<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erebos, Bleak-Hearted" href="#" target="_blank">Erebos, Bleak-Hearted</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.chasestoneart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chase Stone</a></em></p>
<p><em>Magic</em> is a game that doesn't have a required way to play. Certainly, there are ways that are more competitive or "optimal" than others, and the Commander format has different rules and expectations nested within it.</p>
<p>But one of the most enticing thing about the game is that there is an incredible variability of playstyles you can engage with. Just like there's a wide variety of Gods available to field.</p>
<p>From Theros to Kaldheim to the Forgotten Realms, there are actual, honest-to-God... Gods running around<em> Magic.</em> Though as you might expect from such a disparate collection of divine beings from different sources and planes, not all deities are created equally.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kruphix, God of Horizons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Myrkul, Lord of Bones"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Eternal Oketra"></div></div>
<h2>What Is Playing "Out Of Type"?</h2>
<p>So much of the conversation surrounding <em>Magic</em> is on optimization and competitive deck-building. Which is fun! Few things are as satisfying as putting together a banger build, piloting it against tough opponents, and having it all go exactly according to plan.</p>
<p>Though as I mentioned previously, that's not the only way to play. Nor is it the only discussion to have around <em>Magic.</em></p>
<p>Staples of the different colors define metas, though that's due to the synergies they're intended to have. Nothing is stopping you from breaking those synergies and challenging those metas.</p>
<p>It certainly won't give you the highest win rate, but it will be a new and unique experience.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tom Bombadil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Havi, the All-Father"></div></div>
<h2>Gods In <em>Magic</em></h2>
<p>There are multiple styles of Gods from across the various planes of <em>Magic.</em> Then on top of that, some Universes Beyond content also involves the God creature type. Each of these interpretations of Gods lends different methodologies to their persistence and divinity.</p>
<p>This is a super cool integration of storytelling and mechanics!</p>
<p>Each plane has its own beliefs and mythologies, with the role those Gods inhabit influencing how they're represented mechanically.</p>
<h3>Theros Gods</h3>
<p>Being inspired by Greek myth, the Theros Gods are enchantment creatures who don't count as creatures until you have enough devotion of their color. Devotion to a color is just the total number of mana symbols of a certain color across all permanents you control. Therefore, if you play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, Sun-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, Sun-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and he's your only white permanent, your devotion to white would be one and he wouldn't be considered a creature.</p>
<p>The other trait that links all of the Theros Gods is that they're - mostly - indestructible.</p>
<p>So across Theros, the Gods must be worshipped and you must demonstrate your devotion to them and their domains in order to curry their favor. Even if you don't, or if your opponents use removal to artificially devalue your devotion, the Gods still remain on the board as enchantments.</p>
<p>Which, for an effect like that of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> really, isn't that big a deal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heliod, the Radiant Dawn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Erebos, Bleak-Hearted"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Athreos, God of Passage"></div></div>
<h3>Amonkhet Gods</h3>
<p>In contrast, some of the Egyptian-inspired Amonkhet Gods can die. However, they consistently have ways of returning to your deck or hand after being removed from the field. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Scarab God" href="#" target="_blank">The Scarab God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a good example of that.</p>
<p>However, it's worth noting that these effects only protect your Gods from removal on the battlefield, not from discarding or mill.</p>
<p>The God-Eternal cycle similarly only has returning effects from battlefield removal, though these also proc when exiled. They return to the third card from the top of the library, adding a small delay to their eternal reign.</p>
<p>Just make sure you don't shuffle before drawing them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Eternal Rhonas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Eternal Bontu"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Eternal Kefnet"></div></div>
<p>Though it shouldn't surprise you that a good few of the Amonkhet Gods are "just" indestructible, whether represented in Amonkhet-focused sets or in something like <em>Aetherdrift</em>. But just like their Theros counterparts, there's some limit as to their ability to attack or block you need to overcome.</p>
<p>These usually relate to the core strategy of the color they're a part of, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhonas the Indomitable" href="#" target="_blank">Rhonas the Indomitable</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only being able to attack or block if you control a powerful creature. Nothing complicated, though more specific than devotion.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sab-Sunen, Luxa Embodied"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bontu the Glorified"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ketramose, the New Dawn"></div></div>
<h3>Kaldheim Gods</h3>
<p>The neat thing about the Norse-inspired Kaldheim Gods is that they aren't inherently protected. This, objectively, is a downgrade, both mechanically as well as for in-universe power scaling.</p>
<p>But it's really cool!</p>
<p>Because in Kaldheim as well as in the real-world mythology that inspired it, the Gods are much more present. They'll fight against or alongside you, and there are stories of Gods dying - sometimes by mortal hand! What matters to Kaldheim is the impact the Gods have on mortals, rather than the worship or honoring of them.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birgi, God of Storytelling" href="#" target="_blank">Birgi, God of Storytelling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't indestructible, she does have an artifact associated with her. So at the cost of permanence you're granted flexibility in what the God can do, which is certainly a different way of handling it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reidane, God of the Worthy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Halvar, God of Battle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kolvori, God of Kinship"></div></div>
<h3>Ixalan</h3>
<p>On that note, the mezoamerican-inspired Ixalan Gods dip into both schools of thought. They don't have explicit protections, at least not the indestructible keyword, but they also don't have that Kaldheim flexibility.</p>
<p>Instead, when they die they return to the field tapped and transformed into a land. That land then has a means of transforming back into the God, but only if you fulfill a specific condition.</p>
