The Best Combo Cards From Edge of Eternities

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extinguisher Battleship" href="#" target="_blank">Extinguisher Battleship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> by <a href="https://www.dannyschwartz.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Danny Schwartz</a></em></p>
<p><em>Edge of Eternities</em> explores the stars and pushes the bounds of what planes and genres <em>Magic</em> calls its own. I’m talking aliens, wormholes, plasma beams. And most importantly, Spacecraft.</p>
<p><em>Lots</em> of Spacecraft.</p>
<p>But Spacecraft need crews, much like Vehicles. And that’s where the new “station” keyword comes into play.</p>
<p>Introduced in the new set to represent the crew within your space-faring craft, station as a keyword rhymes with crew - metaphorically, that is. While it'll most definitely be overrun by token swarms and cheap creatures, it’s a mechanical representation of the effort it takes to pilot a spaceship.</p>
<h2>What’s the Crew Mechanic?</h2>
<p>Crew is a keyword Vehicles use, allowing you to tap creatures to convert said Vehicle from an artifact into an artifact creature until end of turn. The Vehicle will indicate a listed number and the combined power of all the creatures you tap to crew your Vehicle must equal or exceed that number.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boommobile" href="#" target="_blank">Boommobile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has crew 2, meaning you would need to tap at least two power’s worth of creatures to turn it from an artifact to an artifact creature. It has some other abilities that it can use regardless of if it’s being crewed, but it can dip in and out of being a creature quite easily.</p>
<p>Below are some other examples.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adventurer&#039;s Airship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bessie, the Doctor&#039;s Roadster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghost Ark"></div></div>
<h2>How Is Station Different From Crew?</h2>
<p>Station is an evolution of the crew mechanic. Just like in crew, each station ability will have a number indicating its station threshold. However, you don’t need to do it all at once.</p>
<p>One of the major differences between station and crew is that station tends to have much higher thresholds. But to compensate for this, tapping creatures adds charge counters to the Spacecraft equal to its power. Upon having enough charge counters to equal or exceed its threshold, the Spacecraft permanently becomes a creature.</p>
<p>Assuming it doesn’t lose the charge counters, that is.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wurmwall Sweeper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sledge-Class Seedship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fell Gravship"></div></div>
<p>Often, a Spacecraft that reaches its station threshold will become an artifact creature and gain some special ability. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sledge-Class Seedship" href="#" target="_blank">Sledge-Class Seedship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes a flying creature that lets you cheat out creatures every time it attacks.</p>
<p>Meanwhile <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wurmwall Sweeper" href="#" target="_blank">Wurmwall Sweeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has an enter-the-battlefield effect as an artifact but otherwise just transforms into a modest flyer.</p>
<h2>There’s More Than Ships</h2>
<p>But sometimes, a card with station doesn’t transform into an artifact creature at all! Each color has a land associated with it with the new subtype Planet. Each of these also has the station keyword but doesn’t convert it into an artifact creature.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evendo, Waking Haven" href="#" target="_blank">Evendo, Waking Haven</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> simply gains a second, higher-scaling means of mana generation. Fitting for green! And doubly so given you’ll likely have multiple creatures on the board by the time you can fully station it.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adagia, Windswept Bastion" href="#" target="_blank">Adagia, Windswept Bastion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to copy your artifacts or enchantments. Quite useful, but a far cry from converting into something such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought" href="#" target="_blank">Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kavaron, Memorial World"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Susur Secundi, Void Altar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Uthros, Titanic Godcore"></div></div>
<h2>Why Does This Matter?</h2>
<p>You can only station at sorcery speed. This is true for Spacecraft as well as Planets.</p>
<p>This, functionally, makes Spacecraft worse than Vehicles. Yes, Station is a semi-permanent effect by adding power counters, but it lacks speed and flexibility - two things that a extremely important for a commander.</p>
<h2>Spacecraft as Commanders</h2>
<p>Truthfully, I wouldn’t be as harsh to station if it weren’t the core mechanic of Spacecraft, a new veritable fleet of commanders.</p>
<p>Legendary Spacecraft or Vehicles that turn into artifact creatures are now valid commanders, which is an absolutely lovely change. If you want to make a deck with only Vehicles and Spacecraft, you can do that!</p>
<p>But suddenly, Spacecraft have to compare themselves to other commanders. And while I won’t bring up meta-defining commanders such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>... commanders which can’t function at instant speed simply can’t keep up.</p>
