ArmageddonArmageddon | Art by Chris Rahn

Hello everyone! I’m Levi from The Thought Vessel, and I have the privilege of kicking off Salt Week, scheduled for Oct. 5-9.

When players see the Salt List every year, they take away different things from the data. Some players accept the list as a personal challenge to play the saltiest deck they can. Other players look at the trends in salt over the years. Some players go as far as to use it like a soft ban list, as they don't want to use cards that people don't like.

Everyone is welcome to use the list however they like, but today I want to push back on using the Salt List as a ban list and open the conversation a bit. These cards are Commander legal and can be used to cultivate fun play experiences when used in the right context.

Let’s take a step back first and go over exactly what a Salt Score is.

What is a Salt Score?

Every year here on EDHREC, we have a survey of cards legal in Commander where players rate, on a scale of 0 to 4, with 0 being no salt at all, how salty they thought the card was. While powerful cards can end up with a high Salt Score, it’s not a requirement. Instead, Salt Scores allow players to see what types of cards the greater Magic community might have negative feelings toward. Any card can wind up with a high Salt Score, but we typically see some patterns develop.

Top Salt Categories

When we look at the saltiest cards from last year, most of them fall into one of four categories.

1. They vault a player into the lead.

These are your Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe, Mana VaultMana Vault, and Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier cards. They generate a ton of value and will pull a player ahead of the rest of the table if left alone. Some of the most boring or frustrating games of Commander are when one player gets out to a lightning fast start and no one has anything they can do to stop it.

A big reason that Jeweled LotusJeweled Lotus and Mana CryptMana Crypt were banned is that they were some of the best cards for getting a commander out earlier than anticipated with little to no downside. These non-games can build up frustration and ultimately put a lot of salt on these types of cards.

2. They make playing Magic difficult.

This is the biggest category on the Salt List, as Stax pieces are well represented, with the top card on the list being StasisStasis.

In fact, of the top ten saltiest cards from last year, eight were what I would call Stax cards if you count Rhystic StudyRhystic Study and Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright. Stax cards can stop things from untapping, steal cards, make spells cost more, or even remove mana sources like lands. The objective is to make an environment where opposing decks can't function well, if at all.

Commander is, in a lot of ways, playing Magic in a board game-like setting. Players don’t like being restricted in their choices. It would be like taking away one of the dice from someone in Monopoly or completely skipping a player’s turn in Risk.

When a player gets to their turn and realizes that they can only untap one land thanks to Winter OrbWinter Orb, or they can’t cast their commander because Drannith MagistrateDrannith Magistrate is in play, it’s understandable that they might have some frustrations toward those cards.

3. They are high-power cards being played in a lower-power pod.

There is some overlap between this category and our first category, as cEDH players tend to like explosive cards that can give them an edge in their games, but there are extra levels to cards that I would put here.

Thassa's OracleThassa's Oracle is a very well-known cEDH win condition paired with Demonic ConsultationDemonic Consultation or other cards to remove a library. When players see a card like this used in a casual Commander game, the assumption is that the person casting it is trying to pub stomp with a combo, even if they can only cast it late game after drawing through their deck.

This can carry over to the command zone too, with commanders like Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer, Kinnan, Bonder ProdigyKinnan, Bonder Prodigy, and Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow. These commanders have incredibly high ceilings and high floors, having been used at higher power tables for years. They are so generically strong that it’s very difficult to power these decks down.

Even upgrading a couple of cards with a new set can change power levels significantly. Getting blown out by these decks over and over in games where it really doesn’t feel like anyone has a chance, even if that isn’t true, generates salt.

4. They make decisions in the game insignificant.

And now we have chaos cards. These are your Thieves' AuctionThieves' Auction, Warp WorldWarp World, and WorldfireWorldfire cards.

A lot of Commander players, myself included, enjoy games that have a lot of strategy to them and where decisions matter. The game progresses and is built upon the decisions of the players in the game. Cards in this category can erase the history of the game.

WorldfireWorldfire, for example, if cast by itself, exiles every player’s hand, board, and graveyard while setting the table to one life.

It doesn’t matter what political deals were made early in the game, how many creatures were on the board, or how much card advantage was generated before that point. Everyone is now trying to draw a land or two and a way to deal one damage to each opponent to win the game. A lot of players don’t want to be put into a position where their decisions are no longer their own, and consequently, if someone casts a spell in this category without talking about it with the pod beforehand, it’ll likely upset some people.

