Each explanation should include the information found in the Template spoiler below.
Cards that are not in the top 35 list will not be added!Cards outside of the top 35 will be considered if you make a good case for their inclusion, but simply posting an explanation for them won't guarantee they'll be added. (I've decided to only add Top 35 cards for now, there are more than enough of them to write about)
Card Name
General Description
A one or two line summary. History in other formats can go here.
Main Usage in EDH
Describe why this card is one of the best in an objective manner. This can include comparisons to similar cards which are not as good. May include examples of it in use.
Deck Type Notes
Assuming that this card is good, when shouldn't you use this card? Will it only work with monoblack? Do you need a creature heavy deck to have it function? Is there a certain deck this card is ideal for?
Combos
Include any cards and a description of how the combo works.
Low Budget Substitute
If extremely expensive is there a low budget substitute?
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Don't worry about perfectly formatting your posts, and don't over-format your post (with lists/sublists etc). As long as you have something for each section in the template it's fine.
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Autocarding is optional!
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If the card has a functional reprint, please mention both cards in the General Description section as I will only make an entry for one of the cards.
This card allows you to search your library for the situationally optimal enchantment and put it directly into play.
Main Usage in EDH
Cards that could search are usually relevant for EDH. The ability to pull of an enchantment from your deck helps you either pull out a bomb (e.g. Debtor's Knell), pull out an answer (e.g. Oblivion Ring), a threat (e.g. Luminarch Ascension), a utility card (e.g. Phyrexian Arena), among others.
Deck Type Notes
To run this card, the obvious requirement is to have at least a few relevant enchantments that you will want to bring into play.
Combos
Unfortunately, for its 1 power, it doesn't usually interact with Reveillark. However, it is essentially a one card combo that pulls out a enchantment bomb from your library.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card is about USD7.68 which could hurt the wallet a little. Try Lost Auramancers if you're a little tight on budget.
Perhaps proof that you would rather incur the Wrath of God than the Vengeance of Akroma. A rather versatile and inclusive sweeper.
Main Usage in EDH
Its obvious usage lies in its ability to sweep and clear the board of an over-extending opponent (in which case you get card advantage). Also hits cards that are otherwise can't be targeted by spot removals. If you have no use for it in this matchup, feel free to cycle it.
Deck Type Notes
Ideally, you don't want to be running a deck that obliges you to overextend. However, notwithstanding that, you should still find many neccessity to wipe the board when the situation turns ugly.
Combos
Not much of a combo card but instead, a versatile and inclusive sweeper.
Low Budget Substitutes
At USD2.88, the card is definitely cheaper than sweepers the likes of Wrath of God and Day of Judgment. However, white has perhaps one of the most sweepers among the other colours of Magic. You should be able to find yourself some budget substitutes easily
A huge beatstick which could also be used as the general (depending on deck strategy)
Main Usage in EDH
The most obvious usage is in hastily beating up your opponent while holding its own against other beatstick threats.
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should be able to run this as the www requirement should be achievable by W/X deck by time you hit 8 mana. Protection from Red and Black dodges a large portion of removals available.
Combos
Not much of a combo card but instead, a very efficient beatstick.
Low Budget Substitutes
At USD8.97, it is a tad expensive. Do try looking for other bomby-angels / white creatures. There should be plenty of them available if you look hard enough
Archon of Justice is a midrange threat which opponents would often feel uneasy killing. Also acts as a spot removal when it dies.
Main Usage in EDH
It is a midrange threat and blocker. Most people would feel uneasy killing it, given the repercussions of losing one permanent. Combined with a ready sacrifice outlet, Archon of Justice may prove to be a rather effective removal. Given that white has quite a few reanimation tricks, expect Archon of Justice to be a rather persistant removal. It may generate card advantage, for example, when someone uses a spell to remove Archon of Justice, hence losing a spell and a permanent of your choice in exchange for the Archon.
As a creature, reanimation works very nicely with Archon. Corpse Dance and a ready sacrifice outlet would allow this play: -
EoT: Corpse Dance targetting Archon of Justice
My turn: Attack with Archon of Justice. Deal 4 damage and sacrifice it to Ashnod's Altar for 2, removing a permanent of your choice. Repeat until opponent is nice and pulpy.
Armageddon and Ravages of War are ways to either A. Put your opponent(s) off balance to steal a win or lock up a game you're already winning.
Main Usage in EDH
Used with artifact mana to create an asymmetrical effect or used when the game state looks favorable for you and you don't want people messing with that.
Deck Type Notes
These spells go mainly into two different deck types. These types are aggro and prison. In an aggressive deck, the goal may be to load the board down with creatures and equipments, cast Armageddon/Ravages, and seal up the game with beats. In Prison decks, you may cast some key defensive spells, artifact mana, or something else annoying, Armageddon and go from there.
This card, when it comes out on turn 3, can severely hinder ALL opponent's artifact mana ramping. Cards like Thran Dynamo and Gilded Lotus are coming out two turns later. When something devestating hits the board, you have removal on site. I've started to use this in every White EDH deck I have.
Deck Type Notes
Again, any white decks can run it, and it can be beneficial. Not too many mono white combo decks, however if you're running a combo deck, it may not fit.
Combos
None, really... but I have seen games where 2-3 players have an Aura of Silence out AND Sharuum gets LOCKED out of the game.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is low budget, especially due to it's reprint in 10th
It's a selective board wipe with a wide use of applications.
Main Usage in EDH
It's difficult to be for sure with a card like this, but creatures above 3 cmc and artifacts is pretty common.
Deck Type Notes
If your deck can produce the mana needed to play it and you don't feel the need to play other cheaper and narrow cards over it, you should probably play it. Even if your deck has lots of artifacts and enchantments, there will be plenty of time you can get value out of it.
Combos
No combos are needed or really possible with this card. if you wanted to get cute, I guess you could say Elspeth, Knight-Errant combos with it.
It's a highly disruptive creature with evasion and flash. Quite the devastating little package.
Main Usage in EDH
It does exactly what you think it does. It annoys your opponent(s) every time they want to Tutor for something, or even look for a land.
Deck Type Notes
This should probably be in almost any predominantly W deck and should be in every mono W EDH deck, since mono W has very few ways to interact with combo decks or control decks that use lots of tutors.
Combos
There really aren't any combos with this. It's a one card wrecking ball to some decks.
Low Budget Substitutes
There is no substitute for this asymmetrical effect. It's budget anyway, so pick one up.
An interesting sweeper variant that requires some timing to maximize the benefit of.
Main Usage in EDH
It's most often used when you have a permanent that is more threatening than anything your opponent(s) has(have), but are still outnumbered on board. It's also used in prison decks that just want to clear the board of anything significant aside from their Crucible of Worlds or Sundering Titan.
Deck Type Notes
This could probably make it into many EDH decks; it's probably weak in some aggro decks and in combo for sure. If you ever plan on being behind, but having some heavy-hitting perms you can get down beforehand, this becomes a finisher. However, if you're behind this can be used as a reset.
Combos
Combos well with anything that likes to go to the graveyard/ leave the battlefield, anything that you can reasonably use to recur, an effect that doesn't cost mana to use or an artifact that can produce a substantial amount of mana.
Low Budget Substitutes
It's pretty low budget--about $3.00 and there is pretty much nothing that does this exact effect in EDH. It's not expensive, so you should probably pick it up.
It's a sweeper or Armageddon effect that is rarely dead.
Main Usage in EDH
Well, given the fact that you have two viable options, it's hard to say. If you're ahead and want to lock the game up, you destroy all lands; if you're behind and need to stay alive, you destroy all creatures.
Deck Type Notes
If you can cast this and value this card higher than a spell that has either effect, but a lower cost, you want this spell. It could find its way into most white EDH lists, but some may be too tight for space.
Combos
Combos with recursion, indestructible creatures, persist, artifact mana etc.
Low Budget Substitutes
This might run you $2-3, but probably not. It's a budget card itself.
A powerful planeswalker that builds up your board or turns any targeteable creature into a beatsstick. The ultimate is often times game winning.
Main Usage in EDH
It's probably split pretty even between offensive and defensive uses in this format. Offensively, you make a couple dudes and send them flying. Defensively, you make some chump blockers and try to wrath the board when your opponent over extends.
Deck Type Notes
Only useful if you're playing a non combo white deck. So that means it's useful in most white EDH decks. There is pretty much no reason not to play it other than playing combo or monetary issues.
Combos
There really aren't any notable combos with this, but none are needed.
Low Budget Substitutes
There really isn't anything that's close to Elspeth, but Emeria Angel, Sacred mesa, and Mobilization do their part on the token production front anyhow.
It's a mana smoother early on, and manasink/finisher late game.
Main Usage in EDH
It is most often used just to make your mana a little more consistent, but it can be a recurring threat if need be. It can also be used to grab duals or Mistveil Plains.
Deck Type Notes
This should probably be in almost every primarily white EDH deck.
Combos
Can provide you with a semi-constant shuffle effect for Sensei's Divining Top and Scroll Rack and it can be an early reanimation target.
Low Budget Substitutes
No other card does what Eternal dragon does so well, but you can try Tithe, Gift of Estates, or Gleam of Resistance(If you're desperate).
An excellent sweeper in white, gets around regeneration as it puts them on the bottom of a library instead of in the graveyard.
Main Usage in EDH
Hallowed Burial is different from other sweepers in that the creatures do not go to the graveyard, this can be significant in EDH because you can easily put problem generals on the bottom of the library where they are harder to re cast. It also counters recursion strategies such as ReveillarkGenesis ect.
Deck Type Notes
The same reasons it is good in some decks can cause it to be less useful in a deck that is based around recursion engines as the creatures will become harder to recur, though it is still good enough to be run as there are limited cards that put generals on the bottom of a library.
Combos
Man lands sacred mesa luminarch accension to capitalize on the empty field, to a lesser extent tunnel vision could possibly work as a 'combo,' though a rather weak one as they would need to have only 1 creature in play for it to work.
Low Budget Substitutes
Being a 5 mana sweeper outside of standard the card can be found rather inexpensively for it's unique effect. Though Final Judgment can also be used to stop recursion strategies however generals will return to the command zone.
Humility is most useful for crippling your opponent's general and creatures.
Main Usage in EDH
Humility is at its best in a token heavy deck, a deck that is very low on creatures and decks that don't need to rely on their general to win. In a token heavy deck Humility can be used to cripple your opponents creatures while you churn out a steady supply of 1/1 creatures. Ideally, additional pumps, Mirari's Wake for example, can be used to make all your creatures bigger. In decks that don't rely on their creatures/general to win this card can shut down many decks while you further your gameplan.
Deck Type Notes
Humility has limited uses but really shines with tokens and at shutting down opposing creatures. This card is not recommended in decks that are trying to win with non-token creatures and decks that rely heavily on their general. There are many confusing rules interactions involved with this card, you have been warned!
A white Fabricate that tutors for enchantments instead of artifacts.
Main Usage in EDH
Any search effects are almost always positive in EDH, especially those which are below 4 casting cost, given a 99 card deck (excluding the general). This also allows you to tutor your utility and win conditions, from Debtor's Knell and Luminarch Ascension to Oblivion Ring).
Deck Type Notes
To run this card, the obvious requirement is to have at least a few relevant enchantments that you will want to tutor for.
Combos
Idyllic Tutor doesn't combo on its own but it does facilitate them.
There really is no substitute for what this can do, but it's not terribly expensive at less than $5 a pop. Tithe is not terrible since it can search up duals, but if you can afford duals, you can afford Land Tax.
A cheap win condition that allows you to play Tower Defence with your opponent.
Main Usage in EDH
Slow-rolling control decks being the main archetypes of EDH decks, Luminarch Ascension hoses these decks by forcing them to either answer the Ascension or to enter into an uncomfortable offensive, which control decks are not usually well-equipped for. An early game Luminarch Ascension may well spell doom for most control players who do nothing for the first few turns. It also helps that white has a wealth of sweepers at its disposal to facilitate "crowd control".
Deck Type Notes
While it technically triggers on every beginning of the end step, this may not be the most popular card in multiplayer as it will likely paint you as the target. However, with enough blockers to hold off attacks for at least 4 turns, it is still a highly playable cards (notwithstanding multiplayer politics).
Combos
Given that Luminarch Ascension could produce cheap 4/4 angels when it goes online, it seems unnecessary to combo with the Angel tokens -- Glorious Anthem and the like are unnecessary win-mores. However, it is possible to speed up Luminarch Ascension's activations with cards like Doubling Season or Clockspinning.
Token generator and more often then not a one-sided Wrath.
Main Usage in EDH
Wrath effects are incredibly important to the format. This is a Wrath effect that destroys your opponents dudes and leaves you with at least 5 dudes to attack with. While it's best to use this for its Wrath effect it isn't always terrible to just produce a couple of tokens.
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should run this card.
Combos
No combos really but tokens are always good for Skullclamp.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card seems to fluctuate in price but doesn't seem like it will rise above 5 dollars. There really is no Wrath effect that mirrors this card perfectly. In terms of tokens Mobilization, Sacred Mesa and Storm Herd are some of the best token generators in white and incredibly cheap.
A nifty creature that could "pump" all your creatures while acting as a combo enabler at the same time.
Main Usage in EDH
This fuels many combo, especially the reveillark combo as was used in the Time Spiral-Lorwyn standard, as well as acting as a de facto pump spells for weenies.
Deck Type Notes
Mirror Entity is very splashable with its single w requirement. In general, decks running Mirror Entity runs them either for combo purposes or simply to pump tokens into epic proportions.
1. Acidic Slime: Destroy all artifacts, creatures and lands which you don't like
2. Riftwing Cloudskate / Venser, Shaper Savant: Bounce any permanents you don't like
3. Deathgreeter and Soul Warden: Gain infinite life
4. ...and many, many more.
Alternatively, if you have many, many tokens, feel free to pump them to epic proportions.
Low Budget Substitutes
At USD2.41, it is reasonably budget and no other cards adequately does what it do.
A utility removal that removes any nonland threats.
Main Usage in EDH
It is used as a versatile nonland removal. It exiles instead of putting threats to graveyards, minimising risk of graveyard recursion tricks.
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should be able to run this. It is also very splashable in decks running white as a secondary colour. Decks like Zur the Enchanter are also able to use this as a makeshift removal.
Combos
Doesn't have many combos around it though it is possible to either bounce or destroy oblivion ring as the "enters play" trigger is on the stack to force the "leaves play" trigger to resolve first, hence exiling the threat permanently
Low Budget Substitutes
Unless you are looking for the foily FNM version for pimp purposes, this card should be reasonably budget (even the FNM version isn't that expensive really). You may replace it with Journey to Nowhere (though it only works on creatures)
Typically, any 1 for 1 removal in a multi-player format is just not good enough. However, spells that Exile creatures to foil reanimation attempsts are almost always needed in a multi-player game.
Condemn (which is already covered in an earlier post) is definately worth mentioning - but Ideally you run all 3 cards, and none of them are indefinately replacable.
A card that returns all your enchantments in your graveyard to play. In other formats, generally, the idea is to dump a large amount of enchantments in the graveyard in anticipation for a well placed Replenish
Main Usage in EDH
As mentioned, it returns a large amount of enchantments in the graveyard to play.
Deck Type Notes
Generally, you will want to run a good number of enchantments in your deck and a good way of getting a large number of them in the graveyard, in preparation for your one well-placed Replenish. Some good enchantments to run would be stuff like Opalesence (if you want your enchantments to be creatures too), Parallax Tide and Parallax Wave (just remember to stack the leave play trigger before the enter play trigger), etc.
Combos
This is a combo card in itself, bringing a large number of enchantments into play.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card is about USD10.55 which could hurt the wallet a little. Try Open the Vaults if you're a little tight on budget (though you may want to abuse some artifacts while you are at it).
This is a 4-mana two-for-one that exiles rather than destroys, allowing it to hit many targets which are otherwise difficult or impossible to answer (Darksteel Forge).
Main Usage in EDH
This should go in every deck that can run white. Seriously, this absolutely no exception. It is the only way to answer some combo cards and it's extremely efficient for its mana cost. Compare to Disenchant. This costs twice as much mana, but hits twice as many permanents AND more permanently answers them.
Deck Type Notes
Like I said. If your deck can produce white at all, you should run this.
Reveillark was the enabler of many reanimation strategies. In the previous standard(s), it was widely seen in various decks, including the Boat Brew, various control decks (W/x/x/... Control), Lark Combo etc.
Main Usage in EDH
In EDH -- as in most other formats -- Reveillark is an incredible reanimator, allowing reanimation of various utility <2 power creatures (e.g. Mulldrifter, Eternal Witness,...). It is also a 4/3 flying, which is impressive in itself.
Deck Type Notes
Reveillark's 4w casting cost (or 5w evoke cost), allows Reveillark to go into decks up to 5 colours. Obviously, decks playing Reveillark should be geared towards abusing reanimation to a certain extent. Obviously, it helps to have abundant <2 power utility creatures to abuse. This may include creatures such as Clone, Body Double, etc.
Combos
There are just too many combos to list though some of the notable ones are Reveillark with: -
As the ruling is kind enough to point out, Reverse the Sands allows you to exchange life totals with many different players (though you may not split life totals)
Main Usage in EDH
The obvious application of this card is to lose a bunch of life before exchanging life totals with an opponent. A more subtle application applies in multiplayer where you may play the politician, giving the higher life totals to your allies and a lower one to your enemies.
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks could accomodate this though it may help a little if you're into self-flagellation (i.e. using your life total as a resource before casting Reverse the Sands to credit those pain to your opponent)
Combos
Self-flagellation seems to be the best way to abuse this card. For example, pay as much life as you would dare to Necropotence before swapping life totals.
A sweeper-class spell that's versatility lies in being able to choose the spell's "speed" (i.e. Instant or Sorcery)
Main Usage in EDH
As mentioned, this is a board sweeper. The possibility of using it at instant speed is where this card shines. Basically, this means that you could wait for your opponent to overextend and cast it during his end of turn step before untapping and spamming your own creatures
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should be able to run this.
Combos
This card doesn't actually combo though if you could somehow make all your creatures indestructible (even for that one turn), that might count as a combo, I guess (think Eldrazi Monument or Elspeth, Knight-Errant)
Low Budget Substitutes
This card costs USD4 which is the upper limit on the definition of budget. Cards like Austere Command are good cheap substitutes though they are not at instant speed.
It's used to sink all your mana into to produce a wall of dudes. It's usually just used to finish an opponent off while chump blocking anything they might be swinging with sans trample.
Deck Type Notes
This is best suited in a deck that can produce lots of mana, and white mana specifically. It's very well suited to control strategies and could find its way into aggro, but combo wants nothing to do with this card.
Combos
With Skullclamp you can draw tons of cards; with Smokestack you can wrath away everything your opponent(s) throw(s) at you all for the cost of mana and patience; with Humility you can create a sizable army that will overrun any creature your opponent plays(although your Mesa tokens will lose flying this way).
Low Budget Substitutes
It is low budget and nothing does what this card does exactly.
Stonehewer is a vigilant 4/4 at 5 mana, which is respectable body for white. More importantly though, Stonehewer fetches and attaches equipment, providing white with a rare source of card advantage, replacing Stonehewer with his first activation.
Main Usage in EDH
Stonehewer is a body, card advantage and combat trick machine all in one.
Deck Type Notes
Stonehewer is best in creature decks with a few equipment cards.
Stonehewer competes for the 5 slot with a few cards like Revellark, Baneslayer Angel and Karmic Guide, so some decks may not have space for him.
Stonehewer turns equipment in your library into a combat trick. Buffing equipment like Deathrender is nice if one of your attackers is blocked, while "saboteur" cards like Quietus Spike or Mask of Memory can punish an opponent who lets an attacker through.
Stonehewer is particularly strong in Rafiq decks.
Low Budget Substitutes
Stonehewer is a fairly inexpensive rare, running about a buck. There really isn't any card that does what he does. He won't fit into every deck, but picking up a few now while EDH is growing will be worth the investment.
This helps you hit consistent land-drops throughout the games
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should be able to run this.
Combos
Not much though you can theoretically put Path to Exile on an Isochron Scepter to consistently ensure that your opponent has more lands than you. More often than not, that "combo" will kill you though so don't bother
Low Budget Substitutes
This card costs something like USD1.68 which is budget but you can try cards like Journeyer's Kite or Pilgrim's Eye if you're really, really tight
It's a sniper of problem permanents with a sizable body.
Main Usage in EDH
It can take down any annoying permanent given enough time. Lands and artifacts are popular choices in Stax variants.
Deck Type Notes
It's perfectly at home in aggro and Stax decks. May also be usable in control with some special construction. Combo decks have no use for this card.
Combos
With any token producers, you can name creatures to create an asymmetrical wrath. Works well with Crucible of Worlds to hinder or even stop your opponent's mana development, while keeping your at par.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card is low budget and there aren't any substitutes. It's a one-of-a-kind package.
