Magic: the Gathering

Review

Commander & cEDH - Top 8 Best cards from Phyrexia: All Will be One

, Comment regular icon0 comments

Check out a selection of the best Phyrexia: All Will be One cards for the Competitive Commander !

Writer image

translated by Romeu

Writer image

revised by Tabata Marques

Edit Article

Introduction and about Toxic

Before starting to discuss my top 10, I must make it clear that the set apparently did not bring any absolutely broken cards or that it will be absurdly impactful in the format, however, in my opinion, it brought interesting options for additions and new strategies to use. That is, while you have good cards to test, few of them are likely to be really relevant.

Now that they released all the spoilers for this issue, which is full of cards, I will mention the new mechanic: Toxic. In Commander in general, it probably won't see play, due to the difficulty of adding the poison counters, especially when they aren't linked to the damage caused by the creature.

Ad

Top 8 best ONE cards for Commander

Mercurial Spelldancer

Loading icon

A creature that cannot be blocked and therefore is already a good piece for Tymna the Weaver decks because even against another deck with evasion, it guarantees Tymna's draw.

It's not hard to play it in one turn and, before reaching your next turn, you already have enough counters to activate its last effect since it triggers for any noncreature spell.

When you square the damage and remove the counters, it will double your next instant or sorcery, and that opens up countless possibilities, especially after you've drawn from Tymna. Tutors, recursions, rituals or removals, nothing gets worse when it comes double.

Because it's a slow effect since you need to put counters and fit damage while dodging a removal, Mercurial Spelldancer might not see much play. But I think it's worth a test and is very interesting, especially to avoid tables with a higher amount of stax.

Skrelv's Hive

Loading icon

It's the white Bitterblossom, which generates a good amount of tokens.

It can be helpful for Winota, Joiner of Forces decks because the card generates tokens that trigger Winota's ability to bring in more creatures that will crash the board and allow you to generate a snowball of stax and creatures, ensuring victory.

All Will Be One

Loading icon

In addition to having the name of the set, All Will Be One is a card that can loop damage with 3 other cards, as long as after they resolve you can trigger the loop. Is this broken? Absolutely not.

However, it is a new way to win playing Mono-Red. Of course, with that, there is still the difficulty of having to find these cards. One of them is The Red Terror which can be a commander - not that it's good, it just reduces the number of tutors you'll need, with the cards War Elemental and Quest for Pure Flame.

Maybe it can be used on Rakdos as a wincon that exposes you less than Worldgorger Dragon. Even though it depends on more mana, the number of pieces is the same, but you are less exposed when it comes to winning.

Unctus, Grand Metatect

Loading icon

This legendary creature is yet another Mono Blue commander option, which combos with any creature that manages to untap, so you endlessly tap and untap until you reach the limit of your library, carving your hand, and then cast a Thassa's Oracle.

Creatures that have the ability to untap are kind of rare in blue. However, it does have two cards that go well with it right off the bat: Tidewater Minion, which costs 5 mana and can't guarantee it'll stay alive until your next turn, and Aphetto Alchemist, which has morph and if you use other morphs you can hide it among them to protect it.

Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves are essential in the deck for you to try to combo on the same turn as you play the creatures. You can also use dorks that generate blue mana and Freed from the Real or Pemmin's Aura to keep tapping and untapping them.

Ad

The Mycosynth Gardens

Loading icon

This land is very interesting: having additional functionality in the manabase is always a good thing.

Its first and second ability are irrelevant, what makes this card relevant is you pay 0 and tap it, and if you started with a Mana Crypt, Jeweled Lotus or Lion's Eye Diamond now you have two, but unfortunately, except for the LED, all the others will only be usable on the next turn.

However, the acceleration potential that this card offers is not so great, since with the Crypt the gain is one mana per turn and the other copies require the sacrifice, but generate 3 mana.

It should replace some basic land in Underworld Breach decks or monocolored lists, since the presence of basic lands is much greater, being able to include one more utility land is always a great option.

Soulless Jailer

Loading icon

A mixture of Drannith Magistrate and Grafdigger's Cage can be very effective against most decks, preventing Underworld Breach, Sevinne's Reclamation and Jeska's Will.

(Un)fortunately, it doesn't prevent you from casting the commander, but even though it's so good, there's a very present card in the Metagame that isn't affected by it: Winota, Joiner of Forces doesn't suffer at all, which, added to the fact of it not being a human makes it an excellent creature in the deck. Its 0/4 body allows to attack without worrying too much as well.

Minor Misstep

Loading icon

A great counterspell. Before they say that this card won't see play, let's remember that one mana spells are the most common of the cEDH, not to mention that in addition to one-cost spells, you also counter zero mana cards.

You can counter Demonic Consultation, Lion's Eye Diamond, some counterspells, most of the tutors, and many ramps (both rituals and mana rocks).

Even though it is not a free counter, it will play just like Swan Song, An Offer You Can't Refuse, Dispel, Miscast and Spell Pierce already does at cEDH.

Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler

Loading icon

A Thousand-Year Elixir without having to pay mana to activate, and with a second reanimate function.

By far the best card in the set, a staple for decks that want to use dorks as their main form of acceleration, making them generate mana the turn they enter as if they were artifacts. You can make mana dork at 1, play Tyvar on turn 2, use his first ability, untap the dork, set another dork... in short, the strength he brings to this strategy is insane.

Its second ability is also great, since there are quite a few good targets to reanimate with it.

Loading icon

It will be an indispensable piece in Hermit Druid decks, as it allows you to activate it the next turn and bring back Thassa's Oracle.

Conclusion

The article ends here, have a wonderful week and good tables for you!

Ad

Any questions or opinions, I'm available in the comments!