The Lord of The Rings Commander Cards Review - Instants and Sorceries

Streets of New Capenna Set Review - Riveteers and Red

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalisse, Reverent Medium" href="#" target="_blank">Thalisse, Reverent Medium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CHeonhwa+Choe%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" data-track="{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;Card Detail&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;Navigate&quot;,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;Artist&quot;}">Heonhwa Choe</a>)</h6>
<h1>Surprise, it's Mikey!</h1>
<p>Welcome to <i>Challenge the Stats</i>! This series is based on the awesome <a href="https://edhrecast.libsyn.com/">EDHRECast</a> segment where we pick out cards that we think are overplayed, underplayed, or sleepers to challenge EDHREC’s data. But remember, these are merely comments on the data, and card choices made by <i>you,</i> the deckbrewer, for any reason such as flavor, budget, art, or fun are always most important and are what keep our format unique and awesome.</p>
<p>I’m <a href="https://commandersherald.com/author/mike-carrozza/">Mike Carrozza, aka Mark Carbonza of Commander’s Herald</a>, author of <em>Am I The Bolas?</em>, the column where you - yes, you! - write in and ask me to weigh in on your <em>Magic</em>-related situations and determine if you're the villain or if someone else is! I’m taking over good ol’ sweetiepie <a href="https://twitter.com/jevinmtg">Jevin Lortie</a>’s incredible column <em>Challenge the Stats</em> in an old-fashioned SWITCHEROO!</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/o7OBehYZ.jpg-large.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-82181 aligncenter" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/o7OBehYZ.jpg-large-214x300.jpeg" alt="" width="214" height="300" srcset="https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/o7OBehYZ.jpg-large-214x300.jpeg 214w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/o7OBehYZ.jpg-large-732x1024.jpeg 732w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/o7OBehYZ.jpg-large-768x1075.jpeg 768w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/o7OBehYZ.jpg-large-1097x1536.jpeg 1097w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/o7OBehYZ.jpg-large.jpeg 1463w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Shout out to <a href="https://twitter.com/ImKyle4815">Kyle Burton on Twitter</a> for this gorgeous alt.<br />
</em><em>Kyle does excellent work!</em></p>
<p>This week, we’re challenging <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalisse, Reverent Medium" href="#" target="_blank">Thalisse, Reverent Medium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of my favorite commanders in the last few years. Sure, it seems win-more to make tokens when you’ve already made tokens, but whatever! Have fun!</p>
<p>We’re challenging the data from all 1,117 Thalisse decks at the time of writing, and you can see how often those cards are played in parentheses (%). We might not see future Thalisse all-star <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undercity Scrounger" href="#" target="_blank">Undercity Scrounger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the data just yet, but perhaps we will eventually. Here we go!</p>
<hr />
<h2>LET'S (and I can't believe I get to say this) CHALLENGE SOME STATS!</h2>
<hr />
<h3>Overplayed</h3>
<hr />
<p><b>1. Mortify (39%)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mortify"></div></div>
<p>Let’s get an obvious one out of the way. We’re in Orzhov, baby! Things have come a long, long way. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Despark" href="#" target="_blank">Despark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Generous Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Generous Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anguished Unmaking" href="#" target="_blank">Anguished Unmaking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> show up on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalisse, Reverent Medium" href="#" target="_blank">Thalisse, Reverent Medium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>’s page for good reason.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mortify" href="#" target="_blank">Mortify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels difficult to justify. The aforementioned cards hit a higher diversity of targets, sometimes even exiling. Heck, even the drawback on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Generous Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Generous Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be unintended value if we need to target one of our lands late game at an end step before untapping to swing with an extra 3/3 and a 1/1 flying Spirit token if our commander is out.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mortify" href="#" target="_blank">Mortify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is multi-colored, does not exile, and does not target artifacts, planeswalkers, or lands. When considering our spot removal, this should be lower, in my opinion.</p>
<p><strong>2. Dramatic Finale (33%) </strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dramatic Finale"></div></div>