A beater class spell with a very abusable enters the graveyard ability.
Main Usage in EDH
Yosei is a nice beatstick with a 5/5 body but it shines most where it could be recurred and sacrificed to irritating proportions, forcing your opponents to never untap again and forcibly tap some of your opponent's more annoying permanents.
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should be able to run this.
Combos
This card works best if Yosei could somehow be recurred through reanimation. On that point, there is certainly no shortage of reanimation in white.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card costs USD4.10 which is the upper limit on the definition of budget. Unfortunately though, there doesn't appear to be a adequate budget substitute
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to search for the best artifact card in your opponent's library and turn it against the opponent (this includes artifact creatures).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is generally an EDH bomb, allowing you to use your opponent's artifact bombs (e.g. Mindslaver) against its owner. This also helps prevent your opponents from drawing a particularly dangerous bomb and playing it against you[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to snag with Acquire though a rogue artifactless EDH deck may disappoint you.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo though cards like Twincast helps double any possible pain.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD0.82, which should be reasonably "budget"[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Bribery]
[B]Bribery[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to search for the best creature card in your opponent's library and turn it against the opponent.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is generally an EDH bomb, allowing you to use your opponent's creature bombs against its owner. A 5 drop Emrakul, the Aeons Torn or maybe an Iona, Shield of Emeria will be very painful against an opponent. This also helps prevent your opponents from drawing a particularly dangerous bomb and playing it against you.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to snag with Bribery though a rogue creatureless EDH deck may disappoint you, but lets face it: Creatureless EDH decks are quite rare.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo though cards like Twincast helps double any possible pain. You may also steal a creature that you've just Hindered a few turns ago.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD5, which is on the upper limit of "budget" realm but still rather affordable[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Capsize]
[B]Capsize[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's an instant catch-all--able to bounce any targetable permanent with buyback for 6 mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It is most often used to bounce permananets that made it through the blue player's counter screen, but in control matches it can be used to bounce lands as well-- creating tempo.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This should only be used in blue decks that can reliably get to 6 mana, which is 99% of the blue decks in EDH. The fact that it's an instant means that there won't often be any issues of Capsize tapping you out; it just matters whether or not you need the effect.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos aren't nessecary to make this card good, but it is often paired up with mana monsters like Tolarian Academy, so that bouning multiple permaments is much easier. A couple of turns like that and your opponent will be devastated.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Capsize is already a budget card so that's not a concern. There are other cards that have similar effects if you're looking to bounce something specific for a possibly lower cost: Hurkyl's Recall, Evacuation, Wash Out, Sunder[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Cryptic Command]
[B]Cryptic Command[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Cryptic Command may well be one of the most versatile permission magic printed by Wizards in recent years. Mike Flores summarises by describing it as "Swiss Army Knife" of Dismiss, Repulse / Repeal, Super Fog, and so much more, all in one card.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Given its versatility, it is difficult to easily summarise its specific usage in EDH. Suffice to say, it allows you to play some of the best signature magic in the traditional monoblue arsenal.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]As a spell with 1uuu as its casting cost, this probably fits best in a monoblue deck or a dual-tri colour deck where it can be played as early as possible.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Short of Scrivener, Dralnu, Lich Lord[/CARD], Nucklavee, etc., Cryptic Command is really more of a utility spell than an enabler or facilitator of combos.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This really depends on what you would usually want to do with the Cryptic Command. If you use it mainly for its counterspell abilities, then go for Dismiss. If it is the bounce effect you're after, go for "Into the Roil", etc.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Declaration of Naught]
[B]Declaration of Naught[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Similar to Meddling Mage, Declaration of Naught is a hoser for decks that require one particular spell to function, since it can extremely cheaply counter that spell many times.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Since no other cards can be included more than once, it's almost always best to use Declaration of Naught against enemy generals. Against decks that have no way to remove the enchantment, and require their general in play to be effective, it can end the game immediately.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Against decks with lots of enchantment removal, removal or traditional counterspells can be a more effective way to keep their general off the field. There aren't any blue decks in particular that won't work well with it, though, so unless you don't have any problems with enemy generals it's a good card to run.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]There really aren't any combos, short of Vedalken Orrery + Heidar, Rimewind Master to bounce it and play it again whenever they play a spell, naming that spell and countering it for 5 mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]It's quite cheap, but Douse is comparable and more versatile vs red generals. In fact, vs mono-red Douse is basically game over. But of course, it doesn't work against non-red, whereas declaration is good vs any deck.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Desertion]
[B]Desertion[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's basically an instant speed Control Magic that trades off being able to be played main phase for having other uses.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's mostly used on creatures for blowout scenarios in board position, but artifacts like Gilded Lotus and Mindslaver are more than worthy targets.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Useful in any blue deck that's about attrition and grinding your opponent down through card advantage.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]None.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This will set you back about $3, but it's well worth that. Depending on what you need it for, Control Magic and Acquire could be fine subs.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Draining Whelk]
[B]Draining Whelk[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's a counterspell and an evasive creature rolled into one.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Countering bombs and adding to board position. This makes it card advantage and a win condition. It's nice to counter the most expensive stuff possible with this, but don't be afraid to counter something that is "only" 3-4 mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Playing blue? Need counterspells? Need creatures? Can you afford to hold six mana open? If you met this criteria, you should probably be playing this card.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This is fantastic with Erratic Portal, Crystal Shard and any instant speed reanimation.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This is low budget.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Evacuation]
[B]Evacuation[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This is the blue Wrath of God.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It is used when you want counter mana open, but also want the option to reset the board. May be used to give the blue player another chance to counter any creature that may have slipped through.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This is best in U heavy control decks, or UG decks where there really aren't any hard wraths available outside of Nevinyrral's Disk or Oblivion Stone.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]None.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This might run you $1, so just pick it up. Wash Out may be another option, but they perform differently.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Fabricate]
[B]Fabricate[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Fabricate is the artifact searching counterpart of Idyllic Tutor, allowing you to search for an artifact of your choice in your library.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Any search effects are almost always positive in EDH, especially those which are below 4 casting cost, given a 99 card deck (excluding the general). This also allows you to tutor your utility and win conditions, from Mindslaver, Sundering Titan to Pithing Needles and Oblivion Stone). In theory, you can even use it to fetch for a land (i.e. Seat of the Synod and its ilk).[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]At 2u, Fabricate could be run in almost any deck which runs blue (and obviously, enough artifacts to pull out).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Fabricate doesn't combo on its own but it does facilitate them. If you use the French ban list though, Panoptic Mirror could replicate Fabricate every turn.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Fabricate is really low budget in itself. Trinket Mage substitutes it but you may probably want to run Trinket Mage "in addition" to Fabricate rather than "instead of"[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Fact or Fiction]
[B]Fact or Fiction[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card inspired the slang "EOTFOFYL" or "End of Turn, Fact or Fiction, you lose". As mentioned by the Magic Wiki, Fact or Fiction allows you to pick your best answer, threat, etc. (and usually another card along the way) off the top five cards of your library.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Fact or Fiction is so good because it gives you pure card advantage and relative card quality it allows, at instant speed, to boot.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]As a 3u card, this card could go in almost any decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This card may not lend itself to many combos though it does facilitate combos. However, it is possible to Mindslaver an opponent to allow you to keep five cards. This also applies to certain multiplayer games where you may persuade a temporary ally to give you the whole five cards.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Fact or Fiction is not awfully expensive. The card, however, is replacable by other efficient draw spells, though it would be difficult to find one that matches Fact or Fiction's versatility. Foresee and Compulsive Research seems like a cheap and versatile replacement though the sorcery speed leaves much to be desired. Careful Consideration draws a lot less card at instant speed but allows you to discard existing cards in hand. Thirst for knowledge may require decks to run a minimum artifact threshold. It should be noted that you may want to run some of these "low budget substitutes" along with Fact or Fiction.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Force of Will]
[B]Force of Will[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to counter spells with or without mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is generally a counterspell-class card, allowing you to nullfiy one of your opponent's threats, especially those manifesting in the early game or when you're tapped out.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something worth countering.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo card. It does protect your combo though[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a wallet slayer. For cheaper free counterspell substitutes, try Foil, Thwart, Misdirection, Commandeer or try not to tap out and use a normal Counterspell (easier said than done )[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Future Sight]
[B]Future Sight[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A truly one-of-a-kind card advantage monster. It can turn lost games into amazing comebacks.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's mainly used to procure amazing card advantage for a one time payment of five mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]If you're heavy into blue and can manage 5 mana for an enchantment that may have little initial impact the turn it comes down, it should be in your deck. It sees play in draw-go style decks that hardly ever want to tap out on their own turn, so you know it's good.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos aren't needed to make this card amazing, but Sensei's Divining Top does its best to make Future Sight even better-- "1: Draw a card" is pretty good.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Future Sight is criminally cheap, but even if it wasn't there would be no substitues for it. You'll truly know it's power when you play Land, Signet, Draw spell and have mana open with a counterspell sitting on top.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Gilded Drake]
[B]Gilded Drake[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to steal a creature in your opponent's battlefield for 1u. Giving the opponent a 3/3 flyer in return is not much of a big deal in EDH (especially if you steal something good).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is typically an EDH bomb, allowing you to turn your opponent's creature bombs against its owner. Theft of your opponent's creature (at such a low casting cost and a small exchange of creature) is generally a bargain in itself.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to snag with Gilded Drake even if it is a creatureless deck (the general is still a creature).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]If you have an Isochron Scepter imprinted with Boomerang-class spells, you just got something for nothing.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD4.57, which is on the upper limit of "budget" realm but still rather affordable. For other alternatives, you may try Persuasion, Mind Control, etc.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Glen Elendra Archmage]
[B]Glen Elendra Archmage[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Negate on a stick. This gal made splashes in extended and briefly in standard formats. Often a 2-for-1, countering two spells with one card.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is good primarily because it's a cheap counter attached to a creature. It's easily reanimated, and because of persist, it can often come back for two uses off one reanimation spell. It's also the right size for Reveillark. It's also non-legendary, with has relevance for copy effects (see combos). It's a little better in EDH than 60-card formats because most decks play a large number of big, powerful sorceries. Answering them with a cheap, recurrable card is good.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Glen Elendra Archmage is best in decks that can abuse it via recursion. It works well in Sedris, the Traitor King for example. It's really never a bad card, but if there's no way to really recur, reuse, or otherwise profit from it, then it may not be as powerful as some of the other powerful counters, like Desertion, Spelljack, or Cryptic Command.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Glen Elendra Archmage + Sage of Fables = Infinite Negate for u Glen Elendra Archmage + Sage of Fables + Voidmage Prodigy = Infinite Counterspells for uu Spitting Image or Rite of Replication for domination of the game. I like this one because these cards are all good on their own.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Glen Elendra Archmage isn't really that expensive. Other options might include Mystic Snake or Venser, Shaper Savant. Any other counter spell works too.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Hinder]
[B]Hinder[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Same cost as Cancel, but puts things on top or bottom of the library.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Use on your opponent's general to hide it on the bottom of their library, making it very difficult for them to find again. In multiplayer, putting a devastating spell on top of that player's library can cause everyone to turn on them and kill them to prevent the spell from being played again. Also, anything that you don't want in their graveyard can be hidden effectively on the bottom of their library.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Nothing, really. The ability to put enemy generals into their library is useful in every blue deck, even if you have no other counterspells. However, it might not be as useful against a non-counterable general, but since the only one is Akroma, Angel of Fury that's not a large consideration.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos nicely with Tunnel Vision to mill your opponent.
Can be alternately used to put an extremely valuable spell on top of your library if your opponent was about to counter it, so you can draw and play it again.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Hinder is quite cheap, and there aren't any other counters that can put enemy generals into libraries in the same way.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Intuition]
[B]Intuition[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a tutor which is generally good when you're playing with a 99 card deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a tutor, allowing you to find your combo pieces quickly.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. You will want to give your opponent a Hobson's Choice with Intuition though. Searching for cards that recur each other is a good move with Intuition. Examples include: -
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is an incredibly versatile card (both for constructed and for EDH).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card accomplishes many things in EDH: -
1. [+1]Scry 1 & [+0]Brainstorm: Additional Sensei-Divining Top helps even out some of your more horrendous draws. [+0]Brainstorm also nets you a card
2. [+1]Fateseal 1: Messing your opponent's draw helps a little especially given that a 99 card deck is already unpredictable as it is
3. [-1]Unsummon: Repeatable bounces are very abusable with your own Comes Into Play ("CIP") creatures or against your opponent's bomb(s)
4. [-12]SuperMill: Quite a win condition for your deck whilst granting a pseudo discard effect to blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Remember, it is also a win condition in itself.[/list][/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]The card is so versatile especially that its [-1] and [-12] abilities lend itself to so many possible combos (though any combo revolving around the [-12] ability seems a tad like a "win-more'). Any combos that get Jace to 12 loyalty quickly is a decent game plan.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Walletslayer. You might want to try some cheaper monoblue win conditions[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Keiga, the Tide Star]
[B]Keiga, the Tide Star[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to turn your opponent's bombs against himself/herself. It is also a fat 5/5 which nobody really feels comfortable killing.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]A fat 5/5 that few feel comfortable killing. You could also intentionally sacrifice it (to some other effect) for profit.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Getting an opponent's creature as compensation for Keiga's demise is a pretty strong move.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]A bomb. Combos are possible but likely limited to recurring Keiga, the Tide Star.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates this at USD3.43 which is reasonably budget. Other budget alternatives includes Mind Control, Persuasion, etc.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Magus of the Future]
[B]Magus of the Future[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A truly one-of-a-kind card advantage monster. It can turn lost games into amazing comebacks.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's mainly used to procure amazing card advantage for a one time payment of five mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]If you're heavy into blue and can manage 5 mana for a creature that may have little initial impact the turn it comes down, it should be in your deck. It sees play in draw-go style decks that hardly ever want to tap out on their own turn, so you know it's good. On one hand, Magus of the Future is a creature, which brings along all vulnerabilities associated with creatures (compared to its Onslaught cousin, Future Sight). On the other hand, Magus is a Wizard creature, which has some synergies with cards like Patron Wizard or Azami, Lady of Scrolls. Being a creature also allows it to interact with other creature-affecting spells (e.g.: Reveillark, Karmic Guide, et al.)[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos aren't needed to make this card amazing, but Sensei's Divining Top does its best to make Magus of the Future even better-- "1: Draw a card" is pretty good.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Magus of the Future is criminally cheap, but even if it wasn't there would be no substitues for it. You'll truly know it's power when you play Land, Signet, Draw spell and have mana open with a counterspell sitting on top.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Mana Drain]
[B]Mana Drain[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Most of the time, this card is much better than Counterspell (thanks to the removal of Mana Burn).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to turn your opponent's resources against himself/herself. Countering a sufficiently expensive spell allows you to reply with a bomb of your own during the next turn. This is aided by the fact that EDH is a format large spells are more common than in other formats.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Isochron Scepter + Mana Drain = repeatable counterspell.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]A walletslayer. You might want to take up a mortgage for this card . Try using the lesser (but cheaper) Counterspell instead.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Merchant Scroll]
[B]Merchant Scroll[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a tutor which is generally good when you're playing with a 99 card deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a tutor, allowing you to find your combo pieces quickly, as long as they are blue instants.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue as long as you have an important blue instant you must have (e.g. High Tide).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo and more of a combo tutor.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Costs about USD1 on MTGCards.info. Should be reasonably budget[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Mind Over Matter]
[B]Mind Over Matter[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a popular combo piece for many different decks.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a combo piece for many popular blue decks including Niv-Mizzet, Azami, etc. Generally, any cards which requires t is good for Mind Over Matter interaction. If it comes to it, you may even pitch a card to mess your opponent's combo.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is more narrow and requires a more specific combo strategy. As such, this card probably won't fit in all types of deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This are just some of the combos. There are a lot more of these: -
1. Azami, Lady of Scrolls: Draw and discard your entire library
2. Arcanis the Omnipotent: Draw your entire library
3. Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind: Deal 1 damage for every card you draw and discard
Also note that besides drawing and discarding, you may even pitch a card to untap a Tolarian Academy (and compensate for the discarded card with Treasure Trove or something like that).[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Costs about USD3.39 on MTGCards.info. Should be reasonably budget.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Mystical Tutor]
[B]Mystical Tutor[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a tutor which is generally good when you're playing with a 99 card deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a tutor, allowing you to find your combo pieces quickly, as long as you are looking for an instant or sorcery.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue as long as you have an important blue instant or sorcery you must have (e.g. High Tide, Time Stretch, etc.).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo and more of a combo tutor.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Costs about USD6.25 on MTGCards.info. On the very upper limit of budget players. You may replace it with a cheaper Merchant Scroll or Long-Term Plans[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Palinchron]
[B]Palinchron[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]4/5 Flyer with nearly limitless potential for infinate mana abuse.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Developing a combo that requires infinate mana. Secondary Use - Reanimation target.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Many decks in EDH have a way to double mana in some way or reanimate in some way. Palinchron is an easy way to go from "double" to "infinate". Essentially, if you can tap 7 lands to get 12 mana (4 of which is blue) - then you have an infinate loop. Tap seven lands, put 12 in pool, spend 7 for palinchron, untap 7 land from the ability spend 4 mana to return it, leave one in pool, repeat.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Mirari's Wake, Mana Reflection, Heartbeat of Spring, Mana Flare, Gaea's Cradle, Tolarian Academy, High Tide ....I'm sure there are more.
Random 3-card combo: Eternal Witness + Tooth and Nail. Cast an entwined Tooth and Nail into E-Wit and 'Chron with your favorite mana ramp on the board (mana reflection, gaea's cradle, etc) and get Tooth and Nail back with E-Wit to cast it again on the same turn....If you have anything in your deck worth playing - the game should be over at that point. If you're Running Dust Elemental or Cloudstone Curio then you can return 'Chron and E-Wit to your hand for "Infinate" Tooth And Nail rediculousness. This set-up makes the Bant Color scheme utterly bonkers.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Great Whale, and Peregrine Drake both untap lands, but neither of them provide the ability to return themselves. When combined with cards like Cloudstone Curio or Equilibrium these cards can be substituted. But generally a Singleton 'Chron isn't all that expensive - coming in at $3-$5.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Rhystic Study]
[B]Rhystic Study[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's a headache for your opponent(s) as it's either a cheap card advantage machine or it's a major boon to their tempo and game plan.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's an early spell that holds value long into the game as it will often draw you cards or you outpace your opponent who can't play as many spells as they'd like. Pretty simple.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]It's useful in pretty much all blue EDH decks, but it's especially effective in decks with mana denial as a central theme.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Again, it's best used with mana denial: Smokestack/Strip Mine + Crucible of Worlds, Rishadan Port, Mishra's Helix[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is dirt cheap and there is no other card that does anything similar, although there are obviously other ways to consistantly draw cards at a cost:Scepter of Insight, Journeyer's Kite[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Rite of Replication]
[B]Rite of Replication[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card copies any targetable threat or utility creature, with an option to kick in the late game.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is quite versatile in EDH. You can, among other things, use it to: -
1. Kill a General (based on the Legendary Rule)
2. Copy a bomb (either to counter your opponent's bomb or to double yours)
3. This card can be a bomb in itself when kicked
4. When kicked, you may enjoy multiple CIP triggers based on the creature you are copying[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not really a combo but this card has good synergies with creatures with CIP triggers. For example, a (kicked) Rite of Replication targeting Halimar Excavator should mill at least 180 cards just as a kicked Rite of Replication targeting Hagra Diabolist would deal 180 damage to whoever you don't like.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD1.26 on MTGCards.info which is quite budget already. Clone is marginally cheaper[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Spin into Myth]
[B]Spin into Myth[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A card that is essentially a blue removal which removes creatures possibly to the bottom of the library and possibly anticipate / mess up the opponent's draw.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is essentially a blue removal which is especially useful at sending Generals or any other recurring threats to the bottom of the library.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to target though a rogue creatureless EDH deck may disappoint you, but lets face it: Creatureless EDH decks are quite rare.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]With Tunnel Vision, you may almost mill the player's entire library. You might want to add Vendilion Clique into the mix along with other tuck cards.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD0.26. This is pretty budget in itself[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Sunder]
[B]Sunder[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card sweeps most mana sources off the board leaving both players bereft of land mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is basically nails the coffin. After establishing a superior board position, playing Sunder would reduce options available to any opponent such that they won't be able to respond easily to your threats and locks. Of course since you are going to run a few artifact mana sources, you should be able to tide yourself in any eventualities[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue though it should usually be cast when you're already in a superior board position. You may want to run a few artifact mana sources to counter the loss of lands yourself. Getting a Reliquary Tower out there ASAP helps too.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This card is practically a nail in the coffin and usually protects your combo rather than being a combo piece by itself.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD1.08, which is affordable.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir]
[B]Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A versatile legendary creature that allows you to play some of your creature combo pieces at instant speed.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card accomplishes several things in EDH: -
1. Allows you to play creature spells at instant speed
2. Allows you to block a random X/Y that is foolish enough to attack you (where X, Y < 3)
3. Prevents your opponents from disrupting your combo with instants and during your turn
Besides the above, it also helps hose madness and suspend strategies among others. Hosing suspend strategies help especially against Jhoira decks and their evil Eldrazis.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue especially if you face many opposing decks with counterspells of their own.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This helps protects your combo and allows you to play creature combos at instant speed rather than being a combo piece by itself. Still, there are some good synergies with cards like Delay[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD3.88, which is still affordable. You may try Vedalken Orrery as a cheaper way of playing your spells at instant speed.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Time Spiral]
[B]Time Spiral[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A free Timetwister[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is versatile, accomplishing several things at once: -
1. Recycling your overloaded graveyard
2. Drawing you 7 cards. Note that since you untap 6 lands, you can actually play some of those 7 cards that you drew. You even play Time Spiral after you squandered your hand, just to reload on the cards.
