<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alchemist&#039;s Greeting" href="#" target="_blank">Alchemist&#039;s Greeting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.originalmagicart.store/collections/jakub-kasper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jakub Kasper</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Electro&#039;s Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Electro&#039;s Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/jbcasacop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JB Casacop</a></em></p>
<p>Released in February of 2002, the second set of <em>Odyssey</em> block, <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/tor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Torment</em></a>, is one of <em>Magic</em>'s strangest expansions. Its unique selling point is that it's deeply asymmetric. Most sets contain, roughly, the same number of cards of each color. <em>Torment</em>, in contrast, is weighted heavily towards black. There are 40 black cards in the set, while the other colors have between 21 and 28 cards.</p>
<p>This was corrected in <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/jud" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Judgment</em></a>, the following set, which dialed the number of black cards down and ramped up the number of cards of other colors.</p>
<p>The lasting legacy of <em>Torment</em> doesn't come from its experiments with the color pie, though. What makes <em>Torment</em> memorable is that it gave us one of the game's most devilish mechanics: madness.</p>
<p>Madness cards that would be discarded can instead be cast for an alternative, often cheaper, madness cost. The mechanic is powerful, especially by the standards of 2002 when it debuted. After <em>Torment,</em> it returned again several times; appearing in <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/tsp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Time Spiral </em></a>in 2006, <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/soi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Shadows Over Innistrad</em></a> in 2016, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/mh2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Modern Horizons 2</em></a> in 2021. The mechanic was even the central focus of 2019's <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/merciless-rage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Merciless Rage</em> precon</a>.</p>
<p>The upcoming <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/spm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Spider-Man</em></a> set features a new take on madness called mayhem, which aims to "fix" madness. <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has a mixed record when it comes to "fixing" mechanics. There are success stories: Devotion provides a very evocative means of caring about the pips in the casting cost of your cards, and few remember chroma, the previous pip counting ability word that it supplanted.</p>
<p>Then again, daybound and nightbound add awkward admin to Werewolf transformations, and replace a previous system that was essentially fine.</p>
<p>Will Mayhem be a success story that reigns madness in, or is it doomed to cause as much chaos as its name implies? Let's discuss.</p>
<h2>Madness and Mayhem</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alchemist&#039;s Greeting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Electro&#039;s Bolt"></div></div>
<p>Before we can explore the differences between madness and mayhem, it's important to first talk through how the mechanics operate. When a card with madness would be discarded, it's instead sent into exile. From exile it can then be cast by paying its madness cost. If the madness is cost is paid then the card resolves. If the cost is not paid then the card is discarded as normal and goes to the graveyard.</p>
<p>A card with mayhem, meanwhile, simply goes to the graveyard when it's discarded. It does not go into exile. Then, during the turn on which it was discarded, it can be played from the graveyard by paying its mayhem cost.</p>
<p>These two abilities may sound remarkably similar, but there are some key differences.</p>
<p>First of all, a card with madness must be cast immediately. Failing to do so means the opportunity to use it is lost, and the card enters the graveyard. In contrast, a card with mayhem can still be cast for the rest of the turn on which it was discarded. It's possible to discard a card with mayhem during your upkeep, and then cast it during your second main phase without incident.</p>
<p>The most significant difference between the two mechanics is that cards with madness may be cast outside of their typical timing restrictions. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alchemist&#039;s Greeting" href="#" target="_blank">Alchemist&#039;s Greeting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a sorcery with madness that deals four damage to a creature when it's cast. If Alchemist's Greeting is discarded outside of the main phase, or even during an opponent's turn, then it can still be cast and used to damage a creature.</p>
<p>Similarly, the creature <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has madness. Even though it doesn't have flash, you're still able to cast it for its madness cost whenever it gets discarded.</p>
<p>Unlike madness, mayhem follows timing restrictions. If you discard the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Electro&#039;s Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Electro&#039;s Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, another spell that deals four damage to a creature, you'll only be able to cast it during either of your main phases on the turn when you threw it away. Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spider-Islanders" href="#" target="_blank">Spider-Islanders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can only be brought into play during one of your main phases on the turn when it was discarded.</p>
