<div id="attachment_155871" class="wp-caption alignright">
<p id="caption-attachment-155871" class="wp-caption-text"><em>The EDHRECast live at Magic Con Chicago 2025, photo credit: Nick Wolf</em></p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What Is the International Day of Play?</h2>
<p>On June 11, 2025, EDHREC is happy to celebrate International Day of Play (IDOP)!</p>
<p>Marking the importance of play in children's lives is the primary goal of IDOP. Even for adults, making some time to move away from screens into the open-world RPG that is life is a great way to celebrate the holiday through in-person play.</p>
<p>Various organizations across the globe are celebrating IDOP. Even the United Nations is taking part in this holiday!</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.un.org/en/delegate/international-day-play-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their press release on the subject</a>, 2025 marks the second year of the celebration of a person's right to engage in play. Their release goes on to say:</p>
<blockquote><p>Building on the success of the inaugural International Day of Play in 2024 and the adoption of the General Assembly resolution recognizing every child’s right to play, we are pleased [...] to participate in the 2025 celebration of the International Day of Play (IDOP) [...] This year’s celebration will move from conversation to commitment. We hope to see broad and meaningful participation from Member States to help advance the right to play in practical and visible ways.</p></blockquote>
<p>International Day of Play is a worldwide holiday that emphasizes a child's right to play.</p>
<p>However, everyone needs some time for their own leisure and play now and again.</p>
<h3>What Are Some Ways I Can Participate?</h3>
<p><a href="https://newsroom.hasbro.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hasbro-celebrates-international-day-play-global-initiatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hasbro has announced</a> family-friendly, in-person Dungeons &amp; Dragons events at over 300 local gaming stores (LGS) nationwide.</p>
<p>Plus, with <em>Magic: The Gathering's</em> tentpole<em> Final Fantasy</em> set releasing on June 13th, many gamers are looking forward to a jam-packed weekend of play.</p>
<div id="attachment_155873" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155873" class="wp-image-155873" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-768x1024.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="667" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-225x300.jpg 225w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155873" class="wp-caption-text">Matt Morgan of the EDHRECast's Final Fantasy Sealed deck</p></div>
<p>In addition, Hasbro is teaming up with the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of America to spearhead multiple <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em> campaigns at after-school programs. According to Hasbro's release:</p>
<blockquote><p>Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast is piloting official afterschool D&amp;D clubs at 10 <a id="modalLink" href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bgca.org%2F&amp;esheet=54271231&amp;newsitemid=20250609564065&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Boys+%26amp%3B+Girls+Clubs&amp;index=4&amp;md5=43f6949839d0d8e359f3ea9a70f78cce" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" shape="rect">Boys &amp; Girls Clubs</a> nationwide, complete with mini libraries, game materials, and support to train the next generation of Dungeon Masters. To celebrate, Hasbro volunteers will be visiting a local Boys &amp; Girls Club to bring the fun in person.</p></blockquote>
<p>Meanwhile, <em>Magic</em><em>: The Gathering</em> is also a great way to play! Here at EDHREC, we encourage you to take your best and most fun Commander decks to your LGS and see if you can make new friends, sling some spells, and enjoy the gathering that makes <em>Magic</em> so great.</p>
<h2>Play Alongside the EDHRECast at MagicCon Las Vegas</h2>
<p>MagicCon Vegas is just around the corner, so if you're looking to play at the event, the EDHRECast's got you covered! <strong>Joey Schultz</strong>, <strong>Dana Roach</strong>, and <strong>Matt Morgan</strong> will be available for <a href="https://mcvegas.mtgfestivals.com/en-us/experience/panels-and-events/panel-information.html?gtID=901484&amp;panel-name=Meet-EDHRec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meet and greets on Saturday, June 20th</a>, from 10:30am to 12pm!</p>
<p>And speaking of in-person play, you'll also be able to <a href="https://mcvegas.mtgfestivals.com/en-us/experience/panels-and-events/panel-information.html?gtID=898650&amp;panel-name=EDHRECast-Live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Challenge the Stats in person</a> with the Cast at MagicCon Las Vegas!</p>
<div id="attachment_155946" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155946" class="wp-image-155946 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-1024x698.jpg" alt="edhrecast photo at magic con chicago 25" width="1024" height="698" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-300x205.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-768x524.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-1536x1047.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-2048x1396.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155946" class="wp-caption-text">The EDHRECast live at Magic Con Chicago 2025, photo credit: Nick Wolf</p></div>
<p>Stop by the Spindown Panel Room S224, June 21 at 4 pm, to showcase your data knowledge and chat with the cast LIVE! Test your chops against our panelists.</p>
<blockquote><p>In this live version of our popular Challenge the Stats segment, audience members will be given a chance to go head to head against one of the show hosts to guess various stats on cards and decks from the EDHREC database. Do you know better than the Necromancer himself Joey Schultz what the most popular graveyard commander is in Boros? Can you out-guess Mr. Selesnya Matt Morgan about which green/white card shows up highest among the most popular cards on the site? Will you out-hipster Dana Roach by correctly naming the most-built commander from Ice Age? This is your chance to challenge our stats and see what we know live and in person.</p></blockquote>
<p>This event requires no pre-registration and is first-come, first-serve, so make sure you get to the Panel Room S224 in time to grab a seat and get ready to play!</p>


EDHREC Celebrates International Day of Play 2025

From the (not really) Brim to the (even less) Trim - Merry Christmas !

