The Tens of EDH 2: Underused Cards
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miracleHat
7 December 2015
6414 views
7 December 2015
6414 views
The Tens of EDH
10 Great, Forgettable, and Underused Cards!
Introduction .1
Welcome to the second instalment of this series. As mentioned in the title, this series focuses on **my personal** top tens of EDH, also known as Commander. I hope that you will enjoy this, though since opinions and perceptions do differ, this may not be for everybody. Please keep the comments nice and civil and if you disagree with anything, or all of this, do feel free to post in the comments section.
Introduction .2
This article is going to look at cards that are easily forgettable, not known, or have "better" counterparts, but are still great! The following list is not going to include cards that are great in very specific decks (Indomitable Ancients), cards that are already used heavily (Consecrated Sphinx), garbage cards (Aven Shrine), and cards that I haven't seen at all in games.
Card #10
Invulnerability
How often to people win through attacking? Kaalia of the Vast, Mayael the Anima, Doran, the Siege Tower and others are decks that do great jobs at smashing people’s faces all the way down to the ground. Invulnerability, while not as strong in the early game (though still usable), takes care of many timmy decks. Looking at a Demon of Death's Gate flying at you; cast Invulnerability and you have just saved yourself 9 damage. The part that makes Invulnerability stellar is the buyback. Most people know the iconic buyback card (Capsize), but not many people know about Invulnerability. With buyback and enough mana, you can "Fog" attacking creatures, a Fireball that is about to wreck your board, or just a random Mana Crypt trigger.
Card #9
Thassa's Ire
There is a whole lot that I can say about this enchantment. There are three major things about this card that make it great. First: it stops your opponent from killing you. Pre-Combat, tap down their Balefire Dragon at stop it attacking. Second: during an opponents upkeep, tap a Helldozer to prevent it destroying you. Third: untapping your things. Untapping a Mother of Runes is always a pleasure, or Keiga, the Tide Star as a sunshine blocker.
Card #8
Wall of Vapor
Most people know about Fog Bank, Guard Gomazoa and Gomazoa itself. Being older (legends/chronicles), common, niche category, and generally worse than the big three are major reasons why people don’t know this card. This card is still great, because it can block Verdant Force for days (until it gets the Rancor).
Card #7
Thunder Dragon
Now that I have bored you with defensive cards, here is a question for you: How many people in your playgroup play tokens? How about merfo scratch that: any tribal deck with little ferrety creatures that swarm with little daggers and mines? Thunder Dragon is a natural phenomena caused by a flying, hungry, monstrous and red dragon that destroys a lot of things. Wiping out a lot of mana-dorks, utility creatures, small tokens, maybe toss in a general or two (Azusa, Lost but Seeking) and you are left with a 5/5 looking for more food to eat. Though Balefire Dragon is a thing, very fun, and does a lot more damage (most of the time), flickering Thunder Dragon is a very effective way of f!cking sh!t up.
Card #6
Coalition Relic
What?! A mana rock that is underplayed (blasphemy)! This is a mana rock that has seen a major decline since Return to Ravnica. I say this because Chromatic Lantern was printed in RTR and replaced all Coalition Relics. Henceforth : Coalition Relic is a great card that has been forgotten by a lot of people. There are also really fun interactions with this card: Seedborn Muse and Doubling Season for example.
Card #5
Rekindled Flame
Yeah I know that burn spells have problems in commander. They don’t do enough damage in a 40-life format where creatures are 6/6 and do crazy things! And Rekindled Flame is a sorcery! Rekindled Flame has a very unique ability: it has the ability to recur itself and can kill up to 425 legendary creatures (thanks gatherer search!): so a lot of generals, without including other variables. The part that makes this card great is the recursion. Whilst having your opponent hellbent isn’t the easiest task, there are a lot of ways to achieve that (Wit's End and Rakdos's Return). Do keep in mind that in a multiplayer game with 3 opponents, at one point one of them is probably going to have an empty hand if the game goes long enough.
Card #4
Teferi's Moat
There are a lot of mono and dual color decks. A fair amount of them focus on some form of combat. Most creatures in the infinite creature combo’s are the same color, and Teferi's Moat stops all. Being dual colored and 5 mana is one of the major reasons why this card can be forgotten about, when compared to Ghostly Prison. There are also really fun interactions with this card, such as: Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, Whim of Volrath, and Downdraft.
