Dualcaster MageDualcaster Mage | Art by Matt Stewart
Welcome back to everyone's (hopefully) favorite episodic article series Wombo Combo, where we examine EDH's best combo cards using data from EDHREC and Commander Spellbook. We've already talked about instants and sorceries, so it seems fitting to get entranced into the mystical world of Wizards.
Wizards are a common creature type in Magic, with over 1,000 options to choose from. Wizards cover a wide range of purposes in Magic, but main themes include magecraft/storm, recursion, and card draw among others.
Whether you're looking to build a Wizard-dedicated deck or looking for unique combo pieces for another style of deck, Wizards provide you a wide swath of cards to slot in your next deck.
Let's see which Wizards have the highest potential to cast a hex upon your opponents.
#10: Rukarumel, Biologist
Deck Inclusions: 3,719 as commander (#477); 4,183 as card (1.19%)
Blending the differences between creature types is surprisingly useful, and Rukarumel, BiologistRukarumel, Biologist creates a great effect with an emphasis on Slivers.
This type-changing effect is useful for cards like The World TreeThe World Tree to grab all creature cards in your library. You can also use it for combos involving specific creature types, such as Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw and Malcolm, Keen-Eyed NavigatorMalcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator.
The ability to turn any creature into the needed type provides a convenient vehicle to satisfy Magda or Malcolm's trigger conditions. Some examples include turning Aphetto AlchemistAphetto Alchemist into a Dwarf or Ingenious ArtilleristIngenious Artillerist into a Pirate.
#9: Biovisionary
Deck Inclusions: 11,535 decks (0.87%)
While BiovisionaryBiovisionary was clearly a card designed for four-of formats like Standard or Modern, EDH has plenty of ways to turn it into a reliable and easy win condition.
With a myriad of clone and copy effects, you can simply use three of them to get four Biovisionaries. There are also a host of copy effects that can make three or more at once, such as Rite of ReplicationRite of Replication and Orthion, Hero of LavabrinkOrthion, Hero of Lavabrink.
Cards like Infinite ReflectionInfinite Reflection or Absorb IdentityAbsorb Identity can also get the job done impressively well.
#8: Ratadrabik of Urborg
Deck Inclusions: 6,028 as commander (#265); 36,681 as card (2.73%)
Ratadrabik of UrborgRatadrabik of Urborg allows you to create a copy of a legendary creature you control when that creature dies, except the token isn't legendary.
What's notable about this effect is Ratadrabik doesn't care whether a nontoken or token creature dies, and while it makes the tokens nonlegendary, this can easily be bypassed.
Cards like Leyline of SingularityLeyline of Singularity get around this easily, but the key mechanic to watch out for is from Lord of the Rings. The Ring makes the creature it's attached to legendary, allowing you to easily make the token Ratadrabik creates your Ring-bearer and thus also be legendary.
This makes cards like Gollum, Patient PlotterGollum, Patient Plotter and Boromir, Warden of the TowerBoromir, Warden of the Tower perfect inclusions for a Ratadrabik combo.
#7: Ruthless Technomancer
Deck Inclusions: 56,090 decks (1.87%)
Ruthless TechnomancerRuthless Technomancer is a recursion piece that allows you to sacrifice a creature for Treasures when it enters, and then return a creature using Treasures in its activated ability. Ruthless Technomancer can be used in combos for its first ability, second ability, or both.
With Slimefoot and SqueeSlimefoot and Squee, the first ability is used to pay for Slimefoot and Squee's activation cost. You can also use it for a Dargo, the ShipwreckerDargo, the Shipwrecker combo, assuming you have a clone and an appropriate color identity.
You can also just sacrifice a giant cactus in Jumbo CactuarJumbo Cactuar for 10,000 Treasures, which should be plenty to win the game with. If you really want to stick with the Wizard theme, check out the combo below using Inalla, Archmage RitualistInalla, Archmage Ritualist.
#6: Dualcaster Mage
Deck Inclusions: 131,895 decks (4.55%)
Dualcaster MageDualcaster Mage (and also Naru Meha, Master WizardNaru Meha, Master Wizard) copies an instant or sorcery as it enters the battlefield. This creates easy combos with copy spells like TwinflameTwinflame or Irenicus's Vile DuplicationIrenicus's Vile Duplication.
It can also work for recursion spells by sacrificing Dualcaster Mage before its ability resolves so it can be targeted with the copy. Spells like Sevinne's ReclamationSevinne's Reclamation and Living DeathLiving Death do this remarkably well.
You can also blink Dualcaster Mage with FlickerFlicker style spells, or recur it with cards like Not Dead After AllNot Dead After All.
#5: Emry, Lurker of the Loch
Deck Inclusions: 4,723 as commander (#372); 114,174 as card (3.92%)
Emry, Lurker of the LochEmry, Lurker of the Loch easily recurs artifact cards by letting you cast one from your graveyard by tapping it. You can make this a bit diabolical by casting MindslaverMindslaver, allowing you to completely control an opponent during each of their turns.
