Strip Mine
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Legality

Format Legality
1v1 Commander Legal
Archenemy Legal
Canadian Highlander Legal
Casual Legal
Commander / EDH Legal
Commander: Rule 0 Legal
Custom Legal
Highlander Legal
Leviathan Legal
Limited Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Oldschool 93/94 Legal
Planechase Legal
Premodern Legal
Quest Magic Legal
Tiny Leaders Legal
Vanguard Legal
Vintage Legal

Strip Mine

Land

: Add .

, Sacrifice Strip Mine: Destroy target land.

Tur on Hidden Power - Crop Rotation

3 months ago

TypicalTimmy

Thank you for noticing my intention, that is the key point of this argument!! Newer and casual players tend to disregard or ignore Crop Rotation, because they only see it for very expensive cards such as: Gaea's Cradle, Mishra's Workshop, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Serra's Sanctum, Bazaar of Baghdad, and Diamond Valley. (I.e. sacrifice a Forest and get Gaea's Cradle.)

In fact, I own all of these cards and in only one single case is Gaea's Cradle the first priority for Crop Rotation. Here are a few examples using commander decks: (These do not include utility lands, such as Bojuka Bog, Cavern of Souls, nor Homeward Path.)

Commander: Lord Windgrace

Lotus Field is great for ramping with Lord Windgrace minus three ability. Cabal Coffers is fantastic for ramp. Field of the Dead provides a win condition and blockers.

Commander: Mina and Denn, Wildborn

Because of Fiery Emancipation, Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle became ridiculously overpowered. Nine damage every time a mountain enters the battlefield. Furthermore, the Scapeshift combo causes you to win the game.

Commander: The Gitrog Monster

Dakmor Salvage is the combo engine for The Gitrog Monster. Therefore searching for it, the sacrificing it to The Gitrog Monster is crucial for the deck.

Commander: Gargos, Vicious Watcher

Hall of the Bandit Lord provides haste to the hydra tribal. Reliquary Tower is necessary for cards such as Soul's Majesty and Greater Good. Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is pretty nice with the triple green devotion from Gargos, Vicious Watcher.

Commander: Carth the Lion

Field of the Dead is way too good in Carth the Lion, because Garruk, Cursed Huntsman emblems immediately with Carth the Lion. Making at least one 5/5 zombie with trample every turn is very strong.

Commander: Maelstrom Wanderer

Sanctum of Eternity allows you to put Maelstrom Wanderer back into your hand, allowing for the on-cast trigger to happen again. High Market not only taps for mana, but allows you to send Maelstrom Wanderer back to the command zone.

Commander: Sythis, Harvest's Hand

Unfortunately, for this deck Serra's Sanctum is the best target for Crop Rotation, however Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is a close second best target. With Sythis, Harvest's Hand you have to commit heavily to the board, so your devotion is going to be high. Field of the Dead gives blockers before you can stabilize with Sphere of Safety, Solitary Confinement, and Ghostly Prison.

Commander: Marwyn, the Nurturer

Unfortunately, for this deck Gaea's Cradle is the best target for Crop Rotation, however Wirewood Lodge is a close second best target for untapping Marwyn, the Nurturer. In fact, I found myself frequently choosing Wirewood Lodge over Gaea's Cradle because it does not draw as much threat for Strip Mine effects. Wizards of the Coast is frightfully aware of this fact and has made many cards to compensate by using creatures and enchantments: Priest of Titania, Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun, Elvish Archdruid, and Circle of Dreams Druid.

Hope this helps clarify my stance!

Tur on Hidden Power - Crop Rotation

3 months ago

Hello everyone! This will be a trial 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 provide positive feedback and I will consider creating similar posts.

The powerful card I plan on discussing here is Crop Rotation.

This card under five dollars and is one of the most powerful mono-green tutors. Period. Yes, I'm counting all mono-green tutors. This includes: Worldly Tutor, Finale of Devastation, Green Sun's Zenith, Survival of the Fittest, Chord of Calling, Natural Order, Tooth and Nail, Sylvan Tutor, Time of Need, Scapeshift, Hour of Promise, Tempt with Discovery, Reshape the Earth, Boundless Realms, Traverse the Outlands, Rampant Growth, Harrow, Cultivate, Harvest Season, Explosive Vegetation, etc.

It's one color, one mana, instant, searches for any land, you can sacrifice a tapped land, and puts the land onto the battlefield untapped (unless otherwise specified).