<p>Believe me, I want <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dramatic Finale" href="#" target="_blank">Dramatic Finale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to be really good here.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>An anthem that only buffs tokens for four colored pips that nets us a 3/2 flyer if a nontoken creature <em>we</em><i> control</i> dies, but only triggers once per turn has a lot more speed bumps than utility for my taste.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalisse, Reverent Medium" href="#" target="_blank">Thalisse, Reverent Medium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn’t Rakdos. We’re not doing the graveyard-<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron Dance" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron Dance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-type shenanigans or resurrecting creature cards a ton here. Thalisse makes tokens that either swing or get used as resources. The nontoken rider here particularly stinks for Thalisse decks. Sure, I can get on board with an anthem for tokens that also makes tokens, but man, if it triggered multiple times a turn per nontoken creature, or triggered once a turn no matter if the creature were a token or not, I would say 33% inclusion would make sense. Here, I see this as a flavor pick, a pet card, or somebody really needs <em>Devotion</em> for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I mean, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Field of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is right there! Oh, man, I just remembered that we only get a single buffed 2/1 flyer after a board wipe <i>if </i>we controlled a nontoken creature, and even if we had a bunch of them. This one gets me riled up!</p>
<p><strong>3. Geist-Honored Monk (19%)</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geist-Honored Monk"></div></div>
<p>The Monk enters the battlefield, then makes two tokens. With our commander out, that means four tokens total! But then this thing just sits there like a big beat stick with vigilance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>I can see the reasoning, but I don’t think it’s strong. At one more mana, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets us two 2/2 Zombies when it ETBs and attacks, and that's great even without Thalisse in play, and super spicy when she is! In a deck where the token creation is most valuable, I can understand wanting a payoff that isn’t a swarm, but this Monk gets chump blocked for days, and heaven forbid an opponent has a deathtoucher on board to block it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<hr />
<h2>Underplayed</h2>
<hr />
<p><b>4. Spirit Bonds (16%)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spirit Bonds"></div></div>
<p>Here’s a shocker: all of my picks for 'Underplayed' are about protecting our commander and other key creatures. This card just happens to allow us to make a token when we cast our nontoken pals. This card comes down early, is innocuous enough, and sometimes a single activation can be enough to swing things in our favor. Even just the threat of activation could be enough! I see this card in 16% of decks and fully believe it should be higher up. It’s on-theme, it’s protection, and it generates tokens. What more could you want?</p>
<p><b>5. Malakir Rebirth / Malakir Mire (10%)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malakir Rebirth"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malakir Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Malakir Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deserves a slot in every black deck, full stop. No matter the deck, you’ve always got at least one creature worth protecting in the command zone. If there’s nothing worth protecting, then boom, land drop. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalisse, Reverent Medium" href="#" target="_blank">Thalisse, Reverent Medium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is important to keep around, but if not her, maybe that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Hireling" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Hireling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deserves a save. Maybe we sacrifice our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in response to removal after hitting it with Rebirth and - what do you know - two more tokens and then two more after that if we’ve got our general out. I think this card rules.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p><b>6.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Fanatical Devotion (7%)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fanatical Devotion"></div></div>
<p>We’re going to have a lot of disposable tokens to sacrifice. We’re bound to have a few creatures worth saving from a board wipe that doesn’t have the “no regeneration” rider on it. I love love love this card.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<hr />
<h2>Sleepers</h2>
<hr />
<p><b>7. Gruesome Fate (21 decks)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gruesome Fate"></div></div>
<p>Do you like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harsh Sustenance" href="#" target="_blank">Harsh Sustenance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> but want to kill <em>all</em> your opponents at once? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gruesome Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Gruesome Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sure, you don’t get the life gain, but that doesn’t matter when you resolve this with 30 creatures on board.</p>
<p><b>8. Siege Zombie (0%)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Siege Zombie"></div></div>
<p>This was one of the black cards from <em>Innistrad: Midnight Hunt</em> that stood out to me. Have you ever been in a standoff against a pillow fort deck or a rivaling token swarm or a three-player game where, if someone makes a move against one player, they’ve handed the game to the one they ignored? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siege Zombie" href="#" target="_blank">Siege Zombie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has you covered. If <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prison" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is annoying, just tap the tokens to sting opponents. They don’t even need haste! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drumbellower" href="#" target="_blank">Drumbellower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> says hello!</p>
<p><b>9. Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet (0%)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet"></div></div>
