(BoommobileBoommobile | Art by Alexandr Leskinen)

Start Your Engines!

Welcome back to Wombo Combo, the article series where we look at EDH's best combo cards using data from EDHREC and Commander Spellbook. With the upcoming release of Aetherdrift, it only seems fitting to look at a card type at the center of Magic's newest expansion - Vehicles.

Vehicles were first introduced in Kaladesh and have quickly become a common occurance in new Magic sets, including Aetherdrift which is fully centered around them. Vehicles are artifacts that turn into artifact creatures when they are crewed by one or more creatures. Many artifacts have abilities that trigger when they attack and/or deal combat damage. Let's take a look at some of Magic's best Vehicle combo cards, including some new cards making their debut in Aetherdrift!

#10: Conqueror's Galleon

Number of Combos: 9

Deck Inclusions: 11,553 decks (0.225%)

Conqueror's GalleonConqueror's Galleon is a Vehicle on the front whose sole purpose is to attack and transform into its back side, which is were the combo potential lies. The back side, Conqueror's Foothold, has an ability that allows you to pay mana to return a card from your graveyard to your hand. There's two possible combo scenarios using this ability.

The first is for an easy way to recur extra turn spells, like Temporal ManipulationTemporal Manipulation to get infinite extra turns. The second is to untap all your lands, including Conqueror's Foothold, using TurnaboutTurnabout or a similar card to get infinite mana to use for your desired payoff.

#9: Clown Car

Number of Combos: 11

Deck Inclusions: 25,202 decks (0.491%)

Clown CarClown Car is a more jovial approach to a Vehicle that can create Clown Robots when it enters the battlefield, subsequently fulfilling two phobias in one convenient package. Clown Car has another unique property - it is currently the only 0-cost Vehicle in Magic! This makes it an extremely popular choice as a way to tap creatures, including in cEDH.

Players of Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw can take advantage of Clown Car's cheap cost to tap thier creatures for easy Treasures. Clown Car can also be returned by Salvaging StationSalvaging Station, enabling a few combo lines thanks to its mana value of zero.

#8: Ratchet, Field Medic

Number of Combos: 12

Deck Inclusions: 555 as commander (#1,430); 6,739 as card (0.287%)

It seems fitting in article filled of combat vehicles that we include some of the most famous fictional combat vehicles - Transformers. Our first is Ratchet, Field MedicRatchet, Field Medic, which converts when you gain life and when a nontoken artifact is put into your graveyard. The key here is Ratchet is able to return an artifact, and because its backside is legendary, you are able to kill it using the legend rule and then return it again.

That's where Sculpting SteelSculpting Steel comes into play, allowing you to copy Ratchet for this purpose. The lifegain is easily obtainable with a soul sister effect, such as Soul's AttendantSoul's Attendant.

#7: Mysterious Limousine

Number of Combos: 14

Deck Inclusions: 4,645 decks (0.198%)

Mysterious LimousineMysterious Limousine is a unique card that allows creatures to leave the battlefield and come back when another creature leaves. One creature sits in the limo, and another has to get out.

These type of blinking cards love to see other blinking cards, such as Abdel Adrian, Gorion's WardAbdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward and Oblivion RingOblivion Ring, to create an infinite blinking loop. Since Mysterious Limousine also triggers when it attacks, you can use it for cards like Aurelia, the WarleaderAurelia, the Warleader to blink it and return it, thus making it a fresh object and able to trigger again.

You just need two Aurelia style cards, such as Godo, Bandit WarlordGodo, Bandit Warlord, and possibly a haste enabler for a limo-filled infinite combat combo. Who doesn't love to cruise to a bruisin' in style?

#6: Jetfire, Ingenious Scientist

Number of Combos: 17

Deck Inclusions: 201 as commander (#1,974); 5,579 as card (0.222%)

Jetfire, Ingenious ScientistJetfire, Ingenious Scientist is another Transformer that converts by adding +1/+1 counters, as well as removing those +1/+1 counters to add . Notably, the front side adds colorless mana while the back side requires to convert. Fret not, as cards like Chromatic OrreryChromatic Orrery allow you to blur the lines of mana types and pay the conversion cost using the colorless mana instead.

This creates an infinite two-card loop, but not with any notable results. An easy payoff is Branching EvolutionBranching Evolution to get infinite counters on Jetfire, and thus infinite mana as well. Jetfire can also be used for Animation ModuleAnimation Module combos thanks to it placing +1/+1 counters on itself.

#5: Esika's Chariot

Number of Combos: 28

Deck Inclusions: 27,838 decks (1.156%)

Esika's ChariotEsika's Chariot is a strong Vehicle that creates two 2/2 Cat creature tokens when it enters (I mean, who doesn't love cats?) and a copy of a token you control when it attacks. Both abilities can be useful for combos in their own ways. The Cats that Esika's Chariot creates can cover the mana cost for Cogwork AssemblerCogwork Assembler if you include a token doubler and Ashnod's AltarAshnod's Altar.

You can also copy the Smaug token made by There and Back AgainThere and Back Again to get fourteen Treasure tokens each combat phase. This leads to infinite combos with Time SieveTime Sieve for extra turns, or with Aggravated AssaultAggravated Assault for infinite combat phases.