<p>And it doesn’t even have to be focused on instant-speed effects to be viable.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Bristly Bill, Spine Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to add a +1/+1 counter to a creature on a <em>landfall</em> trigger. While this is typically reserved for your turn, fetch lands such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> mean this can trigger outside of your turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolving Wilds"></div></div>
<p>Similarly, the ability to spend five mana to double the +1/+1 counters on your creatures is always useful, but can upend entire tables if used at the proper time.</p>
<h2>Spacecraft Cannot Station the Same Way</h2>
<p>Even if you have untapped land and a Spacecraft on the board, you can’t Station them to get a last-minute defender or activate an integral ability. If one of your legendary creatures is going to be destroyed, you can’t station <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Seriema" href="#" target="_blank">The Seriema</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a rush to save that creature.</p>
<p>Spacecraft are forced into the role of slowly-growing artifact while simultaneously trying to act as a commander. The fact Spacecraft and Planets allow you to invest in them and then they actually have built-in dividends is a great idea! But they can only grow at sorcery speed while the vast majority of effects occur at instant speed.</p>
<p>Call that niche. Sure.</p>
<p>But it’s also demonstrably more inflexible than many non-Spacecraft commanders out there. And given that one of the big pushes of <em>Edge of Eternities</em> is Spacecraft commanders, that’s a failure of the mechanic.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eruth, Tormented Prophet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Solphim, Mayhem Dominus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald"></div></div>
<h2>No Response</h2>
<p>Given that station is at sorcery speed, it can’t respond effectively to being altered by an opponent. Similarly, your Spacecraft won’t ever be able to be involved in any “surprise” plays.</p>
<p>There are multiple ways to remove counters from other permanents, many of which trigger or can trigger during combat. If a player is defending with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galvanizing Sawship" href="#" target="_blank">Galvanizing Sawship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that has three charge counters on it, being attacked by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etched Slith" href="#" target="_blank">Etched Slith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ferropede" href="#" target="_blank">Ferropede</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could simply remove the defender.</p>
<p>That doesn’t sound too bad, but now expand that to if your commander <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspirit, Flagship Vessel" href="#" target="_blank">Inspirit, Flagship Vessel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has eight charge counters on it. If it loses a counter, not only do you lose a blocker, but your other artifacts no longer have hexproof and indestructible.</p>
<p>Where you simply… can’t respond. At least not until your next turn.</p>
<p>You might have access to other means of protecting your Spacecraft such as counters or Equipment. But the same could be said for other commanders. They have the same strengths of being protected by other spells without the weakness of relying on charge counters.</p>
<p>And that isn’t even to mention other, more total and instantaneous counter-removal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aether Snap"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Render Inert"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blitz Leech"></div></div>
<h2>Station Should Be Instant</h2>
<p>That title’s the core of it. Station as a mechanic is an interesting evolution of crew that ultimately causes Spacecraft to falter their landing, particularly given their status as commanders.</p>
<p>Being able to utilize entire ships as your commanders are cool! And the ability to invest in these multi-turn projects is both an incredible fantasy as well as a tie-in for great plays.</p>
<p>But it’s too slow. It’s not able to interface with your opponents in the same way other commanders can and is completely countered by, ironically, counter removal.</p>
<p>Station being at sorcery speed for Planets, though, seems reasonable. Not only does it make sense from a flavor-perspective that an entire planet would be much more effort to station, but lands simply aren’t as active out-of-turn than artifacts, creatures, or artifact creatures.</p>
<p>Or commanders.</p>
<h2>Another Perspective</h2>
<p>Perhaps you’re feeling more favorably on the station tag? Or you agree with my criticisms, but just feel the need to examine what exactly the pros of this slower, planned-out version of the mechanic might be?</p>
<p>In either case, check out <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/why-the-station-mechanic-must-be-at-sorcery-speed/">this counter-argument by Roman</a>, which goes over why station being sorcery might not be the worst thing after all. And perhaps why the pros of it might outweigh the cons I listed here.</p>
<h3>More <em>Edge</em>:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="tXqteItyZX"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-top-10-best-warp-cards-from-edge-of-eternities/">The Top 10 Best Warp Cards from Edge of Eternities</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;The Top 10 Best Warp Cards from Edge of Eternities&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-top-10-best-warp-cards-from-edge-of-eternities/embed/#?secret=5U72iunhHL#?secret=tXqteItyZX" data-secret="tXqteItyZX" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="l5kcvh2b46"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/are-landers-the-next-big-token-in-magic/">Are Landers the Next Big Token in Magic?</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Are Landers the Next Big Token in Magic?&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/are-landers-the-next-big-token-in-magic/embed/#?secret=sfcKnmmao3#?secret=l5kcvh2b46" data-secret="l5kcvh2b46" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="n312B6AiJx"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-fun-are-the-edges-of-eternities-commanders/">How Fun Are the Edges of Eternities Commanders?</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;How Fun Are the Edges of Eternities Commanders?&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-fun-are-the-edges-of-eternities-commanders/embed/#?secret=eriNDoqz3V#?secret=n312B6AiJx" data-secret="n312B6AiJx" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Why Station Being Sorcery Speed Ruins the Mechanic

