Fire and Ice: What Cards are Hot and Cold for July 25th?

Top 10 Interesting and Interactive Cards From Edge of Eternities

The Best Enchantments From Edge of Eternities

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire // Ice|CMD|198" href="#" target="_blank">Fire // Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_L._Martin">David Martin</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.franz-vohwinkel.com/">Franz Vohwinkel</a></h6>
<p>Hello, and welcome back to <em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire // Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Fire // Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></em>, a data-driven series where we'll go over some cards that are gaining and losing popularity in various Commander decks. I'm Julia, EDHREC's Duchess of Data.</p>
<p>Of course, EDHREC has a ton of data. Using this data, we'll draw some conclusions about how certain commander's decks are changing over time, give some insight into how players are thinking about new cards, and maybe even give you some cool tech for your favorite commander's list. Now, let's jump right into it!</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/introducing-the-math-behind-edhrecs-fire-and-ice-series"><strong><em>For information on how we calculate the </em>Fire and Ice<em> Scores used in this article, check out this writeup.</em></strong></a></p>
<h1><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breya, Etherium Shaper" href="#" target="_blank">Breya, Etherium Shaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breya, Etherium Shaper"></div></div>
<p>Breya has long been one of the format's most popular commanders, and currently sits at the #46 spot on our top commander list.</p>
<p>This 4-color deck wants us to fill our deck with synergistic artifacts, and rewards us with a powerful sacrifice outlet in the command zone. This deck can get quite powerful, and <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/search/?q=card%3A%22Breya%2C+Etherium+Shaper%22+ci%3Ayoretiller">Breya herself is part of over a dozen infinite combos</a>.</p>
<p>Breya decks have diverse game plans, but some popular cards include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sai, Master Thopterist" href="#" target="_blank">Sai, Master Thopterist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 60% of decks), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 54% of decks), and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etherium Sculptor" href="#" target="_blank">Etherium Sculptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 56% of decks).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sai, Master Thopterist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skullclamp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etherium Sculptor"></div></div>
<p>Now that we know what Breya does, let's see what cards are hot and cold for her deckbuilders!</p>
<h2>What's Fiery for Breya Decks?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stridehangar Automaton"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daretti, Scrap Savant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Voyage Home"></div></div>
<p>Artifact decks have gotten a lot of love recently, especially from <em>Aetherdrift</em>. First, and most popular, is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stridehangar Automaton" href="#" target="_blank">Stridehangar Automaton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a super high Fire Score of 6.73, the highest we've seen so far in this series.</p>
<p>Looking closely at the card, it's not hard to see why this card is being put in so many Breya lists. It's an anthem for the most common artifact creature token that these decks have access to, it's functionally a token-doubler in most scenarios, and <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/search/?q=card%3A%22Stridehangar+Automaton%22+ci%3Ayoretiller">it's part of even more combos than Breya herself is</a>. This card is a slam dunk include here.</p>
<p>Next up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who has a Fire Score of 2.81 despite being released over a decade ago. This card is a great include in Breya decks, providing valuable card selection and artifact recursion. I'm surprised that this card's inclusion rate has risen so much recently, given its age. But, it's a powerful card that works well in the deck.</p>
<p>Finally, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voyage Home" href="#" target="_blank">Voyage Home</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a Fire Score of 3.19. In decks that easily create huge boards full of artifacts, this card is essentially <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Healing Salve" href="#" target="_blank">Healing Salve</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stapled together.</p>
<p>This is one such artifact-heavy deck, so it tracks that this card has been slotted into a ton of Breya decks since it was released earlier this year.</p>
<h2>What's Icy for Breya Decks?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Counterspell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhystic Study"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crime Novelist"></div></div>
<p>There's a few cards that have been taken out of Breya decks recently, but none seem to have left as many decks as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With an Ice Score of -3.98, deckbuilders are shying away from this OG piece of counteraction.</p>
<p>I'd hazard a guess that Breya's deckbuilders are more focused on mana-efficient or easier-to-cast interaction, and would rather run countermagic that is free or closer to it. <em>Magic</em>, in general, is printing more and more exciting cards that Breya pilots may want to try out in place of old staples.</p>
<p>We also see big drops in deck inclusion rate for noted <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers">Game Changer</a> <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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reshape" href="#" target="_blank">Reshape</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, two very powerful cards. Rhystic Study has an Ice Score of -2.93 and Reshape has an Ice Score of -2.82.</p>