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fruitcake Elemental" href="#" target="_blank">Fruitcake Elemental</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/darrellricheart/?hl=en">Darrell Riche</a></h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dearest reader, it’s Christmas day, and while you’re here, I’d like to paint a picture of what’s going on with the editorial side of EDHREC and in the coming year, as well as share a few festive updates.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My name is Morgan Sanchez, operations manager and editor in chief of EDHREC. I’ve been playing <em>Magic</em> since I was 8 years old, starting with <em>Odyssey</em> block and <em>Seven</em></span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">th</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em> Edition</em>, now I’m almost 32 and have been able to see the game falter, grow and finally prosper throughout what amounts to my entire life.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s wonderful to meet your reading eyes, and I hope you’re enjoying the Monday-Friday content EDHREC publishes, as well as our weekly<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/EDHRECast"> EDHRECast</a> segments. It’s been an exceptionally productive year on the content side for us, and we’re grateful to our ever-expanding community of readers and writers who work to make EDHREC one of the best in the business.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even as our previous editor-in-chief left us at the end of November, EDHREC soldiers on, with myself alone at the helm for the first time. It’s a lonely tower, but one I’m grateful to have been able to climb part time all the way to full time. There are always articles to edit, words to read, and cards to brew with, and I very much hope that we can always provide that for you.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles"><span style="font-weight: 400;">You will notice upon perusal that the Articles</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> section of EDHREC has changed a bit:</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">UI now matches EDHREC, no more "2010s" look</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">All global EDHREC features are shared (e.g. the clipboard)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Faster loading times</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, some sneak peeks of fun stuff to look out for that’s coming to EDHREC in 2025:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even more daily article content, including new series to come back for</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Directed content initiatives that will help you make <em>Magic</em> an even bigger and better part of your life with friends and family</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">More site updates and improvements based on your feedback</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These incremental changes are all working to help bolster your experience with our site, whether you’re here for the articles or the best recs. <a href="https://spacecowmedia.com/careers">As always, we are hiring writers of all skill levels and demographics</a> who are looking to showcase their creative chops, whether through deckbuilding or the more social side of the Commander format. Please never be afraid to reach out.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I could not continually accomplish any of this work without my partners in crime: everyone within our internal editorial team and company, including Eliza Hunton, EDHREC's previous editor-in-chief, Jake Fitzsimons, editor-in-chief of </span><a href="https://commandersherald.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander’s Herald</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Andy Zupke, editor-in-chief of </span><a href="https://cardgamer.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Card Gamer</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and my mentor and the brainstorm-brewed man himself, Jason Alt. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are more thanks to give to them and so many others than I have words to say.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Magic</em> is so much more than words on a screen (or card). It is the community we foster with one another; from the bitterness of ban talks to the solidarity of our favorite casual (and competitive!) format. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the end, us Commander players are all just one ask away from sitting at a table with three other strangers to play our favorite game and share our stories and solidarity with it. Maybe we’ll grab a drink and a good meal after, too.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And finally, I am most grateful to you, dear reader of words and cards, for your support and time. I hope no matter your holiday proclivity that this season bestows upon you peace and love.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/caketree-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-143178" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/caketree-768x1024.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="933" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/caketree-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/caketree-225x300.jpg 225w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/caketree-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/caketree-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/caketree-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></p>


Have Yourself a Merry Little EDHREChristmas

Wombo Combo - Best EDH Combo Cards Released in 2024

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Naughty//Nice" href="#" target="_blank">Naughty//Nice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by Greg Staples</h6>
<h1>Who's on the List?</h1>
<p>I am not, in fact, Santa Claus. But this year, I'm pretending to be.</p>
<p>In my usual series, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/kyle-massa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Over/Under</em></a>, I try to predict how popular new commanders will become one year after their release. But since I've covered every set from 2024 already, I thought this might be a fun opportunity for a retrospective. And so, we're getting naughty. And nice.</p>
<p>What were the biggest blunders of the year? What were the strongest successes? What gimmicks horribly backfired on me? Let's find out!</p>
<h2>Naughty: <em>Universes Beyond</em> Takes Over</h2>
<p>I haven't been as disappointed in the <em>Universes Beyond</em> products as most other players. I viewed them as fun ancillary products for fans of whatever crossover IP we might've visited. Honestly, I was even holding on hope that we might someday get an <em>X-Files</em> product. And then October rolled around.</p>
<p>On the 25th of that month, <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/aligning-the-universes-making-all-our-sets-legal-in-all-our-formats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aaron Forsythe announced</a> all future <em>Universes Beyond</em> sets would be legal in all formats. Furthermore, we'll now have three of them per year, starting with <em>Final Fantasy</em> next June, <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em> at an undisclosed later date, and an unnamed set after that.</p>
