Court of Ambition

Enchantment

When Court of Ambition enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.

At the beginning of your upkeep, each opponent loses 3 life unless they discard a card. If you're the monarch, instead each opponent loses 6 life unless they discard two cards.

Tokens

• The Monarch

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (30)

DreadKhan on unthinkable apocalypse

4 months ago

There is Kaervek the Merciless, this might work well with your fairly high MV. Also with the higher MV, you could look at Protection Racket, which is mostly a problem if your deck cares about specific cards, as long as your deck is just a bunch of cards that are all good together it's one of the best cards in Black, it can draw you more cards than Rhystic Study in some metas, or just drain everyone of life if they're really, really responsible and always pay. Finally, Timesifter is hilarious if your opponents have a deck with a noticeably lower MV, or a lot of lands compared to you. You could toss in some really high MV spells like Blasphemous Act and/or Reckless Endeavor, wipes are handy I find, even in a deck that usually is ahead, sometimes you face a faster deck, or a deck that has one sided wipes. I think if your MV is over 3.75 you probably could look at all but Timesifter, for that you might want to go even higher. Another way to raise your average MV is MDFs like Hagra Mauling  ^Flip, as a spell you would never run it, but in place of a land it is both versatile and has it's MV for any effect that cares about it, the only question is if you can afford a tapped land (or want to pay for the Mythics, can enter untapped in a pinch). Some of these cards are just incredible value IMHO, like Valakut Awakening  ^Flip, but some seem bad, afaik the best way to rate these is to consider if the effect is valuable period in Commander (is it worth a card in theory), not to worry as much about the cost because the alternative of hitting a land drop is almost never a terrible thing.

If you run a lot of creatures, I like Court of Cunning and Court of Ambition, both are annoying cards that can also draw you cards, and Cunning is a great source of repeated mill vs something like Glimpse. Also if you run a lot of creatures, Bident of Thassa is perhaps the best non-Frostfang version of this effect, the forced attack can be backbreaking to some decks. Another decent one is Reconnaissance Mission, the worst of the lot is Coastal Piracy. Grim Hireling and Professional Face-Breaker are also nice cards. Thalakos Deceiver and Thalakos Dreamsower are nice Blue Shadows, Dauthi Voidwalker is a really good Black one, each of these is really hard to block and comes with a substantial upside. It's a bit janky in Commander, but Sower of Temptation isn't a terrible card, you just can't count on stealing anything too game breaking, as long as you steal something not worth spending another card on you'll get an evasive 2/2 that can sneak damage in for triggers.

If you want a one-sided nearly-Wrath, you might consider Make an Example or Phyrexian Purge. Example is able to pinpoint remove the best creature of each opponent, by any metric, and it's almost impossible to get around with present day cards (it's a chosen, not targeted sacrifice effect), while Purge lets you clear out the best 4 or 5 creatures so you can just take over, Purge likes having access to some life gain, it's especially good with something like Sangromancer, but if you want life gain in Grixis it's hard to do better than Exquisite Blood, but I'm almost never unhappy with Mask of Griselbrand, I think that card is slept on somewhat in Commander.

If you do go with Kraum or some other beefy Commander for your deck, Agitator Ant is a pretty strong card, but you either need the biggest thing on board already or to be able to remove stuff as needed. Kraum having evasion means you'll usually be able to get in against someone, so +2 power is great, and you being Goaded wears off before your next attack step anyways, so it only matters if someone steals it I guess (at which point it can't attack you I suppose??), Agitator Ant also works with any super-evasive creatures, so if your deck has lots of Flying or Shadow it

Hope some of these ideas are helpful!

Simerix on CURSE UPON YOUR HOUSES

5 months ago

Interesting list! It seems like you are trying to go somewhat voltron which I find odd.

Here's some cards I found kinda weird: Grafted Wargear, Cement Shoes, Vorpal Sword, Whispersilk Cloak, Goldmire Bridge, Phyresis

I don't think Magnetic Theft is needed.

Run Agent of Erebos over Curse of Oblivion

I'd suggest Brilliant Restoration over Tiana, Ship's Caretaker. My problem with Tiana is that she has to be out when your stuff is destroyed. Brilliant Restoration get everything and is a great top deck.

Cards I'd consider adding: Blind Obedience, Court of Ambition, Court of Grace, Crawlspace, Curse of Conformity, Curse of Disturbance, Curse of Fool's Wisdom, Curse of Opulence, Curse of Silence, Curse of the Nightly Hunt, Ghostly Prison, Mesa Enchantress, Monologue Tax, Torment of Scarabs, Trespasser's Curse