<p>Given <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wotc-introduces-new-bracket-system-for-edh">the implementation of the bracket system</a>, and these cards' status as a Game Changer and a tutor respectively, players who'd rather play in Bracket 3 pods may be slotting these cards out so that they can comfortably sit at those tables.</p>
<p>These cards are about as good as it gets for card advantage and tutors in high-powered casual decks, so I'm guessing that these cards' changes in inclusion rate indicate that some players are moving their decks down the bracket system.</p>
<p>Notably, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crime Novelist" href="#" target="_blank">Crime Novelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has also fallen out of Breya lists, with an Ice Score of -2.11. This card is really cool, and I expected it to be quite popular following its release in <em>Murders at Karlov Manor</em>. But, it's included in just 2.33% of eligible decks, and appears to be leaving a significant number of Breya decks recently.</p>
<p>This card is powerful, but requires a specifically crafted board state to unlock its full potential. Breya players may be leaning towards easier-to-activate value engines, like some of the cards we talked about in the Fiery section for this commander.</p>
<div id="attachment_159477" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-scaled.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-159477" class="wp-image-159477 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-scaled.png" alt="" width="2560" height="851" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-scaled.png 2560w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-300x100.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-1024x340.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-768x255.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-1536x511.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.33-PM-2048x681.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-159477" class="wp-caption-text">Recent trend data for Breya, Etherium Shaper</p></div>
<h1><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marneus Calgar" href="#" target="_blank">Marneus Calgar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Marneus Calgar"></div></div>
<p>Marneus looks to make a lot of tokens, a <em>lot</em> of the time. To be more specific, this deck wants to have a ton of tokens that enter the battlefield at different times so that our commander can provide huge amounts of card advantage.</p>
<p>This commander was also the leader of a preconstructed deck from the <em>Warhammer 40K</em> series, so a lot of its pilots have upgraded copies of that deck to make it their own.</p>
<p>All that said, some of the most popular cards in Marneus decks include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nadir Kraken" href="#" target="_blank">Nadir Kraken</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 57% of decks), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (<a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/combo/245-1722-2034/">which combos with Nadir Kraken</a> and is in 45% of decks), and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kambal, Profiteering Mayor" href="#" target="_blank">Kambal, Profiteering Mayor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 48% of decks).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nadir Kraken"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashnod&#039;s Altar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kambal, Profiteering Mayor"></div></div>
<h2>What's Fiery for Marneus Decks?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Voice of Victory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warren Soultrader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amphibian Downpour"></div></div>
<p>By far the highest rising card in Marneus Calgar decks is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voice of Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Voice of Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, with a Fire Score of 5.98. This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Abolisher" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Abolisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> variant works perfectly in this deck, as its Mobilize trigger makes some creature tokens that its commander turns into card advantage. And, it's got the most important parts of Grand Abolisher on an easier-to-cast body, making it invaluable for some higher power versions of this deck.</p>
<p>Now, let's talk about <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fire-and-ice-what-cards-are-hot-and-cold-for-july-2025">a card we also talked about last week</a>: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warren Soultrader" href="#" target="_blank">Warren Soultrader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card has a Fire Score of 2.93 in Marneus decks, and its easy to see why. It's a (virtually) free sacrifice outlet that draws us a card every time we activate it with our commander on the battlefield.</p>
<p>It's pretty difficult to think of a sac outlet that's more efficient than this for token decks, so it makes a lot of sense that its growing in popularity for Marneus players.</p>
<p>Next up is a card that might seem somewhat strange at first glance, but actually works perfectly in the deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Amphibian Downpour" href="#" target="_blank">Amphibian Downpour</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> costs twice as much as a typical <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frogify" href="#" target="_blank">Frogify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect, <em>but...</em> it has Storm.</p>
<p>Because copies of this card on the stack will enter the battlefield at separate times as tokens, each copy of this card on the stack represents a piece of removal <strong>and</strong> a card drawn. That's extremely powerful, and Marenus pilots are taking notice.</p>