<p><a href="https://commandersherald.com/gavin-verhey-and-aaron-forsythe-on-commanders-future/">The first half of that news isn't groundbreaking for us</a>; <em>UB</em> cards have been running rampant in Commander for years. It's the other bit that's got me concerned. Forsythe lists several reasons for the change, but the cynical explanation is these licensed sets make massive profits. That makes corporate Hasbro happy, but it's concerning for the long term originality of the game.</p>
<p>Take a set like April's <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-predicting-the-popularity-of-outlaws-of-thunder-junction-commanders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction</em></a>. It's an original plane that unites villains from the game's history, including Oko, Vraska, Rakdos, and Tinybones. I didn't love the set, but even I couldn't deny that it was a triumph of concept and worldbuilding. Finding familiar characters in an unfamiliar world was a delight, and it was made possible from years of original storytelling.</p>
<p>You can find that same resonance in <em>Universes Beyond</em>, true, but it has to be built-in. Speaking from personal experience, it was pleasing to see my guy Aragorn as a <em>Magic</em> card in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-a-review-of-the-lord-of-the-rings-commanders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Tales of Middle-earth</em></a>.</p>
<p>Yet that's only because I happened to have prior attachment to that world. This year's <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-predicting-the-popularity-of-assassins-creed-commanders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Assassin's Creed</em></a>, by contrast, interested me not in the slightest.</p>
<p>If it had been an original set built around the theme of Assassin kindred, I would've given it more of a shot. I suspect many players feel the same.</p>
<p>We're only going to have more of that hit-and-miss feeling moving forward, and I think that's a shame. So for now, <em>Universes Beyond </em>products, you're on the Naughty List.</p>
<h2>Nice: <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em></h2>
<p>From the flavor to the gameplay to the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marvin, Murderous Mimic" href="#" target="_blank">creepy killer clowns</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this was my favorite set of the year. We got 27 new commanders (which I believe is the perfect amount), with some returning characters and many more fresh faces. Check that—creepy faces.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rendmaw, Creaking Nest"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rendmaw, Creaking Nest" href="#" target="_blank">Rendmaw, Creaking Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was my favorite, and though many were surprised I named it my Can't-Miss Pick, it's already gone far over 1,200. Thanks, Rendmaw. This class of commanders as a whole is tracking well, with 15 of the 27 already going Over.</p>
<p>I still maintain it's thematically and aesthetically similar enough to<em> Innistrad</em> that it probably shouldn't have become a new plane, but whatever—<em>Duskmourn</em> was still a hit in my book. But while we're on the subject...</p>
<h2>Naughty: So-Called Original Planes That Nonetheless Seem Oddly Familiar</h2>
<p>Maybe it was because they came back-to-back, but what was the deal with <em>Bloomburrow</em> and <em>Duskmourn</em>? I mean, <em>Bloomburrow</em> was an idyllic, whimsical world based around typal synergies. Sounds a lot like my favorite set ever, <em>Lorwyn</em>. And <em>Duskmourn</em> is a top-down horror-themed world featuring the Delirium mechanic. Sounds a lot like <em>Innistrad</em> to me.</p>
<p>Granted, both distinguished themselves in many ways, and I enjoyed both for what they were. Yet still, I couldn't help but think of them as reboots. And when half our future sets are now going to be IP crossovers, we need to cherish our originality.</p>
<h2>Nice: <em>Commander Masters</em></h2>
<p>This one didn't technically release in 2024, but I did <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-a-review-of-commander-masters-commanders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">review my picks in August</a>. That's when I earned an 88% correct prediction percentage, which was only three points short of my all-time best.</p>
<p>The other nice thing about this product was its restraint. There were only eight new commanders, which is far fewer than the usual metric crapton we get. (Granted, that's because <em>Commander Masters</em> wasn't a usual booster release, but still.)</p>
<p>It might sound contradictory to ask for less of something we love, but here I believe it applies. I mean, each of these eight earned far more decks and far more attention simply because there were so few of them.</p>
<p>Furthermore, with fewer to design, I think the design team had an easier task crafting interesting commanders. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anikthea, Hand of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Anikthea, Hand of Erebos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, is an inspired card who generates unique and oftentimes zany game states.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anikthea, Hand of Erebos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vial Smasher, Gleeful Grenadier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malcolm, the Eyes"></div></div>
<p>Compare that to the 52 new commanders from 2024's <em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction</em>, which had some fun ones, but also featured some absolute stinkers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vial Smasher, Gleeful Grenadier" href="#" target="_blank">Vial Smasher, Gleeful Grenadier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcolm, the Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">Malcolm, the Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Overall, I wouldn't mind seeing a scaled back approach to commanders moving forward. I don't think it'll happen, but 'tis the season for some wishing.</p>
<h2>Naughty: <em>Doctor Who</em></h2>
<p>I've already complained about <em>Universes Beyond</em> at length. It's not about that. It's just that, this year, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-a-review-of-doctor-who-commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I reviewed <em>Doctor Who</em></a>, only to discover it was my worst performance of all time.</p>
<p>For context, my lifetime correct prediction percentage is 75. My previous low was 50%. My <em>Doctor Who</em> percentage? 47.</p>
<p>It was a shameful performance, not unlike my guy Aaron Judge hitting .184 in this past year's postseason. Here's hoping we both do a little better next year.</p>
<h2>Nice: <em>Modern Horizons 3</em></h2>
<p>While we're on the subject of 2024 sets, this was a close second on my personal list to <em>Duskmourn: House of Horrors</em>. Whether you enjoy Eldrazi, energy, or creating <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tarmogoyf" href="#" target="_blank">Tarmogoyf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> tokens, this set had something for everyone.</p>
<p>I mean, even the commons were juiced. Take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, which is arguably better than its inspiration, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I mean, does E-Wit have crazy synergy with proliferate? I think not.</p>
<p>Furthermore, WotC finally admitted that these sets are as much <em>Commander Horizons</em> as they are <em>Modern Horizons</em>, because they released four unique commander decks with it.</p>
<p>Almost every commander in those decks has been a hit, with only <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jyoti, Moag Ancient" href="#" target="_blank">Jyoti, Moag Ancient</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lingering under 1,200 decks as of now. I can't speak for Modern players, but at this point, I'd happily take an <em>MH4</em> whenever it's ready.</p>
