<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student" href="#" target="_blank">Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magali_villeneuve/?hl=en">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p><em>Salutations et bienvenue</em>, my dear brewers, to a somewhat different piece than usual. Today, I'm not making a tight budget deck, nor am I building Power Rangers X Teletubbies (seriously, please don't ask for that).</p>
<p>No, today, I'd like to share my thoughts as a somewhat seasoned player with both American and French communities. While I believe any Commander player shares something with the rest of the base, there are some differences, significant enough that I feel like sharing some thoughts. And since most of you are probably more used to playing with people from the United States of the North of America That Stands Under Canada And Above Mexico On A World Map, I'm going to focus more on the French behaviour.</p>
<p>Please bear in mind these considerations are 100% empirical, and are not based on any scientific study or statistical analyses.</p>
<p>I only hope you'll take all of this with a grain of salt.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Difference #1 – Power Creep</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Apex of Power"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overpowering Attack"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Power Matrix"></div></div>
<p>Let's start with what I believe is the most obvious trait. The one major, massive, humongous difference between American and French players is the latter's propensity to play powerful decks.</p>
<p>Now don't get me wrong. I've encountered several players here and there in the Anglosaxon world that enjoyed taking their super-duper cEDH-or-almost-there deck for a spin. But my general experience has been skewed towards Bracket 2 to mid-Bracket 3 decks, rather than going Bruce Almighty.</p>
<p>That's not quite the case with French people. Be it in local game stores or online, most of the players I've encountered have had a huge tendency to play powerful and oppressive strategies.</p>
<p>Allow me to share three anecdotes to illustrate this.</p>
<p>1) I used to play with a very nice guy. Let's call him Lionel. Lionel was what you may call <em>"un builder fou", </em>a mad brewer. He liked to try wild strategies and was skilled enough to turn them into real churning machines.</p>
<p>I distinctly remember him coming to my house one day with what he called a "<em>tame <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student" href="#" target="_blank">Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>". "Don't worry, I've built this with what I had lying around, it's not that good", </em>he said, as I was trying to play my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edric, Spymaster of Trest" href="#" target="_blank">Edric, Spymaster of Trest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> very low-to-the-ground budget brew. Suffice it to say the game did not last more than six turns before he soft-locked us all.</p>
<p>2) Sacri is another such example. This hunk of meat is one of the kindest guys I know (not to mention a phenomenal medieval fencer, but I digress). He also likes to play with power. <em>"This deck? Nah, it only has six or seven combos, it's not that fast. Huh, what's a Bracket?" </em>I would love nothing more to tell you that all of this is pure invention. But my bottom still remembers the double-smacking it received when he proceeded to win two games in a row on turn 4. And that wasn't even his best.</p>
<p>3) How about random groups then? During summer holidays in Southern France – just left of the middle of nowhere – I heard about a group that played on Friday evenings.</p>
<p>Let's slide over the guy who insisted on playing Duel with his tuned deck against my B2 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shirei, Shizo&#039;s Caretaker" href="#" target="_blank">Shirei</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to focus on the one I'll call <em>Mr. Stax. </em>I was already nervous when I saw <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oloro, Ageless Ascetic" href="#" target="_blank">Oloro, Ageless Ascetic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the command zone. Again, he told the table <em>"everything's fine". </em>Before casting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Limited Resources" href="#" target="_blank">Limited Resources</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>When I pointed out that card was actually banned in commander, he almost started to sulk for not being able to play annoying cards. Again, true story.</p>
<p>I could go on with the local commander tournaments that focused on fun-plays-and-no-cEDH-because-no-way-but-please-vote-for-the-funniest-deck-oh-wait-why-are-you-comboing-off. Or that very nice guy who could not help but chuckle when someone played something sub-optimally.</p>
<p>I'm not trying here to compete for the Bolas among Bolases. My point with all this is rather simple : most French players love their power plays. So if you ever happen to play with random people in a French LGS, make sure you do a thorough Rule 0 talk before starting, or you may be in for a nasty surprise.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Difference #2 – Language and manners</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saltblast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brash Taunter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rowdy Crew"></div></div>
<p>This one may come (or not) as a surprise. French people are known for being rowdy. I've met Americans that consider us downright offensive and rude. To whom I'll respond that we simply don't beat around the bush, but I digress (again).</p>
<p>Well, Commander is no different. We call ourselves names <em>–Ah mais t'es un gros enculé en fait ; Ah le bâtaaaard !!!* – </em>and trash talk is rather commonplace, much more so than with Americans.</p>
<p>I have a hypothesis that can partly explain this. In French, we distinguish the "tu" and "vous". The first is colloquial, for close friends, and the "vous" is more formal, when there's a distance between the speakers.</p>
<p>In English however, there's only the "you", used for all situations. Since <em>Magic</em> is a social game, players always use the "tu" around the table. This leads to more relaxed social interactions, and possibly extended banter and name-calling. That's just an idea, and I'm no scholar, so feel free to prove me wrong if you have more knowledge on this!</p>