<h2>What's Icy for Marneus Decks?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Space Marine Devastator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ultramarines Honour Guard"></div></div>
<p>There's actually only two cards that are leaving a significant number of Marenus Calgar decks: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Space Marine Devastator" href="#" target="_blank">Space Marine Devastator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultramarines Honour Guard" href="#" target="_blank">Ultramarines Honour Guard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Both of these cards are good, and both of them can make token copies of themselves, and both of them were included in the original precon from 2022. They've got Ice Scores of -2.04 and -2.09 respectively.</p>
<p>But, as more players upgrade their decks with new cards from <em>Tarkir: Dragonstorm</em> and <em>Final Fantasy</em>, these less powerful Squad cards are likely being taken out for the new hotness.</p>
<div class="mceTemp">
<p><a style="font-size: 16px;" href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-scaled.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-159478" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-scaled.png" alt="" width="2560" height="871" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-scaled.png 2560w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-300x102.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-1024x348.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-768x261.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-1536x523.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-17-at-12.36.17-PM-2048x697.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></a></p>
<h1>Conclusion</h1>
<p>So that's what's Hot, and what's not, for July 18th, 2025. Did any of the cards surprise you? Have you added any of the cards I've talked about to your decks? Let me know in the comments below. For now, I'll see you all soon for another edition of Fire and Ice!</p>
</div>


Fire and Ice: What Cards are Hot and Cold for July 18, 2025?

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe|P22|5" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://aurorefolny.com/">Aurore Folny</a></h6>
<p>In cEDH, mono-white is a color defined by support effects. Preventing your opponents from interacting and gaining gradual advantage: these are the strategies that carve out white's role in the format.</p>
<p>You won't find game-ending spells here; instead, you'll see the cards that help secure your window. So, what are white's five best cards? Let's take a look.</p>
<h2>#5 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Abolisher" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Abolisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grand Abolisher"></div></div>
<p>Kicking things off is white's most effective defensive card, and that's Grand Abolisher. For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, this 2/2 Human Cleric brings with it an incredibly oppressive barrier to interaction:</p>
<p>"During your turn, your opponents can't cast spells or activate abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments."</p>
<p>In a format defined by the likes of <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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Borne Upon a Wind" href="#" target="_blank">Borne Upon a Wind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, where card advantage piles up whenever interaction hits the stack and when no one moment is truly safe, Grand Abolisher stands alone as the most forceful window-creator in cEDH. The only reason it sits so low on our list, however, is that casting cost.</p>
<p>Outside of low color decks - decks which, aside from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are often among cEDH's worse - making two mana of a singular color is surprisingly difficult, especially when that mana isn't something you'd otherwise be stockpiling in order to cast a game ending spell.</p>
<p>Why put a plains into play when you could stockpile just about any other color of mana - colors with spells that easily win games?</p>
<p>Contemporary <em>Magic</em>'s answer to this has been <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voice of Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Voice of Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: a Grand Abolisher look-a-like which forgoes the restriction on activated abilities in exchange for a much easier mana cost of just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> (among other small changes, like statline adjustments and Mobilize 2).</p>
<p>cEDH has certainly embraced this newer iteration, but usually as a second copy of Grand Abolisher, rather than a replacement.</p>
<h2>#4 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div></div>
<p>Next up on our list is an incredibly backbreaking engine, dwarfed only in mana-production capacity by green's very own <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and that card is Smothering Tithe.</p>
<p>For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Smothering Tithe answers just about all of your mana concerns for the rest of the game.</p>
<p>This enchantment has one potent triggered ability, which reads "Whenever an opponent draws a card, that player may pay <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. If the player doesn't, you create a Treasure token."</p>
<p>As was demonstrated by Grand Abolisher's taxing <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> mana cost, color fixing is a crucial consideration in cEDH's high-color piles, and Smothering Tithe's own minimally restrictive cost is one which has garnered plenty of support in the format.</p>
<p>There's nothing quite like suddenly having access to the critical third black mana necessary to cast a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropotence" href="#" target="_blank">Necropotence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, an a turn with Smothering Tithe will guarantee you get there.</p>