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Susurian Dirgecraft" href="#" target="_blank">Susurian Dirgecraft</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://markpoole.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopZZkk7Mj-1JRqX223t86dmB52q5f7z69t9UxbZv7jL_Vkt3NV9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Poole</a></em></p>
<p>Thank you to the kind folks at EDHREC for hosting a friendly game of point/counterpoint between myself and Sikora. In this round, I'll be presenting some arguments as to why the new Station mechanic, introduced recently in <em>Edge of Eternities</em>, should be activated at sorcery speed (as the rules intend) rather than at instant speed (a blasphemous notion that flies in the face of the will of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rosewater" target="_blank" rel="noopener">God</a>).</p>
<p>In fact, through the points I'll present, I'll prove that this is more than a case of just "should." Station <em>must</em> be enacted at sorcery speed. It wouldn't make sense any other way.</p>
<p>Please, join me and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1PPoIAOO2Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consider the following...</a></p>
<h2>What Is Station?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hearthhull, the Worldseed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infinite Guideline Station"></div></div>
<p>No, really, what is the Station mechanic meant to evoke? Well, we have some clues. One thing we can look at when dissecting this mechanic is the fact that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Seriema" href="#" target="_blank">most artifacts with Station</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have effects that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Susurian Dirgecraft" href="#" target="_blank">activate as they enter the battlefield</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Their mere presence has an effect on the board state.</p>
<p>"Well, of course," you might say, "if they don't do anything until you station them, then they're artifacts that don't do anything the turn you play them." And that is true. But that's also true of most creatures in <em>Magic</em>. It's also true of most Vehicles, whose crew costs function very similarly to station.</p>
<p>So what is it that makes these Station artifacts change the game just by showing up? To answer that, I'd like to quickly ask, "Is that a moon?"</p>
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/i7eqjiRRIqg?si=JNdIasQKxkvPpJ1k" target="_blank" rel="noopener">That's no moon. It's an</a> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entropic Battlecruiser" href="#" target="_blank">Entropic Battlecruiser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Across sci-fi media, giant, imposing spaceships have always captured the imagination. It's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRX4JFWffkM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">literally the opening shot</a> of the very first <em>Star Wars</em>. It gets the audience excited for the sci-fi adventure we're about to go on. And the climax of that movie? Luke blowing up The Death Star, the biggest, most imposing space station there ever was.</p>
<p>That's the drama that a station artifact is meant to evoke. It's the immediate threat of something massive and powerful which, if left to its own devices, could power up to the point where there's simply no stopping it from enacting its terrible destruction upon whatever unwitting target it chooses (which, based on this description, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is arguably a space station; congrats, Krenko).</p>
<p>The other hint <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> provides us as to what they're going for with this mechanic is in the fact that it can only be activated at sorcery speed.</p>
<p>"What gives?" You might say, soldiering on from how wrong you just were five paragraphs before, "Nearly every other tap ability can be done at instant speed, so why not station?"</p>
<p>Because the design team over at <em>Wizards</em> knows that it is the anticipation of these weapons which makes them so great. In <em>Independence Day</em>, do the UFOs suddenly open up and spit a laser right through the White House? No! They take their time. They power up just slowly enough for the people dancing on that rooftop in LA to look up and think "<a href="https://youtu.be/vjFG-4Ge668?si=suAwmIcjnLbNOPsu&amp;t=61" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oh, actually, this might be bad</a>."</p>
<p>In pop culture, the power of these great weapons doesn't come from their efficiency. It comes from the fact that you can watch every second of them charging up and still be destroyed in the blast.</p>
<p>By the way, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge my other favorite part of this mechanic. Why do you think they have you tap your creatures as you work towards the cumulative charge counters required to power your Spacecraft? Because tapping those creatures is meant to symbolize the dozens of 1970s buttons and levers which must be pushed and pulled for something like the Death Star to target and fire upon the rebel base.</p>
