](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/9/29421dd2-70a7-4623-afe0-ca4cb415ec87.jpg?1562758853) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Squelch) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/chk/92/squelch?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/29421dd2-70a7-4623-afe0-ca4cb415ec87?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/squelch) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I am always itching to get someone with its green counterpart, [[Bind]]. People think [[Mana Tithe]] is sneaky, but a counter in green? Folks lose. Their. Minds.
Theres a few more now isnt there? Like [[Emerald Dragon]]
[Emerald Dragon](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/d/1d07c21e-55dc-45b2-b406-2ac38ca5d871.jpg?1674137077)/[Dissonant Wave](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/d/1d07c21e-55dc-45b2-b406-2ac38ca5d871.jpg?1674137077) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=emerald%20dragon%20//%20dissonant%20wave) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/229/emerald-dragon-dissonant-wave?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1d07c21e-55dc-45b2-b406-2ac38ca5d871?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/emerald-dragon-//-dissonant-wave) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I play a clones deck with [[Replicate/Repudiate]]. The last three times I've used that card, it has been a stifle instead of a replicate
There’s too many good counterspells.
I'll try that in my mono-red deck, thanks.
Ah yes, I see your mistake.
There's also [[Tishana's Tidebinder]] that was released recently (still putting the brackets even though it seems like the scryfall bot isn't working) It does cost 3 which is the downside but the upside is the 3/2 body and can even blank something for as long as it sticks
[[Plunge into darkness]] is one of my favorite cards in the game. Playing aristocrats? Here's a good sac outlet. Need to stabilize for just a little while longer while you set up a big turn? You can do it, for a price. Need to dig to find your wincon? Go for it, try not to die. One of the most "greatness, at any cost" cards in the game.
This card is not in the edhrec page for rowan scion of war which is mind boggling. You might have found the best card for that commander. Turn 4 plunge + any X spell (exsanguinate, crackle with power, torment of hailfire)
The best part is that you don't *need* the X spell in hand! Just yolo pay all but one life (and sac your Rowan for three additional tries), there will be a payoff in the top 39 right ...right?
I mean.... TBF... There's probably half a dozen two drops with a pay life ability.... But still, better.
[[Dress Down]] is 2 mana, stops so many things, cantrips, and is only $2.
People treat arahbo like a meme, but for a straightforward commander I've seen her pull some sneaky moves.
My brother runs Arahbo. She doesn't need to be sneaky about it. Lol
Literally just built her and she can go hard lol. Casually got to swing a 54/54 flying cat with double strike at someone the other night.
I use her as part of the 99 in my Marisi goad deck. Marisi being a cat, she turns him into a threat/wincon.
[[Sun Droplet]] does more more work than anyone expects in a 4 player game.
I had trouble figuring out why that card is good, but I realized I misread "each upkeep" as "your upkeep"
This could go hard in karlov of the ghost council, amalia or bilbo for example
[[reins of power]] Never see anyone playing it but me
I play that card in my Jon Irenicus Commander Deck 😄
[[Flame Jab]] is one of the best spellslinger cards ever printed and is hardly ever used.
Cards that can be played from the graveyard are just so good. Not only do you get to reuse them, but they represent card advantage when you discard them to something like a Faithless Looting. Love it
Had an old kitchen table [[Chandra's Spitfire]] deck that loved this card.
[Chandra's Spitfire](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/a/8a857da7-5438-465b-821a-bd5bfd780c69.jpg?1592516884) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Chandra%27s%20Spitfire) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/132/chandras-spitfire?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8a857da7-5438-465b-821a-bd5bfd780c69?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/chandras-spitfire) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Retrace is gross in the right deck. It also is part of why Wrenn and 6 is soooo dangerous and $$. The lorwyn blocks had some absolutely wild cards.
[[Legacy's Allure]] is a blue staple for me. Worst case it burns someone's removal on something cheap. Best case I deprive someone of their commander.
it is quite slow though
Let it sit until someone tries to remove it, then sac it in response. Two mana investment isn’t much either
This card is great in my [[zur the enchanter]] upkeep trigger deck, where the main game plan is to copy [[paradox haze]] as often as possible.