Although, Crop Rotation is often overlooked by players because of the very expensive cards it can search and not being "flashy" enough. Yes, Crop Rotation is ideal with any of the following cards: Gaea's Cradle, Mishra's Workshop, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Serra's Sanctum, Bazaar of Baghdad, and Diamond Valley. However, suppose we don't have a one thousand dollar mana base and cannot play the land cards above. Is Crop Rotation worthless? No. It is still one of the best mono-green tutors. There are so many utility and theme lands which are excellent targets. Ramp lands and color-fixing are also viable options. Here are a few categorized ideas:

Utility Lands:

Theme Lands:

Ramp Lands:

Color-Fixing Lands:

There are many more unlisted cards in each category which could fit your specific deck.

Some of the cards listed above have some pretty cool synergies with Crop Rotation here are a few:Urza's Saga, you can let the saga get to chapter III, then with the ability on the stack sacrifice it to Crop Rotation to get both the artifact and land. Field of the Dead is ideal in every two or three color commander deck with a sufficient mana base (in fact some of my win conditions are given by Field of the Dead). You can also use Field of the Dead as a combat trick. Scavenger Grounds and Bojuka Bog are fantastic for graveyard combo disruption. Maze of Ith and Glacial Chasm will hurt your lands, but sometimes it is needed to stay alive.

Simply having the ability to greatly effect the board state using a one-mana instant speed spell is impressive: life gain, damage prevention, removing steal effects, getting around blockers, denying counterspells, combo stoppers, unlimited hand size, sacrifice engines, haste, recursion, ramp, creating token blockers. The list goes on-and-on-and-on. If fact, if you're playing 3-4 of the lands listed above you should really consider Crop Rotation in the ninety-nine.

All in all, I'm always surprised the number of deck lists which do not play Crop Rotation. This is a fantastic card and one of the best mono-green tutors. It has so much hidden power. Ask yourself if there is a nonbasic land which you are playing (or would play) that would do well with Crop Rotation.

Niko9 on What is Your Opinion of …

3 months ago

Proxies all the way : ) I actually really like thinking my way out of a bad situation, so even if someone were to bring gaea's cradle to a casual table, that just makes me want to put some jank together that can put it flat. Throwing in Strip Mine effects works or even something like Reef Shaman, early creature removal does the trick, pushing combat can pressure their set up, and worst case scenario, when they go to attack with their giant whatevers, there's always Settle the Wreckage

Now, it would be different if someone brought a fully tuned proxy cEDH deck to a casual table, but like most things, it's all about intent. If you are proxying just to beat 3/4 of the table every time, that's no good, but if you are doing it just to make your deck yours, sure, and if it makes it a little too strong then it just gives me an excuse to brew : )

Fuzzy003 on Blazing Dynamo

3 months ago

Both Strionic Resonator & Lithoform Engine let you copy your commanders ability for extra. Something like Rumbling Crescendo can do some real devastation if left alone for too long. Destructive Urge is also a nasty addition especially if you can swing in some double strike. The resonator and engine also work with Strip Mine.

I do like a bit'o land destruction but have never found it an effective in multiplayer. Still +1 :)

Profet93 on Azusa, Just Lost...

3 months ago

Initially you said you want to overwhelm with speed, then you say you want resiliency. One is usually at cost for the other. For me, I've valued resiliency the majority of the time. Given you are playing 3 player (or even 4 for that matter), you should focus on late game rather than trying to be incredibly explosive. Not to say you shouldn't do what green loves to do, ramp, but the way you ramp depends on your goals. I'm going to focus on a resilient deck mindset. That way, you don't get needlessly targeted and are out of the game, it also makes the games as you described.

Blighted Woodland/Myriad Landscape - Different kind of fetches

Good/Bad Fetches - Fabled Passage/Misty Rainforest/Prismatic Vista/Terramorphic Expanse/Verdant Catacombs/Windswept Heath/other fetches that are older and came out more recently that I can't recall. Some are more expensive that others, for you, terramorphic and a few of the cheaper fetches (Listed here and the ones that recently came out, I don't keep up with new sets) should be a great asset to you. Fetches are incredibly important for Azusa. Don't sleep on it

Castle Garenbrig - Ramp

Field of the Dead - RIGHT at the budget mark, VERY powerful. The more nonbasics you get, the more powerful. Think fetchlands triggering this, Acnient Greenwarden doubling the triggers. Azusa + 3 fetches = 6 Zombies! Not needed, but SO powerful, definitely add when you have more nonbasics. This card goes NUTs with effects that brings lots of lands into play like boundless realm/reshape the earth, Scapeshift, etc....

