I remember when this card was spoiled for Commander 2015, people were pretty excited about it. Attaching it to some basic ETB creature like a Wood Elves or Mulldrifter sounded like super-value town. Attaching it to something really powerful like a Massacre Wurm or a Rune-Scarred Demon would obviously be, well, really powerful. Seemed good.
It goes for more than $10, so obviously the card has its fans, but honestly, I don't see it very often or hear much about it. I own several copies but currently run it in only two decks, and as I consider some upgrades and changes to my Meren of Clan Nel Toth deck, I am strongly considering switching it out for something else. Which is not to say I think it's bad at all. It's performed pretty well in Meren (so far I've never actually gotten it into play in the other deck it's in). I have attached it to Wood Elves and Solemn Simulacrum and Ravenous Chupacabra and Reclamation Sage, and while I don't think I've ever equipped a Massacre Wurm, I have attached the Blade to Rune-Scarred Demon and Terastodon. Those were all, predictably, pretty good. But at 2 CMC and 4 mana to equip, I'm not sure if I might not get better value over the course of the game from something like Panharmonicon, and I have a couple of other high-impact cards (including Scapeshift) I would like to try out in the deck.
So, I was wondering what others' experience with Blade of Selves has been like.
Honestly one of the most underplayed cards for power in commnader. The equip 4 is the part that people get put off.
But in decks with Sigarda's Aid and/or Hammer of Nazahn it's much easier to get going consistently.
Same deal with if you have cards like Brass Squire, Auriok Windwalker, Puresteel Paladin.
Helm of the Host is similar and has that steep 5 equip, so I do feel like they are better suited to a particular type of deck that can circumnavigate equip costs more, but make no mistakes super powerful card, always been underrated. I jumped onto it as soon as it came out and abused it's power ever since, where as I hardly ever see it being played by others.
I run this in my Chainer, Dementia Master deck that has a reasonably heavy ETB theme, and I've found it to be a very variable card. The highs are really high, but it has a very low floor. There are times when it can take over a game with even just a single attack (with Gary it usually just outright wins), and there are times when it does very little as I can't really get in a position where I've got a relevant creature equipped and swinging.
Thus far, I've combined it with Frost Titan, Sun Titan, Noxious Gearhulk, and Sepulchral Primordial.
...Now, I'm not allowed to equip it, lol. That should speak to it's power level.
No mention of Gray Merchant of Asphodel? Cloning devotion creatures introduces us to quadratic equations, specifically y≥2x^2-2x, where x is the number of opponents and y is the life each player loses each time you attack with Gary. It's not Rite of Replication, which just kills them instantly (five new Garys, at least 12 devotion), but it's cheaper.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I don’t run artifact synergy or equip reducers, and I think the equip 4 is still not at all prohibitive. I’m only playing it if I expect to have a creature to benefit from it within that turn or the next, and if it stays for even a turn or two, then the value generated from it is well worth it. Heck, I can play and equip it to Unesh the turn after he ETBs to get the 4 best cards out of my top 36 or something (in a 4-player game) - at the least. That’s worth 6 mana to me, but probably not worth losing my friends over, so I’ve not equipped him yet, but even just 3 of his ETB mini Fact or Fiction triggers is worth paying 6 for. Rashmi can get just as crazy or more with it: getting ramp from Wood Elves, tutoring a few creatures (with even more gross ETB effects) from Fierce Empath, not to mention how crazy it gets with Tishana, Voice of Thunder, or game-winning with Avenger of Zendikar. And those aren’t even the craziest things such as putting it on Gary as already mentioned (Gray Merchant of Asphodel).
TL;DR: It’s powerful, and underplayed. If you run enough ETB to get good value out of it for 6 mana and it can win you the game paired on the right creature, then it’s worth a serious consider to include or keep in the deck.
I have never played it myself and almost every time I have seen it played the game was down to three players or less. Its funny because as soon as you are down to 1v1 its super bad (as it does nothing).
The card is at its best with a commander who has an ETB / Death effect. I have never seen it be clutch to be honest but I also don't see it played much myself.
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I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
The amount of value it can generate is obvious but that equip cost has always discouraged me from including it in a deck even though it probably shouldn't.
