Mana Vault

Artifact

Mana Vault doesn't untap during your untap step.

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay . If you do, untap Mana Vault.

At the beginning of your draw step, if Mana Vault is tapped, it deals 1 damage to you.

: Gain .

Discussion (46)

RNR_Gaming on Minotaurs are too slow

1 week ago

The beef battalion tribe definitely suffers from a lack of support. With jumpstart we got Sethron, Hurloon General who's probably the best option for tribal - honestly I'd wait a few more sets before trying to put it together. Haven't looked at the list yet but things like Mana Crypt , Mana Vault , Chrome Mox , and Jeweled Lotus are what I've been finding speed decks up the most. Alternatively, rituals like Dark Ritual , Seething Song and Desperate Ritual could help but they're all one shot - so, if you blow your load and get met with removal you'll be set way back.

Nerdytimesorwhatever on Dont Rush Me, Im a Breach (cEDH Draw Go Control)

1 week ago

There are a few wincons in this list, actually! Its a slow control build, moreover this is pretty close to my base list that I modify depending on meta.

Nexus of Fate Loops

Starting State Requires ETI + 12 mana to cast it:

Cast Enter the Infinite (-12 mana)

Cast Mana Crypt (+2 mana)

Cast Mana Vault (-1 mana, 4 mana overall)

Cast Sol Ring (-1 mana, 5 mana overall)

Cast Isochron Scepter imprinting Dramatic Reversal , and then activate it (-2, -2, 1 mana in pool)

You now have infinite mana (Colorless and useless if you did not play Chrome Mox or Mox Diamond)

Cast Nexus of Fate and pass turn to yourself. Enjoy your infinite turns!

Twister Loops

Cast Enter the Infinite (-12 mana)

Cast Mana Crypt (+2 mana)

Cast Mana Vault (-1 mana, 4 mana overall)

Cast Sol Ring (-1 mana, 5 mana overall)

Cast Sensei's Divining Top (-1 mana, 4 mana overall)

Cast Isochron Scepter imprinting Dramatic Reversal , and then activate it (-2, -2, 0 mana in pool)

You now have infinite mana (Colorless and useless if you did not play Chrome Mox or Mox Diamond)

Cast Hullbreacher and then Timetwister

Activate Isochron enough times to stack enough Sensei draw triggers to pick up your library

Now you're in a state where you can infinitely recast any spell in your deck, nobody else has cards in hand, and you can kinda do whatever. If you want to Reality Shift everyone's deck down to 0, you can.

Meta Packages

Cursed Totem & Crop Rot for Tabernacle are the wide anti-creature stax pieces. Rashmi can operate through a cursed totem, so if your meta is really green, its a good option that doesn't slow us down that much. Tabernacle is even crazier, it punishes dork/tymna decks and all kinds of commander dependant strats.

This list also leverages creature tutors and Collector Ouphe, but doesn't run Null Rod. We cant tutor Rod, it feeds dockside (though it makes the treasures inoperable), so I leaned harder into anti-artifact + anti-creature synergies. Cuz it means we can hate on every strategy in a meaninful way.

Even heavier anti-creature versions of my Rashmi list exist, notably "PolyNezahal", which has only Nezahal on board, leans into artifacts, and includes stuff like Oko and Narset to circumvent a lack of Hullbreacher.

zAzen7977 on KAALIA'S CATACLYSM - Aggro/Stax (cEDH Primer)

1 week ago

XinZhao, I had the opportunity to play a few games recently, and I’ve decided to swap Cursed Totem with Grand Abolisher , since I encountered two situations in which I had Linvala, Keeper of Silence and Totem at the same time, and I wish I had Abolisher instead. In the past I ran Abolisher, but I took it out because my meta was less control-heavy and I was dealing with more creature abilities.

While I don’t run any infinite combos, I do run the Possibility Storm + Rule of Law / Drannith Magistrate hard lock, so Abolisher protects me while I assemble the combo.

