Commander Clash S3 Episode 16: Hour of Devastation Legends
Hello and welcome to Commander Clash, a video series where several MTGGoldfish contributors battle in a four player Commander game for fun and bragging rights. Last week we showed off the new gods from Hour of Devastation, and now this week we're building around the other sweet legendaries from the set. Here's what we've got:
- Tom assembles Superfriends in Mono White, fetching them and protecting them with Djeru, With Eyes Open
- Jennifer takes to the sky with Tribal Sphinxes led by Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign
- Seth bargains for limitless power, making a dark pact with Razaketh, the Foulblooded
- Tomer just wants to watch the world burn, using Neheb, the Eternal
We've got a bunch of Mono Color legendaries that push for a specific archetype. Which deck will prevail? Let's find out! But first, a quick reminder: if you like Commander Clash and other video content here on MTGGoldfish, make sure to subscribe to the MTGGoldfish Youtube Channel to keep up with the latest and greatest.
Tom's Deck (Djeru)
Jennifer (Unesh)
Seth's Deck (Razaketh)
Tomer's Deck (Neheb)
Post-Game Thoughts
We talked a lot about fast mana in Commander, and whether or not Razaketh, the Foulblooded should be banned, so I won't go in depth repeating what I already said in the video. For the record, I do think fast mana should be banned, and Razaketh deserves a "one and a half year test" -- as Tom put it -- to see how he pans out. My initial impression is that Razaketh is the real deal and will be a staple in all Sacrifice decks going forward, probably better suited in the 99 than as a Commander, but I'm not sure he is so oppressive that he needs a banning. Then again, I'm not sure Prophet of Kruphix needed a banning, and I believe Razaketh is just as good as Prophet in casual settings but might be viable in the most competitive settings as well (Prophet never really made the cut in top competitive circles). So, I guess we'll see over the next few months where he settles.
As for the decks, I thought they were super cool and kind of wish we had a chance to play a second game with them. Razaketh, the Foulblooded had a good showing, and I think the Mindslicer play was brilliant and very effective with Oversold Cemetery, along with the other shenanigans that Seth tutored for. And despite the game appearing one-sided, I believe the rest of us got very close to go off and steal the game in a spectacular fashion: Jennifer was about to drop two sphinxes on the board, which come with Fact or Fictions, along with Counterspell backup, I could've drawn a Burn spell like Comet Storm at any point and blown out all my opponents with the huge mana that Neheb, the Eternal provides, and Tom could've quickly assembled an army of planeswalkers and controlled the board with Wrath of Gods and even Overwhelming Splendor.
I know the Mindslicer play will elicit groans from a section of our viewers, but I thought it was great. The card is incredibly strong and was the reason why Seth managed to take the game. Everyone has their own preferences on what cards are "unfun" in Commander; some people get turned off by Armageddon, others by Blatant Thievery, and soon people will talk about how much they hate Overwhelming Splendor. Heck, I don't mind any of those things, but Pheldagriff Group Hug has me foaming at the mouth! You can't please everyone. Mindslicer was a great addition in Seth's deck and the perfect card for that particular situation. Honestly, without that play, I don't think Seth would've won that game. It was a smart play.
That's just my opinion on things, of course. I'd love to hear your thoughts! What do you think about fast mana in Commander? Do you think Razaketh should be banned? What tactics do you not like seeing in Commander?
Next Week: Pre-Modern Commander!
Now that we've gotten through the Hour of Devastation, we're going to give you guys a blast from the past with Pre-Modern Commander! All the cards in our decks must have been printed before Eighth Edition. Let's see what oldschool tactics we come up with!
