Each playgroup has different levels of competitiveness. Lately, I see more commander decks that have been net-decked. It's very understandable to want to optimize a deck and this is to be expected in most competitive environments. However, in casual games, I always encourage adding your own flair. Of course, there's a fine balance to how far out of the box you should go but I think there is a lot of advantages to being a little unpredictable. The following cards are my five favorite cards that are worth testing in a multiplayer commander deck.
Hellkite Tyrant This dragon may be a little high on the mana curve to make it into the initial builds but let's take a look at why it is worth it. If you haven't seen this card it is a 6/5 trample haste for 4 colorless and 2 red, which is pretty unspectacular but when it deals combat damage to a player you will gain control of all their artifacts. Also if you control 20 or more artifacts at the beginning of your upkeep, you win the game. In a format that artifacts are essential this can make for a very entertaining play. Personally, I run it in a Kaalia of the Vast and it is a brutal card to drop with her ability.
Mind Twist This card is the topic of much discussion in my casual group and seems to polarize people on if it is worth running in a deck that does not have a discard theme. If you don't know the card, it's mana cost is X and 1 black, sorcery card which makes target opponent discard X cards at random. The advantage to running this card is that it is useful at almost every stage of the game. If you have it in your opening hand with any mana rock you can slow the opponent down a fair amount by making them discard their mid-late game cards on the second or third turn. If you draw it later in the game you can clean out a hand very easily. Also because it's random it works great at drawing out counterspells and tricks.
Mana Short If you really want to be annoying this is the card for you. It'<span>s way too underplayed in my opinion. The casting cost is 2 colorless and 1 blue. For that price you get to shut down an opponent's turn by tapping all their lands and emptying their mana pool. It seems to be the most effective if you play it during their upkeep which has the added bonus of them not having lands untapped for your following turn.
Guided Passage With a casting cost of 1 blue, 1 red and 1 green, which really limits the decks that it can be run in. But with a little mana fixing, it can be a great card to beef up your hand. This card is cast at sorcery speed and when played, one of your opponents searches your library for a creature, a land, and a noncreature/nonland card. Then you put those cards into your hand and shuffle your library. So this has some obvious drawbacks, like showing your opponents what your deck contains. When playing with friends it doesn't seem to be a big deal, but they almost always know your deck as well as you do. In a pinch, an opponent can help you get the cards you need to deal with another player that is about to combo or win.
Debt Of Loyalty This has been one of the most fun white cards to run. Although it is not a stand-alone theft card, in most commander games it's a great way to take the biggest threat that gets killed or an opponent's general. The way it works is when an opponent's creature dies you can regenerate and gain control of it. The one drawback that I find is the casting cost, 1 colorless and 2 white. The double white can be annoying at times.
On a closing note I just want to say that EDH/Commander is a great format and explore all the options and if you are feeling bored with a deck, try running a few surprise cards. I am always interested if I can find synergy and new combinations. Do you have some cards you would like to add? Think I am crazy? Leave a comment below.
explore all the options and if you are feeling bored with a deck, try running a few surprise cards. I am always surprised that I can find synergy and new combinations all the time. Do you have some cards you would like to add? Think I am crazy? Leave a comment below.
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