<p>Look, I’m hardly the first person to say "Leave my graveyard alone!" but it’s exactly because of that fact that I think this card rules. Graveyard hate that rewards you with tokens is huge. This card has never disappointed when I’ve gotten it on board!</p>
<p><b>10. Curse of Conformity (0%)</b></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of Conformity"></div></div>
<p>The last one is a combo piece. For those of you who know me, you know that I like an engine. I like something that gets going after a ton of pieces are in place and things really start humming. That said, I don’t really like infinite combos, so I hesitated to include this card. The only reason I did is because this card is meant to be a really silly Curse, and Curses are usually for your opponents - but this one is different. If we Curse ourselves in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalisse, Reverent Medium" href="#" target="_blank">Thalisse, Reverent Medium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, it turns all our nonlegendary 1/1s into 3/3s that also for some reason lose their creature type. This is great against a tribal deck going off, I reckon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Enter <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Requiem Angel" href="#" target="_blank">Requiem Angel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of my pet cards. This magnificent Angel creates a 1/1 Spirit token with flying whenever another non-Spirit creature we control - token or otherwise - dies. Paired with the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Conformity" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Conformity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> any free sacrifice outlet gives us infinite enters- and leaves-the-battlefield triggers, not to mention whatever effect the sacrifice outlet has (do I hear a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?). Finish the combo off with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpse Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Corpse Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zulaport Cutthroat" href="#" target="_blank">Zulaport Cutthroat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and we’ve won ourselves a game with a minimum of four cards. Pretty fair, right? And yes, this could all be said for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Divine Visitation" href="#" target="_blank">Divine Visitation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which sees play in nearly half of Thalisse decks, but if you’re using it as a combo piece instead of a beater generator, it’s pretty cool to pull out a card that people don’t recognize! Besides, a little redundancy in EDH ain’t a bad thing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Let's go to a decklist!</p>
<hr />
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Thalisse, Challenger of Deez Stats" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Thalisse, Reverent Medium
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
*1 Corpse Knight
*1 Cruel Celebrant
*1 Elenda, the Dusk Rose
*1 Erebos, Bleak-Hearted
*1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
*1 Keeper of the Accord
*1 Krav, the Unredeemed
*1 Morbid Opportunist
*1 Nadier&#039;s Nightblade
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Regna, the Redeemer
*1 Requiem Angel
*1 Siege Zombie
*1 Smothering Abomination
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Teysa Karlov
*1 Teysa, Orzhov Scion
*1 Tymna the Weaver
*1 Undercity Scrounger
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
*1 Woe Strider
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Brought Back
*1 Call the Coppercoats
*1 Despark
*1 Flawless Maneuver
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Malakir Rebirth
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Settle the Wreckage
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Gruesome Fate
*1 March of Souls
*1 Martyr&#039;s Cry
*1 Plague of Vermin
*1 Vanquish the Horde
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Campaign of Vengeance
*1 Curse of Conformity
*1 Curse of Disturbance
*1 Dark Prophecy
*1 Etchings of the Chosen
*1 Fanatical Devotion
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 Spirit Bonds
*1 The Meathook Massacre
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Crowded Crypt
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Manascape Refractor
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Phyrexian Altar
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion
*1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General
*1 Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Brightclimb Pathway
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Castle Ardenvale
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Command Tower
*1 Field of the Dead
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Kjeldoran Outpost
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*7 Plains
*1 Shattered Sanctum
*1 Snowfield Sinkhole
*5 Swamp
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Vault of Champions
*1 Vault of the Archangel
*1 Volrath&#039;s Stronghold
*1 War Room
*1 Westvale Abbey
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Thanks for Having Me!</h2>
<p>What do you think about these challenges? Are there any other cards you would challenge? Let me know in the comments below! As always, you can find Jevin on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jevinmtg">@jevinmtg</a>, but you can find me on socials <a href="http://twitter.com/mikecarrozza">@mikecarrozza</a>. Also, check out my comedy album <a href="http://www.mikecarrozza.com/cherubic-1">Cherubic</a> if you’d like!</p>
<p>Bug Jevin on Twitter about what you’d like to see challenged next, and be sure to check out <a href="https://commandersherald.com/am-i-the-bolas-do-you-want-fries-with-that-salt/">his article today on Commander's Herald</a>!</p>


Mike Carrozza

Mike Carrozza

The Lord of The Rings Commander Cards Review - Instants and Sorceries

Streets of New Capenna Set Review - Riveteers and Red

Challenge the Stats SWAP! - Thalisse, Reverent Medium