<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Self-Destruct" href="#" target="_blank">Self-Destruct</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CLiiga+Smilshkalne%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Liiga Smilshkalne</a></em></p>
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<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, a longtime reader writes in!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and somebody ate my cookies!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Khaaaaaaaaaaaannn!"></div></div>
<p><i>This is what the reference is, right?</i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
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<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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<p><em>Hey Mike,</em></p>
<p><em>I have an old-school 'Am I the Bolas' moment about an interaction that stuck with me forever.</em></p>
<p><em>I was running a strict $30 hyper-budget <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rowan, Scion of War" href="#" target="_blank">Rowan, Scion of War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck against a Naya partner deck (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akiri, Line-Slinger" href="#" target="_blank">Akiri, Line-Slinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ich-Tekik, Salvage Splicer" href="#" target="_blank">Ich-Tekik, Salvage Splicer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). I had built an army of 25 Necron artifact tokens. On his turn, he drops an asymmetrical wipe to destroy all my artifacts. He also had a creature out that deals one damage to me whenever an artifacts hit the graveyard.</em></p>
<p><em>The math was clear: the wipe was going to trigger 25 damage and kill me on resolution. I naturally started scooping my cards up. But mid-scoop, I paused and realized a legal line: 'Wait, in response to the wipe, I could have used my instant-speed life-drain creature to kill myself first. I still die, but your board wipe resolves on an empty seat, meaning you get zero triggers and zero buff counters for your commanders.'</em></p>
<p><em>He instantly shot back in a panic: 'That would be just like scooping!'</em></p>
<p><em><strong>Am I the Bolas for pointing out a legal, instant-speed tactical suicide to deny a raid boss their victory value, or is he the Bolas for trying to call a literal card interaction illegal just to save his triggers?</strong></em></p>
<p><em>Thank you from</em><br />
<em>The outskirts of the universe.</em></p>
<p><em>Dipped Lasagna</em></p>
<p><em>PS. Told you I would send you an "Am I the Bolis?" (yes, I know, but to me it will always be Bolis)</em></p>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wall of Blood"></div></div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Thanks for writing in from the outskirts of the universe! What the heck is the lasagna dipped in? Weird!</p>
<p>Dip, as a longtime reader of the column, I think I can safely say you've probably seen versions of this story addressed in my column, whether on EDHREC or Commander's Herald. It's worth refreshing on certain topics and this is one I really like to talk about. Maybe we can get somewhere new with it this time around.</p>
<p>While you don't contextualize the whole game, I think there are enough context clues to say that even if you only named yourself and the Naya pilot, there was more game to be had after you'd been eliminated. This is important because if someone were to complain about not getting triggers from their game-winning move after they've won the game of killing me and their desired outcome was achieved, I think I'd have to ask them if everything is okay. You won, leave me alone! But in this case, it feels pretty clear that you were only one opponent eliminated to them of more.</p>
<p>I'm of two minds in this decision. In a broader sense, if someone is taking you out and you have resources to defend yourself, you should do it even if you'll be killed off. For example, if I'm being attacked for more than lethal and I have creatures to block with, I will absolutely try to take out their best stuff. This is part of the calculation that goes into making the decision to try to eliminate me from the game. If my opponent goes on to lose against another player because they came to kill me first and neglected to protect some pieces or predict that I had a few kills spells to lob their way, that's a miscalculation on their part. That said, sometimes it doesn't feel worth it to go whole hog and go after that player, so it's really context-dependent and subjective. There's no hard rule about doing anything to rob a player of a clean win. If you're going to kill me and I can blink a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ravenous Chupacabra" href="#" target="_blank">Ravenous Chupacabra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it depends on how I feel, but there's a chance it's happening and my killer will need to take that on the chin.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Elemental"></div></div>
<p>Because everything was legal in the way that you could have used your resources to kill yourself before the board wipe went off and you'd be denying your opponent of buff triggers, if this line had been declared before scooping up your things, I'd say it'd be difficult to argue with you. The trouble comes from the fact that you had begun to scoop your things up due to the board wipe essentially resolving. Look, we're not lawyers and cops at most tables, we're not following a procedure of priority with extreme precision, which means there's a lot of shortcutting in Magic. (The joke here is that lawyers and cops also don't follow procedure a lot of the time! Haha, got 'em!)</p>
