Familiar Ground

Enchantment

Each creature you control can't be blocked by more than one creature.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Big Apple Highlander	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Freeform	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
PreDH	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (31)

RufusTheGrufus on Anikthea's Enchanting Recycling Plant [Primer]

1 month ago

Hey, Idoneity, fair enough and grain of salt taken; I'm just happy for the engagement and thought exercise(s)!

I think you and I have fairly similar deckbuilding philosophies; and for that reason I think I'd agree that Fertile Ground is definitely not optimal, it is sweet Anikthea tech though. And I think we’d both also agree that it's also not just stand alone card value, but also deck synergy that factors into deckbuilding choices; especially for EDH.

Between Ajani's Chosen and Archon of Sun's Grace, I'd definitely agree that the archon is stronger. But, it seems like I value these cards much higher than you for this specific deck/build. Oftentimes I see Ajani's Chosen and Archon of Sun's Grace almost like backup/adjacent commanders to Anikthea. They're additional token generators that reward me for playing into the themes of the build, and offer an avenue to close out games either after my graveyard is wiped and/or before I get good targets in my graveyard for Anikthea's ability. They can and will get out of hand without Anikthea needing to be played, and can force opponents to need removal before I even utilize my commander; which can then be followed up by falling right back into the main gameplan with Anikthea. Sure, by themselves and without the context of the decklist, they aren't going to be doing much; but when they offer additional value for a majority of the plays being made with this list, I think they become a lot stronger of effects/includes.

I have similar opinions regarding Mirkwood Bats, Grim Guardian, and Bastion of Remembrance. Outside of pure game-ending combo packages, and B4+ decklists, I typically consider cards that I categorize as ‘Finishers’ as the cards that will win the game if you have already gotten your gameplan going. They're not cards that are supposed to end the game just by themselves, in my opinion, but more-so win the game once I’m already doing a lot, by capitalizing off of my deckbuilding choices. To that end, I would argue that adding the drain/ping effects like Mirkwood Bats and Grim Guardian are actually raising the power cap, relative to a more alpha strike-based gameplan, especially since they ping when my enchantment tokens ETB; which is why I started to transition them into the list. Unfortunately Bastion of Remembrance is probably the weakest option since it triggers off creatures dying. But the fact that it's an enchantment, that also provides a token body on the side, has kept it in the list up till now. Ideally I'd have a much bigger suite of on-theme ETB drain effects; I'm just waiting for them to be printed! I'm trying to maximize the value I can get from the tokens produced by Anikthea ASAP; especially since exiling your own enchantments to make token copies is a fragile strategy. The pinger effects guarantee some sort of payoff that's headed towards winning the game without having to worry about attacks.

Palantir of Orthanc... I know I should cut it for something more on-theme, I do love this card though lol… If I were to cut it, I'd want to replace it with another piece of card advantage; this deck can be really resource hungry. Similar thoughts for Mindwrack Harpy: I'd want to replace it with a different piece of on-theme card advantage if anything. I actually really like Mindwrack Harpy and sure, relative to something like Rhystic StudyGC or Esper Sentinel it's lower power; but it also puts in consistent work, especially in B3. I particularly like it because it typically offers card advantage during the same turn that it's played, and in my local meta having creatures with flying to block has been invaluable. I'm also a bit biased because I very rarely have had to worry about Mindwrack Harpy giving my playgroup card advantage as well, because up until recently I've primarily been the only one capitalizing off of my graveyard; and there is a good number of decks in my playgroup that care about topdeck manipulation so milling everyone has been almost all upside for me (we will see what the future holds since graveyard synergies are starting to become more common in my meta). In my experience Mindwrack Harpy has also gotten a disproportionate amount of removal thrown at it in my playgroup, so it also acts as a lightning rod to draw removal away from key pieces.

I think I'm going to hold off on adding Familiar Ground to the formal decklist right this second, but I am going to swap it in for Flowering of the White Tree and do a bunch of playtesting in the meantime! Thank you again for taking the time and energy to check out the decklist and offer your insight, I appreciate it!