3. Shuffles all graveyards into the library. This helps hose some graveyard strategy
4. Allowing you to untap 6 lands. It helps if your lands can produce more than one mana (say, untapping Tolarian Academy or having a Gauntlet of Power in play)[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]As mentioned, having lands that tap for more than one mana would be a nice synergy with Time Spiral's untap 6 lands part.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD5.72 on MTGCards.info which is a little pricey but unfortunately, no good and cheap substitute exists save for Red's Wheel of Fate[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Time Stretch]
[B]Time Stretch[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is basically two Time Warp pasted on each other with the exception that it costs 8uu rather than 6uuuu. The only thing better than taking one free turn is taking two free turns[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]While it may be too slow in other formats, in a slow format like EDH, Time Stretch really shines. Two free turns does wonders in any games practically allowing you to: -
1. Draw 2 complimentary cards
2. Give you two turns to set up your combo
3. Gives you two free attack phases
4. ...among others[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Obviously, recurring this would be insane in EDH. Imagine playing a Time Stretch and returning it in your hand with Eternal Witness during your next turn and using your next free turn to cast it again. You can always make this infinite by bouncing Eternal Witness somehow (e.g. Crystal Shard)
Most of the time, this is unnecessary as you can usually combo out using the original Time Stretch.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD1.39 on MTGCards.info which is quite budget already[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Timetwister]
[B]Timetwister[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A free Time Spiral with 50% mana discount but no rebate[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is versatile, accomplishing several things at once: -
1. Recycling your overloaded graveyard
2. Drawing you 7 cards. Note that since you untap 6 lands, you can actually play some of those 7 cards that you drew. You even play Time Spiral after you squandered your hand, just to reload on the cards.
3. Shuffles all graveyards into the library. This helps hose some graveyard strategy[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Unlike Time Spiral, this card can actually be recurred as it stays in the graveyard, ready to be spiral time with a little help from Mnemonic Wall and the like.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a walletslayer. If you must have this, use Time Spiral instead. It is a lot cheaper[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Treachery]
[B]Treachery[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A free Mind Control[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Free spells are usually a boon in Magic. It also neutralises an opponent's threat, be it utility or bomb.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Having lands that tap for more than one mana would be a nice synergy with Treachery's untap 5 lands part.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD5.78 on MTGCards.info which is a little pricey but you may try cards like Persuasion and Mind Control which lacks the untap part. Control Magic is basically Treachery at a 20% discount but 0% rebate[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Trinket Mage]
[B]Trinket Mage[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Trinket Mage is a good and versatile tutor with a body. It can fetch some of the best cards in the format and act as a Civic Wayfinder if you need to fix your mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]In EDH, the card that I believe is most often searched for with Trinket Mage is Sensei's Divining Top. It can also search for Sol Ring to ramp your mana, Skullclamp for some card draw, graveyard hosers like Scrabbling Claws and Tormod's Crypt, and finally artifact lands to fix mana. Not to mention other really broken stuff like Herbal Poultice.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Most blue decks should play with this card, assuming that they have targets for it, which they should, for almost every deck should use Sol Ring and Sensei's Divining Top. It is ideal in decks that have a lot of different targets for it, to maximize the cards potential. It can also serve as mana fixing in decks without green, not to say one shouldn't play it if they only have a couple targets.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]As with most utility spells and tutors, there aren't any real combos with Trinket Mage, but as it's a wizard and has a EtB effect it is good with Riptide Laboratory[/CARD]. If you have the Laboratory, you can fetch Sensei's Divining Top first and then use the Mage as a shuffle effect for Top. I can't really think of anything beyond that. Being a wizard it does have synergy with cards such as Azami, Lady of Scrolls and Patron Wizard.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]If you can't afford Trinket Mage then you deffinitely can't afford the cards you want to search up with it. Fabricate is similar, though.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Venser, Shaper Savant]
[B]Venser, Shaper Savant[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A very versatile creature[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This spell accomplishes many things including: -
1. Bouncing a permanent
2. Remanding almost any spells (even spells that can't be countered)
3. Plays the role of a 2/2 wizard. This is relevant for several reasons. 2/* means that it can be a Reveillark target. Wizard means that it fits inside blue's strong wizard tribal tradition[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Its CIP abilities are very abusable with Momentary Blink class spells or Crystal Shard which allows you to reap the bouncy, bouncy benefits[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD3.92 on MTGCards.info which is rather affordable in itself[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Voidmage Husher]
[B]Voidmage Husher[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A repeatable "counter target ability"[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Most decks would have a relevant ability which you will want to counter, be it Planeswalker-class ability or even a well-aimed Strip Mine on your lands.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not a very combo-rific card on its own though it certainly disrupts many combos[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is only USD0.23 on MTGCards.info. That seems budget enough[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[/SPOILER]
Ambition's Cost and Ancient Craving both provide an immediate, splashable, and (reletively) cheap source of card advantage.
Main Usage in EDH
Winning games. Card advantage is king in EDH and these spells are plenty good enough.
Deck Type Notes
These cards might not belong in every deck with black mana; This includes decks that have possibly better means of card advantage(from blue most likely), are precarious with their lifetotals, or just don't need the card advantage for whatever reason. Blue can afford to shrug off spells like these, but black like these just fine.
Combos
These pump Kagemaro, First to Suffer, but almost any card advantage does that. Combos just are not needed to run these cards, although they could easily help you draw into your combos.
Prohibit each non-mono-black players from playing any spell.
Main Usage in EDH
Usage
1) A staying Silence to each non-mono-black player.
2) Shut down multi-mana lands like Tolarian Academy/Gaea's Cradle.
3) Shut down all activate/trigger ability that requires colored mana.
Note
1) Since this is a must-counter card to counter-based decks, at worst it reads "2B: Target player discard a counterspell and play it's cost".
2) This hated card have a hiddle line of text reads "Every opponent must attack you if able". So be prepared for the board-sweep/defence in FFA.
Deck Type Notes
1) To feed this hungry enchantment, your deck should have enough:
> black/colorless token generators, and/or;
> cheap black/colorless creatures(CIP function is good), and/or;
> self-recurring creatures.
2) In case you want to run non-black spells, make sure you have pack enough nonland color-mana source, or spells with non-mana alternative cost.
3) For build of less creature/more control, use it less-consuming-but-weaker brother Infernal Darkness instead. It don't long-lock your opps like Contamination does, but can still buy you enough time.
While black does have Wraths like Decree of Pain or Plague Wind it doesn't get that effect at such a cheap casting cost. EDH is a format that likes mass removal a lot.
Deck Type Notes
Fits in any deck that runs black. Some decks may not need it but Wrath effects are always good.
Combos
It's Wrath of God, do people need anymore description?
Low Budget Substitutes
This will cost you over ten bucks. Plague Wind and Decree of Pain are cheap substitutes and are also great EDH cards. Ideally a combination of the three should be in any black deck.
A devestating catch-all card that requires some deckbuilding finesse or a dire situation to be most effective.
Main Usage in EDH
It's usually used to asymmetrical effect if you've built with the card in mind. It wrecks hands, board states, and possibly even lifetotals--it's all in the timing.
Deck Type Notes
The punishing nature of the spell might have you think it's a narrow card for a narrow deck, but it's just the opposite. This should probably be used in any deck that is: heavy in black, uses recursion, and can rebuild faster than opposing decks folllowing this spell.
Combos
It's hard to say that it combos with anything--it merely has synergy. That said it's particularly effective with these things: Cruible of Worlds/Life from the Loam, Bitterblssom, and Phyrexian Arena. Even Sensei's Divining Top can give you an edge if you go for a mutually destructive Death Cloud.
Low Budget Substitutes
Death Cloud comes in at a whopping $1.50-2, so price really shouldn't be an issue. There are, however, cards that do similar things: Pox, and Smallpox
A creature sweeper with a huge upside. Black spells that allow you to draw cards without paying life as an additional cost are few and far between.
Main Usage in EDH
To create an X-for-1 advantage for yourself in two ways: by getting rid of most of the creatures on the board and by drawing (generally) a large number of cards. It might look expensive but you must remember that in EDH it is much more common to get to 8+ mana than in other formats. On top of that, as you are playing black even if you kill your own creatures (for which you get to draw a card, remember), you should have no problem at all with recursion. Someone in your meta running a Rhys the Redeemed token generator? Decree of Pain is one of the best answers, even when cycled.
Deck Type Notes
Creature sweepers are very strong in EDH and unless your local meta is all creatureless decks, most decks running black will want to consider running this card on the high end of the mana curve.
Combos
As with other sweepers, if you can somehow find a way to keep them around, then the advantage you create is that much greater. Giving creatures persist, as with Cauldron Haze and Cauldron of Souls, makes your X-for1 advantage that much greater.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card should run you no more than $3 or $4 US.
A major source of controversy by concerned parents since the dawn of Magic, this gem of a card has amazing power in any format in which it is legal.
Main Usage in EDH
Paying 1b to turn a card in your hand into any card from your 100 card pool is insanely powerful. It effectively doubles each card's presence in your decklist.
Its applications are nearly limitless, from searching up a combo piece to obtaining a needed answer in a dire situation.
Deck Type Notes
There is absolutely no reason a deck that can produce black mana shouldn't run this card.
Combos
It does not combo on its own, it simply facilitates them.
Low Budget Substitutes
Diabolic Tutor will accomplish the same goal at half the efficiency.
Does exactly the same thing as Demonic Tutor at double the cost.
Main Usage in EDH
Tutors are always good in EDH and like Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor one that can get any card in your deck is good.
Deck Type Notes
This should be run alongside Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor. Any deck that runs black should run this, even if you run Demonic and Vampiric you should still run this as a third tutor.
Combos
None.
Low Budget Substitutes
Dirt cheap since it has been printed so many times.
An evasive beat-stick with a very powerful rattlesnake ability.
Main Usage in EDH
In EDH, when you're laying down the hurts with a big beefy creature, your opponents will generally want to hurt you back. This guy discourages them from doing so because every creature they lose to this guy's ability, is a creature that could have been attacking or blocking another opponent. You could almost compare it to a Ghostly Prison deterrent: It's not a perfect defense, but it's better than what the other players have. His final ability shouldn't be seen as a drawback either because for every time you wish you could reanimate him, you're also going to smile when you discard him to a Mind Syphon knowing you'll get him back.
Deck Type Notes
If your mana base can handle this guy (which it is understandeable if you can't pull of triple ),you'd be hard-pressed to have a good reason not to run this guy. In aggro-style deckshe is an extremely efficient 6-evasive power for 6 mana and in control and combo he's an amazing deterrent.
Combos
His defensive ability isn't really "comboable" unless you count casting this guy with Fumiko the Lowblood on the field to make sure your opponents small utility creatures will all end up hurting each other or end up dead. However, his second ability could probably combo with any sort of discard ability. It'd be very hard to abuse though since they only way you can be sure you'll constantly get him back is if he's the only card in your library or if you've got an active Archmage Ascension out.
Low Budget Substitutes
This guy shouldn't cost you more than $2, which is cheaper than his cousin (No Mercy)
An extremely potent discard option with even a fair amount of mana.
Main Usage in EDH
Utterly destroying the most threatening opponent or the player who may have answers in hand for your future plans.
Deck Type Notes
If your deck can produce black mana, and you can produce at least 5 mana total, you should be playing this. Don't listen to those who say you shouldn't play this in multiplayer-- they will thank you when you empty the hand of the guy holding all the wraths.
Combos
None that are really any good, and Megrim sucks before anyone mentions it. Hive Mind could be funny.
Low Budget Substitutes
This will probably run you in the neighborhood of $4. Mind Shatter is an alternative, at about $0.25-$0.50 each.
One of the most busted cards in the game. It's basically a one card win condition.
Main Usage in EDH
It's used to bury your opponent(s) under card advantage. It is already good when you have only 20 life--now we're talking about 40 life and in a 100 card singleton format. Don't be afraid to overload your hand and discard(exile) some cards from your hand at eot, because if you draw enough cards, it probably doesn't matter what you pitch.
Deck Type Notes
This card should be used in any deck that can reliably cast it. It doesn't have to be cast on turn 3 to be a complete blowout. If you like it when your deck wins, you like this card.
Combos
No combos with the card are needed to break this thing, but they do exist. Cadaverous Bloom is one such example, but it really doesn't matter what you use to win; if you have Necro down and it's not answered, you can't lose.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is yet another insane EDH card that is extremely cheap. It's cheap because it's only legal in one official tournamanet format and only as a 1-of. It might run you $4, but that's on the high-end of the non promo versions.
It's a one card recursion engine that costs only two mana.
Main Usage in EDH
It's used to win wars of attrition, by grabbing creatures that have been destroyed, sacrificed, or discarded.
Deck Type Notes
This isn't any good in decks that can't reliably get creatures into the gy. Basically, all you need is a decent amount of creatures and this card becomes fantastic.
Combos
Any creature that can sacrifice or an effect that causes you to sacrifice a creature for gain. Fleshbag Marauder and Shriekmaw are two favorites in color.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is a 2-3 dollar card, so it's not unattainable. There really aren't any substitutes for what this card does, especially at this mana cost. You could go for one-time shot effects like Grim Discovery, a mana intensive but reliable option is Disturbed Burial, and even Reaping the Graves can be an interesting option.
The lifeloss is no match for the incremental(but extremely potent) advantage Phyrexian Arena gives you. It's used to out card advantage your opponent(s), which is amazing given how important card advantage is in this format.
Deck Type Notes
This is useful in just about any black EDH deck. It's entirely possible that it gets played in 5 color decks, which have all the best spells available to them. Not as stellar in combo decks.
Combos
No good ones that are specific with what this card does.
One of the most powerful pinpointing spells black has to offer. A veritable toolbox of all black has to offer in one spell.
Main Usage in EDH
Utility is key here. Profane Command will generally always give it's controller an option when topdecked. Combining the recursion with pinpoint removal will usually lead to card advantage. Fear and life loss, while usually not as relevant in this slower format, may provide some reach in a stalemate.
Deck Type Notes
After picking two modes for this card, the effects go off in the order it's printed.
This is all depends on what mode of Profane Command you need. Cards like Corrupt, Consume Spirt, Zombify, and Last Gasp can do PORTIONS of what Profane Command does. Betrayal of Flesh combines two abilities, but at a hefty price of three lands.
Very good card draw spell in black that can make a huge flyer if you need it, and isn't a dead card when your life total is low.
Main Usage in EDH
Promise of Power is so good because of the raw card advantage it creates. 5 cards for 5 mana is hard to come by, even in blue, and because you start with such a high life total in EDH the life loss usually is marginally relevant at most. This card is at its best when entwined, for large flying creatures are very effective in EDH.
Deck Type Notes
This card should be played in almost all black-based decks. It is rarely bad to have as long as you can produce bbb. Promise of Power is probably best in mono-black with big life gain spells and Cabal Coffers.
Combos
There are no real combos with this card, but it somewhat combos with itself.
Low Budget Substitutes
Moonlight Bargain is similar, but Promise of Power is pretty cheap, and you can definitely find it for <$1.
A grossly degenerate card advantage machine that basically says, "Draw your entire graveyard."
Main Usage in EDH
Yawgmoth's Will is arguably the most powerful card ever printed. There's a reason why the card is appropriately nicknamed "Yawgmoth's Win". After resolving, it becomes very, VERY hard to lose the game due to the ridiculous amount of card advantage you gain even from a minorly filled graveyard. Over the course of the mid to endgame (and especially endgame), Yawgmoth's Will becomes one of black's trump cards; able to completely turn around hopeless games into easy wins, or to finish off the whole table in one fell swoop.
Deck Type Notes
Yawgmoth's Will works the best in decks that can generate a lot of mana and can fill the graveyard. Mono-Black decks can fulfill the former thanks to Cabal Coffers, and the latter can be accomplished with dredging as well as splashing into other colors like blue.
Combos
Have a nicely-sized graveyard and have a good chunk of mana to work with. That's all you really need, since Yawgmoth's Will does the rest. You don't really have to combo Yawgmoth's Will with other cards since the card itself is a one-card combo. It's that powerful and that game-breaking.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is not a cheap card at all, but it isn't ridiculously expensive either. Yawgmoth's Will goes for roughly $12-$16. If you are willing to make the investment to increase the overall power in your deck, then buy a Yawgmoth's Will for your black/black-based deck. It is one of the reasons to play black, because there are very few other cards in Magic that have the ability to change the game or win like Yawgmoth's Will can. If you don't want to play Yawgmoth's Will, but you want a similar budget substitute, try Yawgmoth's Agenda. While far from ridiculous as its counterpart, Yawgmoth's Agenda can accumulate a lot of card advantage over time.
Just a big beatstick with a bunch of useful abilities.
Main Usage in EDH
Beatsticks are always welcome in EDH. The especially playable ones have ways to protect themselves. Uncounterability and pro-white and blue are handy abilities. Also, mana-intensive bonuses like firebreathing can be devastating with all the mana you have access to in EDH.
Deck Type Notes
In three-color decks, red will usually not play a big role, so cards like Akroma won't have a spot. In two-color decks, and especially mono-red decks, you'll want to consider her as a viable beatstick option. There are better choices, however.
A little 2/2 dork who's more worthwhile in your graveyard than in play. Don't worry, though, with all the sweepers in EDH, he'll get there soon enough.
Main Usage in EDH
Haste is very important in EDH, despite the fact that the format is supposed to be slow-paced. The reason is that sweepers are so prevalent in multiplayer, and your fatties will usually have limited lifespans. So getting to swing a turn sooner can be key. Also, an Anger in play may discourage a player from attacking you or casting a sweeper.
Deck Type Notes
Obviously, Anger doesn't fit in any red deck. Consider decks with a lot of fatties that mostly don't have hast built-in. Also, consider him when your general uses activated abilities, like Brion Stoutarm or can potentially win the turn it comes out, like Kresh the Bloodbraided.
Combos
Some neat tricks exist. You could consider ways to pitch it into the graveyard, like Chandra Ablaze. Mostly, though, Anger just combos with nasty creatures.
Low Budget Substitutes
Lightning Greaves achieves a similar effect, and ideally, you'll be running both cards.
One of red's scarier beatsticks. His lack of protection is a weakness, but he has potential to end a game on his own.
Main Usage in EDH
Winning the game. Flying is always handy. But the fact that you get to leave your mana untapped when you play him is very handy. Opponents WILL get to seven lands quite easily. Play this against ramping green players for maximum fun.
Deck Type Notes
Better in decks where red is the predominant or one of the predominant colors.
Combos
General Brion Stoutarm loves tossing firebreathers. And other Fling effects are welcome. Avatar of Fury's biggest asset is leaving mana untapped when he hits the table, so combine him with Anger or Lightning Greaves to swing for 12 on turn 7!
Low Budget Substitutes
There are plenty of flying firebreathers in red, some uncommon or common.
One of the best X-burn spells, because it hates on EDH's best color: blue.
Main Usage in EDH
X spells are great in EDH since mana pools tend to get huge. Ending the game with an 18-damage Banefire is not uncommon. Of course, it is also a handy removal spell.
Deck Type Notes
Consider Banefire in any red deck that doesn't have access to white or perhaps black. Those colors are so strong in removal, that Banefire may not cut it. In R/G or U/R, Banefire is a good choice, especially if you can generate a ton of mana!
A rare red EDH gem! This card offers a frustrating lock that can give the most neglect EDH color a huge edge against many decks.
Main Usage in EDH
This card can single-handedly beat 3-5 color decks. Some of those lists run fewer than ten basic lands. As for against 1-2 color decks, Blood Moon can still be very handy! Some two-color decks still run as many as 25 non-basic lands. Even mono-colored decks will mourn the loss of Maze of Ith and Volrath's Stronghold.
Deck Type Notes
Obviously strongest in mono-red. It's still workable in R/x, but don't let Blood Moon hinder your mana base choices.
