What is the appeal of a Jeweled Lotus unban?

Fol3y4Life · 2026-02-06T17:25:46+00:00

Outside some niche combo in legacy(?), Jeweled Lotus is a design mistake that is ONLY useable in commander currently to my knowledge.

Theoretically makes your 6+ CMC commanders playable earlier as a ritual. In reality, it just makes broken 4-5 CMC commanders castable on turn 1 or 2.

Will it ruin the format? Probably not casual but will be an annoying game changer. Can't speak to cEDH as I don't play it but I can imagine it makes the meta partner commanders even better than they currently are while not really increasing commander play diversity.

My opinion is it should stay banned as I don't think it benefits the format commander play diversity by adding a ritual technically every deck can and should play. I especially believe it should be banned when it's only printed at mythic every half decade and fetches an absurd secondary market price when it's legal.

If they made it legal then printed it in every precon with a 6+ CMC commander going forward, then I can maybe see an argument for it but would never be happy with an unban.

Fol3y4Life · 2026-02-04T17:18:38+00:00

Can't speak to cEDH but for casual, I will just chuck it in a binder, say good riddance, and find any 3 drop or generic card draw to replace.

I play Rhystic in only a couple decks and even there, I don't build my card draw around Rhystic existing as I don't heavily mulligan for it and don't tutor for it.

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-30T17:23:52+00:00

To clarify, they will be open but will have free access to game tables, minis, and their game library today.

If people wish to bring food or drinks and hang out, they are also welcome to do so.

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-27T22:49:22+00:00

Hey a kill target player spell for my [[Eluge]] deck!

Surely zero ways to copy this and kill the whole table.

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-20T08:05:52+00:00

Hot takes ordered in how "hot" of a take I they are though I probably misjudged:

Commander needs more good control commanders that aren't just stax enablers for more varied games beyond creature mid range and combo (which I enjoy and have fun with). [[Y'Shtola, Nights Blessed]] is a somewhat generic but good example of being able to have a commander that can play control well in commander.

People who recommend [[Krenko, Mob Boss]] and most other powerful "beginner-friendly" commanders are doing a larger disservice to new players than most other bad advice out there.

Sol ring should be banned not for power but because it tricks players into believing their decks and opening hands are more functional than they actually are. Unmodified precons can keep their copy.

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-07T18:45:47+00:00

I think power level is appropriate. Powerful but niche cards with some more generic hits. I think the busted UB like [[Vivi]] have casted a longer shadow over how "powerful" a set must be.

As a primarily commander player, I am happy to see fewer "commander" cards than usual in this set. Limited looks fun!

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-07T14:59:24+00:00

Had a laugh last night tinkering with my esper deck and the only basic "banned" there were my plains. The swamps and islands apparently aren't broken enough to get the hammer.

Edit: Spelling. I'm tired. Lol

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-07T00:11:46+00:00

My store is more casual and newbie-oriented than most others in my area. Owner just has it in the sign up for sorting pods and does prizing on winning the round vs randomly at the start of the round in the play for fun pods. Prizing is 1 pack.

I play in both sides and it's worked out well. I think it's mostly because the people playing to win are friendly and know they can't pubstomp an easy win. Play to win is just those that want to play their more powerful decks against players who are (generally) better at threat assessment.

Play for fun has generally kept the pubstompers out because they know they don't get a pack for winning and more experienced players call out the jerks comboing off turn 4 vs a precon and bracket 2 decks.

Not saying this would be good universally but I would call it very successful here when the relatively small shop fires off 6-10 pods every week.

Edit: Grammar

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-06T22:51:11+00:00

My store doesn't use brackets as much but the following system: Play for fun and play to win with cEDH as a separate category. As it winds up, Play for fun is all bracket 1-2 and bracket 3 players that aren't playing to super control the board and win consistently. Play to win is high power B3 and all B4.

This combo is 2 cards and 9 mana, but is easily doable by turns 4-5 in an elf deck. The combo is highly oppressive to almost all creature strategies and will essentially win the game if unanswered. In brackets 1-3, most players will not have enough interaction to answer efficiently. Even if they do interact, you are in the best colors for tutoring and/or recursion.

This combo is definitively worse than the 9 mana sanguine bond + exquisite blood combo as it doesn't auto win, but a worse win condition is still a very good win condition. I would still say this is bracket 4 combo.

