BiorhythmBiorhythm | Art by Ron Spears

Hello everyone, I'm Command Zoe, now covering Breaking News for EDHREC. No seriously, this isn’t satire. I'm back today to talk about the recent unbanning in Commander of one of my favorite Onslaught era cards: BiorhythmBiorhythm.

I played this card in Standard as a four-of all the way back in Onslaught-Mirrodin standard, and I'm glad it's back - even if it is as a Game Changer. Buckle up because that means I get to info dump on you all about how it was used before it was banned, why it was unbanned, what my thoughts are on it as a card, and what commanders are champing at the bit to get their hands on it. Without further ado.

Game: changed.

How Was BiorhythmBiorhythm Used Before It Was Banned, and Why Was It Unbanned?

Biorhythm is a powerful but expensive effect. It has a fairly straightforward card design, but due to its ability to completely kill an entire table at once it's been on the banned list for years. However, Magic has come a long way since then. An eight-mana automatic finisher isn't what it used to be, even if it is in green, the rampiest color.

There are two main ways Biorhythm was played when it was first legal. The first is to ramp up quickly, then cast an instant speed board wipe like EvacuationEvacuation during the end step of the turn before yours, then win in your first main phase with a cheap creature into Biorhythm, leaving everyone else at zero life and you at one.

The other way it was used was to go a lot wider than your opponents with a lot of small creatures, then cast Biorhythm and attack each opponent with more creatures than they can block.

Explaining it like this makes it a lot easier to see why it was unbanned. Can you think of any other examples of cards that work like that? There are dozens, but the most powerful one actually outclasses Biorhythm in every way.

Hoof just does this job better.

My Thoughts on BiorhythmBiorhythm as a Card

This was a smart unbanning by the Commander Format Panel (CFP). A card that is functionally worse than cards that currently exist being on the banned list was a bad look for legitimacy.

This was a long time coming because Biorhythm has been power crept for years, and it could have come off the banned list half a decade ago. There was a time when this was a needed ban. That time has passed, and it's nice to see a card I loved to play in Standard as a child come back to Magic.

Pictured: Author's Nostalgia

I'll go a step further and assert that I don’t think this card should even be a Game Changer. I have said this before with regards to Vorinclex, Voice of HungerVorinclex, Voice of Hunger, but eight-mana cards are too expensive to change the game. If they're being cheated out then the card that cheats is the problem. I see no functional difference between Biorhythm and Craterhoof, which is not a Game Changer, and I’d argue is significantly stronger.

I predict this will be off the Game Changer list the next time the CFP looks at it.

Which Commanders Want BiorhythmBiorhythm?

There are several commanders that want this card. In competitive Commander, partners like Rograkh, Son of RohgahhRograkh, Son of Rohgahh in combination with any green partner, most likely Thrasios, Triton HeroThrasios, Triton Hero, is going to be a popular choice. This pairing gives you green for ramp, blue for protection and evacuation, and a commander you can cast from the command zone for free.

That's everything needed to do the whole combo, one piece of which you always have on you.

At lower Bracket tables, Biorhythm will likely see no play. This might come as a shock since it just came off the banned list. Why would anyone spend one of their three Game Changers on a card that's outclassed by a non-Game Changer?

The rare decks that do decide to spend a Game Changer slot on it will be looking to do so as a combo gimmick, most likely. That means they want access to an instant-speed board wipe, which means white or blue, and access to zero-mana creatures, which red gives the most access to via Kobolds - Naya and Temur commanders.

Cards That Work Well With BiorhythmBiorhythm

There are several types of cards that work well with Biorhythm, depending on which of the two ways the deck wants to use the card.

Instant-speed board wipes are a must-have for decks looking to combo. Examples from every color include:

• Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift
• EvacuationEvacuation
• ArcbondArcbond
• Delayed Blast FireballDelayed Blast Fireball
• Fire CovenantFire Covenant
• RoutRout
• Final ShowdownFinal Showdown
• Oblivion StoneOblivion Stone
• Tegwyll's ScouringTegwyll's Scouring

Zero-mana creatures are the other half of that combo, and the best options for it are:

• OrnithopterOrnithopter
• Dryad ArborDryad Arbor
• Phyrexian WalkerPhyrexian Walker
• MemniteMemnite
• Shield SphereShield Sphere
• All the KoboldsAll the Kobolds
• And all the man-lands like MutavaultMutavault

The plot and suspend mechanics are also great ways to pre-spend mana to get around the cost of casting a creature the same turn as Biorhythm. Earthbending and land animation are interesting types of cards to look at with any board wipes that say to destroy all non-land permanents.

Moving away from the combo, go-wide style decks that want to spit out as many creatures as possible then attack will be looking to utilize mana dorks. Elves decks in particular will love the ability to ramp into this and swing for lethal before anyone else knows what hit them. 

These jerks...

Cleanup Step

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my thoughts on the recent unbanning of Biorhythm, a card that's an absolute juggernaut in MTG Hangman. I hope you're excited to try not just it, but all the cards the most recent changes gave access to across all the wonderful formats MTG has! Shout out to the huge shakeup Historic on Arena is going through.

Until next time, follow me across my socials so you know what’s going on as soon as it happens.