More Commander Staples From Edge of Eternities
Watch for the Edge
Welcome back for another History, Restapled, a Commander-focused column that attempts to validate a newer card’s status as a staple by looking at how cards that are similar, synergistic, or competing have fared in the past financially.
Zero Point Ballad - $0.50
The best black board wipes in the format fetch decent prices without breaking the bank.
Zero Point Ballad, arriving in Edge of Eternities, isn’t as strong as either Deluge or Edict, but already outclasses most of everything else at only a fraction of the financial price. Plus, while it requires a fair amount of mana to decimate a tall board, it can be used strategically as a one-sided answer to a token-playing opponent, leaving your thicc bois relatively unscathed. The card’s real power, though, emerges when X is six or greater and you’re awarded the best creature killed in its wake.
Even better news: Because of how the card is templated, your opponents won’t have the chance to place their commander back in the safe zone before you choose which creature you want to steal. All told, this is the same mana value as the similarly commander-stealing
Zero Point Ballad may not outclass Deluge or Edict, but it stands as an undisputed new budget staple well worth the price of admission.
STATUS: Budget black removal staple
| Zero Point Ballad | ||
| Zero Point Ballad (Extended Art) |
Consult the Star Charts - $5
This card ain’t cheap, but I believe it’s yet to truly take off despite the hype it’s received thus far.
The easiest comparison point for Consult the Star Charts is
Meanwhile, Consult the Star Charts holds utility in the first few turns of a game, whether it’s to grab a land drop, a card draw source, or a piece of removal against an opponent who’s popping off. Sure, you’ll only dig a few cards into your library, but sometimes that’s all you need. Later, however, when you can pay the card’s kicker cost and/or you have more lands on the battlefield, Consult can end games on the spot — particuarly since it can be cast at instant speed.
Think of this as a mild tutor that gets better as the game progresses. For now, $5 seems like a fair price, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it rose beyond $10 in a month or two. It’s well worth picking up at least one.
STATUS: Potential blue staple
| Consult the Star Charts | ||
| Consult the Star Charts (Extended Art) |
Solar Array - $0.50
The baseline of this mana rock isn’t super strong — three-mana rocks require significant upside to be playable — but its upside can be significant. With almost zero additional effort, any multicolored artifact-based deck can use this tool to get ahead on tempo pretty easily.
In a world where
STATUS: Artifact mana staple
| Solar Array | ||
| Solar Array (Extended Art) |
Depthshaker Titan - $0.50
Speaking of artifacts…Depthshaker Titan represents a finisher that allows your mana rocks to swing in for huge damage later in the game. (Don’t forget that melee will apply to these rocks, too.) This is an effect we haven’t seen often, and therefore I see Depthshaker Titan climbing in price slowly as it starts finding homes in decks.
Yes, its mana value is high, but it’s worded in such a way that it provides abilities to itself, as well. Potentially eight trampling power for seven mana isn’t too bad, especially when it’s attached to an anthem.
STATUS: Potential niche artifact staple
| Depthshaker Titan | ||
| Depthshaker Titan (Extended Art) |
Gaining an Edge
Which cards from Edge of Eternities have been overperformers? Underperformers? Let’s dig into this set together!
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Steve Heisler
Steve Heisler is a writer and pop culture journalist covering comedy, games, television, film and the tech industry. His work has been published in Rolling Stone, GQ, Variety, The AV Club, Fast Company and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began collecting Magic cards during Fourth Edition and plays Commander and Modern primarily. He also enjoys tennis, the Dark Souls family of video games and supporting live comedy. He lives in Chicago with his cat, Rosie.