Too-Specific Top 10 - Indestructiwhat?

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectral Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Spectral Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.kieranyanner.com">Kieran Yanner</a>)</h6>
<h1>Pore Over the Pages</h1>
<p>This week, we're doing something a little different on <em>Challenge the Stats</em>! We're going to go back to the roots of the fantastic <a href="https://edhrecast.libsyn.com/">EDHRECast</a> segment this series is based on. We're picking out one card to challenge as overplayed or underplayed, and doing a deep dive into which decks and commanders might want to play it. Today, we have an underplayed card from the <em>Kaldheim Commander</em> preconstructed deck, <em>Phantom Premonition</em>:<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectral Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Spectral Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spectral Deluge"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectral Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Spectral Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a one-sided board wipe, bouncing only opponents' creatures with toughness less than or equal to the number of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Island" href="#" target="_blank">Island</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s you control. It's currently in just shy of 1,500 decks on EDHREC, and I think that is too few! Spectral Deluge has the exact same text as another card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scourge of Fleets" href="#" target="_blank">Scourge of Fleets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is in 6,600 decks, but is very clunky at seven mana, and it's on a big durdly creature. Unless we're playing a Sea Creature deck, blue decks can typically take advantage or benefit from a spell rather than a creature. Point for Spectral Deluge! Another similar card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Engulf the Shore" href="#" target="_blank">Engulf the Shore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is in over 5,000 decks and, importantly, is symmetrical, which is a big difference.</p>
<p>Blue has so many options for symmetrical bounce board wipes, such as the iconic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evacuation" href="#" target="_blank">Evacuation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but we have to get creative if we want to break symmetry like Spectral Deluge does. Let's check out our options.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inundate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wash out"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whelming Wave"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inundate" href="#" target="_blank">Inundate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits all non-blue creatures, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wash Out" href="#" target="_blank">Wash Out</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits all creatures of a color of our choice, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whelming Wave" href="#" target="_blank">Whelming Wave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep" href="#" target="_blank">Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> let us keep our Sea Creatures if we build around them, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crush of Tentacles" href="#" target="_blank">Crush of Tentacles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flood of Tears" href="#" target="_blank">Flood of Tears</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> let us get one big thing on the board, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherize" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherspouts" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherspouts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are effective bounce if the creatures of concern are attacking. These are all solid options, and can be really good if we build around them.</p>
<p>However, Spectral Deluge doesn't ask us to build around it, and the only condition is that we have a lot of Islands, making it a great choice for mono-blue and two-color decks that include blue. Two more points for Deluge! However, looking at commanders that currently love it, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ranar, the Ever-Watchful" href="#" target="_blank">Ranar, the Ever-Watchful</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alrund, God of the Cosmos" href="#" target="_blank">Alrund, God of the Cosmos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vega, the Watcher" href="#" target="_blank">Vega, the Watcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the <em>Foretell</em> might be a bit of a distraction, since those commanders care about <em>Foretell</em>, and we're seeing minimal inclusion elsewhere. Let's view the <em>Foretell</em> cost as a perk, rather than a clue to which decks want to play Spectral Deluge.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crush of Tentacles"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherspouts"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep"></div></div>
<p>The <em>Foretell</em> cost is a huge boon to Spectral Deluge. We can tuck it away on turn 2 and then play it later for only three mana when we need it! Premium board wipes typically come at four mana, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and are fantastic because that efficiency lets us play something else on our turn after them to have something before our opponents. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxic Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Toxic Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at three mana is even better for this reason (ohhhh, I just noticed the Deluge parallel!). If we draw Spectral Deluge and need it immediately, we can hard-cast it for six mana; otherwise, a three-mana board wipe that only hits our opponents 100% blows my mind.</p>
<p>We need to address the elephant in the room. The big comparison to make is with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which I don't need to tell you is one of the most popular blue board wipes, showing in over 113,000 decks on EDHREC and commanding a hefty $30 price tag.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div></div>
<p>Cyc Rift is instant-speed, asymmetrical, and hits all nonland permanents, which means it can be a lot more powerful, but it's also <em>always</em> seven mana to do that, which is a big price to pay and a lot of mana to hold open and telegraph to your opponents. It also has the potential for some feel-bads, and I think Spectral Deluge has a lot less of those, being at sorcery-speed. Also, Spectral Deluge is only 34 cents at the time of writing! Due to the limited printing, I'd pick up a few now to make sure you get that price. Check out Jaelyn's <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/staple-remover-cyclonic-rift/">Staple Remover article on Cyclonic Rift</a> to read more about budget alternatives!</p>
