Kokusho, the Evening Star
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Legality

Format Legality
1v1 Commander Legal
Block Constructed 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
Modern Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Penny Dreadful Legal
Vintage Legal

Kokusho, the Evening Star

Legendary Creature — Dragon Spirit

Flying

When Kokusho, the Evening Star is put into a graveyard from play, each opponent loses 5 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.

Recommendations View more recommendations

Tur on Hidden Power - Mono-Color - …

4 weeks ago

Hello everyone! This will be a forum post for a "Commander - Hidden Power" series. My goal is to show relatively inexpensive cards which are often overlooked by commander players in semi-competitive and casual play. (This post is not designed for competitive play.) If you enjoy the topic, please upvote the post or provide positive feedback and I will consider creating similar posts.

The powerful cards I plan on discussing are mono-color cards which are strong with big mana in commander.

I will provide one card per mono-color identity. These cards will not include x-spells nor multi-color identity spells. (I.e. no Torment of Hailfire nor Zacama, Primal Calamity)

It is obvious that big mana is a huge part of semi-competitive play. Whether it is from ramping through creatures, artifacts, enchantments, instants, sorceries, or lands. Big mana is pretty fun. Mana doubling effects from lands are especially useful. In this article, I'll be focusing on mana doubling from lands, but other ways to generate big mana are always possible

Here are some common big mana effects for each mono-color identity:

This is not an all inclusive list as Mana Flare, Heartbeat of Spring, Keeper of Progenitus, Sword of Feast and Famine, et cetera would work just as well. In each mono-color identity the artifacts Caged Sun, Gauntlet of Power, and Extraplanar Lens can be used, however the black and green color identities have an advantage for mono-color double mana effects. Furthermore, green contains cards such as Seedborn Muse, Awakening, and Wilderness Reclamation which allow for more interactions.

Well, let us begin in WUBRG order!

White: Sacred Mesa

This card is relatively unused. According to EDHREC, Sacred Mesa is played in 1511/849227 (0%) decklists and is under one dollar. You'd be surpized how powerful this card is with double mana. Imagine making some number of pegasus at instant speed as either blockers or attackers for your next turn. (The upkeep cost can be paid by making a summoning sick pegasus during your turn.) Not to mention power and toughness buffing effects are ideal with Sacred Mesa, examples include Dictate of Heliod, Cathars' Crusade, Caged Sun, or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite.

It is often compared to Luminarch Ascension because they have similar effects. Yes, it makes a 4/4 angel instead of a 1/1 pegasus.

However, Luminarch Ascension has many downsides:

  • You have to have four quest counters to use the ability. (That is, you have to not lose life during an opponents turn four times.) This creates a huge target on your life total and you'll see it surely chip away.
  • Bounce effects, such as Cyclonic Rift really mess it up. Welcome back to square one!
  • Common cards, such as Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider prevent quest counters from even occurring. Vampire Hexmage or Hex Parasite are also options to remove the counters.

Sacred Mesa is way more versatile and does not have such downsides. Not to mention is it only three mana, ideal for Sun Titan recursion.

Blue: Compulsion

It is very rare to see this wonderful card. According to EDHREC, Compulsion is played in 1000/945324 (0%) decklists and is under one dollar. Having an activated draw ability with very little downside on a blue enchantment is insane. Ideal when paired with Teferi's Ageless Insight or Thought Reflection. There are a few cards which have a similar effect, such as Triskaidekaphile or Kefnet the Mindful without having to discard a card, but having a two mana activation is much more versatile. I suppose that an argument could be made with Training Grounds, but that is too much just to make the Kefnet the Mindful ability more cost effective. Furthermore, discarding a specific card like Echo of Eons, Wonder, or a shuffle Eldrazi such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth has some nice synergy. (In fact, it should be played in most bant enchantress decks, such as the commander Tuvasa the Sunlit. Replenish for life!)

