The amonkhet "last stand" cycle in commander
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Dec. 11, 2020, 3:57 p.m. by moo1234
So remember in Amonkhet that cycle of cards which all did something pretty powerful for their cost, but then had the massive downside of almost making you skip a turn:
From what I can tell they are:
In commander losing a turn is pretty bad. I have my own opinion's on each of them, but there is a clear worst in commander (spoiler it's Rhonas's Last Stand)
Anyway, I only have used Bontu's last yell in commander, and it's pretty good early game,and a last resort late game (overall as it goes a pretty good card).
Amyway my question is: Does anyone have their own experience using this cycle and what do you think of them?
I've used Kefnet's Last Word in a Uyo, Silent Prophet deck since I had one lying around and it's a Control Magic I can copy repeatedly with Uyo's ability. When you can copy it four or five times it becomes a lot more worth it.
December 11, 2020 4:25 p.m.
TheRealSpecialK says... #4
I have a deck that uses a lot of life manipulation - to the point where I often eat my own life down to single digits. Oketra's Last Mercy is a good card in that deck to 'reset' things.
December 11, 2020 4:57 p.m.
Omniscience_is_life says... #5
As you said moo1234, Bontu's Last Reckoning is the one I find myself running the most, but I find they're best in decks that can expect to have a Seedborn Muse or rely on artifact ramp to get their mana
December 11, 2020 11:44 p.m.
Kefnet's Last Word could be amazing if you snatch the right target like idk Isochron Scepter
or as Omniscience_is_life suggested Seedborn Muse
Bontu's Last Reckoning would be great with Sudden Substitution
but that's kinda the catch all these cards "Could" be amazing "IF" so over all i would have to agree with RNR_Gaming
"There are just so many better options in commander"
December 12, 2020 12:16 p.m.
K thanks, I've been trying Hazoret's Undying Fury in a cascade deck can you suggest a better card?
December 12, 2020 4:07 p.m.
i would think almost anything would be better then Hazoret's Undying Wiff
Apex of Power
Ignite the Future
in a cascade deck i preferer cards that have alternate cast costs
Blasphemous Act, Fury of the Horde, Volley of Boulders, etc
December 13, 2020 7:24 a.m.
gavriel1136 says... #9
I mean, when you compare these to something like Pact of Negation, you're essentially losing a turn (or at least 5 mana) in the same fashion. Bonus points to the last stand cards if you use mana dorks or mana rocks. I think the boardwipe in particular is moderately playable, at least.
December 14, 2020 noon
@ gavriel1136 "I mean, when you compare these to something like Pact of Negation, you're essentially losing a turn"
you have a valid point and i like your perspective
the idea behind Pact of Negation is for it to be used when you don't expect there to be a next turn
I.E. just blew all your mana to drop a win con and now you have to protect it
although its very rare that i have witnessed it be used in that manor
most just blow it on the first available target just to show they have it.
December 14, 2020 1:28 p.m.
The thing with these cards is that in general their effects can be found on similar cards without the downsides. Bontu's Last Reckoning is comparable to Toxic Deluge for the same mana or Damnation for only one more, for example.
But more importantly, while all of these cards keep your lands from untapping, none of them effect your artifacts. So you aren't actually losing a turn, you can still tap all those rocks and mana dorks to cast spells, and assuming you didn't tap out entirely on the turn you cast these, you can also use any lands that were left untapped on the following turn. Lands not untapping seemed like it was more impactful in a format that didn't have Sol Ring, Commander's Sphere, Darksteel Ingot, and suite of Signets/Charms/Cluestones/Banners/Obelisks/etc
December 15, 2020 4:19 p.m.
Just cast Armageddon after casting one of these and you completely mitigate the downside.
RNR_Gaming says... #2
There are just so many better options in commander that I've never felt a need to run any of these. Though some sort of Hivemind soft lock would probably be interesting; these cards don't do enough in a multi player format.
December 11, 2020 4:09 p.m.