<h2>#3 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silence" href="#" target="_blank">Silence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Silence"></div></div>
<p>Coming in at third place is a classic of white's interaction suite - Silence, the inspiration for Grand Abolisher (and another card later on this list).</p>
<p>For just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, this instant prevents your opponents from casting spells until end of turn. As simple as it is effective, Silence benefits from both its accessible mana cost as well as its instant-speed nature to serve as a maximally flexible piece of interaction.</p>
<p>Unlike Grand Abolisher - which is purely supportive of your own schemes - Silence can put a stop to your opponents' plans, whenever they should chose to strike. Did an opposing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hit the stack?</p>
<p>Follow it up with a Silence before it resolves, preventing the Breach player from following up and forcing them to watch as their Underworld Breach gets sacrificed at the end of their otherwise uneventful turn.</p>
<p>Trying to go for your own win but wary of interaction? Bate out the turn by starting things off with a main phase Silence.</p>
<h2>#2 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ranger-Captain of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Ranger-Captain of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ranger-Captain of Eos"></div></div>
<p>Rounding out our interaction package is second place's Ranger-Captain of Eos, a surprisingly flexible tutor that also brings with it the interactive flexibility of Silence's instant-speed nature.</p>
<p>For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Ranger-Captain of Eos is a 3/3 Human Soldier which allows you to tutor for a creature with mana value one or less when it enters, then put that card into your hand.</p>
<p>Additionally, you can sacrifice Ranger-Captain of Eos in order to prevent your opponents from casting noncreature spells until end of turn.</p>
<p>Three mana, two of which being white, is definitely a lot to ask for in cEDH. However, between the tutor ability - one which can hit some of the format's strongest creatures, as we'll see in the moment - and the flexibility to effectively resolve a nearly-uncounterable Silence at a moment's notice, Ranger-Captain of Eos certainly puts all that mana to work.</p>
<h2>#1 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esper Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Esper Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Esper Sentinel"></div></div>
<p>Alrighty folks, here we are, the strongest card in white. Drumroll, please, as we evaluate Ranger-Captain of Eos' very best friend, a white creature that costs just a single mana, Esper Sentinel.</p>
<p>For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Esper Sentinel is cEDH's most initially-unassuming card advantage engine...until you play against it a handful of times. A 1/1 Human Soldier artifact creature, Esper Sentinel's only text reads, "Whenever an opponent casts their first noncreature spell each turn, draw a card unless that player pays <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-x" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, where X is Esper Sentinel's power."</p>
<p>I can't remember the last time I saw an Esper Sentinel with a power greater than one, but as anyone who has ever played against Rhystic Study will tell you, a tax of just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> is often substantial enough for players to steamroll full-speed ahead, ignoring their dues and letting the Rhystic player (or, in this case, the Esper Sentinel player) draw a ridiculous amount of cards.</p>
<p>Valuable at just about every point in the game, difficult to counter thanks to being a creature, and readily affordable from turn one onwards, Esper Sentinel continues to be a dominating force across any deck that can run it.</p>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p>White might not <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Remora" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Remora</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but that doesn't mean it's without card draw, ramp, and interaction. In fact, many of the format's strongest decks rely on white to push them through the slog of the midgame and into a comfortable, protected, resource-fueled end state.</p>
<p>You might not die to a white spell the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ad Nauseam" href="#" target="_blank">Ad Nauseam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but the reason that Ad Nauseam resolved might very well be white.</p>


The Top Five White Cards for cEDH

The Top 10 Most Played Landfall Cards in Commander

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire / / Ice|MH2|290" href="#" target="_blank">Fire / / Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by Dan Scott</h6>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire // Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Fire // Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></em>, a brand new data-driven series where we'll go over some cards that are gaining and losing popularity in various Commander decks. I'm Julia, EDHREC's Duchess of Data.</p>
<p>Of course, EDHREC has a ton of data. Using that data, we'll draw some conclusions about how certain commander's decks are changing over time, give some insight into how the format's players are thinking about new cards, and maybe even give you some cool tech for your favorite commander's list.</p>
<p>With all that said, let's jump right into it.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/introducing-the-math-behind-edhrecs-fire-and-ice-series"><strong><em>For information on how we calculate the </em>Fire and Ice<em> Scores used in this article, check out this writeup.</em></strong></a></p>
<h1><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h1>
<p>Nekusar is an absolute menace for EDH players. This deck churns out damage using its commander's abilities and can make short work of any tables that don't have a way to deal with him quickly.</p>
