Evacuation

Instant

Return all creatures to their owners' hands.

Discussion (51)

Jayd0nlink on Oh, You Wanted to Play Magic?

1 day ago

Alright hkhssweiss, so I have updated and edited my deck a bit, and I wanted to see what you thought. Here are the cards I took out:

• Open the Vaults
• Font of Mythos
• Howling Mine
• Scourglass
• Temple Bell
• Time Sieve
• Dawn Charm
• Archangel of Tithes
• Duplicant
• Ethersworn Adjudicator
• Iona, Shield of Emeria
• Magister Sphinx
• Muzzio, Visionary Architect
• Thopter Assembly
• Windborn Muse
• Dromar's Charm
• Wurmcoil Engine
• Steel Hellkite
• Counterspell
• and 1 Island

And these are the cards I put in:

• Grand Abolisher
• Aven Mindcensor
• Hanna, Ship's Navigator
• Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
• Master Transmuter
• Arcane Denial
• Hurkyl's Recall
• Imp's Mischief
• Remand
• Unsubstantiate
• Capsize
• Faith's Reward
• Evacuation
• Strionic Resonator (To play the Triplets' Ability more than once, just like with Paradox Haze . With this, I can even play it more than twice!)
• Crystal Shard (When I take over someone with the Triplets' ability, I can use this on them to bounce one of their important creatures and then immediately recast it. The best thing is that it is repeatable!)
• Venser's Journal (I just added this to combat life loss with Necropotence . Since it also makes me have a unlimited hand size, it combos there as well.)
• Mystic Remora (Do you mind telling me how to play this card correctly? My guess is just leave it around for one or two turn cycles, right?)
• Necropotence
• Paradox Haze
• Flooded Strand (I finally splurged and bought a fetchland. That's what I replaced the island with. Only time will tell if it was a good idea. I think it was, because I can use it later on in any deck that runs blue or white.)

Anyway, if you could tell me what you think, that would be great. And again, thanks for all of your help hkhssweiss!

hkhssweiss on Oh, You Wanted to Play Magic?

1 day ago

Yeah I would cut those cards, as the main point of the deck by what you are doing so far is to play cards from your opponent. Having an artifact sub theme is good, but in the way in having mana and accelerating your boardstate. You can also add in a Master Transmuter to protect or cheat out your artifacts as well.

With paradox engine out on the field you can gain an incredible amount of mana, so I would focus on tutors as well as card advantage. Engines like Mystic Remora as well as Necropotence will be great, the latter being said though would require a good mana base to get the triple black efficiently. Cantrips are also good for filtering and card draw, some staples include Ponder , Preordain , Brainstorm for the basic one drop spells. If you don't like one shot cards than run more effects like Windfall to refill your hand.

Some additional cards that would be great for Sen are also cards like Delay , Remand , Unsubstantiate , Evacuation , Hurkyl's Recall , Snap . All of these types of cards allow you to remove threats and play them again when you take control of their hands.

For recursion based cards you also have cards like Argivian Find , Argivian Archaeologist , Hannah, Ship's Navigator, Faith's Reward in the case of people popping everything or preventative measures. You can also consider a subtheme of adding in planeswalker, as they are generally hard to deal with, and especially with the next set coming out, there are plenty of great choices to choose from.

Here are a list of cards you can consider cutting in my opinion:

• Open the Vaults
• Font of Mythos
• Howling Mine
• Norn's Annex
• Scourglass
• Temple Bell
• Time Sieve
• Dawn Charm
• Archangel of Tithes
• Duplicant
• Ethersworn Adjudicator
• Iona, Shield of Emeria
• Magister Sphinx
• Muzzio, Visionary Architect
• Platinum Angel
• Thopter Assembly
• Windborn Muse

Hope that helps!

Cde0 on Optimized Firemind Combo

2 days ago

Yeah, the plan is to just win before enough damage stacks up to matter. You can counter any major threats, or you've got cards like Evacuation and Cyclonic Rift , but you want to put most of your energy into crossing the finish line rather defense. In my experience this tends to be a pretty effective strategy.

