<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener" href="#" target="_blank">Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/milapesic">Mila Pesic</a>)</h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What’s up everyone, It’s Bert from the Scrap Trawlers, the place where we bring you EDH on a budget. With the advent of <em>March of the Machine</em> on the horizon, it’s time for another set of Commander decks. Today we're taking a look at the <em>Call for Backup</em> deck from the new set, starring none other than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener" href="#" target="_blank">Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Just like always we'll be going over how the deck plays, its strengths and weaknesses, which new cards are worth looking at, and what reprints we are looking forward to the most. Let’s dive in!</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Who’s In the Squad?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our face commander is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener" href="#" target="_blank">Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which gives us access to Naya colors. Bright-Palm has an ability that focuses on +1/+1 counters but also has the Backup ability, which allows us to share the ability with another creature upon entering the battlefield. This does two things for our overall strategy. First, this dictates that we must have a critical mass of creatures so that Bright-Palm can always have a target to share their ability with. Second, it means that we can put a focus on +1/+1 counter synergies to power up the ability even further, and believe me the deck has a multitude of those already. There's a staggering 39 creatures in the list, with a few of them enabling additional counters being placed on our creatures. This deck also comes with some new Planechase cards which brings some life into a fan-favorite variant. With that in mind, let’s go ahead take a look at the deck list, shall we? </span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Call for Backup Precon" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Bright-Palm, Soul Awakener
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Abzan Battle Priest
*1 Abzan Falconer
*1 Alharu, Solemn Ritualist
*1 Armorcraft Judge
*1 Brawn
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Conclave Mentor
*1 Conclave Sledge-Captain
*1 Constable of the Realm
*1 Death-Greeter&#039;s Champion
*1 Elite Scaleguard
*1 Emergent Woodwurm
*1 Enduring Scalelord
*1 Falkenrath Exterminator
*1 Fertilid
*1 Flamerush Rider
*1 Forgotten Ancient
*1 Genesis Hydra
*1 Good-Fortune Unicorn
*1 Guardian Scalelord
*1 Gyre Sage
*1 Hamza, Guardian of Arashin
*1 High Sentinels of Arashin
*1 Incubation Druid
*1 Juniper Order Ranger
*1 Kalonian Hydra
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
*1 Managorger Hydra
*1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
*1 Mindless Automaton
*1 Mirror-Style Master
*1 Pridemalkin
*1 Restoration Angel
*1 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
*1 Shalai and Hallar
*1 Slurrk, All-Ingesting
*1 Sunscorch Regent
*1 Triskelion
*1 Wood Elves
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Dromoka&#039;s Command
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Heaven // Earth
*1 Hindervines
*1 Inscription of Abundance
*1 Inspiring Call
*1 Return to Nature
*1 Semester&#039;s End
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Fractured Powerstone
*1 Ichor Elixir
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strionic Resonator
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Path of the Pyromancer
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Flameshadow Conjuring
*1 Ion Storm
*1 Together Forever
*1 Uncivil Unrest
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Bretagard Stronghold
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Field of Ruin
*6 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Game Trail
*1 Gavony Township
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Kessig Wolf Run
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Llanowar Reborn
*1 Mossfire Valley
*1 Mosswort Bridge
*2 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*5 Plains
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Temple of Abandon
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the list in front of us, I think it's safe to say that, out of the box, we have a smorgasbord of cards in our arsenal. Our playstyle is going to be an aggro deck that focuses on going wide, then after that tall with our creatures. Backup is a flexible ability as it has a dual function in making another creature larger and giving it a new ability, or just making the initial creature larger. We are going to do a lot of attacking with large creatures so we want to make sure that we have a healthy board state at all times. Within our aggro package there is also a small set of cards that allow you to reuse Backup abilities, two of my favorites being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Restoration Angel" href="#" target="_blank">Restoration Angel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flameshadow Conjuring" href="#" target="_blank">Flameshadow Conjuring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Since we have discussed the strategies at our fingertips let's get into the strengths and weaknesses of the deck. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Where Do We Need Backup?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kalonian Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Armorcraft Judge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inspiring call"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just like any aggro deck, <em>Call for Backup</em>'s major strength is in the speed at which we can play in a game. This typically means that the first few turns are ours for the taking and we use that to set up for the late game. In our deck we have a ton of creatures, but most of them fall in the mana value of three. The average mana value of the deck is 3.58 which for a precon is really good. This makes it so that our turns allow us to play out our hands and get momentum in our favor as we play bigger and bigger bombs. An example is to have a few creatures with counters on them before we play our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalonian Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Kalonian Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so that we can get a ton of power and value from it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To touch on a couple of the weaknesses of the deck, we have to focus on the problems that a lot of precons face. The deck currently lacks card draw, which is vital in deck construction. The deck does include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armorcraft Judge" href="#" target="_blank">Armorcraft Judge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Call" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which gives us a good amount of cards but in its current iteration there is no repeatable card draw source. In addition to card draw, since we have a focus on the board state I would like to see a little bit more protection for our creatures. The deck includes the previously mentioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Call" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which does give our creatures indestructible, as well as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hindervines" href="#" target="_blank">Hindervines</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which protects our creatures with counters on them from damage. Lastly, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Semester’s end" href="#" target="_blank">Semester’s end</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which is a solid spell, however I think that there are some other spells that can do more for us (I'll go over that in my upgrade guide). With that behind us, let's talk about some of the new cards and some of the awesome reprints in this deck.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Something Old and Something New</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shalai and Hallar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Uncivil Unrest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conclave Sledge-Captain"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are a bunch of reprinted cards included in this deck that I am ecstatic to see. The first and by far the most expensive is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalonian Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Kalonian Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, something of a staple for +1/+1 counter decks. This particular card is sitting at about 15 dollars so lets hope to see that price dip as the printings start to roll out. As I stated earlier, this is a bomb in our deck and will make for some powerful plays. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next on cards that I am excited to see reprinted is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flameshadow Conjuring" href="#" target="_blank">Flameshadow Conjuring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Enabling haste in this deck makes a world of difference and this is a solid way to do it, as well as allowing us to get double the Backup triggers. In that same vein are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Restoration Angel" href="#" target="_blank">Restoration Angel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flamerush Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Flamerush Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> another two cards that serve the purpose of giving us more usages of Backup with the latter having the ability to give itself haste and make a copy of another attacking creature, creating some interesting plays. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, there is probably my favorite card in creature based Commander decks, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion of Lambholt" href="#" target="_blank">Champion of Lambholt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is bonkers as it will grow to the point that allows us to bypass our opponents' defenses.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We've discussed the old, now let's look at the new! The card I know that people are excited for is the alternate commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shalai and Hallar" href="#" target="_blank">Shalai and Hallar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is a powerhouse in and of itself. Dealing damage to target opponent can get out of hand quickly, especially in a deck like this. I can’t wait to see what people do with this card. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The two cards that I am personally excited for are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uncivil Unrest" href="#" target="_blank">Uncivil Unrest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conclave Sledge-Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Conclave Sledge-Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uncivil Unrest" href="#" target="_blank">Uncivil Unrest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a subtle impression of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhythm of the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Rhythm of the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>,</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> but takes it a bit further and doubles the damage that creatures with +1/+1 counters deal. I think it definitely will be a chase card from the precon. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conclave Sledge-Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Conclave Sledge-Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also great, with three instances of Backup allowing us to share its ability with up to three creatures or put three +1/+1 counters on the Sledge-Captain itself, making it a powerhouse!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly I want to talk about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror-Style Master" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror-Style Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The attack trigger makes this card a commanding presence in the red zone. In addition to that attack trigger it has Backup, empowering your board even further. These new cards are just a force to be reckoned with, so keep your eye on them. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Final Thoughts</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So what do I think of the <em>Call for Backup</em> Commander deck? It definitely is going to have a dynamic effect in pods, so much so that I will definitely build Bright-Palm myself! This deck has two commanders that people will be playing for a long time to come.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s all for this article. Be sure to check out the other Scrap Trawlers precon guides and then our Twitch channel <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">here</a>. Until next time, make sure you keep it on a budget!</span></p>