tkjanacek on Mogis Ravel

7 months ago

You have a card draw/bearhug theme, maybe you should make this a Nekusar, the Mindrazer deck? I recommend running Memorial to Folly, Path of Ancestry, Blightstep Pathway  ^Flip, Drossforge Bridge, Talisman of Indulgence, Coldsteel Heart, Commander's Sphere, Fellwar Stone, Mind Stone, Star Compass, Fire Diamond, Charcoal Diamond, Glittering Stockpile, Prismatic Lens, Tome of the Guildpact, Exsanguinate, Read the Bones, Angrath, the Flame-Chained, Court of Ambition, Curtains' Call, Stormbreath Dragon, Fiery Confluence, Liliana's Specter, Capital Punishment, Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Soul Shatter, Tectonic Giant, Graveyard Trespasser  ^Flip, Palace Siege, Vance's Blasting Cannons  ^Flip, Cut / Ribbons, Make an Example, Oath of Liliana, Valakut Exploration, Terminate, Liliana's Triumph, The Eldest Reborn, Unnerve, Yarok's Fenlurker, Elderfang Disciple, Skull Rend, Tasigur's Cruelty, Warchief Giant, Warlock Class, Zof Consumption  ^Flip, Hagra Mauling  ^Flip, Skyclave Relic, Syphon Mind, Syphon Flesh.

DreadKhan on Uber For Phage?!

8 months ago

If you're looking for discard stuff, I use Bottomless Pit, Necrogen Mists, Cunning Lethemancer, Stronghold Rats, Necrogoyf and Creeping Dread as my best discard outlets in my Discard/Stax deck. No clue how many you'd want (if any), but these tend to be good at generating a lot of discard triggers if that's what you want, both for you and opponents.

Strong but not as consistent, you could look at Syphon Mind, it might be the best discard spell, but it's a one and done unfortunately. If you can generate a lot of bodies, Sadistic Hypnotist can clear out big hands. If you think you can consistently deal combat damage to opponents (via Shadows or other unblockables), Court of Ambition is really decent, offering damage and discard on the same card.

DrukenReaps on Goading Walkers

10 months ago

Removing: Bedlam, Chandra, Flame's Fury, Disrupt Decorum, Flamerush Rider, Court of Ambition, and Court of Ire.

Adding: Sword of the Animist, Dowsing Dagger  ^Flip, Thaumatic Compass  ^Flip, Worn Powerstone, Talisman of Indulgence, and Veinfire Borderpost.

Jonesbond49 on Isshan

1 year ago

Most of my cards that draw in Edgar Markov are tribal based, creature based, or are like Read the Bones. Three cards in the current list that aren't are Twilight Prophet, Castle Locthwain, and Bolas's Citadel.

Card advantage pieces: Phyrexian Arena, Thorough Investigation, Audacious Thief, Emberwilde Captain, Court of Ambition, Court of Grace, Court of Ire, Mangara, the Diplomat, Cunning Rhetoric, Breena, the Demagogue, Laelia, the Blade Reforged, Sun Titan, and Etali, Primal Storm.

I didn't consider budget when looking.

Optimator on Tricksy Pixies

1 year ago

Some good enchantment-based card draw to note:

Kumena's Awakening - this would be an excellent choice on a budget. You should always have The City's Blessing. My favorite "not-Rhystic-Study" replacements.

Dire Undercurrents - amazing card but expensive. If I were you I would make this one of your first upgrades. Seems perfect.

Curious Obsession

Vampiric Rites

Arguel's Blood Fast  ^Flip and Greed and Erebos, God of the Dead - Alela's lifelink would help pay

Erebos, Bleak-Hearted is playable in this deck.

Dark Prophecy - the power is there, but might be difficult early.

Military Intelligence should be reliable. Great for two mana

Staggering Insight

Curse of Verbosity - I think it's kind of underrated. Should be good with your flyers and might take some heat off you. It's no Rhystic Study.

Rhystic Study duuuuhhhhh

Fall from Favor

Ophidian Eye

Insight - huuuge upside, potentially useless. I love it though!

Monastery Siege - it's basically drawing half a card per turn for three mana, but can protect your creatures if it's that part of the game. It's all right

Verity Circle - Huge upside, potentially useless

Phyrexian Arena - one of the best, but the price tag may not be worth it in this deck since you're running blue and can easily take advantage of flying creatures

Court of Ambition - it should be easy to get The Monarch whenever you want with your flyers

Marchesa's Decree is all right. Probably better in other decks

Sanctum of Calm Waters and Honden of Seeing Winds

Soul Ransom - might be fun to recur.

Teferi's Ageless Insight - might be good, better in decks where the commander draws cards. The power is there though.

Coastal Piracy

Kindred Discovery - ridiculous power with a ridiculous price tag to match. It's not a "may" ability so you can easily deck yourself. Isn't that winning though?

Patient Rebuilding - statistically draws one card a turn. Potentially high ceiling, can also whiff. Better for decks with graveyard synergies. Animate Dead and Necromancy are excellent, and Dance of the Dead is playable.

Mind Unbound

Well of Ideas

Thought Reflection

Icaruskid on Hail to the Queen, Baby

1 year ago

Fun deck! I like the enchantment theme and it makes perfect sense.

Moon-Blessed Cleric and Replenish might be handy here.

Solemnity pairs well with Delaying Shield too.

Court of Ambition and Court of Grace are enchantments that trigger monarch as well.

Long may she reign!