Ashmed on Talrand and His Minions of Flying Doom

1 week ago

Hi Coco__ben_thee_koot, I find that they work really well for me personally. I've never really found myself in a situation where using Evacuation or Engulf the Shore and losing my own board is more beneficial. The only time I find it may be an issue is if my opponents have a large creature presence but are on the defensive, but in those situations I use Sleep or Cryptic Command to tap the creatures down.

Coco__ben_thee_koot on Talrand and His Minions of Flying Doom

1 week ago

How do AEtherize , AEtherspouts and Polymorphist's Jest perform based on your expirience?

I've always been reluctant in putting them because on paper they look situational and/or limited to one opponent, prefering card such as Evacuation and Engulf the Shore that get (almost) every creature at any point.

Do you find that including them to preserve your side of the board is worth the "reststrictions"?

Last_Laugh on Castlevania - Symphony Of The Night

3 weeks ago

With this low of a mana curve, you should try Scapegoat . It's a very real answer to a meta with -1/-1 counters, -X/-X, sac, exile, and tuck type boardwipes and you get your eminence triggers again. I'd much rather sac a token and eat a personal Evacuation than end up in topdeck mode post boardwipe.

SynergyBuild on Why Cyclonic Rift is not ...

3 weeks ago

In EDH, when a player with a blue source and at least mana in other sources open on a field. It is a threat. It is a threat not because of a 7 mana spell, but a 2 mana spell, not a spell that deals damage, counters spell, destroys permanents, tutors, or cheats costs, but a bounce spell.

Cyclonic Rift , C-Rift, the big wave, whatever you call it, people know it as one of the strongest, most backbreaking spells in all of EDH, if not the best card in the format.

I am here to say that is isn't.

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Part of my series on why other popular staples aren't good ( Phyrexian Arena , Rampant Growth ), or are simply not good in a specific way ( Rhystic Study ), I am not here to deny the power that a card like Cyclonic Rift has, but simply that it isn't a good enough card to warrant the hate or love that it receives.

Before I go over why it isn't good, I need to go over why at nearly every power level, it is good.

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In casual EDH, the 50% or less, the Precons, the jank, lies it's the weakest state.

That is where all removal spells, sweepers, or countermagic is the weakest, especially bounce. If no one has threatening boards, why remove them. You'd rather spend 7 mana on a spell to improve yours most of the time, yet those games go long, the Cyclonic Rift acts as a Fog to save you, Sleep to get in for damage, or real removal if you use it on a player's end step if they have to discard just after.

Almost all cards that show heavy play at higher levels show some play at lower ones, and while the price-tag may limit it for most casual players, it does work.

At the 75% or the middle tiers of EDH, where I think EDH players mostly lie, it where it is the most powerful. IF it destroyed any number of target nonland permanents, it would be weaker, because of three reasons:

• 75% decks often use permanent-based engines to support their gameplan. Think Beast Whisperer along with a deck full of cheap elves, or Paradox Engine in a deck will a lot of Temple Bell effects and mana rocks.

• These decks and their creators often expect opponents to remove threats, so have many threats to remove.

• They try to protect against sweepers, the only punishing cards for going so wide, with anti-sweepers, think Heroic Intervention , or Boros Charm , and protect against some single-target removal with effects like Darksteel Plate .

Because of this, and because indestructible and hexproof don't protect against a mass bounce effect, along with Cyclonic Rift being the only mass bounce at instant speed that doesn't affect you at all, and doesn't target, it is truly the best anti-75% sweeper by many standards.

In the competitive setting, while not bad, it is mostly relegated to being a 2 mana Chain of Vapor or a Into the Roil that doesn't draw a card, that can let a combo deck get through stax locks once in a blue moon.

Don't get me wrong, being relegated to a slightly worse Chain of Vapor isn't an insult. Chain of Vapor is possible the best removal in cEDH, as decks like Kess consultation or P-Hulk variants Laboratory Maniac wins, and for 1 blue mana, or two in the case of Cyclonic Rift , you get to bounce their wincon as they draw off an empty deck, so they lose...

That is some powerful stuff.

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So why isn't it the best EDH card, an efficient spell in nearly any metagame? 2 options for removal, one that crushes many lists and the other a sleek and useful trick?

Because it isn't hyper-efficient, nor is it unbeatable, nor is it irreplaceable.

