<a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt">Salt Vote 2026</a> | <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expropriate" href="#" target="_blank">Get Ready to Vote</a>!
On Monday, October 5th, the EDHREC Salt Score polls officially open! This gives players a chance to speak up about the cards that give them the most tilting sodium chloride on the table. It's a fun little project we here at EDHREC conduct every year, and it always yields interesting results.
DISCLAIMER: Salt Score polling is strictly a for-fun endeavor and has no bearing on whether or not a card is deemed banworthy.
So, what data did our polls provide us with last year? Let's take a look!
<h2>Salt Score Polls From 2025</h2>
Last year, the following ten cards provided players with the most salt (numbered accordingly):
<ol>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tergrid, God of Fright" href="#" target="_blank">Tergrid, God of Fright</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale" href="#" target="_blank">The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Static Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Static Orb</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a></li>
</ol>
Many of these cards are ones you'll see annually on our list. Heck, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a> remained the top two saltiest cards for yet another year in a row! Meanwhile, newcomer <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a>, a fresh face to the Salt Scores, made #3 saltiest, in part likely due to his standout role in Standard Izzet () decks before an eventual ban. All this goes to show, though, is that no cards are particularly safe from being on our list on the merit of age alone.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stasis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter Orb"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivi Ornitier"></div></div>
<h3>Salty and New</h3>
With so many new cards coming out every year, this just gives players a chance to express their distaste for some of them. So, we took poll data on new cards (out last year specifically) and determined the saltiest cards from that subset as well:
<ol>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm, Force of Nature" href="#" target="_blank">Storm, Force of Nature</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadpool, Trading Card" href="#" target="_blank">Deadpool, Trading Card</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, Eye of the Storms" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, Eye of the Storms</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Soul Stone" href="#" target="_blank">The Soul Stone</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodthirsty Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodthirsty Conqueror</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Terror Eater" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth, Terror Eater</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knuckles the Echidna" href="#" target="_blank">Knuckles the Echidna</a></li>
<li><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cosmic Spider-Man" href="#" target="_blank">Cosmic Spider-Man</a></li>
</ol>
Of these new cards, most of the salty cards are black-aligned in some fashion, which is interesting. Blue, traditionally a very salty color, shows up less often than red, and white and green only show up on the Top 10 list in <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cosmic Spider-Man" href="#" target="_blank">Cosmic Spider-Man</a>, which has all colors anyway. Does this mean that blue or white are growing more sodium-deficient? That's anyone's guess, but it's still fun to muse about.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm, Force of Nature"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadpool, Trading Card"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin, Eye of the Storms"></div></div>
<h3>Even Sets Aren't Safe From Salt</h3>
Meanwhile, we also used the data from our polling to determine the saltiest expansions. Those are (also numbered accordingly):
<ol>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/lci#cards(rex)">Jurassic World</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/bro#cards(bot)">Transformers</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/sld">Secret Lair Drop</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/c17">Commander 2017</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/cmm">Commander Masters</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/who">Doctor Who</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/c13">Commander 2013</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/2ed">Unlimited Edition</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/unf">Unfinity</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/c16">Commander 2016</a></li>
</ol>
Frankly, I am not shocked by these rankings. However, I definitely see them as more of a player outcry against the general sensibilities based around Universes Beyond and/or Secret Lair than anything specifically card-centric, for the most part. Not that that's not merited; players, those opinions are valid, as are those opinions opposing them!
<h2>How Does Salt Score Voting Work?</h2>
And that brings us to 2026. When the polls open up, you'll be able to vote for as many cards as you'd like on a scale of 0-4 (in ascending saltiness) on how tilting a given card is for you. Does <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gleaming Splendor" href="#" target="_blank">Gleaming Splendor</a> give you the ick? What about <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a>? Is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a> as bad as they say it is, and does it deserve the #1 spot for yet another straight year? Monday, October 5th through Friday, October 9th will be your chance to get all of that out with your voting voices!
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gleaming Splendor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stasis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
In the meantime, you can check out all of our Salt Score results from previous years <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt?utm_source=edhrec">by clicking here</a>. It should give you some idea of how we run things around these parts.
And now, let's open the floor to you, dear readers! What is the saltiest card you've seen on the table this year? Did you play it, or play against it? Alternatively, what kind of cards tend to frustrate you? Sound off in the comments below!

The Salt Score Polls Are Coming Next Monday!