Call for Backup - Precon Primer

Growing Threat - Upgrade Guide

Forgotten Harvest - Morphing Faceless Menace

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chaos Confetti" href="#" target="_blank">Chaos Confetti</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.marktedin.com/">Mark Tedin</a>)</h6>
<h1>Turn That Smile Upside Down</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Too-Specific Top 10</em>, where if there isn't a category to rank our pet card at the top of, we'll just make one up! (Did you know the card to elicit the loudest groan from a table of <em>Storm</em> decks is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?)</p>
<p>This time through, we're flipping the script, taking a look at some of the <em>worst</em> cards in Commander. Since it's currently spoiler season for <em>Commander 2019, </em>let's make things more specific, and look at just the least-played cards that originated from Commander precons!</p>
<hr />
<h1>Top 10 Commander Flops</h1>
<p>As per usual, rankings are determined solely by the cards' EDHREC score, which is based on how many decks are playing the particular card. In this case, we're going to be judging cards exclusively printed for Commander, rather than looking at the cards that were just reprinted into the Commander product. (It is worth noting, however, that being reprinted after the fact is not only fine, it's probably a sign that the card is fairly decent after all!)</p>
<p>So without further ado, let's look at the least played Commander cards in Commander.<a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37092" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hooded Horror"></div></div>
<p>Attack the archenemy they said. It'll be unblockable, they said. Only... is that enough for a five-mana 4/4 to be playable? Alas, much like my old friend <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savannah Lions" href="#" target="_blank">Savannah Lions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this one just can't keep up in today's power creep environment, especially when the unblockable ability isn't concrete, but rather fastened onto a large caveat. While it may be that you've built your deck so that you aren't going to be the player with the most creatures, that doesn't guarantee that the person you actually need to attack will be, either.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37093" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Awaken the Sky Tyrant"></div></div>
<p>Back in the day, I used to absolutely love the 'hidden' cycle from <em>Urza's Saga</em>. Tired of that opponent playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidden Gibbons" href="#" target="_blank">Hidden Gibbons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Want to go faster than that guy playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidden Guerrillas" href="#" target="_blank">Hidden Guerrillas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Sky Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Sky Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fills much the same ultra-fast aggro reactionary role, but in Commander that role isn't very good. Even if there was a four-mana 5/5 flyer available without any additional requirements, it seems doubtful that it would see much play in this slower environment, so it's not too surprising that this would-be Dragon is sitting on the sidelines.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37094" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/3-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Naya Soulbeast"></div></div>
<p>In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Naya Soulbeast" href="#" target="_blank">Naya Soulbeast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be a huge trampler for your board... and then again, it might not. In either case, however, for eight mana you're going to want a spell that wins the game, not a vanilla creature that will probably take a few turns to swing in and die incidentally in the meantime. Not having a relevant ability to the board is just not good enough these days, even at lower power levels. The fact that this particular Beast might just be an eight-mana 2/2 makes this card a terrible option for any deck.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37095" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/4-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fell Shepherd"></div></div>
<p>I'm more sympathetic to our number four card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fell Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Fell Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In the older days of Commander, this card even saw decent amounts of play, having a relevant triggered ability that synergized with its sacrifice outlet. That and the fact that the sacrifice outlet powers removal to keep the Shepherd unblocked, and this thing should be knocking it out of the park. There's just one problem: it costs seven mana to get out, and then additional mana for each time you sacrifice a creature. There's a lot of possible upside here, but it's unfortunately locked up by needing a lot of resources to get there.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37096" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5-resized.png" alt="" width="346" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terra Ravager"></div></div>
<p>Four toughness isn't a lot in a game of EDH. Only counting commanders, much less other creature staples of the format, there are 377 legendary creatures who can block <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terra Ravager" href="#" target="_blank">Terra Ravager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and kill it. Of those, about a tenth of them have some sort of indestructible or <em>Regenerate </em>ability, making the likelihood of an even trade much less than a guarantee. Perhaps if the boost the Ravager gets from your opponents' lands was around for blocking or for toughness as well, this might be a bit more of a threat. However, as is, without any sort of evasion and with a high likelihood that this will swing once and die for its trouble, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terra Ravager" href="#" target="_blank">Terra Ravager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is yet another creature in a long line of fairly vanilla creatures that just aren't making the cut.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/6-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37097" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/6-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Widespread Panic"></div></div>