To start, many cEDH decks that run it run consistent amounts of countermagic to protect it's possible great effect, and numerous cards could fit the spot. It isn't alone. Blink of an Eye , the second Into the Roil has been used over it in many combo lists that more mana-efficient options and many forget the slot all-together, in favor of a cantrip or other removal spell like Abrade or whatever. It isn't very dominant there, and so is easy to explain why it wouldn't be amazing there.

In casual lists, Cyclonic Rift costs about as much as half of many of the casual decks, or even more than some entire casual decks that I have seen. Bringing money-cards wins there, as would a Consecrated Sphinx that costs less money, and I'd wager would have more powerful an effect. Again, an easy argument, but I believe it works.

The really hard place to argue against Cyclonic Rift on the surface is the middle tiers. The 75% lists. Legitimately, I think it is because in the 75% players don't consistently a highly interactive 'metagame'. They just prefer to be interactive 'ingame'.

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This comes down to theory, however, when a deck, for example, an elf list abusing the Llanowar Elves style effects along with untap effects to keep making mana, dumping it into something like Ezuri, Renegade Leader . All of that deck and many others get shut down by Null Rod . While that card may be less powerful than other cards against any random deck, as many players know exactly what decks they face, they can play to those decks.

This means general removal, like Anguished Unmaking may be worse if artifacts and walkers don't see much play, you'd rather Mortify . Or if instant speed doesn't help you much, as a lot of City of Solitude / Dosan the Falling Leaf effects exist in your meta, Vindicate , etc.

This is pretty basic knowledge, however, the point here is that there are many, many replacements for Cyclonic Rift in different metagames, and I want to share the ones, only in mono-blue, that in the 75% are why Cyclonic Rift is overrated.

This isn't to say it isn't the best, but that if many, many replacements cost way less $$$ and are occasionally better, that one card shouldn't be considered the best in every situation.

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Replacements:

Aether Gale , sorcery, only hits six things, has to hit your things if you don't have enough targets of only your opponents, targets, etc. Yes, there are reasons this is clearly worse.

Why is it better? Politically, you don't have to hit cards from players you team with. Similarly, if you like the Howling Mine on someone's field, don't bounce it. Someone Banishing Light ed someone else's threat you can't deal with? Don't bounce it.

Also, 18 cents. Compared to ~20 dollars and I think it is a steal for budget lists.

Also, it is 2 mana cheaper, despite not being an occasional Disperse .

Evacuation , the downside is simple, it doesn't hit non-creatures, and bounces your own things.

The upsides are for decks that want their own things bounced. ETB effects like Mulldrifter (You can respond to the sacrifice on evoke if you want!), Archaeomancer (infinite sweepers by returning Evacuation , or just recur another card), Duplicant , Solemn Simulacrum , etc.

It is 5 mana too, still an instant, and is only 2-3 dollars right now.

Other options for this could be AEtherize , Whelming Wave , Inundate , Engulf the Shore , Profaner of the Dead , or Scourge of Fleets if you just want mass creature bounce, each with ups and downs, some that only hit opposing creatures, some that are instants, some with graveyard synergies, etc.

For mass nonland bounce that doesn't target? There are tons of options, plenty with lower mana costs than Cyclonic Rift .

Take Coastal Breach . It does a mass bounce for just 4 mana (with 3 opponents), leaving you enough to rebuild first, and being able to be cast much faster, making up slightly for the sorcery speed.

Or Crush of Tentacles , 6 mana? 5 mana and an 8/8, it needs to be in a deck with enough cheap drops to hit surge to be worth it, but an option.

Devastation Tide is a personal favorite, if you run Aminatou, Brainstorm , a lot of scry, Mystical Tutor , Long-Term Plans , Jace, the Mind Sculptor , or are lucky, it is a 2 mana bounce everything. Really strong, however, sorcery (unless you cast it with Miracle on an opponents turn.

Run really high mana cards? Displacement Wave can be better,

Like a big creature attached? Kederekt Leviathan . It even comboes with flicker effects, or can be repeated for 2 mana with an effect like Animate Dead or 3 mana at instant speed whenever with Necromancy in black/blue.

Only need to target one player for political reasons? River's Rebuke .

