The Commander 2015 Review Continues!

Hi, everyone; welcome back!

So... how about those new Commander cards?

It looks like they've done a hell of a job with the cards in this set. Many aren't overtly powerful, but I feel that there's more wheat than chaff here. Let's have a look in Part 2 of the Commander 2015 breakdown.

White

Righteous Confluence

"Yuna! Send him!"

Not the most thrilling offering, but 6 power for five mana (spread over three bodies) isn't too bad. Lifegain can be relevant in the format; I've won games with the lonegevity granted by Ajani, Mentor of Heroes. While this isn't on the same scale, 15 life for 5 mana isn't awful. Exiling enchantments might come up; following a turn 4 Enchanted Evening with this on turn five could be a lot of fun. Overall, I wish this could hit artifacts as well, but this offers a few niche effects bundled together nicely for a reasonable cost. Hard to argue with that.


Bastion Protector

Alright, so we've got a efficient creature that keeps your Commander around. Kind of a redundant effect in something like a Rafiq deck (if they run Knight Exemplar). Plus, I could see this being called Arya Stark, given the resemblance to Maisie Williams. If your Commander is the engine that drives your deck, is white (no Tumblr hate, pls), and is not Avacyn (the good one), Arya here is probably worth running.


Dawnbreak Reclaimer

Get it? Because the ability scales!

I don't usually like giving my opponents a choice, with two exceptions. One, if I can politically strongarm them into doing what I want, and the other exception is if they don't have much of a choice at all. Dawnbreak Reclaimer is the second kind of card. It's kind of reminiscent of Guided Passage, a favourite of mine, in that they can't "fail to find," unless a card that meets the criteria doesn't exist. On top of netting some benefit (even something as innocuous as Burnished Hart), you can use this politically, choosing an opponent with no graveyard, or one with the power to repay you in some way. I like this, and it's a fairly efficient creature to boot.


Grasp of Fate

Man, do I ever wish they still used the templating for Oblivion Ring. As is, Grasp of Fate is potentially high reward for substantial risk. Many high-value targets in the format have some kind of ETB ability, meaning you're offering them extra mileage for the low, low price of taking revenge on you anyway. See the problem? That's not to say that this is terrible, but if you're the kind of person that watched John Wick and thought, "Man they shouldn't have killed that dog," then this card might not be for you.


Shielded by Faith

Shielded by Faith is somewhat evocative of Gift of Immortality, with a dash of Prison Term thrown in. I think this card is great; there are a lot of Commanders that will want Indestructible for cheap, and you can cast it anytime you have a creature in the early game, and attach it to the boss when he shows up. Probably going to straight into Zur, Uril, and Bruna decks 'round the world now.


Blue

Mystic Confluence

This is probably the breakout card for the set. Magic "financiers" have already indicated an interest in speculating on this, given its ability to roughly mimic Cryptic Command. I don't forsee the demand on this card pushing demand of Seize Control to the level of Mind Seize in 2013, which was sought after because of the inclusion of True-Name Nemesis. Mystic Confluence offers nothing but value. It's a soft counter that can be hard, plus a bounce or a draw. I can't think of too many blue decks that won't want this. Hopefully, demand doesn't make the deck this comes in impossible to obtain for MSRP.


Aethersnatch

This is kind of an upgrade to Commandeer. No alternate cost, but this can target creature spells and clocks in at one mana cheaper to hardcast. Any deck that plays Commandeer or the like will probably want to run this as well.


Gigantoplasm

It's rare that I throw the term "strictly better" around, but this appears to be a strictly better Clone. In the time before the most recent update to the "legend rule," I fought for a long time to get Clone onto various lists of "staples." I'm older and wiser now, and Clone's ability to act as Commander removal that got around hexproof is a thing of the past. Even so, I've seen Sakashima the Imposter decks that basically operate as Clone-tribal, so this might be a fun inclusion there. The modified Mirror Entity ability the copy gets is useful, too, allowing you to copy a utility creature, get an ETB trigger, and then be able to beat an opponent with your copy. Pretty cool!


Black

Wretched Confluence

Here, we have a pricier Ambition's Cost/ Ancient Craving that can trade the card draw amd life loss for a Recover or the removal of a small utility creature. As with the other Confluence cards in the expansion, I expect this will see play due to its flexibility.


Deadly Tempest

It's not Damnation, so it's unplayable jank, right? In reality, this is useful against a variety of decks. Yeah, six mana can be a lot, and this doesn't offer the flexibility that Austere Command does for the same price, but this also pisses all over token decks in a way that relatively few other cards can pull off. This will be good.


Scourge of Nel Toth

Normally, French Vanilla (or creatures that are essentially French Vanilla) aren't that interesting. Scourge offers some flexibility in its casting, and based on the Uncharted Realms article he's in, his abilities are a flavour win, but I'd probably pass on this one. At seven mana, he's not what you'd be happy hardcasting in the mid-to-late game, and even if you get him out early, he's going to either make you a target or die. Setting yourself back two potential blockers to cheat out a flying 6/6 just isn't worth it.