Card #3
Silver Seraph
White, 8 mana 6/6 flying, attainable buff, and is a largely forgettable card. There are other creature cards that are better, especially in the angelic category (looking at Avacyn, Angel of Hope), better buffs in the cost/ratio area (looking at you Collective Blessing), but Silver Seraph is still a great creature. In most EDH games, obtaining threshold is easy enough, and games go long enough that 8 mana isn’t the biggest problem (most of the time). 6/6 flying is still good people!
Card #2
Squandered Resources
I am sure that there are some people who remember this card with Cadaverous Bloom, but ever since mirage, this card has had a slight falling out. There are not many people who enjoy losing their lands for a quick profit, but this card is still great! Being two mana, it is very easy to cast in any B/G/x deck. But the main thing that makes this card great is when you mix it with cards that dominate a board when played early (looking at you Sun Titan), and land recursion (yelling at you Crucible of Worlds). There is the added bonus of tapping the land, then sacrificing it for 6 mana on turn 3: and all that you need are 3 lands.
Card #1
Earthlink
6 mana jund enchantment that has a upkeep cost and can hurt you? I know, yet I still consider this a great card. I am not the biggest fan of land destruction, but I can still recognize a good card when I see it. This card will completely ruin any sacrifice strategy, Earthlink enhances creature removal, and all that you need is two mana and minimal creatures on your side of the field (or Life from the Loam) and you are good to go.
Honorable Mention
Aegis of Honor
And back to the defensive cards! This card is a fun card that is meant for one purpose, and one purpose only: to laugh at the people who run Urza's Rage. The reason why this doesn’t make it to the actual list is because to all intents and purposes: red is the only color with damaging instant/sorceries and red is the weakest color in edh (in a vacuum).
Conclusion .1
For the obligatory conclusion, thanks for reading this second instalment… I hope that you enjoy it and you continue reading. Please upvote, subscribe, comment and all of that vain fun stuff.
Conclusion .2
For the important conclusion! This article has very limited applications for the realm of MTG outside EDH. Keep in mind that these are cards that I haven’t seen played at the 3 different card shops that I go to/have been and online. If they are played, then great, please inform me! Also: there are obviously a lot more than ten underused/underplayed cards out there: these are just some of them. Lastly: if you think that any of these cards are horrible and only deserve to be on the "horrible list of cards", then put it into the comments and explain why you think so.
Each Article
Every article, I will have a small fact about me (personal/mtg life stuff like that), so for this time: I have 6 EDH decks and am currently working on a 7th. The generals are: Kaalia of the Vast, Vendilion Clique, Azusa, Lost but Seeking, Ghave, Guru of Spores, Sygg, River Guide, Braids, Cabal Minion (or Sheoldred, Whispering One if people don’t like turn 2 braids…).
And for each article: a trivia question, so for this time: Nevinyrral's Disk is a reference to Larry Niven (author) via anagram. Which card, however, is a reference to Magic’s creator via anagram.
Again, assuming that you read this, thanks!
TheRedMage says... #2
Braids, Cabal Minion is banned in EDH...
Other than that, I think that for some of these cards there are better options but these can be ok when you need redundant copies of the same effect.
The exception is Coalition Relic which I usually play before Chromatic Lantern in big mana decks (especially if they are 3 colors as opposed to 5). It is a very unique and very cool effect - although I am not sure I would call it "underplayed", at least in my playgroup.
Also - the "tap Helldozer on upkeep" trick doesn't work, they can just respond by activating Helldozer.
December 7, 2015 10:08 a.m. Edited.
TurboFagoot says... #3
Terrible article.
The answer to the trivia is Phelddagrif
December 7, 2015 10:36 a.m.
TurboFagoot - Happy to publish articles about T1 play as well as casual play! If your demographic isn't being catered for you're welcome to contribute.....
December 7, 2015 11:32 a.m.
I like the article. Interesting cards. Thanks for the article!