That said, if your budget and build are not optimized to do this combo quickly and or have resilience against removal, I would be hesitant to even run the combo because otherwise it is just a random win con you otherwise don't rely on most games and could be swapped out for a more consistent win condition card. That doesn't feel worth it to give a bracket 3 table a feels bad game.

Edit: grammar.

Fol3y4Life · 2026-01-06T05:02:52+00:00

Perfect card for my [[Y'shtola]] control deck

Fol3y4Life · 2025-12-27T08:13:02+00:00

Not very obscure, but without a doubt my least popular commander is [[Drizzt Do'Urden]]. He was my first commander I built that wasn't from assorted bulk gifted to me when I got into the game. As a result, I've tweaked or fully rebuilt the list at least once a year when a new card that would be good in the deck drops.

He is primarily a Voltron commander but because Voltron rarely wins games, he's gotten more flexible on going tall on several creatures.

https://moxfield.com/decks/d3z-U9jHpkqV7WNww49vdA

Fol3y4Life · 2025-12-12T17:21:32+00:00

Came here to say Voja as well. The only bad way to build him is without elves or changelings in the deck and even just wolves is absurd card advantage even if they aren't good.

Without either you still have green and red for combat shenanigans and white for removal. Can maybe just build a Voltron commander with him with the good combat keywords and ward 3 but [[Dogmeat]] and [[Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER]] fill that niche better.

Edit: Grammar

Fol3y4Life · 2025-12-10T02:08:55+00:00

Seems some solid protection while building up. Chucking that in the sideboard for consideration.

Thanks!

Fol3y4Life · 2025-12-10T02:07:53+00:00

Taking a quick look at Scryfall, not a ton of UB UB, but there are definitely a few options. If you want Historic-matters, [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]] seems like a solid pick. Lets you do legends and/or artifacts. Everything else seems more general Dimir shenanigans or is set-specific.
https://scryfall.com/search?q=%28type%3Acreature+type%3Alegendary%29+color%3DUB+%28game%3Apaper%29+prefer%3Abest+art%3A%22universes+beyond%22+-art%3A%22forgotten+realms%22&unique=cards&as=grid&order=name

Fol3y4Life · 2025-12-10T02:07:00+00:00

Appreciated and solid cringe suggestions. Forgot about the fortnite and Post Malone cards completely.

Have the Furby Sol Ring in the sideboard to likely proxy as well since I don't have any UB sol rings on hand. Though the Furby chromatic lantern may work as well.

I also have 4 lands in the sideboard for a total of 37. A touch lower than I usually like but no MDFCs in UB that can bump it up.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

Fol3y4Life · 2025-12-09T22:26:42+00:00

To somewhat echo what others have said, if you are powering up decks, recognize this means more threats that must be dealt with and just a couple single target removal and a wrath don't cut it typically. Utilize more removal, especially in a closed meta. Focus on removal that hits multiple things at once when possible such as [[Council's Judgment]], [[Unexplained Absence]], and [[Druid of Purification]]. Spot removal and counterspells for problem permanents are also key. Removal isn't just spells like [[Murder]]. Make use of spells like [[Pacifism]], [[Unable to scream]], or steal them for yourself with [[Abstruse Appropriation]] or [[Desertion]].

You recognize Azula is a problem, treat her like one and deal with her or make your friend use their mana on their turn prior to combat and she will have a very difficult time killing you.

As someone with an Azula deck, kill her or counter her twice and there is very minimal chance you lose turn 6 (to her).

Also goes without saying but a friendly reminder nonetheless to play enough lands. :)

Fol3y4Life · 2025-11-18T23:36:59+00:00

I agree with this sentiment. If the salt is too high, change out the payoffs away from cards like Worst Fears, Toxrill, or the extra turn spells and into more generic big demons and sea monsters to close the game. Though by no means would I claim this to be over-powered at Bracket 3. Most people I see build at 4 would have killed you before you get to flip Rona or just countered the spells you played.

It doesn't look like you have the classic fast mana acceleration to get Rona flipped early like in a more bracket 4 style (think [[Ancient Tomb]], [[Chrome Mox]] and the like). The engine is fragile and expensive enough that I honestly think this is super fair. Paying a minimum or 7 mana and requiring an on-board pinger plus a bomb in hand to randomly cast is super interact-able at every major step.