Combos
Combine with some targeted land destruction to ensure that the lands they have that remain useful can still be poached. Also, consider the hilariously janky combo with Sanctimony.
More red fat. But this one has added flavour. The damage can be a near-board sweeper, an FTK affect, or 5 damage to the dome. Flash is great in EDH and a rare treat for red.
Main Usage in EDH
Bogardan Hellkite lacks haste, but he may as well have it. Flash means he dodges sorcery-speed sweepers for at least one turn, and he damage affect means he swings at the head the turn he comes out. Add to that that he's a 5/5 body with evasion, and you've got a very playable card. Card advantage isn't always easy to come by in red.
Deck Type Notes
Works great in any deck with red in it, especially one that can get to 8 mana without trouble.
Capricious Efreet (CE) gives you odds on destroying a non-land permanent. He's not really played in other formats.
Main Usage in EDH
CE is good mainly because he gives mono-red the ability to deal with permanents that are usually tough for mono-red to deal with, especially enchantments. Although you get 2:1 odds to begin with, you can further tip the scales by using a token or other permanent as your side of the wager. 6 power for 6 mana ain't too shabby either.
CE also offers an interesting political angle; because you don't decide what gets blown up, the random-maker does, you can sometimes pass the blame off on fate.
Deck Type Notes
Again, CE is probably best in mono-red, when other less random answers aren't available. There is some potential for abuse when coupled with other colors, like using bounce effects to mess with targeting for instance, but in general, CE gives mono-red answers where previously it had none (okay, except in Nevy's Disk and O-stone).
Combos
Since you must destroy one of the targeted permanents at random, you can sacrifice or remove one or more targets before the ability resolves. My favorite CE paring is Seige-Gang Commander. He gives you tokens and a sac outlet to insure one of two of your opponent's permanents are going to get blown up. Not really a combo per se though.
Low Budget Substitutes
CE is unique. Nevy's Disk and O-stone provide answers to permanents as well. CE's versatility and randomness are not replicated elsewhere. He's pretty low budget to begin with though.
Sweepers always have a spot in an EDH deck, and Decree of Annihilation is possibly the best of a large selection of red sweepers. Ten mana is huge, but very doable in EDH. Also, removing the cards rather than destroying them is an important bonus. The cycling ability is what makes Decree special. First of all, it allows you to cast the spell for just seven, assuming you're okay with just destroying lands (red players usually are). Secondly, cycling abilities cannot be countered, barring a Stifle affect. All of these bonuses make Decree a force for red.
Deck Type Notes
Use Decree in any deck that can recover most effectively from it. Almost any deck will want access to a reset button when things aren't going well. Also, the uncounterable Armageddon ability is game over if you've got your opponents outmatched on the creature front.
Combos
Decree does not destroy enchantments or planeswalkers. This might be a drawback sometimes, but consider using it to your advantage. Get a Chandra Nalaar or Garruk Wildspeaker on the table with maybe a Vicious Shadows or Goblin Assault out to ensure you win after the sweep. Consider ways to cheat Decree onto the stack, like Jhoira of the Ghitu with some fatties suspended after Decree hits.
Another good X-burn spell that is potentially uncounterable.
Main Usage in EDH
Demonfire basically fits the same spot as Banefire. But the condition for unlocking Demonfire's bonuses are a bit trickier. Empty hands are rare in EDH, even for red decks. Still, as with Banefire, Demonfire can end games just because mana pools become so large late in the game.
Deck Type Notes
Black and White decks usually have access to better removal, but consider Demonfire and other red burn in a R/U or R/G deck.
Combos
Look for ways to duplicate Demonfire, like Fork. Also, recurring it can rack up some nasty damage: Anarchist.
Dwarven Blashmaster and Dwarven Miner are reusable land destruction in a format where utility lands can dominate a game!
Main Usage in EDH
Nonbasic lands run rampant in EDH, both as fixers and utility cards. Early in the game, these guys can threaten to mana screw an opponent. Late in the game, they take out pesky Volrath's Strongholds and Academy Ruins. Reusable effects are killer in EDH, because card advantage is the name of the game. These guys are lightning rods for removal. But you won't mind seeing a Path to Exile wasted on a two-drop!
Deck Type Notes
These guys will fit in almost any red deck and be effective. You might make a moral decision to leave out the land destruction for this casual format. But in all honesty, if you're playing the most gimp color in EDH, you deserve to run an annoying card or two.
Combos
The Blastminer is a late-game decoy when played as a morph. He might draw a sweeper from an opponent fearing Akroma, Angel of Fury. Otherwise, look at untap effects to abuse these guys.
4 Mana LD spell that you can buyback by getting rid of another card in your hand. (It cannot discard itself, as it is on stack as you pay the cost.) The life cost is neglible in EDH.
Main Usage in EDH
Destroying a land with it, buying it back and destroying another land, until your opponent has no more lands.
Deck Type Notes
In a deck that wants to be fun, or to play casually, or in really large tables. In 3-player it is decent, and it's not bad in star-format, but apart from those it starts to lose effectiveness in multiplayer.
Combos
Any card you can discard to it, pretty much. Cards that draw you more cards reliably are also fine, although as the discard is random, you cannot rely on discardin the same card again and again. (Unless you have nothing else in hand.). Examples: Squee, Goblin Nabob, Journeyer's Kite.
Low Budget Substitutes
None, but if you save your money for this, you might be able to scrape together the 10 cents needed. It's a tough job but I trust in you.
A tutor in red? That can tutor for anything?! This is the best non-black tutor in EDH, and one of red's best cards.
Main Usage in EDH
Tutoring is great in EDH because versatility is key. You can grab whatever the situation calls for. With Gamble in your opening hand, you can safely drop it turn one to nab your Sol Ring. If you're worried about the card disadvantage, note that it provides the same disadvantage as Vampiric Tutor.
Deck Type Notes
This should go in any red deck that isn't also running black.
Combos
If you happen to have Gamble as the only card in your hand, you've got an Entomb in hand! Consider nabbing a Genesis or Anger.
Counter me, or lose! Insurrection is red's best "I win" card.
Main Usage in EDH
Late game finisher. Because most EDH decks run fatties, Insurrection can seal the deal even if only a few creatures are on the board.
Deck Type Notes
Insurrection works best in a deck that hopes to win with damage. Combo decks may not need this.
Combos
Oh... use your imagination. There are dozens of ways you can kill off your opponents' creatures after you've swung with them. How about a devour creature?
Low Budget Substitutes
Nothing really does what Insurrection does. But the card is cheap.
An amazingly disruptive creature against any deck that's heavy on nonbasics.
Main Usage in EDH
It's usually used as part of a mana denial strategy and it can swing for two in the mean time, while your opponent struggles to cast spells.
Deck Type Notes
This will usually be used in decks that are running mostly basic lands, but it's entirely possible to put it in a deck that is heavy on nonbasics to use as an Armageddon in the mirror.
Combos
No good ones.
Low Budget Substitutes
Blood Moon is a little bit cheaper than this, but they are both in the 4-5 dollar range.
Worried about getting hated for playing this card? Don't worry, people hate blue players more. And this card kills blue.
Main Usage in EDH
Mostly, you're hosing EDH's best color: Blue. But other decks will also bemoan the loss of EOT mana. Play this to give your red deck a preemptive answer to the annoying control decks that people like to build.
Deck Type Notes
Obviously, don't use this in a blue deck, or any deck that relies on tapping lands on an opponent's turn. Use this in conjunction with other land destruction to really deter people from tapping.
A crushing hoser against decks that rely heavily on non-basic lands.
Main Usage in EDH
When you need a powerful way to curbstomp 3 color generals, 5 color generals, or against decks that that like to get away with one too many nonbasic lands and/or utility lands, Ruination can act as a selective Armageddon that takes those types of decks back to the woodshed. That being said, don't expect too much love after resolving Ruination.
Deck Type Notes
It's best to play Ruination in a mono-red deck to lower the impact it can do to you, but if you run a good amount of artifact mana or other sources of mana production, you can get away with Ruination in a 2 color deck.
Mainly to establish field control, making people think twice about trying to sweep the board...or makes you smile when you sweep the board.
Main Usage in EDH
A rattlesnake/politcal card. This enchantment allows you to punish players who have been killing creatures, getting a better board, or getting a strong card advantage and bringing them to low HP...or possibly death.
Rare card draw in red! And it's... freaking amazing!?
Main Usage in EDH
Of course card draw is extremely important in EDH. But red as very, very few options. In fact, Wheel of Fortune is pretty much it (barring a few artifact choices). But what red lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Wheel of Fortune is incredible card advantage that can be smartly cast to minimize the benefits it will give to your opponent(s).
Deck Type Notes
This card can fit into any red EDH deck. Blue and black decks will have plenty of other options, but the Wheel is still worth considering.
Combos
Pitch an Anger. Or get cheeky and play ways to punish opponents for drawing or discarding cards. Megrim, Spiteful Visions, etc. Also, Wheel is a great target for Anarchist.
Low Budget Substitutes
Memory Jar will offer a similar affect. Mind's Eye is another way for red decks to draw cards. Wheel of Fate is lousy, but usable in a pinch.
Creeping Mold with a 2/2 deathtouch body is a good deal.
Main Usage in EDH
This card gives you the ability to take out any key artifact enchantment or land thats in play at the time, and a 2/2 death touch to protect yourself with.
A clunky attacker/blocker that isn't afraid of death.
Main Usage in EDH
Deadwood Treefolk is as good as creature recursion gets in EDH. Sure, it is a lot cheaper to play a Regrowth effect, but regrowth doesn't get you two creatures, nor can it take one for the team.
Deck Type Notes
Any deck that is aggro heavy and vulnerable to Wrath and spot removal. i.e: green decks.
Combos
Works well with any dead creature -_- But seriously, I guess any creature with sac effects such as Yavimaya Elder gotta love this guy.
Low Budget Substitutes
A wish in a wishing well, or buy this guy. It'll run you about the same. Just don't waste your quarter wishing for a Deadwood Treefolk.
This card gives you card advantage, tempo, and recursion in general.
Deck Type Notes
Board-wipes, spot removes are going to happen in EDH. Able to bring back a important creature after it dies in battle is pretty important. So play this in any green deck will help.
Combos
Board-wipes, spot removes are going to happen in EDH. Able to bring back a important creature after it dies in battle is pretty important. So play this in any green deck will help.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card is worth around 3 dollars. There is Regrowth (from Revised) and Restock, but I feel that you can manipulate the come-into-play ability better with a creature.
It's ramp, manafixing, and card advantage in one easily castable card.
Main Usage in EDH
Nothing fancy, really. It's used to get a tempo boost over the opponent and ensure that you can cast almost any 5(or higher) mana spell with greater ease.
Deck Type Notes
If your deck is running enough green to cast this early and if you have enough basics to grab, you should probably run this card. Exceptions include when you really don't want to tap mana on your own turn, but that's pretty rare.
A Naturalize variant that's extremely rare to get disrupted and has plenty of viable targets.
Main Usage in EDH
It works fine against any ol' artifact or enchantment, but it's at its best use against blue decks or when used on targets that have activated abilities: Sensei's Divining Top, Oblivion Stone, Necropotence etc.
Deck Type Notes
Pretty much any deck running green should use this unless the deck just isn't afraid of artifacts or enchantments for some reason.
A decent late game hunk of meat that is even more important early in the game.
Main Usage in EDH
The Tusker is used in almost every EDH deck I've ever seen. As early as turn three he cycles at instant speed for a land and then a draw (optimal in that order). Late game, he's a good attacker/blocker.
A non-permanent way to recur lands from the gy and gain card advantage.
Main Usage in EDH
It's mainly used to facilitate recurring ld with Strip Mine, Wasteland, and Dust Bowl, but it's also used to rebuild against land destruction--this especially true when you have important utility lands to recover.
Deck Type Notes
If your deck has Fetchlands, Cycling Lands, Utility lands, or if you just want an out to land destruction, your deck probably wants this card.
Combos
This card can combo well with any effect that makes you sacrifice or discard a land. It can also form an extremely powerful draw engine with Scroll Rack.
Once you have three lands in any combination of your gy and hand, you can use LftL to grab lands out of the gy if needed and put them on top with Scroll Rack after "drawing" three cards. Once your draw step or any effect that would cause you to draw a card comes around, dredge the lands into your gy, to return LftL to your hand. Then use Loam to grab the lands, and put them on top with Scroll Rack again. The result is drawing three cards a turn for 2g.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card may cost a few bucks, but it's the best at what it does. However, Tilling Treefolk, and Groundskeeper can do similar things.
Sacrifice any green creature you have in play (including tokens) for any green (or partially green) creature in your deck. Key card of Jamie Wakefield's "Secret force" deck, which used this and cheap mana elves to power into third turn Verdant Forces
Main Usage in EDH
Tutoring out big beaters that are only partially green, such as Hellkite Overlord, Dragon Broodmother, and Broodmate Dragon. Finding Woodfall Primus. Essentialy, the green tinker: a card that both accelerates and searches out the best green creature in your deck for whenever you cast it.
Deck Type Notes
Needs to be in a deck with a strong commitment to green, even if multi-colored. Both the initial creature and the fetched creature have to be green.
Combos
No ground shaking ones that I'm aware of.
Low Budget Substitutes
Can be a bit pricey ($20 bucks is not unheard of). Pattern of rebirth acts in a very similar fashion, but requires a seperate sacrifice engine to trigger. However, pattern gets any creature.
One of the cycle of Lorwyn 'command' spells which all give four options of which you can pick two on resolution. Three of these can be used on any player (gain life, put permanent on top of library, shuffle graveyard into library) and one can only be used on yourself (search for a creature and put into hand). The abilities can all have different players as the target, so for instance you could have one player gain 7 and then another shuffle his graveyard in. Very diplomatic card in multiplayer.
Main Usage in EDH
Versatility is the key word here. The life gain really isn't that amazing with a format of such amazing bombs, but the other three abilities all have very good uses. Someone put your general on the bottom with Condemn? Shuffle his 'just waiting for a living death' graveyard back in and get your general into hand.
Deck Type Notes
If you can support double green mana in the cost and need a versatile 'catch all' card in your deck, this is the grab for you. Can shut down graveyard strategies, bounce any trouble card off the field (and deal with it if you use both those abilities on the same player), search for a perfect creature while gaining a little life. It's all good.
For four mana this card allows you to put two extra lands into play, untapped. Note that while they must be forests these forests do not need to be basic lands.
Main Usage in EDH
Skyshroud Claim is as good a mana accelerator as you can get. It gives you an instant two turn advantage, something many people note is one of the biggest attractions behind Sol Ring. But while Skyshroud Claim may cost four mana to Sol Ring's one, it allows you to put into play a Tropical Island and a Stomping Ground. You could even put a Murmuring Bosk into play. A list of cards, other than basic lands, that can be put into play by Skyshroud Claim can be found here.
Deck Type Notes
This card is an excellent accelerant in any deck running green. It is a fantastic mana fixer in a 5 color deck if you are playing with dual lands or shock lands, as noted above. Generally speaking, EDH tends to see quite a few 7 mana cost or greater spells and this card helps you get to seven plus mana that much faster.
Combos
There are no notable combos I can think of.
Low Budget Substitutes
This fantastic Nemesis common should be readily available for less than a quarter.
A green card that allows free library manipulation every turn, similar to Sensei's Divining Top but not as flexible in terms of when you use it but more flexible in that you can pay life if those cards are immediately necessary.
Main Usage in EDH
This card is one of the few that gives green the opportunity to manipulate the top of its library. Having this, or as previously mentioned a Sensei's Divining Top, gives you a significant advantage. You can plan ahead and use it to play around problems presented throughout the course of the game.
Deck Type Notes
This card should be in almost every deck that plays green. The ability to manipulate the top of your library, especially in green, is not to be undervalued.
Combos
This card works extremely well with Oracle of Mul Daya. Each turn, you can arrange the top of your library as you see fit. Arrange it right and you can create a solid card advantage for yourself as you play extra land each turn, almost like getting a free draw. If playing white/green, this card has excellent synergy with Crown of Convergence. Similarly, if playing blue/green, this card works very well with Future Sight, Magus of the Future and to a lesser degree Skill Borrower. With Abundance you can get three cards with no life payment, and you get to pick whether each of them is land or nonland. Also works well with dredge.
Low Budget Substitutes
This wonderful enchantment should cost you no more than $2-3 US.
Best Fatty Ever Printed. Saproling token every turn including your opponents.
Main Usage in EDH
Since EDH is primarily a multiplayer format with just 3 other players the tokens just start to pile up. Very few card with upkeep triggers like Verdant Force triggers on each players upkeep. Dragon Broodmother is the only one that immediately comes to mind.
Deck Type Notes
Triple green is rather restrictive and this guy would probably fit best in mono- or bi-coloured decks. Reanimation and cheating him into play with Mayael or Natural Order can get around the mana cost in triple- to five-coloured decks.
Combos
No real combos but amazing with anything that can take advantage of massive amounts of tokens. Skullclamp loves 1/1 tokens. Devour creatures like Mycoloth. Ashnod's Altar for mana.
One of the best green creatures in EDH. It is versitile, big, and creates card advantage. He is a staple, and probably deserves a spot in any deck playing green.
Main Usage in EDH
Primus is so good because of its ETB Ability. The ability to destroy noncreature permanents is very good, for many of the best cards are artifacts, enchantments, lands, and even Planeswalkers. The fact that he can use this ability twice(or more) is extremely good. Acidic Slime is accepted as being one of the best cards in EDH, too, and I think Primus is miles better. Persist is very strong, and easy to manipulatewith many cards and trample is pretty good in this format as well.
Deck Type Notes
This card should probably be played in all green decks. Maybe some 5 color combo decks or splash green decks wouldn't want it, but in my experience, the card is never bad to draw. It works especially well with mana ramp and is one of the best reanimation targets and is ideal in decks that can recur or copy creatures.
Combos
This card will combo fairly well with any card that can put +1/+1 counters on creatures. Some notable ones include, Llanowar Reborn[/CARD], Dragon's Blood, Spikes, and Oran-Rief, the Vastwood.
It's a three for one in a color that doesn't often get those, a chump blocker with value, and a source of manafixing.
Main Usage in EDH
It's a three for one in a color that doesn't often get those, a chump blocker with value, and a source of manafixing.
Deck Type Notes
It fits in decks that want card advantage, and manafixing/consistant land drops. It should probably be played in every green EDH deck.
Combos
Is fantastic with Genesis and Oversold Cemetary. Is also pretty good with Scroll Rack as it gives you cards to feed to the rack and it provides you with a shuffle effect if you didn't like the cards you put on top with Scroll Rack.
Low Budget Substitutes
Yavimaya Elder is dirt cheap, so that's not a concern. If, however, you can't get your hands on one, spells like Kodama's Reach and Sprouting Vines can perform a similar function. Fertilid can also be used if you need a creature version.
Repetitive artifact/enchantment destruction; on a blank field, it's a rattlesnake card that keeps practically all artifacts and enchantments your opponents play off the table.
Main Usage in EDH
There is a lot more of an emphasis in EDH on artifacts and enchantments, especially with artifacts since they are universal and provide a huge amount of utility options to any deck. Many types of enchantments are quite pesky and can provide a lot of powerful advantages or just cause a great deal of mayhem to favor the one playing that card.
Aura Shards can provide potentially an obscene amount of card advantage due to its ability to munch away at artifacts and enchantments. With a few tokens, some utility creatures, and a bit of mana at your disposal, it doesn't take long to mow down everyone's artifact mana and quirky enchantments. Aura Shards is an excellent answer to some of the more powerful cards in EDH, and it's quite easy to trigger.
Deck Type Notes
Most G/W decks that can play Aura Shards have more than enough creatures to support it. Don't forget that it will also trigger off casting your general, so you will usually have at least one Disenchant at your fingertips.
Combos
Anything that produces tokens is fantastic with Aura Shards. Cards that bounce creatures such as Stonecloaker are also quite potent with Aura Shards.
Low Budget Substitutes
Even though it's a tad expensive for an uncommon (roughly $1-$1.50 or so), Aura Shards is still very cheap.
An instant-speed tutor that gets whatever creature you want at a cheap cost.
Main Usage in EDH
Eladamri's Call is used as a way for G/W decks to tutor for whatever creature they need at a certain point in time.
Deck Type Notes
Virtually all G/W decks play Eladamri's Call, and for good reason. It's probably one of the best tutors in that color combination. Add to the fact that G/W has access to a HUGE amount of utility creatures plus creatures suited for beatdown, and you have a fantastic tutor card at your disposal.
Combos
It can be pretty fun with Isochron Scepter. Other than that, Eladamri's Call doesn't exactly combo with many other cards; it's suited more as a way to assemble combos if needed be.
Low Budget Substitutes
Eladamri's Call is roughly $2-$4 depending on where you look. This very minor investment is more than worth it however to give any G/W deck an awesome instant-speed tutor.