<p>Nekusar is all in on punishing its opponents for playing the game and is feared for good reason. Looking quickly at its most popular cards, we see that 61% of Nekusar decks are running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Razorkin Needlehead" href="#" target="_blank">Razorkin Needlehead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, 61% have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Deal" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Deal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and 61% contain <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Psychosis Crawler" href="#" target="_blank">Psychosis Crawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Razorkin Needlehead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Deal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Psychosis Crawler"></div></div>
<h2>What's Fiery for Nekusar Decks?</h2>
<p>Now that we've got a grasp on what Nekusar does, let's see what cards are trending up for these decks since January of this year.</p>
<p>Some new cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mistrise Village" href="#" target="_blank">Mistrise Village</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, slot really nicely into this deck. From <em>Tarkir: Dragonstorm</em>, it's actually the highest riser among all Nekusar decks, with a Fire Score of 5.77. After all, no one wants their spells countered when they're trying to group slug their way through a game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mistrise Village"></div></div>
<p>But, beyond the new cards, there's some really interesting rising stars:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reforge the Soul" href="#" target="_blank">Reforge the Soul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, 2.44 Fire Score</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wheel of Misfortune" href="#" target="_blank">Wheel of Misfortune</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, 2.25 Fire Score</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Molten Psyche" href="#" target="_blank">Molten Psyche</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, 2.09 Fire Score</li>
</ul>
<p>These wheels all fit nicely into the deck's general group slug gameplan, so it's interesting to see that so many decks didn't have them included before.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reforge the Soul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wheel of Misfortune"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Molten Psyche"></div></div>
<p>Now, onto some more niche inclusions. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Caress" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Caress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a high Fire Score of 2.54 This card pairs nicely with the wheels often included in Nekusar lists, and players have taken notice.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigil of Sleep" href="#" target="_blank">Sigil of Sleep</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been a big riser too, seeing a Fire Score of 2.13. This card comes to us all the way from 1999's <em>Urza's Destiny</em>, and can turn our commander's already-bothersome pings into game-ending removal, too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana&#039;s Caress"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sigil of Sleep"></div></div>
<h2>What's Icy for Nekusar Decks?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seizan, Perverter of Truth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Tyranny"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fevered Visions"></div></div>
<p>And, if cards are finding their way into Nekusar lists, other cards have got to come out. While the cuts from these decks are varied, three cards lead the pack with big changes in deck inclusion rate.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seizan, Perverter of Truth" href="#" target="_blank">Seizan, Perverter of Truth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a Ice Score of -3.58, the lowest score we'll see for this deck. This may be because of its mana cost: this card sits at the same slot in the curve as our commander.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Tyranny" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Tyranny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has seen a big drop, too, with a slightly more extreme Ice Score of -3.45.While this card is good, its restrictive mana cost may be too much for deckbuilders to justify.</p>
<p>And, lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fevered Visions" href="#" target="_blank">Fevered Visions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a -3.38 Ice Score.</p>
<p>Nekusar pilots may be looking for ways to deal more damage than just two-per-turn, possibly justifying this card's large percent change.</p>
<div class="mceTemp">
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.05.44 PM.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-158720 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.05.44 PM.png" alt="" width="1375" height="435" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.05.44 PM.png 1758w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.05.44 PM-300x95.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.05.44 PM-1024x324.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.05.44 PM-768x243.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.05.44 PM-1536x486.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1375px) 100vw, 1375px" /></a></p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chatterfang, Squirrel General" href="#" target="_blank">Chatterfang, Squirrel General</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chatterfang, Squirrel General"></div></div>
<p>Chatterfang is another super popular commander, leading nearly 20,000 decks and finding himself as the 23rd most popular commander as of the time of writing.</p>
<p>We'll see some notoriously powerful cards gaining popularity here, as some cute on-theme cards fall out of favor. That said, let's see what we can find <em>squirrelled</em> away in Chatterfang's data.</p>
