There are certain cards in EDH that are strong and can fit into many decks. Unfortunately these cards can get quite expensive due to everybody wanting and using them. If you enjoy commander, then consider picking up these cards and adding them to your collection. These cards will add to your arsenal to build strong decks. You don’t need them to play and win in EDH, but it helps.
You do not have to pick them up right away. Instead you can wait until your local game store has a singles sale. One of my local game stores has a major Black Friday sale every year. One near you may have a sale too. You can also wait for the price to go down as Wizards of the Coast reprints the cards. Just make sure you grab one before the price begins to rise again. Either way these cards should go up in value over time. It is also possible to pick up a well played copy of the card at a discount. In a card sleeve it plays just the same as a near mint one. Without further introduction here are ten cards that should be in your EDH collection.
Ashnod’s Altar– Sometimes a deck just wants creatures to die. You can’t always count on your opponents to do it for you. This is where Ashnod’s Altar comes in. It is a repeatable sacrifice outlet that will give you mana at the same time. It is versatile and useful.
Cyclonic Rift– There is no denying that this card is powerful. It made my top ten blue cards. It is sometimes salt inducing. Still if you are running blue, you can add it into almost any removal package you build. It’s asymmetrical nature breaks parity. Seven mana is a lot to wipe the board but worth it. Worst case you can cast it for two mana if you absolutely bounce a permanent or lose the game.
Dockside Extortionist– Red, when it mana ramps, does it in chunks often with rituals (A spell that makes more mana than it uses. Dockside Extortionist is similar to a ritual although it’s on a body. Depending on your meta, you can generate a lot of mana via treasure. There’s mischievousness that can be accomplished to abuse the Extortionist ability. There is a reason it is a top ten red card.
Demonic Tutor– It’s my number one black card. The ability to search your library for any card and put it in your hand is amazing. WIth it you get what you need when you need it. D-Tutor recently had a Mystical Archive reprint in Strixhaven to help keep the price down. The price is already climbing so you might either want to wait for another reprint or pick one up rapidly as the price will continue to spike.
Kozilek Butcher of Truth– This might seem like an unusual inclusion but it turns out Kozilek belongs in more than just big mana decks. It’s annihilator ability is strong and adds some card draw as a bonus. Most importantly though is the ability to shuffle your graveyard into your library. Dedicated mill decks will have a way to get around this. However, many decks just add in a little mill and this will protect you from getting hosed and losing key cards in your deck.
Phyrexian Arena– While I am not the biggest fan of Phyrexian Altar it is one of the cards that should be in your EDH collection. You will need to draw two cards to break even in mana cost. That is two turn cycles around the table. It will most likely see those two turns. You need to play this card by mid game in order to get enough value from it.. Consider it as the tenth or so card in your draw package and it will be worth it. It’s price has risen lately and is slated for a reprint in Commander Collection Black. When it’s price drops, add it to your collection.
Sylvan Library– While it did not make my initial top ten, I have been warming to Sylvan Library over the last year. Since then the card has been a top inclusion in any green card draw packages I have assembled. The four life is a lot of damage if you want to grab extra cards each turn. Even if you don’t grab extra cards, being able to look three deep every turn is a great bonus. Even if you only draw two or three extra cards off of The Library it has done it’s work. Sylvan Library saw a reprint last year in Commander Collection Green. Its price will be rising until it sees another meaningful reprint. Keep an eye out if you can find a play one at a reasonable price.
Smothering Tithe– This card is a powerhouse for white and is an auto inclusion in most white decks if you own one. Often your opponents will give you the treasure and several extra mana in a turn makes for some very explosive plays. It now costs over $40 at the time of this writing. Wizards did right to reprint this early in a commander deck. Unfortunately they have not reprinted it again and $40 is a far cry from the $5 it once cost. It’s a top 10 white card and worth owning as needed.
Toxic Deluge– This card was originally printed in a commander 2013 precon. It is in my opinion the best mass removal in black. At three mana and some life the card scales to be just the right size to remove your problems while getting around indestructible and hexproof creatures. This card is going to be in Commander Collection Black. If you don;t buy the collection look to pick a discounted copy up after the collection releases next year.
Ulamog the Infinite Gyre– I have no idea when this card will reprint. Just like with Kozilek, Butcher of Truth this card is mill protection and can also prevent yourself from milling out as well. While not all decks want this card it can be slipped into most decks for the mill protection and its ability to remove threats. It also is an answer as it’s annihilator ability can cause an opponent to sacrifice cards that are preventing you from employing your deck strategy. At $60 it’s time to put the card on your radar and when it is reprinted make sure you add a copy to your collection.
There are many more cards that should be in your collection. These are just a few that will help provide options when you are deck building. Remember you do not need several copies to use in multiple decks. Some playgroups will allow placeholders if you can prove you own the card. You can also move it from deck to deck when you decide what you are playing for the night. No matter what you do, make sure you keep an eye out for these cards and pick a copy up if you find one at a value.