<p>Now that the differences between the two mechanics are clear, lets take a look at the pros and cons of turning madness into mayhem.</p>
<h2>The Upsides</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rocket-Powered Goblin Glider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ultimate Green Goblin"></div></div>
<h3>Lower Complexity</h3>
<p>On the whole, since madness was first printed in 2002, <em>Magic </em>has become a significantly more complex game. Universes Beyond sets like <em>Spider-Man </em>are designed as an exception to this pattern, since they aim to draw in new audiences. Because of this, their mechanics tend to be very streamlined and clear.</p>
<p>All of this means that mayhem is a far simpler mechanic to parse than madness. Mayhem cards never enter exile, and the timing window for casting them is far more forgiving, so there's no risk of missing the trigger to cast them. Mayhem is just a very clean mechanic.</p>
<h3>Better Play Patterns</h3>
<p>Mayhem's simplicity makes it more difficult to exploit than madness. Many decks that run a large number of instant-speed cards incentivize gameplay where their controller needs to do very little during their own turn. They can pass, and then combo off when another player attempts to attack them. If no attack is forthcoming, then they can slam out their cards during the end step of the player whose turn comes directly before theirs.</p>
<p>Every way of playing <em>Magic</em> is legitimate (yes, even running mass land destruction), but instant-speed combo decks can create play patterns that won't be fun for everyone at the table. Going up against this sort of deck may confuse new players, who would mistakenly view their opponent as being an open target, rather than lying in wait to ambush them.</p>
<p>All of the hidden information may even frustrate more experienced players.</p>
<h3>New Design Space</h3>
<p>Mayhem also cracks open new design space. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oscorp Industries" href="#" target="_blank">Oscorp Industries</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a land with mayhem, and that's honestly pretty exciting. It would be impossible to print a land with madness, since madness cards are <em>cast</em> from exile, and lands are <em>played</em> rather than cast. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oscorp Industries" href="#" target="_blank">Oscorp Industries</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a tap land with a low power level, it opens the door to some interesting new possibilities.</p>
<p>Now that we've talked about the good, let's take a look at the bad...</p>
<h2>The Downsides</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Voldaren Pariah"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anje Falkenrath"></div></div>
<h3>Lower Power Level</h3>
<p>From a pure strength perspective, mayhem is simply weaker than madness. Power level doesn't necessarily equal fun; just look at <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> and how it completely kneecapped the pace of both Modern and Commander while it was legal. All the same, madness cards can simply accomplish more than mayhem cards.</p>
<p>As discussed, the increased strength of madness does come with a commensurate increase in complexity, but it lets you pull things off that just wouldn't be possible using mayhem.</p>
<p>Discarding your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voldaren Pariah" href="#" target="_blank">Voldaren Pariah</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at instant speed during an opponent's combat step, and then transforming it, completely changes the entire board state and can make an opponent majorly regret an attack they've just launched, forcing them to recalculate their strategy.</p>
<h3>Non-Synergies</h3>
<p>Because of mayhem's new name, it can't be used alongside prior cards that directly synergize with the madness mechanic. There's currently only one card in the game that directly names madness, but it's a very popular commander: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anje Falkenrath" href="#" target="_blank">Anje Falkenrath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Anje won't untap if she discards <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sandman&#039;s Quicksand" href="#" target="_blank">Sandman&#039;s Quicksand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and she doesn't care about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnage, Crimson Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Carnage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Anje may only be one commander, but she is by far <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/madness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the most popular Madness commander of all time</a>. Self-discard decks now have a whole host of new tools that she's unable to experiment with.</p>
<h3>Universes Beyond Exclusivity</h3>
<p>Finally, mayhem is, currently, only available attached to Spider-Man characters. While there are Universes Within versions of these cards, they are, for the moment, only available digitally. This means that anyone wanting to play around with mayhem will need to fill their deck with Spider-Man characters. For some players, this won't matter at all, but for others this will be a complete deal breaker.</p>
<p>Everyone has a different perspective on Universes Beyond. Unfortunately, there are bound to be some discard lovers out there that just don't want to sleeve <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultimate Green Goblin" href="#" target="_blank">Ultimate Green Goblin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> up alongside their <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadowgrange Archfiend" href="#" target="_blank">Shadowgrange Archfiend</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></p>