December 7, 2015 12:13 p.m.
miracleHat says... #7
@TheRedMage: I am aware that braids is banned. I can change it to sheoldred, but braids is more entertaining.
I am aware that Coalition Relic is played, I was just making the point ever since Chromatic Lantern was printed, it hasn't been played as much, so... underplayed.
December 7, 2015 1:13 p.m.
Squandered Resources is a card I would play an entire deck around if it were modern legal. maybe some kind of Restore Balance deck.
December 7, 2015 2:07 p.m.
Very cool article, miracleHat!
Thanks TONS for all the time you invested in this!
December 7, 2015 4:22 p.m.
Seahunter is a card that people don't know about, but they should since it lets you find Empress Galina, Deepchannel Mentor, Taurean Mauler, Chameleon Colossus, among others.
December 7, 2015 5:08 p.m.
jamkid23, not really. Earthlink is accessible outside of mono-red. So, I don't believe it's technically strictly better.
December 7, 2015 8:20 p.m.
mtgThaen, I guess it isn't completely better but if you're building a deck, you will always use Burning Sands over Earthlink unless you have terrible mana fixing, but then you probably couldn't pay Earthlink either. I have never been in a situation where I could pay 3BRG but not pay 3RR.
December 7, 2015 8:51 p.m.
Fair enough. I suppose one might run both, but I can imagine some super rare situations where paying grixis might be easier...but yeah, it's almost always better than Earthlink.
December 7, 2015 9:05 p.m.
Silverf1sh says... #16
I would say that an incredibly underlooked card, especially if we aren't talking competitive EDH, is Rootwater Thief. Take that, Eldrazi and other asinine things.
December 7, 2015 10:06 p.m.
Silverf1sh says... #17
Not to mention, it's a general answer that is rarely dead in your hand; there's utility all around in it. At the very worst you are getting a body, at best you're taking out a combo piece or something your deck just can't handle.
December 7, 2015 10:07 p.m.
JoeKickazz says... #19
December 8, 2015 1:04 a.m.
Nice list, thanks!
You'll get tons of recommendations, but I wish to make a case for Goblin Snowman, a 1/1 (goblin) snow man blocking a monstrous eldrazi is fun any day :) (eventhough it is cmc 4).
December 8, 2015 3:43 a.m.
GeminiSpartanX says... #21
Great article! I never realized the interaction between Coalition Relic and Seedborn Muse before. Keep up the good work!
December 8, 2015 8:05 a.m.
shaistyone says... #22
Most of these are on my internal 'never play' list. The one time I saw Squandered Resources the poor guy had to scoop when my friend cast Mindslaver.
My list:
Telepathy - I don't think I've ever lost a game where I cast this. The information advantage is monstrous.
Nacatl War-Pride - tends to function like a sorcery that makes someone discard removal, but if it sticks it's probably over
Intrepid Hero - grinds the game down to a much slower pace
Leonin Sun Standard - reusable mass pump in white seems good
Descendant of Soramaro - so unassuming, but ridiculous card selection
Mindmoil - yay! I get to see more then 20 cards per game w/ my red deck
Do or Die - cheap way to remove multiple creatures - go deep and target yourself
Reconnaissance - belongs in pretty much every white deck that expects to attack w/creatures
Lim-Dul's Vault - #2 on list of cards that people have to reread
Soul Sculptor - most reread card by far that I play, and also the card that the most people screw up against
December 8, 2015 12:34 p.m.
SniperFrog says... #23
This is a really good article. I do think Imp's Mischief is extremely underplayed and should be in every black deck ever. But that's just me. Also Tower of Fortunes.
December 8, 2015 12:40 p.m.
miracleHat says... #24
I would like to point out that the Mindmoil/Whirlpool Rider effects are played in most niv decks, along with nekusar or any other deck that goes for that strategy.
I have never seen Soul Sculptor, fun card. And yes, Earthlink is strictly worse than Burning Sands.
December 8, 2015 1:55 p.m.
CastleSiege says... #25
Coalition Relic has been in about 60-70% of the decks I've played against, so I wouldn't really call it underplayed. In my meta, at least.
Edit: Though, according to EDHREC, it's in 6.9% of all the decks registered, so maybe you're right.
December 8, 2015 2:17 p.m. Edited.
most underplayed green spell I know of.