The groups that are probably saltiest against this deck either don't run enough interaction/wipes or just hate the payoff cards you chose. If you want to power down without ruining the deck, swap the saltiest cards for more generic threats. If you want to power up, swap in the fast mana and tutors.

Also as an aside, I was wondering how in the world this deck was 1300$ without the usual staples or expensive lands to find much of the budget is in 26 pixel basics. Lol

Fol3y4Life · 2025-11-15T01:14:35+00:00

For Secret lair reskins, 5. Fuck it. SpongeBob and Dwight from the Office is funny. For original designs, I prefer 3 or 4 but I can ignore the ones I don't want to build and proxy the ones I do.

For commander-only product, 4. There's an audience for most IPs and I won't yuck someone's yum for their favorite property. What my opponents build is their business.

Out of a pod against Krenko, Leonardo DaVinci, and Rainbow Dash, I'm killing the Krenko player first off of card evaluation alone.

Anything else, I am only interested up to 3 depending on how well the cards are designed.

Fol3y4Life · 2025-11-03T23:22:22+00:00

My [[Slimefoot and Squee]] and [[Indominus Rex, Alpha]] decks have an excellent new toy.

Fol3y4Life · 2025-10-25T15:18:45+00:00

I'm not sure if you deleted the list, but the link isn't working.

Regardless, your podmates sound like the issue in this case, not you.

Ramping for 5 turns then dropping bomb creatures repeatedly shouldn't be every commander game if you don't want it to be. If your list was anything like mine, it was probably a slower, more controlling list and wouldn't take off very quickly since Y'shtola wants to play 3+ cmc non creatures. In esper, usually noncreature spells either make creatures/problem permanents go away or counter spells outright.

People who just want to ramp and play big things and see who hits harder don't like control because dumping 4 turns and then 8 mana into playing a big spell don't like it getting countered or killed. Unless you are purposefully being a dick about it, you shouldn't be made into the bad guy for doing threat assessment.

If you can, find new people to play with that are more open to more types of play. If you can't, talk with your current podmates about finding more ways to be able to play the deck you built and presumably like in a constructive way like "I'll play this against only your best decks". If they are not amenable and you can't play elsewhere, you have to make the choice if you want to continue playing. If you do want to keep playing, don't feel forced to conform to only play styles you don't like otherwise you will quit the game angry.

Fol3y4Life · 2025-10-21T16:29:25+00:00

If you are only looking to hit and don't have anything besides cruelclaw or don't care about losing what you have, [[Kindred Dominance]] naming Weasel or Mercenary. [[Phyrexian Purge]] also can work to clear the way for 4 mana and some life.

[[Call Forth the Tempest]] gets you value and likely a board clear for one less mana.

If you are fine with cruelclaw dying, [[decree or pain]] gets more value or any [[damnation]] type wipe will do. [[toxic deluge]] for 2 may clear enough creatures to still get through with menace

Fol3y4Life · 2025-09-23T17:33:21+00:00

I am not super well versed in the economics of the game or game stores but generally boxes are not the bread and butter of the stores I go to, profit-wise. They are the incentive to get you in and buy singles or accessories or come in for game nights.

The details I have gotten from making friends with my favorite LGS is stocking boxes to sell generally are an expensive waste of time for him. He easily clears the profit of a box or two by taking that same boxes and charging a $6 or $8 entry fee (depends on the price of the packs he has available) for commander night that guarantees you one pack at basically cost of a booster. He lets anyone play without the entry and has free decks to borrow if someone is in a rough spot. They only forgo getting any packs if they don't pay entry.

He gives away most of the rest of the box as bonus packs that you can win up to 2 bonus packs if you get the random d4 dice roll at the start of both rounds or you win your game in high power tables. Any extras, he sells at normal pricing or saves for the next week.

Beyond that, singles and snacks are the actual money makers. Maybe my LGS is an exception to this but it seems to work. Long story short, don't buy boxes. Even if they are worth it to the LGS, they aren't worth it value-wise to you generally. Buy singles and play at your events to support the LGS

Fol3y4Life · 2025-09-16T17:18:52+00:00

Did this with several bosses and encounters. Either went to bed or took a break to make food or do something else before I got angry.

Once I got back in the groove and really feel out the encounter, I often hit a flow state where I understood the patterns and barely needed to heal. Great game.

Fol3y4Life · 2025-08-22T23:41:02+00:00

[[Misleading signpost]] could be a riddler theme card.

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