<h2>Conclusion on Madness and Mayhem</h2>
<p>Mayhem is a lot simpler than madness. With the exception of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swarm, Being of Bees" href="#" target="_blank">Swarm, Being of Bees</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, every mayhem card can only be played at sorcery speed. This makes the mechanic easier to understand and less unpredictable to play against. Mayhem can also appear on lands, which just isn't possible for madness.</p>
<p>Of the two mechanics, madness is definitely more chaotic. In a way, maybe that's a flavor win. Madness, true to its name, is turbulent and unpredictable. An opponent attacking you has no way of anticipating that you may use the discard effect on your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia&#039;s Dragoon" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia&#039;s Dragoon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to rush a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into play.</p>
<p>Mayhem is also, at least for now, locked into Universes Beyond, rendering it beyond the reach of players looking to remain rooted in the <em>MTG </em>multiverse.</p>
<p>Mayhem may ultimately end up replacing madness, since there's little point in the two mechanics co-existing together. As time goes on, this would resolve some of the issues with mayhem. More creatures with flash and instants with mayhem could be printed, giving it more nuance and tactical depth. Similarly, the Universes Within versions of the <em>Spider-Man</em> cards may receive a physical printing in future, alongside new mayhem cards on familiar magic planes.</p>
<p>In other words, if mayhem replaces madness, it will gradually become a more closely integrated part of the game. This will resolve many of the problems flagged up here, with one lone exception.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anje Falkenrath" href="#" target="_blank">Anje Falkenrath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will become a commander dedicated to a mothballed mechanic. The game's most popular madness commander may end up swept into the dustbin of history, alongside the mechanic itself.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="tpdYq7Sl5h"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-mayhem-cards-from-marvels-spider-man/">The Best Mayhem Cards From Marvel's Spider-Man</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="iPvbHnQqLf"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-instants-and-sorceries-in-marvels-spider-man/">The Best Instants and Sorceries in Marvel's Spider-Man</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;The Best Instants and Sorceries in Marvel&#039;s Spider-Man&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-instants-and-sorceries-in-marvels-spider-man/embed/#?secret=UFoCoUr5kD#?secret=iPvbHnQqLf" data-secret="iPvbHnQqLf" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="gJf9YsKwgD"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/best-new-commanders-from-marvels-spider-man/">Best New Commanders From Marvel's Spider-Man</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Best New Commanders From Marvel&#039;s Spider-Man&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/best-new-commanders-from-marvels-spider-man/embed/#?secret=SvA3RpMP5q#?secret=gJf9YsKwgD" data-secret="gJf9YsKwgD" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Madness and Mayhem - Comparing Magic's Discard Mechanics

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnage, Crimson Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Carnage, Crimson Chaos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/lordigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lordigan</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, everyone, my name is Jonathan and today I'm going over the best new cards with the mayhem ability coming from <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em>!</p>
<p>But, what does mayhem actually do? Well, precisely this:</p>
<blockquote><p>You may play this card from your graveyard if you discarded it this turn. Timing rules still apply.</p></blockquote>
<p>This ability resembles madness, but with some major differences. While madness forces the player to immediately decide whether to cast the discarded card or not, mayhem grants this possibility until the end of the turn.</p>
<p>The older mechanic allows you to ignore timing restrictions, while the new iteration explicitly tells you they still apply.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kitchen Imp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spider-Islanders"></div></div>
<p>For example, if you were to discard a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kitchen Imp" href="#" target="_blank">Kitchen Imp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on an opponent's end step, you would still be able to cast it for its madness cost. The same doesn't apply to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spider-Islanders" href="#" target="_blank">Spider-Islanders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which, due to timing restrictions, can only be cast at any time the player could cast a creature spell.</p>
<p>Now, with all of these distinctions out of the way, let's dive into the best mayhem cards, listed in no particular order.</p>
<hr />
<h2>#1 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chameleon, Master of Disguise" href="#" target="_blank">Chameleon, Master of Disguise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chameleon, Master of Disguise"></div></div>
