War of the Spark EDH Review
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on April 18, 2019, 1:40 p.m. by SynergyBuild
I wanted to take this time to go over every card I think that will play a role in the EDH format from War of the Spark.
I will grade cards based on how many colors they require, how useful they are in how many decks, and will note where and why each could see EDH play.
Because there are 36 different planeswalkers, I think the planeswalkers are the proper place to start with this list.
The first ones I want to go over are the rare and mythic planeswalkers that will see play like the normal planeswalkers; value engines:
Liliana, Dreadhorde General - 9/10 - This card is a really good engine at 6 CMC in black. It has serious tribal synergies, aristocrats synergies, hits each player on the -4 (which draws you cards), and feels like a better Elspeth, Sun's Champion for black. It is worth it in most 75% black lists and any casual deck that can afford it.
Nissa, Who Shakes the World - 7/10 - Mono-green card? two color decks can use it too, but seriously a powerhouse. Mana doublers are always nice, and while green is perhaps already the best at ramp and so may not need it, but it does also untap a land per turn giving you ~2 additional mana, and the ultimate is insane. The issue with it as a mana doubler is that, being a planeswalker it can just die. It does, however protect itself. Seems possibly great, but probably just another really strong green ramp 5 drop.
Jace. Wielder of Mysteries - 7/10 - This card appears to be a normal Jace Phyrexian Arena effect for most mono-blue decks, but can be really strong givne you are a blue-black deck. If you can afford triple , I think using it with Demonic Consultation , naming a card outside of your deck so you exile your deck, then draw a card with Jace's +1, winning the game. It is a cheeky combo, but I see this card perhaps using it to win some number of games.
Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God - 6/10 - I know I am not super high on this card, but that mana cost is really the issue. Otherwise, it is a great walker once it hits, giving you huge card advantage, 4 cards in your favor with each opponent exiling and you drawing, and the static gives you a lot of advantage in a planeswalker deck or against them. It has removal, it has a lot. The ultimate seems... weak? Not bad, however.
Ugin, the Ineffable - 6/10 - Great walker for colorless decks. So far all of the colorless walkers has been good before, but they have been good outside of just colorless decks, however, I don't think that makes this bad.
Tamiyo, Collector of Tales - 5/10 - 2 colors makes this worse, and being singleton the +1 isn't great, but the static ability makes up for that a lot, giving it serious value. The +1 is self-mill, so you need a deck that can abuse that to get true mileage out of it. Even without, the -3 is Regrowth and I think is very strong. It feels about right for the mana cost, but need to be in a self-mill deck, or needs to be in a metagame wiht a lot of discard/sacrifice effects running around.
Vivien, Champion of the Wilds - 5/10 Green walker that draws you a card a couple of times maybe and has some flash use. It doesn't seem bad, but not something particularly powerful outside of green lists that need more card advantage or selection.
Chandra, Fire Artisan - 4/10 Red Chandra with card advantage. Static and ultimate seem medium. Not much better in many ways than the enchantment varients on this.
The more specific walkers that need a specific strategy are listed here. I rated them out of ten, only for decks in which they fit, like lifegain for Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord .
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer - 9/10 - Stellar card for artifact decks with the loyalty ability. It works with numerous other archetypes, however, token strategies like Brudiclad, spellslinger decks that storm off and now have a token army to back it up, etc. It works in walker decks and protects walkers whenever you cast more. It is just really strong for its cost, which is very versatile.
Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge - 7/10 - A
Huatli, the Sun's Heart - 6/10 - All of the Assault Formation effects for the walls deck are useful. Its lifegain isn't even irrelevant.
Ajani, the Greathearted - 5/10 - Good in some W/G walker decks or some +1/+1 counter lists? Bad +1 makes this medium, and you can only use the -2 twice... Still strong as effects go and low cost.
Gideon Blackblade - 5/10 - A white-weenie aggro card that gets around your own sweepers, protects other creatures, and is really good with the -6 as well. Lifegain and other combat tricks aren't bad on this either.
Ral, Storm Conduit - 5/10 - A storm combo card, that has some value effects. It doubles spells and could be strong in some spellslinger lists.
Ob Nixilis,the Hate-Twisted - 4/10 - Good walker for Nekusar, not gonna see play much outside of that.
Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord - 4/10 - Mass lifegain anthem effect, some targetted damage, and reanimation makes this pretty strong.
