What are the top two best Rune of Protection cards for commander?

Commander (EDH) forum

Posted on July 31, 2020, 3:30 a.m. by StopShot

Cards: Rune of Protection: Artifacts, || Rune of Protection: Black, || Rune of Protection: Blue, || Rune of Protection: Green, || Rune of Protection: Red, || Rune of Protection: White.

I know it highly differs on the meta, but if you had to run only two of these cards in your deck and they had to be present for any given playgroup you'd find yourself in which ones would you include in your deck and why?

Also yes, I know Story Circle exists however, that doesn't mean every game I play I'm going to want a damage prevention effect. I like the Rune of Protection cards as they offer cycling if there's absolutely no need for any damage prevention.

SynergyBuild says... #2

This depends on the metagame heavily, however I love certain ones for some reasons, imagine using Rune of Protection: Red with Heartless Hidetsugu! Personally, Red and Green are my favorites, as Red for the previous reason and Green helps mediate Triumph of the Hordes and Craterhoof Behemoth!

Also, with a Vial Smasher the Fierce, Nekusar, big fireball, etc. Red is really strong, not just mono-red!

July 31, 2020 3:35 a.m.

griffstick says... #3

Yea I was gonna say a similar thing that red is the one. The biggest thing I've noticed about the protection keyword is it hits red the hardest.

Protection: cant be targeted cant be enchanted cant be blocked and cant be damaged. That last one "cant be damaged" speaks directly to red because outside of creatures red it the main was to deal damage...

Rune of Protection: Red and Pyrohemia

I like this hidden gem that pauper legal Righteous Aura

July 31, 2020 9:35 a.m. Edited.

griffstick says... #4

Righteous Aura gets through hexproof and shroud

July 31, 2020 9:38 a.m.

shadow63 says... #5

I think on the edh rec podcast they said black and green are the two most popular colors on commander so I'd say those two

July 31, 2020 10:46 a.m.

MagicMarc says... #6

For sure I think red should be there because of reasons already stated by SynergyBuild & griffstick.

Then I agree with shadow63 about the remaining color. It depends on how your deck handles creatures already. If you arent worried about big stompy then I would pick black because it has more direct damage and evasion than green. if your ground cover is thin, i would pick green and try them out.

July 31, 2020 11:35 a.m.

As many above, I would say red. Recently I was playing against a Subira, Tulzidi Caravanner deck, and it had literally no way to deal with my Akroma, Angel of Wrath. I just kept on swinging...

July 31, 2020 12:21 p.m.

StopShot says... #8

I can see the merits of running Rune of Protection: Red but I feel like the second best or stronger is Rune of Protection: White. Prevention of damage can bypass shroud and hexproof creatures and white specializes in Lightning Greaves//Swiftfoot Boots and tutoring those cards with Steelshaper's Gift, Stoneforge Mystic, Open the Armory, etc. which Rune of Protection: White heavily turns off a lot of voltron-style decks. It's also incredible at turning off a lot of other hard to remove EDH generals such as Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Zetalpa, Primal Dawn, Akroma, Angel of Wrath, Bruna, Light of Alabaster, Sigarda, Host of Herons, Zur the Enchanter, Uril, the Miststalker, Narset, Enlightened Master and Zurgo Helmsmasher. Those generals may be more niche of a damage source than red or green, but that's where the cycling is helpful whereas spot removal can be more effective at dealing with the red and green damage sources.

Rune of Protection: Green I think may be a bit over-valued as the color green I think is a little too good at artifact/enchantment removal, especially when it comes to stapling that effect on their own creatures such as Acidic Slime, Bane of Progress, Caustic Caterpillar, Gemrazer, Reclamation Sage, Sawtusk Demolisher, Trygon Predator, Terastodon, Woodfall Primus. I feel like green could easily remove the rune before you could get much value out of it and that you'd be better off sticking to spot removal. I know white also has enchantment removal but their removal spells I find to be less practical and as efficient as green meaning you wouldn't find as much enchantment removal in a white deck as you would a green deck.

July 31, 2020 5:54 p.m.

SteelSentry says... #9

The most important thing is going to be your meta, but in a vacuum I would not pick Rune of Protection: Black, because the most popular black win conditions are going to be "loss of life", which can't be prevented. The black Rune is going to be powerless to stop Torment of Hailfire, Debt to the Deathless, and Blood Artist effects. Red is one of the better ones, and so for me it comes down to White and Green, whichever you are more scared of hitting you with a big creature.

August 2, 2020 6:21 a.m.

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