Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe | Art by Aurore Folny

By sheer volume, cEDH is a format dominated by four card types (not counting lands): creatures, artifacts, instants, and sorceries. Each has cards that can make mana, draw cards, and close out games.

Despite leading the pack in terms of sheer volume, however, cEDH also is home to some of the most broken enchantments in the game - a card type that goes by largely unappreciated, until the one or two cards bearing its type appear in a game and steal the show.

This article will take a look at the ten best enchantments in cEDH - cards that span every color and archetype out there, closing games and defining strategies.

#10 - NecromancyNecromancy

We're starting off with one of the most deck-specific cards on our list, but when used to its fullest it sure can pack a wallop: Necromancy.

For , Necromancy is an enchantment with a whole lot of complicated text that essentially boils down to three parts.

• First, like all reanimator enchantments, Necromancy returns a creature card from a graveyard to the battlefield, then attaches itself to that creature.
• Second, when either Necromancy or the creature it enchants leaves the battlefield, the other is sacrificed.
• Third, you may cast Necromancy as though it had flash. If you do (cast it outside of sorcery-speed restrictions, that is), then Necromancy is sacrificed at the beginning of the cleanup step.

In cEDH, a single turn is often all that matters. One turn with Underworld BreachUnderworld Breach (more on that later), or Mnemonic BetrayalMnemonic Betrayal, or some infinite mana loop... one turn with your game-winning line is all you need.

While reanimation as a win-condition is a rare strategy these days, it is not gone from cEDH. Necromancy here provides something no other reanimation strategy does: a guaranteed instant-speed access to a reanimation effect. Animate DeadAnimate Dead, Dance of the DeadDance of the Dead, and ReanimateReanimate are all sorcery-speed only.

#9 - Dress DownDress Down

Next up is another instant-speed enchantment, although this one stalls out more games than it closes. Let's look at Dress Down.

For , Dress Down is an enchantment with flash that, when it enters, draws you a card. Beyond the enters trigger, Dress Down also has "creatures lose all abilities" and "at the beginning of the end step, sacrifice Dress Down."

Dress Down is a one-stop all-in-one solution to creature problems for a turn. Worried about a Thassa's OracleThassa's Oracle trigger? Flash in Dress Down before the Oracle resolves. Plus, it takes care of Hexing SquelcherHexing Squelcher!

#8 - MirrormadeMirrormade

Here at number eight is the only clone on our list - one of the rare few effects in cEDH that copies something other than a creature.

For , Mirrormade is an enchantment that enters as a copy of any artifact or enchantment on the battlefield. Need an extra mana rock? Mirrormade has you covered. Jealous of an opposing The One RingThe One Ring? Yup, that works too.

And, as you'll see with the rest of our list, there are plenty of enchantments running around that are worth copying.

#7 - Growing Rites of ItlimocGrowing Rites of Itlimoc

Our seventh pick is also the only dual-faced card on our list. It's a card that helps you find creatures and, later on, enables a Gaea's CradleGaea's Cradle worth of mana.

On the front face, Growing Rites of Itlimoc is an enchantment for that, when it enters, allows you to look at the top four cards of your library, reveal a creature from among them, and put that card into your hand, with the rest going on the bottom of your library.

Additionally, Growing Rites can transform at the beginning of your end step, provided that you control four or more creatures. The reverse side, Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun, is a legendary land with ": Add ," and ": Add for each creature you control."

All in all, Growing Rights of Itlimoc is a Gaea's Cradle that, for the extra cost of , replaces itself by digging for a creature when it enters.

#6 - EarthcraftEarthcraft

Coming in at number six is a card that's a bit more niche these days, but a powerhouse in the right decks nonetheless: Earthcraft.

For , Earthcraft is an enchantment that allows you to tap untapped creatures you control in order to untap a basic land you control. While basics are in short supply among cEDH's high-color piles these days, Earthcraft still functions as a powerful piece of ramp that can snowball into a game-winning engine later on.

Pair it with an armada of creatures to power out explosive bursts of mana, or stick a Squirrel NestSquirrel Nest on a basic land of your choice to surprise the table with infinite creatures.