I also dropped Fellwar Stone and Rakdos Signet and added Grim Monolith and Mana Vault , to help with hard-casting big creatures or the Possibility Storm combo if Kaalia is neutralized.

abby315 on Urza’s Pet Dragon

1 week ago

Some instant/sorcery possibilities for you: Acquire
Kefnet's Last Word since you can uniquely avoid the downside of not untapping your lands
Shrewd Negotiation
Expropriate
Blasphemous Act
Sea Gate Restoration  ^Flip
Blatant Thievery
Sublime Epiphany

You could also run take-extra-turn spells to pretty good effect, but that's up to you.

Here are some additional cards to consider that are good in a R/U artifact/Treasures deck: Hellkite Tyrant
Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
Shimmer Dragon

I might swap in "eggs" for artifacts rather than ones that need to go to the GY to draw you cards, since you want them on the field for your commander's ability:
Golden Egg
Guild Globe
Prophetic Prism

And some ideas for cuts, just based on being overall weaker cards:
Storm the Vault  ^Flip
Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp
Call the Skybreaker
Pull from Tomorrow
Spellbook
Urza's Bauble
Welding Jar
Mishra's Bauble
Magma Opus

Finally, and I hate to suggest it since it means more cuts, but I think you should eventually be at 35 or 36 lands even with all of the ramp. 33 is pretty low unless you're running the full Mana Vault / Mana Crypt etc. cEDH manabase. I hope this gives you a good place to start!

Tzefick on Ugin has no Elder Dragon …

2 weeks ago

wallisface It's a restriction in the 99 so he wont just be in every deck for being a colorless exile-machine that also has a hindrance toward enemy mana rocks.

It's true you can still run him as your Commander and have your 99 be almost exclusively mono green ramp, just to get him out on the field. However in his current iteration he would slow down colored mana rocks and start blasting a singular permanent/spell every round. That's not in itself a very game winning strategy, so it falls flat if that's all you do. The effects are still very powerful, but not by itself a win condition.

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If you remove the tap requirement from the active ability, your mana count is the restriction on how many permanents/spells you can exile per round. Throw in a Seedborn Muse and no one likes you anymore. It's not a very fun experience when he can sit in the Command zone.

I see that you rectified in your later comments to show that there needs to be a limit on the exile ability. The simplest solution to allow him both be in combat and use his ability could be to grant Ugin Vigilance, so he can attack freely and be ready to blast something - while also having the option of just staying back to blast something. I think it would be a mistake (or rather a nerf) to tie it with an attack condition. That would remove the ability to reactively exile a spell on the stack or a nonland permanent on the board - especially on an opponent's turn.

As for how people deal with Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger : it takes two permanents out when cast and that's pretty much the end of it, until something makes it possible for the owner to cast it again - which generally only happens when it is exiled itself while being a Commander or if it is played in the 99 of a self-bouncing deckshell. Ugin's exile as an active ability has a much higher ceiling and it can hit spells. So if not kept in check Ugin could just dominate the board singlehandedly. Also there's still a significant difference between 8 and 10 mana in a single burst.

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I think I read MagicMarc's comment on turning any land into Wastes and didn't see that you only had it hit nonbasic lands. Anyhow a Blood Moon effect would be more manageable, but I honestly don't know if Ugin needs the boost. Also Blood Moon is symmetrical - whereas Ugin doesn't even hit your lands, and wouldn't much care either way with his chromatic mana ability anyhow.

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And like plakjekaas mentions, colorless can acquire similar ramp potential as green, but in magical Christmas land, they can acquire it MUCH faster.

Turn 1: Ancient Tomb into Mana Vault into Mana Crypt into Sol Ring into Grim Monolith into Ugin. All on turn 1. Turn 2 you can cast Unwinding Clock to just make your opponents scoop even faster. Granted, wallisface's version that can gatling gun exile nonland permanents does not exile spells, so there is a chance to deal with Ugin if you somehow get the appropriate mana in basic lands to cast a board wipe or Diabolic Edict - as colored mana rocks will just be wiped with Ugin before you get to untap. The Ugin player does kinda need a way to increase Ugin's power to hit 21 Commander damage faster, but from there it's just a grinding battle. If the opponents manage to deal with Ugin, he'll likely just come right back the following turn.

