Singleton Shmingleton - Act On Impulse

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://jakemurraystudio.com/">Jake Murray</a>)</h6>
<h1>Let's Call it a Draw</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Preview Review</em>, the series where we go over cards you might have missed in the eternal preview season! These cards have been performing at my table, so maybe with a bit of luck, they can perform at yours. Let's dive in!</p>
<p>For some time now, <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has been on a mission to ensure that good card draw can be found in each color. White is typically on everyone's minds when we think of colors that need card draw support. Recently, white has been getting plenty of exciting card draw options, and I feel like it's taking attention away from some great options in other colors. Namely, red.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Secret Rendezvous"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cut a Deal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smuggler&#039;s Share"></div></div>
<p>In this article, we'll cover some of red's new hits. It should go without saying that card draw and card advantage are some of the most important parts of the deckbuilding process. It doesn't matter how impactful your game-winning combo or haymaker is if you don’t draw it, after all. Today we’re going to look at two types of card draw: impulse and discard, and how to choose the right one for your deck.</p>
<h2>Act on Impulse</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve"></div></div>
<p>Let’s begin by looking at impulse draw. Impulse draw refers to cards similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Impulse" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Impulse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Typically, this involves exiling cards from the top of your library and giving you a limited time to play them. It’s this limited timeframe that gives impulse draw its name. Red mages, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Torch of Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Torch of Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, embody impulse draw. In fact, multiple Chandra planeswalker cards actually feature impulse draw as one of their loyalty abilities. All of these abilities represent red's ferocity in pulling spells from the raw elements themselves and making the best of them whilst it's able to.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reckless Impulse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra, Torch of Defiance"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve" href="#" target="_blank">Wrenn&#039;s Resolve</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the newest in this suite of impulse draw spells. It offers your choice of two cards for one generic and one red mana until your next end step. This means from the turn you cast it, you have until the end of your following turn to make use of the cards it exiles. After that, they’re gone forever. Unless you’re running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, the Great Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, the Great Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, of course. Two mana for your choice of two cards for nearly two entire turns is a pretty good rate. However, some deckbuilders shy away from impulse draw, especially those who are newer to Commander. At some of these tables, criticism of impulse draw goes a little something like this:</p>
<blockquote><p>What if I exile something I really need?</p>
<p>I run a combo. I don’t want to exile half of my combo.</p></blockquote>
<p>Well, here’s the thing:</p>
<h2>Live in the Moment</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gravecrawler"></div></div>
<p>Your entire deck is full of the cards you need. In fact, if your deck contains cards you don’t need, then why are they even in your deck at all? Now, of course there’s the valid point of having some redundancy. If a theme or strategy is integral to your deck’s ability to function, wouldn’t it be a good idea to include those cards in multiples? This way, if you do accidentally exile something you need, you’re more likely to have similar cards in your deck that have an identical function. After all, if you only run one of these cards and your opponent resolves a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> against it, you’ve lost it anyway. Redundancies are key to good deckbuilding.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker"></div></div>
<p>Of course, combos are how a good deal of Commander decks are able to close out the game. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravecrawler" href="#" target="_blank">Gravecrawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can go infinite with more cards than you can shake a stick at. But what if you accidentally exile one half of your combo away with impulse draw?</p>
<p>While it’s clever and sometimes sensible to include a combo in your deck, if those cards do nothing without each other, they become dead cards in your hand. Thus, it’s good practice to include either:</p>
<ul>
<li>Multiple combo pieces that you’re able to go infinite with. In the case of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, why not include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corridor Monitor" href="#" target="_blank">Corridor Monitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as well as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? You’re twice as likely to find that game-winning card, and you’re also twice as likely not to accidentally exile the other half of your combo.</li>
<li>Cards that fulfill a role outside of your combo. If we flip the scenario and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets exiled, what use are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corridor Monitor" href="#" target="_blank">Corridor Monitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your deck? Are they still worth running if their complementary card is exiled? Can you use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corridor Monitor" href="#" target="_blank">Corridor Monitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s untap ability in another way? Maybe, if your deck runs a lot of blink or enter-the-battlefield abilities. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s ability to gain control of any permanent on the battlefield can become pseudo-removal when paired with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a sacrifice deck. My key point is that each card can't be dead in your hand if you ensure that those cards have a purpose whenever you draw them.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reckless Impulse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chandra, Fire Artisan"></div></div>