<p>Almost like Amonkhet's requirements.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ojer Taq, Deepest Foundation" href="#" target="_blank">Ojer Taq, Deepest Foundation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives an amazing ability for token generation, so your opponents remove it. It immediately returns as a land which you can then transform back into a God if you attack with three or more creatures. If you got a single proc of Ojer Taq's ability, this should be simple.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ojer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch"></div></div>
<h3>Other Gods</h3>
<p>There are other Gods from different planes and universes, but they don't really have a unified theme or specific protections. Which makes sense, given how varied they are!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anzrag, the Quake-Mole" href="#" target="_blank">Anzrag, the Quake-Mole</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> being a God doesn't really align with the same expectations of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, God of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, God of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But also, it has fewer restrictions on when it can be used and how.</p>
<p>So your mileage may vary as to the divinity of these other, more vulnerable Gods.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Asmodeus the Archfiend"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bhaal, Lord of Murder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Surtr, Fiery Jötun"></div></div>
<h2>But What if You Treated Them Like Actual Gods?</h2>
<p>And by that, of course, I mean you play a deck of Gods where they're anywhere but creatures on the front lines.</p>
<h3>It's Quite Simple</h3>
<p>You have a range of Gods to use and different ways to make them utterly incapable of acting as grunts. After all, they're divine! Why should they be trading blows with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Arsonist" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Arsonist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<h3>Lack Devotion</h3>
<p>For the Theros Gods, it's a matter of keeping your devotion to their colors low to keep them as enchantments. This sounds tricky, as it limits what permanents you can play. However, most of the mono-colored Theros Gods have a devotion threshold of five, while the multicolored have a threshold around seven. This means that, in addition to the mana from the Gods themselves, you can have around three other permanents of their color.</p>
<p>That isn't a lot, but that's ignoring colorless permanents. Artifacts and Eldrazi are actually your best friends here, despite the fact that they're both antithetical to Gods in their own ways. This makes them perfect to play Gods differently!</p>
<p>Just whatever you do, make sure you avoid the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altar of the Pantheon" href="#" target="_blank">Altar of the Pantheon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Or any permanents that'll leave you too devoted.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Korvold, Gleeful Glutton"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gigantosaurus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slimefoot and Squee"></div></div>
<h3>Put Them on a Pedestal</h3>
<p>Similarly, the Amonkhet Gods are already unable to participate in combat unless you fulfill their specific requirements. It's just a matter of not fulfilling those requirements and keeping them safe.</p>
<p>Kaldheim Gods already have an easy alternate means of utilizing them: Play their back-face. You'll have a range of useful artifacts, enchantments, and even creatures related to the Gods without actually fielding them.</p>
<p>Then you have the Ixalan pantheon who begin as Gods and only transform into lands upon their destruction. So it's only natural that in order to change how you play Gods, you need to force that change early.</p>
<p>Sacrificing is a pretty well-explored strategy, so there's plenty of support to not just facilitate it but also benefit from it. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher" href="#" target="_blank">Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will mean those sacrifices actually promote your board state while the lands you get from your Gods enhance your economy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Juri, Master of the Revue"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tergrid, God of Fright"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos, the Muscle"></div></div>
<h2>What Then?</h2>
<p>After you do all of this nonsense to ensure you're fielding Gods without throwing them to the front lines, what then?</p>
<p>It's really up to you.</p>
<p>The abilities of Gods are so varied you could reasonably win by keeping your devotion down for red in a multicolored deck. Then you can play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, leave it as an indestructible enchantment, and win as anyone else would.</p>
<p>Alternatively, you can set up a series of Ixalan Gods sacrificed into lands alongside multiple Theros Gods in enchantment form. In a single turn you can transform the Ixalan Gods which, depending on the colors, would convert your enchantments into enchantment creatures.</p>
<p>There's as many ways to play them as there are Gods.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
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How To Play Gods Differently In Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anthousa, Setessan Hero" href="#" target="_blank">Anthousa, Setessan Hero</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.howardlyon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Howard Lyon</a></em></p>
<p>Imagine this: You go to your Local Game Store and sit down for a game of Commander. You have the Rule 0 conversation and determine you're just looking for a casual game, something in the realm of Bracket 2. The table pulls out the usual suspects: a precon here, a janky brew there. Then, there's one player who simply says: "I'll play this mono-green deck."</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, you're worried. <em>Green is pretty strong</em>. You ask, "Are you sure it's a Bracket 2?"</p>
<p>The player reveals his commander: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anthousa, Setessan Hero" href="#" target="_blank">Anthousa, Setessan Hero</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. "Oh, I'm playing mono-green Spellslinger."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anthousa, Setessan Hero"></div></div>
<p>The tenseness of the situation fades. You take a deep breath. That is, until you see what the deck does.</p>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! This is a series where we pick a theme from EDHREC and look at the “bottom of the barrel.” This means we look at the least played color-combinations and pick a commander in those colors to brew a spicy new deck around!</p>
<p>Today's episode is one close to my heart, as it's my current favorite personal deck I've built. The idea came from an exercise similar to this series, so I felt it was the perfect time to share it with you all.</p>
