Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast and Marvel

The release of Marvel's Spider-Man is fast approaching! In this set review, I'm going to go over the most exciting instant and sorcery spells in the set.

Spectacular TacticsSpectacular Tactics

I love modal spells. Commander's a format where every card that doesn't feed into a deck's main strategy comes at an enormous opportunity cost. So modal spells are perfect for achieving a proper density of interactive effects, like protection and removal, while compressing the number of deck slots required to do it.

Spectacular TacticsSpectacular Tactics is both a protection spell that plays well with +1/+1 counter strategies and a removal spell.

This instant is an easy inclusion in any white deck that's interested in protecting its creatures or removing opposing creatures. That's a pretty long list. Giada, Font of HopeGiada, Font of Hope, Myrel, Shield of ArgiveMyrel, Shield of Argive, and Heliod, Sun-CrownedHeliod, Sun-Crowned are the commanders at the forefront of my mind for this one, but I feel the need to stress that Spectacular Tactics is good everywhere.

Spider-SenseSpider-Sense

I don't believe in saving the best for last.

At first glance, Spider-Sense is a run-of-the mill two-mana counterspell. However, there are two things that really set this one apart.

First, Spider-Sense has a web-slinging cost of . That means rather than paying two mana, you can return a tapped creature to your hand and pay instead of . This ability can be taken advantage of in a myriad of ways, be it returning a creature with a powerful enters trigger to hand to play again next turn, to bouncing a tapped creature with flash and replaying it as a blocker.

Second, this counterspell hits instants, sorceries, and triggered abilities. That includes cast triggers from Eldrazi, like Ulamog, the Ceaseless HungerUlamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, and enters triggers on scary cards, like Tivit, Seller of SecretsTivit, Seller of Secrets.

The first commanders that come to mind for Spider-Sense are Inspirit, Flagship VesselInspirit, Flagship Vessel and Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind, as that deck will typically have a high number of tapped creatures to bounce from activating station abilities. Then there are tempo decks like Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow that are looking to play a high density of interaction and will tap creatures simply by attacking every turn.

Hide on the CeilingHide on the Ceiling

Recent set releases have left me feeling underwhelmed by the new tools my beloved flicker and blink decks have received. Marvel's Spider-Man seems to have heard my cries and responded with one of the most exciting cards decks like Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal and Yorion, Sky NomadYorion, Sky Nomad have received in a while.

Hide on the CeilingHide on the Ceiling is an instant that exiles target creatures and artifacts and returns them to play at the next end step. Notably, this card isn't restricted to targeting permanents the player casting it owns. This opens up the option for it to be played as a removal spell in addition to its typical uses as a flicker spell, particularly when used alongside cards like Containment PriestContainment Priest.

Alongside the typical flicker and blink commanders, like Brago, Yorion, or Lagrella, the MagpieLagrella, the Magpie, Hide on the CeilingHide on the Ceiling is at its best in a Hinata, Dawn-CrownedHinata, Dawn-Crowned deck. Thanks to Hinata's ability, Hide can target any number of permanents and still only cost one mana!

School DazeSchool Daze

The bar for counterspells, even in more casual decks, is really high these days. School Daze manages to compete with the likes of Mystic ConfluenceMystic Confluence by copying two of its best uses: the ability to draw three cards or to counter a spell and draw a card.

For most decks, holding up five mana comes at a huge opportunity cost. However, any deck that plays primarily at instant speed would love to have this card at the top of its mana curve.

What decks are happy to hold up five mana? Rashmi, Eternities CrafterRashmi, Eternities Crafter and Kianne, Corrupted MemoryKianne, Corrupted Memory are the two commanders best suited to take advantage of School DazeSchool Daze, as both are decks that would love a second copy of Mystic ConfluenceMystic Confluence.

Every storm and spellslinger deck, like Niv-Mizzet, ParunNiv-Mizzet, Parun and Stella Lee, Wild CardStella Lee, Wild Card are equally happy to see a counterspell stapled to card draw.

Villainous WrathVillainous Wrath

Commander players these days are spoiled for choices when it comes to board wipes. Marvel's Spider-Man brings a handful of additional options to consider when building a deck.