<p>At number six on the list, this is the first in our Top 10 to actually have me a bit confused by its presence. Don't get me wrong, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Widespread Panic" href="#" target="_blank">Widespread Panic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a weird card that doesn't quite fit in discard or chaos decks, but it doesn't quite <em>not</em> fit either. Add in that it hoses tutors that put cards on top of the deck and acts as an unending <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plow Under" href="#" target="_blank">Plow Under</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a deck built around on-board abilities rather than new spells, and it really seems like a place should have been found for this enchantment. In particular, for those decks that thrive on self-mill or exiling the top card of the library, this seems like a unique weapon that could be deadly with the right setup. Honestly, I think that some red commanders that care about the top of the library need to step up and start playing this card. Looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Melek, Izzet Paragon" href="#" target="_blank">Melek, Izzet Paragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Borborygmos Enraged" href="#" target="_blank">Borborygmos Enraged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire" href="#" target="_blank">Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Maybe throw some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soldier of Fortune" href="#" target="_blank">Soldier of Fortune</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in there too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Melek, Izzet Paragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Borborygmos Enraged"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/7-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37098" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/7-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empyrial Storm"></div></div>
<p>One of the nice things about a "worst of" list is that the cards get better as you go. Now, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empyrial Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Empyrial Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is far from a slam dunk, but it is still a decent card. One 4/4 Angel for six mana is a terrible deal. Two is probably all right, but not exactly ideal. Once you start getting three or more, however, this could actually pack quite the punch. So the question is, what cheap commander cares about tokens and gets cast repeatedly? Might I introduce you to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saffi Eriksdotter" href="#" target="_blank">Saffi Eriksdotter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? How about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys the Redeemed" href="#" target="_blank">Rhys the Redeemed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia, Guardian of Thraben" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia, Guardian of Thraben</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? (PS: if you have <em>Partner </em>commanders, this triggers for each of them!)</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/8-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37099" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/8-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eye of Doom"></div></div>
<p>While the price could be better, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s effect can actually be a real boon for the table. Being able to destroy the four best permanents on the board can really level the playing field; the only question is whether it will change it in your favor. Especially if you are doing well, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might backfire and one or more of <em>your</em> nonland permanents as opposed to your opponents'. Still, in the right political deck, it could just work out.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/9-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37100" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/9-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="228" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shared Trauma"></div></div>
<p>Initially it would appear that we're in another slump here, but it's worth pointing out that the worst version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Trauma" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Trauma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> says "pay X+1 mana to have each player mill the top X cards of their library." That effect alone isn't unplayable for the mill strategy, and might even be playable in several decks that are just interested in filling their graveyard. Unfortunately, there are probably better options for both the mill and self-mill decks, namely <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Grind" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Grind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Summons" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Summons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.<a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37101" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/10-resized.png" alt="" width="350" height="278" /></a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Acorn Catapult"></div></div>
<p>You probably play this if you're in the Squirrel deck, because as we've gone over before here on <em>Too-Specific Top 10</em>, there are only 14 cards relating to Squirrels total in the history of <em>Magic</em>. That said, it's still going to be rather underwhelming for you, as you'll probably just be using it to make one Squirrel a turn, sometimes also losing a life in the process, all for much more mana than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squirrel Nest" href="#" target="_blank">Squirrel Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
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<h2>What Do You Think?</h2>
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<p>And finally, which cards do you remember from the Commander products that really just underwhelmed you? What kinds of cards used to make the cut for your decks but aren't pulling their own weight anymore?</p>
<p>Let us know in the comments, and we'll see you at the Bad Rare Blackjack table soon!</p>


commander precons

Call for Backup - Precon Primer

Growing Threat - Upgrade Guide

Forgotten Harvest - Morphing Faceless Menace

Too-Specific Top 10 - Commander Flops