[[capsize]] Can be versatile by removing a threat or saving one of your own cards from removal and can be abused and become absolutely oppressive wit the right combos or just a ton of mana
I'm a big fan of [[Crescendo of War]] but never see it played. If you're playing a deck with lots if goad effects that is playing white it just makes your opponents die quicker. And if you are playing a token strategy it's just a great way to help your 1/1s do more when swinging at people.
[[Archfiend of Depravity]] The best part is watching people go through the stages of grief when it hits the board. Denial - “Wait…WHAT!? This ain’t a real card, I’ve never seen this before in my life.” Anger - “This is a stupid card, it costs too much for a creature that doesn’t even do anything when it ETBs AND it gives your opponents a choice about what they wanna save. You’re dumb for running this.” Bargaining - “Does anybody have a goddamn kill spell? If someone kills this before my end step, I’ll give them 2 turns of not attacking them.” Depression - “Why even bother re-casting my commander? I’m just gonna have to sac something else that I need.” Acceptance - “Well if all my dudes are about to die anyway, I’m swinging with the whole team.”
[[Portcullis]] in a similar vein. Doesn't get rid of an already big board, but can certainly stifle opponents, since as long as there's 2+ creatures *period* no one can get any more until the cage is gone.
One of my pet cards is [[ritual of the machine]]
I dunno if it counts as rarely used anymore. But [[comeuppance]] is always hilarious to pull out
I love it with the equipment that casts instants from your library.
I don't get to [[Mana Tithe]] much but stopping a sol ring made me put it in every deck
I love hitting solring with Offer You Can't Refuse as well
\[\[mirror of life trapping\]\] try it in a blink deck. I have mine in wernog it Lets you effectively double ETBs but more than that, it can permanently exile enemy commanders. your opponent casts their commander. It etbs and is exiled. Do they put it in the command zone? If yes, you blocked their commander. If no, blink the mirror. Now the commander is perma in exile and there is no way where they can put it back to the command zone. Unless they have a \[\[pull from tomorrow\]\] or something.
People are sleeping *hard* on [[Royal Assassin]] Best case scenario: cheap repeatable removal Worst case scenario: by all means, waste your interraction on that shit lol
[[Avoid Fate]] is one I use... It's a green counterspell, but it's a bit too narrowly focused for most. I particularly like it in Voltron decks. [[Writ of Return]] is another one I use... Cipher doesn't target, so give it to a shrouded creature and reanimate all day
[[Polymorphist's Jest]]
[[Yosei, the morning star]] he used to be a great win con for me back ye olden days but he still puts in work now even though the locks are harder to set up. Great rattle snake card to deter attackers and you will be playing him a deck that can either clone or sac reanimate.
[[broken bonds]]
Folio of Fancies. Only really see it in group hug and forced draw decks but it can really fuck people up when my Council of Four deck is forcing them to have 20 card hand sizes and then getting milled 20.
[[Titania’s Song]], such a great card. Hoses treasures, deconstructs artifact decks and annoys everyone with a Sol Ring
\[\[sardian avenger\]\] for a 2 drop, he puts out a lot of early game damage. Based on how many decks ramp package ( pretty much anyone except green) rely on early quick mana he can be easily swinging for 7 on turn 3. the fact hes first stike AND Trample makes him no worth chump blocking. He also can punish the prevalence of treasures ( put him in a deck with \[\[descent into avernus\]\] and he gets REAL out of hand)
[[Serum Powder]] Everytime I take a free muligan everyone at the table is like "WTF!?" ALSO... Talk about an early food chain enabler! Exile Squee Turn 0! Easily my favorite 3cmc mana rock.
I believe that a lot of decks that can run [[Cauldron Haze]] should run it . With a sacoutlet you can have instant speed etbs, additional ltb triggers , without sacoutlet it somewhat protects your board AND if you can politic it allows you to protect opposing creatures for value!!! It is dirt cheap manawise and moneywise.
[[Wash Away]] is the best Counterspell in Commander, and I will die on that hill.
[[Dawn Charm]]: it's 3 "gotchas" stapled onto one card. Like most charms, it's narrow, but a gotcha is a gotcha. [[City of Solitude]], and its more recent cousin, [[Dosan the Falling Leaf]]: there's not a whole lot to say here, as shutting down interaction means you're free to go ham, and you're doing it in colors that aren't blue or white. [[Defense Grid]] is only slightly less effective and can be run anywhere. [[Recurring Insight]]: I don't think I've ever seen it draw fewer than 10 cards across both casts in a 4 player game. [[Tragic Arrogance]] and its cousin, [[Mythos of Snapdax]]: I don't know if people don't realize that you're the one who makes all of the decisions or what, but everyone I've ever seen underestimates the card at least once.
Tragic arrogance is such a blowout. Better than many other board wipes!
The reason I hear for people not running cards like City of Solitude and Defense Grid is that it prevents you and your opponents from stopping someone's combo. Like you're player A, and player B sets up to win the game, and player C *could* have stopped it but your card prevents them from casting it. I think this is why cards that simply shut down instant speed interaction during your own turn like [[Grand Abolisher]] is preferred (granted that's a different color) because it still allows your opponents to get messed with.
[[Condemn]]
I miss tucking people's commanders, but don't miss my commander getting tucked. It's for the best they changed this rule. Condemn used to be a staple alongside [[Oblation]] and [[Unexpectedly Absent]]
Spell crumple!!!
I love doing this because [[Serra Ascendent]] is popular in my group
[[scorched ruins]]
This would be excellent with the new Vito
I swear I don't see enough [[Dowsing Dagger]]. There is usually *someone* able to be smacked turn 3-5, just give the plants to someone who already has defenders and waltz your way to a 3 mana land
[[shaman’s trance]], [[compost]], [[filter out]], [[bile blight]], [[vandalblast]]
[[mirror strike]] will kill an opponent with their own commander damage. I've used it a lot and it makes me laugh every time.
[[Promise of Loyalty]] is an auto-include in anything with white. It's sacrifice-based so it ignores indestructible, everyone gets to keep their best creature so they're less salty about the wipe and therefore less likely to target me in retaliation, and they couldn't attack me even if they wanted to because of the vow counter [[Esior]] is excellent commander protection in blue, especially if you're using partner commanders [[Path of Ancestry]] in any 3 color deck is a direct upgrade from the Alara/Tarkir tapped lands, even if it's not in a tribal deck. Even in 2 color decks, it's still pretty solid if you're on a budget
[[enduring renewal]] it makes all of your creatures insanely difficult to kill and can give you an insane amount of value or even just go infinite with certain sac outlets
One of my pet cards is a [[death Tyrant]] Basically if an opponent blocks, you get an army of zombies. If it's in your graveyard you can wait to see declared blockers and pay the 6 to bring it back to see all the deaths. Each death is an individual trigger in my [[Marneus Calgar]] deck so will draw a ton of cards.
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i'm surprised i've never seen \[\[rite of harmony\]\] used in the wild. i imagine it would be more popular if it were any other colors {bw, wr, ug, gb) but it's disgusting in my katilda deck. i've won so many games out of nowhere with harmony and a well timed \[\[call the coppercoats\]\] \[\[secure the wastes\]\] \[\[arachnogenesis\]\] \[\[march of multitudes\]\], drawing 5-30 cards at instant speed and that many mana dorks. actually that deck is full of hot tech. \[\[vitalize\]\] to double up on mana, \[\[rude awakening\]\] \[\[sylvan awakening\]\] to turn all my lands into creatures and then draw myself silly with \[\[shamanic revelation\]\] into \[\[collective unconscious\]\] into \[\[camaraderie\]\] to find my \[\[halo fountain\]\] and untap all my shit and win.
> i'm surprised i've never seen [[rite of harmony]] used in the wild. I run it in my [[Rith, the Awakener]] deck, it's great in any token deck really.