Emry works well with cards like Mirran SpyMirran Spy, which will constantly untap Emry as you cast spells. This makes a three-card combo with Lotus PetalLotus Petal or any other -cost artifact that can sacrifice itself.
You can also use creatures like CathodionCathodion and a sacrifice outlet, or Krark-Clan IronworksKrark-Clan Ironworks and any two-drop artifact. Emry can also be used for Time SieveTime Sieve combos with cards like Myr BattlesphereMyr Battlesphere.
#4: Archaeomancer
Deck Inclusions: 100,957 decks (3.46%)
ArchaeomancerArchaeomancer has a simple effect of returning an instant or sorcery from your graveyard to your hand. In many respects, Archaeomancer can serve a similar function to Dualcaster Mage, instead having you recast the instant or sorcery each time as opposed to copying it on the stack.
For example, Ghostly FlickerGhostly Flicker can blink Archaeomancer and a large mana permanent, where you can return Ghostly Flicker and tap the permanent for mana to repeat the loop. You can also blink Archaeomancer each turn to repeatedly cast extra turn spells with cards like Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal.
If you have enough mana, DoppelgangDoppelgang is another compelling option.
#3: Warren Soultrader
Deck Inclusions: 105,349 decks (5.36%)
Warren SoultraderWarren Soultrader is a sacrifice outlet with a small additional cost of paying one life to create a Treasure token. For combos, this functions similar to Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar so long as the life loss can be counteracted.
Easy ways to counteract the life loss include "soul sister" effects (like Soul WardenSoul Warden) or Blood ArtistBlood Artist style effects. Another less obvious way is to pay mana into Kenrith, the Returned KingKenrith, the Returned King's third ability if you have the mana available from the Treasures.
Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General and Stridehangar AutomatonStridehangar Automaton work great with Warren Soultrader, turning the Treasure into a Treasure and a Squirrel or Thopter, which you can then sacrifice again on the next loop.
The major benefit to using Warren Soultrader instead of Phyrexian Altar is that Treasures can easily be doubled (as we'll see next), and they can be kept for whenever you need them. Of course, you have to counteract the life payment, which will require an additional card for a combo.
#2: Adrix and Nev, Twincasters
Deck Inclusions: 7,077 as commander (#194); 68,579 as card (5.15%)
Adrix and Nev, TwincastersAdrix and Nev, Twincasters is a token doubler that increases the usefulness of your token generators. In some instances, doubling the tokens a card creates can lead to an easy infinite combo, such as doubling Eyeless WatcherEyeless Watcher's tokens to then sacrifice for mana and dump into Eldrazi DisplacerEldrazi Displacer.
With Transmutation FontTransmutation Font or Myr TurbineMyr Turbine, you can create two tokens, which is perfect to untap it via Clock of OmensClock of Omens. Sliver QueenSliver Queen will also make two Slivers, creating an infinite combo with Phyrexian Altar, or Manaweft SliverManaweft Sliver and a haste enabler.
Adrix and Nev can also work great with other Wizards on this list, like Biovisionary to make its win condition easier, or Ratadrabik for near-infinite token creation.
#1: Viscera Seer
Deck Inclusions: 264,771 decks (8.81%)
Who doesn't need more sacrifice outlets for your combos? When looking at Wizards, Viscera SeerViscera Seer is your most popular option, being both cheap and useful.
Scrying can be a great way to cycle through your deck to find specific cards, and the added benefit of being a free sacrifice outlet makes Viscera Seer an incredibly strong one-drop.
The majority of combos involving creatures require a sacrifice outlet like Viscera Seer, or other alternatives like Ashnod's AltarAshnod's Altar. This includes many of the cards on this list, like Archaeomancer for recursion combos, or for triggering Ratadrabik.
There are frankly far too many ways sacrifice outlets are useful to list in this article, so make sure to take a look through Viscera Seer's Commander Spellbook search to see what all the fuss is about.
Honorable Mentions
If you're looking to cast a different type of spell, perhaps these wizards can conjure that up for you.
1. Timestream NavigatorTimestream Navigator: A card allowing you to get infinite turns, which works perfectly with Grenzo, Dungeon WardenGrenzo, Dungeon Warden or River SongRiver Song.
2. Sage of HoursSage of Hours: Another card for infinite turns, and a perfect include for Ezuri, Claw of ProgressEzuri, Claw of Progress.
3. Bone MiserBone Miser: Allows you to capitalize on discarding cards, perfect for outlets like Tortured ExistenceTortured Existence.
4. Derevi, Empyrial TacticianDerevi, Empyrial Tactician: An excellent commander choice that ignores commander tax and can untap large mana permanents as it enters.
5. Preston, the VanisherPreston, the Vanisher: A unique card allowing you to execute some blinking shenanigans.
Thank you very much for reading this edition of Wombo Combo, and don't forget to check out Commander Spellbook for more EDH combos and visit the Commander Spellbook Discord to vote on the next edition of Wombo Combo and to submit your own EDH combos.
Until next time, happy comboing!
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