<h2>Green Spellslinger?</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger/mono-green" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to EDHREC</a>, there are 131 Spellslinger themed decks in mono-green, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Legolas, Master Archer" href="#" target="_blank">Legolas, Master Archer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leading the charge. This is an amazing card for Spellslinger, but I wanted something a little more unique. That's where Anthousa came in.</p>
<p>There are 186 <em>total</em> decks built around her in the database, with <em>only three</em> focusing on Spellslinger.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Legolas, Master Archer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aeve, Progenitor Ooze"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gargos, Vicious Watcher"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Upon first glance, Anthousa might not seem very special, but turning a cantrip into three 2/2 Warriors seems pretty strong! The main issue is mana production vs. mana usage. Anthousa is five mana, which isn’t too difficult to achieve in green, but she does basically nothing unless we have an immediate follow-up. And by then, the lands we want to turn into Warriors are tapped.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even when we have open mana after casting Anthousa, casting spells requires us to use our “creatures” for mana. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This presents a conundrum. How can we solve this so it feels like we aren’t being starved for mana?</span></p>
<h2>Category #1: Mana Production vs. Mana Usage</h2>
<p>There are a few ways to negate the possible pitfalls of our lands being what we attack with, and the first way comes in the form of vigilance and "untappers."</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Angel&#039;s Trumpet" href="#" target="_blank">Angel&#039;s Trumpet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is amazing in this deck for two reasons: It allows our lands to act as attackers <em>and</em> mana sources in the same turn; and it punishes our opponents for trying to sit back while opening them up to future attackers. Shoutout to Rachel Weeks from The Command Zone for the inspiration on this add!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Angel&#039;s Trumpet"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copperhorn Scout" href="#" target="_blank">Copperhorn Scout</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great way for us to use our lands as attackers <em>and </em>as mana producers in the same turn, similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Angel&#039;s Trumpet" href="#" target="_blank">Angel&#039;s Trumpet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Copperhorn Scout"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Llanowar Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Llanowar Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another great way for us to regain our mana production ability from our Forests that attack, even if it's only a single-use case.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Llanowar Druid"></div></div>
<h2>Category #2: Recursion</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A big problem that presents itself with Anthousa is consistency. Having cards that we can cast repeatedly to target Anthousa are cards we should be focusing on. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rancor" href="#" target="_blank">Rancor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is probably the best card in the deck because it gets returned to our hand when Anthousa gets removed, so we can cast it again.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rancor"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prey&#039;s Vengeance" href="#" target="_blank">Prey&#039;s Vengeance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great too because it has rebound, allowing us to get Anthousa's trigger on two consecutive turns without spending mana the second time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prey&#039;s Vengeance"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Running “Regrowth” effects can be critical to our success as well, as getting back our “target” spells allows us to recover quickly after running out of gas.</span></p>
<p>Our main Regrowth effects are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bösium Strip" href="#" target="_blank">Bösium Strip</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pair o&#039; Dice Lost" href="#" target="_blank">Pair o&#039; Dice Lost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Pair o' Dice Lost returns spells we've used directly to our hand, but Bösium Strip lets us recast them from the graveyard as long as the top card of our graveyard is an instant or sorcery.</p>
<p>Considering we have 32 total instants and sorceries in the deck, that isn't a hard prerequisite to meet.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bösium Strip"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pair o&#039; Dice Lost"></div></div>
<h2>Category #3: Cheap Spells</h2>
<p>Ultimately, the goal is to consistently target Anthousa with cheap spells, and I tried to limit these spells to ones that are one mana or less. There are twelve spells in this deck that cost one or less mana that trigger Anthousa, and my includes fall into three categories:</p>
<p>1. Something that pumps Anthousa by a ridiculous amount (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Might of the Masses" href="#" target="_blank">Might of the Masses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Get a Leg Up" href="#" target="_blank">Get a Leg Up</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Bellow" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Bellow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>)</p>
<p>2. Something that grants our commander trample in some way (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rancor" href="#" target="_blank">Rancor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massive Might" href="#" target="_blank">Massive Might</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Charge Through" href="#" target="_blank">Charge Through</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>)</p>
<p>3. Something that's free to cast (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Invigorate" href="#" target="_blank">Invigorate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gather Courage" href="#" target="_blank">Gather Courage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutagenic Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Mutagenic Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>)</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Might of the Masses"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Massive Might"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mutagenic Growth"></div></div>
<p>Since we have several spells that increase our commander's power, winning with commander damage is very possible in this deck. Therefore, trample is a must!</p>
<h2>Category #3: Card Draw</h2>
<p>Green doesn't struggle with drawing cards, but it's usually associated with casting creature spells. How can we draw enough cards in this deck to not run out of gas?</p>