<p>This card doesn't particularly shine on its own. All in all, we've now reached a point in time where we have quite a few clone options available at two mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flesh Duplicate" href="#" target="_blank">Flesh Duplicate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Imposter Mech" href="#" target="_blank">Imposter Mech</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phantasmal Image" href="#" target="_blank">Phantasmal Image</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all great options that overcome their downsides thanks to their extremely low casting cost.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flesh Duplicate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Imposter Mech"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phantasmal Image"></div></div>
<p>In addition to this, if we expand our criteria to include three-mana clones, we also have to take into account <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glasspool Mimic" href="#" target="_blank">Glasspool Mimic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Image" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Image</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and, functionally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Metamorph" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Metamorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glasspool Mimic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirror Image"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Metamorph"></div></div>
<p>And don't even get me started on four-mana clones.</p>
<p>So, what makes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chameleon, Master of Disguise" href="#" target="_blank">Chameleon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so special? Well, none of them can clone your commander without having to sacrifice either of them due to the Legend rule. This card, instead, changes the name of the creature it copies to its own, exploiting a small loophole that effectively allows us to play an additional copy of our commander, or any other legend.</p>
<p>Now then, what can we do with this? My first thought was the insane amount of value it can generate when paired with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist" href="#" target="_blank">Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>I know it would be quite mana intensive, but picture this: You discard <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chameleon, Master of Disguise" href="#" target="_blank">Chameleon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you copy it, thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist" href="#" target="_blank">Hashaton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s ability and you later cast the original <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chameleon, Master of Disguise" href="#" target="_blank">Chameleon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from your graveyard for its mayhem cost.</p>
<p>This play can net you two copies of whatever creature you control but, most importantly, it can generate two additional copies of your commander. Now, whenever you discard a creature card, you can pay three, six or nine mana to produce one, two or three copies of that same creature.</p>
<p>I know this requires a huge quantity of mana, but just imagine the impact of creating three copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archon of Cruelty" href="#" target="_blank">Archon of Cruelty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for only nine mana. Otherwise, you'll be sitting on a triple version of your general, meaning your opponents will likely have to spend three times as many interaction spells to clear all of them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chameleon, Master of Disguise"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Cruelty"></div></div>
<p>This is only the first idea I've come up with, but truly any commander that can benefit from being copied should at least consider this card. Of course, having access to reliable discard engines is a must (for there would be better four-mana clones otherwise). But, if that's the case, then you should be looking at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chameleon, Master of Disguise" href="#" target="_blank">Chameleon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>#2 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swarm, Being of Bees" href="#" target="_blank">Swarm, Being of Bees</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swarm, Being of Bees"></div></div>
<p>What intrigues me about this card is the combination of an actual low mana cost and the ability to cast it at instant speed. On its own, this is a very underwhelming card, if not outright unplayable: a 2/2 flyer with no additional abilities is nothing shy of abysmal.</p>
<p>And yet, I think this mana value/ability combination works fine enough to create a niche for it under the lead of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Celes, Rune Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Celes, Rune Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. On its own, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swarm, Being of Bees" href="#" target="_blank">Swarm, Being of Bees</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could be a surprise blocker that can slightly mess up an opponent's combat step.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Celes, Rune Knight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cathars&#039; Crusade"></div></div>
<p>But, if we pair it with this commander, not only will it be an additional body on the board, it'll also pump all of our creatures, drastically changing the scenario for them.</p>
<p>Now, is this a game-breaking interaction? Not at all; in the end, it's somewhat resemblant of a surprise <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathars&#039; Crusade" href="#" target="_blank">Cathars&#039; Crusade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> trigger: annoying, but not lethal.</p>