I run this in my Chainer, Dementia Master deck that has a reasonably heavy ETB theme, and I've found it to be a very variable card. The highs are really high, but it has a very low floor. There are times when it can take over a game with even just a single attack (with Gary it usually just outright wins), and there are times when it does very little as I can't really get in a position where I've got a relevant creature equipped and swinging.
I 100% agree with this, it has very high highs, but can also be hard to pull off any value. The fact that you have to attack means that often it's hard to get renewable value every turn. For example attacking a Wood Elves (the equipped "real" one) into an opponent is normally going to induce a block and kill.
So then you're back to square one on the next turn. However for example in this instance you've gotten 2 extra land into play (4 players), so then the equip 4 is offset a bit for another ETB creature.
I absolutely sing it's praises, but maintain it has to be in a certain type of deck. For me personally the decks have had to be equipment based decks. They can offer certain types of evasion. Mainly I use the "Swords" to get in hits with the creature for turn-by-turn value.
But an example of turn-by-turn renewable value would be a Merciless Executioner or Fleshbag Marauder, that can kill off opposing creatures before they can block.
Its best when you don't give a damn if the creatures die. It can be very, very good.
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Its best when you don't give a damn if the creatures die. It can be very, very good.
I figure if a single Wood Elves ends up grabbing me three lands, having it die afterward is not too terrible. Same with a single Reclamation Sage or Ravenous Chupacabra taking out three targets. And in Maren, at least, utility creatures dying in combat isn't exactly an inconvenience.
Blade of Selves is amazing. (granted I play it in Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder) It is somewhat mana intensive, but I would play it in any deck with the etb creatures to support it. Also, ask yourself, "Is it more fun to play Panharmonicon and get double triggers, or get 2 free copies of my biggest dudes?"
Thus far, I've combined it with Frost Titan, Sun Titan, Noxious Gearhulk, and Sepulchral Primordial.
...Now, I'm not allowed to equip it, lol. That should speak to it's power level.
No mention of Gray Merchant of Asphodel? Cloning devotion creatures introduces us to quadratic equations, specifically y≥2x^2-2x, where x is the number of opponents and y is the life each player loses each time you attack with Gary. It's not Rite of Replication, which just kills them instantly (five new Garys, at least 12 devotion), but it's cheaper.
Those creatures were quite enough to always stop me from doing worse (especially frosty tits), though I don't play Gary out of mono-B anyway.
This is also where I play it, and I only put it on Reyhan. I guess I have decks like Marchesa, the black rose with lots of ETBs that could use it, but it seems slow there with little immediate impact. 30+ counters immediately affect Reyhan.
Thus far, I've combined it with Frost Titan, Sun Titan, Noxious Gearhulk, and Sepulchral Primordial.
...Now, I'm not allowed to equip it, lol. That should speak to it's power level.
No mention of Gray Merchant of Asphodel? Cloning devotion creatures introduces us to quadratic equations, specifically y≥2x^2-2x, where x is the number of opponents and y is the life each player loses each time you attack with Gary. It's not Rite of Replication, which just kills them instantly (five new Garys, at least 12 devotion), but it's cheaper.
Those creatures were quite enough to always stop me from doing worse (especially frosty tits), though I don't play Gary out of mono-B anyway.
(Surprised you play anything other than Mardu...)
I wouldn't go multicolor devotion in Modern or Legacy, but in Commander, it gives me access to all those lovely Shadowmoor critters like Divinity of Pride, as well as clones.
And of course, there's one legend you may wish to clone: Reyhan, Last of the Abzan. And yeah, populate is a thing.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I used to play dimir Sygg tempo, Zedruu control (not trix), Nin with a 2c moon strat, Kraj...with all the nonsense, and my fave, OG Bolas cruel control that revolved around the 3 zeniths to create the most inevitability. As a result, we have the phrase friends don't let 3drinks play blue because, when 3drinks plays blue, nobody wins.
So I stick to my mono-R, Rakdos, and Mardu. Can't get mad then
Blade of Selves is one of those cards that I consider ridiculously powerful, but kind of bad because its so powerful.