One of the key parts of a good EDH deck is having the right utility lands for the right situation. Weather it's a Volrath's Stronghold for your Teneb deck, a Sunhome, Fortress of Legions for your Rith deck, or even Nantuko Monastery to get a 4/4 beater after a Wrath. This guy can get what you need... while getting you a girl who can become bigger.
Main Usage in EDH
The main usage for her is to fetch utility lands such as the above.
Deck Type Notes
In a deck that you have almost *too many* nonbasics, it kind of ruins the purpose of her. You would want to run her if you have a healthy amount of basic lands in your deck. Particularly, you can use cards like Tithe and Land Tax or Solemn Simulacrum to fetch the basics now and invest them for more better lands later.
Combos
While she has no particular combos, she mainly has great synergy with cards such as Reveillark, Tosimir Wolfblood, and Scapeshift.
Low Budget Substitutes
Thanks to Zendikar, she's hyped up. Her price is also upped. While this is not recommended to win matchs, she is essentially helpful.
An instant speed library manipulation tool that lets you dig as deep as you want at the cost of life.
Main Usage in EDH
Not only does this help you find a relevant threat/answer at instant speed (Vampiric Tutor style), it also can set up and get the most out of your draws for the next few turns.With luck this can be more potent than Vampiric Tutor (although, at a slightly higher cost, obviously).
Deck Type Notes
This should fit comfortably in almost any deck that runs U/B and needs more tutors
Combos
Combos with any instant speed card draw after casting (Sensei's Divining Top works well if you need that top card right after casting it). Potentially can work well with the new Worldwake card Treasure Hunt
Low Budget Substitutes
This basically IS a low budget subsitute for Vampiric Tutor and/or Mystical Tutor if your deck isn't already running them too.
Versatile instant that allows you to copy a spell in an opponents graveyard.
Main Usage in EDH
Versatility is key here as you will often have many options in the mid game and a wealth of options by the late game. Being able to copy Sorceries at instant speed is very powerful and it gives this color combination the ability to copy spells that destroy artifacts & enchantments. This is one of the most flexible spells available and unlike Fork effects you don't have to wait for a quality spell to be on the stack.
Deck Type Notes
Memory Plunder has a very intensive mana cost that can be hard for some decks to pull off. If you are playing combo and planning to win very quickly your opponents may not have enough quality targets in their graveyard when you want to cast this.
Combos
Completely dependant on what your opponent is playing so it will vary from game to game.
Low Budget Substitutes
Junk rare that happens to be fantastic in EDH, you can pick one up cheap.
Tutors are already really good for singleton formats like EDH and now there is one that takes any permanent in your library directly into play. At worst this is a Rampant Growth that puts the land into play untapped. At best, well your mana's the limit
Deck Type Notes
Unfortunatley only decks based on Bant-colours or 5-Colour decks can use it due to the three seperate colours. But if you have the space in those kinds of decks then you definitely should run it.
Recursion is great in EDH. Getting this effect on a land is excellent!
Main Usage in EDH
Academy Ruins can serve two purposes: combo recursion or just protection against artifact hate. Most decks run maindeck artifact hate, so safeguarding against that is a smart idea. If you play with Memnarch, Umezawa's Jitte, swords, Gauntlet of Power or other artifacts that tend to dominate the table and get nuked with hate, this card will be golden.
Deck Type Notes
This card doesn't take up a slot in your mana curve; it's a land. So if you're running artifacts, it would be worth it to stick one of these in. You might be wary, however, if you're playing 3-5 colors and colorless lands tend to hurt your mana base. If your only targets are Sol Ring, Journeyer's Kite and such, you might not need to play the Ruins. Be aware of which artifacts work well with the Ruins. For instance, Tormod's Crypt is recurrable, Relic of Progenitus is not.
Combos
Mindslaver is one of the most devastating. But the sky is the limit.
Low Budget Substitutes
It's not too expensive of a card. Nothing else provides this effect on a land.
Protect your game-winning sorceries from blue players.
Main Usage in EDH
EDH sees many games end with gigantic spells like Insurrection, Time Stretch, or Tooth and Nail. Boseiju provides insurance for those spells in decks that are normally at the whim of counter players. A 40-point life total makes the loss of life negligible.
Deck Type Notes
Boseiju can go in any deck with sorceries. And that's pretty much any deck. Boseiju might see less play in blue decks, which are able to protect spells with their own counters. But it may still be worth a spot if you routinely tap out for Time Stretch.
Combos
Black decks can protect itself from the life loss if they have an Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth in play.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card is cheap. But there are plenty of counter-hating substitutes out there... Overmaster, Defence Grid, etc.
No, this card isn't good because of the life gain. High market provides a simply way of sacrificing your own creature while occupying a land slot.
Main Usage in EDH
Green and black decks love killing their own creatures. Genesis would always prefer to be dead. And creatures will nasty CiP or LP abilities can be sacrificed and recurred. Look at Eternal Witness or Indrik Stomphowler or Woodfall Primus. Also, consider High Market if you're sick of losing to blue's creature stealing: Sower of Temptation and the like.
Deck Type Notes
Every green and black deck will be running some form of recursion. If you have creatures who you often find would be better off in your graveyard, High Market gives you a free sac outlet.
A powerful utility land that stops any creature outside of shroud or trollshroud in their tracks during combat.
Main Usage in EDH
Kor Haven is excellent at stopping decks that rely on a few, giant creatures in combat. It is especially powerful against decks that rely on their general to go in for the general damage kill, as they will hopelessly bounce off Kor Haven.
Deck Type Notes
Kor Haven is pretty much a must-have in any white deck, because it is a very powerful ability that forces players to play around it. Also note that Kor Haven is legendary, and can be tutored up by the means of Captain Sisay.
Combos
Kor Haven can lead to someone overextending with one too many creatures to get around an active Kor Haven, setting up an opportunity for a board sweep. Other than that, there really are no combos with Kor Haven. It is a straightforward amazing land that does what it does very well. It combos with Silent Arbiter and Dueling Grounds as well as Deserted Temple.
Low Budget Substitutes
$2-$4 card. Relatively cheap to get, and if you're going to be playing a white-based deck it is a land that you shouldn't pass up.
One of the nearly auto includes in any EDH deck. This card stops all but untargetable creature damage in combat.
Main Usage in EDH
Combat damage prevention, repeatable combat damage prevenation from a land source is very very strong, espeacially this card requires no other resources barring it self. This card can be effictive from turn one onwards. Often direct general kill via combat will stop with this in its tracks. Also this card can protect player's own creature from combat tricks such as pump spells.
Deck Type Notes
This card should be a staple in any EDH deck.
Combos
This card can combo with spell and abilities that untaps lands. Deserted Temple, Arbor Elf are such cards.
Low Budget Substitutes
For white decks there is Kor Heaven for similar effects. While the cost is prohibitive Glacial Chasm is another land that prevents combat damage.
A de facto Island with a surprisingly powerful ability.
Main Usage in EDH
Most blue decks substitute a random Island in their deck for Minamo. There is very rarely any drawback to doing so, and it provides some benefits that can potentially be pretty relevant. This mainly includes the ability to untap your general; perfect for getting him or her back on defense to block, or to tap them again to activate their ability again.
Deck Type Notes
Minamo can belong in virtually any deck with blue in it. The only time I wouldn't play with Minamo is if I need to have as many Islands as possible for cards such as Extraplanar Lens, Gauntlet of Power, and High Tide. Even then, I almost always find room to take out a random Island for a Minamo.
Combos
Minamo + your general = Gives your general de facto vigilance. Minamo + Arcum Dagsson = Get another activation from Dagsson. Quite potent when Dagsson is a scary scary general to begin with. Minamo + Arcanis the Omnipotent = Draw 3 more cards! Minamo + Tolarian Academy = Double your mana output (minus 1 mana) from Academy!
Low Budget Substitutes
Minamo is roughly $2-$3. It doesn't hurt to play it in blue, especially when your general can benefit greatly from it and/or you're playing Tolarian Academy.
One of a few lands that can dominate a board the turn it comes out! This thing is an auto-include in a W/R deck.
Main Usage in EDH
Winning games. This card should go in any W/R deck that wins with creatures. It's uncounterable and costs zero mana.
Deck Type Notes
You might not need this card if you're playing a combo deck that doesn't win with attacking. You also might want to pass it up if you're in five color, and colorless lands hinder your tempo.
Combos
Oh, I don't know. Baneslayer Angel? How about any creature? But more seriously, take note of the interactions with cards like Rith, the Awakener. Put four counters on your Umezawa's Jitte. Do stupid things with a sword. But seriously, this thing can just rule the game with a big creature to target.
Possibly the most versatile land in EDH. Versatility is good in EDH, right?
Main Usage in EDH
This card maybe doesn't get the attention in EDH that it deserves. Late in the game, Vesuva will always find a nifty target on the board. Everyone plays with utility lands. Midgame, Vesuva copies a Temple of the False God for extra accel. Early game, Vesuva might help you fix your mana base. Don't forget, Vesuva is split-second death to Academy Ruins and Volrath's Stronghold. At it's very worst, that is, no good targets are in play, Vesuva is just a CiPT land. And losing tempo like that usually won't hurt you in EDH.
Deck Type Notes
I would put this in any deck that doesn't use Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary[/CARD] as a general. Five-color decks might be wary of this as well.
Combos
Use the Ravnica bounce lands to reset Vesuva later in the game.
Card advantage and mana fixing. Whereas excess lands aren't optimal in other formats, they always have a use in EDH. Plus, the two mana casting cost and activation can save you mulligans. 4 mana for two lands is a bargain; Compare to the Kite which will cost you 8 over at least two turns.
Deck Type Notes
Decks with consistent early game green production can use cards that offer acceleration and mana fixing at the two mana level. Still decks with little or no green mana should consider the sphere. And even green has as of yet to produce a card that fetches two lands for less than 3 mana.
Combos
Landfall, "hand size matters" like Kajemaro, First to Suffer, to a lesser extent recursion and Affinity-like mechanics.
5 mana to give you a permanent +3 mana of any color? While it may be too slow for any format outside of Vintage and Legacy, in EDH this card really shines! It, for a measly 5-mana investment, pays for itself after just two turns, including an extra three the turn you play it.
Main Usage in EDH
This card is played in all decks whose pilot owns one.
Deck Type Notes
Gilded Lotus works in pretty much every single deck. I think the only decks that I've seen that don't run it are decks whose pilot is unaware of it or on a reeeeeaaaaly tight budget.
Combos
Gilded Lotus combos with pretty much all good cards with a high mana cost. Playing your generals early is always good!
It is a way for non-green decks to easily fix their mana base in the early game. If mana is fixed, it works as a steady source of card advantage and can be activated at EOT if you have nothing better to do. Since the effect can be repeated many times the deck thinning actually starts to become relevant if combined with other land thinning cards or if it stays in play and is used over many turns. Journeyer's Kite also allows you to shuffle your library for 3 which can be very useful in combination with Sensei's Divining Top, Scroll Rack, etc. to help fix your draws. Lastly, it is very good in monocolor decks as they typically run cards like Gauntlet of Might, Extraplanar Lens & Cabal Coffers among others and Journeyer's Kite can dig for more lands to fuel these cards every turn. This card is at it's best in decks without access to green, monocolor decks & decks with limited sources of card advantage (a R/W deck for example).
Deck Type Notes
Decks that have a strong green base as green typically has better options. It is obviously not very good in decks that don't run very many basics.
This costs only two mana and no mana to equip. This card is great because it generally protects your general from spot removal but for any aggro general or one with an activated ability the haste is important.
Deck Type Notes
This really should be in every deck but for decks that rely on their generals it's powerful. This is especially good for generals that are aggressive like Rafiq or Zur. And generals that require you to tap like Mayael. Even decks that don't rely on their general this is powerful as it gives any creature you have haste and shroud all for two mana.
Combos
None
Low Budget Substitutes
It's not that cheap for a uncommon but it won't cost more then 4 dollars max. Something like Whispersilk Cloak gives shroud but it costs one more mana and cost mana too equip.
Probably the Best artifact creature and one of the Best creatures for blue in EDH. Ability to gain control of target permanent for UUU4 or target artifact for 3U is something scary. In late game Memnarch need removal or it's Auto win for you (you can take your opponents lands...).
Main Usage in EDH
Memnarch works in every deck that can use blue mana. You can gain control of opponents generals and all stuff that stays on battlefield like key artifacts, enchantments or lands. It is nice 4/5 artifact creature, that can be returned by Academy Ruins (recursion is great in EDH).
Deck Type Notes
This artifact need blue mana to work, so it can be used only with blue generals. Well it should be used in all decks with blue, It's Just Great.
Combos
This creature can be combined with mana acceleration/infinity mana combo to gain controll of all permanents in game.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is cheap card, and there is no real substitute for it.
Mind's Eye provides card advantage. Its effect is exacerbated in any multiplayer format, and even moreso in EDH where card draw flourishes in the extended game lengths.
Main Usage in EDH
Mind's Eye is excellent in any deck that cannot use blue or cannot afford the life loss associated with black card draw. It is an absolute must for red and white to help offset the lack of draw in those colors, and many green decks will need it to augment green draw. Mind's Eye is best considered a 6 mana play so it has the best chance possible to replace itself before it is destroyed.
Deck Type Notes
Some players consider Mind's Eye an auto-include, but generally blue and black have more efficient options. Without a doubt, an unanswered Mind's Eye can reap a ridiculous amount of cards, but more regularly it will be destroyed after yielding a card or two. However, the colorless mana cost can make Mind's Eye a choice for some decks that cannot stomach the double color costs of cards like Concentrate or Sign in Blood.
Combos
Some people like to include theoretically political cards like Howling Mine in decks, but in reality the stiff downside of these cards is multiplied by the number of opponents, quickly meteing out any political gain as soon as players have full hands. I would not recommend including these cards in decks to exaggerate Mind's Eye.
Mnd's Eye "combos" singlehandedly with multiple draw steps and by forcing players to reconsider playing their own draw engines.
Low Budget Substitutes
Skullclamp is arguably the only artifact to outrun Mind's Eye's efficiency. Urza's Blueprints, Candles of Leng, Jayemdae Tome all feature relatively high mana investments, and only work once per round due to their tapping activations.
Armillary Sphere and Journeyer's Kite are narrower forms of card advantage, though both are notable for being playable with fewer lands in play.
A 1-mana artifact that allows you to set up your draws and is difficult to get rid of.
Main Usage in EDH
Library manipulation. If there is a card on top that you absolutely need, Sensei's Divining Top can trade places with it. Also, it avoids most "destroy all artifacts" effects.
Deck Type Notes
I really can't think of a reason not to play this in every EDH deck you ever make.
For green the closest cards are Sylvan Library and Mirri's Guile. Brainstorm and Ponder offer similar effects for blue, but as a one time thing. This card shouldn't cost more than $5 though.
Equipped creature dies? Draw 2 cards. The toughness loss "drawback" is often a boon.
Main Usage in EDH
Skullclamp quickly mitigates card loss by replacing itself and the equipped creature the first time it triggers. Thereafter, each trigger generates card advantage. Aside from Ancestoral Recall and Fact or Fiction, there is no easier way for a deck with creatures to gain card advantage.
Deck Type Notes
95% of all EDH decks run enough creatures to pull a yield from this card. Creatures do have to hit the graveyard, so it's not something you often slap on a general. Against white's exile and "tuck" effects, it will not trigger.
Combos
Token generators, especially freebees like Bitterblossom or Emeria Angel, are ridiculous in conjunction with Clamp. It's an especially important way for white and red decks to gain draws.
Low Budget Substitutes
Skull Clamp is a moderately priced artifact with really no peer. Bequethal is similar, but non-repeatable.
Probably one of the most broken/powerful accelerators in EDH. There's a reason it's banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage.
Main Usage in EDH
Mana acceleration. Think that if you drop it turn one by turn two you have access to 4 mana.
Deck Type Notes
Every EDH deck should run this card.
Combos
None really. It gives you a nice boost in the mana department so it may let you combo off earlier.
Low Budget Substitutes
A Revised one will cost about ten dollars though it may be hard to find one depending on your area. Of course an Alpha or Beta version can easily top 90-100 dollars. Really nothing can replace this card but stuff like Sisay's Ring or Ur-Golem's Eye are passable/not terrible replacements but they won't provide the explosiveness.
General Description
Your opponent loses their graveyard and you get a considerable army of "vampire" zombies. An alternate Identity Crisis which concentrates more on aggro and less on control.
Use in EDH
Recursion is used a lot in EDH from what I know. This hoses the grave and provides a considerable force, not to mention life gain iif you need it. What really counts usually is the graveyard hose, buut who doesn't want an army of undead+life? It's a good card but I would personally take Identity Crisis over it.
Deck Type Notes
Works with all WB decks. The mana cost is less demanding than Identitiy Crisis.
Combos
Wrath effects in general.
Budget Substitutes
If you don't have 36 cents then MTG isn't for you, I'm sorry.
Private Mod Note
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Blue
You value knowledge, logic, and deceit. You love to pursue wisdom but also to manipulate and deceive. At your best, you are brilliant and progressive. At your worst, you are treacherous and cold. Your symbol is a water droplet. Your enemies are green and red.
A green card that allows free library manipulation every turn, similar to Sensei's Divining Top but not as flexible in terms of when you use it but more flexible in that you can pay life if those cards are immediately necessary.
Main Usage in EDH
This card is one of the few that gives green the opportunity to manipulate the top of its library. Having this, or as previously mentioned a Sensei's Divining Top, gives you a significant advantage. You can plan ahead and use it to play around problems presented throughout the course of the game.
Deck Type Notes
This card should be in almost every deck that plays green. The ability to manipulate the top of your library, especially in green, is not to be undervalued.
Combos
This card works extremely well with Oracle of Mul Daya. Each turn, you can arrange the top of your library as you see fit. Arrange it right and you can create a solid card advantage for yourself as you play extra land each turn, almost like getting a free draw. If playing white/green, this card has excellent synergy with Crown of Convergence. Similarly, if playing blue/green, this card works very well with Future Sight, Magus of the Future and to a lesser degree Skill Borrower.
Low Budget Substitute
This wonderful enchantment should cost you no more than $2-3 US.
For four mana this card allows you to put two extra lands into play, untapped. Note that while they must be forests these forests do not need to be basic lands.
Main Usage in EDH
Skyshroud Claim is as good a mana accelerator as you can get. It gives you an instant two turn advantage, something many people note is one of the biggest attractions behind Sol Ring. But while Skyshroud Claim may cost four mana to Sol Ring's one, it allows you to put into play a Tropical Island and a Stomping Ground. You could even put a Murmuring Bosk into play. A list of cards, other than basic lands, that can be put into play by Skyshroud Claim can be found here.
Deck Type Notes
This card is an excellent accelerant in any deck running green. It is a fantastic mana fixer in a 5 color deck if you are playing with dual lands or shock lands, as noted above. Generally speaking, EDH tends to see quite a few 7 mana cost or greater spells and this card helps you get to seven plus mana that much faster.
Combos
There are no notable combos I can think of.
Low Budget Substitute
This fantastic Nemesis common should be readily available for less than a quarter.
edit: Tried to put spoiler boxes around these but for some reason the boards were bound and determined to stop me!
However, in today's culture of Justin Bieber, Jersey Shore, and Twilight, where every song on the radio, every program on television and every site on the internet is just another monument to the pinnacle of human stupidity, it's certainly not the worst thing that people could be watching.
Best Fatty Ever Printed. Saproling token every turn including your opponents.
Main Usage in EDH
Since EDH is primarily a multiplayer format with just 3 other players the tokens just start to pile up. Very few card with upkeep triggers like Verdant Force triggers on each players upkeep. Dragon Broodmother is the only one that immediately comes to mind.
Deck Type Notes
Triple green is rather restrictive and this guy would probably fit best in mono- or bi-coloured decks. Reanimation and cheating him into play with Mayael or Natural Order can get around the mana cost in triple- to five-coloured decks.
Combos
No real combos but amazing with anything that can take advantage of massive amounts of tokens. Skullclamp loves 1/1 tokens. Devour creatures like Mycoloth. Ashnod's Altar for mana.
Token generator and more often then not a one-sided Wrath.
Main Usage in EDH
Wrath effects are incredibly important to the format. This is a Wrath effect that destroys your opponents dudes and leaves you with at least 5 dudes to attack with. While it's best to use this for its Wrath effect it isn't always terrible to just produce a couple of tokens.
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should run this card.
Combos
No combos really but tokens are always good for Skullclamp.
Low Budget Substitute
This card seems to fluctuate in price but doesn't seem like it will rise above 5 dollars. There really is no Wrath effect that mirrors this card perfectly. In terms of tokens Mobilization, Sacred Mesa and Storm Herd are some of the best token generators in white and incredibly cheap.
