Modern forum
Posted on Oct. 14, 2015, 12:49 a.m. by rothgar13
Hey guys,
As the title implies, I want to talk about Dromoka's Command, specifically on how that card should see more play than it does. Sure, it's not quite as potent as Atarka's Command or Kolaghan's Command, but it still has some really useful modes. Fight effects are rarely utilized in Modern because of the depth and breadth of removal available, but with big creatures (like a Siege Rhino or a Tarmogoyf) you can turn it into a conditional Terminate. Furthermore, its "sacrifice an enchantment" effect can be quite relevant for any deck that fears the likes of Blood Moon or Eidolon of the Great Revel (looking at you, Abzan...). Speaking of Eidolon, the damage-prevention mode can either trade with a burn spell to the face, or it can negate a red sweeper threatening your tokens. I'll admit the +1/+1 counter mode is a tad weak, but it can be relevant in a deck full of big-but-not-huge threats like Abzan in order to put your Goyf or Rhino over the top. Personally, I'm going to start looking for room in my Abzan build's sideboard for this card (along with Voice of Resurgence), and that doesn't even cover a more obscure deck like Abzan Liege or Bant Company or the like. What say you?
pleasiodmakerblooloo says... #3
The thing about Dromoka's Command is that, while its effects are quite mediocre, it does give you TWO mediocre effects. Stopping a Lightning Bolt and killing an Eidolon of the Great Revel is good. Putting a +1/+1 on your blocked (by an enemy Siege Rhino) Siege Rhino whilst fighting their Birds of Paradise is good. I am in no way saying that it is an automatic 4 of in Abzan decks, but it can allow for some pretty cool 2 for 1s and I feel like you are underestimating it.
October 14, 2015 5:35 a.m.
Yes, sure, it is 2-for-1, but both effects are mediocre and more importantly, conditional. If you are not playing against blood moon or Eidolon, the sac enchantment is awful (one caveat is Twin). If you are not playing in the abzan mirror where you need to push your rhino through, then the counter is weak.
...
All in all, it has merits as a 2-of sideboard card, but it cannot make it ever to the main deck, given competiton like 4 path and 4 decay.
October 14, 2015 6:38 a.m.
Agreed, Boza - I'm looking at it more as a sideboard card, but the thing is that right now it's not even played there, which I think is a mistake.
October 14, 2015 7:48 a.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #6
Command is great! I'd find room for one in the board of Abzan and Company decks, and probably in the main for Zoo. Lots of people already do that.
October 14, 2015 8:01 a.m.
GeminiSpartanX says... #7
I play 2 in the 75 of my Abzan Liege deck. It's been pretty clutch some games, and resetting your Kitchen Finks with it while killing something else never feels bad ;)
October 14, 2015 9:42 a.m. Edited.
I think it's funny that when the commands were spoiled, Dromoka's Command was the one that got all the hype as the most modern playable. This was going for $10 when Kolaghan's Command was selling for $2 or less because when it was spoiled everyone immediately said it wasn't enough for 3 mana HAHAHA. Hopefully those people learned their lesson and won't be so quick to judge cards based purely on spoilers lol.
October 14, 2015 10:25 a.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #9
The sacrifice enchantment mode is pretty much the only way BG/x can deal with Keranos, God of Storms
October 14, 2015 10:52 a.m.
Ooh, I forgot that it drops Keranos! Yep, definitely making room for that now
October 14, 2015 10:55 a.m.
i have 2 copies in the board of my g/w d&t; deck.
my buddy piloted it to 14th place at an scg premier iq.
i like it in a deck that usually has creatures in play. having access to only path in g/w makes it nice to have another creature removal spell. i ran Dismember out of the board for a while, but in the matchups where i wanted more removal i always hated paying the 4 life. and the other modes are frequently good. killing enchantments and blanking burn spells come up often enough to be worth it.
October 14, 2015 10:57 a.m.
As other folks have mentioned Dromoka's Command suffers from an issue where it doesn't do anything particularly well. You're fine paying for some flexibility, but that can only go so far. There are far better cards you could be running for each of its modes, and the conditions where you'll get a full two cards worth of value for it are rare. Also unlike its Atarka's Command and Kolaghan's Command cousins, there isn't a non-conditional play option.
If you're strictly GW it's probably a 1-2 in the 75, any deck with the third color is almost always going to have better options.
October 14, 2015 11:48 a.m.
SwaggyMcSwagglepants says... #13
I think Dromoka's Command is a very good card, it just doesn't have any real homes. I think it's best slot is in hatebears, and I think Ryotenchi runs one in the side?!? It's been a while since I've seen his list.
The card is very good. It can hit Keranos and the occasional Courser, and it blanks lightning bolt. The other things it does is make Kitchen Finks get another persist trigger, and kills some small good creatures (Delver, Lavamancer, Snapcaster, Hierarch, etc.) I think it will see more play when it finds a better home, and maybe when it rotates out of standard.
October 14, 2015 4:20 p.m.
I run 2 SwaggyMcSwagglepants. Hatebears is short on removal, so it sorta helps for that... I prefer it for forcing sacrifice of those random one of enchantments.. Like Tokens Anthems, god cards, prison enchantments..
Its not all that effective on twin, as they will tap you out at the end of your turn, before combo'ing off and still holding of protection..
Blanking a bolt and killing a Eidolon of the Great Revel is kinda xmas land-y and has only happened for me once.. At least yeh can still fight their swiftspears and guides.
Thing that sucks the most with finks is the timing of persist and command if they finks already has a neg counter on it. (I often give the counter to my birds now that Finks is no longer mainboard.. Too much trample to deal with.. better pump targets get removed..)
Cant go wrong with having multi use sideboard cards. =n.n= (Though, I dont often bring it in for my meta.. delve creatures and scrub rhino.. -.-)
Especially when a random brew that isnt finished shows up at fnm, thinking theyre Intruder Alarm is safe.
(I Hushwing Gryff'd the pilot 2 turns earlier.. was hilarious.. Vialed in my Hero of Bladehold and tilt killed the enchant, mid combat.. cause why not.)
Boza says... #2
Well, the problem is, non of its modes are really useful. By far the most useful mode in modern is the one that prevents damage, blanking bolts while doing something else.
The other three modes are easily surpassed by Abrupt Decay.
In any of the decks mentioned, you do not have space for mediocre effects. Conditional terminate is not wanted when you can play actual terminate, red sweepers are played very rarely (Pyroclasm in tron and Anger of the Gods in some Twin or in extreme cases grixis decks), preventing burn damage is even weak, when you .
Dromoka's Command just does not make the cut.
October 14, 2015 4:30 a.m.