MTG Salvation

I'm looking for the community's input on this topic:

I've recently realized that some cards have so much value, are just so good, they should probably be in every deck that plays the appropriate colors (if the deck isn't themed, obviously). This means that a card needs ZERO support to be good; it just rocks all on it's own.

Here are some obvious ones:

• Wurmcoil
  
• Sensei's Divining Top
  
• Sylvan Library
  
• Sol Ring
  
• Swords to Plowshares
  
• Path to Exile
  
• Oblivion Ring
  
• Primeval Titan
  
• Phyrexian Arena
  
• Solemn Simulacrum

Obviously, the point of this thread is to uncover the not-so-blatant choices. Here's my recent discoveries:

• Grave Titan
  
• Huntmaster of the Fells
  
• Vendilion Clique
  
• Beast Within (instant speed, ability to hit creatures and PWs puts this guy over the top)
  
• Cryptic Command (the utility is unbeatable)
  
• Nim Deathmantle (creature recursion AND evasion, in ANY color)

Please share any obvious ones that I missed, but much more importantly tell us your discoveries of must have cards that people may not realize!

Consecrated Sphinx, Serra Ascendant. I disagree with your choice of Huntmaster, he doesn't actually do that much in the realm of 40 life, though I guess he's fine if he flips. My experience with him is that he doesn't do enough. I also prefer Faith's Fetters over Oblivion Ring but that's an unusual view, I like shutting down opposing commanders without allowing them to be put back in the command zone.

I think that this thread: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=427227 is the best possible answer to the question raised in the OP.

White - Swords to Plowshares
Blue - Consecrated Sphinx
Black - Demonic Tutor
Red - Chaos Warp
Green - Primeval Titan
Colorless - Sensei's Divining Top, Sol Ring

Those are the only cards I consider in the format that if you're in the colors, I see no reason not to play if you're looking for optimization.

Gilded Lotus is also fantastic. I also disagree with Phyrexian Arena. Just not a big fan of that card. Also: if you are playing Oblivion Ring, there is ZERO excuse for not playing Journey to Nowhere. You are going to hit creatures with O-Ring anyway, so why not play the cheaper version?

R

• Chaos Warp
  
• Wheel of Fortune

B

• Spell Crumple
  
• Hinder
  
• Rhystic Study

W

• Oblation
  
• Austere Command

G

• Regrowth
  
• Primeval Titan
  
• Sylvan Library

B

• Demonic Tutor
  
• Syphon Mind

Land

• Strip Mine
  
• High Market

C

• Sensei's Divining Top
  
• Sol Ring

Obviously deck context is important too but most of the above cards at least start in decks of appropriate color and then might get cut out depending on the deck. Generally they are going to stay in though.

Quote from DrendDragonspawn

Gilded Lotus is also fantastic. I also disagree with Phyrexian Arena. Just not a big fan of that card. Also: if you are playing Oblivion Ring, there is ZERO excuse for not playing Journey to Nowhere. You are going to hit creatures with O-Ring anyway, so why not play the cheaper version?

Because the reason people play O-ring is for catch-all removal. Planeswalkers, other enchantments, things that are just generally hard to remove. If you're looking for creature removal why don't you just play Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile?

How about looking at the top 50 cards of each color thread. That should be a great indicator of which cards to play in this format.

But it's really not. There are plenty of useful cards in the top 50 lists that don't automatically create awesome when they hit the board.

Demonic Tutor, Consecrated Sphinx, Rhystic Study, and Bribery definitely count. Can't believe I missed those!

I included Huntmaster because of his board presence. In our competitive play group, early game is relevant (unlike many people's EDH communities) and Huntmaster gives your immense bang for your buck

Quote from asw122

I'd go a step further than few - there are no auto includes. EDH is about experimentation. I've run decks without basics (which are arguably the most auto-include decks), and no, there was no hermit druid in it.

Exactly. Though if you are playing monored Stranglehold goes a long way to messing with the rest of the table.

Oftentimes, the way I'll build decks is to pick a color combo I like, look at the "staple" cards in that color, and then say to myself: "What kind of deck WOULDN'T want these cards?"

So I often end up looking at weird themes where not only do many of the staple cards not help, but they either actively hurt or just don't come anywhere close to being as good as on-theme cards.

For example, I have a blue deck that revolves around constantly bouncing everything to owner's hand - cards like Evacuation, Cowardice, and Devastating Tide and ways to recur them (usually with ETB creatures so I can cycle constantly). Obviously Bribery is no good in that deck - why do I want to get your best creature on the board if I'm going to play Evacuation?

So I definitely agree that there are no auto-includes. In fact, I think that the utility stuff (O-Ring, Eternal Witness, etc.) are more likely to find spots anyway than the big stuff like Consecrated Sphinx and Primeval Titan.

I pretty much 100% disagree here, both in content and concept. Rather than repeat myself, here is the essay I wrote on this topic last year:

http://mtgcommander.net/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11023

Can't believe no one has said Solemn Simulacrum or Reliquary Tower yet. Those are two of my autoincludes.

Also:
Mulldrifter
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Darksteel Ingot
Counterspell

We already have several threads covering this topic. The Top 50 Cards List or The Hidden Gems thread might be a good place to start.