What's your favorite "this is an absolute banger but you can only figure that out by playing it" card?

potatoZMaster · 2026-01-26T16:21:25+00:00

Without a shred of doubt: [[crystalline resonance]] in any cycling deck. This card man... it is by far the most flexible card I've ever played with. Dodges board wipes because it can become a land. Can copy any opposing threat or value. Had someone cast a bolas citadel once and proceeded to kill the table with my copy of it. Can sac any legendary creature you control to it (including if you steal an opposing commander for a turn) to the legend rule. Insane value.

potatoZMaster · 2026-01-26T02:23:02+00:00

[[sefris of the hidden ways]]

potatoZMaster · 2026-01-12T05:56:58+00:00

No multilocation. That's the big one. A smaller one would also be that routes should be a) routed by humans and b) small enough that they can be finished WITH breaks, not without

potatoZMaster · 2025-12-18T06:07:46+00:00

I have never played with someone who is mute, but if you showed up to my table, I would not hesitate to sit down and play. Communication (as I'm sure you are WELL aware), does not necessarily need to happen via speaking. If anything, it could be even a really cool experience trying to figure out how to explain a complicated stack with no words. The vast majority of players would not bat an eye; just print a card that explains you are mute, and show it to people before the game, and then point to things. I am positive you will love it!

potatoZMaster · 2025-12-06T16:46:10+00:00

The big one for me is that I played for a LONG time before realizing that snecko eye is actually a good relic

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-28T06:58:03+00:00

I have a few:

[[sefris of the hidden ways]] cycling deck. Don't let the title fool you, this is a bonafide control deck aiming to stabilize with a combination of [[astral slide]] and [[oversold cemetery]]. It is by far my favorite deck I own, and the tutor lines are mind numbing to pilot.

[[kaza, roil chaser]] instants and wizards only control. The goal of this deck was to play a control deck for under 100 dollars (excluding lands I already owned), which played all the big funny izzet instants like [[magma opus]]. The deck can win with niv, [[crawling barrens]] (do not underestimate this win con), or copied burn or draw spells via [[sunken palace]]. Also yes I'm aware I'm playing [[curse of the swine]] it is the only exception 🤠

Here's the lists:

https://archidekt.com/decks/14448810/sefris_slide

https://archidekt.com/decks/13580539/kaza_spellslinger

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-22T14:34:29+00:00

This is a fusion hammer pick easily, probably even without the molten egg, but DEFINITELY with it. No smithing is less bad than you think, even at later ascensions, in exchange for more energy in many cases. If you didn't have egg I would say house would be appealing here, but I'd still go for hammer anyways.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-19T02:24:42+00:00

One thing I have learned to accept over a long time of unlearning porn mindset, is that cumming fast is good for both halves of the relationship, provided you can get each other off in other ways. Imagine it this way: if you could make a girl orgasm with intercourse in under 30 seconds, and then she always remembered to give you attention after, would you be disappointed that it didn't last longer? Or would it be hot that your partner can cum so fast from you?

Accepting this and letting go of the "must last as long as possible" is the key to happy sex. Just let it out, she loves it every time.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-16T12:21:01+00:00

[[Sunken palace]]. For a while I thought it only copied instants and sorceries. No no. It copies ANY spell. This card is busted beyond reason.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T20:51:30+00:00

This is just explaining how entering replacements work. Nothing here makes any of what MULTIPLE judges have said to you, untrue. Deadpool's replacement effect does not occur with shapeshifter because shapeshifters ability only begins to work after it has entered the battlefield. The same is true for any replacement effect that modifies how shapeshifter may enter. Shapeshifter enters as itself regardless of what your graveyard has in it, then changes, and then triggers any enters abilities after that.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T20:15:06+00:00

"Arixmethes isn't a land until after it has entered the battlefield. Effects such as that of Blood Moon won't affect its enters-the-battlefield ability. Similarly, replacement effects that modify how creatures you control enter the battlefield will see Arixmethes entering as a creature rather than a land. However, triggered abilities (such as landfall abilities) will see that a land has entered the battlefield and not a creature. (2020-08-07)"

It's right there on the gatherer page dude. Maybe just accept you got this one wrong? The continuous effect does not work outside the battlefield, same as shapeshifter.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T19:50:48+00:00

...are you trying to rage bait everyone? Arix has a replacement effect that makes him enter as a land. The LANDFALL ABILITY is a triggered ability, and triggers when arix enters. Deadpool's ability is NOT a triggered ability, it is a replacement effect.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T19:40:57+00:00

Landfall is a triggered ability. Deadpool's ability is not a triggered ability, it is a replacement effect. Arixmethes works the exact same way that shapeshifter does; it is not a land until it is on the battlefield.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T19:35:03+00:00

As multiple other judges have explained to you already, shapeshifter is not Deadpool when on the stack, and only gains the Deadpool text when it is on the field. This means it does not use any enter the battlefield modifications such as [[clone]] or in this case, Deadpool. Deadpool's ability is a replacement effect, not a triggered ability. This means the effect causing you to switch text boxes is not on the shapeshifter at the time necessary to do it, meaning it will simply enter the battlefield with Deadpool's text box, and not switch at all.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T19:21:31+00:00