Dread Summons

Contrary to popular belief, mill is a viable Plan A in Commander. Normally, it'd be Phenax or Oona, but something like The Mimeoplasm is something of a mill strategy, too. I think Dread Summons has a place in a Mimeoplasm deck, or some Sidisi, Brood Tyrant builds. The access to green ramp could help make the value of X in Dread Summons's casting cost more significant that it's be in UB Phenax or Oona, while either doubling down of creatures in Sidisi, or filling the graveyard for Mimeoplasm.


Red

Magus of the Wheel

Man, I wish this had been part of a Sorcery-based cycle. Ah, well. As it stands, the obvious application is Nekusar. Mono-red isn't usually a winning game plan, but I expect we'll see our new Magus fairly often in red decks, given the increase in the cost of Wheel of Fortune.




Mizzix's Mastery

This feels like Past in Flames to me. The RRR in the Overload cost is harsh, but if played appropriately, could easily close out the game. This card could be dangerous; one to keep an eye on, for sure.


Green

Verdant Confluence

The last of the Confluences! Verdant Confluence has a couple flaws, in my opinion, likely caused by an attempt for some balance. As it is, it's a triple Rampant Growth, or a triple almost-Regrowth, or a pile of counters, for a fair price. The ability to put counters does require you to have a creature, for maximum benefit, but you can help out an ally, or two, or three. If it seems underpowered, then I'd argue that the restrictions on the first two abilities are balanced by the third. Ramp is seldom a bad thing in a game of Commander, and getting three lands from your library for one card is pretty solid.


Arachnogenesis

So, a Fog, token producer, and combat trick all in one? This seems pretty cool. It can be used offensively, and though you won't get any bonus spiders for attacking, at least yours will come home. Spider support is growing, hopefully when we head back to Innistrad we'll get a legendary spider.


Centaur Vinecrasher

Okay, so this looks like a Knight of the Reliquary/ Vengevine mashup. I don't know if I'd play it. I play Knight of the Reliquary and ten fetchlands. Realistically, I might have 2-5 lands in the mid game. So, I'd be paying 4 mana for around a 5/5 with trample. That I can recur (slowly) if I bin another land. Meh.


Multicoloured

Karlov of the Ghost Council

Repeatable removal on a small, cheap potential Commander, that incrementally grows when you gain life? Yes, you have to jump through a couple hoops. But lifegain isn't necessarily bad in a meta where Commander damage isn't a concern (for whatever reason). Hell, Oloro could run this for significant profit. And the Orzhov are all about profit.


Meren of Clan Nel Toth

Wow. Meren is... abusable (stand down, Tumblr). There are at least a few creatures that can sacrifice for cheap (if not for free) that would then net you an experience counter. Sakura-Tribe Elder, Fleshbag Marauder, Awakening Zone, From Beyond, and Birthing Pod are all powerful ways to sacrifice creatures, and that's just scratching the surface. And Meren offers utility even if you don't have "enough" experience counters, letting you recycle your creatures. An extremely powerful Commander.


Ezuri, Claw of Progress

Ezuri seems good alongside token producers. From Beyond, Awakening Zone, Avenger of Zendikar, Elvish Promenade, all of these are solid. And then you go to combat, dump a pile of counters on a creature, and go to town. Doubling Season, Parallel Lives, and ways to make your creatures unblockable are all great with Ezuri.


Anya, Merciless Angel

First of all, gorgeous art. I'm not 100% sure yet on where Anya fits in, lore-wise, but I guess we could safely assume that she's another of Razia's clones, like Aurelia? Anyway, Anya, Late to the Party, is an acceptable body for a reasonable cost that just... attacks. She's at lease evasive, I suppose, but I'd run Gisela over her, if I had to play RW.


Arjun, the Shifting Flame

A six mana 5/5 Mindmoil. It's... different, I guess? It doesn't really read that well. Tough to plan ahead when you get a different hand every time you attempt to do something. In a "chaos" themed deck,


Colourless

Seal of the Guildpact

Shoutout time! This card was spoiled by Tolarian Community College's Professor; if you're unfamiliar with his Youtube Channel, I recommend you check it out.

Not much to say about this card. It's a fine card, I guess; a big Medallion. Five mana feels like a lot to me, given that Gilded Lotus is the same price and provides more flexibility, in that you can use the mana on activated abilities and the like. I'm not interested in this card so much.


Command Beacon

Most people are excited that this helps enable Haakon and Phage as Commanders, though the former will still require some effort. It's a shame it's only in one of the new decks, because it helps overcome the Commander tax for Commanders that are big targets, and I'd hate to see demand for this drive up the cost for the deck it's in. Time will tell, but I like this card, and expect it to see play in any deck that can afford to play a land that doesn't tap for coloured mana.



That's all for today! Join me next time for the thrilling conclusion!

As always, let me know if you've got feedback or criticism. Thanks for reading!