<p>Now, I'm not saying that's never the case elsewhere. But in almost all my games online on American servers, be it with newcomers or old chums, I've never ever heard that kind of language (barring a couple of bad experiences).</p>
<p>To a foreigner, this might seem weird, appalling even. I can't blame you. Nevertheless, in most cases what happens at the table stays at the table. I may occasionally call someone a haemorrhoidal asshole, that won't stop us from sharing a beer afterwards.</p>
<p>Don't take everything that French people say too seriously, and most of all don't expect us to sugar-coat anything.</p>
<p>*No, I won't translate this, not here. If you're that curious, Gtranslate it.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Difference #3 – Duel Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Keen Duelist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dueling Grounds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trueheart Duelist"></div></div>
<p>It's no coincidence that Duel Commander is also colloquially called French Commander, and is played basically only in France, aside from a few other exotic locations.</p>
<p>I was there when the format began, and while I haven't played in a while, I've battled against a few decks, enough to make up my own mind.</p>
<p>What first started as a 30-life duel quickly went down to 20, with some of the most brutally oppressive strategies I've seen in this game. It's also a format that openly bans some cards as commander only, but not in the 99.</p>
<p>I won't delve too deeply on this topic, as I've lost interest rather quickly. I'm also not going down the rabbit hole of the endless controversies it has suffered, especially the various shitstorms against the rules committee. Like all formats, it has its ups and its downs.</p>
<p>What I find most interesting is how closely it ties in with the first point. Duel Commander is an extremely competitive format, eager to beat down on whatever stands in its way.</p>
<p>Somehow, I find it not too dissimilar to what Legacy has become, only with singleton 100-card decks rather than the usual 60. This is rather fitting with what I was illustrating above, with the French propensity to lean towards high power.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Conclusion – <em>Cordialement de va te faire cuire un oeuf</em></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taunting Elf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jabs, Mistress of Mockery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impractical Joke"></div></div>
<p>I hope you enjoyed this somewhat tumultuous journey in the French meta.</p>
<p>Again, I insist that you should take all of this with a grain (or a teaspoon) of salt. These few comments are based solely on my experience in the 30 years or so I've been playing this game.</p>
<p>I'm positive there are a bajillion counter-examples to everything I've said. And I'm not saying that each and every French player answers to those criteria.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I'm rather positive on the general trend.</p>
<p>How about you? Have you had similar experiences with the <em>Gaulois</em>? Have you played with the most charming and exquisite persons?</p>
<p>Let me know in the comments below, and I'll see you next week!</p>


The Sodium Content Difference Between USA and France

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emeritus of Woe" href="#" target="_blank">Emeritus of Woe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://jodiemuir.squarespace.com/">Jodie Muir</a></em></p>
<p>Are you a fan of salty food? A good potato chip, or maybe a nice hot pretzel? Everyone likes a different amount of salt on their food, just as everyone enjoys a different level of salt in their game of Commander. Every year, EDHREC puts out a vote to gauge how un-fun (i.e., salty) cards are to play against. That vote is then turned into the <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt">Salt Score</a>, and every single year the same type of cards rise to the top of the rankings. But should they? I have taken it upon myself to tell you, <em>the community</em>: you got it wrong!</p>
<p>That's right, the 2025 votes may be in, but they are not as salty as you think. So let's change up the seasoning of this dish while I tell you the 10 High-Salt Cards the Community Got Wrong last year.</p>
<h2>The Cards</h2>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.36</strong></p>
<p>Time to start with the biggest and baddest card on the list: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. One of the saltiest cards year after year, a card on the <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers">Game Changers</a> list, and a constant topic of a card that should be banned. So why would I say that the community got this one wrong?</p>
<p>There are a few reasons. The first is a bit of a memory issue. There was a time when Cyclonic Rift might have been the single best card in Commander. Today, I don't think that could be said with any real seriousness. Crazy cards are printed multiple times a year, and while Rift is still good, it has fallen off as the years go on.</p>
<p>Secondly, people play this card wrong all the time. While overloading this card and bouncing everyone's boards, using this as just a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> bounce spell is often better than hoping you can hold out and get to the overload.</p>
<p>Lastly, decks today don't need to branch out to as many permanent types as they used to when searching for specific effects.</p>
<p>Redundancy in card effects means that for some decks it might be better to run cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evacuation" href="#" target="_blank">Evacuation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wash Out" href="#" target="_blank">Wash Out</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and get that Game Changer slot back.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aura Shards" href="#" target="_blank">Aura Shards</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aura Shards"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.18</strong></p>
<p>When was the last time that you saw this card in play? When you did, how long did it take for the person controlling this card to stop using it?</p>
<p>I'd say the answer to my first question is no, and the answer to the second is very quickly.</p>