<p>The most obvious answer is with a green staple: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sylvan Library" href="#" target="_blank">Sylvan Library</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Here are some less obvious includes:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Season of Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Season of Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> draws cards whenever we target our commander.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Family&#039;s Favor" href="#" target="_blank">Family&#039;s Favor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can protect our commander in combat <em>and</em> draw us cards when she deals damage.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ohran Frostfang" href="#" target="_blank">Ohran Frostfang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toski, Bearer of Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Toski, Bearer of Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both can turn our "land creatures" into an absurd amount of card advantage.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Runic Armasaur" href="#" target="_blank">Runic Armasaur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> draws cards when our opponents activate abilities.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elder Gargaroth" href="#" target="_blank">Elder Gargaroth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can draw us cards <em>or </em>gain us life <em>or </em>generate creatures!</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hylda&#039;s Crown of Winter" href="#" target="_blank">Hylda&#039;s Crown of Winter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can draw cards when an opponent overextends.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harmonize" href="#" target="_blank">Harmonize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is always good in green decks.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sylvan Library"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toski, Bearer of Secrets"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmonize"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4: The "Secret Spice"</h2>
<p>This week's "secret spice" includes each serve different purposes, but each put in <em>work</em> in this deck.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harvest Season" href="#" target="_blank">Harvest Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a ridiculous ramp spell in this deck because if we have a way to target Anthousa first, we can turn the lands we tap to cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harvest Season" href="#" target="_blank">Harvest Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into creatures, guaranteeing at least <em>three lands</em>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harvest Season"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="River Song&#039;s Diary" href="#" target="_blank">River Song&#039;s Diary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> serves two purposes in this deck: recursion and "theft." Being able to reuse pump spells is amazing, but being able to steal our opponents' used instant and sorcery spells is a huge plus for this card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="River Song&#039;s Diary"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Box" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Box</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is our final "secret spice," and it's for a reason you may not expect. We aren't doing any cloning, so the first line of this card is completely irrelevant to us. The second line however, is where this card shines.</p>
<p>When we turn our Forests into creatures <em>they are creatures that have the same name!</em> Meaning: they pump each other up based on the amount of other Forest creatures we have! Also, we run things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Woods" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Woods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Staff of Titania" href="#" target="_blank">Staff of Titania</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that also create Forest creatures, and this card works wonders with those includes too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirror Box"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Awaken the Woods"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Staff of Titania"></div></div>
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>That will do it for this week's episode of <em>Bottom of the Barrel!</em> I hope you enjoyed exploring this underplayed commander with me, and I hope you'll give it a try. After building this deck in paper and tinkering with it over the past few months, it's slowly cemented itself as my favorite personal deck, and I'm glad to sing its praises every chance I get.</p>
<p>Check out my decklist below.</p>
<h2>Anthousa, Setessan Hero Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Lands = Creatures" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Anthousa, Setessan Hero
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Family&#039;s Favor
*1 Garruk&#039;s Uprising
*1 Rancor
*1 Season of Growth
*1 Sylvan Library
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Animist&#039;s Might
*1 Awaken the Woods
*1 Cultivate
*1 Harmonize
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Overwhelming Stampede
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Scale the Heights
*1 Season of Gathering
*1 Three Visits
*1 Triumph of the Hordes
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Arachnogenesis
*1 Awakening of Vitu-Ghazi
*1 Beast Within
*1 Charge Through
*1 Deglamer
*1 Galadhrim Ambush
*1 Gather Courage
*1 Get a Leg Up
*1 Invigorate
*1 Massive Might
*1 Might of the Masses
*1 Mutagenic Growth
*1 Obscuring Haze
*1 Pair o&#039; Dice Lost
*1 Prey&#039;s Vengeance
*1 Primal Bellow
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Tail Swipe
*1 Trash the Town
*1 Vitality Charm
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Copperhorn Scout
*1 Dosan the Falling Leaf
*1 Elder Gargaroth
*1 Giggling Skitterspike
*1 Jolrael, Empress of Beasts
*1 Kamahl, Heart of Krosa
*1 Llanowar Druid
*1 Nissa, Vastwood Seer // Nissa, Sage Animist
*1 Ohran Frostfang
*1 Runic Armasaur
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Thunderfoot Baloth
*1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Angel&#039;s Trumpet
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Bösium Strip
*1 Dolmen Gate
*1 Emerald Medallion
*1 Hylda&#039;s Crown of Winter
*1 Mirror Box
*1 River Song&#039;s Diary
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Staff of Titania
*1 Throne of Eldraine
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Nissa, Who Shakes the World
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Blast Zone
*1 Cascading Cataracts
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Emergence Zone
*29 Forest
*1 Inkmoth Nexus
*1 Lair of the Hydra
*1 Tranquil Thicket
[/Lands]"></span></div>


Mono-Green Spellslinger With Anthousa, Setessan Hero

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Image courtesy of Dark Horse Comics and Wizards of the Coast</em></p>
<p><em>Dark Horse Comics</em>, the famous American comic publisher known for series such as <em>Hellboy</em>, <em>The Mask</em>, and <em>Aeon Flux,</em> among many others, released its newest series on Wednesday, September 17th. This new series, a collaboration with <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> to bring the lesser-known tales of <em>Magic</em> characters to life, is called <em>Magic: The Gathering - Untold Stories</em>.</p>