<p>Think about it: To activate station you literally turn them like dials on a big space station weapons console. Truly, it's one of the most satisfyingly tactile <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> mechanics since tearing up <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>.</p>
<p>Have some fun with it, even. If you're tapping creatures to activate station, count up like you're in mission control: "Activating station 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Station is online." And if anybody in your pod makes fun of you, well, you've found your first target.</p>
<h2>Sorcery Speed Is Good for Counterplay</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Eternity Elevator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vandalblast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Stop"></div></div>
<p>Let's say you're a few turns into a friendly game of Commander and your opponent drops <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Eternity Elevator" href="#" target="_blank">The Eternity Elevator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> onto the field. As they read you the 20+ ability, don't the hairs on the back of your neck start to stand up a little bit? You start to ask yourself, "What could they possibly be planning to do with 20+ mana? Well, certainly nothing good. Hmm. How can I deal with this?"</p>
<p>That's fun tension! That's great game design! The presentation of an imposing threat that must be answered is exciting on both sides of the playmat.</p>
<p>As an opponent, it immediately has you surveying your hand, your board, the looks on your other opponents' faces, and anything else that may help you solve the puzzle that's been placed in front of you. And even if you can't deal with the station card itself, perhaps you can remove some of the station fodder on your opponent's side of the board just long enough to draw into an answer or simply knock them out of the game.</p>
<p>Now, imagine instead that over that time you've stalled, searched, and finally drawn into your grand response. You go to cast it, only to have your opponent say, "In response, <a href="https://youtu.be/Tu2DdkOxLNs?si=Oze78okI9n00MQtc&amp;t=55" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I tapped those creatures 35 minutes ago</a>".</p>
<p>That's perhaps a bit dramatic, but have you ever played a board wipe on somebody with a sacrifice outlet? Have you ever had to take seven <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Makeshift Munitions" href="#" target="_blank">Makeshift Munitions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> triggers while you hold your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> limply in the middle of the table?</p>
<p>It's like hitting the button to detonate the C4 you put in your enemy's secret base, only to have them run out and kick you seven times in the shin before it goes off.</p>
<p>So many things in <em>Magic</em> these days can be done in half measures or tapped for some value on their way to the graveyard. Sometimes it can be nice to have something that simply works or doesn't.</p>
<h2>The Station Mechanic Carries the Torch for Planeswalkers</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra Nalaar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral Zarek"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jace, the Mind Sculptor"></div></div>
<p>You know what else would come out, present a big potential threat, and have to build up over several turns before unleashing their full potential? That's right, planeswalkers. Planeswalkers have certainly had their time in the sun, but they've spent even more time in the shade.</p>
<p>It seems to me like they tended to thrive over in Standard more than Commander (the sorcery speed restriction isn't so punishing when you only have to wait through one opponent's turn to activate it again, rather than three), but seeing how fast and bonkers Standard has been for a while now, they simply don't have the immediate effect required to be playable in that format. And in Commander, the singleton restriction makes it very hard to build around a planeswalker in the 99.</p>
<p>And so few have both the power to pose a legitimate threat and the ability to survive retaliation from the other players.</p>
<p>Honestly, that sucks. For not just planeswalkers, but for <em>Magic</em> as a media property. As a new player, I'm told that the characters on these planeswalker cards are supposed to be people I care about. I see the names and likenesses of Ajani and Liliana and Jace all over cards across <em>Magic</em>'s history. And each time I do, I think, "Wow, they seem very cool. I wonder who they are." And then I don't see them again for months and I forget all about them.</p>
<p>Even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra Nalaar" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra Nalaar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, my favorite planeswalker (I cut my teeth on monored in <em>Core Set 2020</em>, so she was the first "big deal" I became aware of in <em>Magic's </em>lore), I know practically nothing about. I know that she does an excellent Akira slide, but that's about it.*</p>
<p>So maybe, in hope beyond hope, station cards can test the waters for new ways that planeswalkers can become relevant in <em>Magic</em> again. And maybe there's something even beyond planeswalkers this could lead to which I'm not yet able to see. If you'd told me a year ago that there would be a new mechanic that rolls Vehicles and planeswalkers into one, I'd never begin to imagine something akin to station cards.</p>