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satya, Aetherflux Genius" href="#" target="_blank">Satya, Aetherflux Genius</a> Illustrated by Illustrated by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CAaron+Miller%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Aaron Miller</a></h6>
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Hello, and welcome to Am I the Bolas?
This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some Magic and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"
I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a>
I'm Mike Carrozza, and tell ya, the stuff you find while thrifting!
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Soul Stone"></div></div>
Look at this lil shiny egg!
This week, are you winning too much?
(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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Hi Mike,
Longtime Commander player, new fan to your articles. I play with different pods, both in LGSs and with longtime friends. We mostly play Brackets 2-3 and have a variety of decks for any occasion. Not to toot my own horn, but I do find that I get a good number of wins, and people have cited my deckbuilding and gameplay as tight and fair. When I see newer players or lower power decks, I try to match the vibe for a smoother game.
Recently, I went on an annual trip with friends where we play Commander for days, which we all love! Oftentimes in this group, I end up the winner, and have been known for making comebacks out of nowhere or playing all my outs. This year I came with my decks still synergized, but a few at a lower power than before. Without going into too much detail, in a variety of four- and five-player games (six players rotating in and out), I ended up winning 10 out of 30 that I played. Sometimes, I lucked into turn-one <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a>s that put me ahead, but mostly it was a closer game of attrition or combat. Nothing crazy, no combos or tutors to my name.
By the end of this trip, two of my friends got quite salty about my win rate and asked for me to change my decks to match their level. When I asked them what they thought I should do, they didn't have any specifics in mind. Aside from a handful of cards they cited (a few extra turn cards and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reflector Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Reflector Mage</a> cloned in my <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satya, Aetherflux Genius" href="#" target="_blank">Satya, Aetherflux Genius</a>, which are easy swaps), they admitted that my deckbuilding was good and not even pricey. They listed many of my decks they said were fine, but they couldn't give specifics about what I should do otherwise and said it was up to me. I compared my lists to theirs and saw that they were using powerful cards and strategies that at the very least equaled my own. I did suggest before the trip even started that they should run more removal, since they kept dying to onboard threats with hands full of protection spells, but they don't want to change what they're doing.
When I asked my other friends about it later, they didn't think I was doing anything wrong. They thought my decks were on the same level more or less as everybody else, that I played fairly with no cheese, and that often, I outplayed these salty players which is why I won. One of them suggested I sandbag more to allow the Salties to win, but that seems like it would cheapen everyone's experience to me if I'm not playing authentically.
I'm not sure how to power down when most players I know, including myself, see this primarily as a gameplay issue. How can I help my salty friends see what the other players see and get their game up? Or is that not a good approach either? Am I the Bolas if I more or less stay the same instead of relenting to salt?
This seems like a lot of text so I should stop now, thank you!
Sincerely,
Forever the Hegemon
PS: Examples of my decks include a stompy <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald" href="#" target="_blank">Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a> Aikido, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer" href="#" target="_blank">Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer</a> with Ninjas, the aforementioned <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satya, Aetherflux Genius" href="#" target="_blank">Satya, Aetherflux Genius</a>, and an infamous <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feather, the Redeemed" href="#" target="_blank">Feather, the Redeemed</a> deck. I'm taking extra turns out of my <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vial Smasher the Fierce" href="#" target="_blank">Vial Smasher the Fierce</a>/<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esior, Wardwing Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Esior, Wardwing Familiar</a>.
</div>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reflector Mage"></div></div>
</div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.
We've discussed this on a mailbag episode either released yesterday or next week with Michael Celani and Morgan, so if you'd like a longer take on this, please go check out the podcast for Mailbag Four!
Let's get this out of the way, sandbagging isn't the worst thing in the world. It's fine at the right time and place. If something crazy is about to go off, maybe I'll sandbag to see what could happen because that's of interest to me. Sometimes, you're playing against a new player who's learning the ropes but is spending time looking over them wondering why they ever got in the ring if they keep getting beat down. Sandbagging something won't kill you.
If you play with these folks regularly enough that you go on an annual retreat and among the six of you, two are upset you're winning too much but can't point out exactly why... this might be the first Am I The Bolas? entry to embrace a classic "git gud". If you feel like sandbagging, I'm sure it'll be charitable at best, but it definitely wouldn't feel good if they found out.
It's not like you haven't suggested improvements to their lists and if they're comparable, then it's fair game! Not to mention, you lost 67% of the time you played! 33% is a higher-than-expected win rate, but in some playgroups, one player is really good at spotting things and can take a win with a ham sandwich. It just happens. There are opportunities to learn from a player like you! That's part of the fun to me, too!
So what can you do? Remove <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reflector Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Reflector Mage</a>, totally fair, real pain in the butt to deal with, so that's an easy trim. Then remove your extra turn spells, yeah, fine by me. Then what? I don't think sandbagging is the answer. The thing I keep coming back to is that maybe you should rock up with a precon right out the box or ask to borrow one of their decks. Hell, swap decks! The trouble with you giving one of your decks is the confirmation bias that comes from if one of them wins, which with a 66% loss rate, can happen! Then they'll say "See!? Your deck is too good!" So I reckon borrowing a deck and seeing what you can turn out is an idea I'd lead with as their complaints are chiefly about your deckbuilding, giving no credit to your ability to outplay them.
It should come as no surprise that I don't think you're the Bolas.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sands of Delirium"></div></div>

salty

The Salt Score Polls Are Coming Next Monday!

Am I The Bolas? - Salty for Your Losses