The only time Deflecting Palm is going to be any good is against Blasphemous Act or fireballs from decka like Neheb, the Eternal or Wort, the Raidmother. Or maybe if you have a particularly problematic Voltron deck in your meta. Otherwise its not going to get you much value.
I don't see any interaction between palm and blasty act.
Also it seems meh vs wort since you only prevent half the damage.
Anyway but I agree overall, not an amazing card generally speaking, should be replaced in most decks. Funny way to win though.
everyone keeps saying that dragons are slow but i have only run into that issue once. Most games i end up casting many dragons and have a nice board state with them. Even to the point were i am getting ganged up on due to my army. Eliminating players in one foul swoop. Even getting to point where I am hard casting 2 or 3 dragons a turn with mana left over.
*fell swoop.
Obviously it's meta dependent. In a meta of low-powered decks dragons could be fine. I still think it's going to feel clunky to someone like me, though, who prefers to do as much stuff at instant-speed as possible, rather than tap out for big fat dragons just begging to get removed.
In seriousness, though, I think dragon tribal is always going to be very weak. Commander games are most often won by explosive plays, and dragons don't have very many of those, at least not compared to most other strategies.
Personally I've played zirilan of the claw since forever, and the (rare) games where I'm actually playing dragons from my hand feel AWFUL. They're clunky and expensive and slow and fragile. Still not as awful as playing the precon dragons vs the precon cats, though. Cats absolutely obliterated me with all 3 commanders.
Also it seems meh vs wort since you only prevent half the damage.
Anyway but I agree overall, not an amazing card generally speaking, should be replaced in most decks. Funny way to win though. How is total cost reduction a relevant or useful metric? I'd just consider them as mana rocks.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Obviously it's meta dependent. In a meta of low-powered decks dragons could be fine. I still think it's going to feel clunky to someone like me, though, who prefers to do as much stuff at instant-speed as possible, rather than tap out for big fat dragons just begging to get removed.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
In seriousness, though, I think dragon tribal is always going to be very weak. Commander games are most often won by explosive plays, and dragons don't have very many of those, at least not compared to most other strategies.
Personally I've played zirilan of the claw since forever, and the (rare) games where I'm actually playing dragons from my hand feel AWFUL. They're clunky and expensive and slow and fragile. Still not as awful as playing the precon dragons vs the precon cats, though. Cats absolutely obliterated me with all 3 commanders.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6