<p>By picking up your things before you spotted your self-elimination line, I'd say that this is essentially shortcutting to the resolution of the board wipe and that your timing window here to take it back has passed. If you'd done it before beginning to pack it up, I'd say no chance you're the Bolas, but in this case, Dipped Lasagna, my friend, you're the Bolis. I've been pretty clear that anybody who scoops in order to deny a player triggers isn't getting my thumbs up. In fact, if anybody does this, we resolve the triggers as though the scooping player remained and chose no actions. The only time this is acceptable to pull off is if it's on board like you're at two life and tap your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Tomb" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Tomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or you're at ten and slam a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidetsugu&#039;s Second Rite" href="#" target="_blank">Hidetsugu&#039;s Second Rite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as your way out. Forfeiting to deny a player triggers when there's more game to be played is bad manners. However, you'd have been fine if you hadn't implicitly agreed to the resolution of the board wipe's effects as you had begun to scoop it up.</p>
<p>Thanks again for writing in!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hidetsugu&#039;s Second Rite"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - Self-Destruct

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CImmanuela+Crovius%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Immanuela Crovius</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, everyone! My name is Jonathan and a few weeks ago I talked about <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-five-best-upkeep-triggers-in-commander">the best <em>upkeep</em> triggers in Commander</a>. Today, I'm going down the same road to talk about the best <em>end step</em> triggers instead.</p>
<p>As per usual when sharing such lists of cards, always keep in mind these are only my own opinions and they might differ from your own.</p>
<p>For this reason, feel more than free to comment under the article and share your thoughts! Even more so in this case, because there are truly a ton of cards that could have been placed in this top 5, but there were only so many spaces.</p>
<p>So, get your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (funnily, another card I considered putting on this list) at the ready and let's dive in this article!</p>
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<h2>First Honorable Mention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mahadi, Emporium Master" href="#" target="_blank">Mahadi, Emporium Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mahadi, Emporium Master"></div></div>
<p>As I said, It was extremely difficult to craft this list, because there are so many cards worth mentioning. One inclusion I was never willing to question was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mahadi, Emporium Master" href="#" target="_blank">Mahadi, Emporium Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This is because I still can't understand why this card is so overlooked to this day. Can you believe it leads only 1815 decks, being the 59<sup>th</sup> most popular rakdos commander?</p>
<p>I know it's not the flashiest of the cards, but it's also so easy to get <em>a lot</em> out of its ability turn after turn. It's cheap, it's in the right colors and it produces a ton of mana, what else do you need to give it a try?</p>
<p>The only reason I didn't put it in the main list is that there are some truly broken cards out there. But trust me, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mahadi, Emporium Master" href="#" target="_blank">Mahadi, Emporium Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is worth the time building it.</p>
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<h2>Second Honorable Mention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chimil, the Inner Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Chimil, the Inner Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chimil, the Inner Sun"></div></div>
<p>This card is pretty much on the opposite side of the spectrum compared to the previous. It's not a fringe card people are sleeping on, but the epitome of a generically good card. Its abilities don't synergize all that much, but they're strong enough to make this card interesting and playable.</p>
<p>All in all, it's the ultimate "draw, go" card. You tap out one time and then you pile up value while keeping interaction open. Honestly, I'm not one of its fans, as it feels a bit uninspired in design. Still, I can't ignore its power, so it earned its spot on this list.</p>
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<h2>Number Five: Ocelot Pride</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ocelot Pride"></div></div>
<p>I haven't played much with this card, but when I did, boy did I love it. It needs so little to get going, and then it becomes an unstoppable force. Sure, it works best alongside other cards that gain life (which aren't rare in Commander). But it also fuels itself, working as a cheap, early game attacker.</p>
<p>Then, once you reach late game, the city's blessing does the rest. Certainly, some small Cat tokens aren't scary. But doubling all your tokens at the end of the turn? That's a whole other story.</p>
<p>As good as this card is, and as much as I like it, I can't really put it any higher. In 60-card formats, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ocelot Pride" href="#" target="_blank">Ocelot Pride</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can snowball very easily, taking over the game in just a few turns. But in Commander the situation is completely different. With three opponents, it's more than likely that someone will have an answer at the ready. Or, at the very least, all of them will team up against you the moment you get a trigger off with it.</p>
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<h2>Number Four: Wilderness Reclamation</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wilderness Reclamation"></div></div>