Because I run it in decks where it can be abused by the Commander, like Reaper King, it often feels like an "answer this or I'll run away with this game" level threat. As a result it feels kind of bad to play this in a casual game, but it will rarely hit play or stay for long in competitive.
An amazingly powerful card, but not one to make friends with.
Just you're such an expert on Kaalia and Alesha, you think of things I wouldn't have thought of for Alesha, I thought that was your thing.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Just you're such an expert on Kaalia and Alesha, you think of things I wouldn't have thought of for Alesha, I thought that was your thing.
It's definitely my thing. That's so nice to hear! It's amazing what you think up when you play the same deck for 7 years (Kaalia), and 5 years (Alesha). Edgar will soon join them but there's not really any hidden tech there aside from City of Shadows.
Wait till I finally start running Queen March Defender Control. 🤔
I remember when this card was spoiled for Commander 2015, people were pretty excited about it. Attaching it to some basic ETB creature like a Wood Elves or Mulldrifter sounded like super-value town. Attaching it to something really powerful like a Massacre Wurm or a Rune-Scarred Demon would obviously be, well, really powerful. Seemed good.
It goes for more than $10, so obviously the card has its fans, but honestly, I don't see it very often or hear much about it. I own several copies but currently run it in only two decks, and as I consider some upgrades and changes to my Meren of Clan Nel Toth deck, I am strongly considering switching it out for something else. Which is not to say I think it's bad at all. It's performed pretty well in Meren (so far I've never actually gotten it into play in the other deck it's in). I have attached it to Wood Elves and Solemn Simulacrum and Ravenous Chupacabra and Reclamation Sage, and while I don't think I've ever equipped a Massacre Wurm, I have attached the Blade to Rune-Scarred Demon and Terastodon. Those were all, predictably, pretty good. But at 2 CMC and 4 mana to equip, I'm not sure if I might not get better value over the course of the game from something like Panharmonicon, and I have a couple of other high-impact cards (including Scapeshift) I would like to try out in the deck.
So, I was wondering what others' experience with Blade of Selves has been like.
But in decks with Sigarda's Aid and/or Hammer of Nazahn it's much easier to get going consistently.
Same deal with if you have cards like Brass Squire, Auriok Windwalker, Puresteel Paladin.
My favorite is to search it with Stoneforge Mystic and then equip her and get 2 more equipment per turn in a 4 player.
But also in my Naya deck I'll be using it on Wood Elves, Recruiter of the Guard, Imperial Recruiter, Eternal Witness. When I'm ready to combo the Godo, Bandit Warlord.
Helm of the Host is similar and has that steep 5 equip, so I do feel like they are better suited to a particular type of deck that can circumnavigate equip costs more, but make no mistakes super powerful card, always been underrated. I jumped onto it as soon as it came out and abused it's power ever since, where as I hardly ever see it being played by others.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
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Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
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-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
...Now, I'm not allowed to equip it, lol. That should speak to it's power level.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Helm of the Host is what peak dumb edh card looks like and Blade of selves is pretty lame in comparison.
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Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsNo mention of Gray Merchant of Asphodel? Cloning devotion creatures introduces us to quadratic equations, specifically y≥2x^2-2x, where x is the number of opponents and y is the life each player loses each time you attack with Gary. It's not Rite of Replication, which just kills them instantly (five new Garys, at least 12 devotion), but it's cheaper.
On phasing:
I use it in two decks (both centered around ETB value): Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign Sphinx tribal and Rashmi, Eternities Crafter Simic ETB tribal, so it’s essentially a shoo-in for both.
I don’t run artifact synergy or equip reducers, and I think the equip 4 is still not at all prohibitive. I’m only playing it if I expect to have a creature to benefit from it within that turn or the next, and if it stays for even a turn or two, then the value generated from it is well worth it. Heck, I can play and equip it to Unesh the turn after he ETBs to get the 4 best cards out of my top 36 or something (in a 4-player game) - at the least. That’s worth 6 mana to me, but probably not worth losing my friends over, so I’ve not equipped him yet, but even just 3 of his ETB mini Fact or Fiction triggers is worth paying 6 for. Rashmi can get just as crazy or more with it: getting ramp from Wood Elves, tutoring a few creatures (with even more gross ETB effects) from Fierce Empath, not to mention how crazy it gets with Tishana, Voice of Thunder, or game-winning with Avenger of Zendikar. And those aren’t even the craziest things such as putting it on Gary as already mentioned (Gray Merchant of Asphodel).