<h2>Naughty: Nadu, Winged Wisdom</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nadu, Winged Wisdom"></div></div>
<p>Though <em>Horizons</em> sets are awesome, they often bring with them some utterly busted cards. In <em>MH1</em> it was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis" href="#" target="_blank">Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In <em>MH2</em>, it was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar" href="#" target="_blank">Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (it's been three years and some scholars are still split on how to pronounce the name). And in <em>MH3</em>, it was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nadu, Winged Wisdom" href="#" target="_blank">Nadu, Winged Wisdom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>This card was so stupidly busted that the "only twice each turn" text reads as a laughable limitation. <em>Only </em>twice, huh? That hardly matters when you're equipping <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shuko" href="#" target="_blank">Shuko</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to everything in sight, while subconsciously reaffirming that yes, it was indeed worth buying this otherwise useless bulk uncommon just for this specific and ridiculous purpose.</p>
<p>And don't forget, it triggers when your opponents target your stuff as well, meaning they basically always get two-for-oned, if not worse.</p>
<p>As someone who enjoys watching Pro Tour coverage, Nadu became doubly annoying. I'm pretty sure it popped up in the Draft portion at least once, then took five of the Top 8 spots, finally winning the whole thing in the hands of pleasant Dane Simon Nielsen. I've had enough of Nadu, so I'm glad it got banned. Welcome to the Naughty List, pal.</p>
<h2>Nice: The Wise Mothman</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wise Mothman"></div></div>
<p>And it's not just because I'm an amateur cryptozoologist. <em>Fallout's</em> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wise Mothman" href="#" target="_blank">The Wise Mothman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> earns a spot on the Nice List because it's the highest ranked commander of 2024, sitting pretty at Rank 48 with 13111 decks as I write this.</p>
<p>The deck looks super fun and versatile, with Mill, Mutant kindred, +1/+1 counters, Rad counters, and Proliferate all viable themes. Look, I know I've been hard on <em>Universes Beyond</em> in this article, but this one worked for me.</p>
<h2>Naughty: Me</h2>
<p>Calling oneself naughty carries a slightly sexual connotation, but I swear I'm not trying to seduce you. Rather, I'm putting myself on the list for some of this year's worst predictions. A few examples:</p>
<ul>
<li>I predicted <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eluge, the Shoreless Sea" href="#" target="_blank">Eluge, the Shoreless Sea</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would earn fewer than 1,200 decks. It already leads more than 4,000.</li>
<li>I predicted <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the World Anew" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the World Anew</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would earn more than 1,200 decks. It has less than 200.</li>
<li>I discovered the return to my favorite plane, Lorwyn, would be delayed another year, and I still haven't gotten over it.</li>
</ul>
<p>That last one was more a personal crisis than a prediction, but I wanted to slip it in somewhere. Bottom line: When you make upwards of 30 predictions for every set every year, you're bound to have some bad ones.</p>
<h2>Nice: Also Me</h2>
<p>That said, you can have some good ones, too. If I may pat myself on the back for a moment, I was happy with many of my <em>Fallout</em> picks going Over, including <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agent Frank Horrigan" href="#" target="_blank">Agent Frank Horrigan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Dog, Galaxy News DJ" href="#" target="_blank">Three Dog, Galaxy News DJ</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, since these <em>Universes Beyond</em> sets are proving to be volatile. Gotta savor the victories when you have them.</p>
<h2>Naughty: The Commander Advisory Group Debacle</h2>
<p>This is a fun article, <a href="https://commandersherald.com/commander-rc-reacts-to-wizards-taking-format-reins/">so we won't get too far into the weeds on this one</a>. Suffice it to say that online bullying is not in keeping with the Christmas spirit, let alone the human spirit.</p>
<p>It's a shame that it led to the dissolution of the Commander Advisory Group. Here's wishing success to the newly formed Commander Format Panel. And if they happen to unban <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primeval Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Primeval Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I wouldn't mind.</p>
<h2>Nice: Play Boosters</h2>
<p>I know there was some trepidation with these at first, mainly due to the extra few dollars per pack. However, it's hard not to feel like you're getting your value's worth when you can open up to four rares in a single pack. Sure, the graphics explaining the contents of said packs are absolutely ludicrous. But the product itself? Not bad at all.</p>
<h2>Naughty: <em>Breaking News,</em> <em>The Big Score, </em>and <em>Special Guests</em></h2>
<p>We've already touched on <em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction</em>, but while we're on the subject, let's talk about this set's bonus sheets. Some would say one bonus sheet is too many. So how about three?</p>
<p>Seriously, the <em>Breaking News</em> cards are hard enough to read. Don't get me wrong—I appreciate the ambition of the art style. However, the colors are so washed out it's difficult to differentiate one from others, and the newspaper title at the top gets confused with the card names.</p>
<p>Then there's <em>The Big Score</em>, which didn't seem to have any cohesion mechanically, thematically, or artistically.</p>
<p>And then there were the <em>Special Guests</em>, which I've never really enjoyed. I know they're essentially free reprint slots, but they're so rare that they don't provide any real value to the sets, and if they were any less rare, they'd be distracting.</p>
<p>Fortunately, the whole <em>Big Score</em> thing was a unique scenario I doubt we'll ever encounter again. The <em>Special Guests</em>, on the other hand, appear to be a mainstay moving forward. I wouldn't mind if they weren't, but we'll see.</p>
<h2>Nice: Facedown 2/2s</h2>
<p>Between the disguise mechanic in <em>Murders at Karlov Manor</em> and <em>Assassin's Creed</em>, manifest on <em>MH3's</em> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek, the Broken Reality" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek, the Broken Reality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and manifest dread from <em>Duskmourn</em>, it felt like facedown 2/2s were having a moment. This was not good for my winning percentage, because my powers of deduction are not exactly Sherlock Holmes level.</p>
<h2>Naughty: The Set Designers Who Drove a Dagger Through the Hearts of Colossal Dreadmaw Fans Everywhere</h2>
<p>I'm sure the people at Wizards are lovely. I'm sure they want what's best for the game. But when I saw this card, a little part of me died...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Colossal Dreadmask"></div></div>