<p>Its first issue tells the first part of the story of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth Tirel" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth Tirel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> during her time in the Theroan Underworld. I obtained a copy on the day of release, so here are my thoughts about <a href="https://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/3014-472/Magic-The-Gathering-Untold-Stories--Elspeth-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em></a>!</p>
<p>Please note that there <em>will</em> be spoilers for the comic in this review. However, this is a comic telling a story that was essentially told half a decade ago. Please keep all of this in mind as you read further!</p>
<h2>Reviewing <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em></h2>
<p>This story is shown in an interesting light. I like that the conflict between Heliod, Theroan God of the Sun, and his other deified comrades is so nuanced and political. Writer Dan Watters did very well with respect to the politics of the Theroan pantheon here. Also, I appreciated the flashback approach of the comic's plotlines.</p>
<p>However, I wonder if this will be the norm for every character we get an <em>Untold Stories</em> series on. We got this with Dack Fayden for <em>The Spell Thief</em>, and to me, a dedicated and enfranchised <em>Magic</em> fan, it may get old kind of fast.</p>
<p>However, I can probably give it a pass at this early stage of things, since it's the first issue of the first series of this kind.</p>
<h3>The Art is... Not Perfect</h3>
<p>Furthermore, I'll be frank about this: I'm not a huge fan of the series' illustrator, Owen Gieni's, portrayal of Elspeth in this comic. I find his illustrations over-expressive and almost rushed. Various scenes show Elspeth with a huge, almost trout-like open mouth when she's shouting.</p>
<p>The only other three femme characters in this comic are Theroan goddesses: Klothys, Goddess of Fate, Thassa, Goddess of the Sea, and Nylea, Goddess of the Hunt. Klothys has a lot of dialogue - more than Elspeth herself does in this issue. As it were, Thassa has one piece of dialogue, and Elspeth and Nylea have no dialogue in the issue whatsoever.</p>
<p>I'm unsure how to feel about the art, which depicts Klothys as overly menacing, and Elspeth as big-mouthed and overreactive gesturally (note that I am referring specifically to the depiction of these characters by the artist). The other characters in this comic with any dialogue - Heliod, Daxos, Erebos, and Purphoros - all seemed extremely self-serious in their agendas.</p>
<p>That's all fine and dandy, to be honest, but they were also illustrated in a way befitting that. The female characters felt like they were drawn as caricatures in many panels (any extreme close-ups of Elspeth's forehead notwithstanding).</p>
<h3>Issues With the Cover of Issue #1</h3>
<p>This brings me to the cover art. I didn't manage to secure a variant cover for <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em>. To a similar end, the cover I <em>did</em> get was more or less that same big-mouthed screaming style that I mentioned in my above criticisms.</p>
<div id="attachment_165004" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-165004" class="wp-image-165004" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 Variant Cover (Vincenzo Riccardi). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016869-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-165004" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> Variant Cover (Vincenzo Riccardi). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics</p></div>
<div id="attachment_165005" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-165005" class="wp-image-165005" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 Variant Cover (Anna Steinbauer). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3016870-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-165005" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> Variant Cover (Anna Steinbauer). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics</p></div>
<div id="attachment_165006" style="width: 373px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-165006" class="wp-image-165006" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472.jpg" alt="Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 Main Cover (Owen Gieni). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics" width="363" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3014472-195x300.jpg 195w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-165006" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> Main Cover (Owen Gieni). Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse Comics</p></div>
<p>I got that last cover, wherein you can see what I'm talking about.</p>
<p>Before this further devolves into me snobbishly snubbing Gieni's work even more, I just want to say one last thing on the matter. I happen to really like his use of light and reflections in this comic. They're rather well illustrated. The depictions of the mysterious smoke atop Ashiok's horns and the depictions of Daxos' death mask all look splendid.</p>
<h2>Verdict: Leave It in the Underworld (Unless You Like Theros)!</h2>
<p>I'm not a huge fan of this comic overall. Like I mentioned above, the artwork by Owen Gieni isn't great. And unfortunately, Dan Watters' writing, while certainly intriguing (especially for a first issue of a full series) couldn't quite compensate for that. But I can see a world in which players who like Theros, Elspeth Tirel, or the <em>Theros: Beyond Death</em> storyline all buy this comic for their collections. It's not hard to see that working out for them.</p>
<p>In the future, however, I'll be getting the physical comics as well, if only to review them for my loyal readers.</p>
<p>Let me now open the floor to you all! Did you manage to snag a copy of <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth #1</em> from your local comic shop? What did you think about it? Did you like its writing and/or its illustrations? What was your favorite aspect of this comic book? What did you like the least? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


REVIEW: Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 (Dark Horse Comics)

<p>Dark Horse Comics is collaborating with Wizards of the Coast to bring a <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> comic series to the masses. Starting with <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em>, the comic series will launch on September 10th, 2025. We have the details for you, so let's take a look at what we know so far!</p>
<h2>Details On <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em></h2>
<p><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> kicks off the comic giant's licensed collaboration with <em>Magic</em>. According to <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/magic-the-gathering-untold-stories-elspeth-brings-the-iconic-franchise-to-dark-horse-comics">IGN</a>, It is a four-part miniseries focusing on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth Tirel" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth Tirel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s descent into the Theroan underworld and her search for a means to escape its clutches.</p>