<p>Still, I think this interaction is worth a consideration, allowing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swarm, Being of Bees" href="#" target="_blank">Swarm, Being of Bees</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to be a well-positioned piece inside a powerful engine.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Number Three: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnage, Crimson Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Carnage, Crimson Chaos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Carnage, Crimson Chaos"></div></div>
<p>This is the first card I'm also open to consider as a viable commander. While at first it won't be possible to take advantage of its mayhem ability, once we deploy it, we can let it go to the graveyard to later return it to our hand in a variety of ways.</p>
<p>Once we've reached this scenario, it'll cost two mana as long as we're able to discard it and return it to our hand when it dies.</p>
<p>Sadly, its effect doesn't bring much to the table, as it only brings back a small creature which we're almost guaranteed to lose at the first combat step. So, aside from some aristocrat-like interactions, it doesn't particularly shine.</p>
<p>Still, I want to highlight how it continuously feeds itself. Assuming we've entered the loop mentioned above, each time <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnage, Crimson Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Carnage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits the board, we'll be able to recur that same creature we're losing during each combat step.</p>
<p>While this still isn't much, at least it's something going for it.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, I think this card could have a home in the 99 of many decks that want to reanimate multiple small creatures over and over again. Just like before, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Celes, Rune Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Celes, Rune Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the perfect example of such a deck. When paired with this commander, a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnage, Crimson Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Carnage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cast for its mayhem cost is going to bring two creatures to the table <em>and</em> give a +2/+2 pump to your whole board.</p>
<p>Additionally, it still feeds itself and can execute the loops mentioned before just as if it was our commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return Triumphant"></div></div>
<p>In conclusion, while I'm a bit skeptical about its potential as a commander, there might be space for a small reanimator build, perhaps lead by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Celes, Rune Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Celes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and centered around bringing back low-mana value creatures also thanks to cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return Triumphant" href="#" target="_blank">Return Triumphant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>#4 - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultimate Green Goblin" href="#" target="_blank">Ultimate Green Goblin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ultimate Green Goblin"></div></div>
<p>I'm still not 100% sure about how to feel regarding this card.</p>
<p>On one hand, it offers the player a free discard outlet on each of their upkeeps. Additionally, it basically duplicates their land drop thanks to its Treasure generating ability. This seems to make it fit snuggly into every reanimator strategy, both as a commander and in the 99, provided that it can also reanimate itself.</p>
<p>In particular, if we play it as our general, it has the potential for very early blowout moves, such as turn-one deployment thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> followed by a [/el]Reanimate[/el] on turn two.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Ritual"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reanimate"></div></div>
<p>On the other hand, I'm not convinced about its playability if we don't have access to a stacked hand. In fact, it's crucial to notice how this card, at best, crystallizes our hand size.</p>
<p>In other words, if we play it with four cards in hand, at the beginning of the following upkeep we'll discard down to three, and we'll go back up to four during the draw step. So, even though we don't cast any spell, we're not gaining resources in our hand.</p>
<p>Even worse, if we do play cards from our hand (something we're quite likely to do), then we're definitely hurting ourselves with card disadvantage.</p>
<p>All in all, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultimate Green Goblin" href="#" target="_blank">Ultimate Green Goblin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is somewhat difficult to evaluate or, at the very least, to play properly. Both as a commander and in the 99, this isn't a card we want to slam onto the battlefield whenever we have the occasion to.</p>
<p>Instead, we want to deploy it after having crafted a hand that can support it, making sure we're going to benefit from its forced discard ability. Also, we should be prepared to either remove it ourselves if it's hurting us, or to have it stay in play for multiple turns without falling too far behind.</p>
<hr />
<p>That's all from me for now! Let me know in the comments which mayhem cards you're looking forward to playing with the most, and also tell me if you've already thought about which decks will benefit the most from them.</p>
<p>I'll see you next time with another article!</p>
<h3>More <em>Spider-Man</em>:</h3>
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