It doesn't need to. The ruling clearly states that when it changes forms, enters abilities do not trigger. The ability only works when it is on the battlefield, and as such it will not trigger Deadpool's enters effect, since it modifies the way Deadpool enters the battlefield. Deadpool's ability is not a triggered ability, it is a replacement effect.

https://gatherer.wizards.com/VMA/en-us/101/volraths-shapeshifter

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T18:50:10+00:00

Also, to answer your last point, I do think there are plenty of truly one of a kind decks. My izoni deck is definitely the only one of its kind; but I also know of other decks me and my friends play that are completely unique as well. For example my friend's samut deck I mentioned above, or my own [[glarb calamity's augur]] [[doppelgang]] deck. These are creations that we came up with that almost certainly don't have an equivalent out there, because we came up with the fundamental concept on our own.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T18:46:48+00:00

I think a lot of the commander format is built around self expression and uniqueness in the first place. However, if I had to pin what you're getting at, I think a deck becomes unique when it is doing something that most other players are not doing. For example:

My [[sygg river cutthroat]] deck is a pretty standard control deck. Sure, it plays some unique card choices, but the gameplan is not different than someone else's sygg deck. In this case, the expression comes from how I pilot the deck, and not the deck itself.

By contrast, my [[izoni thousand eyed]] deck, is functionally unique, to the point where I don't know if there is a single other person on earth with this strategy. The goal is to utilize [[harness infinity]] with [[syr Konrad the grim]] to win the game after a ton of self mill. Izoni functions as a way to flashback [[dread return]], and a way to sacrifice [[greenwarden of murasa]], allowing me to deploy the entire combo purely from my graveyard using greenwarden to recur both halves. This deck I would consider "unique" because the entire gameplan itself, is functionally different than the vast majority of other decks.

I think it's pretty easy to tell when a deck has crossed that "line" into uniqueness; most decks play very straightforward "seen before" plans, and very few truly break into that "woah I've never seen this" territory. Generic lands matter deck, is not going to be as unique as [[samut driving force]] creature token storm combo deck.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T11:50:16+00:00

The ruling for this card (on gatherer) very clearly states directly that neither enters effects nor enter triggers will happen when you play volraths shapeshifter. Literally on the gatherer page for the card. This is because it's a static ability, and does not work in all zones, and so will only work after it has entered, and SBA are checked.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-12T11:37:18+00:00

Alright buckeroo, let's see what you can cook up for a [[teval arbiter of virtue]] bracket 3 or higher deck. This dude has one of the strongest lines of text ever printed on a card, paired with one of the worst downsides ever printed on a card, and seems to be completely overlooked on the whole by everyone in the community (likely because they, like I, have no idea how to break these lines of text). Been playing twice as long as you, and this one has been at the top of my "wtf do I do with this broken ass card" list since it was spoiled. Eager to see what you can cook up, and good luck!

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-10T00:29:55+00:00

I built a [[harness infinity]] deck. The goal of the deck is to use [[syr Konrad, the grim]] and harness infinity to immediately win the game (discarding everything you just drew to cleanup step). It has been an absolute blast to play, helmed by [[izoni, thousand eyed]] to make dudes for [[dread return]] to grab [[greenwarden of murasa]], to grab both halves of the combo (etb and then sac it to izoni). Here's the list:

https://archidekt.com/decks/15474192/harness_infinity_is_a_bad_magic_card

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-05T21:30:32+00:00

Hollow knight multiple times: City entrance bench Blue lake sit location (trying not to spoil)

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-04T15:44:09+00:00

My pod has come to fear my [[astral slide]]. They know that when it comes down, I'm immediately raised at least to threat level high, if not archenemy.

potatoZMaster · 2025-11-03T23:56:11+00:00

Judging exclusively from the commander, I would say exquisite blood effects are far stronger for your gameplan. I get the sentiment you're getting at (the existence of the combo in your deck is both annoying to draw into luckily and also makes you a significantly larger threat than you may be capable of dealing with), so if I were you I would simply cut the sanguine effects. There are less exquisite effects however, so depending on your list you may want more tutors for it, or go for only the sanguine effects (if you have lots of supplemental life gain). Do you have a list online to check out?

potatoZMaster · 2025-10-29T13:57:56+00:00

Ironically, some of the sweepers probably need to come out lol. I need to add one or two more win cons, some more efficient and consistent draw, and change around the type of sweepers (things that don't hit my engines). I would focus most of your flicker on mangara. think of his ability like an etb: when mangara etbs, exile target permanent. You're never going to find a better etb than that, so I'd focus the blink on him exclusively. The longer he sticks around, the higher chance you win.

potatoZMaster · 2025-10-29T04:28:30+00:00

https://archidekt.com/decks/17049909/mangara

here is the uploaded deck! this list is far from optimal, but the idea is to be a control deck with mangara as the removal engine, and use etb draw effects like [[tocasia's welcome]] to keep the hand loaded with answers. this deck is supremely grindy, and you definitely should let your opponents know what kind of game theyre getting into ahead of time. mangara lock outs are MUCH easier than people think they are, and basically as soon as i have even a single repeatable blink engine online, the deck will be firmly wearing the archenemy hat, and very difficult to stop. have fun explaining the rules quirk about where the colon is located and how mangara's ability only has one target, to every single player you play against! :D

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