While black does have Wraths like Decree of Pain or Plague Wind it doesn't get that effect at such a cheap casting cost. EDH is a format that likes mass removal a lot.
Deck Type Notes
Fits in any deck that runs black. Some decks may not need it but Wrath effects are always good.
Combos
It's Wrath of God, do people need anymore description?
Low Budget Substitute
This will cost you over ten bucks. Plague Wind and Decree of Pain are cheap substitutes and are also great EDH cards. Ideally a combination of the three should be in any black deck.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS: You guys do not speak for the wider Magic community despite what you guys think.
708th at Grand Prix: Toronto 2013
Modern: U/R Delver, RUG Scapeshift, Pod
Standard: Jeskai Tempo
Legacy: Dredge, Burn
Pauper: Mono-U Delver
EDH: Ghave, Token Master
General Description:
Capricious Efreet (CE) gives you odds on destroying a non-land permanent. He's not really played in other formats.
Main Usage in EDH:
CE is good mainly because he gives mono-red the ability to deal with permanents that are usually tough for mono-red to deal with, especially enchantments. Although you get 2:1 odds to begin with, you can further tip the scales by using a token or other permanent as your side of the wager. 6 power for 6 mana ain't too shabby either.
CE also offers an interesting political angle; because you don't decide what gets blown up, the random-maker does, you can sometimes pass the blame off on fate.
Deck Type Notes:
Again, CE is probably best in mono-red, when other less random answers aren't available. There is some potential for abuse when coupled with other colors, like using bounce effects to mess with targeting for instance, but in general, CE gives mono-red answers where previously it had none (okay, except in Nevy's Disk and O-stone).
Combos:
Since you must destroy one of the targeted permanents at random, you can sacrifice or remove one or more targets before the ability resolves. My favorite CE paring is Seige-Gang Commander. He gives you tokens and a sac outlet to insure one of two of your opponent's permanents are going to get blown up. Not really a combo per se though.
Low Budget Substitute:
CE is unique. Nevy's Disk and O-stone provide answers to permanents as well. CE's versatility and randomness are not replicated elsewhere. He's pretty low budget to begin with though.
Does exactly the same thing as Demonic Tutor at double the cost.
Main Usage in EDH
Tutors are always good in EDH and like Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor one that can get any card in your deck is good.
Deck Type Notes
This should be run alongside Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor. Any deck that runs black should run this, even if you run Demonic and Vampiric you should still run this as a third tutor.
Combos
None.
Low Budget Substitute
Dirt cheap since it has been printed so many times.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS: You guys do not speak for the wider Magic community despite what you guys think.
708th at Grand Prix: Toronto 2013
Modern: U/R Delver, RUG Scapeshift, Pod
Standard: Jeskai Tempo
Legacy: Dredge, Burn
Pauper: Mono-U Delver
EDH: Ghave, Token Master
It's a highly disruptive creature with evasion and flash. Quite the devastating little package.
Main Usage in EDH
It does exactly what you think it does. It annoys your opponent(s) every time they want to Tutor for something, or even look for a land.
Deck Type Notes
This should probably be in almost any predominantly W deck and should be in every mono W EDH deck, since mono W has very few ways to interact with combo decks or control decks that use lots of tutors.
Combos
There really aren't any combos with this. It's a one card wrecking ball to some decks.
Low Budget Substitute
There is no substitute for this asymmetrical effect. It's budget anyway, so pick one up.
It's used to sink all your mana into to produce a wall of dudes. It's usually just used to finish an opponent off while chump blocking anything they might be swinging with sans trample.
Deck Type Notes
This is best suited in a deck that can produce lots of mana, and white mana specifically. It's very well suited to control strategies and could find its way into aggro, but combo wants nothing to do with this card.
Combos
With Skullclamp you can draw tons of cards; with Smokestack you can wrath away everything your opponent(s) throw(s) at you all for the cost of mana and patience; with Humility you can create a sizable army that will overrun any creature your opponent plays(although your Mesa tokens will lose flying this way).
Low Budget Substitutes
It is low budget and nothing does what this card does exactly.
It's a sniper of problem permanents with a sizable body.
Main Usage in EDH
It can take down any annoying permanent given enough time. Lands and artifacts are popular choices in Stax variants.
Deck Type Notes
It's perfectly at home in aggro and Stax decks. May also be usable in control with some special construction. Combo decks have no use for this card.
Combos
With any token producers, you can name creatures to create an asymmetrical wrath. Works well with Crucible of Worlds to hinder or even stop your opponent's mana development, while keeping your at par.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card is low budget and there aren't any substitutes. It's a one-of-a-kind package.
It's a counterspell and an evasive creature rolled into one.
Main Usage in EDH
Countering bombs and adding to board position. This makes it card advantage and a win condition. It's nice to counter the most expensive stuff possible with this, but don't be afraid to counter something that is "only" 3-4 mana.
Deck Type Notes
Playing blue? Need counterspells? Need creatures? Can you afford to hold six mana open? If you met this criteria, you should probably be playing this card.
It is used when you want counter mana open, but also want the option to reset the board. May be used to give the blue player another chance to counter any creature that may have slipped through.
Deck type Notes
This is best in U heavy control decks, or UG decks where there really aren't any hard wraths available outside of Nevinyrral's Disk or Oblivion Stone.
Combos
None.
Low Budget Substitutes
This might run you $1, so just pick it up. Wash Out may be another option, but they perform differently.
An extremely potent discard option with even a fair amount of mana.
Main Usage in EDH
Utterly destroying the most threatening opponent or the player who may have answers in hand for your future plans.
Deck type Notes
If your deck can produce black mana, and you can produce at least 5 mana total, you should be playing this. Don't listen to those who say you shouldn't play this in multiplayer-- they will thank you when you empty the hand of the guy holding all the wraths.
Combos
None that are really any good, and Megrim sucks before anyone mentions it. Hive Mind could be funny.
Low Budget Substitutes
This will probably run you in the neighborhood of $4. Mind Shatter is an alternative, at about $0.25-$0.50 each.
It's a one card recursion engine that costs only two mana.
Main Usage in EDH
It's used to win wars of attrition, by grabbing creatures that have been destroyed, sacrificed, or discarded.
Deck Type Notes
This isn't any good in decks that can't reliably get creatures into the gy. Basically, all you need is a decent amount of creatures and this card becomes fantastic.
Combos
Any creature that can sacrifice or an effect that causes you to sacrifice a creature for gain. Fleshbag Marauder and Shriekmaw are two favorites in color.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is a 2-3 dollar card, so it's not unattainable. There really aren't any substitutes for what this card does, especially at this mana cost. You could go for one-time shot effects like Grim Discovery, a mana intensive but reliable option is Disturbed Burial, and even Reaping the Graves can be an interesting option.
The lifeloss is no match for the incremental(but extremely potent) advantage Phyrexian Arena gives you. It's used to out card advantage your opponent(s), which is amazing given how important card advantage is in this format.
Deck type Notes
This is useful in just about any black EDH deck. It's entirely possible that it gets played in 5 color decks, which have all the best spells available to them. Not as stellar in combo decks.
Combos
No good ones that are specific with what this card does.
An amazingly disruptive creature against any deck that's heavy on nonbasics.
Main Usage in EDH
It's usually used as part of a mana denial strategy and it can swing for two in the mean time, while your opponent struggles to cast spells.
Deck type Notes
This will usually be used in decks that are running mostly basic lands, but it's entirely possible to put it in a deck that is heavy on nonbasics to use as an Armageddon in the mirror.
Combos
No good ones.
Low Budget Substitutes
Blood Moon is a little bit cheaper than this, but they are both in the 4-5 dollar range.
I'll have some for the other sections another day.
Oh and sharky, you have a description for Ancient Craving. Just use the one I gave for Ambition's Cost and change the name.
@ Bjamman & Da_Man: Thanks for the descriptions, but neither of the cards you posted are on the top 35 list. Check out the "Cards without Descriptions" spoiler in the opening post for a list of cards to write about.
@Drahcir_Nagrom: Thanks for the reminder. A few of the functional reprint cards are listed in the 'not done' list, and I'll fix that (probably right now...).
For multi cards have you seen Diabolic Vision? I run this card in my U/B/W deck and I think it's a good card in this format due to it's ability to let you dig 5 deep into your deck, take one, and rearrange the others for only two mana. This can be taken care of with a Dimir Aqeduct by itself, leaving you plenty of mana to play whatever you take.
I just want to add in on Sylvan library that I actually think it's best use is with dredge. If you replace the bonus 2nd or 3rd draw with a dredge, of say Life from the loam you'll get the effect of a draw without having to pay 4 life!
Tutors are already really good for singleton formats like EDH and now there is one that takes any permanent in your library directly into play. At worst this is a Rampant Growth that puts the land into play untapped. At best, well your mana's the limit
Deck Type Notes
Unfortunatley only decks based on Bant-colours or 5-Colour decks can use it due to the three seperate colours. But if you have the space in those kinds of decks then you definitely should run it.
Combos
Use this to grab Eternal Witness and once it's in play return Wargate to your hand.
Low Budget Substitute
This is already low budget and there is no card that perfectly replicates this.
This costs only two mana and no mana to equip. This card is great because it generally protects your general from spot removal but for any aggro general or one with an activated ability the haste is important.
Deck Type Notes
This really should be in every deck but for decks that rely on their generals it's powerful. This is especially good for generals that are aggressive like Rafiq or Zur. And generals that require you to tap like Mayael. Even decks that don't rely on their general this is powerful as it gives any creature you have haste and shroud all for two mana.
Combos
None
Low Budget Substitute
It's not that cheap for a uncommon but it won't cost more then 4 dollars max. Something like [card]Whispersilk Cloak
[/card] gives shroud but it costs one more mana and cost mana too equip.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS: You guys do not speak for the wider Magic community despite what you guys think.
708th at Grand Prix: Toronto 2013
Modern: U/R Delver, RUG Scapeshift, Pod
Standard: Jeskai Tempo
Legacy: Dredge, Burn
Pauper: Mono-U Delver
EDH: Ghave, Token Master
General Description
Low cost tech at instant speed.
Main Usage in EDH
All three modes are infinitely useful in EDH. Bottom deck your opponent's general, get rid of that pesky artifact, or say no to your opponent's instant-speed attempt to kill your own general.
Deck Type Notes
If you are playing the correct colors, you should have this card in your deck.
Combos
Not really a combo card.
Low Budget Substitute
There is no other single card that gives you the same options, but it is Condemn, Dispel, and Oxidize on a stick.
General Description
A 1-mana artifact that allows you to set up your draws and is difficult to get rid of.
Main Usage in EDH
Draw setup and digging. If there is a card on top that you absolutely need, Sensei's Divining Top can trade places with it. Also, it avoids most "destroy all artifacts" effects.
Deck Type Notes
I really can't think of a reason not to play this in every EDH deck you ever make.
Low Budget Substitute
There is no low budget substitute for this that is a permanent. Brainstorm and Ponder offer similar effects, but as a one time thing. This card shouldn't cost more than $5 though.
"I will flay the skin from your flesh and the flesh from your bones and scrape your bones dry. And still you will not have suffered enough." -Greven il-Vec, to Gerrard
I would not say "never goes away" on Top; something like "very hard to get rid of" sounds more appropriate. Krosan Grip stops it cold, as well as any artifact destruction in response to its second ability.
Minor suggestion: perhaps include Abundance in the Combos section for Sylvan Library. Three cards, no life payment, and you get to pick whether each of them is land or nonland.
@hadoukkened - I didn't add your Bant Charm description because it really didn't seem to add anything that you couldn't get from reading the card (except mentioning you can use a couple modes on peoples generals).
This page is for compiling explanations for the top 35 cards for each color.
Each explanation should include the information found in the Template spoiler below.
Cards that are not in the top 35 list will not be added!
Cards outside of the top 35 will be considered if you make a good case for their inclusion, but simply posting an explanation for them won't guarantee they'll be added.(I've decided to only add Top 35 cards for now, there are more than enough of them to write about)Card Name
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitute
Please check to make sure someone hasn't posted a description already. If you'd like to amend an already submitted description, please note your intention when posting.
Don't worry about perfectly formatting your posts, and don't over-format your post (with lists/sublists etc). As long as you have something for each section in the template it's fine.
Avoid using smileys and mana tags.
Autocarding is optional!
Please do not add autocard links like this one (IE, blind ones).
If the card has a functional reprint, please mention both cards in the General Description section as I will only make an entry for one of the cards.
WHITE
Baneslayer Angel
Exalted Angel
Swords to Plowshares
BLUE
Arcanis the Omnipotent
BLACK
Avatar of Woe
Beacon of Unrest
Chainer, Dementia Master
Consume Spirit
Contamination (functional)
Grim Tutor
Imperial Seal
Infernal Darkness
Ink-Eyes, Servant of the Oni
Insidious Dreams
Liliana Vess
Myojin of Night's Reach
Necrolagia
Nezumi Graverobber
Overwhelming Forces
Puppeteer Clique
Reiver Demon
Rend Flesh
Skeletal Scrying
Sorin Markov
Syphon Mind
Vampiric Tutor
RED
Anarchist
Boom/Bust
Burning of Xinye
Fault Line
Flameblast Dragon
Fork
Inferno
Molten Disaster
Obliterate
Price of Progress
Recoup
Reiterate
Starstorm
Wild Ricochet
Wildfire
GREEN
Berserk
Chameleon Colossus
Chord of Calling
Doubling Season
Earthcraft
Exploration
Garruk Wildspeaker
Genesis
Greater Good
Harmonize
Mana Reflection
Multani, Maro-Sorcerer
Oracle of Mul Daya
Regrowth
Restock
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Seedborn Muse
Survival of the Fittest
Tooth and Nail
Wild Pair
Worldly Tutor
MULTI
Angel of Despair
Bant Charm
Coiling Oracle
Crime(Crime/Punishment)
Cruel Ultimatum
Death Grasp
Debtor's Knell
Divinity of Pride
Gaddock Teeg
Hellkite Overlord
Hull Breach
Maelstrom Pulse
Magister Sphinx
Meddling Mage
Mirari's Wake
Mistmeadow Witch
Mortify
Naya Charm
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Pernicious Deed
Privileged Position
Putrefy
Sarkhan Vol
Simic Sky Swallower
Trygon Predator
Voidslime
LAND
Cabal Coffers
Dust Bowl
Emeria, the Sky Ruin
Gaea's Cradle
Gargoyle Castle
Miren, the Moaning Well
Mishra's Factory
Mouth of Ronom
Mutavault
Nantuko Monastery
Reliquary Tower
Riptide Laboratory
Scrying Sheets
Serra's Sanctum
Tectonic Edge
Temple of the False God
Thawing Glaciers
Tolaria West
Tolarian Academy
Treetop Village
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Volrath's Stronghold
Wasteland
Yavimaya Hollow
ARTIFACT
Coalition Relic
Darksteel Colossus
Duplicant
Expedition Map
Extraplanar Lens
Gauntlet of Power
Helm of Possession
Loxodon Warhammer
Mana Crypt
Mana Vault
Mindslaver
Mirari
Nevinyrral's Disk
Oblivion Stone
Planar Portal
Relic of Progenitus
Scroll Rack
Solemn Simulacrum
Sun Droplet
Sundering Titan
Sunforger
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Light and Shadow
Umezawa's Jitte
Vedalken Orrery
Donald_McDonald
jokalhaups
scarlet_blade12
Surging Chaos
Big Jim
Himetic
Evilempire22
sneezemar
davidboan
AncientNecro
stormcloud17
Zikur
ludd_gang
Amadi
Starkiller2
spezza19
AFDoomsday
Millatog45
TrollmenX
Inazumi
slx
lith
iRebel
Drahcir_Nagrom
Greyfell
fzian
arsenick_wrath
Juju
JARY
raventime22
darco_emp
hjerk
bokwinkle
Also, the reason for splitting up each section into a post was to avoid going over the max post limit (75000).