<p>Honestly, I'd probably just assume that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral Zarek" href="#" target="_blank">Ral</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> accidentally got <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j18e_ID-DpA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Turbo Teened</a>. So I think it's a fantastic sign that the <em>Magic</em> designers are once again playing in what has historically been a very important space for this game. Because, as we've seen countless time in the history of <em>Magic</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Cheese Stands Alone" href="#" target="_blank">experimentation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leads to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barren Glory" href="#" target="_blank">innovation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>*Look, I'll do my whole article about being a new player and interacting with lore another day, but I remember even looking up stuff about the lore of <em>Aetherdrift</em> because I love fast vrooms, and to this day I have no clue who won the race.</p>
<p>To see Sikora's counter-argument, head here, and read about <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/why-station-being-sorcery-speed-ruins-the-mechanic/">why station being sorcery speed <em>ruined</em> the mechanic</a>.</p>
<h3>More <em>Edge</em>:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="GMGR46zVMV"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-predicting-the-popularity-of-edge-of-eternities-commanders/">The Over/Under - Predicting the Popularity of Edge of Eternities Commanders</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;The Over/Under - Predicting the Popularity of Edge of Eternities Commanders&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-predicting-the-popularity-of-edge-of-eternities-commanders/embed/#?secret=bzNlwjr0Sv#?secret=GMGR46zVMV" data-secret="GMGR46zVMV" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="XuFdgfUdwH"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-lands-and-artifacts-in-edge-of-eternities/">The Best Lands and Artifacts in Edge of Eternities</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 Lands and Artifacts in Edge of Eternities&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-lands-and-artifacts-in-edge-of-eternities/embed/#?secret=SfdsS7IDaX#?secret=XuFdgfUdwH" data-secret="XuFdgfUdwH" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="N80VlTCHJw"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-spacecraft-from-edge-of-eternities/">The Best Spacecraft From Edge of Eternities</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 Spacecraft From Edge of Eternities&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-spacecraft-from-edge-of-eternities/embed/#?secret=CTu5XSCOUB#?secret=N80VlTCHJw" data-secret="N80VlTCHJw" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Why the Station Mechanic MUST Be at Sorcery Speed

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice|2xm|353" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CKev+Walker%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kev Walker</a></em></p>
<p>Greetings, everyone. It's your fellow space traveler, Nick. As we enter the <em>Edge of Eternities</em> and feast our collective eyes on all the brand new cards, let's not forget about cards from the past.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div></div>
<p>Some cards are easier to remember, and today we find ourselves with a card most would forget, if only they could. One of the most popular commanders of all time, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is no stranger to getting new cards, and new cards it did receive.</p>
<p>So suit up and get in the rover as we travel the cosmos and look at what Atraxa might look like when built with some new cards featuring an old counter.</p>
<h2>The Focus</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has many things going for it. A solid stat line at 4/4. A great color combination of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. A flurry of keywords. But most importantly, an end step trigger of proliferation.</p>
<p>This end-step trigger is the main reason why this card gained so much notoriety. <em>Edge of Eternities</em> brought new things to the game, but it also returned an often overlooked type of counter: the charge counter.</p>
<h2>New Value Charge</h2>
<p>While there wasn't a massive amount of cards in the set focused on charge counters, the ones that are featured in this deck are some of the best for the strategy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moxite Refinery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Insight Engine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adagia, Windswept Bastion"></div></div>
<p>First up is the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moxite Refinery" href="#" target="_blank">Moxite Refinery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the 2025 version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Power Conduit" href="#" target="_blank">Power Conduit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This refinery enables us to utilize any spare counters and place them in a more strategic location. Limited to sorcery speed does bring down the hype level ever so slightly, but the raw power of this card should not be underestimated.</p>
<p>In terms of artifacts that draw cards <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be the best card ever to do it. Yes, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insight Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Insight Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't nearly as strong as one of the best cards of the past few years, but it is the best draw engine in the entire deck and one that quickly and efficiently will have you drawing entire new hands every time it's activated.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adagia, Windswept Bastion" href="#" target="_blank">Adagia, Windswept Bastion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the only Planet making the cut in this deck. All of the "good" ones can be run thanks to Ataxa's color identity, but Adagia is the one we can utilize best. Being able to get a copy of either of the cards mentioned above would be great, and that is just scratching the surface in this deck.</p>
<h2>New Aggressive Charge</h2>