<p>The easiest reason the community got this card's salt rating wrong is that it comes with a may ability. Most decks would be better off running creatures or single-target removal to pick off pesky artifacts and enchantments.</p>
<p>You don't need this card in your decks. If anything, it puts a massive target on your back for the other three players because the effect is strong, but the person who should be salty about it is the card's controller.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindslaver" href="#" target="_blank">Mindslaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindslaver"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.98</strong></p>
<p>The only situation where this card should be considered salty is if a player can loop it and turn a Commander game into a true game of solitaire.</p>
<p>I'll admit I don't like my turn being stolen, but when you get down to the nitty-gritty of it, this card is not that much different than someone taking all your creatures with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insurrection" href="#" target="_blank">Insurrection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If a player wanted to make a four-player pod a single-player experience, they should just play cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temporal Manipulation" href="#" target="_blank">Temporal Manipulation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nexus of Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Nexus of Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Cards like Mindslaver and others sharing the same effects (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worst Fears" href="#" target="_blank">Worst Fears</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the Promised End" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the Promised End</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) make for some of the most memorable game moments.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadpool, Trading Card" href="#" target="_blank">Deadpool, Trading Card</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadpool, Trading Card"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.90</strong></p>
<p>Is this card a bit of an annoyance? Yes, but not for the reason that you want it to be.</p>
<p>The effect is pretty trivial. When used on your commander, it is about the same as getting hit with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Mutation" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Mutation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Song of the Dryads" href="#" target="_blank">Song of the Dryads</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. What actually makes you think this card is salty is the strategy that often dominates red deck strategies: <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/clones">clones</a>.</p>
<p>Yes, you are reading that correctly: clones in red. While blue will never be outdone when it comes to clones, just look at some of the top commanders for the strategy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Conqueror"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obeka, Brute Chronologist"></div></div>
<p>My point is that you don't hate Deadpool, Trading Card, because it is good. You hate playing against clones, and to a lesser extent, you might hate this card because it is a Universes Beyond card, and I don't have time to get into that.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boil" href="#" target="_blank">Boil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> / <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boiling Seas" href="#" target="_blank">Boiling Seas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> / <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tsunami" href="#" target="_blank">Tsunami</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boiling Seas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tsunami"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.87 / 1.76 / 1.64</strong></p>
<p>For as much as people say they hate the color blue, I was surprised that all of these destroy-all-Island cards were not higher on the list.</p>
<p>Could it be that all of these cards are bad? Or maybe, thanks to the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wotc-introduces-new-bracket-system-for-edh?utm_source=edhrec">Bracket system</a>, mass land destruction is relegated to Bracket 4 and above, and these cards are even worse at higher power?</p>
<p>The answer is yes to both. If you truly want to play some land hate similar to the cards above, here is what you should play.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Acid Rain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return of the Nightstalkers"></div></div>
<p>Why are both of these just okay cards, and why should you play them? You can force them to work against the entire table no matter what colors they are or aren't playing, thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>While I wouldn't suggest playing any of this land-type hate, playing the ones you can force to work is better than the ones you can't.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the World Anew" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the World Anew</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emrakul, the World Anew"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.83</strong></p>
<p>One of the weakest of the giant spaghetti monsters, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the World Anew" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the World Anew</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't need to be close to the salty cards.</p>
<p>It is one of the worst ways to steal all of the creatures that a single player controls. There are many better things that you can do for 12 mana.</p>
<p>Sure, it has a madness cost, but even then you need six ◊ mana specifically to cast it that way. If this card is your commander, then it might as well not even have the madness ability.</p>
<p>If this were any of the other versions of the Eldrazi Mom, I could see them making the list — even the brand new one, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the Exigent Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the Exigent Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But not here, not the World Anew.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Consecrated Sphinx" href="#" target="_blank">Consecrated Sphinx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Consecrated Sphinx"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.80</strong></p>