Academy Rector
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Akroma's Vengeance
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Archon of Justice
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Armageddon
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Aura of Silence
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Austere Command
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Aven Mindcensor
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Cataclysm
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Catastrophe
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Condemn
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Enlightened Tutor
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Eternal Dragon
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Hallowed Burial
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Humility
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Idyllic Tutor
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Karmic Guide
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Land Tax
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Luminarch Ascension
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Martial Coup
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Mirror Entity
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Oblivion Ring
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Path to Exile
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Pristine Angel
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Replenish
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Return to Dust
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Reveillark
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Reverse the Sands
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Rout
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Sacred Mesa
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Stonehewer Giant
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Weathered Wayfarer
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
World Queller
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Yosei, the Morning Star
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
[SPOILER=BLUE]
[SPOILER=Acquire]
[B]Acquire[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to search for the best artifact card in your opponent's library and turn it against the opponent (this includes artifact creatures).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is generally an EDH bomb, allowing you to use your opponent's artifact bombs (e.g. Mindslaver) against its owner. This also helps prevent your opponents from drawing a particularly dangerous bomb and playing it against you[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to snag with Acquire though a rogue artifactless EDH deck may disappoint you.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo though cards like Twincast helps double any possible pain.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD0.82, which should be reasonably "budget"[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Bribery]
[B]Bribery[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to search for the best creature card in your opponent's library and turn it against the opponent.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is generally an EDH bomb, allowing you to use your opponent's creature bombs against its owner. A 5 drop Emrakul, the Aeons Torn or maybe an Iona, Shield of Emeria will be very painful against an opponent. This also helps prevent your opponents from drawing a particularly dangerous bomb and playing it against you.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to snag with Bribery though a rogue creatureless EDH deck may disappoint you, but lets face it: Creatureless EDH decks are quite rare.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo though cards like Twincast helps double any possible pain. You may also steal a creature that you've just Hindered a few turns ago.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD5, which is on the upper limit of "budget" realm but still rather affordable[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Capsize]
[B]Capsize[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's an instant catch-all--able to bounce any targetable permanent with buyback for 6 mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It is most often used to bounce permananets that made it through the blue player's counter screen, but in control matches it can be used to bounce lands as well-- creating tempo.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This should only be used in blue decks that can reliably get to 6 mana, which is 99% of the blue decks in EDH. The fact that it's an instant means that there won't often be any issues of Capsize tapping you out; it just matters whether or not you need the effect.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos aren't nessecary to make this card good, but it is often paired up with mana monsters like Tolarian Academy, so that bouning multiple permaments is much easier. A couple of turns like that and your opponent will be devastated.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Capsize is already a budget card so that's not a concern. There are other cards that have similar effects if you're looking to bounce something specific for a possibly lower cost: Hurkyl's Recall, Evacuation, Wash Out, Sunder[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Cryptic Command]
[B]Cryptic Command[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Cryptic Command may well be one of the most versatile permission magic printed by Wizards in recent years. Mike Flores summarises by describing it as "Swiss Army Knife" of Dismiss, Repulse / Repeal, Super Fog, and so much more, all in one card.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Given its versatility, it is difficult to easily summarise its specific usage in EDH. Suffice to say, it allows you to play some of the best signature magic in the traditional monoblue arsenal.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]As a spell with 1uuu as its casting cost, this probably fits best in a monoblue deck or a dual-tri colour deck where it can be played as early as possible.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Short of Scrivener, Dralnu, Lich Lord[/CARD], Nucklavee, etc., Cryptic Command is really more of a utility spell than an enabler or facilitator of combos.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This really depends on what you would usually want to do with the Cryptic Command. If you use it mainly for its counterspell abilities, then go for Dismiss. If it is the bounce effect you're after, go for "Into the Roil", etc.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Declaration of Naught]
[B]Declaration of Naught[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Similar to Meddling Mage, Declaration of Naught is a hoser for decks that require one particular spell to function, since it can extremely cheaply counter that spell many times.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Since no other cards can be included more than once, it's almost always best to use Declaration of Naught against enemy generals. Against decks that have no way to remove the enchantment, and require their general in play to be effective, it can end the game immediately.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Against decks with lots of enchantment removal, removal or traditional counterspells can be a more effective way to keep their general off the field. There aren't any blue decks in particular that won't work well with it, though, so unless you don't have any problems with enemy generals it's a good card to run.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]There really aren't any combos, short of Vedalken Orrery + Heidar, Rimewind Master to bounce it and play it again whenever they play a spell, naming that spell and countering it for 5 mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]It's quite cheap, but Douse is comparable and more versatile vs red generals. In fact, vs mono-red Douse is basically game over. But of course, it doesn't work against non-red, whereas declaration is good vs any deck.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Desertion]
[B]Desertion[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's basically an instant speed Control Magic that trades off being able to be played main phase for having other uses.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's mostly used on creatures for blowout scenarios in board position, but artifacts like Gilded Lotus and Mindslaver are more than worthy targets.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Useful in any blue deck that's about attrition and grinding your opponent down through card advantage.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]None.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This will set you back about $3, but it's well worth that. Depending on what you need it for, Control Magic and Acquire could be fine subs.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Draining Whelk]
[B]Draining Whelk[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's a counterspell and an evasive creature rolled into one.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Countering bombs and adding to board position. This makes it card advantage and a win condition. It's nice to counter the most expensive stuff possible with this, but don't be afraid to counter something that is "only" 3-4 mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Playing blue? Need counterspells? Need creatures? Can you afford to hold six mana open? If you met this criteria, you should probably be playing this card.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This is fantastic with Erratic Portal, Crystal Shard and any instant speed reanimation.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This is low budget.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Evacuation]
[B]Evacuation[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This is the blue Wrath of God.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It is used when you want counter mana open, but also want the option to reset the board. May be used to give the blue player another chance to counter any creature that may have slipped through.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This is best in U heavy control decks, or UG decks where there really aren't any hard wraths available outside of Nevinyrral's Disk or Oblivion Stone.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]None.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This might run you $1, so just pick it up. Wash Out may be another option, but they perform differently.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Fabricate]
[B]Fabricate[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Fabricate is the artifact searching counterpart of Idyllic Tutor, allowing you to search for an artifact of your choice in your library.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Any search effects are almost always positive in EDH, especially those which are below 4 casting cost, given a 99 card deck (excluding the general). This also allows you to tutor your utility and win conditions, from Mindslaver, Sundering Titan to Pithing Needles and Oblivion Stone). In theory, you can even use it to fetch for a land (i.e. Seat of the Synod and its ilk).[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]At 2u, Fabricate could be run in almost any deck which runs blue (and obviously, enough artifacts to pull out).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Fabricate doesn't combo on its own but it does facilitate them. If you use the French ban list though, Panoptic Mirror could replicate Fabricate every turn.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Fabricate is really low budget in itself. Trinket Mage substitutes it but you may probably want to run Trinket Mage "in addition" to Fabricate rather than "instead of"[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Fact or Fiction]
[B]Fact or Fiction[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card inspired the slang "EOTFOFYL" or "End of Turn, Fact or Fiction, you lose". As mentioned by the Magic Wiki, Fact or Fiction allows you to pick your best answer, threat, etc. (and usually another card along the way) off the top five cards of your library.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Fact or Fiction is so good because it gives you pure card advantage and relative card quality it allows, at instant speed, to boot.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]As a 3u card, this card could go in almost any decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This card may not lend itself to many combos though it does facilitate combos. However, it is possible to Mindslaver an opponent to allow you to keep five cards. This also applies to certain multiplayer games where you may persuade a temporary ally to give you the whole five cards.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Fact or Fiction is not awfully expensive. The card, however, is replacable by other efficient draw spells, though it would be difficult to find one that matches Fact or Fiction's versatility. Foresee and Compulsive Research seems like a cheap and versatile replacement though the sorcery speed leaves much to be desired. Careful Consideration draws a lot less card at instant speed but allows you to discard existing cards in hand. Thirst for knowledge may require decks to run a minimum artifact threshold. It should be noted that you may want to run some of these "low budget substitutes" along with Fact or Fiction.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Force of Will]
[B]Force of Will[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to counter spells with or without mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is generally a counterspell-class card, allowing you to nullfiy one of your opponent's threats, especially those manifesting in the early game or when you're tapped out.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something worth countering.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo card. It does protect your combo though[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a wallet slayer. For cheaper free counterspell substitutes, try Foil, Thwart, Misdirection, Commandeer or try not to tap out and use a normal Counterspell (easier said than done )[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Future Sight]
[B]Future Sight[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A truly one-of-a-kind card advantage monster. It can turn lost games into amazing comebacks.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's mainly used to procure amazing card advantage for a one time payment of five mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]If you're heavy into blue and can manage 5 mana for an enchantment that may have little initial impact the turn it comes down, it should be in your deck. It sees play in draw-go style decks that hardly ever want to tap out on their own turn, so you know it's good.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos aren't needed to make this card amazing, but Sensei's Divining Top does its best to make Future Sight even better-- "1: Draw a card" is pretty good.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Future Sight is criminally cheap, but even if it wasn't there would be no substitues for it. You'll truly know it's power when you play Land, Signet, Draw spell and have mana open with a counterspell sitting on top.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Gilded Drake]
[B]Gilded Drake[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to steal a creature in your opponent's battlefield for 1u. Giving the opponent a 3/3 flyer in return is not much of a big deal in EDH (especially if you steal something good).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is typically an EDH bomb, allowing you to turn your opponent's creature bombs against its owner. Theft of your opponent's creature (at such a low casting cost and a small exchange of creature) is generally a bargain in itself.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to snag with Gilded Drake even if it is a creatureless deck (the general is still a creature).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]If you have an Isochron Scepter imprinted with Boomerang-class spells, you just got something for nothing.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD4.57, which is on the upper limit of "budget" realm but still rather affordable. For other alternatives, you may try Persuasion, Mind Control, etc.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Glen Elendra Archmage]
[B]Glen Elendra Archmage[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Negate on a stick. This gal made splashes in extended and briefly in standard formats. Often a 2-for-1, countering two spells with one card.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is good primarily because it's a cheap counter attached to a creature. It's easily reanimated, and because of persist, it can often come back for two uses off one reanimation spell. It's also the right size for Reveillark. It's also non-legendary, with has relevance for copy effects (see combos). It's a little better in EDH than 60-card formats because most decks play a large number of big, powerful sorceries. Answering them with a cheap, recurrable card is good.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Glen Elendra Archmage is best in decks that can abuse it via recursion. It works well in Sedris, the Traitor King for example. It's really never a bad card, but if there's no way to really recur, reuse, or otherwise profit from it, then it may not be as powerful as some of the other powerful counters, like Desertion, Spelljack, or Cryptic Command.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Glen Elendra Archmage + Sage of Fables = Infinite Negate for u
Glen Elendra Archmage + Sage of Fables + Voidmage Prodigy = Infinite Counterspells for uu
Spitting Image or Rite of Replication for domination of the game. I like this one because these cards are all good on their own.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Glen Elendra Archmage isn't really that expensive. Other options might include Mystic Snake or Venser, Shaper Savant. Any other counter spell works too.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Hinder]
[B]Hinder[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Same cost as Cancel, but puts things on top or bottom of the library.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Use on your opponent's general to hide it on the bottom of their library, making it very difficult for them to find again. In multiplayer, putting a devastating spell on top of that player's library can cause everyone to turn on them and kill them to prevent the spell from being played again. Also, anything that you don't want in their graveyard can be hidden effectively on the bottom of their library.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Nothing, really. The ability to put enemy generals into their library is useful in every blue deck, even if you have no other counterspells. However, it might not be as useful against a non-counterable general, but since the only one is Akroma, Angel of Fury that's not a large consideration.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos nicely with Tunnel Vision to mill your opponent.
Can be alternately used to put an extremely valuable spell on top of your library if your opponent was about to counter it, so you can draw and play it again.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Hinder is quite cheap, and there aren't any other counters that can put enemy generals into libraries in the same way.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Intuition]
[B]Intuition[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a tutor which is generally good when you're playing with a 99 card deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a tutor, allowing you to find your combo pieces quickly.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. You will want to give your opponent a Hobson's Choice with Intuition though. Searching for cards that recur each other is a good move with Intuition. Examples include: -
1. Petrified Field, Crucible of Worlds, Tolarian Academy
2. Academy Ruins, Mindslaver, Eternal Witness[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo and more of a combo tutor.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Quite an expensive card. You might want to try some cheaper tutors such as Fabricate, Long-Term Plans or even Mystical Tutor[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Jace, the Mind Sculptor]
[B]Jace, the Mind Sculptor[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is an incredibly versatile card (both for constructed and for EDH).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card accomplishes many things in EDH: -
1. [+1]Scry 1 & [+0]Brainstorm: Additional Sensei-Divining Top helps even out some of your more horrendous draws. [+0]Brainstorm also nets you a card
2. [+1]Fateseal 1: Messing your opponent's draw helps a little especially given that a 99 card deck is already unpredictable as it is
3. [-1]Unsummon: Repeatable bounces are very abusable with your own Comes Into Play ("CIP") creatures or against your opponent's bomb(s)
4. [-12]SuperMill: Quite a win condition for your deck whilst granting a pseudo discard effect to blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Remember, it is also a win condition in itself.[/list][/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]The card is so versatile especially that its [-1] and [-12] abilities lend itself to so many possible combos (though any combo revolving around the [-12] ability seems a tad like a "win-more'). Any combos that get Jace to 12 loyalty quickly is a decent game plan.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Walletslayer. You might want to try some cheaper monoblue win conditions[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Keiga, the Tide Star]
[B]Keiga, the Tide Star[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to turn your opponent's bombs against himself/herself. It is also a fat 5/5 which nobody really feels comfortable killing.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]A fat 5/5 that few feel comfortable killing. You could also intentionally sacrifice it (to some other effect) for profit.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Getting an opponent's creature as compensation for Keiga's demise is a pretty strong move.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]A bomb. Combos are possible but likely limited to recurring Keiga, the Tide Star.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates this at USD3.43 which is reasonably budget. Other budget alternatives includes Mind Control, Persuasion, etc.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Magus of the Future]
[B]Magus of the Future[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A truly one-of-a-kind card advantage monster. It can turn lost games into amazing comebacks.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's mainly used to procure amazing card advantage for a one time payment of five mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]If you're heavy into blue and can manage 5 mana for a creature that may have little initial impact the turn it comes down, it should be in your deck. It sees play in draw-go style decks that hardly ever want to tap out on their own turn, so you know it's good. On one hand, Magus of the Future is a creature, which brings along all vulnerabilities associated with creatures (compared to its Onslaught cousin, Future Sight). On the other hand, Magus is a Wizard creature, which has some synergies with cards like Patron Wizard or Azami, Lady of Scrolls. Being a creature also allows it to interact with other creature-affecting spells (e.g.: Reveillark, Karmic Guide, et al.)[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Combos aren't needed to make this card amazing, but Sensei's Divining Top does its best to make Magus of the Future even better-- "1: Draw a card" is pretty good.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Magus of the Future is criminally cheap, but even if it wasn't there would be no substitues for it. You'll truly know it's power when you play Land, Signet, Draw spell and have mana open with a counterspell sitting on top.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Mana Drain]
[B]Mana Drain[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Most of the time, this card is much better than Counterspell (thanks to the removal of Mana Burn).[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card allows you to turn your opponent's resources against himself/herself. Countering a sufficiently expensive spell allows you to reply with a bomb of your own during the next turn. This is aided by the fact that EDH is a format large spells are more common than in other formats.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Isochron Scepter + Mana Drain = repeatable counterspell.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]A walletslayer. You might want to take up a mortgage for this card . Try using the lesser (but cheaper) Counterspell instead.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Merchant Scroll]
[B]Merchant Scroll[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a tutor which is generally good when you're playing with a 99 card deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a tutor, allowing you to find your combo pieces quickly, as long as they are blue instants.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue as long as you have an important blue instant you must have (e.g. High Tide).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo and more of a combo tutor.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Costs about USD1 on MTGCards.info. Should be reasonably budget[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Mind Over Matter]
[B]Mind Over Matter[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a popular combo piece for many different decks.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a combo piece for many popular blue decks including Niv-Mizzet, Azami, etc. Generally, any cards which requires t is good for Mind Over Matter interaction. If it comes to it, you may even pitch a card to mess your opponent's combo.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is more narrow and requires a more specific combo strategy. As such, this card probably won't fit in all types of deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This are just some of the combos. There are a lot more of these: -
1. Azami, Lady of Scrolls: Draw and discard your entire library
2. Arcanis the Omnipotent: Draw your entire library
3. Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind: Deal 1 damage for every card you draw and discard
Also note that besides drawing and discarding, you may even pitch a card to untap a Tolarian Academy (and compensate for the discarded card with Treasure Trove or something like that).[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Costs about USD3.39 on MTGCards.info. Should be reasonably budget.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Mystical Tutor]
[B]Mystical Tutor[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a tutor which is generally good when you're playing with a 99 card deck.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is a tutor, allowing you to find your combo pieces quickly, as long as you are looking for an instant or sorcery.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue as long as you have an important blue instant or sorcery you must have (e.g. High Tide, Time Stretch, etc.).[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not much of a combo and more of a combo tutor.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Costs about USD6.25 on MTGCards.info. On the very upper limit of budget players. You may replace it with a cheaper Merchant Scroll or Long-Term Plans[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Palinchron]
[B]Palinchron[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]4/5 Flyer with nearly limitless potential for infinate mana abuse.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Developing a combo that requires infinate mana. Secondary Use - Reanimation target.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Many decks in EDH have a way to double mana in some way or reanimate in some way. Palinchron is an easy way to go from "double" to "infinate". Essentially, if you can tap 7 lands to get 12 mana (4 of which is blue) - then you have an infinate loop. Tap seven lands, put 12 in pool, spend 7 for palinchron, untap 7 land from the ability spend 4 mana to return it, leave one in pool, repeat.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Mirari's Wake, Mana Reflection, Heartbeat of Spring, Mana Flare, Gaea's Cradle, Tolarian Academy, High Tide ....I'm sure there are more.
Secondary Synergies:
Blinks of all types (otherworldly journey, momentary blink, Flickerwisp, Parrallax Wave, etc), reanimation of all types (Karmic Guide, Saffi Eriksdotter, zombify, Dance of the Dead, Corpse Dance, etc.)
With various win con's:
Kamahl, Fist of Korosa, Blaze effects (Fireball, Disintegrate, Banefire, etc.), X-spell draw's (Prosperity, Braingyser, Stroke of Genius, Mind Spring, etc.)
Random 3-card combo:
Eternal Witness + Tooth and Nail. Cast an entwined Tooth and Nail into E-Wit and 'Chron with your favorite mana ramp on the board (mana reflection, gaea's cradle, etc) and get Tooth and Nail back with E-Wit to cast it again on the same turn....If you have anything in your deck worth playing - the game should be over at that point. If you're Running Dust Elemental or Cloudstone Curio then you can return 'Chron and E-Wit to your hand for "Infinate" Tooth And Nail rediculousness. This set-up makes the Bant Color scheme utterly bonkers.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]Great Whale, and Peregrine Drake both untap lands, but neither of them provide the ability to return themselves. When combined with cards like Cloudstone Curio or Equilibrium these cards can be substituted. But generally a Singleton 'Chron isn't all that expensive - coming in at $3-$5.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Rhystic Study]
[B]Rhystic Study[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]It's a headache for your opponent(s) as it's either a cheap card advantage machine or it's a major boon to their tempo and game plan.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]It's an early spell that holds value long into the game as it will often draw you cards or you outpace your opponent who can't play as many spells as they'd like. Pretty simple.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]It's useful in pretty much all blue EDH decks, but it's especially effective in decks with mana denial as a central theme.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Again, it's best used with mana denial: Smokestack/Strip Mine + Crucible of Worlds, Rishadan Port, Mishra's Helix[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is dirt cheap and there is no other card that does anything similar, although there are obviously other ways to consistantly draw cards at a cost:Scepter of Insight, Journeyer's Kite[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Rite of Replication]
[B]Rite of Replication[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card copies any targetable threat or utility creature, with an option to kick in the late game.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is quite versatile in EDH. You can, among other things, use it to: -
1. Kill a General (based on the Legendary Rule)
2. Copy a bomb (either to counter your opponent's bomb or to double yours)
3. This card can be a bomb in itself when kicked
4. When kicked, you may enjoy multiple CIP triggers based on the creature you are copying[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not really a combo but this card has good synergies with creatures with CIP triggers. For example, a (kicked) Rite of Replication targeting Halimar Excavator should mill at least 180 cards just as a kicked Rite of Replication targeting Hagra Diabolist would deal 180 damage to whoever you don't like.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD1.26 on MTGCards.info which is quite budget already. Clone is marginally cheaper[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Spin into Myth]
[B]Spin into Myth[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A card that is essentially a blue removal which removes creatures possibly to the bottom of the library and possibly anticipate / mess up the opponent's draw.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This is essentially a blue removal which is especially useful at sending Generals or any other recurring threats to the bottom of the library.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue. Most of the time, you WILL find something good to target though a rogue creatureless EDH deck may disappoint you, but lets face it: Creatureless EDH decks are quite rare.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]With Tunnel Vision, you may almost mill the player's entire library. You might want to add Vendilion Clique into the mix along with other tuck cards.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD0.26. This is pretty budget in itself[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Sunder]
[B]Sunder[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card sweeps most mana sources off the board leaving both players bereft of land mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is basically nails the coffin. After establishing a superior board position, playing Sunder would reduce options available to any opponent such that they won't be able to respond easily to your threats and locks. Of course since you are going to run a few artifact mana sources, you should be able to tide yourself in any eventualities[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue though it should usually be cast when you're already in a superior board position. You may want to run a few artifact mana sources to counter the loss of lands yourself. Getting a Reliquary Tower out there ASAP helps too.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This card is practically a nail in the coffin and usually protects your combo rather than being a combo piece by itself.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD1.08, which is affordable.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir]
[B]Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A versatile legendary creature that allows you to play some of your creature combo pieces at instant speed.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card accomplishes several things in EDH: -
1. Allows you to play creature spells at instant speed
2. Allows you to block a random X/Y that is foolish enough to attack you (where X, Y < 3)
3. Prevents your opponents from disrupting your combo with instants and during your turn
Besides the above, it also helps hose madness and suspend strategies among others. Hosing suspend strategies help especially against Jhoira decks and their evil Eldrazis.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue especially if you face many opposing decks with counterspells of their own.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]This helps protects your combo and allows you to play creature combos at instant speed rather than being a combo piece by itself. Still, there are some good synergies with cards like Delay[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]MTGCards.info rates the price at about USD3.88, which is still affordable. You may try Vedalken Orrery as a cheaper way of playing your spells at instant speed.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Time Spiral]
[B]Time Spiral[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A free Timetwister[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is versatile, accomplishing several things at once: -
1. Recycling your overloaded graveyard
2. Drawing you 7 cards. Note that since you untap 6 lands, you can actually play some of those 7 cards that you drew. You even play Time Spiral after you squandered your hand, just to reload on the cards.
3. Shuffles all graveyards into the library. This helps hose some graveyard strategy
4. Allowing you to untap 6 lands. It helps if your lands can produce more than one mana (say, untapping Tolarian Academy or having a Gauntlet of Power in play)[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]As mentioned, having lands that tap for more than one mana would be a nice synergy with Time Spiral's untap 6 lands part.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD5.72 on MTGCards.info which is a little pricey but unfortunately, no good and cheap substitute exists save for Red's Wheel of Fate[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Time Stretch]
[B]Time Stretch[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]This card is basically two Time Warp pasted on each other with the exception that it costs 8uu rather than 6uuuu. The only thing better than taking one free turn is taking two free turns[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]While it may be too slow in other formats, in a slow format like EDH, Time Stretch really shines. Two free turns does wonders in any games practically allowing you to: -
1. Draw 2 complimentary cards
2. Give you two turns to set up your combo
3. Gives you two free attack phases
4. ...among others[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Obviously, recurring this would be insane in EDH. Imagine playing a Time Stretch and returning it in your hand with Eternal Witness during your next turn and using your next free turn to cast it again. You can always make this infinite by bouncing Eternal Witness somehow (e.g. Crystal Shard)
Most of the time, this is unnecessary as you can usually combo out using the original Time Stretch.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD1.39 on MTGCards.info which is quite budget already[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Timetwister]
[B]Timetwister[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A free Time Spiral with 50% mana discount but no rebate[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This card is versatile, accomplishing several things at once: -
1. Recycling your overloaded graveyard
2. Drawing you 7 cards. Note that since you untap 6 lands, you can actually play some of those 7 cards that you drew. You even play Time Spiral after you squandered your hand, just to reload on the cards.