<p>We were talking about "draw, go" cards earlier, weren't we? Well, here's <em>the</em> card for this archetype.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wilderness Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Wilderness Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a simple card, with only one ability. But the impact it has on the game is hard to understand, at least until you play against it. To put it in simple terms, it doubles the mana you have access to during every turn rotation. This means you can do everything you want on your turn, and then get all of your (land-produced) mana back. Most likely, this means having all the interaction in the world available.</p>
<p>Sure, it's no <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, nor it is as oppressive as it can be in one-versus-one. Still, the moment you get to play with it, you truly understand what all the tales were about.</p>
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<h2>Number Three: Meren of Clan Nel Toth</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meren of Clan Nel Toth"></div></div>
<p>For a long time, it was the <em>de facto</em> golgari commander. To this day, it still terrorizes Commander tables with its horde of artistocrat-type effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meren of Clan Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Meren of Clan Nel Toth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't only a commander, it's a part of the format's history.</p>
<p>I remember stumbling upon this card soon after starting playing. The moment I understood how much value and recursion it generates was a turning point in my love for the game. In addition to everything it has going for it, it also benefits from Experience counters, a mechanic other players can hardly interact with. This means it can grind games better than most decks: even if it's turn 20, the moment you end a turn with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meren of Clan Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Meren of Clan Nel Toth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the battlefield, you <em>are</em> getting something out of it.</p>
<p>Sadly, time is tyrant and this commander has started to feel somewhat outdated. Its design is powerful, but it seems to belong to different time period. Maybe I'm simply nostalgic and connect this card to my early Commander days. Still, I can't but feel the game's become way faster than this card. Sadly.</p>
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<h2>Number Two: Atraxa, Praetors' Voice</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div></div>
<p>Talking about cornerstones of the game, here's one that revolutionized it. In all honesty, do I really need to explain why this card is good? I don't believe you if you say you have never heard someone talking about their "not-that-<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck".</p>
<p>Once again, the design isn't flashy but it doesn't matter in the slightest. The continuous flow of proliferate triggers makes it sure whatever counter you have in play grows steadily. Poison, charge, +1/+1, energy: everything goes with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>It is one of the faces of the game, and maybe that's its only flaw. People have grown so tired of this card and how powerful it is that it'll be hard to find someone willing to play with you if you sleeve it up.</p>
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<h2>Number One: The Flicker Squad</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soulherder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conjurer&#039;s Closet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd"></div></div>
<p>This was the first position I locked in for this list. And it is shared by so many cards it's hard to list them all. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soulherder" href="#" target="_blank">Soulherder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conjurer&#039;s Closet" href="#" target="_blank">Conjurer&#039;s Closet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are only some of the cards that blink <em>something</em> at the end of your turn. There are a ton of variations of this effect, and all of them are good.</p>
<p>Of course, flicker decks are a staple of the format, one of the most popular strategies overall. What's so good about these cards is that they thrive in redundancy. I mean, although you're running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teleportation Circle" href="#" target="_blank">Teleportation Circle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you're also probably playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa, Deep-Dwelling" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa, Deep-Dwelling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. You're never unhappy seeing them. Quite the opposite, the more you can cast, the better.</p>
<p>So, if <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was a turning point in the format, all of these cards keep on shaping it. What's even crazier is that each new one that comes out will also find a home in the same decks. If that's not a testament to the power of this end step trigger, I don't know what is.</p>
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<p>That's from me! What do you think? What cards would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments!</p>


The Five Best End Step Triggers in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Haze" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Haze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.gregstaples.com/">Greg Staples</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, everyone, my name's Jonathan, and today I'm dusting off that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Haze" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Haze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> I bought years ago and never played. That's right, today's article is about the five (plus two honorable mentions) best upkeep triggers in Commander!</p>