<p>For those of you who haven't had the chance to play against Chatterfang, the deck generally aims to fill the board with tokens and drain out its opponents with Aristocrats-themed win conditions.</p>
<p>Some popular cards for the deck include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (73% of decks), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zulaport Cutthroat" href="#" target="_blank">Zulaport Cutthroat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (68% of decks), and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tireless Provisioner" href="#" target="_blank">Tireless Provisioner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (64% of decks).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skullclamp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zulaport Cutthroat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tireless Provisioner"></div></div>
<h2>What's Fiery for Chatterfang Decks?</h2>
<p>There's a few cards that have seen big rises in popularity, including eight cards that have seen big jumps in inclusion this year. Let's take a peek at some of the most interesting risers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warren Soultrader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diabolic Intent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nature&#039;s Rhythm"></div></div>
<p>First up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warren Soultrader" href="#" target="_blank">Warren Soultrader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, carrying a Fire Score of 3.64. This card fits right in with the deck's aristocrat and token themes, making it a great inclusion.</p>
<p>It's also got <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/search/?q=card%3A%22Warren+Soultrader%22+ci%3Agolgari+legal%3Acommander">a huge number of combos that make use of it</a> within Chatterfang's black-green color identity.</p>
<p>Another popular addition is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Intent" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Intent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card got a Fire Score of 2.64, and it does a pretty good impression of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a deck with so many disposable creatures.</p>
<p>Last but not least is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature&#039;s Rhythm" href="#" target="_blank">Nature&#039;s Rhythm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, another card from <em>Tarkir: Dragonstorm</em> that's found a home in one of the format's most popular decks. This card works great with the creature-heavy, graveyard-centric gameplan of the deck, so it's no surprise that it tops our list here with a Fire Score of 4.78.</p>
<h2>What's Icy for Chatterfang Decks?</h2>
<p>Quite a few cards have seen big drops in popularity, too, with nine cards seeing their inclusion rate drop by precipitously.</p>
<p>The card that left the most decks, by far, is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squirrel Mob" href="#" target="_blank">Squirrel Mob</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a Ice Score of -4.39 (the lowest we'll see today). While this card is cool and thematic for players who'd like a Squirrel-centric build, paying for a large creature with no built-in evasion is much less appealing now than it has been in the past.</p>
<p>The same holds true for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drey Keeper" href="#" target="_blank">Drey Keeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a card that's got a Ice Score of -3.84. While this card is certainly flavorful, a higher casting cost and an expensive activated ability have likely taken this card out of contention for a slot in Chatterfang's army.</p>
<p>The last card that we'll touch on today is one that I wouldn't have expected to be on this list.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squirrel Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Squirrel Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a Ice Score of -3.74, I view it as a key role-player for <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wotc-introduces-new-bracket-system-for-edh">lower bracket</a> Chatterfang lists. However, it's possible that it's being replaced by the popular (and consequently more expensive) Treasure-maker <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warren Soultrader" href="#" target="_blank">Warren Soultrader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as demonstrated in the mirrored pattern of usage in the line graph below for these two cards.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.06.35 PM.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-158719" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.06.35 PM.png" alt="" width="1772" height="588" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.06.35 PM.png 1772w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.06.35 PM-300x100.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.06.35 PM-1024x340.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.06.35 PM-768x255.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-2.06.35 PM-1536x510.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1772px) 100vw, 1772px" /></a></p>
<h1>Until next time, Stay Cool (or Hot)!</h1>
<p>That's all we have for this week, but we'll be back soon with another edition of <em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire // Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Fire // Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></em>. For now, I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what commander's you'd like a data deep dive on in the comments below. I'll take a few of the most interesting picks and include them in the next installment in this series. Until then, happy brewing!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nekusar, the Mindrazer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chatterfang, Squirrel General"></div></div>
</div>


Fire and Ice: What Cards are Hot and Cold for July 2025?

