Jeskai RevelationJeskai Revelation | Art by Igor Grechanyi

Hey, everyone! I'm back and looking at tricolor cards for the final time. Following my ten articles on the most played cards in each three-color group, I wrote about the three top non-legendary cards in Bant, Esper, Grixis, Jund, and Naya. Today, I'm looking at wedges — the clans from Khans of Tarkir and its follow-up sets.

Aside from giving you a list full of non-legends, I’ve also excluded cards that have already appeared in their respective top 10 list. This way, you’ll be reading about some lesser known cards and hidden tricolor gems.

Let's dive right in!

Abzan

3. PerennationPerennation - 5,612 decks

This is the Rise from the Grave for when you really, really want your reanimation target to stick around! It shows up in a variety of decks. In Betor, Kin to AllBetor, Kin to All or Felothar the SteadfastFelothar the Steadfast-led toughness-matters decks, bringing something huge like The Walls of Ba Sing SeThe Walls of Ba Sing Se from the Avatar set back promises a ton of value.

In The Ur-DragonThe Ur-Dragon or Omnath, Locus of AllOmnath, Locus of All, you're sure to get back a haymaker of a creature, maybe something disruptive like Dragonlord DromokaDragonlord Dromoka or devastating like Atarka, World RenderAtarka, World Render.

2. Abzan AscendancyAbzan Ascendancy - 10,666 decks

Counters is a pretty prevalent theme in decks that play both green and white, and the Abzan are no strangers to mechanics that pile on the counters. Abzan AscendancyAbzan Ascendancy takes this to the next level by pumping your whole team while also leaning into another of the wedge's abilities: death triggers!

A ton of decks want this enchantment, including Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice proliferate decks, Ghave, Guru of SporesGhave, Guru of Spores, who can turn counters into a wider army, Felothar, Dawn of the AbzanFelothar, Dawn of the Abzan, who is pretty straightforward in terms of needing a lot of buff effects.

1. DuneblastDuneblast - 16,338 decks

Like PerennationPerennation, DuneblastDuneblast is an Abzan clan-flavored card that leans heavily into idea of having the last creature standing. This expensive but potent sweeper also shows up in a wide range of decks, including rainbow Omnath, Codie, Vociferous CodexCodie, Vociferous Codex big mana spell decks, and Kathril, Aspect WarperKathril, Aspect Warper, where playing this commander after a sweeper also gets you a bunch of keywords.

Jeskai

3. New Way ForwardNew Way Forward - 5,404 decks

What if Deflecting PalmDeflecting Palm also drew cards? That sounds terrifying to me, but New Way ForwardNew Way Forward is nonetheless held back by forcing you to keep five mana up until the crucial combat phase. Still, this is EDH, where mana is plentiful and splashy cards are most welcome, so this sees a reasonable amount of play in Jeskai spell decks like Shiko and Narset, UnifiedShiko and Narset, Unified and Narset, Enlightened ExileNarset, Enlightened Exile.

2. Inspired UltimatumInspired Ultimatum - 17,432 decks

When we're looking at most-played tricolor cards, we're never too far away from an ultimatum showing up, and here is our first one of this list!

While I personally like Jeskai Revelation a little bit more, Inspired Ultimatum still represents a six-for-one exchange on its face. Aside from featuring in Martin Conmy's awesome Ultimatums.dek, the sorcery shows up in decks that like to cheat on mana to cast big spells, like Jodah, Archmage EternalJodah, Archmage Eternal and Omnath, Locus of All.

It's also an Overrun in a deck led by The ArchimandriteThe Archimandrite and looks pretty tempting to copy in Shiko and Narset, Unified.

1. Jeskai CharmJeskai Charm - 12,862 decks

Even a mighty six-for-one is no match for the most versatile of cards in EDH, the humble charm! Jeskai CharmJeskai Charm presents you with a familiar formula: one removal option and a wildcard effect, but instead of another bit of disruption like you might see in Bant CharmBant Charm or Obscura CharmObscura Charm, we get to deal four to the dome.

It's not the most attractive mode in Commander, but it was still good enough to make Noah Chen's list of top 10 charms in EDH.

The wildcard third mode, similar to Cabaretti CharmCabaretti Charm's pump effect, is a really good fit in Jeskai, which tends to traffic in tokens almost as often as it slings spells, thanks to staples like Monastery MentorMonastery Mentor and Young PyromancerYoung Pyromancer, among other armies-in-a-can.

Sultai

3. Awaken the Honored DeadAwaken the Honored Dead - 15,823 decks

This may not be the most exciting or novel combination of chapter abilities on a Saga, but this is so much value for just three mana. Binding the Old GodsBinding the Old Gods is one of the most played Golgari cards in EDH, and this does the same thing for one fewer mana as long as you're already playing the extra color!

Like many Sagas, Awaken the Honored DeadAwaken the Honored Dead takes something of a turn off during Chapter II, but milling yourself in Sultai can still be tantamount to drawing cards.

Finally, a built-in Raise DeadRaise Dead is exactly what these decks want, and you even get the option to pick up a Boseiju, Who EnduresBoseiju, Who Endures or some other utility land for a bigger advantage.

Predictably, Tom BombadilTom Bombadil and Terra, Magical AdeptTerra, Magical Adept want this cheap Saga in their theme decks, but so does Muldrotha, the GravetideMuldrotha, the Gravetide in builds that seek to squeeze the most value out of playing different permanent types to recur with the commander.

2. Emergent UltimatumEmergent Ultimatum - 18,226 decks

Rather than offering sheer card advantage like Jeskai's ultimatum, Sultai's effort also has combo applications in the format, like giving opponents a near-impossible choice in Jodah by fetching Approach of the Second SunApproach of the Second Sun, Dig Through TimeDig Through Time, and OmniscienceOmniscience and setting up a delayed win.