A lot of one color in the meta? Wash Out

Artifacts/Enchantments? Reduce to Dreams

Even outside of bounce effects, Ixidron can do work xD

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Point is, there are options. Even outside of blue, sweepers that can get around the normal protection is seriously strong. Terminus , Hallowed Burial , along with most mass exile effects in white from Play of the Game to Final Judgement / Descend upon the Sinful to the new Urza's Ruinous Blast , etc. Mercilous Eviction in W/B, the -x/-x effects in black like Toxic Deluge or Black Sun's Zenith , etc. in any color, Perilous Vault exists.

These are half of why I think Cyclonic Rift is overrated. Not because it isn't great at what it does, but that it isn't that much better than the rest.

The other half is simple.

Every color (sorry colorless) has answers to Cyclonic Rift off the top of my head.

White? Teferi's Protection , Lapse of Certainty it.

Blue? Swan Song it. Dispel it.

Black? Many lists abuse cards like Inquisition of Kozilek or other discard to remove powerful cards from opposing decks.

Red? Pyroblast or Red Elemental Blast are cEDH staples and are very efficient.

Green? Ugh... Yeah, I guess some colors don't have answers...

EDIT: griffstick said Seedtime . This is beautiful xD

(Gutteral Response if they ever make hybrid legal in mono-colored xD)

That's all. Thoughts?

drpeppercan on Sen Triplets

3 weeks ago

Pillowfort/Taxation:

• Smothering Tithe - A great 'pay to play' card, and you'll ramp like crazy if they don't.

• Rhystic Study - If they don't pay, you draw... they'll pay.

• Propaganda - Makes attacking you that much harder. Is a blue Ghostly Prison .

Thievery:

• Thief of Sanity - Thievery + some mill, all in a nice evasion package.

• Mnemonic Betrayal - This is just too good, cherry pick all your opponent's best spells they've played.

• Desertion - Counter the threat, get the threat.

• Paradox Haze - Double up on your commander's ability.

Control:

• Emergency Powers - Great for resetting what is in someone's hand or your own. Addendum is gravy on top if you have nothing else to play during your main.

• Supreme Verdict - Just a great wrath spell.

• Render Silent - This card is just mean... Counterspell + Silence .

• Rewind - Counter and keep the mana open.

• Unwind - Sure it only works for noncreature spells, but there will be plenty of those around.

• Wrath of God - The original.

• Evacuation

Mana Fixing:

• Celestial Dawn - Makes casting opponent's spells with your commander just too easy.

• Cascading Cataracts - Indestructible color fixing.

• Dimir Signet

• Azorius Signet

• Commander's Sphere

• Obelisk of Esper

• Coalition Relic

• Revel in Riches - Mana fixing + a win-con if you get lucky.

The Rest:

• Lightning Greaves - Protect what matters most.

• Swiftfoot Boots - More protection.

• Sun Titan - This guy is a beast, sometimes he'll only do a small bit, other times he's your golden boy. Cool little combo: Use Mirage Mirror to copy a sacrifice artifact like Mindslaver , use the sacrifice of the copied card, then bring Mirage Mirror back with the titan.

• Paradox Engine - Use artifacts to pay for spells, then untap them to pay for more.

• Darksteel Forge - With all your artifacts you're running, this lets you play your wraths without any fear.

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Cards to consider ousting:

• Blood Baron of Vizkopa - It's good, but won't be active all that much as a 10/10.

• Deadeye Plunderers - Lackluster.

• Dinrova Horror

• Identity Thief

• Merieke Ri Berit - Without a way to abuse untapping her she can under perform.

• Nightveil Predator - Doesn't do as much for you as it could.

• Odric, Lunarch Marshal - You're not strictly a combat deck.

• Spell Queller - I like this card, but in commander it's just too fragile.

• Traxos, Scourge of Kroog - He's not horrid.

• Walking Ballista - Just not got for this deck.

• Wrexial, the Risen Deep - Too slow, by this point you should be focusing on control with your commander.

• Displacement Wave - You're putting in better.

• Mind's Desire - You're just not build for this card.

• Tezzeret's Betrayal

• Tezzeret, Master of Metal

• Illusory Gains - Really depends on your play group.

• Metamorphic Alteration

• Tezzeret's Touch

• Dimir Locket - The signet is better.

• Condescend

• Esper Charm

• Misdirection

• Silumgar's Command