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/shm/223/wort-the-raidmother">Wort, the Raidmother</a> | Art By: <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CDave+Allsop%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Dave Allsop</a>)</h6>
<p>There are many mechanics in <em>Magic: The Gathering.</em> Some are more common than others. Keywords like trample or haste are everyday amongst the card pool. Let's discuss the Top 5 mechanics that require more support in the Commander format. Will we see any of these make a return in upcoming sets? Maybe one might be a big player in <em>Edge of Eternities</em> later this year?</p>
<h2>1. Conspire</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rassilon, the War President"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wort, the Raidmother"></div></div>
<p>First up on the list is a mechanic that, as of writing, only has two commanders that provide an avenue for a build around.</p>
<p>To me, the most considerable downside to the mechanic is that you need colored creatures to make the strategy work. That means colorless creatures are your worst enemy, and monocolored tokens can put you into awkward spots, not allowing you to copy certain spells. Both Wort and Rassilon take the conspire mechanic in different ways.</p>
<p>Wort rewards you for playing instants and sorceries, often wanting you to maximize Goblin tokens with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko&#039;s Command" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko&#039;s Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Once you build up enough of a board using something like a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Hymn" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Hymn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and then ending the game with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Comet Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Comet Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect.</p>
<p>Rassilon, however, does not care what cards you conspire as long as they are cast from exile. Having recently gotten demolished by a Rassilon deck built around conspiring cards, I can tell you firsthand that the foretell mechanic and cards such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alrund&#039;s Epiphany" href="#" target="_blank">Alrund&#039;s Epiphany</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> do some incredible work. I suggest that if given the chance, you play against <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikecarrozza.bsky.social">Mike Carrozza</a> and his version of this deck.</p>
<p>I would love to see more conspire cards in Commander in the future, perhaps with restrictions on specific card or creature types. At a minimum, I would love to see more cards with the Conspire mechanic, as there are only <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=oracle%3Aconspire+%28game%3Apaper%29">13 cards</a> in the game currently that feature it.</p>
<h2>2. Cipher</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Call of the Nightwing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Last Thoughts"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undercity Plague"></div></div>
<p>Next up is a mechanic that not only has no commanders with the ability, but also has no cards that aren't sorceries. With only <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=oracle%3Acipher+%28game%3Apaper%29&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">15 tota</a>l cards and all of them in Dimir, Cipher is the next mechanic on the list.</p>
<p>This one has always had a special place in my heart as the person who taught me how to play used to demolish me with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whispering Madness" href="#" target="_blank">Whispering Madness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>I have no problem if this mechanic was never outside of the <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-ub" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> color combination, but I think there should be more cards added to this minimal list.</p>
<p>It gives an angle to the color combination that it has only been dipping into over the years. While none of the cards with cipher have the best effect, a few of them are not embarrassing if found in a decklist.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stolen Identity" href="#" target="_blank">Stolen Identity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works excellently as a repeatable clone, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidden Strings" href="#" target="_blank">Hidden Strings</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerhouse in Pioneer (but this sadly has nothing to do with cipher).</p>
<p>I would love to see the cipher cards combined with the <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/rogues">Rogue</a> archetype. To me, it fits the flavor of the creatures, as well as their growing commitment to attacking and dealing damage.</p>
<p>Who wouldn't love to dive through some dungeons by making copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rilsa Rael, Kingpin" href="#" target="_blank">Rilsa Rael, Kingpin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or triggering card draw thanks to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sygg, River Cutthroat" href="#" target="_blank">Sygg, River Cutthroat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadow Slice" href="#" target="_blank">Shadow Slice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<h2>3. Emerge</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elder Deep-Fiend"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crabomination"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Decimator of the Provinces"></div></div>
<p>Emerging its way onto the list is, well, emerge. Featured primarily on <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=oracle%3Aemerge+%28game%3Apaper%29+t%3Acreature&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Eldrazi creatures</a> and two cards from <em>Universes Beyond</em> products, emerge is a clean and straightforward mechanic.</p>