#4: Shorikai, Genesis Engine

Number of Combos: 31

Deck Inclusions: 17,262 as commander (#20); 29,831 as card (2.651%)

Shorikai, Genesis EngineShorikai, Genesis Engine is the only Vehicle commander that isn't a double-faced card, and is also a Top 20 overall choice for a commander. When you look at Shorikai's ability, it is easy to see why brewers love it so much in the command zone. For and tapping it, you get to draw two cards, discard a card, and create a 1/1 Pilot that acts as a 3/1 Pilot when crewing a Vehicle.

This amount of value is incredibly strong for any card - and the fact that you can activate it right away due to Shorikai not being a creature makes it that much stronger.

Both the card draw and the Pilot can lead to infinite combos, using cards like Mind Over MatterMind Over Matter, Intruder AlarmIntruder Alarm and/or Thornbite StaffThornbite Staff. Tolarian KrakenTolarian Kraken is also a strong choice to easily untap Shorikai and another mana dork - like Vhal, Candlekeep ResearcherVhal, Candlekeep Researcher.

#3: Boommobile

Number of Combos: 36

Deck Inclusions: TBD (New card being released in Aetherdrift)

Here comes the boom...mobile! BoommobileBoommobile comes to us from the upcoming Aetherdrift set and is already proving to be an explosive combo engine. When Boommobile enters, it adds four mana of any color that can only be spent to activate abilities, and has a secondary exhause ability allowing you to pay mana to fling damage.

You can blink Boommobile by making it a creature thanks to token creators like The Prydwen, Steel FlagshipThe Prydwen, Steel Flagship and then blinking it using Emiel the BlessedEmiel the Blessed or a similar card.

If you make Boommobile a creature, you can make infinite tokens with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and an untapper like Sword of the ParunsSword of the Paruns. Other useful cards include Urza, Prince of KroogUrza, Prince of Kroog, Cogwork Assembler, and Orthion, Hero of LavabrinkOrthion, Hero of Lavabrink. Once you have the infinite mana, you can fling infinite damage using the Boommobile(s) you have available to you.

#2: Weatherlight Compleated

Number of Combos: 44

Deck Inclusions: 12,255 decks (0.237%)

Weatherlight CompleatedWeatherlight Compleated is the Phyrexian version of WeatherlightWeatherlight, but has a completely different (and more combo friendly) effect. Weatherlight Compleated puts a phyresis counter on itself when a creature you control dies, and then causes you to draw a card if it has seven or more phyresis counters on it.

This gives it a similar effect to cards like FecundityFecundity or Moldervine ReclamationMoldervine Reclamation. The easiest way to combo with Weatherlight Compleated is to take advantage of the card draw to resupply creatures, using a card like The Locust GodThe Locust God or Chivalric AllianceChivalric Alliance. Weatherlight Compleated also work well for paying dredge costs, like that of Golgari ThugGolgari Thug. An important note about Weatherlight Compleated is that it cannot be crewed, but rather becomes a creature once it has four or more phyresis counters on it.

#1: Optimus Prime, Hero

Number of Combos: 76

Deck Inclusions: 3,354 as commander (#455); 4,971 as card (0.89%)

It seems fitting that the best combo Vehicle on this list is none other than Optimus Prime, Hero[/el] - the leader of the Autobots and also a leader in Vehicle EDH combos. Optimus does not convert in the ways that other Transformers that we've looked at do - but follows a more similar pattern to cards like Ojer Taq, Deepest FoundationOjer Taq, Deepest Foundation by transforming when it dies.

This unique quality makes Optimus a prime candidate for recursion combos, by alternating between its recursion and other recursion engines like Valkyrie's CallValkyrie's Call or Luminous BroodmothLuminous Broodmoth. You can also give Optimus persist with Antler SkulkinAntler Skulkin, or undying with Mikaeus, the UnhallowedMikaeus, the Unhallowed. Blinking Optimus can also provide a way to turn its backside into the frontside once again to get additional recursion.

No matter what Vehicles you want to include, Optimus is a great option to roll-out a game winning combo, and look stylish while doing so.

Honorable Mentions

If the previous Vehicles don't rev your engine enough, perhaps these can help:

1. Gilded Assault CartGilded Assault Cart: A perfect card for a deck running Mary Read and Anne BonnyMary Read and Anne Bonny, taking advantage of their Treasure creation to return the Cart to your hand.

2. Thunderous VelocipedeThunderous Velocipede: Another Aetherdrift card that is perfect for combating persist counters or simply providing needed power boosts.

3. Luxurious LocomotiveLuxurious Locomotive: Provides an easy way to get Treasures each combat phase, which can be used for Time Sieve or Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom style cards.

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 for more combo discussion and to submit your own EDH combos. Until next time, happy comboing!

Ethan Coover

Ethan has been an avid EDH player since 2014 with the release of Core Set 2015. In 2021, he joined the Commander Spellbook project as an editor, and later a head-editor and moderator, and has assisted in the curation, updating and/or uploading of over 10,000 unique EDH combos. In his spare time, Ethan loves coming up with new jank EDH lines, playing video games, and going for long walks.