Staples of the Format

Commander (EDH) forum

Posted on Aug. 15, 2020, 12:51 p.m. by Omniscience_is_life

Good morning everyone,

I've recently been finding myself quite often at a loss for the "auto-includes" of the format, and I want to ask you all to help me compile a list of the top 50 staples in commander.

The way I want to format this is based of a recent post by griffstick, and the regulations include the following:

one card per post at a time (although you can post as many total as you want), just keep it short and name a card you think is a staple in EDH. Then upvote all other posts you agree with, and I'll tally them all up and release the final list once I feel a suitable list has been compiled. Let's try to hit the 50 mark!

Also, please try to read the prior posts of the thread, I don't want to have to see Cyc Rift or Craterhoof more than once. Thanks.

Caerwyn says... #2

You should probably exclude lands from the list--you'd hit thirty cards pretty quickly if Shocks, Duals, and Fetches were included.

I think your methodology also has some issues--by virtue of being around longer, the earliest posts are going to get upvotes more than others. That's why the thread you are referencing encouraged people to vote with the cards they posted, not with upvotes.

Going to start with Force of Will. Can't go wrong with a zero-mana counterspell.

August 15, 2020 1:04 p.m. Edited.

RiotRunner789 says... #3

August 15, 2020 1:07 p.m.

Mana Crypt

August 15, 2020 1:17 p.m.

hejtmane says... #5

Also you need to define play style level cedh priorities are different and they have different staple cards look no further than edhrec did a series on mana rock and the # rock was sol ring and not Mana crypt most likely do to $$$.

Then the question about should we exclude any reserved list cards due to the fact they will never be reprinted at this point.

Heres some I think Mystic Remora Rhystic Study Smothering Tithes sensei divining top Chaos Warp Swords to plow share

August 15, 2020 1:41 p.m. Edited.

King_marchesa says... #6

August 15, 2020 2:01 p.m.

RiotRunner789 says... #7

August 15, 2020 2:37 p.m.

In casual response to questions raised by Caerwyn and hejtmane:

This list certainly won't be ideal; it is for my own use and therefore doesn't need to be. I'm not going to sweat about my methodology, as I feel this matter isn't important enough to merit a perfect one. Lands and reserved list cards are acceptable, although I think lands should be by category, rather than singular (e.g. fetch lands, not Bloodstained Mire and Polluted Delta and Windswept Heath) and reserved list cards should be taken into consideration before being posted as I believe many aren't actually worth making this list. As for the point about cEDH and power level... definitely valid, I guess just don't post any combo pieces that aren't "good" by themselves. Many cEDH cards deserve a spot on the list however, so don't worry about power level for now at least.

August 15, 2020 2:39 p.m.

RiotRunner789 says... #9

Praetor Cylce. Maybe not all at the same level of staple but I've seen them all with white and green the most.

August 15, 2020 2:45 p.m.

shadow63 says... #10

August 15, 2020 3:02 p.m.

King_marchesa says... #11

August 15, 2020 3:55 p.m.

RiotRunner789 says... #12

Speaking of cultivate shadow63, Kodama's Reach.

August 15, 2020 5:12 p.m.

shadow63 says... #13

Sen trips is not a staple

August 15, 2020 5:27 p.m.
August 15, 2020 5:34 p.m.

RiotRunner789 says... #15

August 15, 2020 6:01 p.m.

RiotRunner789 says... #16

August 15, 2020 6:03 p.m.