<p>Play a large creature for cheaper by sacrificing something smaller; then, since most of these are Eldrazi, they come along with a cast trigger. Most of these creatures have probably never been seen outside of a few.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crabomination" href="#" target="_blank">Crabomination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives what I think is the best example of a way that they could expand on this mechanic, giving creatures the ability to use emerge from noncreature permanents. You could have emerged from enchantment, or if they ever bring back Battles, something could emerge from those.</p>
<p>I could see Eldrazi creatures returning to the game with <em>Edge of Eternities, </em>and so maybe we will see the return of emerge.</p>
<h2>4. Landwalk</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adrestia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inkwell Leviathan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, Whispering One"></div></div>
<p>This is the one that I expect most people to disagree with me on, bringing back landwalk. Yes, there are some "feel bad" factors for this, as it is not always great to be on the receiving end of not being able to block. The breakdown of the different rates at which a specific can be walked on is awkward to say the least.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=oracle%3Aislandwalk+%28game%3Apaper%29+t%3Acreature+legal%3Aedh&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=color">Islandwalk: 42</a></li>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=oracle%3Aplainswalk+%28game%3Apaper%29+t%3Acreature+legal%3Aedh&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=color">Plainswalk: 5</a></li>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=oracle%3Aswampwalk+%28game%3Apaper%29+t%3Acreature+legal%3Aedh&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=color">Swampwalk: 49</a></li>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=oracle%3Amountainwalk+%28game%3Apaper%29+t%3Acreature+legal%3Aedh&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=color">Mountainwalk: 22</a></li>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=oracle%3Aforestwalk+%28game%3Apaper%29+t%3Acreature+legal%3Aedh&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=color">Forestwalk: 44</a></li>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3Alegendary+o%3Alandwalk">Legendary Landwalk: 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3Anonbasic+o%3Alandwalk&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Nonbasic Landwalk: 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3Asnow+o%3Alandwalk&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Snow Landwalk 2</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The biggest problem I have with landwalk, and why I want to see it come back, is that most of these cards are extremely old. The newest card that I can find with a landwalk ability is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Flood of Mars" href="#" target="_blank">The Flood of Mars</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from the <em>Doctor Who</em> set.</p>
<p>I will concede that making stronger and more efficient cards with either swampwalk or forestwalk run into issues due to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>We know that they won't be giving us lands to finish this cycle, but newer creatures with different landwalking abilities should end up in the game, in my opinion.</p>
<p>I'll even give the folks from <em>WOTC</em> a free idea if they want to read this, then go back in time to when they were working on <em>Edge of Eternities</em>, "spacewalk"!</p>
<h2>5.<em> Will of the council </em>&amp; <em>Council's dilemma</em></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galadriel, Elven-Queen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tivit, Seller of Secrets"></div></div>
<p>Finally, a two-for-one special to end the list. Two mechanics that both originated from <em>Conspiracy </em>and <em>Conspiracy: Take the Crown. </em>Mechanics that, as of now, only have one commander for each variation on the voting mechanic.</p>
<p>There is also not a single red card across the 19 total cards between the two mechanics. The difference between the two mechanics is that, with <em>Council's dilemma,</em> you get both effects if they receive votes, and the <em>Will of the council</em> gives whichever effect gets the most votes.</p>
<p>Either way, there should be more voting in Commander. People have praised the goad mechanic as great, as it forces action and requires players to make decisions.</p>
<p>Outside of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expropriate" href="#" target="_blank">Expropriate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tivit, Seller of Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Tivit, Seller of Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (if you're playing cEDH), the remaining cards are all well and good.</p>
<p>The easiest place to put these cards is in the precons, and whenever there is a set with four or five different decks, there should be space to include one card for each deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Council&#039;s Judgment" href="#" target="_blank">Council&#039;s Judgment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coercive Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Coercive Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have even seen competitive play, and everyone should try out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sail into the West" href="#" target="_blank">Sail into the West</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your Simic Commander decks.</p>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p>Those are my five (secretly six) mechanics that I think should receive more support in Commander. What mechanics would you like to see receive more support? When someone plays the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expropriate" href="#" target="_blank">Expropriate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, do you vote for Time or Money?</p>
<p>Lastly, do you think any of these mechanics will make an appearance in any of the remaining sets for 2025? Let me know the answers to this or your favorite card with cipher in the comments or on <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/nicnax96.bsky.social">Bluesky</a>. As always, I have been Nick, and I hope you liked the list.</p>


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