Harrow in EDH
Deck Help forum
Posted on Jan. 19, 2014, 7:07 p.m. by PhageTheUnbeatable
Is Harrow good enough in a three-color EDH deck, or is it too much of a risk to run?
ducttapedeckbox says... #3
While my fluency in EDH is far from good, if you have to question Harrow I would avoid it. However, if you're running land recursion, it may have a place. There are plenty of other ramp cards that search for two lands for the same cost (or one more), without warranting the loss of another land. Kodama's Reach , Explosive Vegetation , Journey of Discovery come to mind. Epoch's List of EDH Ramp Cards could be a good resource for you to check out.
January 19, 2014 7:48 p.m.
Because Harrow is an instant, it's much easier to play it on the end of someone's turn when you're unlikely to run up against any countermagic (And in multiplayer magic, it's usually very light on direct counters anyway, as people tent to want to push for removal and boardwipes instead)
It also gets you a little bit more utility from things like the Vivid Creek cycle of lands, if you have any graveyard recursion.
And most of the other land fetching at that CMC is a sorcery, and tends to get you one land tapped, and one land in hand. Two lands right into play, untapped, can be a REALLY big boost to your early game ramp, since you can still play a normal land drop.
January 19, 2014 7:55 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #6
I'd say run it, but don't be surprised if you feel the need to drop it. It depends on the decks you run into, but I've had my Harrow countered before and it's a feel bad moment.
Those "as an additional cost to cast..." spells really burn your ass when somebody counters them
January 19, 2014 9:50 p.m.
Harrow is great in any EDH deck running Flagstones of Trokair , Riftstone Portal , Chained to the Rocks (use it on your own guy, then Wrath of God , then cast Harrow and get your guy back), etc. Basically, if you have lands that you want to hit the graveyard. Otherwise, I'd avoid it.
January 19, 2014 10:10 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #8
That being said I'd also add the Hideaway lands; Mosswort Bridge , Windbrisk Heights , Spinerock Knoll , Howltooth Hollow and Shelldock Isle as other synergies with it. Add Life from the Loam and some other GY recursion and you can't really go wrong...
PhageTheUnbeatable says... #2
The deck in question would be A Rock and a Hard Place.
January 19, 2014 7:08 p.m.