Black: Chainer, Dementia Master

This is a wonderful card, but a little pricey compared to the previous two cards. According to EDHREC, Chainer, Dementia Master is played in 6344/983251 (1%) decklists and is approximately ten dollars. Yes, we all know that you can abuse Chainer, Dementia Master with Gray Merchant of Asphodel or Kokusho, the Evening Star with sacrifice outlets such as Phyrexian Altar. Suppose we don't want to abuse this card into the ground is it still just good card? Yes. We can fill up or graveyard with Buried Alive or Entomb and get back a creature card, or we can grab a creature card from an opponents graveyard. It can also be used to interrupt graveyard combos, such as Aristocrats by using the ability on an opponents Butcher Ghoul with the undying trigger on the stack.

Red: Scourge of Kher Ridges

An extremely powerful and undervalued card. According to EDHREC, Scourge of Kher Ridges is played in 1005/912333 (0%) decklists and is under three dollars. If you're able to untap with Sourge of Kher Ridges and double mana, your opponents are going to have a rough time. As you can put multiple activations on the stack, it provides you with a very high on-board presence. Even within a response to removal. I've heard players complain that Scourge of Kher Ridges dies too quick to removal and my answer is "from your opponents perspective it needs to die before you're able to untap". Ideal with lifelink (and deathtouch) equipment such as Basilisk Collar or Shadowspear.

Green: Kamahl, Fist of Krosa

Typically unseen in play. According to EDHREC, Kamahl, Fist of Krosa is played in 4786/880991 (1%) decklists and is approximately five dollars. It is odd how unused Kamahl, Fist of Krosa is compared to Ezuri, Renegade Leader when they basically have the same effect. Overrun as an activated ability which is stackable multiple times. I agree that Ezuri, Renegade Leader is better in elf tribal decks, however Kamahl, Fist of Krosa is great in most big mana decks. Ideal for wide aggro. Tall aggro will gain the benefit of trample. If you don't have extra creatures you can animate your lands as 1/1 attackers, correction 7/7 attackers. (Pretty interesting because these attackers get around Cyclonic Rift, they're lands.) You can also get some payback by animating your opponents lands in response to a creature board wipe. (From that reasoning it can be paired with cards such as Ascendant Evincar and Crovax, Ascendant Hero to destroy opponents lands through animation.)

All in all, these are relatively unused cards which have a lot hidden power with big mana. If your deck is mono-colored and designed for big mana spells or abilities, think about giving these cards a chance. See if they work well for you and your playgroup.

Wickked on toolbox

4 months ago

Nice looking deck. I turned my Meren deck into my Henzie deck, I went more of a beat face strategy then aristocrats. But this deck looks like it could b a ton of fun to play. The cards that I would suggest are Riveteers Ascendancy , Mikaeus, the Unhallowed , Kokusho, the Evening Star and Protean Hulk. They will go right along with what your already trying to do with the deck quite nicely. I know the creatures are a bit spendy but they are worth it. How often does Rampant Rejuvenator get stuck on the field not being able to b sac'd somehow for the ramp? I've been thinking of replacing Somberwald Sage in my own deck. Good to see a different strategy with Henzie, If you wanna check out my deck and let me know what you think of it and suggestions heres a link

deck chart

Gangsta's Paradise - Henzie "Toolbox" Torre

Commander / EDH* Wickked

SCORE: 11 | 14 COMMENTS | 1153 VIEWS | IN 2 FOLDERS

seshiro_of_the_orochi on Hello Beastie

6 months ago

So to answer your question from the Advertise thread, the deck itself doesn't seem to be the problem. Your amount of ramp and interaction looks fine, and it's kind of hard to not play enough value cards in blue.

As seamonsters tend to be massive, maybe you really are getting ganged up on. To prevent this, Propaganda and Dissipation Field might be useful.

Krothuss itself is pretty small. Maybe include some ways to make it unblockable or protected. Whispersilk Cloak seems useful here, and Key to the City is especially cool here, as it helps you set up the transformation on curve and then helps Krothus get through.