<p>Drawing cards and moving counters around is all fun and games, but someone has to win the game eventually. That someone might as well be us.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Extinguisher Battleship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Entropic Battlecruiser"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patrolling Peacemaker"></div></div>
<p>The newest of new cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entropic Battlecruiser" href="#" target="_blank">Entropic Battlecruiser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is both from the latest set and a brand new subtype: Spacecraft. All of the Spacecraft use charge counters to both gain abilities and eventually become creatures. The Battlecruiser gains us immediate value if anyone ever discards a card, and once powered up, becomes a fantastic blocker and a creature often doing 12 damage total across the table when it attacks.</p>
<p>One of the biggest and baddest battleships around the solar system, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extinguisher Battleship" href="#" target="_blank">Extinguisher Battleship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great way to get aggressive by removing the problems in front of us. Destroying any pesky non-creature permanent and then wrathing most of the board does more than the average artifact. Follow that up with an easy station cost of five to give us a massive 10/10; with flying and trample, it's just icing on the cake.</p>
<p>Not specifically here to do damage by itself, but rather to help out our other cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Patrolling Peacemaker" href="#" target="_blank">Patrolling Peacemaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is precisely what we need to make the numbers go up on cards like the battlecruiser of the forge.</p>
<h2>New Craft, Who Dis?</h2>
<p>While a main draw of the set, not every single Spacecraft is worth it. Some are a bit underwhelming, and even if our core plan is to make anything that has a charge counter have very many charge counters, we only have 99 card slots.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Eternity Elevator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Uthros Research Craft"></div></div>
<p>Possibly one of the silliest cards ever made, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Eternity Elevator" href="#" target="_blank">The Eternity Elevator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> goes from a mediocre mana rock to an absurd mana rock all for the low price of 20 charge counters. Things need to go right for our deck to reach the point of no return, but with every floor the elevator climbs, we get closer to the top.</p>
<p>Who among us would say no to <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-tap" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>: Add 20 blue mana?</p>
<p>Continuing the trend of needing 20 charge counters <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought" href="#" target="_blank">Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes a 20/20 flyer once that threshold is reached, but it isn't slouching before then. For half the price, you get the ability to blow up just about any creature or planeswalker that could ever find a way onto the battlefield.</p>
<p>Last up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uthros Research Craft" href="#" target="_blank">Uthros Research Craft</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, maybe the easiest of all the Spacecraft to fully power up. The Swiss Army Knife of Spacecraft, thanks to drawing cards, giving itself counters, and turning into a player-eliminating threat.</p>
<h2>Forgotten Charge</h2>
<p>This deck wants to shine a light and focus on being rebuilt with <em>Edge of Eternities </em>in mind, but charge counters are something that have been in <em>Magic</em> sets across the years. Here are some of the highlights.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Astral Cornucopia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grindclock"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Talon of Pain"></div></div>
<p>One of the most interesting mana rocks ever made, and one of the only ones that can make a table hungry, the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astral Cornucopia" href="#" target="_blank">Astral Cornucopia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides colored mana fixing on a level only seen by the likes of, ironically, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Eternity Elevator" href="#" target="_blank">The Eternity Elevator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grindclock" href="#" target="_blank">Grindclock</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives the deck a way to win the game, different from anything else at its disposal. In specific builds of the deck, it could even be used as a self-mill engine to win with a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Laboratory Maniac" href="#" target="_blank">Laboratory Maniac</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talon of Pain" href="#" target="_blank">Talon of Pain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> should probably be in more than the <a href="https://edhrec.com/cards/talon-of-pain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1005 decks</a> that it currently calls home. Regardless, the more we can charge up this card, the more pain we can inflict at the table.</p>
<h2>Fully Charged</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has almost infinite build paths, and charge counters are, I'm a bit sad to say, closer to the bottom than the top of the list.</p>
<p>Not that cards using charge counters aren't cool; I play some of the cards found in this deck, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everflowing Chalice" href="#" target="_blank">Everflowing Chalice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coalition Relic" href="#" target="_blank">Coalition Relic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, regularly.</p>