Sarkhan the Masterless - 4/10 - Good for dragon decks? Not really great in them, but can see play there.
Domri, Anarch of Bolas - 4/10 - REamp, anti-counter, and anthem effect. Not bad.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner 3/10 - Good in Stasis decks or decks that have large numbers of big creatures? It is ramp, while not being great.
Here are the hate-planeswalkers, cards that aren't value engines, but reall like hate enchantments.
Narset, Parter of Veils - 10/10 - Not even bluffing, an effect like Notion Thief or Leovold that doesn't die to creature removal, this is mono-blue, gives you card advantage, and has a high loyalty for its mana cost. It could be really scary with Windfall effects.
Karn, the Great Creator - Becasue sideboards aren't allowed if a single player in the pod doesn't allow them I won't be going indepth with the Mycosynth Lattice combo. Liquimetal Coating is another combo that llows you to destroy lands with the +1, and can kill 0-mana artifacts. It is pretty powerful as a one-sided Null Rod too. Great anti-artifact card.
Ashiok, Dream Render - 7/10 - Anti-graveyards, self-mill or opponent mill, and anti-search? This card hates on a ton of really powerful effects, and is entirely one-sided.
Teferi, Time Raveler - 6/10 - Combo with Knowledge Pool , one sided, flash for your Sorcery, removal/card draw for a bit. Really strong effect.
Dovin, Hand of Control - 5/10 - Not a great stax-piece, but technically one. Feels anti-storm. Had benefits against voltron as well.
Teyo, the Shieldmage - 3/10 - You have hexproof, protects itself a bit, great in a deck that uses walls however.
Outside of walkers, there are a ton of other great cards, I will go over the following in sets of cards:
Lands:
Blast Zone - 10/10 - Perhaps the best card in the set, there are extremely few decks I wouldn't put this in. It is a land that can hit any non-token, nonland, non-0-CMC permanent given some time, enters untapped, and taps for mana too, unlike Maze of Ith or other effects I'd argue are almost worse.
Emergence Zone - 7/10 - Bad flash enabler, but colorless and to all effects, beating Winding Canyon by enabling non-creatures. Enters untapped, for mono-colored decks that want this effect, no reason (mostly) not to run it and not bad.
Karn's Bastion - 6/10 - Needs to be in an infect, +1/+1 counter, or planeswalker deck, but it can do work. Sadly in a deck like Atraxa, I don't think it'd be great since colorless mana is hard to run in the landbase. Still good in numerous decks.
Interplanar Beacon - 4/10 - Strong for some walker lists, that is about it.
Mobilized District - 3/10 - Basically just a wall for some walker decks. If it gets to be free or 1 mana and becomes pretty worth it.
Colored artifacts:
Bolas's Citadel - 10/10 - A huge engine, hard to cast, can fail with double land, but just wins games. Few black decks would miss this in the 75% or casual circles. Like a free-cast Ad Nauseam forever. Comboes with both of Sensei's Divining Top 's abilities.
Vivien's Arkbow - 7/10 - It lets you discard bad cards to hit creatures when you are losing steam and have tons of mana. Really powerful.
Parhelion II - 5/10 - I don't care that this isn't good... look at it...
Oh god I love this. Angellic Helicarrier of DOOOM!!!! <3
BTW the other 2 are bad in EDH
God Cycle:
Ilharg, the Raze-Boar - 7/10 - Combo with Medomai the Ageless . Not a ton else, but all of these gods are very hard to kill, and this one can cheat out eldrazi... seems good.
God-Eternal Bontu - 5/10 - Great in Aristocrats, can be really strong for draw, is really hard to kill.
God-Eternal Oketra - 5/10 - Great in some white decks like Karametra, would be a sweet commander with effects like Whitemane Lion , Kor Skyfisher , Stonecloaker , etc. to trigger her a ton of times. Sweet with Odric, Lunarch Marshal , with a token and her out all of your creatures gain doublestrike and vigilance!
God-Eternal Kefnet - 4/10 - Not sure where this fits? It is card advantage, and could work in some decks that draw on opponents' turns? I am not thinking this is a great card. Good Body and is pretty strong with the god invulnerability effect.
God-Eternal Rhonas - 4/10 - Green five-drops are often better than this. Not bad, just kind of not a strong ability. Good with other anthem effects as a finisher if you have some trample enabler.