I am not the best source of combo goodness in EDH, or any format, really, but I did enjoy browsing the internet for the most diabolical piles people could come up with in Commander.

The Ultimatum deck I linked to above suggests pairing Omniscience with ExpropriateExpropriate and Jin-Gitaxias, Core AugurJin-Gitaxias, Core Augur, but, like Martin Conmy, I enjoy having friends to play with. Do with it what you will, though!

1. Kheru GoldkeeperKheru Goldkeeper - 20,249 decks

It's pretty easy to ensure that Goldkeeper produces a lot of Treasures in Sultai decks, whether it's just casting stuff off Muldrotha or copying permanents with Sin, Spira's PunishmentSin, Spira's Punishment. Teval, the Balanced ScaleTeval, the Balanced Scale, meanwhile, helps with Treasure generation while also contributing Zombies to the cause.

Why stop there? Run Teval's JudgmentTeval's Judgment to get even more resources out of pulling cards out of the graveyard, and build an unstoppable engine out of Life from the LoamLife from the Loam and other dredge cards.

Mardu

3. All-Out AssaultAll-Out Assault - 23,915 decks

Dear reader, I write a lot of list articles, and I simply have not played with or against every single card that feature on them, especially the newer ones.

I knew All-Out AssaultAll-Out Assault was powerful, but I had not had the displeasure of experiencing just how powerful it can be until I faced it in a Tarkir: Dragonstorm Draft match on Magic: The Gathering Arena. This thing grants deathtouch on top of a stat buff?

Tokens decks of the Mardu persuasion, which can lean much more aggressive than Abzan or Jeskai counterparts, love this card for how it both threatens a ton of damage as well as to wipe an opponent's board for having the audacity to block.

Assault shows up in Zurgo StormrenderZurgo Stormrender, who makes things even more difficult for defending players with his card draw ability, Isshin, Two Heavens as OneIsshin, Two Heavens as One, who is all about attacking all the time, and Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast, who isn't too bothered about deathtouch or the buff but who can take pretty unique advantage of the extra combat step.

2. Mardu SiegebreakerMardu Siegebreaker - 23,990 decks

I love cards that scale well with the number of players at a table! Against a single opponent, Siegebreaker lets you recur valuable enters-the-battlefield abilities by exiling a utility creature like Goldnight CommanderGoldnight Commander or Combustible GearhulkCombustible Gearhulk.

With more opponents, it essentially gives your creature myriad, which works very well with Redoubled StormsingerRedoubled Stormsinger and Zurgo, Thunder's DecreeZurgo, Thunder's Decree to help you assemble a giant army of relevant creatures.

1. Fervent ChargeFervent Charge - 24,208 decks

What do I love even more than charms on these lists? Without a doubt, the coolest thing to see are old-border cards beating out all these busted recent printings to high places on my lists.

Of course, few cards will ever come close to absolute classics like Sol RingSol Ring, Force of WillForce of Will, and Demonic TutorDemonic Tutor, but it's so satisfying to know that Fervent ChargeFervent Charge can hang with mechanically cohesive and powerful Mardu-flavored cards from the Tarkir sets.

Fervant Charge is, to be fair, a Mardu card through and through, even synergizing beautifully with tricolor flagships Isshin and Caesar, Legion's EmperorCaesar, Legion's Emperor and with token makers like Myrel, Shield of ArgiveMyrel, Shield of Argive or Ainok Strike LeaderAinok Strike Leader, among others.

Temur

3. The First Tyrannic WarThe First Tyrannic War - 9,494 decks

Chapter I is a wonderfully novel twist on Elvish PiperElvish Piper's ability that encourages you to play a bunch of Hydras and other creature spells with X in their cost. The Saga as a whole also offers a pretty convoluted combo line with Terra and AngerAnger, as you can see here:

Commander Spellbook say the combo exists in only 14 decks on EDHREC, but it's something cool to keep in mind. Overall, this is at home in a Temur counters deck, which can definitely include Hydras, Tyranids, and other creatures that scale well with how much mana you have.

Magus Lucea KaneMagus Lucea Kane is a popular X spell commander, rewarding you heavily for running a critical mass of them in your deck.

2. Dragonback AssaultDragonback Assault - 9,494 decks

You'd be forgiven for thinking this list is a supplement to my piece on most played cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

That set just doled out a bunch of tricolor goodies that ooze with clan flavor, like Perennation, New Way Forward, and Awaken the Honored Dead. Likewise, Assault shows off what Temur does best: dominate the board with flying monsters.

And, while its name and the token it generates suggests an affinity for the Dragon creature type, Assault just as good, if not better, in a landfall deck like Omnath, Locus of CreationOmnath, Locus of Creation or Flubs, the FoolFlubs, the Fool.

1. Temur CharmTemur Charm - 17,713 decks

Now this is a charm! The Temur modal spell gives you a removal effect, a bit of disruption in the form of Mana LeakMana Leak, and a wildcard ability that could win you the game if timed right.

This is never dead in your hand and lets you devote fewer slots to utility spells and more to the creatures you might find in my article on the top 10 most played Temur cards.

Do Not Fear the Lightning, Fear the One it ObeysDo Not Fear the Lightning, Fear the One it Obeys

That's pretty much everything you need to know about the most played tricolor EDH cards, from splashy legends to versatile utility cards! Having already written up the most played monocolor and two-color cards, I think I'll spend some time focusing on specific mechanics and older sets.

But first, join me next week while I recap the cards from Marvel's Spider-Man that have swung their way into the most Commander deck!

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