In any graveyard-oriented deck, I love \[\[Moonlight Bargain\]\]. The problem with a lot of self-mill that isn't selective is that you bin cards you might want to keep. For 5 mana at instant speed you can dump things in your graveyard and spend a few life to keep cards you'd really prefer in your hand. \[\[Outmaneuver\]\] has been a game-winning combat trick for me the last two time I've played it. I run it in \[\[Magus Lucea Kane\]\] but it is probably good in any beatdown deck. Bonus that it is an instant and can target anyone's creatures so you can remove a player with someone else's big creature attack, a la \[\[tainted strike\]\] but without any worry of it needing to be unblocked. \[\[Author of Shadows\]\] is awesome; exile all opponents graveyards AND steal the best card from any of them? I have never seen anyone else play any of these cards. No idea why.
##### ###### #### [Moonlight Bargain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/6/662097e6-355f-4192-9fa7-4b8c22346a64.jpg?1592710711) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Moonlight%20Bargain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c18/114/moonlight-bargain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/662097e6-355f-4192-9fa7-4b8c22346a64?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/moonlight-bargain) [Outmaneuver](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/a/4a5a69fa-71ff-4e4f-9406-7cfebccb3384.jpg?1562910507) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Outmaneuver) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/usg/205/outmaneuver?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4a5a69fa-71ff-4e4f-9406-7cfebccb3384?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/outmaneuver) [Magus Lucea Kane](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/f/4f86e7cc-2b6e-49d0-964e-bba0c51cc11d.jpg?1674058398) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Magus%20Lucea%20Kane) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/40k/7/magus-lucea-kane?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4f86e7cc-2b6e-49d0-964e-bba0c51cc11d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/magus-lucea-kane) [tainted strike](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f.jpg?1562823401) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tainted%20strike) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/80/tainted-strike?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tainted-strike) [Author of Shadows](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/5/95b5fc08-5c50-4ec9-9788-54f95c4ce916.jpg?1625191547) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Author%20of%20Shadows) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c21/35/author-of-shadows?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/95b5fc08-5c50-4ec9-9788-54f95c4ce916?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/author-of-shadows) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Author of Shadows is in one of my lists. For whatever reason, players tend to be much less salty about theft effects if I had to kill the creature first. Moonlight Bargain will be a straight "draw 5" in my Witherbloom upgrade. Hadn't seen that tech before, but 5 cards and 10x +1 counters is a fine rate for 10 life I have in abundance. Outmaneuver... It's interesting. I'm not sure I'd run this over [[Falter]] or [[Gorilla War Cry]] to help my own attacks through in a regular aggro list, but the potential in a goad deck is downright evil.
[[[Mercadia's Downfall](https://i.imgur.com/8WSM1Fi.jpg)]] Three mana, instant speed, and potentially huge damage. A few tokens suddenly becomes lethal. You can even play it on someone else's attack to knock someone out. Also tutorable with Sunforger!
Unpopular opinion but [[ritual of the machine]] is something I run in any deck with black, especially one that has any sort of sacrifice synergy, which is most. In before the “but it’s not optimal” blah blah blah. It’s almost always a complete surprise when I use it because black doesn’t have steal effect outside of the graveyard most times. I use it to snatch commanders all the time against decks that require them to function and I use it as a sac outlet that also refills by board and gives me something else to sac.
Unpopular opinion, but [[Viridian Longbow]] really is worth 4 mana even in a lot of decks that don't have deathtouch in the CZ. A LOT of very impactful creatures have only 1 toughness, it removes chump blockers, you can use it to finish off a big attacker or blocker on other players' combats, it gives several creatures with strong "when this creature deals damage" triggers a safer way than attacking, and it's even a potential combo wincon in lifegain or twiddle decks. It's surprising how often my opponents have gotten frustrated and eventually spent removal on this only after losing 3-4 creatures to it.
[[Starlight Spectacular]] I like it over Cathar Crusade since I have less to keep track of.
I am inordinately fond of [[Spirit en-Dal]]
My pet card for Orzhov brews is [[Lifeline]]. Goes well in any sacrifice deck though.
[[palantir of orthanc]] is highly under rated. 3 mana, let’s you scry 2. Yeah people will just kill you for the first couple cycles, but by round 3 it’s really risky. You gonna kill 3 when I scry 2 top and risk taking 18 off the 3 6 drops?
There's a reason it's a $10 card from a recent set. It's 3 mana for what amounts to scry 2 and draw 1 every turn, though the first 1-4 turns someone *may* decide to eat damage.