Mirrorpool - Not at all needed, a pet card of mine. Getting another Terrastodon, eteranal witness or just any powerful nonlegendary spell really. I like to copy Greenwarden myself.

Reliquary Tower - When you add much more card draw (which you seriously need), then add this.

Sanctum of Ugin - The way my deck works is that I have various land tutors to search for this or Eye of Ugin. Then I cast a spell like All is dust/akroma's memorial to sac sanctum to find either Kozilek to refill my empty hand. Depends on how many 7+ colorless spells you end up running. I think you should run both Kozilek's for sure. Ulamogs are upgraded removal > Desert Twister. But you don't want too many per your comment, so this land remains to be seen in how effective it is. For your build, I'm inclined to say no, but given it's saved my ass more times than I could count, I wanted to bring it to your attention.

Strip Mine - With crucible of worlds = GG. Although from my understanding, you don't want to do that. Nevertheless, it's still useful for getting rid of opponents Cabal Coffers, Cradle, Nkythos or any other utility land that's giving you an issue. You could also utilize another Land Destruction land which is less oppressive should you wish, I could name a few.

High Market/Miren the Moaning Well - Sac lands prevent theft, exile and trigger death (Greenwarden, Kura, etc...).

Thespian's Stage - Meta dependent, not needed. If they run Urborg + Coffers, you can copy their coffers. I use it to copy my field of the dead (imagine 2x zombies per land + 3 fetches = 12 zombies if I'm doing match correctly, combine that with ancient greenwarden to swarm!). All depends on the lands you end up choosing and your opponents lands. Meta dependent as well. I know some people combine it with Dark Depths for Marit Lage token in more casual playgroups should you be inclined for that synergy. Crucible of worlds makes this repeatable. Just remember that the token itself is legendary.

Aside from mind's eye and the other spells mentioned prior....

Garruk, Primal Hunter/Soul's Majesty - Garruk is better for sure as it is a permanent to come into play with Genesis Wave (unsure why you aren't running it, $?) and is more versatile. Not sure of budget at the moment, but he also provides tokens which he can use his 2nd ability to draw from. Ult is largely irrelevant.

Kozilek, Butcher of Truth/Kozilek, the Great Distortion - The primary purpose of these cards is to refill your hand. While there are other cards prior mentioned to refill your hand, card draw is insanely necessary in Azusa. Given distortion is cheaper and better IMO, I would go with distortion. Just ensure you have enough utility lands in the deck (I'd add like 5-15, 10 probably, more depending on your preferences). I understand you want this to be a green deck and don't want to rely on them as a wincon, thats fine. I see you already run Avenger + Craterhoof.

I can list reasons for the cards if you have any questions, but to give a tell all, many of these are either drastically inefficient or simply just could be better.

Abundant Harvest, Broken Bond (eh, its okish), Desert Twister, Nature's Lore, Nissa's Pilgrimage, Reshape the Earth, Groundswell , Naturalize (Return to Nature is a strict upgrade, but I would run neither), Primal Bellow, Wrap in Vigor (Heroic Intervention upgrade), Primal Rage, Retreat to Kazandu, Caged Sun (with less basics, its less effective), Opal Palace, Jungle Basin, Darksteel Citadel, Undergrowth Champion , Ulvenwald Oddity , Seedborn Muse (you are not a passive deck), Scythe Leopard Kalonian Twingrove/Dungrove Elder (see caged sun), Brawn , Arboreal Grazer

Obviously it's your deck and depending on your meta, making your deck really good could make it less fun for your opponents. Or they could improve their synergy as well. Azusa is a very powerful commander, Like Tier 3 IMO which is pretty high, especially in a casual meta like yours.

If you have any questions regarding why I recommended a particular cut or suggestion, please let me know. I love to help fellow Azusa players :)

miasma9696 on Kamahl - Green Land Destruction

4 months ago

Did anyone look into the land base for this deck? I found that Wasteland and Strip Mine were a good swap for basic forests.