I don't think this is a good goal for creating new cards. Not everything has to be cEDH worthy. The card as it is in the OP is strong but not dominating, and I think that's fair. Switching the nonland permanents opponents controls tap for colorless to a one-sided, colorless Blood Moon is probably acceptable. Making Ugin fully colorless will only make the card more problematic for Commander as everyone can suddenly include a Legacy Weapon + Ertai, Wizard Adept on a protected body.

Spirits on Undying Persistence

2 weeks ago

Ok, here's a little bit of analysis to consider. Break it up into some comments to read. These are opinions based on experience, playing and watching lots of commander content over the years, doesn't account for your specific playstyle or how you have fun playing commander which are certainly as important of decisions, as is card selection.

Topic: Ramp

You are very low in the mana curve, 11 1-drop, 21 2-drop, 15 3-drop, 16 4-drop, and Orzhov () has lots of pips, but mana ramp is critical to getting your plan onboard as quickly as others, having mana available to advance board state/gain advantage and have interaction, and landing your larger threats sooner.

Sol Ring (CMC1 for 2 = +1 mana) is a must include.

Orzhov Signet I personally don't like (CMC3 for 1 = -2 mana) but also you're in which doesn't ramp as it's core strength.

Arcane Signet (CMC2 for 1 = -1 mana) is a must include, there are only a few archetypes I wouldn't play this in and usually only .

Talisman of Hierarchy (CMC2 for 1 = -1 mana) is a must include in .

Dark Ritual (CMC1 for 3 = +2 mana) this allows for explosive turns like a T1 Vampire Nighthawk .

I would start with that at least, some fringe ones I like are: Burnished Hart (creature/recursion), Commander's Sphere (draw), Mycosynth Wellspring (to hand, fringe), Pristine Talisman (lifegain, fringe), Solemn Simulacrum (ramp+draw!), The Birth of Meletis (doesn't help with , but ramp, 0/4 blocker, lifegain? it has it all!), Wayfarer's Bauble (ramp).

On a premise of battlecruiser/low/mid power 3-6 I DO NOT recommend these, but there are stronger options out there beyond 6: Phyrexian Altar (combo builds), Mana Vault , Mana Crypt , Chrome Mox , Smothering Tithe , Land Tax (Might not be bad in this build)

Honestly on a Avg. CMC 2.99 mana curve, I would likely have 10-12 ramp.

Some potential cuts for these:

Gorgon's Head you've got plenty of deathtouch already, it's not pairing with a Viridian Longbow strategy or anything, it's redundant, but also the worst. Easy cut. (We can get to Open the Armory / Steelshaper's Gift later)

Pierce Strider CMC4 for a 3/3 is just plain bad, the idea is play, do 3 damage, block/sac it, noone going to pay 3 to prevent it? but they will because it's going to do 3 anyway on return, and if your using recursion on this, your making the wrong play as it has no value engine on it. Easy cut.

Creeping Chill for CMC4 sorcery is not great, you're not playing a mill strategy so you're not really casting it for free often. It's not a strong play, we can find better ones, like ramping into Athreos, God of Passage sooner.

Font of Return for CMC6? Yikes. (CMC2+CMC4 for 3 creatures to hand is not great, we can get them on the battlefield for that high a CMC).

Angelic Gift hmm we have flyers, with deathtouch, it replaces itself (draw a card) but unless we flickering it ( Ephemerate or Brago, King Enternal something like that, it sets up easy 2-for-1 if an opponent has instand speed removal.

Topic: Lands! (Umm!)

Average Distribution Build: 38 lands

Average Budget Build: 36 lands

Average Expensive Build: 37 lands

Average Aristocrats Build: 35 lands

Average Reanimator Build: 31 lands (closer)

Your Build: 30 lands (Umm!)

No way you can run 30 lands, and 0 ramp in this deck. I wouldn't shuffle this deck with less than 33 lands, probably 34-36 if I'm playing enters tapped/utility lands. I might (maybe not) go to 33 lands with 9+ ramp spells, but even then, 34 would feel better.

Do you have a combo with Piranha Marsh like Worldgorger Dragon does, if not, just delaying yourself for little value (1 damage). Kabira Crossroads in this same bucket, it's just not work the tapped mana.

