Everybody dies Hugely

Features

ChiefBell

13 April 2014

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droxium and I (chiefbell) welcome you to this new regular series where we take a look at the shining stars of tomorrow and the relics of years long gone. A rundown of select cards in EDH: their uses, misuses, and other handy tips!

In each article the plan is to look at some exciting new shiny cards, and some older cards that less established players may have missed! We will chat about what makes them great, and also what their weaknesses are, we will also look at some cards that may be their best friend!

So lets get started!

Godsend

What does it do?

It is an equipment that gives a creature +3/+3 and allows you to exile any one creature that it blocks or is blocked by. Any cards that it does exile cannot be cast by any opponent.

Thoughts

Not awful in most EDH decks, but really depends on the meta. The first problem is that it does not force the opponent to block, so there is no guarantee that the ability will trigger. You can use it on blockers - but all that will achieve is stalling the game, which is perhaps not ideal. With 40 life total, instead of 20, giving a creature +3/+3 probably will not phase the opponent.
The second problem is that a fair few players do not play creature based decks, and that players can also choose to block with a useless creature and have that exiled instead of anything they actually need. This would often be the case if facing a creature based aggro deck (oh hey Krenko, Mob Boss and the mighty goblin horde!). So we have no guarantee that the ability will be useful if it does trigger.
So then, when can it be useful? Well - you could use it on a creature that must be blocked, to almost guarantee that it will trigger the ability. Of course you would then need to ensure that the creature is large enough to survive combat!
Anything else? Well, if you put it onto a problem general that demands an answer, your opponent will have a big headache. For example Zur the Enchanter *f-etch* or Uril, the Miststalker. Doing this will create a very large problem for the opponent. The choice you leave them with is blocking and having a creature exiled, or potentially dying from commander damage. Tricky decision for them. However, it is worth noting that these decks usually run auras rather than equipment and often opt for enchantments that render the general unblockable. Another example is Kaalia of the Vast. Because she has a really small body (2/2), that +3/+3 can save her face and allow her to actually kill creatures, or at least not die in combat (how about dem apples…). Then again, why not put the Godsend onto a really powerful creature like Dragon Tyrant and end it that way.
Overall I think this card allows the opponent too much control and is too difficult to use. Which would you rather use in EDH: Godsend or Umezawa's Jitte? Or even any of the other swords (Sword of Feast and Famine for example)? The advantage of Sword of Feast and Famine, as an example, is that it triggers when it hits the opponent and gives protection which helps you actually achieve this (remember protection from black and green means creatures of either of these two colours cannot be declared as a blocker). It also prevents the use of spot removal (protection from black)! Godsend on the other hand does not offer any protection and does not help in actually triggering the ability.

Friends?

1. Prized Unicorn gets mentioned because it must be blocked by all creatures. Nacatl War-Pride creates tokens equal to the number of creatures the defending player controls. Each one has to be blocked. This card + Godsend ensures that you will always be able to exile a creature.
   
2. Stonehewer Giant's ability can be used after the opponent has declared attackers but before you declare blockers to attach Godsend at instant speed. This results in a surprise exile. Sneaky!
   
3. Captain Sisay. Because he can tutor this up.

Foes?

1. All the common suspects. Krosan Grip and the rest that can quickly deal with this. Krosan Grip is a major contender since split second will counteract the exile while destroying the artifact.
   
2. Carry Away. Ok so you probably will not ever see this card being used, but if you do, it will probably cause problems.
   
3. Riftsweeper. Allows opponents to shuffle exiled cards back into library. Similarly Misthollow Griffin, which can be cast from exile (after Godsend leaves the battlefield, if it does).

Yawgmoth's Will

What does it do?

Well……...it lets you play things from your graveyard. Think of it as Past in Flames on steroids.

Thoughts

Not useful in decks with high cmc creatures, as much as it is in decks with low cmc. However, the real use of this card is to a) re-use lands such as dust bowl and strip mine and b) to recast old sorceries and instants (Dark Ritual and Demonic Tutor). Take note that after casting it you can both cast a creature from the graveyard AND recast an old reanimation spell from the graveyard too, which is pretty crazy considering you can end up with a lot of value.
Which decks does this do well in? Most! Referring to Zur the Enchanter *f-etch*, again. Being able to recast your killed enchantments can mean the difference between the winning or losing the game. We can also use this card to recast utility spells like ramp. If you have six mana, you can cast Yawgmoth's Will, then cast Nature's Lore into a two mana spell like Sylvan Library, Phantasmal Image, or maybe a Grim Monolith. Similarly you can use this to recast tutor cards.
Finally, with Yawgmoth's Will, you can recast combos. It works great with Palinchron, or other combo pieces that may have been countered or destroyed (Blasting Station, Birthing Pod......). Remind the opponent that they are never safe and no board clear is going to stop you!

Friends?

1. Palinchron and other combo pieces - Reveillark / Maelstrom Wanderer etc. Lets be honest - people try to get rid of your combo. You know how it is. As soon as Sun Titan comes out, everyone gasps and scrambles for a Vindicate. Being able to reanimate your lost combo pieces is essential. Although things like Reanimate may work better for those larger creatures, Yawgmoth's Will allows reanimation of enchantments and artifacts too, such as Birthing Pod and other cards that are otherwise hard to recur.
   