DuneEcho on Ascendant Evincar '02 (ONS)

5 months ago

Dust Bowl is definitely a possibility. But lately I've been viewing Strip Mine and Wasteland as potential liabilities for mono-black Old School Commander trying to run Cabal Coffers. Also, my playgroup recently discussed it and we can't recall a single time recently we've played Dust Bowl/Strip Mine/Wasteland and actually used their land destruction functionality.

On first blush, I think I dismissed Gravestorm too much. Going to put it in the maybe pile for sure.

Corpse Dance is definitely a bomb, but would prefer more sacrifice effects to really maximize it. I did not feel like it was truly supported in this particular incarnation.

LandoLRodriguez on Talrand No-kens

5 months ago

thefiresoflurve First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to look over my list and put some real thought into these last cuts. I truly appreciate it. I understand all of what you had to say, and was having some of the same thoughts myself. As I said before, all these cards made it through several rounds of cuts so I have my reasons for them still being here. That said:

Minn, Wily Illusionist is still here because I like playing the quirky legendary creatures in my colors. There's not much else here that pumps the team the way she does and she would interact nicely with Murmuring Mystic. All this still probably isn't good enough reason to keep her though. Unless I'm drawing 2+ cards on each opponents' turn (which I'm probably not), her token output comes up short. Whispering Wizard is on the block for the same per-turn production limitation. Plus, I don't have much as far as scary permanents to cheat out with her second ability (nor a reliable way to kill my illusions to do so). It'll hurt to cut one of my token producers, but yeah, she's on the block for sure.

Wizard Class because I loathe having to discard for hand size, and I plan on drawing a lot of cards. Taking this one out means I'm left with only Reliquary Tower, Sea Gate Restoration  Flip, and possibly Venser's Journal. I suppose that the amount of draw I hope to produce means I'll come across one of those other options, but it still worries me. Probably still not a good enough reason to keep it in though.

I like Capsize because I love having repeatable options in commander decks, and because it can target any permanent. It's great to have options to bounce a troublesome land if the need arises. Paying 6 total mana to do so (and keep Capsize) is probably not worth it though. I included Field of Ruin and Strip Mine to deal with problem lands, and I have Boomerang and Cryptic Command to bounce any permanent still.

I really like Guile because it does a lot of things for me I think. Besides its mega-menace, I like that it exiles my opponents' spells should I choose not to cast them. I'm guessing that opponents may steer away from casting big splashy spells while Guile is out though for fear of having them turned against them or losing access to them in exile. It also provides just a little bit of mill insurance with its last ability. I hate mill as a strategy and while I'm running a few recursion spells, I'm not going to have much graveyard interaction. I suppose Nexus of Fate does the same thing much better though, since ideally I could cast it every turn if I wound up being milled down to 1 and it would wind up back in the library. Anyway, I was excited about running Guile as I was putting this together but you may be right, might be more than I need.

Ominous Seas I figure will drop its token every other turn on average if the game is going at all the way I want it to. While I should be pumping out an army of small tokens, I figured it would be nice to have some big chonky bodies out there as well. Without trample existing in the deck though, an 8/8 without flying is no different than a 1/1 tentacle as long as you've got a plant to block it. You're right, probably win-more. I do want to win more though...

I certainly understand that Aetherflux Reservoir really shines in storm decks (which no, this one most certainly is not). While I wouldn't be working it as well as storming does, I do plan to cast a lot of cheap spells, sometimes several in a turn in a good game. Something mono-blue is not good at is gaining life, so I really want to include at least one or two pieces that can do that for me for matchups that are pinging down the whole table. So the reservoir serves both as a way to gain life, and as a possible alternative win-con in a pinch. Between reservoir and Venser's Journal though, I probably lean towards the journal to retain as an emergency life gain option. I run it in my Pheldagriff deck and it has proven itself a workhorse.

Finally, I see Psychosis Crawler as another possible win-con. At my LGS where I play at least, I run into a lot of decks that efficiently pump out tokens. This means that if beating face with tokens is going to be my only strategy to win games, there's gonna be some games where that just won't get me there. I can see crawler coming out late-game when life totals have dwindled, and being able to finish everyone off with a big Gadwick, the Wizened or Blue Sun's Zenith cast. I was honestly seeing crawler as a mortal lock to make the final cut, but you've given me something to think about for sure.

Thanks again for your input, I really do appreciate and you've definitely helped by reinforcing some stuff I was already thinking and giving me reasons to think about cutting some stuff I was not.

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