<p>As always, when I say "the best" I mean "the best in my opinion". This also means these are not absolute judgments: feel more than free to discuss my opinions and say whether you agree or not in the comments!</p>
<p>So, get ready, start praying your permanents survive a whole turn rotation and then let's jump right into this article.</p>
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<h2>First Honorable Mention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes"></div></div>
<p>I remember a time when this card took entire (60-card) formats by storm. In Commander it's definitely not that oppressive, but it's still a more than reasonable card to run as a commander or in the 99.</p>
<p>Its abilities are good but not absurd: you can pump your creatures and then sacrifice them to deal some damage wherever you want (and perhaps draw some cards).</p>
<p>This is pretty neat, but what ties it all together is its upkeep trigger: creating Boo. It may seem a small detail on a quite flashy card overall, but it actually is the key to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s success.</p>
<p>Having access to the perfect target for both of its abilities on every single turn makes this card extremely reliable and self-supporting.</p>
<p>It's an army in a can, as you can pump your token on off turns, when nothing relevant is happening, and then you can sacrifice it to remove a pesky creature/planeswalker or even just to draw a bunch of cards.</p>
<p>And remember: you get to start this cycle again at the beginning of your next upkeep!</p>
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<h2>Second Honorable Mention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Court of Garenbrig" href="#" target="_blank">Court of Garenbrig</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Court of Garenbrig"></div></div>
<p>The "Court" cycles are both very good, and most of them have relevant upkeep triggers that could/should be showcased in this spot. Nonetheless, I decided to go with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Court of Garenbrig" href="#" target="_blank">Court of Garenbrig</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> because of how easily it can get out of hand.</p>
<p>First off it is cheap, with most decks being able to cast it on their second turn; of course, you may want to wait a bit to deploy it, so that you actually have creatures to buff.</p>
<p>Then, the base effect is quite good, slowly but steadily increasing your board's stats. This can be almost optimal during the first turns, when you don't have many creatures on the board anyway.</p>
<p>But if you untap with it while being the monarch in the late game, that's where things get messy. All the +1/+1 counters you've amassed on your creatures thus far suddenly double, transforming any body into a lethal threat.</p>
<p>What makes this effect good is that you don't need to trigger this improved effect right away: one turn at any point in the late game is all it takes to make your board a true army.</p>
<p>Also, my perception of this card may or may not be biased by it destroying me on multiple occasions. But I guess we'll never know.</p>
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<h2>Number Five: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of All" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sanctum of All"></div></div>
<p>I've tried so hard to place this card higher on the list, but I realistically couldn't justify it. And this really bums me, because <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Go-Shintai of Life&#039;s Origin" href="#" target="_blank">Go-Shintai of Life&#039;s Origin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is my favorite commander of all time. It is what it is.</p>
<p>Overall, Shrines don't have many good upkeep triggers. The only ones that have one are the <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=honden&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Hondens</a>; and while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Honden of Infinite Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Honden of Infinite Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Honden of Seeing Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Honden of Seeing Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are good (although a bit expensive to cast), the others are mostly included to up the count of Shrines in the deck.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of All" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the exception to this trend. Its upkeep ability is absurd, allowing you to tutor for what's probably the best card in your deck (aka, a Shrine) turn after turn, and even getting it out of the graveyard if it was destroyed.</p>
<p>The second half of the card is good but not quite as great: the six Shrines requirement can be difficult to meet, also because everyone will target them as soon as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of All" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits the battlefield.</p>
<p>In general, this is a very strong card and one dear to my heart. Still, its limits are undeniable. Other than the limitation on its second ability, this is a hyper-specific card, meaning it will only ever be good in dedicated Shrine decks.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, I do love this strategy and each and every deck revolving around it; but, if that's not your cup of tea, then you'll probably forget this card even exists.</p>
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<h2>Number Four: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Land Tax" href="#" target="_blank">Land Tax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Land Tax"></div></div>