Reliquary Tower where are the cards coming from? The colorless is a detriment. Unless your playing a draw strategy Necropotence / Greed it will hurt you more than the rare occasion it might help.

Let's be honest, lands SUCK, they are too expensive! Here is a list of lands you should look at:

Lands I suggest: Godless Shrine ($9), Orzhov Basilica (<$1, slow ramp), Caves of Koilos (<$1 must have!), Command Tower (Umm!), Brightclimb Pathway  ^Flip ($4), Tainted Field (<$1)

Lands I don't suggest: Evolving Wilds / Terramorphic Expanse (<$1 fixed color), Scoured Barrens (<$1 fixed color), Isolated Chapel ($6, Not bad but not T1 land), Myriad Landscape (<$1, slow), Temple of Silence (<$1, scry/slow).

Forsaken Sanctuary only ever enters tapped so even Isolated Chapel is better, but there is also Orzhov Guildgate that does this too.

Have to head out, I'll review more topics and recs later, but here are some other cards can come out for mana. Gorgon Flail it's on theme and not bad, but let's get that Basilisk Collar or Quietus Spike instead. Soul Stair Expedition I would rather Animate Dead or Reanimate to the battlefield right away, not have to wait for lands (it still sacrifices itself). Not Forgotten we have better removal. Have to head out now! More later to read. :) If it's too much info, let me know!

Masterful on Necronomicon | Teysa Karlov | Primer

3 weeks ago

cfost827 To make the deck any more competitive, the easiest thing to do is to include more cheap mana sources, add more disruption, and cut the higher mana cards. I'd consider some more competitive cards like Mana Vault , Mox Diamond , Dark Confidant , Imperial Seal , Ad Nauseam , Opposition Agent etc. The cards you should look at cutting are the slower, high cost ones like Requiem Angel , Solemn Simulacrum , Archon of Justice , etc. This doesn't include Razaketh, the Foulblooded or Vilis, Broker of Blood though since they practically win the game upon entering. Tweaking the deck to give it 5% more power level can be difficult since such a small change is subtle. You're going to have to add and cut cards to feel it out and probably play a ton of games to test.

In terms of what to cut for more fodder, you could cut Archon of Justice and Sifter of Skulls for Carrier Thrall and Imperious Oligarch , or whatever 2 drops you want. Archon and Sifter are a lot slower than cheap fodder, so if you want more, you can cut cards like them. If you want more than 2 new pieces of fodder, you could keep cutting slower 4-6 drops like Solemn Simulacrum , but it'd impact your mana base or other aspects of the deck.

DubWubby This is a cool combo. You could include it, but you're right in that it's fragile and inconsistent. It's really strong in ideal scenarios like with Buried Alive or any time you draw Vizier of Remedies with any persist creature. However, it'd be hard to include for a few reasons. If you draw persist creatures and don't have vizier, they're weak sac fodder on their own, so you'd want to include few of them. However, if you draw vizier without persist creatures, then she's almost useless, so you want to include more of them. Finding the balance of how many persist creatures you need as well as what to cut is the challenge. Saying that, Putrid Goblin is almost as efficient as other 2 drop fodder cards, and both him and vizier have 1 toughness for Skullclamp , so they aren't irredeemable on their own.

plakjekaas on Are there any old cards …

4 weeks ago

The combination of Burgeoning and Ghost Town with any landfall on board is great.

Seeds of Innocence is a great green alternative to Vandalblast that I've never seen anyone else consider, even though it's cheaper than Creeping Corrosion in mana. I'm using it in my cEDH Marwyn, the Nurturer deck, to blow up a lot of opposing fast mana very early. Getting rid of someone's Mana Vault , Sol Ring , Chrome Mox and Mox Diamond on turn 2 is amazing, and your opponent only gains 2 life for that.

In the same vein, Meltdown is an amazing card if your deck is light on artifacts itself.

My Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire deck is all about ramping out the commander fast, give it haste and have fun with the transformation trigger. Orcish Lumberjack and Tinder Wall are very overlooked and efficient mana dorks to help complete that goal.