by William

I’ll admit, I was looking forward to this set but I did not have high expectations for it. Believe it or not though, The Dark has a few great staples for us, even by modern Commander standards.

Deck Tech

Game #1

Game #2

Game #3

Deck Wrap Up

Here’s the Tappedout list

The big three that came with this set have to be Maze of Ith, Tormod’s Crypt, and Dust to Dust. Tormod’s Crypt is quintessential graveyard hate for any deck that doesn’t have natural access to it. Even though white will eventually get decent graveyard hate, we’re not at that point in time yet. I’m glad that what we do get is so incredibly powerful.

Dust to Dust is standard 2-for-1 removal. Being sorcery speed doesn’t negate the power this card promises in a world where mana engines and swords are king.

Maze of Ith is probably one of the best known “Psuedo Lands” in the game. It’s a free attack negation, and I’ve seen this card screw up combat math time and time again.

IN: Tormod’s Crypt, Maze of Ith, Dust to Dust, Witch Hunter, Safe Haven, Knights of Thorn, Fellwar Stone, Preacher

In terms of game play, Safe Haven is very dangerous online just from how much time that trigger might end up eating. I’ll have to be super careful when I play it from now on. Knights of Thorn is nice to have thanks to one magic word: Banding. We need a lot more banding. I still weep that Helm of Chatzuk isn’t a MTGO card, but we’ll continue making do with the knights and Benalish Hero (who continues to earn her paycheck, btw).

Of course, with these new additions we have some cuts.

OUT: Glasses of Urza, Righteousness, Healing Salve, Moorish Calvary, Diamond Valley, Martyrs of Korlis, Obelisk of Undoing, Blessing

It’s another strong update since we cut a lot of cards that either weren’t living up to what we wanted or finally proved that there wasn’t anything there to begin with (Healing Salve, I’m looking at you).

Next time, we’re going to see Fallen Empires! ….I know literally nothing about the set.