No More Mr. Nice Card

Sometimes, cards are mean, and that’s okay. Magic: The Gathering has always been a game of action and reaction. One player will play a threat, and their opponent can deploy a threat of their own or address the current problem on the board.

Being able to answer or slow each other down is how we prevent the format from speeding up beyond control. Interacting with each other is what makes Commander an interesting game. If we’re all racing for the finish line, the fastest person will always win. But if we’re allowed to slow each other down or boost ourselves, now the winner at the end of the day isn’t always the same.

If we counter an opponent’s commander, that isn’t exactly nice. Getting mauled by Voja, Jaws of the ConclaveVoja, Jaws of the Conclave and his crew of Elves and Wolves because we let him live isn’t particularly nice either.

We are constantly getting in each other’s way, as is the nature of a four-player free-for-all battle. It can be absolutely frustrating at times, but it’s a core part of the game.

Speeding up our deck may be just as important, if not more, than slowing everyone else down. Raph & Mikey, TroublemakersRaph & Mikey, Troublemakers is an incredibly powerful commander, but it’s also seven mana. If we’re waiting until turn six or seven to cast them for the first time, it might be too late in the game to make an impact.

Cards like Mana VaultMana Vault or Jeska's WillJeska's Will can get our deck up and running at a relevant pace. It isn’t a matter of trying to pull away from everyone in that context, but speeding up enough to actually play the game. If we wanted to play Raph and Mikey in a lower bracket, I would avoid these higher acceleration cards because games are naturally going to go longer and we have time to let things play out.

These cards earned their Salt Score for a reason, and when we add them to decks, it’s important to be intentional with our choices.

Salt Doesn’t Go on Everything

Looking at the saltiest cards in Commander, it should be noted that while some cards also fall onto the Game Changers list, all current cards are Commander legal. I’m a believer that every card has a home in the right deck, and players shouldn’t be afraid to play these cards just because they have a bad reputation.

The Salt List is a guide that can help players understand what cards in their decks may warrant a heads-up to the table during pregame conversations. If we sit down and I disclose that I’m playing a Horror typal deck featuring Toxrill, the CorrosiveToxrill, the Corrosive, I want to give players the opportunity to opt out of that experience if they aren’t feeling up for it.

Of course, a full-blown Kinnan cEDH list in Bracket 3 or Game Changers in Bracket 2 or less can create a pretty significant mismatch. Some of these cards are incredibly strong, and we definitely want to take that into account when we decide to put them in our decks. Salt, power, and suitability aren’t the same thing, and it’s important to know the difference.

Mana VaultMana Vault is powerful and salty, but it wouldn’t be suitable in a precon-level deck since it’s a Game Changer. Warp WorldWarp World may not be my favorite card of all time and isn’t extremely powerful, but if a playgroup likes chaotic games, it might be a suitable card to add to a deck.

Understanding how these cards fit on each scale can help us make decisions on what card would belong in our decks. When salty cards get added to decks the right way, interesting things can follow.

Salt Adds Flavor

As philosopher Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

Commander games can get repetitive when everything goes according to plan. Players ramp easily in the game, build up their boards, attack where they can, and someone typically wins off of a big spell or synergy. But what happens when players aren’t able to cast their commander on the most optimal turn due to a Drannith MagistrateDrannith Magistrate?

What happens when the aggro deck is immediately put on the back foot by an explosive Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier deck? Can we adjust when things go very wrong? Sometimes it’s fun to test our deck and skills as a Commander player with situations we weren’t prepared for.

While it may be frustrating in the moment, working with the table to overcome and beat a deck that is trying to lock players out of the game is incredibly satisfying. It’s those games that feel like, as long as the archenemy doesn’t win, it’s a win for everyone.

Stepping into the role of the villain at the table can be very satisfying too. Who doesn’t want to practice their maniacal laugh while fighting through blockers and removal spells? One of the best parts of Commander is when players can work together for a mutual goal, even if that goal is murdering us.

Wrapping Up

While you may not want to play a ton of cards that the community has negative reactions to, I don’t think that it needs to be a hard and fast rule. In the right pod, with the right people, any card can find a home.

All I ask is to give a higher salt card a try. Add a Deadpool, Trading CardDeadpool, Trading Card as a way to steal a commander’s text box, or a Time WarpTime Warp to get that extra turn to close out a game. You may like adding a little extra spice to Commander night.

Which of the top Salt List cards do you play? Bonus points for Stax pieces. Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy brewing and stay salty!

Salt voting opens Monday, Oct. 5 and will continue through Friday, Oct. 9!