<div id="attachment_153844" style="width: 374px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153844" class="wp-image-153844" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer.jpg" alt="One of three covers from Dark Horse Comics' Magic: The Gathering comic series, Untold Stories: Elspeth. Cover illustration by Anna Steinbauer. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse" width="364" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer.jpg 1600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer-195x300.jpg 195w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer-666x1024.jpg 666w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer-768x1181.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer-999x1536.jpg 999w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Anna-Steinbauer-1332x2048.jpg 1332w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 364px) 100vw, 364px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153844" class="wp-caption-text">One of three covers from Dark Horse Comics' <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> comic series, <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em>. Cover illustration by <strong>Anna Steinbauer</strong>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse</p></div>
<p>The writer for <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> is <strong>Dan Watters</strong>, who recently wrote <em>TMNT: Shredder</em>. According to Dark Horse Comics, here is the summary for the miniseries:</p>
<blockquote>
<p class="paragraph jsx-2269604527" data-cy="paragraph">Elspeth is dead. But her story is not yet over.</p>
<p class="paragraph jsx-2269604527" data-cy="paragraph">The sun god Heliod, having grown envious of his champion, struck her down to the underworld. There, she is forced to relive the worst moments of her life for all eternity. But Elspeth does not submit to despair—she emerges from each conflict a greater hero than before. And for a great hero like Elspeth, what is death but another challenge to overcome?</p>
</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_153845" style="width: 374px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153845" class="wp-image-153845" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni.jpg" alt="Another of three covers from Untold Stories: Elspeth. Cover illustration by Owen Gieni. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse" width="364" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni.jpg 1600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni-195x300.jpg 195w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni-666x1024.jpg 666w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni-768x1181.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni-999x1536.jpg 999w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Owen-Gieni-1332x2048.jpg 1332w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 364px) 100vw, 364px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153845" class="wp-caption-text">Another of three covers from <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em>. Cover illustration by <strong>Owen Gieni</strong>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse</p></div>
<p>Says <strong>Jackie Jones</strong>, <em>Magic</em>'s Vice President for Creative, on this collaboration and specifically about Elspeth's part in it:</p>
<blockquote><p>"Elspeth’s journey has always resonated deeply with our fans and bringing her untold story to life in this exciting new format has been a real creative highlight for us. [...]Working with Dark Horse and this phenomenal team of artists and writers, we’re thrilled to give players and readers a deeper look into one of <em>Magic</em>’s most iconic heroes.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Another quote from <strong>Roy Graham</strong>, Senior Story Lead for <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> with Wizards of the Coast, elaborates on Elspeth's overall popularity as a character in the game:</p>
<blockquote><p>"We can't wait to finally tell the story of Theros: Beyond Death. [...] Our fans and dedicated readers have wanted to see Elspeth's escape from the underworld brought to life since the iconic set was first released and working with Dark Horse to make it happen is a dream come true."</p>
<div id="attachment_153846" style="width: 374px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153846" class="wp-image-153846" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo.jpg" alt="The last of three covers from Untold Stories: Elspeth. Cover illustration by Vincenzo Riccardo. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse" width="364" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo.jpg 1600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo-195x300.jpg 195w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo-666x1024.jpg 666w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo-768x1181.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo-999x1536.jpg 999w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elspeth-cover-Vincenzo-Riccardo-1332x2048.jpg 1332w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 364px) 100vw, 364px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153846" class="wp-caption-text">The last of three covers from <em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em>. Cover illustration by <strong>Vincenzo Riccardo</strong>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Dark Horse</p></div></blockquote>
<p>In the past, Wizards of the Coast has collaborated with comic companies such as IDW to bring their stories to a visual storytelling medium. However, licensing issues imply that we won't likely see any new characters from the comics on cards, at least in the near future (incidentally, this is part of why Wizards killed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dack Fayden" href="#" target="_blank">Dack Fayden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> during <em>War of the Spark</em>).</p>
<p><em>Untold Stories: Elspeth</em> comes out on Wednesday, September 10th, 2025. As a miniseries, it will run for a span of four issues. Naturally, we will review this series as it comes out. Meanwhile, are you excited for this Dark Horse Comics miniseries to come out? Sound off below!</p>


Dark Horse Comics' First Magic Comic Focuses On Elspeth

Conditions Allow - Medomai the Ageless

<h6 style="text-align:right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadowspear" href="#" target="_blank">Shadowspear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/fooyee">Yeong-Hao Han</a>)</h6>
<h1>Gear Up For the Twelve Labors of Hercules!</h1>
<p>Greetings, everyone, and welcome back to the wrap-up of our preview week review season. In this article we're going to cover the artifacts and lands featured in <em>Theros Beyond Death,</em> and while there aren't that many, there are a few interesting picks worth going over. The set itself is a doozy through and through, so let's get to it!</p>
<hr>
<h2>Rares</h2>
<hr>