Finale cycle:
Finale of Devastation - 9/10 - Reanimate and tutor a creature to the field? This seems incredible. Green Sun's Zenith that also reanimates a card is huge! Also, like instant win if you use it at x=10+
Finale of Revelation - 8/10 - Better Mind Spring is good. Also, High Tide storm make it a little scary if that ends up being a thing.
Finale of Eternity - 7/10 - Really strong, but mana intensive for a triple Murder . Great black removal spell for many decks however.
Finale of Promise - 7/10 - Also really strong, this card seems to be for spellslinging. Requires instants and sorceries to double up on freecasting, but is still good.
Finale of Glory - 6/10 - Big White Sun's Zenith at sorcery speed with huge benefit at x=10+. Seems strong? I can't say taht the vigilance on the tokens are bad, but being a sorcery it isn't hard to sweep.
The following cards are not part of a cycle:
Command the Dreadhorde - 9/10 - 6 mana for a Reanimate any number of creatures/walkers in any graveyard? Hugely underrated IMO.
Liliana's Triumph - 8/10 - A great removal spell that doesn't target creatures, players, and is instant speed. It is 2 mana, splashable, and gets around indestructible. If you run Lilianas, that is just gravy on top.
Fblthp, the Lost - 8/10 - Great commander with Proteus Staff , strong effect, and is just a good card for blue creature decks like Animar, Soul of Elements . Strong.
Time Wipe - 8/10 - Incredible powerful in some decks, think of it with an Archeaomancer. Yep. Infinite board wipes ;). Otherwise just a sort of better Day of Judgment .
The Elderspell - 7/10 - Anti-walker, really good at what it does, and can be used in conjunction with other walkers to hit a fast ultimate!
Narset's Reversal - 7/10 - Just a strong counterspell option, that acts like a Remand or Venser, Shaper Savant with different upsides. Really strong because it gets around "can't be countered" cards, and copies really game-ending x-spells while bouncing them back at the same time. I expect tons of 2-for-1s with this.
Dovin's Veto - 7/10 - Better Negate at the cost of an additional color in its cost. Really strong, and will see tons of play IMO. U/W control variants will take this card and run it over other control decks for some serious power.
Return to Nature - 7/10 - Naturalize with graveyard hate as another option. Surprisingly versatile, and always better classics are great!
Deliver Unto Evil - 7/10 - Strong political card, godly with a Nicol Bolas walker. Feels like it could be breakable, but I don't know how yet.
Neoform - 7/10 - Strong tutor like Eldritch Evolution , doesn't exile itself, adds a +1/+1 counter, etc. I see it with +1/+1 counter decks, or just Simic Creature lists in general I imagine fetching Eternal Witness then recurring this then sacrificing E-Wit will become a common playline to go from 2 drop to 4 drop.
Ignite the Beacon - 6/10 - Walker decks will use this to great effect, but it just seems powerful for some non-walker decks that have a few. Instant speed I really think makes it good for control decks holding up mana for countermagic.
Single Combat - 6/10 - Really good sweeper in white, a color with a ton of really good sweepers, but still, it is strong and will go into a lot of white lists. Don't underestimate this in decks with 0 or just a few walkers/creatures, it gives you turns on many opponents.
Dreadhorde Invasion - 6/10 - Good in zombie tribal, otherwise on its own it seems... weak? It isn't bad, and as a value engine has potential in token and +1/+1 counter strategies, as well as just lists that want chump blockers each turn. Worse Bitterblossom for many decks. Where it shines in in combos with sacrifice outlets and Contamination !
Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin - 6/10 - New Krenko that isn't broken, but is less maan and is a great addition to any goblin deck, while making tokens? Sign me up! The flavor is dripping on this card, and it is a really good tribute to the Mob Boss himself.
Solar Blaze - 5/10 - Not exactly much better than Day of Judgment , and even Deafenning Clarion may be better in some decks, but for decks, with specifically higher toughness than power it can be a one-sided sweeper!
Massacre Girl - 5/10 - Black sweeper, good with big demons? I can't see this being insane, or even a big commander, but could make for a fun control commander, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this in flicker lists.
Domri's Ambush - 4/10 - +1/+1 counter, one-sided fight, hits walkers, instant speed? Seems strong as a budget removal spell in Gruul, but has capabilities in many other lists as a real piece.
Kasmina's Transmutation - 4/10 - Anti-commander enchantment, but unlike Darksteel Mutation , which doesn't leave chump-blocking on the table to kill it off, or even most removal spells, this one doesn't have that bonus. Good in budget blue decks, and will probably see a lot of EDH play in casual circles.