I tend to use it to put counterspells back in my head in Simic EDH.
Other times it gets my Seedborn Muse and Prophet of Kruphix back in hand after a wipe.
Cream of the Crop is pretty damned powerful, though I've seen it pop up on this site a lot recently
December 8, 2015 2:59 p.m.
There are actually around 447 legends (including the stupid flip cards from kamigawa)
December 8, 2015 5:53 p.m.
MetalDivinity says... #28
I think all of these are too slow or do too little in any competitive meta (With the exception of Coalition Relic). But, then again, I come from a meta of Commander players that basically play Vintage decks and win between turns 3 and 7. You learn what's good and what's bad real quick in that environment.
December 8, 2015 7:49 p.m.
miracleHat says... #32
@drache: people who i play with always run Fire Covenant if it is in their colors.
@NoSoyYucateco: I am not a personal fan of fog effects. While Batwing Brume does have the ability to turn around infinite creature combo decks, it doesn't do much else to advance your boardstate.
@Coalition Relic, I inserted the relic into the article because people seemed to forget that it was a card when Chromatic Lantern came out and everybody started to use that for mana fixing. While it is still used... it is as far as I can tell... underused.
December 11, 2015 2:48 a.m.
lol i keep getting notifications when people mention Dr.Ache in a comment, this just started this week
December 11, 2015 11:55 a.m.
I haven't seen you pop up in a long time. I thought you had quit the cite sometime back.
December 11, 2015 6:09 p.m.
god_dammit_nappa says... #35
Mana Geyser is such an under appreciated card in EDH. The ability to float tons of mana and empty your hand onto the battlefield should never be overlooked.
December 12, 2015 12:51 a.m.
NoSoyYucateco says... #36
miracleHat: I completely understand if it's not in your particular EDH philosophy, but the simple fact of the matter is that in B/W decks, Batwing Brume has the potential to turn someone's "I win" into "I'm dead". Infinite creatures doesn't even have to factor into the equation. Ask any Rhys the Redeemed player. "Board state" is only good when compared with that of other players in the game. For 2 CMC, having an opponent lose the game is straight up awesome.
December 12, 2015 3:56 a.m.
Daedalus19876 says... #38
I would suggest that, mono-colored and in a vacuum, white is the weakest color in EDH. It lacks reasonable card draw, which can cripple mono-white decks.
December 13, 2015 11:18 p.m.
god_dammit_nappa says... #39
Mono-White lacks card draw? Scroll Rack and Land Tax. You will draw ALL the cards. It gets there. I promise. :)
December 16, 2015 10:29 p.m.
god_dammit_nappa says... #41
Not Land Tax. That's a white enchantment. God I love making colors of Magic do stuff that they don't normally do. I love the look on my opponents' faces when they slump into their chair with despair! Nothing finer than that feeling in Magic. :)
December 17, 2015 10:43 p.m.
Now I want to use Scroll Rack and Oath of Lieges in my Zedruu the Greathearted deck. Damn you god_dammit_nappa! I thought my days of collecting EDH cards were finally over...
(I realize I'm playing 
so I could just draw cards that way, but Zedruu wants to play with all permanents + a few counter spells and maybe an Insurrection...I don't need no damned Divination.)
December 17, 2015 10:52 p.m.
@god_dammit_nappa Oops. I knew it was white, i've played against it.
December 18, 2015 8:09 a.m.
Daedalus19876 says... #44
Land Tax is great, agreed, and Scroll Rack should basically be in every EDH deck that needs card draw. But they're both single cards, and if you don't draw into them, you're kind of screwed. Red at least has rummaging to find them/similar effects.
December 18, 2015 3:41 p.m.
Nightdragon779 says... #45
Stop suggesting Invulnerability! It just completely stops my Nekusar, the Mindrazer EDH.
*Sobs
January 14, 2016 5:04 p.m.
Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker screws over Nekusar, the Mindrazer.
February 27, 2016 9:36 a.m.
On the same theme as Thunder Dragon there is also Deathbringer Regent which I quite like.
Thanks for another fun article.
ChiefBell says... #1
miracleHat
December 7, 2015 9:38 a.m.