SynergyBuild says... #17

Key Cantrips:

Ponder, Preordain, Brainstorm, Gitaxian Probe

Key Draw:

Mystic Remora, Rhystic Study, Sylvan Library, Dark Confidant, Ad Nauseam, Mindblade Render, Oakhame Adversary, Waste Not, Notion Thief, Sensei's Divining Top

Key Wheels:

Wheel of Fortune, Windfall, Timetwister, Dark Deal

Key Tutors:

Enlightened Tutor, Mystical Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Demonic Tutor, Gamble, Worldly Tutor, Lim-Dul's Vault, Eladamri's Call

Key Recursion:

Yawgmoth's Will, Underworld Breach, Noxious Grasp, Reap, Eternal Witness

Key Mana Rocks:

Mana Crypt, Sol Ring, Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox, Lotus Petal, Mox Opal, Mox Amber, Mana Vault, Grim Monolith, Basalt Monolith, Arcane Signet, Fellwar Stone, the Signets and Talismans, Mind Stone, and Thought Vessel

Key Mana Dorks:

Deathrite Shaman, Birds of Paradise, Noble Hierarch, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Elves of Deep Shadow, Elvish Mystic, Llanowar Elves, Fyndhorn Elves, Arbor Elf, Boreal Druid, Bloom Tender, Priest of Titania, Faeburrow Elder

Key Mana Ramp (Other):

Dockside Extortionist, Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy, Smothering Tithe, Carpet of Flowers, Curse of Opulence, Derevi, Empyrial Tactician, Wild Growth, Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual

Key Stax/Hate:

Collector Ouphe, Notion Thief, Ashiok, Dream Render, Narset, Parter of Veils, Null Rod, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, Cursed Totem, Grafdigger's Cage, Chains of Mephistopheles, Rest in Peace, Aven Mindcensor, Drannith Magistrate

Key Blue Countermagic:

Swan Song, Spell Pierce, Flusterstorm, Miscast, Dispel, Force of Will, Force of Negation, Mental Misstep, Fierce Guardianship, Pact of Negation, Mana Drain, Dovin's Veto, Drown in the Loch, Counterspell

Key Non-Blue Countermagic:

Silence, Veil of Summer, Autumn's Veil, Red Elemental Blast, Pyroblast, Deflecting Swat

Key Removal:

Chain of Vapor, Swords to Plowshares, Nature's Claim, Dismember, Fatal Push, Vandalblast, Winds of Abandon, Cyclonic Rift, Gilded Drake, Oko, Thief of Crowns, Legacy's Allure, Abrade, Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, Drown in the Loch, By Force, Shattering Spree, Natural State

Key Wincons:

Demonic Consultation, Tainted Pact, Thassa's Oracle, Jace, Wielder of Mysteries

Lands are Fetches, Horizon Duals, Og Duals, Shocks, Pain lands, sometimes triomes, sometimes the castles. Command Tower, City of Brass, Mana Confluence, Exotic Orchard, Forbidden Orchard, Gemstone Caverns, Gemstone Mine, Ancient Tomb, Gaea's Cradle, Wirewood Lodge, Mystic Sanctuary

August 15, 2020 7:02 p.m.

SynergyBuild says... #18

Oof, misread.

August 15, 2020 7:08 p.m.

King_marchesa says... #19

August 15, 2020 7:35 p.m.

Copper Tablet!! Keep the games on a clock, fits in any deck, and stick it to infinite turns!

August 15, 2020 7:51 p.m.

SynergyBuild says... #21

DeinoStinkus I mean, Mindblade Render actually is really, really good, if you have a najeela opponent, whenever they damage someone else, you draw too, and any other warriors on your side can trigger it, think Oakhame Adversary!

I certainly have to have a reason to not run it in every single black deck of mine.

Also it's a super cheap ingame and irl card.

August 15, 2020 7:52 p.m. Edited.
August 15, 2020 9:36 p.m.

Game_of_Cones says... #23

How about Mirage Mirror?

August 15, 2020 11:24 p.m.

golgarigirl says... #24

August 16, 2020 12:04 a.m.

golgarigirl says... #25

August 16, 2020 12:07 a.m.

golgarigirl says... #26

August 16, 2020 12:08 a.m.

plakjekaas says... #27

August 16, 2020 6:46 a.m.

King_marchesa says... #28

August 16, 2020 8:22 a.m.

plakjekaas says... #29

August 17, 2020 3:52 a.m.

plakjekaas says... #30

August 17, 2020 3:53 a.m.
September 28, 2020 5:32 a.m.

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