3. Shuffles all graveyards into the library. This helps hose some graveyard strategy[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Unlike Time Spiral, this card can actually be recurred as it stays in the graveyard, ready to be spiral time with a little help from Mnemonic Wall and the like.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is a walletslayer. If you must have this, use Time Spiral instead. It is a lot cheaper[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Treachery]
[B]Treachery[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A free Mind Control[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Free spells are usually a boon in Magic. It also neutralises an opponent's threat, be it utility or bomb.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Having lands that tap for more than one mana would be a nice synergy with Treachery's untap 5 lands part.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD5.78 on MTGCards.info which is a little pricey but you may try cards like Persuasion and Mind Control which lacks the untap part. Control Magic is basically Treachery at a 20% discount but 0% rebate[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Trinket Mage]
[B]Trinket Mage[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]Trinket Mage is a good and versatile tutor with a body. It can fetch some of the best cards in the format and act as a Civic Wayfinder if you need to fix your mana.[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]In EDH, the card that I believe is most often searched for with Trinket Mage is Sensei's Divining Top. It can also search for Sol Ring to ramp your mana, Skullclamp for some card draw, graveyard hosers like Scrabbling Claws and Tormod's Crypt, and finally artifact lands to fix mana. Not to mention other really broken stuff like Herbal Poultice.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]Most blue decks should play with this card, assuming that they have targets for it, which they should, for almost every deck should use Sol Ring and Sensei's Divining Top. It is ideal in decks that have a lot of different targets for it, to maximize the cards potential. It can also serve as mana fixing in decks without green, not to say one shouldn't play it if they only have a couple targets.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]As with most utility spells and tutors, there aren't any real combos with Trinket Mage, but as it's a wizard and has a EtB effect it is good with Riptide Laboratory[/CARD]. If you have the Laboratory, you can fetch Sensei's Divining Top first and then use the Mage as a shuffle effect for Top. I can't really think of anything beyond that. Being a wizard it does have synergy with cards such as Azami, Lady of Scrolls and Patron Wizard.[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]If you can't afford Trinket Mage then you deffinitely can't afford the cards you want to search up with it. Fabricate is similar, though.[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Venser, Shaper Savant]
[B]Venser, Shaper Savant[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A very versatile creature[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]This spell accomplishes many things including: -
1. Bouncing a permanent
2. Remanding almost any spells (even spells that can't be countered)
3. Plays the role of a 2/2 wizard. This is relevant for several reasons. 2/* means that it can be a Reveillark target. Wizard means that it fits inside blue's strong wizard tribal tradition[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Its CIP abilities are very abusable with Momentary Blink class spells or Crystal Shard which allows you to reap the bouncy, bouncy benefits[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is USD3.92 on MTGCards.info which is rather affordable in itself[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[SPOILER=Voidmage Husher]
[B]Voidmage Husher[/B]
[B]General Description[/B]
[INDENT]A repeatable "counter target ability"[/INDENT]
[B]Main Usage in EDH[/B]
[INDENT]Most decks would have a relevant ability which you will want to counter, be it Planeswalker-class ability or even a well-aimed Strip Mine on your lands.[/INDENT]
[B]Deck Type Notes[/B]
[INDENT]This card could generally go inside a wide range of decks running blue.[/INDENT]
[B]Combos[/B]
[INDENT]Not a very combo-rific card on its own though it certainly disrupts many combos[/INDENT]
[B]Low Budget Substitutes[/B]
[INDENT]This card is only USD0.23 on MTGCards.info. That seems budget enough[/INDENT]
[/SPOILER]
[/SPOILER]
List tags are malformed.
Ambition's Cost
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Contamination
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Damnation
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Death Cloud
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Decree of Pain
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Demonic Tutor
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Diabolic Tutor
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Dread
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Mind Twist
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Necropotence
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Oversold Cemetery
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Phyrexian Arena
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Profane Command
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Promise of Power
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Yawgmoth's Will
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Akroma, Angel of Fury
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Anger
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Avatar of Fury
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Banefire
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Blood Moon
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Bogardan Hellkite
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Capricious Efreet
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Decree of Annihilation
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Demonfire
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Dwarven Blastminer
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Flowstone Flood
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Gamble
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Imperial Recruiter
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Insurrection
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Magus of the Moon
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Price of Glory
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Ruination
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Vicious Shadows
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Wheel of Fortune
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Acidic Slime
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Deadwood Treefolk
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Eternal Witness
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Kodama's Reach
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Krosan Grip
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Krosan Tusker
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Life from the Loam
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Natural Order
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Primal Command
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Skyshroud Claim
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Sylvan Library
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Verdant Force
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Woodfall Primus
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Yavimaya Elder
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Aura Shards
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Eladamri's Call
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Knight of the Reliquary
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Lim-Dul's Vault
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Memory Plunder
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Wargate
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Academy Ruins
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Boseiju, Who Shelters All
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
High Market
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Kor Haven
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Maze of Ith
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Minamo, School at Water's Edge
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Vesuva
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Armillary Sphere
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Gilded Lotus
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Journeyer's Kite
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Lightning Greaves
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Memnarch
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Mind's Eye
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Sensei's Divining Top
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Skullclamp
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Sol Ring
General Description
Main Usage in EDH
Deck Type Notes
Combos
Low Budget Substitutes
Necromancer's Covenant
http://magiccards.info/arb/en/82.html
General Description
Your opponent loses their graveyard and you get a considerable army of "vampire" zombies. An alternate Identity Crisis which concentrates more on aggro and less on control.
Use in EDH
Recursion is used a lot in EDH from what I know. This hoses the grave and provides a considerable force, not to mention life gain iif you need it. What really counts usually is the graveyard hose, buut who doesn't want an army of undead+life? It's a good card but I would personally take Identity Crisis over it.
Deck Type Notes
Works with all WB decks. The mana cost is less demanding than Identitiy Crisis.
Combos
Wrath effects in general.
Budget Substitutes
If you don't have 36 cents then MTG isn't for you, I'm sorry.
You value knowledge, logic, and deceit. You love to pursue wisdom but also to manipulate and deceive. At your best, you are brilliant and progressive. At your worst, you are treacherous and cold. Your symbol is a water droplet. Your enemies are green and red.
Sylvan Library
Sylvan Library
General Description Main Usage in EDH Deck Type Notes Combos Low Budget Substitute
Skyshroud Claim
Skyshroud Claim
General Description Main Usage in EDH Deck Type Notes Combos Low Budget Substitute
Swords to Plowshares
General Description
For W, exile a creature. Then, the creatures controller gains life equal to the creatures toughness.
Main Usage in EDH
Now you can have 2 Paths in your deck. One mana removal is great, and without a huge drawback.
Deck Type Notes
Just great in any deck running white, dirt cheap removal.
Combos
I don't think there are any, other than Pulling from Eternity your Autochron Wurm after using this on it. Just reanimate to continue the fun!
Low Budget Substitutes
KInda expensive, replacable with Journey to nowhere.
I'm Da_Man on Cockatrice
General Description
Best Fatty Ever Printed. Saproling token every turn including your opponents.
Main Usage in EDH
Since EDH is primarily a multiplayer format with just 3 other players the tokens just start to pile up. Very few card with upkeep triggers like Verdant Force triggers on each players upkeep. Dragon Broodmother is the only one that immediately comes to mind.
Deck Type Notes
Triple green is rather restrictive and this guy would probably fit best in mono- or bi-coloured decks. Reanimation and cheating him into play with Mayael or Natural Order can get around the mana cost in triple- to five-coloured decks.
Combos
No real combos but amazing with anything that can take advantage of massive amounts of tokens. Skullclamp loves 1/1 tokens. Devour creatures like Mycoloth. Ashnod's Altar for mana.
Low Budget Substitute
Incredibly cheap and not very hard to find.
White
General Description
Token generator and more often then not a one-sided Wrath.
Main Usage in EDH
Wrath effects are incredibly important to the format. This is a Wrath effect that destroys your opponents dudes and leaves you with at least 5 dudes to attack with. While it's best to use this for its Wrath effect it isn't always terrible to just produce a couple of tokens.
Deck Type Notes
Most white decks should run this card.
Combos
No combos really but tokens are always good for Skullclamp.
Low Budget Substitute
This card seems to fluctuate in price but doesn't seem like it will rise above 5 dollars. There really is no Wrath effect that mirrors this card perfectly. In terms of tokens Mobilization, Sacred Mesa and Storm Herd are some of the best token generators in white and incredibly cheap.
Black
General Description
The black Wrath of God. It only costs 4 mana.
Main Usage in EDH
While black does have Wraths like Decree of Pain or Plague Wind it doesn't get that effect at such a cheap casting cost. EDH is a format that likes mass removal a lot.
Deck Type Notes
Fits in any deck that runs black. Some decks may not need it but Wrath effects are always good.
Combos
It's Wrath of God, do people need anymore description?
Low Budget Substitute
This will cost you over ten bucks. Plague Wind and Decree of Pain are cheap substitutes and are also great EDH cards. Ideally a combination of the three should be in any black deck.
708th at Grand Prix: Toronto 2013
Modern: U/R Delver, RUG Scapeshift, Pod
Standard: Jeskai Tempo
Legacy: Dredge, Burn
Pauper: Mono-U Delver
EDH: Ghave, Token Master
Capricious Efreet.
General Description:
Capricious Efreet (CE) gives you odds on destroying a non-land permanent. He's not really played in other formats.
Main Usage in EDH:
CE is good mainly because he gives mono-red the ability to deal with permanents that are usually tough for mono-red to deal with, especially enchantments. Although you get 2:1 odds to begin with, you can further tip the scales by using a token or other permanent as your side of the wager. 6 power for 6 mana ain't too shabby either.
CE also offers an interesting political angle; because you don't decide what gets blown up, the random-maker does, you can sometimes pass the blame off on fate.
Deck Type Notes:
Again, CE is probably best in mono-red, when other less random answers aren't available. There is some potential for abuse when coupled with other colors, like using bounce effects to mess with targeting for instance, but in general, CE gives mono-red answers where previously it had none (okay, except in Nevy's Disk and O-stone).
Combos:
Since you must destroy one of the targeted permanents at random, you can sacrifice or remove one or more targets before the ability resolves. My favorite CE paring is Seige-Gang Commander. He gives you tokens and a sac outlet to insure one of two of your opponent's permanents are going to get blown up. Not really a combo per se though.
Low Budget Substitute:
CE is unique. Nevy's Disk and O-stone provide answers to permanents as well. CE's versatility and randomness are not replicated elsewhere. He's pretty low budget to begin with though.
General Description
Does exactly the same thing as Demonic Tutor at double the cost.
Main Usage in EDH
Tutors are always good in EDH and like Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor one that can get any card in your deck is good.
Deck Type Notes
This should be run alongside Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor. Any deck that runs black should run this, even if you run Demonic and Vampiric you should still run this as a third tutor.
Combos
None.
Low Budget Substitute
Dirt cheap since it has been printed so many times.
708th at Grand Prix: Toronto 2013
Modern: U/R Delver, RUG Scapeshift, Pod
Standard: Jeskai Tempo
Legacy: Dredge, Burn
Pauper: Mono-U Delver
EDH: Ghave, Token Master
Aven Mindcensor
General Description
It's a highly disruptive creature with evasion and flash. Quite the devastating little package.
Main Usage in EDH
It does exactly what you think it does. It annoys your opponent(s) every time they want to Tutor for something, or even look for a land.
Deck Type Notes
This should probably be in almost any predominantly W deck and should be in every mono W EDH deck, since mono W has very few ways to interact with combo decks or control decks that use lots of tutors.
Combos
There really aren't any combos with this. It's a one card wrecking ball to some decks.
Low Budget Substitute
There is no substitute for this asymmetrical effect. It's budget anyway, so pick one up.
Sacred Mesa
General Description
It's an army producer and mana sink.
Main Usage in EDH
It's used to sink all your mana into to produce a wall of dudes. It's usually just used to finish an opponent off while chump blocking anything they might be swinging with sans trample.
Deck Type Notes
This is best suited in a deck that can produce lots of mana, and white mana specifically. It's very well suited to control strategies and could find its way into aggro, but combo wants nothing to do with this card.
Combos
With Skullclamp you can draw tons of cards; with Smokestack you can wrath away everything your opponent(s) throw(s) at you all for the cost of mana and patience; with Humility you can create a sizable army that will overrun any creature your opponent plays(although your Mesa tokens will lose flying this way).
Low Budget Substitutes
It is low budget and nothing does what this card does exactly.
World Queller
General Description
It's a sniper of problem permanents with a sizable body.
Main Usage in EDH
It can take down any annoying permanent given enough time. Lands and artifacts are popular choices in Stax variants.
Deck Type Notes
It's perfectly at home in aggro and Stax decks. May also be usable in control with some special construction. Combo decks have no use for this card.
Combos
With any token producers, you can name creatures to create an asymmetrical wrath. Works well with Crucible of Worlds to hinder or even stop your opponent's mana development, while keeping your at par.
Low Budget Substitutes
This card is low budget and there aren't any substitutes. It's a one-of-a-kind package.
Desertion
General Description
It's basically an instant speed Control Magic that trades off being able to be played main phase for having other uses.
Main Usage in EDH
It's mostly used on creatures for blowout scenarios in board position, but artifacts like Gilded Lotus and Mindslaver are more than worthy targets.
Deck Type Notes
Useful in any blue deck that's about attrition and grinding your opponent down through card advantage.
Combos
None.
Low Budget Substitutes
This will set you back about $3, but it's well worth that. Depending on what you need it for, Control Magic and Acquire could be fine subs.
Draining Whelk
General Description
It's a counterspell and an evasive creature rolled into one.
Main Usage in EDH
Countering bombs and adding to board position. This makes it card advantage and a win condition. It's nice to counter the most expensive stuff possible with this, but don't be afraid to counter something that is "only" 3-4 mana.
Deck Type Notes
Playing blue? Need counterspells? Need creatures? Can you afford to hold six mana open? If you met this criteria, you should probably be playing this card.
Combos
This is fantastic with Erratic Portal, Crystal Shard and any instant speed reanimation.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is low budget.
Evacuation
General Description
This is the blue Wrath of God.
Main Usage in EDH
It is used when you want counter mana open, but also want the option to reset the board. May be used to give the blue player another chance to counter any creature that may have slipped through.
Deck type Notes
This is best in U heavy control decks, or UG decks where there really aren't any hard wraths available outside of Nevinyrral's Disk or Oblivion Stone.
Combos
None.
Low Budget Substitutes
This might run you $1, so just pick it up. Wash Out may be another option, but they perform differently.
Mind Twist
General Description
An extremely potent discard option with even a fair amount of mana.
Main Usage in EDH
Utterly destroying the most threatening opponent or the player who may have answers in hand for your future plans.
Deck type Notes
If your deck can produce black mana, and you can produce at least 5 mana total, you should be playing this. Don't listen to those who say you shouldn't play this in multiplayer-- they will thank you when you empty the hand of the guy holding all the wraths.
Combos
None that are really any good, and Megrim sucks before anyone mentions it. Hive Mind could be funny.
Low Budget Substitutes
This will probably run you in the neighborhood of $4. Mind Shatter is an alternative, at about $0.25-$0.50 each.
Oversold Cemetery
General Description
It's a one card recursion engine that costs only two mana.
Main Usage in EDH
It's used to win wars of attrition, by grabbing creatures that have been destroyed, sacrificed, or discarded.
Deck Type Notes
This isn't any good in decks that can't reliably get creatures into the gy. Basically, all you need is a decent amount of creatures and this card becomes fantastic.
Combos
Any creature that can sacrifice or an effect that causes you to sacrifice a creature for gain. Fleshbag Marauder and Shriekmaw are two favorites in color.
Low Budget Substitutes
This is a 2-3 dollar card, so it's not unattainable. There really aren't any substitutes for what this card does, especially at this mana cost. You could go for one-time shot effects like Grim Discovery, a mana intensive but reliable option is Disturbed Burial, and even Reaping the Graves can be an interesting option.
Phyrexian Arena
General Description
It's cheap and powerful card advantage.
Main Usage in EDH
The lifeloss is no match for the incremental(but extremely potent) advantage Phyrexian Arena gives you. It's used to out card advantage your opponent(s), which is amazing given how important card advantage is in this format.
Deck type Notes
This is useful in just about any black EDH deck. It's entirely possible that it gets played in 5 color decks, which have all the best spells available to them. Not as stellar in combo decks.
Combos
No good ones that are specific with what this card does.
Low Budget Substitutes
This isn't expensive, but Night's Whisper, Sign in Blood, Ancient craving, and Ambition's Cost can give you one-shot effects.
Imperial Recruiter
General Description
A truly unique and powerful tutor specific to creatures with power 2 or less.
Main Usage in EDH
It's hard to say, but for mono R it fetches: Magus of the Moon, Goblin Welder, Duplicant, Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, Siege-Gang Commander, Viashino Heretic and many more.
Deck type notes
Useful in decks with either lots of low power creatures or any tutorable creatures that are too powerful or disruptive not to include.
Combos
It's cute with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and pretty good with Erratic Portal
Low Budget Substitutes
None, and this card is ridiculously expensive, so you'll most likely just be thinking about this card unless your playgroup is proxy friendly.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
General Description
This is one of red's most powerful cards. It can create card and board advantage in numerous ways.
Main Usage in EDH
It's usually used to copy a creature with an etb ability. This makes it extremely versatile and difficult to race given the right creatures.
Deck Type Notes
The deck that uses this must be heavy in red and probably heavy in creatures with etb/ltb effects.
Combos
Pestermite and Sky Hussar are for the instant win combos via combat damage, but there are tons of ways to abuse Kiki-Jiki that don't involve combos.
Low Budget Substitutes
There are no substitutes for this, but this card is only about $3, so it shouldn't be too hard to get a hold of.
Magus of the Moon
General Description
An amazingly disruptive creature against any deck that's heavy on nonbasics.
Main Usage in EDH
It's usually used as part of a mana denial strategy and it can swing for two in the mean time, while your opponent struggles to cast spells.
Deck type Notes
This will usually be used in decks that are running mostly basic lands, but it's entirely possible to put it in a deck that is heavy on nonbasics to use as an Armageddon in the mirror.
Combos
No good ones.
Low Budget Substitutes
Blood Moon is a little bit cheaper than this, but they are both in the 4-5 dollar range.
I'll have some for the other sections another day.
Oh and sharky, you have a description for Ancient Craving. Just use the one I gave for Ambition's Cost and change the name.
Pauper Cube
I cube, I play EDH, and I can't afford Legacy. The other formats can suck it.
@ Bjamman & Da_Man: Thanks for the descriptions, but neither of the cards you posted are on the top 35 list. Check out the "Cards without Descriptions" spoiler in the opening post for a list of cards to write about.
@Drahcir_Nagrom: Thanks for the reminder. A few of the functional reprint cards are listed in the 'not done' list, and I'll fix that (probably right now...).
My Altered Art Gallery
General Description
A tutor that puts thing directly into play.
Main Usage in EDH
Tutors are already really good for singleton formats like EDH and now there is one that takes any permanent in your library directly into play. At worst this is a Rampant Growth that puts the land into play untapped. At best, well your mana's the limit
Deck Type Notes
Unfortunatley only decks based on Bant-colours or 5-Colour decks can use it due to the three seperate colours. But if you have the space in those kinds of decks then you definitely should run it.
Combos
Use this to grab Eternal Witness and once it's in play return Wargate to your hand.
Low Budget Substitute
This is already low budget and there is no card that perfectly replicates this.
Artifact
General Description
Haste and shroud for any creature in your deck.
Main Usage in EDH
This costs only two mana and no mana to equip. This card is great because it generally protects your general from spot removal but for any aggro general or one with an activated ability the haste is important.
Deck Type Notes
This really should be in every deck but for decks that rely on their generals it's powerful. This is especially good for generals that are aggressive like Rafiq or Zur. And generals that require you to tap like Mayael. Even decks that don't rely on their general this is powerful as it gives any creature you have haste and shroud all for two mana.
Combos
None
Low Budget Substitute
It's not that cheap for a uncommon but it won't cost more then 4 dollars max. Something like [card]Whispersilk Cloak
[/card] gives shroud but it costs one more mana and cost mana too equip.
708th at Grand Prix: Toronto 2013
Modern: U/R Delver, RUG Scapeshift, Pod
Standard: Jeskai Tempo
Legacy: Dredge, Burn
Pauper: Mono-U Delver
EDH: Ghave, Token Master
General Description
Low cost tech at instant speed.
Main Usage in EDH
All three modes are infinitely useful in EDH. Bottom deck your opponent's general, get rid of that pesky artifact, or say no to your opponent's instant-speed attempt to kill your own general.
Deck Type Notes
If you are playing the correct colors, you should have this card in your deck.
Combos
Not really a combo card.
Low Budget Substitute
There is no other single card that gives you the same options, but it is Condemn, Dispel, and Oxidize on a stick.
General Description
A 1-mana artifact that allows you to set up your draws and is difficult to get rid of.
Main Usage in EDH
Draw setup and digging. If there is a card on top that you absolutely need, Sensei's Divining Top can trade places with it. Also, it avoids most "destroy all artifacts" effects.
Deck Type Notes
I really can't think of a reason not to play this in every EDH deck you ever make.
Combos
Magus of the future and future sight!
Low Budget Substitute
There is no low budget substitute for this that is a permanent. Brainstorm and Ponder offer similar effects, but as a one time thing. This card shouldn't cost more than $5 though.
EDH
GUBVorosh, the HunterGUB
BRGKarrthus, Tyrant of JundBRG
GMolimo, Maro-SorcererG
UThada Adel, AcquisitorU list soon
BEndrek Sahr, Master BreederB
For Top I added the Etherium Sculpter/Future Sight combo, and that it works with Counterbalance.
Made all the recommended edits to Sylvan Library.
@hadoukkened - I didn't add your Bant Charm description because it really didn't seem to add anything that you couldn't get from reading the card (except mentioning you can use a couple modes on peoples generals).