<p>Impulse draw can be found on namesake cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Impulse" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Impulse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, newer ones, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrenn&#039;s Resolve" href="#" target="_blank">Wrenn&#039;s Resolve</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and as the hallmark abilities of planeswalkers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Fire Artisan" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Fire Artisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But this wouldn’t be a preview review article without me pointing you in the direction of underrated sleeper cards, would it?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk"></div></div>
<p>Be sure to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra&#039;s Research Desk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as your third pseudo-copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Impulse" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Impulse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Aside from being relevant for artifact strategies, it’s impulse draw for two colorless mana. No need to worry about which color pips you have, and if you’re missing one, this card can help you find it. The <em>U</em><i>nearth</i> ability is where this card really shines, though, and for three mana we can activate it late game to add more fuel to the fire!</p>
<p>Don’t forget that <em>Unearth</em> goes really well with commanders who care about cards leaving your graveyard, too (looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quintorius, Field Historian" href="#" target="_blank">Quintorius, Field Historian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<h2>What a Thrill...</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrill of Possibility"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tormenting Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cathartic Reunion"></div></div>
<p>There's also discard draw, known as rummaging. This includes cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrill of Possibility" href="#" target="_blank">Thrill of Possibility</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormenting Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Tormenting Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathartic Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Cathartic Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Discard draw has been solid for a long time, and for years was the only real kind of card draw in red. The benefits of discard draw are less focused on whether you should include it rather than how to make the best of it. It's also important to note that discard draw has been getting some stealthy upgrades in recent sets.</p>
<p>While the classics are still very playable, the overall quality of discard draw has increased over the years. If you’re looking for a replacement for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormenting Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Tormenting Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I encourage you to run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> instead, or simply run both of them. Their enchantment card type is relevant for enchantress strategies, and the enter-the-battlefield ability can be reused when paired with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flicker of Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Flicker of Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Finally, the ability to give haste can help you keep the pressure on your opponents by consistently attacking, or it can allow your combo piece to go off that turn rather than having to protect it for a table-wide turn rotation.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bitter Reunion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flicker of Fate"></div></div>
<h2>But If It Ain't Broke...</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feldon of the Third Path"></div></div>
<p>What can we include to ensure that we’re getting the most out of the card we discard? Simple: let’s make better use of our graveyard.</p>
<p>When we think about colors that can make use of the graveyard, we usually think of black, but red is no slouch, let me assure you! Classic cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feldon of the Third Path" href="#" target="_blank">Feldon of the Third Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can create token copies of the creature cards in your graveyard, allowing you to consistently reuse your best enter-the-battlefield ability and keep the pressure on by attacking with disposable tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Past in Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Past in Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can take care of the instants and sorceries you may have discarded in the early-game, allowing you access to those cards in the late-game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Past in Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Past in Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> itself has <em>Fl</em><i>ashback</i>, making itself a great card to pitch to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra&#039;s Research Desk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the first place.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mishra&#039;s Research Desk"></div></div>
<p>Finally, a card that needs no introduction: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wins games, period. Your early-game discard spells can be the subtle way you fill your graveyard with targets for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, allowing you to win seemingly out of nowhere.</p>
<p>For a much humbler way of utilizing your graveyard in red, opt for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmatic Sinkhole" href="#" target="_blank">Magmatic Sinkhole</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your deck’s removal package. Five points of damage are enough to kill some of the format’s key threats and most of its value engines. A mana value of six is a lot, but that cost could come down considerably if we’ve been strategically discarding in the early stages of the game. A potential one-mana spell turned into an instant-speed five damage out of nowhere can destabilize even the most certain of your opponents' turns.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Past in Flames"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magmatic Sinkhole"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underworld Breach"></div></div>
<p>I hope you’ve enjoyed this theory article. It’s a little bit different from the usual <em>Preview Review</em>, as we’ve discussed a lot more "why" and a lot less "what". That being said, why we’re putting these cards in our decks can be just as important as what these cards are in the first place.</p>
<p>Do you have any pet draw cards you like to include in your decks? Let me know in the comments below. Or you can chat with me on <a href="http://twitter.com/princeofbieltan">Twitter</a>, where we’re always finding new inclusions for our decks. I’ll see you in the next one!</p>


wrenns resolve

Singleton Shmingleton - Act On Impulse

Preview Review - Exile or Discard?