<p>The meme value of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Colossal Dreadmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Colossal Dreadmaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was that there was only one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Colossal Dreadmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Colossal Dreadmaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, yet he kept showing up in every set. Now, thanks to the Dreadmask, literally <em>any</em> creature can be a Dreadmaw, so long as you pay the equip cost.</p>
<p>It's not right! It's not fair! There's only one true <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Colossal Dreadmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Colossal Dreadmaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and he appears in Core Sets, Jumpstarts, Ixalan blocks, and occasionally Mystery Boosters. Leave my boy alone!</p>
<h2>Nice: All You Readers Out There</h2>
<p>Thanks to everyone out there who visits EDHREC and keeps this fine site going. You've had a great year, and here's hoping the one coming up is even better!</p>


The Naughty/Nice - An Over/Under Holiday Edition

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/hho/23/seasonal-sequels">Seasonal Sequels</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CAdri%C3%A1n+Rodr%C3%ADguez+P%C3%A9rez%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Adrián Rodríguez Pérez</a> )</h6>
<h1>Did You Say This Card Was Banned In The Format? I Thought You Said It Was Crammed Under The Doormat</h1>
<p>What if, instead of asking questions about planeswalkers leading decks in everyone's favorite 100 cards format, we were given a gift for all our hard work and play throughout the year? That is the question this week, and like always, my name is Nick, and in the twelfth installment of <em>Myth Realized</em>, the <em>Magic</em>-playing collective asks the holiday deity of their choice to give them a gift straight off the Commander banned list this year.</p>
<p>Many players might not know that in the Commander/EDH format, not everything is "playable" as it is written in the rules. <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/02-rule-zero-commanders-with-dan-sheehan/id1718990662?i=1000639030952">Rule Zero conversations notwithstanding</a>, the<a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/banned-restricted-list"> banned list for Commander</a> includes 25 cards with the type "Conspiracy," nine cards that reference "playing for ante," and currently seven cards whose art, text, name, or combination are racially or culturally offensive.</p>
<p>What if, for the upcoming year of 2024, the end of 2023 was to provide us with a gift going forward? I could tell you just the card or cards that I would want to see freedom in the upcoming twelve months, but I alone am not the sole voice of the people. So, I recruited the bright minds of other <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> writers to give me insights on what they would want unbanned.</p>
<p>This is not a comprehensive survey and a small sample size, but I will take some artistic liberties in pursuing entertainment. First is the list of cards that got zero votes from my recipients and me, along with some small reasoning.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Lotus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Vault"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Walk"></div></div>
<p>The first three cards all fall under a similar umbrella: too strong. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Black Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> should need no explanation, as it is likely the strongest card ever made and one of the game's most prolific. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Time Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Walk" href="#" target="_blank">Time Walk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> take a noted salt-inducing type of card and make them far too efficient to run without your playgroup leaving you alone at the table between your fourth and twenty-second extra turn, so those also got zero votes. But <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Black Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is far too powerful (even compared to other cards on this list) to be let free.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fastbond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hullbreacher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paradox Engine"></div></div>
<p>If you've never played with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fastbond" href="#" target="_blank">Fastbond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you might not be aware that the "drawback" of losing a life each time you play an extra land with this card is a nonfactor for what this card allows you to do. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fastbond" href="#" target="_blank">Fastbond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a wheel effect can get you so far ahead that it would make <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> look like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manalith" href="#" target="_blank">Manalith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hullbreacher" href="#" target="_blank">Hullbreacher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> promotes harmful play patterns and is highly annoying when starting at turn two or three; the table is at a standoff around this card. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes people's problems with extra turns and jams it all into one turn that takes 45 minutes to complete while one person plays solitaire.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karakas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Library of Alexandria"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tolarian Academy"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karakas" href="#" target="_blank">Karakas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be one of the cards that come up the most in conversation to get unbanned, so I found it surprising that it received no votes. But the effect of nullifying most commanders for free would shift the format too far to one side. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Library of Alexandria" href="#" target="_blank">Library of Alexandria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is not good in every style of deck, but since you draw a card, as long as you are not going first in the format, losing the die role might be the wanted outcome for anyone running this card. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Academy" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Academy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is... a card I cannot explain. There is a well-written reasoning for why this card is banned, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gaea&#039;s Cradle" href="#" target="_blank">Gaea&#039;s Cradle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is free by the Godfather himself, Sheldon Menery, but to me, they should both occupy the same place either on or off the list.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Limited Resources"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trade Secrets"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Upheaval"></div></div>