<p>This is quite the trip down memory lane. When I first started playing in late 2018/early 2019, this card was a staple of the format. White didn't have access to good ramp options, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Land Tax" href="#" target="_blank">Land Tax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> filled this role perfectly.</p>
<p>It provides lands while also granting a somewhat noticeable deck-thinning advantage over the course of turns. This means that, if it stays in play long enough, you'll improve the quality of your draws, as you'll be less likely to draw lands.</p>
<p>The ability to basically guarantee your land drops for the rest of the game (granted you're running an adequate number of basic lands) was crucial for some color combinations (Orzhov, Azorius and Boros above all), as well as mono-white.</p>
<p>As years passed, more and more replacements for this card were printed. Additionally, nonbasic lands got better, making it hard for decks to play a high-enough basic lands count that justifies running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Land Tax" href="#" target="_blank">Land Tax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Still, its storied past is untouchable, but also its present isn't all that bad either: the factors mentioned above can't take away this card's power, and, if slotted into the right deck, it can still do a ton of work!</p>
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<h2>Number Three: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Descent into Avernus" href="#" target="_blank">Descent into Avernus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p>This is a truly unique card in all of Commander. The way in which it speeds up the game is unmatched: not only does it whittle down life totals, but it also gives every player resources to reach the final line as soon as possible. What makes this card so strong is precisely its ability to make games spiral in the blink of an eye.</p>
<p>Additionally, it's cheap and easy to cast, which means it's not impossible for it to be on the battlefield on turn two. From that point on, other players better have a solution at the ready, or they're in for a very quick match.</p>
<p>The only downside I can find to this card is that it isn't an auto-include in every deck. Or, to be more precise, that you need to somewhat build around it to make it work as intended. You can theoretically put it in the 99 of any random red deck, but it won't be nearly as impactful as it could be.</p>
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<h2>Number Two: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revel in Riches" href="#" target="_blank">Revel in Riches</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helix Pinnacle" href="#" target="_blank">Helix Pinnacle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and more</h2>
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<p>This entry is for several cards that can win the game on your upkeep. Of these, the easiest to trigger are:</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revel in Riches" href="#" target="_blank">Revel in Riches</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s condition has become trivial to match over the years, given the ever-increasing amount of support for decks centered around Treasures. Also, its first triggered ability is extremely good as well!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't quite as good, but it can catch players off guard, especially newer ones, who won't see it coming. I think it is more suited for lower brackets, where the boards can get clogged easily, thus making it hard to reduce life totals.</p>
<p>Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helix Pinnacle" href="#" target="_blank">Helix Pinnacle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the progenitor of these effects. It's cheap and resilient, but it also takes a while to get going. It's probably not a good win condition anymore, but its legacy should forever be remembered.</p>
<p>What makes all of these cards almost always good is the fact that they suddenly set a timer on the whole game. Either players find a solution during their next turn, or it's game over for them.</p>
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<h2>Number One: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defense of the Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Defense of the Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p>At first, this might seem a weird pick. In the end, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defense of the Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Defense of the Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a quite simple, not-that-flashy card. But it only took me one time playing it to understand why it is so powerful.</p>
<p>First off, it'll basically always be active, given how easily players deploy three creatures at a Commander table. Then, although expensive upfront, it can easily grant you access to creatures worth three or four times the mana you spent the turn before.</p>
<p>And finally, the ability to tutor your two best creatures is so unbelievably good. Of course, it can get you combo pieces, but even just big haymakers would do it for me.</p>
<p>Additionally, it doesn't require you to take any peculiar deckbuilding choice. While not a cEDH card, as long as you're running big, hard-hitting creatures, this card will have a use-case in your deck.</p>
<p>Also, it may seem slow, but its effect corresponds to such a great tempo swing in your favor that you'll most likely get ahead of your competition as soon as its trigger resolves.</p>
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<p>That's from me! What do you think? What cards would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments!</p>


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