Arboreal Grazer - 4/10 - Strong in decks like Tatyova, Benthic Druid , big land-ramp decks or land-matters for it's 1 cmc effect. Chump duty after. Doesn't seem bad.
Dreadhorde Arcanist - 3/10 - Requires pump effects, self-mill, or a spell-slinging deck, and a lot of setup, and can be blocked without too much difficulty, but does have some power. Not sure where it fits.
This will be updated with ~30 more really cool cards from War of the Spark!
SynergyBuild says... #3
Joe_Ken_ I was unsure about those two. I may change my scores on the gods. Really I don't know how good the god invulnerability is on any of them.
April 18, 2019 3:03 p.m.
God-Eternal Kefnet definitely should be higher. It's hard to kill and pretty much fits in any blue deck with a large enough instant and sorcery base. Since blue draws a ton of cards and filters a ton, it's pretty easy to always have a counter spell on an opponents turn or always be able to cast two copies of the same spell.
As for Oketra, she goes infinite with any 0 drop creature and Cloudstone Curio .
Emergence Zone is good for decks that a) can't run Alchemist's Refuge and b) have a budget expensive cards in them.
Also, were talking EDH. No one's gonna be super Mana restricted for colors and the ones who are don't really care for the cards you're deeming bad.
April 18, 2019 4:25 p.m.
CrimsonChaos says... #5
All the Proliferate in this set is probably going to be nice for infect/counter decks that use green as a color. Evolution Sage in particular will probably come in very useful. Combining Awakening of Vitu-Ghazi with Inkmoth Nexus could win you the game, and Nissa, Who Shakes the World could potentially be used to buff it up as well. I'm already putting together some ideas for a Sultai deck that follows these themes.
April 18, 2019 4:28 p.m.
griffstick says... #7
Is White Sun's Zenith at 10 x or Finale of Glory at 10 x better than Storm Herd ?
April 18, 2019 6:24 p.m.
High as you’ve rated Finale of Revelation , I think it deserves an even higher score. I think it is an extremely powerful card for combo-based stax decks. Have infinite mana, but no way to win with it? Cast Finale of Revelation for X = deck + graveyard, to find your Lab Maniac and a cantrip, using the five untapped lands to win.
Have a lot of rocks, but no way to go infinite? You might be able to get X = 10, then draw and play your combo piece, or at least have an unlimited hand for the rest of the game.
April 18, 2019 6:44 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #9
Suns_Champion only for black decklists ;-;
Honestly, the first thing that got me back into Magic was the Elspeth vs. Kiora duel deck, I <3 Sun's Champion!
dbpunk I do need to look more into Kefnet and the other gods. First I will add a disclaimer to them I don't know much about how the indestructible-esque effect will play out, which matters a lot to this discussion.
Before that I will add many more cards to the list.
cdkime I"ll think on that. The Finale cycle was really powerful.
April 18, 2019 6:47 p.m.
Liliana, Dreadhorde General 's Ult is a Cataclysm that only hits opponents!! Yes please!!
Of course you always have to judge how good a Planeswalker is with Doubling Season , and this Liliana is great. Her cost is a little high, but that Ult should be a win.
April 18, 2019 6:53 p.m. Edited.
Last_Laugh says... #12
Kaya's Ghostform - 8/10 - This thing enables a lot of shenanigans in a lot of different decks. I can't believe this thing is common.
I also feel like Vivien, Champion of the Wilds is more of a 6 or 7/10. She's far more splashable than Yeva, is harder to remove, costs less, and gives the flash bonus to all colors. This enables some gross strategies in G/X lists. I especially look forward to curving this into Captain Sisay .
April 18, 2019 9:39 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #13
Kaya's Ghostform , Spark Double , Evolution Sage , Flux Channeler , Grateful Apparition , Bolt Bend , Paradise Druid , Lazotep Plating , Niv-Mizzet Reborn , Casualties of War , Roalesk, Apex Hybrid , Feather, the Redeemed , Oath of Kaya , Living Twister , Role Reversal , Soul Diviner , Storrev, Devkarin Lich , Deathsprout , Angrath's Rampage , and Heartwarming Redemption
are going to go on the list tomorrow.
April 18, 2019 10:01 p.m.