#5 - Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe

Here at our halfway mark is the most expensive enchantment on our list (mana-wise), and also the only white one: Smothering Tithe.

For , Smothering Tithe is an enchantment that asks your opponents to pay whenever they draw a card. If they don't, you create a Treasure token.

Mana is among the most coveted and crucial resources in cEDH. Cards are important, no doubt, but mana is often where games are won and lost. Evaluated this way, the tax imposed by Smothering Tithe is prohibitively expensive, meaning that this card effectively reads as "Create a Treasure token whenever an opponent draws a card."

#4 - Mystic RemoraMystic Remora

Coming up next is Mystic Remora, an enchantment that often leads to a bit of a waiting game when resolved early.

For , Mystic Remora has cumulative upkeep and "Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, you may draw a card unless that player pays ."

Needless to say, is such a huge ask that no one is going to pay it. At the same time, however, cumulative upkeep is a real drag that can severely hamper the development of its controller's board state (a turn-one Mystic Remora with only one mana available that turn prevents a turn-two Talisman, for example).

As such, a Mystic Remora in the early game often raises the question: will someone go for it and cast a noncreature spell, or will your opponents agree with one another to simply wait until the Remora gets sacrificed?

#3 - NecropotenceNecropotence

Here at third place is a card that simply can't be matched in terms of sheer speed: Necropotence.

For , Necropotence causes you to skip your draw step and, whenever you discard a card, causes you to exile it from your graveyard. In exchange, Necropotence offers the trade of one life for one card via its activated ability: "Pay 1 life: Exile the top card of your library face down. Put that card into your hand at the beginning of the next end step."

In practice, Necropotence usually plays out in one of two ways: either resolve in and then immediately sink nearly all of your life into activations; or activate it a handful of times, sculpt a perfect seven, then dump nearly all your remaining life into activations on the next turn.

Either way, once Necropotence comes down, the game is on a clock. Why? Because flash enablers exist.

Borne Upon a WindBorne Upon a Wind, Valley FloodcallerValley Floodcaller, High Fae TricksterHigh Fae Trickster; all of these are examples of cards that, if drawn off of Necropotence, can immediately be cast in the end step while you have access to the dozens of other cards put into your hand this turn.

#2 - Underworld BreachUnderworld Breach

Coming in at second place is a card responsible for more game-winning combos than nearly anything else in cEDH: Underworld Breach.

For , Underworld Breach grants cards in your graveyard an escape cost equal to their mana cost plus exiling three other cards from your graveyard. Additionally, Underworld Breach comes with a triggered ability which causes you to sacrifice it at the end of the turn.

In practice, Underworld BreachUnderworld Breach can win games with a trivial amount of setup. Cast a tutor to grab Underworld Breach, cast Underworld Breach, then escape-cast the tutor you already played. Grab any way of dumping cards into your graveyard (preferably Brain FreezeBrain Freeze), reload your graveyard with escape fodder, escape-cast the tutor again for a mana source (such as Lion's Eye DiamondLion's Eye Diamond), then churn through your deck, milling yourself and producing infinite mana in the process.

All of this, mind you, required just a single tutor to get the value chain started.

#1 - Rhystic StudyRhystic Study

Last but certainly not least. What else could it be but Rhystic Study, the boogeyman of Commander?

Rhystic Study is the best card draw engine in cEDH; mana is simply too important of a resource for most opponents to act responsible and pay the extra for each of their spells, effectively meaning that Rhystic here will draw you a card whenever an opponent puts a spell on the stack.

Sure, it might not win the game then and there in the same way that either Necropotence or Underworld Breach do, but that's not the point of Rhystic Study. With Rhystic out, every turn that passes is another turn that you've accumulated card advantage far outpacing what any individual opponent can muster, bringing you closer and closer to victory.

Rhystic Study may not be a win-condition by itself, but don't let that fool you. This card wins games.

Wrap Up

Enchantments are far from the most popular card type in cEDH. Like planeswalkers, there just aren't that many of them that have made a big enough of a splash to work in the format. That said, those that have broken through have come to define the format.