TL;DR: It’s powerful, and underplayed. If you run enough ETB to get good value out of it for 6 mana and it can win you the game paired on the right creature, then it’s worth a serious consider to include or keep in the deck.
Current EDH
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GRhonas the Indomitable green creature beats
UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ETB tribal
Retired EDH
WURGKynaios and Tiro of Meletis group hug
URThe Locust God draw swarm
UTalrand, Sky Summoner funsies blue spells
WBObzedat, Ghost Council life gain/drain
The card is at its best with a commander who has an ETB / Death effect. I have never seen it be clutch to be honest but I also don't see it played much myself.
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So then you're back to square one on the next turn. However for example in this instance you've gotten 2 extra land into play (4 players), so then the equip 4 is offset a bit for another ETB creature.
I absolutely sing it's praises, but maintain it has to be in a certain type of deck. For me personally the decks have had to be equipment based decks. They can offer certain types of evasion. Mainly I use the "Swords" to get in hits with the creature for turn-by-turn value.
But an example of turn-by-turn renewable value would be a Merciless Executioner or Fleshbag Marauder, that can kill off opposing creatures before they can block.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
That is devious, and quite clever.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
I figure if a single Wood Elves ends up grabbing me three lands, having it die afterward is not too terrible. Same with a single Reclamation Sage or Ravenous Chupacabra taking out three targets. And in Maren, at least, utility creatures dying in combat isn't exactly an inconvenience.
BChainer Sac-Based ControlB
UWOjutai Control/VoltronWU
Those creatures were quite enough to always stop me from doing worse (especially frosty tits), though I don't play Gary out of mono-B anyway.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
This is also where I play it, and I only put it on Reyhan. I guess I have decks like Marchesa, the black rose with lots of ETBs that could use it, but it seems slow there with little immediate impact. 30+ counters immediately affect Reyhan.
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
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(Surprised you play anything other than Mardu...)
I wouldn't go multicolor devotion in Modern or Legacy, but in Commander, it gives me access to all those lovely Shadowmoor critters like Divinity of Pride, as well as clones.
Anyway, you can also use it with Mulldrifter or Elvish Visionary or Phyrexian Rager/Phyrexian Gargantua to draw a bunch of cards. You can use it with Reclamation Sage or Ravenous Chupacabra for removal (or Qasali Slingers to say "yeah, nobody's playing artifacts or enchantments today but me") or Ravenous Rats for discard, Fleshbag Marauder for even more removal. (Actually, I might want to toss that trick into Ghave, since my sac will trigger Grave Pact.) Wood Elves or Farhaven Elf gives you ramp, and, as you said, Titans. Just...Titans.
And of course, there's one legend you may wish to clone: Reyhan, Last of the Abzan. And yeah, populate is a thing.
On phasing:
...why you think I only play Mardu?
I used to play dimir Sygg tempo, Zedruu control (not trix), Nin with a 2c moon strat, Kraj...with all the nonsense, and my fave, OG Bolas cruel control that revolved around the 3 zeniths to create the most inevitability. As a result, we have the phrase friends don't let 3drinks play blue because, when 3drinks plays blue, nobody wins.
So I stick to my mono-R, Rakdos, and Mardu. Can't get mad then
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Because I run it in decks where it can be abused by the Commander, like Reaper King, it often feels like an "answer this or I'll run away with this game" level threat. As a result it feels kind of bad to play this in a casual game, but it will rarely hit play or stay for long in competitive.
An amazingly powerful card, but not one to make friends with.
Just you're such an expert on Kaalia and Alesha, you think of things I wouldn't have thought of for Alesha, I thought that was your thing.
On phasing:
It's definitely my thing. That's so nice to hear! It's amazing what you think up when you play the same deck for 7 years (Kaalia), and 5 years (Alesha). Edgar will soon join them but there's not really any hidden tech there aside from City of Shadows.
Wait till I finally start running Queen March Defender Control. 🤔
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.