Tidespout Tyrant would be a great addition in the fatty department. It's similar to hullbreaker horror, although it's not a seamonster. You could also try Cyclone Summoner as an additional boardwipe. Keiga, the Tide Star and Kokusho, the Evening Star are always great copy targets. And Wormhole Serpent does multiple things the deck wants.

DawnsRayofLight on Chainer, Dementia Master

6 months ago

As someone who has played Chainer for close to a decade, I have some suggestions I would like to offer. (though everyone's decks run differently!)

34-35 lands is usually enough. I would recommend 34 with Agadeem's Awakening  Flip that gives you 5 spots:

In those spots:

Mana Crypt

Thought Vessel

Charcoal Diamond

Coldsteel Heart

Jet Medallion

(Or all the expensive artifacts like Grim Monolith or what have you)

In place of:

1x Cast Down--> Lethal Scheme: This card is amazing in any reanimator list

1x Culling the Weak--> Phyrexian Altar: you need more sac outlets with some staying power

1x Dismember--> Soul Transfer: seems janky, but versatile

1x Doom Blade--> Baleful Mastery: you can hit more with it.

1x Go for the Throat--> Infernal Grasp

1x Power Word Kill--> Deadly Rollick/Altar of Dementia: for a better killspell or for a sac outlet

1x Sacrifice--> Ashnod's Altar: need more sac outlets with staying power

1x Terror--> Meteor Golem: This guy helps so much with things Black cannot remove

1x Victim of Night--> Karn Liberated: This guy helps so much with things Black cannot remove

Cruel Tutor--> Mikaeus, the Unhallowed: bonkers for some staying power, also has combo potential

Unmarked Grave--> Putrid Goblin: this or Walking Ballista are good for combos with Mikaeus. Putrid GOblin + Ashnod's Altar/Phyrexian Altar + Mikaeus = infinite mana (or sub ashnod's altar for mill).

Suggested Drops, see next list for suggested replacements

Blood Pet--> sort of an eh card, I might think of something with more oomph

Liliana, Heretical Healer  Flip--> I do like her, she just never did anything when I ran her.

Ruthless Technomancer: I have debated a lot adding him, in something like Korvold, he is an all-star, in chainer, he can be good, but I would almost always rather have Disciple of Bolas

Skirge Familiar: I get the reason it is in here, but there are better cards.

Black Market: It's nice, but can be too slow.

Liliana of the Dark Realms: I just have never been a big fan, she feels too lackluster.

Final Parting: good card, but I feel you can part with some tutor because you have MORE than enough

Sidisi, Undead Vizier: good card, but I feel you can part with some tutor because you have MORE than enough

Rune-Scarred Demon: good card, but I feel you can part with some tutor because you have MORE than enough, there also some stronger creatures to fit in the spot.

Suggestions

Archon of Cruelty: expensive mana wise but an all star.

Kokusho, the Evening Star: has been in my deck from the beginning and has flat out won me games.

Brainstealer Dragon: seems janky, but I added to just try it and it has been amazing.

Black Market Connections: You need more draw (also helps with ramp)

Phyrexian Arena: You need more draw

Bolas's Citadel: an amazing card. Wins games all the time.

Disciple of Bolas: card draw and life gain

Fell Stinger: card draw

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed: Great for recursion

Reanimate, Liliana, Death's Majesty, Living Death. and Animate Dead: it is good to have other means of reanimation if Chainer keeps getting removed (I also suggest sac outlets to help keep your creatures from getting exiled when they spot remove Chainer)

Hope this helps! Here is my list to maybe show you how I run the list: The True Meaning of Death and Taxes

trippy_mcfly on Cumly Cube

7 months ago

Introducing Cumly Cube 1.1! 6 months ago, Cumly Cube was launched to resounding approval. However, in response to feedback from fans, several cards in the pool were deemed unplayable, uninteresting, or overpowered. For Cumly Cube's six month anniversary, I have chosen to update the card pool. Here are the changes, provided with brief justifications:

REMOVED:

  • Abomination: too weak in power level
  • Anger of the Gods: while board wipes are an essential part of the game, this card is too simple in effect in comparison to other red board wipes in the card pool
  • Birthing Pod: synergizes poorly with the rest of the card pool
  • Black Dragon: too weak in power level
  • Black Lotus: this card and other "power 9" cards have been removed from the pool to allow players to play with less well known cards
  • Bloodcurdling Scream: too weak in power level
  • Cavalier of Night: too on-theme for a black card
  • Cinderclasm: while board wipes are an essential part of the game, this card is too simple in effect in comparison to other red board wipes in the card pool
  • Dack Fayden: too powerful
  • District Guide: synergizes poorly with the rest of the card pool
  • Dockside Extortionist: too strong in multiplayer games considering the dominance of the "treasure matters" archetype in this card pool
  • Dread Reaper: too weak in power level
  • Edric, Spymaster of Trest: too powerful
  • Eviscerator: too weak in power level
  • Grim Strider: too weak in power level
  • Hypnox: too weak in power level
  • Jungle Creeper: too weak in power level
  • Mind Bomb: too weak in power level
  • Mox Emerald: this card and other "power 9" cards have been removed from the pool to allow players to play with less well known cards
  • Mox Jet: this card and other "power 9" cards have been removed from the pool to allow players to play with less well known cards
  • Mox Pearl: this card and other "power 9" cards have been removed from the pool to allow players to play with less well known cards
  • Mox Ruby: this card and other "power 9" cards have been removed from the pool to allow players to play with less well known cards
  • Mox Sapphire: this card and other "power 9" cards have been removed from the pool to allow players to play with less well known cards
  • Nicol Bolas, the Deceiver: too weak in power level
  • Nix: too weak in power level
  • Obelisk of Alara: too weak in power level
  • Patagia Golem: too weak in power level
  • Phantasmagorian: too weak in power level
  • Prismite: too weak in power level
  • Rootcoil Creeper: synergizes poorly with the rest of the card pool
  • Shattering Blow: too strong of an answer to the artifact archetype
  • Shatterskull Smashing  Flip: MDFCs are interesting cards, but it does not make sense to have only one in the card pool
  • Smelt: too strong of an answer to the artifact archetype
  • Smog Elemental: too weak in power level
  • Spirit of the Night: too weak in power level
  • Storm Spirit: too weak in power level
  • Tibalt's Trickery: introduces too much variance for an enjoyable experience
  • Unholy Strength: too weak in power level
  • Vampiric Link: too on-theme for a black card
  • Wooded Bastion: this was included on error instead of its Golgari counterpart

ADDED:

Stardragon on The Legend of the Sky and Stars

8 months ago

KBK7101 I did think of Kyodai, Soul of Kamigawa as the commander, for the protection Kokusho, the Evening Star probably be the biggest protection target (I don't think i need explain why), since O-Kagchi's effect doesn't help them but since he is also dragon spirit he has synergy with the Star and Sky dragons so it truly between the two nither one is wrong. As for the rest of the options they are all good but there so not not enough room for most unless i take some reanimation (which i could do i guess) if the OG's are destroyed the whole system comes crashing down (even if they are 10 of) so have a decent amount of recursion is must im also trying to figure out good why to protect against exilie

TypicalTimmy on Archenemy/Planeschase deck ideas

8 months ago

Kokusho, the Evening Star reanimator / aristocrats would be brutal

Metroid_Hybrid on Need help making a pair …

8 months ago

I recently decided to rebuild my first viable Commander deck (Liliana, Heretical Healer  Flip), and while I think I've done a decent job updating it, I've also hit a bit of a snag..

There was two creatures that did a lot of work in the original build, they are Massacre Wurm and Kokusho, the Evening Star. I want to include them as well, but I'm having a hard time deciding what to cut for them. So I was hoping to get some outside help on the matter.

What should I cut for one, both, or neither?

deck chart

Liliana, Demon Reanimator

Commander / EDH Metroid_Hybrid

SCORE: 6 | 2 COMMENTS | 1046 VIEWS | IN 1 FOLDER

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