Iona, Shield of Emeria and commander debate
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on April 1, 2016, 10:25 a.m. by dritchie
I personally believe that this card is broken as hell and should not be played as it takes the fun out of games and stops people playing magic if they are a mono coloured deck or even playing their favourite cards of the chosen colour.please comment your side of the argument
BloodoftheBloodMoon says... #3
If she's a commander, she costs 9 to cast. So you need hella ramp to even get her out. There's no cheating her out. If she's just in the deck and not a commander, she costs 9, or if you want to cheat her in, you need her and a card to cheat her in with. The odds of hanging both in hand are quite slim in a commander game. If Iona's your only problem, put cards in your deck to deal with her.
April 1, 2016 10:45 a.m.
lemmingllama says... #4
Iona, Shield of Emeria is a powerful card with a unique ability. It can certainly lock people out of a game if they are playing mono-colored decks. However, it also is a card that costs 
to cast. Other finisher cards such as Craterhoof Behemoth end the game on the spot and cost less. As such, she isn't quite as degenerate as you would think.
There are also some answers for mono colored decks that you could use. Cards like Unstable Obelisk, Scour from Existence, and Spine of Ish Sah all kill Iona. Similarly, you can use cards like Quicksilver Amulet to get around the casting restriction.
I do agree with you that Iona can feel unfair to play against when you are playing a mono-colored deck. But at the same time, it also creates games where they will become the enemy of the table, and other plays will kill the Iona for you. Similarly, you can always try to use it against them with cards like Bribery.
Overall, I don't think it is worth getting banned. Most of the cards on the current banlist are there because they either win the game too efficiently, or create such degenerate board states that no other player can possibly compete. Iona only disables one of the five colors, and still allows all players to continue playing the game and attempt to answer her. As such, her ability is not as degenerate as Erayo, Soratami Ascendant and so it is still legal.
April 1, 2016 10:45 a.m.
I play in a meta where three players run iona that's why I complain haha but those decks are actually competitive so I do not understand why they run her personally
April 1, 2016 10:47 a.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #6
I haven't played EDH in a while, but you don't have much of an excuse if you're opponent is casting a 9-mana spell and you don't have a way to deal with it in your 100 cards, and especially if you're expecting it (which is pretty easy to see coming). As FW said, every color has a way to deal with her and she doesn't affect the current board state.
Yes, she's powerful, but are so many other cards. Look at combo control. That entire deck doesn't let you play what you want.
April 1, 2016 10:48 a.m.
My old mtg group held a 6cmc better win the game for you guideline.
So 9 cmc - yeah, if 9cmc doesn't warp the game and possibly outright win, then it shouldn't be 9cmc.
Eventually someone should win and the person able to tap for 9 is a likely candidate.
April 1, 2016 10:55 a.m.
Not this discussion again, please ... It feels like thread 1000 on iona... Deal with it
April 1, 2016 10:56 a.m.
I think the best thing that Iona will do in a game is stall your opponents since there will be a way to deal with her at some point in a group game. It may not even slow then all. As said before, a 9cmc play will most likely come down into a board state that is pretty well established and someone will deal with her before things turn sour.Also so many ways around her. Reanimate whatever gets locked out by her ability. Cheat things out without "casting". She is strong but easily dealt with. The complainers are most likely mono colored or not looking into colorless and non-cast removal.
Question, though. Her ability of "choose a color" is a triggered ability, yes? If you have a method doubling a triggered ability then you can name 2 colors right?
April 1, 2016 10:59 a.m.
No it is not a triggered ability. You can not respond to her with doomblade because once she hits the battlefield it is to late. I think this is represented by the wording "as iona...etb"
April 1, 2016 11:39 a.m.
To be more precise my example was obviously about the colour black being chosen. I get upset about discussions about banning more cards because I think one should improve decks instead of restricting the available cards for the whole community who might not even have a problem with iona. I think a big part of the banlist could be removed
April 1, 2016 11:44 a.m.
Yep, as not when. Ok,no doubling up on that. What would you like to see off the ban list, AlexoBn? I personally would enjoy Prophet of Kruphix being allowed again.
April 1, 2016 12:45 p.m.
KillDatBUG says... #13
Go play with the other casual players then. I'm sorry, but I'm sick of dealing with people who can't stand the sight of cards like this.
April 1, 2016 12:57 p.m.
sets timer for next Iona should be banned discussion
Iona can be brutal against certain decks, like any mono-colored deck for instance. But like others have noted, there are ways of getting rid of her in any color combination. Just recently I had Iona cast against my recently built Teysa, Orzhov Scion deck. My opponent named "Black" so she couldn't be removed by any of my black discard spells. Little did my opponent know, I had three White cards in hand including Council's Judgment and no black cards. So even playing against Iona, the owner has to make a value decision.
However, regardless of how strong she is against mono-color decks, she is ultimately a fair card. She costs to cast, and if you hardcast Iona you deserve to win. Same with casting an Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger or Kozilek, Butcher of Truth. Reanimating her can be a bitch-and-a-half, but then you should be aware of what type of strategy you're facing down.