<p>It's no secret that mass land destruction and stack effects make a table want to throw their cards in the trash most days. So <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Limited Resources" href="#" target="_blank">Limited Resources</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a cheap combination of the two, sends it straight to jail. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trade Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Trade Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the only card on here, not because of how strong the effect is, and it is very strong, but because it promotes collusive gameplay between half of the table. Two players get to draw their entire deck while the others sit and watch, which is not fun for a format. Another card more familiar to cube enthusiasts than Commander players, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Upheaval" href="#" target="_blank">Upheaval</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would make everyone forget about getting hit with an end-of-turn <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>. It also can double as a combo card if you can recast cheap artifacts and creatures after resolving this card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flash"></div></div>
<p>This one was for the cEDH crowd out there. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flash" href="#" target="_blank">Flash</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, combined with its partner in crime, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Protean Hulk" href="#" target="_blank">Protean Hulk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, made for a very unfun "best thing to do" in the format. Some splash damage might have come to the "casual" crowd, but this one is for the best.</p>
<p>So, if these are all the cards that no one wanted off the banned list, what did all the good <em>Magic</em> players want when they looked under their tree in the morning? Two cards tied for the top of the table in votes:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primeval Titan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Recurring Nightmare"></div></div>
<p>I am all in on the unban Prime Time train. The card is powerful, but like most powerful cards that work well for every deck, people will get bored, and it will relegate itself to fill a hole in the hearts of all <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maze&#039;s End" href="#" target="_blank">Maze&#039;s End</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> players worldwide. As for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Recurring Nightmare" href="#" target="_blank">Recurring Nightmare</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I think <a href="https://commandersherald.com/author/mike-carrozza/">Mike Carrozza</a> summed it up best by saying "GRAVEYARD DECKS ARE THE REASON FOR THE SEASON BABY!!!!!!!!"</p>
<p>Trailing just behind those two very different cards are:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Biorhythm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braids, Cabal Minion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coalition Victory"></div></div>
<p>Two of these cards count as alternate win conditions. Two cards are in my picks for things I want off the banned list. And two of these cards have some form of added hope to win the game. The other card is Braids. I appear to be on the outside looking in for this one, but my respondents seemed to think that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braids, Cabal Minion" href="#" target="_blank">Braids, Cabal Minion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't as frightening as it was in days gone by. Maybe cards constantly making other game pieces like Blood, Treasure, and Food tokens are enough to force Braids players to think outside the box. The part that worries me about this card is the colorless comparison to this card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smokestack" href="#" target="_blank">Smokestack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which does not live in your command zone.</p>
<p>If I spend eight mana on a card, I should be able to win the game. I am looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonshaker Cavalry" href="#" target="_blank">Moonshaker Cavalry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zetalpa, Primal Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Zetalpa, Primal Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I can read every article, social media post, podcast, and video about how <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Biorhythm" href="#" target="_blank">Biorhythm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coalition Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Coalition Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are too easy for people to win the game with. Still, if I am spending eight mana and assembling enough creatures in either number or color and land of every basic land type, I should be able to win the game. If I can only pick one, I will defer to the choice of a person much more intelligent than me regarding the cardboard rectangles we use. Jason Alt says, "Cards that auto-win are fun, and this is among the hardest things to pull off early."</p>
<p>Some of the cards on this list are people's favorites from when they started their journey in the format, and some are ones that people have never gotten to sink their teeth into. If it were up to me, every stocking would be filled with Victories for the Coalition, and underneath, every tree would feature the rhythm of biology itself. Everyone, no matter their positions on the naughty or nice list, would be able to look into the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Panoptic Mirror" href="#" target="_blank">Panoptic Mirror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and see the most adorable otter named <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lutri, the Spellchaser" href="#" target="_blank">Lutri, the Spellchaser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, staring back at you with a note pinned to their chest (banned as a companion).</p>
<p>Thankfully, we play a format that values expression and exploration over winning the game, so as long as it is ok with the people you are playing with, slam that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shahrazad" href="#" target="_blank">Shahrazad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the table and make sure to search up a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chaos Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Chaos Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tinker" href="#" target="_blank">Tinker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when the board becomes a problem. And finally, enjoy what remains of 2023. I hope to catch a game with any of you in the upcoming year. And if you like my articles, check out everything <em>Myth Realized</em> and find me in the same place talking about a ghost hunter and a vampire lord as we look at the planeswalkers of the Orzhov guild come January.</p>
<p><strong>Happy Holidays!</strong></p>
<h3>Read more:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="F7fpxs2ZIV"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-rakdos/">Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Rakdos)</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="1W3iBoInD5"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/too-specific-top-10-banned/">Too-Specific Top 10 - BANNED</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Too-Specific Top 10 - BANNED&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/too-specific-top-10-banned/embed/#?secret=E76Noy5wG9#?secret=1W3iBoInD5" data-secret="1W3iBoInD5" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Myth Realized - What If Something Was Unbanned For The Holidays?