RufusTheGrufus on Anikthea's Enchanting Recycling Plant [Primer]

1 month ago

I would love to slot back in Familiar Ground, Idoneity, it's just hard to find room! You're right, it has such a cool niche with Anikthea, Hand of Erebos's abilities; it's just also nowhere near as good if she's not also on the battlefield.

If I were to re-add Familiar Ground, do you have any suggestions for cuts? Overlord of the Balemurk and Ripples of Undeath had fairly easy options to swap with, but I'm less sure with Familiar Ground.

The only two that start to come to my mind are Flowering of the White Tree and Boon of the Spirit Realm. But I think I'm more partial to both of those cards, because they have a solid floor and they also have the potential to scale pretty crazily if I can make multiple token copies of them; whereas Familiar Ground does not, and doesn't synergize with as many other parts of the deck. That being said, this is just where my current build for this commander has shaken out and I think there's a lot of wiggle room to build with different cards for Anikthea; and Familiar Ground is definitely a solid include whenever she's the commander!

Idoneity on Anikthea's Enchanting Recycling Plant [Primer]

1 month ago

RufusTheGrufus - I always love thorough reviews. Greatly appreciated!

I'll admit for Spelunking, I'm typically more meticulous when suggesting a card. It was one of the few that doesn't appear on you're maybeboard, so I thought I'd leastwise bring it up.

As for the Overlord of the Balemurk, it's just fantastic. But you're right that whenever I cast it for its impending cost, I give up on it ever being relevant past that point. I include it because it's a self-milling cantrip that is both a creature and enchantment in other zones, giving it more value. It just happens to synergize with a lot.

One last point: Familiar Ground is a very cool consideration. Never heard of the card. I tend away from alpha strike inclusions as well, but it also just lets your commander attack with impunity. You should put it back in. It's old, niche, and sweet.

CNG_Stream on wolfs test

3 months ago

Just noticed you have a small menace theme, working with your deck. You could consider the card Meltstrider's Resolve to give you a "fight" removal spell that can also make your menace creature unblockable because the opponent would require two creatures to block, but is not allowed to block with more then one creature. It might be hard to use with how many of your creatures only have 1 toughness, but a card to consider.

If you like the idea of your creatures being hard to block because you are running Pyreheart Wolf, then you could pair that up with Familiar Ground to result in all your creatures being unblockable when you attack with the Pyrheart. Note that Familiar Ground is not going to help you catch up if you are behind, but it can lead to suprise lethal swings or even helping you race opponents. Would not reccomend more then 2 copies in the deck as you need creatrues with menace or the Pyrheart to really capitalize and the card doesn't do anything if you are behind.

Immortalys on Mr. Boombastic

11 months ago

I'd suggest Binding the Old Gods instead of the Putrefy and maybe Stinging Study instead of Harmonize.

Also for your consideration: Shizo, Death's Storehouse, Dauthi Embrace, Cover of Darkness, Dragon Shadow, Dragon Fangs, Bow of Nylea, Saryth, the Viper's Fang, Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar, Familiar Ground, Farseek, Boar Umbra, Fully Grown, Gaea's Embrace, The Irencrag, and Malakir Rebirth  ^Flip

Goldbranner on Anikthea Hand of Erebos - Constellation Population

1 year ago

Rasaru It's been playing very well, almost always does fun stuff. Came back to win after 2 Farewells were cast last week somehow. I haven't really been keeping this list updated though. I know I put in Familiar Ground which has been useful as a finisher and some other stuff in my side/maybeboard but probably only 5 or so cards changed. I think I put in some more self-mill cards too. But haven't kept super updated on the last couple sets.

Steelspike on Improve my Magus Lucea Kane …

1 year ago

Tuktuk Rubblefort, Anger, Bident of Thassa, Bow of Nylea, Archetype of Imagination, Dragonshift and Teleportal, Death's Presence, Gruul War Chant, Familiar Ground, for starters

Steelspike on Alpha Authority goes brr?

1 year ago

Gruul War Chant and Familiar Ground do the same thing...