Tl;dr - Iona is a powerful card, but one with plenty of answers in the format.
April 1, 2016 1:16 p.m.
I can see how cards like Iona could scare off new players. "Oh great! If I don't play white I just won't be allowed to play my deck". They don't realize she is t even that widely played as far as I know. Her price says a lot about her too. If she were as powerful as some think it'd be s $20+ card even with the 9cmc
April 1, 2016 1:26 p.m.
iBleedPunk says... #16
Kaalia of the Vast into Iona, Shield of Emeria to make all the girls go crazy
April 1, 2016 2:08 p.m.
Well, Kaalia shouldn't be a reason to ban Iona. Otherwise we'd have to ban Master of Cruelties as well.
April 1, 2016 2:15 p.m.
iBleedPunk says... #18
JWiley129 I am a big fan of Kaalia and the endless fun she allows. I also upvote most decks that run Iona, Shield of Emeria as its just a fun card to play or play against
April 1, 2016 2:21 p.m.
Pokemaster325 - For varying definitions of the word "fun". I would not call Iona fun to play against. I would say that Iona is a skill testing card. If you find that fun, then great! Otherwise, Iona can be a bit of a beating.
April 1, 2016 2:24 p.m.
Commander shouldn't even have a ban list at all. If you can't handle a single card out of the roughly 15,000 mtg cards printed with some other of those cards... Then the problem is not the game, it's you. When I first started back up, I played against my friend's toolbox sisay deck with a deck that literally cost less than 1/20th of his own. He spanked me like a baby 9 out of 10 times. But, I didn't quit, I just slowly got better. Now that I've invested more into the game, I no longer fear Avacyn/Iona/Linvala/Elephant Norn/Vorinclex.
April 1, 2016 3:55 p.m.
Respectfully, K34, I don't think that with infinite combos out there that some commanders like Emrakul, the Aeons Torn should be allowed. He can't be countered, gets you another turn, blows up 6 of your permanents if you attack, and can reshuffle your graveyard. Another, Erayo, Soratami Ascendant would also just make the game no fun if transformed. I support the ban list. I don't think Iona needs to be banned though. There are much bigger threats out there hahaha
April 1, 2016 4:43 p.m.
Library of Alexandria POK, roffelos, Braids, Cabal Minion, Griselbrand should be allowed.
April 1, 2016 5:17 p.m.
Braids, Cabal Minion is way to easy to get out in the first couple turns. The second she is out (especially if you go first, and you get her out turn 1) she can spell instant GG for some people.
Griselbrand can also come out kinda quick and he basically acts as a more situational version of Yawgmoth's Bargain. You can just lose some life until you get your good cards then just win. I think he is legal in Duel Commander though!
I see you want the prophet for your Momir Vig deck, AlexoBn. I know that the EDH guys actually posted a nice paragraph of why prophet is banned, but I can't remember the details. I could see Library of Alexandria coming back though. I can't think of a reason why that's banned and god knows there are other really good lands out there too.
April 1, 2016 5:38 p.m.
I know why the cards are banned but I think there is a huge problem with the abolition of "banned as commander " braids or Griselbrand in the 99 are not that easy to get our consistently.
April 2, 2016 2:52 a.m.
Ever heard of Entomb + Exhume ? Works on turn 1 if you have a Dark Ritual. Even so, the two of them just have way to much impact once hitting the field. The second a player starts to slow down, table molestation makes sure they never get back up. McGrizzlez can just draw you wincons like no other plus his other abilities (hover-mode, life steal) can make the early game real nasty for your friends. Before you get mad at me and say those are only in competitive settings, never underestimate people's drive to win.
That being said, there is nothing wrong with talking to people before hand and seeing if they are ok with you running them, or just simply say that you won't bring them out until a much later and much more reasonable time in the game. Casual is great in that sense. EDH is also meant as a casual format. So the ban list is really more like suggestions for what not to play with in order to ensure that fun is maximized for everyone. Just make sure you let people know before hand and see if they're cool with it. I guarantee you that you won't get to play either in tournament settings though. You can even see on the website for that it clearly says ".... These cards (and others like them) should not be played without prior agreement from the other players in the game."
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #2
And here we go again.
Yes, she's very powerful. However, she doesn't affect the boardstate at all, costs 9 mana, and can be dealt with by every color. For 9 mana, there are a thousand ways to win the game on the spot. Mono-colored decks can either use colorless removal (Karn Liberated, Duplicant, etc...) to get rid of her, rely on someone else to do it, use things that are already on the battlefield (Ulvenwald Tracker, Ob Nixilis Reignited), etc...
Iona is the kind of card that's great in casual games, but as soon as the decks get competitive, she's too slow and too narrow. In short, she's the kind of card which I don't think should get banned but I wouldn't be surprised if she does. And you can always house ban her.
April 1, 2016 10:39 a.m.