Devil's Play

Sorcery

Devil's Play deals X damage to target creature, player or planeswalker.

Flashback {X}{R}{R}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Freeform	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Historic Brawl	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Modern Beyond Horizons	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (50)

Czarnian90 on Hellegion, Shadows and Flames (Raphael)

8 months ago

Commander Update: Shadows Rise, Flames Burn

After several games against tough opponents, I’ve made a few changes to the deck and, more importantly, swapped the commander of the Hellegion. The Balrog, Durin's Bane is still very much part of the deck—playing him as a commander was fun and flavorful, but I wanted a leader who can impact my board more directly and help set the pace of the game. The Balrog remains a force of nature, and having him lurking in the deck, ready to be unleashed, still feels great. I believe he’ll continue to be a major threat even when he's not always leading the charge.

Raphael, Fiendish Savior steps in as the new commander, supporting the game plan more consistently. He helps stabilize the board, buffs my army, and sets the stage for the Balrog’s arrival. I run several cards that can fetch him straight from the deck—Blood Speaker, Demonlord Belzenlok, Rune-Scarred Demon, Icon of Ancestry, Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted, and others—so even as a lurking horror, he’s never too far away.

I also added more damage-dealing spells for better control and direct pressure on opponents. Beyond classics like Devil's Play, Terminate, and Dreadbore, I’ve added Hell to Pay and Rakdos's Return to punish hands and boards alike. On top of that, I doubled down on devil token synergy and death-triggered burn effects. These little fiends now serve not just as blockers or sac fodder, but as a win condition on their own—especially when paired with Raphael’s lifelink boost. Every dying devil becomes pain for the enemy and healing for me.

I’ve now included four versions of Ob Nixilis — yes, it’s a bit much, but each fills a unique role. This one Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted punishes card draw and bolsters removal. Tibalt, Rakish Instigator is still here too, classic devil support: fueling tokens and preventing opponents from healing the damage my demons and devils dish out. They don’t live long, but if timed right, their impact is massive.

I’ve also added some recursion (Oversold Cemetery) and a spicy alternate wincon in Liliana's Contract.

Some bigger demons were swapped out for stronger synergy or pure flavor—welcome Asmodeus the Archfiend, Balor, Kardur, Doomscourge, and others to the Hellegion.

Sadly, a few cards had to go — Imskir Iron-Eater, Archfiend of Sorrows, some regenerating skeletons, and a handful of artifacts are no longer marching with the legion.

I still have a few cards waiting on the bench—Burn Down the House, Rakdos Keyrune, Doom Whisperer, Overseer of the Damned, Skirsdag High Priest, Spawn of Mayhem, Breath of Malfegor — and I’ll be testing space for them soon.

In the long run, I’d love to add some heavier hitters and staples like Kindred Dominance, Altar of Shadows, Bontu's Monument, Krav, the Unredeemed, Rite of Belzenlok, Demonic TutorGC, Sudden Spoiling, Grave Pact, Dark Prophecy, Attrition, Vilis, Broker of Blood, Razaketh, the Foulblooded, Pestilence Demon, Lord of the Void, Archfiend of Depravity, and especially Karlach, Fury of Avernus.

We’ll see where the Hellegion marches next—and who joins, or falls, along the way.

SufferFromEDHD on Sevinne, the Chronoclasm Acid Flashback

3 years ago

Hey MyUsernameWasTakenTwice just updated this deck for 2023 and saw your comment. The win conditions are:

1. Dumping mana into Devil's Play then copying it.

2. Cloning Electrostatic Field/Firebrand Archer/Guttersnipe then playing/copying spells.

3. Planeswalkers/Emblems.

Davinoth on Prosper's Purgatory [Retired]

3 years ago

     ElTacoDude: Sorry but I disagree lol. Crackle with Power only costs five mana to deal five damage to a single target, where everything you've listed there is minimum six.

     In the case of Fireball & Rolling Thunder you have to divide their damage to hit multiple opponents. Devil's Play & Banefire can only hit a single target, and Fall of the Titans can only hit two targets.

     Comet Storm is good but to deal 15 damage to three opponents costs twenty mana whereas Crackle with Power only costs fourteen.

     Jaya's Immolating Inferno is something I might consider as an addition as opposed to a replacement. Even then a bit hesitant though - if you're sitting on a lethal amount of treasures and the board gets wiped (as it tends to do haha) and you don't have another cheap-to-cast Legendary in hand, you're cutting into your total damage just to recast Prosper, Tome-Bound in order to meet it's Legendary condition. The {X} spells are meant to be finishers, so you can see how this scenario is not ideal.

     All that being said, I'm definitely going to consider Jaya's Immolating Inferno though. Thanks! =)

ElTacoDude on Prosper's Purgatory [Retired]

3 years ago

I don't understand the Crackle with Power, isn't it just the least efficient and least flexible Fireball effect? Rolling Thunder, Devil's Play, Jaya's Immolating Inferno, Fall of the Titans, Banefire, or probably the best one, Comet Storm are all better. I might be wrong, but I think any of those would be an upgrade on Crackle with Power.

DawnsRayofLight on Eldrazi Tribal/Tron (Help is Appreciated)

4 years ago

I will say this will still be a unique tron list, especially if you can find a way to abuse the insane amount of ramp you have and using some X burn spell like Bonfire of the Damned, Devil's Play, or Red Sun's Zenith. AND DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE BINFIRE. That card destroyed an entire IQ I was at, I ran it in a Jund Beats list and people were honking mad when they got hit with it. They were all "Oh no my delver and resto angel!!!"

tiffanyann on MY COMMANDER IS A MANA ROCK ♡ [PRIMER]

4 years ago

FounderX I'll be working on fixing Red this weekend so I may be trimming the Hydras down, might try and swap a few with some X Burns like Devil's Play etc al.

There's so many green pips that switching Snek to Karametra's Acolyte might be worth it.

Chandra's Ignition is the big finish in my Izzet deck (post coming soon) and my play group is tired of it already ;) Gonna keep Fling in as my pity revenge card.

Thanks for all the input!

Phion on Urza’s Pet Dragon

4 years ago

Really like this deck. Perhaps Devil's Play and Mindswipe would help finish off an opponent.

Thassa, Deep-Dwelling could help generate more artifact tokens by bouncing your commander or other cards such as Urza and dockside extortionist

legendofa on Infinite Treason

4 years ago

Nice deck! Is there room for Stuffy Doll or Boros Reckoner in this list? Do you have an out if you start the combo when your opponent has more life, or have Banefire / Devil's Play filled that role?