<h3>Nyx Lotus</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Lotus"></div></div></span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">I think people are a little too worried about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyx Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Nyx Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. When first previewed, I remember hearing many people talk worriedly about how it can go infinite with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Filigree Sages" href="#" target="_blank">Filigree Sages</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While that certainly is true, it also requires a significant board state to fuel the required <em>Devotion</em> to make it happen. I’m not sold on how easy it is to have this reliably happen. Additionally, even if you pull it off, it just then becomes another two-card combo for infinite mana... one among many that blue already has access to. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Filigree Sages" href="#" target="_blank">Filigree Sages</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is only in 233 decks right now, meaning if you’re trying to pull off that combo, you have to make two cuts to a deck rather than just one. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> this is not. I prefer my mana rocks to help me get back into the game when my board was wiped, not to help me out most when I already have a lot of cards in play. Currently, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is in almost 25,000 decks, and I don’t expect the Lotus's numbers to flourish quite like that. There is lots of power here, but entering tapped, along with being closer to a “win-more” card, leads me to think this Lotus is a powerful-looking effect, but a bit overhyped. </span></p>
<hr>
<h3>Shadowspear</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shadowspear"></div></div></span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">Goodness. This honestly might be a top five Equipment for Commander players. One mana to put this onto the battlefield is amazing. Two more and it's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loxodon Warhammer" href="#" target="_blank">Loxodon Warhammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Lite. The Warhammer</span><span style="font-weight:400;"> is already played in a very healthy 11,619 decks. Add in a random <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bonds of Mortality" href="#" target="_blank">Bonds of Mortality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ability and you have a recipe for a new staple Equipment. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">The important piece of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadowspear" href="#" target="_blank">Shadowspear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>’s ability to remember is it hits all of your opponents' permanents. Not just one opponent. <em>All </em>of them. Even better, it doesn't need to be equipped to activate this ability. </span></p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akiri, Line-Slinger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sram, Senior Edificer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greven, Predator Captain"></div></div><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">Dedicated Equipment decks will love this, and folks who love a little lifegain will, too. Frankly, though, I don’t think you even need to be playing a deck that cares about combat too much to see some use for it. This should be the most-played artifact from the set (not that there are many). This is much better than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glaring Spotlight" href="#" target="_blank">Glaring Spotlight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and other such effects. Anyone playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uril, the Miststalker" href="#" target="_blank">Uril, the Miststalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda, Host of Herons" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda, Host of Herons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might find it a herculean task to beat this card.</span></p>
<hr>
<h2>Uncommons</h2>
<hr>
<h3>Mirror Shield</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirror Shield"></div></div></span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">Let me start this off by saying this: I don’t think this card is necessarily “good” by most criteria. It’s narrow, and four mana is a lot to get hexproof on a creature when <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion’s Helm" href="#" target="_blank">Champion’s Helm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are in the format to protect your important and legendary creatures. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">I do, however, think the flavor is awesome on this card and can be hilarious in certain situations, like if a friend of yours has a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glissa, the Traitor" href="#" target="_blank">Glissa, the Traitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deathtouch tribal deck. There aren’t many of those types out there, but if you see any out in the wild, this could be entertaining, at the very least. If you really wanted to dig deep, you could get all Rube Goldberg with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vial of Poison" href="#" target="_blank">Vial of Poison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and give opponents' creatures deathtouch for maximum blowouts, but it would take the Johnniest/Jenniest of Johnny/Jenny players to go that deep.</span></p>
<hr>
<h3>Soul-Guide Lantern</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soul-Guide Lantern"></div></div></span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">In what is actually getting to be a kind of crowded field for cheap graveyard hate artifacts, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul-Guide Lantern" href="#" target="_blank">Soul-Guide Lantern</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a pretty decent job at keeping up with the top dogs. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relic of Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Relic of Progenitus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is probably still at the very top, since it does everything at once despite the tradeoff of hitting your own graveyard. It’ll be interesting to see how many players will value Relic's cantrip effect over the Lantern's preservation of one's own yard. It could actually be a pretty decent amount. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">This is far and away better than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sentinel Totem" href="#" target="_blank">Sentinel Totem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and some of the other second-tier grave-hate cards. The most interesting aspect of this card is that the first ability triggers upon entering the battlefield, allowing us to test how valuable a specific card is for the opponent and whether they want to save it. If they do make a move, you still can react with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul-Guide Lantern" href="#" target="_blank">Soul-Guide Lantern</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and nuke the whole graveyard, if you choose, or play the long game and wait until later. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul-Guide Lantern" href="#" target="_blank">Soul-Guide Lantern</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the “boring, have to eat my vegetables” cards you should be playing more of, so expect to see it at tables of all power levels soon.</span></p>
<hr>
<h2>Commons</h2>
<hr>
