Commander Staples in Duskmourn
Dance Macabre
Welcome back for another History, Restapled, a Commander-focused column that attempts to validate a newer card’s status as a staple by looking at how cards that are similar, synergistic, or competing have fared in the past financially.
Hooray for
Waltz of Rage
I can’t say enough good stuff about this card’s potential.
Meanwhile, Chandra’s Ignition itself is quite cheap. It saw a reprint in
STATUS: possible secondary red removal staple
| Waltz of Rage | ||
| Waltz of Rage (Showcase) | ||
| Chandra's Ignition |
Valgavoth's Onslaught
Manifest Dread, and Morph, for that matter, is a mechanic that plays out far better than it seems when considered in a vacuum or when goldfishing. In reality, the card selection can really throw opponents off their game by forcing a major recalibration of threat assessment, particularly when it comes to making blocking decisions. The fact that the mechanic also fills your graveyard is gravy. Valgavoth’s Onslaught not only grabs a bunch of cards off the top of your library, but also pumps them up, turning innocuous vanilla creatures into significant threats that need to be taken out. When your opponent casts
Even in decks that don’t care about turning cards upside down, Valgavoth’s Onslaught makes for a great mana sink late in the game. Not bad for a bulk rare.
STATUS: sneaky green powerhouse
| Valgavoth's Onslaught | ||
| Valgavoth's Onslaught (Showcase) |
Leyline of Hope
The new cycle of Leylines in Duskmourn (and the reprint of
I’ve said this before, but I think lifegain is significantly underrated in Commander—and it doesn’t take much to get going. A single turn-one
Leyline of Hope expedites even incidental lifegain—it works in a lot of decks, especially if your commander has even the tiniest bit of lifegain—and carries an anthem attached that comes online faster due to its other ability. Cards that feed themselves become star players in certain archetypes, and Leyline of Hope has the makings of this very type of card
STATUS: white lifegain staple
| Leyline of Hope | ||
| Leyline of Hope (Extended Art) |
Dread Sower
What do you all think about Manifest Dread as a mechanic? How has it played out in games you’ve been part of? Let me know! I’m excited for the possibilities.
Further Reading:
Steve Heisler is a writer and pop culture journalist covering comedy, games, television, film and the tech industry. His work has been published in Rolling Stone, GQ, Variety, The AV Club, Fast Company and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began collecting Magic cards during Fourth Edition and plays Commander and Modern primarily. He also enjoys tennis, the Dark Souls family of video games and supporting live comedy. He lives in Chicago with his cat, Rosie.