<p>Spectral Deluge definitely takes the power level down a notch from Cyc Rift due to the sorcery speed and only hitting creatures, but the asymmetry remains. That means it can be used to set your opponents back while maintaining your board, and maybe folks won't be upset about it if we use some politics and take out 5,024 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scute Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Scute Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s but gets to keep our stuff. My favorite reason for using asymmetrical board wipes is that they can be used to clear the battlefield of blockers while you swing in for an alpha-strike, effectively making them another win-condition in your deck and potentially freeing up a card slot.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braids, Conjurer Adept"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atemsis, All-Seeing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle"></div></div>
<p>Looking at the EDHREC page of <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/u">mono-blue commanders</a>, I'm hard-pressed to find a commander that <em>wouldn't</em> at least consider Spectral Deluge as a board wipe in their deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talrand, Sky Summoner" href="#" target="_blank">Talrand, Sky Summoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes another Drake and alpha-strikes with a ton of other Drakes. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braids, Conjurer Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Braids, Conjurer Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> resets opponents and smashes face with whatever beater she cheated into play. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atemsis, All-Seeing" href="#" target="_blank">Atemsis, All-Seeing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets a free shot on a player to ice them out of the game. Expanding, we can look at the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/wu">Azorious</a>, <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/ub">Dimir</a>, <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/ur">Izzet</a>, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/gu">Simic</a> commanders and see a lot of places where a Deluge alpha-strike fits in well!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inniaz, the Gale Force" href="#" target="_blank">Inniaz, the Gale Force</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – Flying stuff smash!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Scarab God" href="#" target="_blank">The Scarab God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – Big Zombie smash!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – Unblockable Ninja smash!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zaffai, Thunder Conductor" href="#" target="_blank">Zaffai, Thunder Conductor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – Big spell and Elemental smash!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait" href="#" target="_blank">Aesi</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tatyova, Benthic Druid" href="#" target="_blank">yova</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – Lands lands lands rampy smash!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle" href="#" target="_blank">Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> – See above + commander damage smash!</p>
<hr />
<p>What commander do you think would be good with Spectral Deluge?</p>
<p>I'm partial to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braids, Conjurer Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Braids, Conjurer Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so I'll post my current Braids list here.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Braids Clones" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Braids, Conjurer Adept
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Amphin Mutineer
*1 Ancient Stone Idol
*1 Atemsis, All-Seeing
*1 Bladegriff Prototype
*1 Clever Impersonator
*1 Colossus of Akros
*1 Crashing Drawbridge
*1 Darksteel Colossus
*1 Faerie Artisans
*1 Glasspool Mimic
*1 Inspired Sphinx
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Nezahal, Primal Tide
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Phyrexian Triniform
*1 Sandstone Oracle
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Sphinx of the Second Sun
*1 Stunt Double
*1 Thieving Skydiver
*1 Thought Sponge
*1 Triplicate Titan
*1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
*1 Vizier of Many Faces
*1 Wurmcoil Engine
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Aetherize
*1 Aetherspouts
*1 Archmage&#039;s Charm
*1 Beyeen Veil // Beyeen Coast
*1 Commit // Memory
*1 Engulf the Shore
*1 Fact or Fiction
*1 High Tide
*1 Insidious Will
*1 Intellectual Offering
*1 Mystic Confluence
*1 Narset&#039;s Reversal
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Reins of Power
*1 Resculpt
*1 Theoretical Duplication
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Clone Legion
*1 Mitotic Manipulation
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Spectral Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Bloodthirsty Blade
*1 Crystal Shard
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Glaring Spotlight
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Helm of Possession
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Manascape Refractor
*1 Midnight Clock
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mirage Mirror
*1 Neurok Stealthsuit
*1 Pendant of Prosperity
*1 Sculpting Steel
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Guildless Commons
*20 Island
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Riptide Laboratory
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Sanctum of Eternity
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
[/Lands]
[Enchantments]
*1 Mirrormade
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
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<h2>Careful Study</h2>
<p>Are there any other cards you would challenge? Let me know in the comments below! As always, you can find me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jevin_mtg">@jevin_mtg</a>, or <a href="https://discord.gg/GwQWjSZjvg">join my <em>Challenge the Stats</em> discord here. </a></p>


evacuation

Too-Specific Top 10 - Indestructiwhat?

Challenge the Stats – Spectral Deluge

Challenge the Stats - Arcades, the Sneakiest Strategist