Villainous Wrath is a five-mana board wipe that deals damage to one opponent equal to the number of creatures they control before clearing the board. This isn't the craziest upside, but it does have me salivating at the thought of ruining my local Adeline, Resplendent CatharAdeline, Resplendent Cathar player's day.

There is no one commander that wants to play this card, as whether or not a given deck wants this card is very local meta dependent. For example, I wouldn't include this in my deck if I was mostly expecting to play against control or spellslinger decks.

Sandman's QuicksandSandman's Quicksand

Speaking of new board wipes, Sandman's QuicksandSandman's Quicksand is a very unique one. It's normally a generic three-mana sweeper that gives each creature -2/-2. However, if it's cast for its mayhem cost, the effect is one-sided.

The best commanders to take full advantage of Sandman's Quicksand are commanders that can easily discard cards, like Kefka, Court MageKefka, Court Mage, Anje FalkenrathAnje Falkenrath, and the newly released Ultimate Green GoblinUltimate Green Goblin and Green Goblin, RevenantGreen Goblin, Revenant.

Behold the Sinister Six!Behold the Sinister Six!

It's well known that ReanimateReanimate is a fantastic Magic card. But what if ReanimateReanimate could target six creatures instead of just one and didn't have a downside? Well, for the low, low price of seven mana, Behold the Sinister Six!Behold the Sinister Six! does just that!

This card makes for a fantastic finisher in any deck that can reliably build a graveyard full of powerful creatures, like Hullbreaker HorrorHullbreaker Horror. One of my personal goals with this card is to use it to put the actual Sinister Six into play.

My pick for the commander best positioned to take advantage of this card is Captain N'ghathrodCaptain N'ghathrod. He ticks the two most important boxes: being a deck that plays a lot of big, powerful creatures, and having a reliable way to mill a lot of cards.

Strength of WillStrength of Will

A creature targeted by Strength of WillStrength of Will becomes indestructible and has "Whenever this creature is dealt damage, put than many +1/+1 counters on it" until end of turn. There's nothing I love more than a flexible card that can be used both proactively and reactively. Strength of WillStrength of Will is just that, simultaneously providing a protection spell, like Tamiyo's SafekeepingTamiyo's Safekeeping or Heroic InterventionHeroic Intervention, and a combat trick than will leave opponents wishing they never dared to declare blockers.

This instant also has synergy with fight spells, like Rhino's RampageRhino's Rampage, and damage based board wipes, like Blasphemous ActBlasphemous Act.

There are plenty of decks Strength of WillStrength of Will slots into nicely, but none of them compare to its applications in Minsc & Boo, Timeless HeroesMinsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes. However, any deck that has a +1/+1 counters theme will provide an excellent home for Strength of WillStrength of Will. Dyadrine, Synthesis AmalgamDyadrine, Synthesis Amalgam and Animar, Soul of ElementsAnimar, Soul of Elements are high up on that list.

Rhino's RampageRhino's Rampage

If my many years of 60-card experience taught me one thing, it's that trading one card for two of an opponent's is the best thing you can do. Rhino's Rampage is a fight spell that also blows up an artifact when the spell's controller's creature deals excess damage. For just one mana, that's a steal, and for that I'm excited to include this card in every green-red creature deck that I build going forward.

This is the standout spell of the set for me. The only downside I can see is that it's a sorcery rather than an instant.

As for decks that can take advantage of Rhino's Rampage, literally any Gruul deck with creatures in it will do. However, I do have a few favorites. Rhino, Barreling BruteRhino, Barreling Brute is, fittingly, a fantastic home for Rhino's Rampage. Minsc & Boo, Timeless HeroesMinsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes, Halana and Alena, PartnersHalana and Alena, Partners, and Wolverine, Best There IsWolverine, Best There Is are the other most natural fits.

Conclusion

The spells in Marvel's Spider-Man haven't been anything too special. Save for a couple standouts, nearly all of the spells revealed so far are bread and butter functional cards. I don't think that's a bad thing at all! I love when a set adds a lot of versatile pieces of interaction that I can slot into decks.

There are few things I love more than getting under the hoods of my decks and using cards like these to make fine adjustments.

More Spider-Man: