The Last RideThe Last Ride | art by Michele Giorgi

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High Octane Black Cards

Hello, and welcome back to another set review at EDHREC! I'm Brian, your usual host of Brew For Your Buck, and today we're looking at the black cards from Aetherdrift.

This set didn't have me totally excited, but after seeing it I'm pleasantly surprised with the overall flavor and the cards. I like the combined revisit to Avishkar and Amonkhet; I was drafting a lot in person around that time and I have some good memories from the game store with my cousin.

As for my race experience, I'd prefer my really fast machines to be airborne a la Top Gun, but I've also had a good time at a few NASCAR races.

On the menu today we have a great mono-black commander, some goodies for Zombie decks, and a common that will launch a whole new series of infinite combos. Let's get in gear and go!

Mythics

The Last RideThe Last Ride

Out of the gates we have... a bad GreedGreed, at least for Commander. While 20 life formats will treat this as another Death's ShadowDeath's Shadow, it will be a lot harder for it to not insta-die as soon as we crew it in a 40 life format.

If crewing it is (for the most part) not and option, what does this do for us? Maybe VerrakVerrak decks can make use of it, or any black-based artifact deck looking for cheap plays to fuel affinity, improvise, etc.

In my opinion, there are better options for all of the above, so this aptly named card will be the last ride in my decks.

The Speed DemonThe Speed Demon

Speed indeed! This potential commander provides superb card velocity, especially if you pair it with some cheaper instances of Start your engines! to get to max speed ASAP.

Except for very few instances, speed can't be decreased. If this dies and you cast it again, it's very likely you're drawing two to three cards if not the full four.

If you're not using the life loss to your advantage with something like Repay in KindRepay in Kind, just partner with everyone's favorite Praetoreveryone's favorite Praetor or Starving RevenantStarving Revenant to offset the downside.

If you're going to have The Speed Demon head up a deck, make sure you throw in some of black's awesome mana acceleration, like Cabal CoffersCabal Coffers and Crypt GhastCrypt Ghast, so you have enough mana to use all the cards you're drawing. Throwing this into the 99 of a Demon deck makes a lot of sense to me too.

Rares

Cryptcaller ChariotCryptcaller Chariot

Friend of the series Ryan dubbed this Esika's Spooky ChariotEsika's Spooky Chariot and I think that's a very apt description.

This is a great payoff for any commander doing a lot of self-discard like Oskar, Rubbish ReclaimerOskar, Rubbish Reclaimer, or The Infamous CruelclawThe Infamous Cruelclaw (both previously featured on BFYB).

Zombie decks can probably find a slot for this as long as they're doing the discard thing too, though it might get outclassed with the sheer amount of Zombie cards there are to choose from.

I expect there will be a lot more Vehicle decks showing up now, so having one that also makes idiots to crew them isn't a bad thing to have, but again: you need to be discarding a lot to make this more than a 5/5 menace that needs help to attack or block.

Cursecloth WrappingsCursecloth Wrappings

This card has me intrigued more than any other card on this list. The Zombie anthem is nice to have, but that activated ability is really interesting.

It's not casting a spell, so the cost reduction on something like Gravebreaker LamiaGravebreaker Lamia is not going to help you here, but the fact that you're making a token copy gets really interesting alongside cards that double or copy them, like Doubling SeasonDoubling Season or Wake the ReflectionsWake the Reflections.

I expect some Abzan () token-based lists to probably use this the most, but it looks like a very fun card to abuse in any black deck.

Demonic JunkerDemonic Junker

When I met my wife, this is what she called my car at the time. I had to choose between the headlights or the dashboard lights (not both) at night, and it had no AC (I was living in Miami at the time).

But I digress, this card is pretty great despite the name. In my articles for beginners, I explain why it's important to play removal that deals with multiple threats.

This does exactly that, and in the right deck, paying one mana to kill three opposing creatures is unmatched value. Obviously artifact/Vehicle decks will make the most use of this, and if you've got something expendable to kill, you've got a pretty decent beater too.

Gas GuzzlerGas Guzzler

Oh look, another one-drop Vampire for EdgarEdgar decks, which is probably the best home for this card. Rogue decks will make good use of Derek Zoolander here, since their inherit evasiveness will help you get to max speed that much faster.

If you can get there, this makes a pretty good draw engine so long as you have expendable creatures, but it's fragile enough that I'm not sure it'll be around by the time you're at max speed.

I see the potential, but it just takes so long for it to become more than just a Savannah LionsSavannah Lions.

Gonti, Night MinisterGonti, Night Minister

Gonti fans rejoice! Another version of Avishkar's undercity personality is always a nice thing to see, and this one really just wants to hug the table.

That's right, mono black group hug is here, if you can call everyone stealing everything group hug. I'd couple this with any of the other "cast a spell you don't own" cards including adding it to the 99 of Tasha, the Witch QueenTasha, the Witch Queen or Don AndresDon Andres decks.

These type of cards generally aren't my cup of tea; I built my deck to use my cards, not my opponents', but whatever floats your boat.

Lost Monarch of IfnirLost Monarch of Ifnir

This is the only card from the precons that shows up on this list, and there isn't too much to say about it. If you can find a slot for it in your Zombie decks, it makes all of those tokens a real pain in the butt to block.

Afflict is an aggressive mechanic, so make sure you're planning on doing a lot of attacking with your undead horde, otherwise this'll be lackluster.

Also, how does this card not make you become the monarch? Come on Wizards!

Quag FeastQuag Feast

Quag Feast is a cool removal spell for self-mill decks, but I'd rather just play something generic like FellFell or if staying on theme, Overwhelming RemorseOverwhelming Remorse.

Most of the time this will only hit a creature, and being sorcery speed hurts quite a bit, since you can't turn on Delirium, Threshold, or other graveyard-based mechanics as a surprise.

Uncommons & Commons

Hour of VictoryHour of Victory

I've got to include any card that can turn into Demonic TutorDemonic Tutor, and this gets especially silly when you start doubling up on its uses with AniktheaAnikthea.

As with any Start your engines! card, make sure you're pinging your opponents enough to get to max speed. Good callback to the Hour cycle from Hour of Devastation too.

Kalakscion, Hunger TyrantKalakscion, Hunger Tyrant

By the set review rules, I am required to include all legendaries, in case you want to use them as a commander.

If you need consistent access to seven-powered creature in mono-black with no other text, here you go. Otherwise, this is definitely a 99 card.

The almighty frogalmighty frog might want to eat a crocodile from time to time, and this is a perfect add to Greven, Predator CaptainGreven, Predator Captain decks.

If you're doing anything with Shakedown HeavyShakedown Heavy or similar, you probably want this too.

Momentum BreakerMomentum Breaker

Kind of cool for Lurrus decks? Looping permanents can be pretty powerful, so I'm sure there's some niche uses for this somewhere. Also this card name sounds a lot more like a creature or artifact than an enchantment, right?

Wickerfolk IndomitableWickerfolk Indomitable

This might seem kind of meh, but notably it's a sacrifice outlet that can sit in the graveyard until you need it. Like we just said with Momentum BreakerMomentum Breaker, casting spells repeatedly from the 'yard can be pretty busted, so perhaps a we have another niche card for some combos.

Wretched DollWretched Doll

Live look at me trying to find a parking space in a crowded lot.

Pactdoll TerrorPactdoll Terror

We're wrapping things up with a banger, and I expect this to be the most expensive common from the set by a longshot.

This is the first instance of a Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver effect that we've seen in another color. This opens up a million combos that didn't exist before, so check out Commander Spellbook, as I'm sure the entries are pouring in with this card.

The first example that comes to mind is to add it as a redundant piece of the Bolas's CitadelBolas's Citadel/Sensei's Divining TopSensei's Divining Top Combo:

If you're not out-right comboing, the usual suspects make this card nuts: Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor in particular, but anything making Clues, Treasures, Blood, Food, Servos, Thopters, etc, will probably want this in the deck.

How excited are you for the set? For me, the Eternal Might precon has a lot of awesome cards for decks that I like to build, so be sure to check out our precon reviews.

The possibilities with Pactdoll TerrorPactdoll Terror also have my engine revved. Anything I missed or should have talked about?

Let me know in the comments, and check out Brew For Your Buck for upcoming Aetherdrift decks! Until then, shake and bake!

Brian Cain

Brian played Magic intermittently between 2003 and 2017 when he fully embraced his love for Commander. Finding ways to maximize the value of each piece of cardboard in the deck is one of his favorite things to explore, especially if it involves putting lands in the graveyard! Outside of Magic, Brian works as a consultant in the marine industry, turning his passion for boats and ships into a career.