Archetune-Up - Season's Beatings

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yule Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Yule Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Prescott_(artist)">Steve Prescott</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>We find ourselves in a strange place, as we often do, a realm of juxtaposition. The sun hides, and the nights lengthen. There is disparity in this season. Somewhere, a Dark Souls joke is made. Heat and cold. Bonfires and snow shovels. <em>Hygge</em> and the bitter chill of winter.</p>
<p>Welcome to <em>Yule Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck. This time, to honor the elder gods of Candletide, we'll be knitting a warm blanket of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/snow">Snow supertype</a> atop an <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes/oozes">Ooze tribal</a> subtheme. How is Snow presented here as a metaphor for warmth, you ask? Igloos. And why Ooze? Well, in anticipation of the eventual errata of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yule Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Yule Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to black border, of course.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jegantha, the Wellspring"></div></div>
<p>I think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> looks suitably festive. If one were to make a New Year's Resolution to forego multiples of duplicate mana symbols in card costs, Jegantha could probably pull the royal sleigh of someone like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who, in the lore of Eldraine, is prophesied to become Santa Claus in his twilight years. Though some sad substitutions would have to be made (God rest ye merry <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Predator Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Predator Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), Kenrith's second ability could make for a powerful +1/+1 counters tertiary theme that permeates, and even 'permanates' throughout the brew.</p>
<p>But we'll keep this list cozy, so that means lots of mana symbols in casting costs. With Jegantha steering (sleighs have wheels, right? Hmm... ask the wheelwright), that gives us access to things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glacial Plating" href="#" target="_blank">Glacial Plating</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Oh, this is going to end up being a <em>Cumulative Upkeep</em> deck, isn't it?</p>
<p>One would think the cold might slow our gelatinous friends down. Is there such a thing as <em>too </em>viscous? Let's find out.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rudolph’s Reign" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Boreal Druid
*1 Chilling Shade
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Conifer Wurm
*1 Diamond Faerie
*1 Thing in the Ice
*1 Woolly Razorback
*1 Rimefeather Owl
*1 Zombie Musher
*1 Rimescale Dragon
*1 Heidar, Rimewind Master
*1 Ice-Fang Coatl
*1 Golos, Tireless Pilgrim
*1 Chulane, Teller of Tales
*1 Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Yule Ooze
*1 Mitotic Slime
*1 Biowaste Blob
*1 Slurrk, All-Ingesting
*1 Prime Speaker Vannifar
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Bloodhall Ooze
*1 Manaplasm
*1 Experiment Kraj
*1 Scavenging Ooze
*1 Ancient Ooze
*1 Biogenic Ooze
*1 Predator Ooze
*1 Metallic Mimic
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Mystic Genesis
*1 Tribal Unity
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Into the North
*1 Cultivate
*1 Gelatinous Genesis
*1 Miming Slime
*1 Hurricane
*1 Harsh Mercy
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Arcum’s Astrolabe
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Obelisk of Urd
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
*1 Slate of Ancestry
*1 The Ozolith
*1 Chromatic Orrery
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Iceberg
*1 Marit Lage&#039;s Slumber
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
*1 Ice Cave
*1 Gelid Shackles
*1 On Thin Ice
*1 Snow Devil
*1 Glacial Plating
*1 Ooze Garden
*1 Ooze Flux
*1 Crown of Ascension
*1 Etchings of the Chosen
*1 Steely Resolve
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Command Tower
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Novijen, Heart of Progress
*1 Highland Weald
*1 Boreal Shelf
*1 Arctic Flats
*1 Tresserhorn Sinks
*1 Frost Marsh
*1 Scrying Sheets
*3 Snow-Covered Plains
*5 Snow-Covered Island
*4 Snow-Covered Swamp
*4 Snow-Covered Mountain
*7 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Flooded Grove
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Santa Took the Year Off</h2>
<p>We're running 40 lands in this list, giving Rudolph plenty of room to touch down. We're a bit color-intensive, thanks to the many multi-pipped Oozes, so we've excised some obvious lands, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frostwalk Bastion" href="#" target="_blank">Frostwalk Bastion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mouth of Ronom" href="#" target="_blank">Mouth of Ronom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While we are trying to cool things down with ice counters, Marit Lage will have to wait a little longer: the additional color sources in this list seemed more important than a few more frosty permanents. Generally, our ice counters will be doing different things, but with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimefeather Owl" href="#" target="_blank">Rimefeather Owl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can refrigerate our own gelatinous desserts, adding to our total number of Snow permanents in a pinch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Woolly Razorback" href="#" target="_blank">Woolly Razorback</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thing in the Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Thing in the Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will even be Snowy for a little while.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rimefeather Owl"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Woolly Razorback"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thing in the Ice"></div></div>
<p>More likely we'll be plowing away both with our abundance of winter wonderlands and with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chulane, Teller of Tales" href="#" target="_blank">Chulane, Teller of Tales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golos, Tireless Pilgrim" href="#" target="_blank">Golos, Tireless Pilgrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (incidentally, second and third in line for the Santa line of succession). It shouldn't be too difficult to flash in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ice-Fang Coatl" href="#" target="_blank">Ice-Fang Coatl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with deathtouch, nor should <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heidar, Rimewind Master" href="#" target="_blank">Heidar, Rimewind Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s activated ability be unavailable for overlong.</p>