<h3>Altar of the Pantheon</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Altar of the Pantheon"></div></div></span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">Coming out of the gates on a strange note, a free <em>Devotion</em> is a nifty gift from a colorless artifact. There are a healthy 4,991 decks playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manalith" href="#" target="_blank">Manalith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> currently, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altar of the Pantheon" href="#" target="_blank">Altar of the Pantheon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is indeed a “strictly better” version of the often outclassed and overplayed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manalith" href="#" target="_blank">Manalith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Ingot" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Ingot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has gotten some preconstructed deck boosts in the numbers, but also shows up in 33,525 decks total and 13% of all decks out there, which might be a better comparison. </span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">Having that many decks requires some of the aforementioned “precon effect,” but I think a cheap mana rock with upside for your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gray Merchant of Asphodel" href="#" target="_blank">Gray Merchant of Asphodel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as an incidental bonus won't be the worst thing you see at any given table. I know I won’t be running it, myself, though, especially if I'm playing one of the Gods as the commander, because I usually prefer for them to remain just an enchantment so they can't be hit by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Path to Exile" href="#" target="_blank">Path to Exile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s. Still, I’m sure it will show up as a placeholder card as a funny supplement for decks that play 3-5 <em>Devotion</em> payoff cards.</span></p>
<hr>
<h3>Wings of Hubris</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wings of Hubris"></div></div></span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">Another card that I can’t envision myself running in many or even any of my decks, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valduk, Keeper of the Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Valduk, Keeper of the Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> included. The flavor is amazing, though, and is another example of how the design team finds ways to shout out to the lore that inspired the different worlds we visit. If you play decks that only ever need one alpha strike with a big creature, this is fine, I guess. But really, you’re playing this because you’re running an Icarus deck and trying to touch the sun. I enjoy and appreciate this card, but I wouldn’t expect too many tuned decks to be including it. It will be included for fun and flavor, not to increase the win percentage.</span></p>
<hr>
<h3>Labyrinth of Skophos</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Labyrinth of Skophos"></div></div></span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">We saved the land for last! Because it's confusing!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">The immediate comparison here is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maze of Ith" href="#" target="_blank">Maze of Ith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There are a few key differences, though, the biggest being that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maze of Ith" href="#" target="_blank">Maze of Ith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does not tap for mana where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Labyrinth of Skophos" href="#" target="_blank">Labyrinth of Skophos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does. Is that worth paying effectively five mana to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> an attacking creature versus the one tap required for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maze of Ith" href="#" target="_blank">Maze of Ith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? It’s hard to tell. Many people advocate for playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maze of Ith" href="#" target="_blank">Maze of Ith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a spell slot and not counting it as a land, and it's </span><span style="font-weight:400;">currently showing up in over 12,000 decks. </span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Maze of Ith"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thaumatic Compass"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mystifying Maze"></div></div><br />
<span style="font-weight:400;">For me, the mana ability on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Labyrinth of Skophos" href="#" target="_blank">Labyrinth of Skophos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is probably worth the slot and might be situationally better than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thaumatic Compass" href="#" target="_blank">Thaumatic Compass</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is, in that is has to flip over, which isn't always a sure thing. Compass has found its way into over 9,000 decks, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Labyrinth of Skophos" href="#" target="_blank">Labyrinth of Skophos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is probably somewhere in between it and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maze of Ith" href="#" target="_blank">Maze of Ith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Of course, this could also end up in the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystifying Maze" href="#" target="_blank">Mystifying Maze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> category, which is getting played in under half the number of decks as Compass. I don’t think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Labyrinth of Skophos" href="#" target="_blank">Labyrinth of Skophos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is that bad since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystifying Maze" href="#" target="_blank">Mystifying Maze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can backfire if you target a creature with an ETB ability that would be detrimental to you, but that seems like the absolute floor here. Better than one Maze, worse than another.</span></p>
<hr>
<h2>I Think We'll Skip Cleaning the Stables</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">That will wrap us up here for this portion of the set review <i>of </i></span><span style="font-weight:400;"><i>Theros Beyond Death</i></span><span style="font-weight:400;">! There wasn’t much in terms of artifacts or lands this time around, which is actually fine because the rest of the set happens to be absolutely <em>loaded</em> with goodies. I don’t mind one bit if we have a certain area that lacks when the overall set is as abundant with treasures as this one is.</span></p>
<p>What cards are you excited for from <em>Theros Beyond Death? </em>Let me know in the comments below, and watch out for Shadowspears!</p>


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REVIEW: Untold Stories: Elspeth #1 (Dark Horse Comics)

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Theros Beyond Death Set Review - Artifacts and Lands

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