<p>I can't wait to get my hands on multiple of the Planet lands, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insight Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Insight Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the exact type of card I want to play in the most broken of builds. However, charge counters as an entire strategy suffers a bit from not having a real card or cards that can qualify as a payoff for the strategy as a whole.</p>
<p>While this deck can still do powerful <em>Magic</em> and would be fun to play, especially if the Phyrexian Angel has personally victimized your playgroup in the past, there's just something missing.</p>
<p>Maybe with a few more trips to space, or a precon focused on charge counters themselves, this build might step out of the shadows of something like <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/atraxa-praetors-voice/planeswalkers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atraxa Superfriends</a> or <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/atraxa-praetors-voice/infect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atraxa Infect</a>.</p>
<p>How are you rebuilding your very own Atraxa decks once <em>Edge of Eternities</em> releases? Are you a fan of charge counters? Let me know over on <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/nicnax96.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bluesky</a>.</p>
<p>I hope to see you in the stars with my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exploration Broodship" href="#" target="_blank">Exploration Broodship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as I search for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ripples of Potential" href="#" target="_blank">Ripples of Potential</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to be brought back to the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eumidian Hatchery" href="#" target="_blank">Eumidian Hatchery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Till next time.</p>
<h2>Atraxa, Praetors' Voice Charge Counters Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rebuilding Atraxa - Edge of Eternities Edition" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Atomize
*1 Brokers Confluence
*1 Experimental Augury
*1 Mutational Advantage
*1 Planar Genesis
*1 Ripples of Potential
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Astral Cornucopia
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Coalition Relic
*1 Contagion Engine
*1 Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought
*1 Empowered Autogenerator
*1 Entropic Battlecruiser
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Exploration Broodship
*1 Extinguisher Battleship
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Glistening Sphere
*1 Golem Foundry
*1 Grindclock
*1 Insight Engine
*1 Lux Artillery
*1 Lux Cannon
*1 Magistrate&#039;s Scepter
*1 Moxite Refinery
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Staff of Compleation
*1 Talisman of Curiosity
*1 Talon of Pain
*1 The Eternity Elevator
*1 The Millennium Calendar
*1 Titan Forge
*1 Unwinding Clock
*1 Uthros Research Craft
*1 Uthros Scanship
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Contentious Plan
*1 Farseek
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Nuclear Fallout
*1 Tezzeret&#039;s Gambit
*1 Three Visits
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Coretapper
*1 Crystalline Crawler
*1 Deepglow Skate
*1 Evolution Sage
*1 Incubation Druid
*1 Kami of Whispered Hopes
*1 Lulu, Stern Guardian
*1 Patrolling Peacemaker
*1 Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
*1 Thrummingbird
*1 Vorel of the Hull Clade
*1 Winding Constrictor
*1 Zimone, Paradox Sculptor
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Doubling Season
*1 Inexorable Tide
*1 Resourceful Defense
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Adagia, Windswept Bastion
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Command Tower
*1 Eumidian Hatchery
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Strand
*3 Forest
*1 Gemstone Mine
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Indatha Triome
*3 Island
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Nesting Grounds
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raffine&#039;s Tower
*1 Reflecting Pool
*1 Rejuvenating Springs
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Swamp
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Undergrowth Stadium
*1 Vault of Champions
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Zagoth Triome
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="X6fizVqsIt"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/what-would-happen-if-we-retired-the-most-popular-commanders/">What Would Happen If We Retired the Most Popular Commanders?</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;What Would Happen If We Retired the Most Popular Commanders?&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/what-would-happen-if-we-retired-the-most-popular-commanders/embed/#?secret=VF8Lo1TC7C#?secret=X6fizVqsIt" data-secret="X6fizVqsIt" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="mtBxnvPLwo"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/rebuilding-atraxa-praetors-voice-with-final-fantasy-cards/">Rebuilding Atraxa, Praetors' Voice With Final Fantasy Cards</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Rebuilding Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice With Final Fantasy Cards&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/rebuilding-atraxa-praetors-voice-with-final-fantasy-cards/embed/#?secret=4ZUeAAHfiD#?secret=mtBxnvPLwo" data-secret="mtBxnvPLwo" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


planets

The Best Combo Cards From Edge of Eternities

Why Station Being Sorcery Speed Ruins the Mechanic

Why the Station Mechanic MUST Be at Sorcery Speed

Rebuilding Atraxa - Edge of Eternities Edition

The Best Lands and Artifacts in Edge of Eternities