2. Storm cards. These include Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, Culling the Weak etc. If you were about to storm and your opponent played Flusterstorm (really awesome card by the way) or some other counter, then you have an answer. In storm, Yawgmoth's Will is like Past in Flames, except cheaper, and a different color. If you are in red you could always add Manaforge Cinder to make Dark Rituals easier and casting Yawgmoth's Will is always fun. I (droxium) remember when I was paid in magic cards when working at a card shop. I loved getting a Yawgmoth's Will at a discount then selling it for profit. Anyways, Yawgmoth's Will goes really well with legacy storm. Although, what does that have to do with EDH? Storm is a legacy deck. Well, if you happen to like yourself a Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, and Culling the Weak, you can recast them to finally cast that Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre that has been in your hand.
   
3. Wheel of Fortune is a great friend of Yawgmoth's Will. If you are running a Nekusar, the Mindrazer deck from the commander 13 precon, we (or at least I droxium seriously suggest you run Yawgmoth's Will. Being able to cast all of your wheel effects, Underworld Dreams-esque cards, and other nasties is really nice. The cast and discarded cards become exiled - so make sure you have Nekusar out, ready to deal the pain. Otherwise, it can be a complete blowout and win the game on the spot. Essentially, if you have an instant or sorcery based wincon, it is going to give you another shot at using them to end the game.
   
4. Tutors. All of them. You are already playing black (or you would not have access to Yawgmoth's Will!), so you must have a Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor or at least a Diabolic Tutor. Being able to use them all twice is ridiculous.
   
5. Leyline of Anticipation. Playing your entire graveyard at instant speed is a fun ability to have. With the leyline out in play, you can cast multiple Counterspells, buyback spells, and other reactive instants on your opponents turn - which they should find pretty shocking. Also, at the end of turn, casting your killed creatures is pretty boss. Imagine that you have an Avenger of Zendikar in the graveyard. Casting that at EOT for 10 elementals then swinging for game the next turn is as sweet as an unhealthy doughnut.

Foes?

1. Grafdigger's Cage is a 1 mana problem for Yawgmoth's Will. If you are running a graveyard recursion deck and your commander is Karador, Ghost Chieftan / Teneb, the Harvester (I actually happen to know that chiefbell here loves the dragon) and you see a turn 1 Grafdigger's Cage from your opponent: you have a problem. If you are running mono black and your opponent plays any artifact or enchantment, you are kind of screwed since black does not have that removal, although mono-coloured decks in EDH are rare. Other honorable mentions go to Rest in Peace, Leyline of the Void (a favorite of droxiums), and Relic of Progenitus.

2. More graveyard hate. I mean seriously, Yawgmoth's Will is so broken in EDH and other formats, that wizards just does not want to give people many ways to deal with it besides the regular graveyard hate and stupid Counterspell (okay, be reasonable, Mana Drain!).

Overall, we have discussed two very different cards with very contrasting abilities, each with their own respective positive and negative aspects. Godsend, is great with a voltron deck like Zur the Enchanter *f-etch* or Uril, the Miststalker where the opponent has to choose whether to block and lose creature, or just die. It is also effective with creatures that must be blocked (Nacatl War-Pride). Either way, Godsend gives too much power and decision to your opponent and not enough to you. Remember that it’s wholly dependent on the type of deck that the opponent plays, and which creatures they choose to block with.
Yawgmoth's Will is one beast of a card. As mentioned above, being able to Past in Flames for 3 mana and grating recursion to all cards is pretty bomb. The amount of combos that can be supported with this card is unbelievable (tries to block out the image of a Palinchron with yawgmoths machinery). Storming for the win, recasting thought to be dead combos, surprise flash Austere Command (using Leyline of Anticipation) and destroying all artifacts - this card is just pure value.
Each of these cards have their strengths and weaknesses and their friends and foes. Now we would love to hear your thoughts! Have the infamous chiefbell and droxium missed any gaping holes in our plans to overthrow the world with Godsend and Yawgmoth's Will? Or perhaps not…! The choice is yours, you decide.
For next time: vote on which 2 cards we should do next! One card will be recent, one old. If there is a card in Journey into Dicks (oops, Nyx) that you want us to evaluate, comment below. If there is a card you miss from Mirrodin, comment below. You never know, we could be covering your favourite card in the next article!
Finally - this is our first article so we would love to hear thoughts / comments / criticisms on this format and whether you enjoyed it or not. We have considered also looking at decklists and trying to find functional reprints of the cards we cover. Every few articles we could give a summary of a particular archetype like reanimator, stax, control, aggro, and many more. Leave your comments below folks!

Have a nice day (or night):
droxium and chiefbell

P.S. from droxium
Did you know that the Urzas block was called “combo winter” because of cards like Yawgmoth's Will, Tolarian Academy, Gaea's Cradle, and Fluctuator?

P.S. from chiefbell
Did you know that the name EDH comes from the fact the first generals used were the Elder Dragons (Arcades Sabboth, Chromium, Nicol Bolas, Palladia-Mors, and Vaevictis Asmadi) and the idea of the format is based off the film Highlander which had the catchphrase: There can be only one.