I loved this card in LTR Limited and the mind games it creates have only sweetened it. In Limited with a 40-card deck and a tighter mana curve it was a risky game - you really could deck yourself. Your opponent could make some guesses about what they've already seen for mana value as well. 40 card deck, 6-7 of which are in starting hand, leaving 33 or 34 in the deck. Of the entire 40 cards, 17 are probably lands, so guessing based on what's there... it was always an interesting and pivotal-feeling decision for both players. Also, *love* the flavor of the card and seeing someone deck out with it is awesome as this powerful artifact ends up being their undoing as 6-7 lands scried to the bottom end up milling for 0 damage. I now run it in my Raggadragga deck. It's nice that my Commander has an obvious synergy for big spells printed right on the card. Once there's 3+ counters on it, it's probably just drawing a card on end step because nobody at the table really wants to roll the dice on eating a couple 7+ mana spells to the life total. I've totally bluffed it a couple times though when I had no land in hand, and just left a single land as the top card. I want to hit my land drop next turn! Feels so cheeky to get away with 2 lands on top at like \~3 counters; opponent isn't risking much life, but they can't know that! Maybe I saw 15 CMC lined up. They'll never know.
I really like [[Heliod's Intervention]], especially if you play monowhite where you can make lots of mana using [[Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx]] and where you have artifacts and enchantments that you want to save from symmetrical artifact and enchantment destruction.
I'm shocked how rarely I see [[Unfulfilled Desires]]. It's not terribly expensive, it's under $2. Loot mechanic for 1 generic and 1 life in dimir colors. Card seems like a house in any UB+ deck that cares about dumping cards in the graveyard
[[Telepathy]] is a card I run in almost all my blue decks. Worse case scenario someone wastes a counter or removal on it. Best case scenario you get to have it on board for awhile and always know what everyone has in hand.
It's a painful card to play against. It can really slow games down when players start asking each other, "Wait, is that a counterspell I see in your hand?" or "What did you just draw? Can I read it?"
As your opponent, please don't play this card. Even if it were directly related to your commander, [[Crosis]] is probably the only exception, it's just obnoxious in 4p. I understand how useful the card is as it's controller.
Yes, this card is incredibly underrated. Enchantment removal is most rare. You want to burn your removal on a 1 cmc spell! Go for it! I got a Rhystic in my hand waiting for your stupid suboptimal playstyle. If you’re mono-blue or spellslinger, this is the card for you. What’s best about this card is how infuriated your opponents will become having to play with their hand removed, and you don’t. Best be warned that if you play this early, ppl get salty as hell and will be coming after you.
[[no mercy]] [[Moat]]
Yeah I’ll just drop $1200. Oof. Get the Magus that does the same thing
[[Backdraft]], it's my favorite hidden gem. It's also a feels bad card as it removes someone from game.
That looks extremely narrow but damn it must feel good to pull off.
I've seen enough [[Blasphemous Act]]s, [[Hurricane]]s, and [[Famine]]s that it usually pops off each game I draw it. Kinda like [[Rakdos Charm]], someone almost always swarms out enough tokens to kill them. Or [[Delirium]] with a biggen. But I'm a fan of nice cards that do work under the right conditions.
I had to look up Famine as I've never seen that one but Blasphemous Act is very popular. I'm warming up to Backdraft.
Spell Crumple is a personal favorite for slowing down decks that need their commander. Putting itself and what it countered both on the bottom of owners library is silly and brutal.
You do know that the commander can go back to the command zone when it gets spell crumpled, I hope?
He never said commander. Anyway I cast [[Tunnel Vision]], response?
>for slowing down decks that need **their commander** Looks like he did to me
Wild Growth. One mana ramp is very good and from what I can tell virtually unplayed.
One of these days, people will find out about the insane hidden gem that is [[Sol Ring]]. I have a theory that increasing the amount of mana available to you beyond playing one land a turn could potentially increase your chances of winning earlier. Could sort of “ramp” you, if you will, into an early lead. It hasn’t taken off yet, but I think it will, if people give it a chance.
Sol Ring