<p>Of course, as the snow piles up, so too should our +1/+1 counters, accumulating in the gooey eaves. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hardened Scales" href="#" target="_blank">Hardened Scales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might seem as brightly obvious as the North Star, our included lords and anthems and the like serve us well enough. And as far as the +1/+1 counter interactions themselves (e.g. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ooze Flux" href="#" target="_blank">Ooze Flux</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Experiment Kraj" href="#" target="_blank">Experiment Kraj</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), we should have a reliable stockpile even without doubling.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obelisk of Urd"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Biowaste Blob"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribal Unity"></div></div>
<p>And hey, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obelisk of Urd" href="#" target="_blank">Obelisk of Urd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a decent impression of a Douglas Fir.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Santa's Back!</h2>
<p>However, what if we had someone pulling the reins as well? Left alone, Jegantha just kind of follows their nose. A little bit of navigational experience from a pilot with more than a few flights under their sash could give us some much-needed guidance. Indeed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has 3,630 decks as of this writing, compared to Jegantha's 216. Sorry, Rudolph.</p>
<p>Santa does not simply walk to the table. He'll need Jegantha leading the van (and maybe <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Ascension" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Ascension</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snow Devil" href="#" target="_blank">Snow Devil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) if he's going to take flight.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="To Be Jolly" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kenrith, the Returned King
[/Commander]
[Companion]
*1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
[/Companion]
[Creatures]
*1 Boreal Druid
*1 Chilling Shade
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Conifer Wurm
*1 Diamond Faerie
*1 Zombie Musher
*1 Heidar, Rimewind Master
*1 Ice-Fang Coatl
*1 Golos, Tireless Pilgrim
*1 Chulane, Teller of Tales
*1 Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Yule Ooze
*1 Mitotic Slime
*1 Slurrk, All-Ingesting
*1 Prime Speaker Vannifar
*1 Bloodhall Ooze
*1 Manaplasm
*1 Scavenging Ooze
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Inexorable Blob
*1 Ravenous Slime
*1 The Mimeoplasm
*1 Corrosive Ooze
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Blizzard Specter
*1 Rime Tender
*1 Blizzard Strix
*1 Abominable Treefolk
*1 Rimewind Cryomancer
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Tribal Unity
*1 Skred
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Into the North
*1 Cultivate
*1 Miming Slime
*1 Hurricane
*1 Harsh Mercy
*1 Slime Molding
*1 Glacial Revelation
*1 Dead of Winter
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Arcum’s Astrolabe
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Obelisk of Urd
*1 Vanquisher’s Banner
*1 Slate of Ancestry
*1 The Ozolith
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Marit Lage’s Slumber
*1 Gelid Shackles
*1 On Thin Ice
*1 Snow Devil
*1 Ooze Garden
*1 Ooze Flux
*1 Crown of Ascension
*1 Etchings of the Chosen
*1 Steely Resolve
*1 Winter’s Night
*1 Gutter Grime
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Command Tower
*1 Karn’s Bastion
*1 Novijen, Heart of Progress
*1 Highland Weald
*1 Boreal Shelf
*1 Arctic Flats
*1 Tresserhorn Sinks
*1 Frost Marsh
*1 Scrying Sheets
*3 Snow-Covered Plains
*5 Snow-Covered Island
*4 Snow-Covered Swamp
*4 Snow-Covered Mountain
*6 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Mouth of Ronom
*1 Frostwalk Bastion
*1 Dark Depths
*1 Thespian’s Stage
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slate of Ancestry" href="#" target="_blank">Slate of Ancestry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will tell the tales of the sleigh-drivers. Oh, and now with Kenrith reigning o'er the land, tossing your hand into the 'yard has the potential to fuel your commander's fifth activated ability. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Mimeoplasm" href="#" target="_blank">The Mimeoplasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't mind a populated charnel house, either. Huh, sounds festive.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pine Walker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Ski Patrol"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feast of the Unicorn"></div></div>
<p>You'll have noticed that the +1/+1 counter quaternary theme has suffered in the new list, but Kenrith himself provides a bit of support with his second activated ability. In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> showed up, fitting in nicely with the forgotten leftovers of the holidays. Without <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimefeather Owl" href="#" target="_blank">Rimefeather Owl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we won't be feasibly freezing our Oozes, and our lost lords a-leaping means less in the way of holiday cheer. So, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dead of Winter" href="#" target="_blank">Dead of Winter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is likely to hit our jams and jellies along with any other creatures sans snowfall. Fortunately, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can convince our lazier (that is, dead) Oozes to get back into the workshop and get them making toys again. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prime Speaker Vannifar" href="#" target="_blank">Prime Speaker Vannifar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an Elf Ooze Wizard, so this extremely roundabout metaphor has legs. Or, uh, slime... feet.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slimefoot, the Stowaway"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Year's End</h2>
<p>That's it for this Frore and Frosty Feast, Prepared Two Ways, and Forgotten in the Fridge, and that's it for this inaugural edition of <em>Yule Shot</em>. I hope you all enjoy the remainder of this winter season as much as possible - it is the denouement to 2020, after all. Be sure to fish out any +1/+1 counters in your eggnog, those aren't supposed to be in there. Let us know in the comments below if you've gotten up to any wintry brewing lately, and what it's looking like. Food tokens? Politics? Group hug? Every single card with synonyms for <em>cold</em>?</p>
<p>Till next time. I'll be hoping you all stay safe and warm and fed this season. Happy holidays!</p>


holiday