The God-Eternal Kefnet needs to be way higher. Like 9 out of 10 if not 10 out of 10. It combos so easily with extra turns. People have already built a serious competitive list in the commander format. An example combo Isochron Scepter , imprint Brainstorm , Time Warp . You draw Time Warp , cast it for three using God-Eternal Kefnet , cast the imprinted Brainstorm put Time Warp back on top, and net cards. You are now gaining card advantage, while taking extra turns. Win con for deck? The commander. It flies, making it almost impossible to block, and it is a 4/5, meaning it blocks most things in the format and ends people in short order. Same combo can be achieved with Scroll Rack and an extra turn spell. This guy is a tier one threat, mono colored (which means no expensive lands) and runs an easy to assemble combo with no dead cards like Laboratory Maniac . People in CEDH can’t wait for him to come out.
April 19, 2019 5:10 a.m.
The card Narset's Reversal should also be higher, but not much higher, maybe 8 out of 10. Anyone who plays this card is always looking for the mirror match. You play Ad Nauseam ? Me too. You are combing off right now? Hold on, I will respond by casting Narset's Reversal cast my copy of ad nauseum first, while nullifying your Ad Nauseam . You are playing Flash and Protean Hulk ? Me too. You casting flash? Hold on, let me stop you from winning. It also happens to combo with the new God-Eternal Kefnet as it too combos with Isochron Scepter , extra turn, commander. Lastly, storm loves this card, as it allows them to get two storm triggers, and make Bonus Round ridiculous. I agree with the initial assessment, but I believe it has far more applications and will be a serious contender for being a staple in the commander format.
April 19, 2019 5:51 a.m.
SynergyBuild says... #16
AKBZ cEDH player myself, and I saw this one, however sadly, because of the way this works, you need at least five mana to just go infinite turns, and if someone has a single removal spell, counterspell, or any interaction, this fails. The decklists are so dependent on Scroll Rack that they just fail 99% of the games I've seen them combo out in.
That deck doesn't have legs when going all-in combo, but I feel a combo deck using it, and running better interaction could be a fun Tier 3 list.
Also, I will switch the tiers for the gods. I was mistaken sadly.
April 19, 2019 8:01 a.m.
SynergyBuild says... #17
AKBZ I need to see how Narset's Reversal will play out, but seriously could see it being a 9/10.
April 19, 2019 8:02 a.m.
I think they are playing it wrong. The idea is the deck should be midrange control like Tasigur, the Golden Fang or Baral, Chief of Compliance or Rashmi, Eternities Crafter . The idea is you just play until the combo just shows up and play the control game until everyone is out of resources. The fact that you get double casts from Ponder and Preordain and Frantic Search is amazing. Personally, I am excited that we are getting something different. Feather, the Redeemed falls into the same category as “something new” and I can’t wait to see what comes out from that deck.
April 19, 2019 5:27 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #19
AKBZ sadly I don't see feather being cEDH material. I will look into the Kefnet list further. Thank you for bringing my attention to that.
April 19, 2019 5:53 p.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #20
I would like to know your opinion about new Niv-Mizzet Reborn ..
I like combos so i'm hyped about Ral, Storm Conduit ..
Bolas' citadel and Liliana, Dreadhorde General can be pretty usefull in many black decks.
I'm just not convinced about Jace. Wielder of Mysteries because i think mill is not a consistent win condition as we actually don't have really good card to mill ourself.
April 19, 2019 6:39 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #21
ShutUpMokuba it is a two-card combo with Demonic Consultation and Tainted Pact .
As for Niv Mizzet, I need to know the ruling on cards that contain (for example) UW, but are Numot, the Devastator , so aren't just UW, and if I could take that as the Azorius card in the pack. If so it is a 9/10, if not it is only a 5/10.
April 20, 2019 10:23 a.m.
Last_Laugh says... #22
I'm 95% sure due to Niv's wording that 3 color stuff and even things like Bant Sureblade are not 'exactly those colors'.
April 20, 2019 10:43 a.m. Edited.
ShutUpMokuba says... #23
I fear that for Niv are allowed only cards with exactly two different mana colors.. I'm not sure though..
Joe_Ken_ says... #2
I’d argue about God eternal Oketra in decks that try to go wide with creatures since I could see it potentially having a spot in my Najeela as a high cost card.
God-Eternal Kefnet is just good value in blue spell slinger decks, maybe not a commander, but I could see it having a spot in the 99.
April 18, 2019 2:41 p.m.