<p>This card only draws cards.</p>
<p><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for a 4/6 flyer that draws you some extra cards. I'd never call this card bad, but seeing this card on not only the <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers">Game Changers</a> list, but the saltiest cards list is baffling to me.</p>
<p>Like Cyclonic Rift, this card holds a spot deep within the minds of long-time Commander players. Those who were around when the game was referred to as EDH exclusively still remember this card being a menace.</p>
<p>But as I said above for Rift, this card just hasn't held up over time. Unlike Rift, this card has held up even worse. I haven't seen this card hit a table in more than five years, and I don't expect to see it outside of a Cube Draft or someone playing Sphinx typal.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oko, Thief of Crowns" href="#" target="_blank">Oko, Thief of Crowns</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oko, Thief of Crowns"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.71</strong></p>
<p>We all need to forget the crimes this card committed when it was legal in Standard.</p>
<p>In a one-vs.-one setting, this card is a menace to society and should be treated with the highest hostility. When it comes to Commander, this card should see more play.</p>
<p>This is an underplayed card in Commander because it is better than most planeswalkers at staying alive thanks to high loyalty and two abilities that add loyalty.</p>
<p>However, with how little people play planeswalkers, and for the few who reach for this card when they do, it shouldn't be considered a salty card. I can't stop you from punishing it for the crimes it committed in other formats, however.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale" href="#" target="_blank">The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale"></div></div>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.68</strong></p>
<p>I try my best to avoid factoring in price when talking about cards. But for this card, you have to consider price.</p>
<p>This isn't a card you see at the table. If you tell me that you see it at the table, I don't believe you. If you tell me you play this card, I want you to show it to me. After that, I require a detailed essay on why this card is worth running in your deck above anything else you could play. Sure, it can cripple a token deck, and if for some reason you are playing no creatures at all, then why not run it?</p>
<p>Maybe because it costs $3,000.</p>
<p>For a land that doesn't tap for mana and, in most cases, doesn't push your game plan forward, this card is not even worth it to Sharpie onto a basic land. While MLD is frowned upon, more people should be playing single-target land hate, not for this card but for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Pack a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghost Quarter" href="#" target="_blank">Ghost Quarter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of Ruin" href="#" target="_blank">Field of Ruin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or any of the other cards like them, and hit someone who plays this card where it hurts: their wallet.</p>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p>The Salt Score will look different for every player. Something that bothers me might be no big deal to you. But as a community of players, we need to admit that some of these cards may be on the list because of overreactions or misplaced feelings. Subpar play, memories of a time gone by, misplaced format hate, and some people just being wrong have affected the rankings found on the list.</p>
<p>I believe we can fix this in 2026 if we work together. So this year, vote with your head, not just your heart. When you see <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tergrid, God of Fright" href="#" target="_blank">Tergrid, God of Fright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> come up during the vote, please vote accordingly. When <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> appears on the screen, vote... the same way you always do; that card is the worst.</p>
<p>Don't for a second believe that I would tell you how to vote. Vote with your heart and your head. I promise you that if Zacama, Primal Calamity comes up, I will give it the highest score possible. Use salt sparingly when cooking and voting on <em>Magic</em> cards.</p>
<h3>The <a href="https://edhrec.com/salt">2026 Salt Score polls</a> are now open. Vote now! Vote often!</h3>


10 High-Salt Cards the Community Got Wrong

The Salty Cards EDHREC Writers Refuse to Face

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.chasestoneart.com/">Chase Stone</a></em></p>
<p>It’s Salt Score voting week at EDHREC, and this time of data collection is also a time of data reflection! I've pored over 2025’s Salt Scores and dug up the 10 most played of the Top 100 Saltiest Cards. I'm here to note how salty they are and why they still see so much play in comparison to others on their list. Let’s drink a big glass of water and dive in.</p>
<h2>#10 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Bowmasters" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Bowmasters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orcish Bowmasters"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 405,957</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.07</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 46</strong></p>
<p>Commander players love drawing cards. Out of the top 50 creatures played in the format, 20 of them only have 1 toughness, so the Orc can usually kill something valuable outright. And if there isn’t a target when the card is drawn? It can still go face. All while growing its Orc Army!</p>
<p>Why the salt? It’s too much value for too little mana — and on a reactive, controlling piece to boot.</p>
<h2>#9 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Will"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 473,002</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.01</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 55</strong></p>
<p>Can anything new be said about Force? It’s the first free counterspell ever printed and remains one of the best. Needing to have another blue card in hand isn’t hard (but not a cakewalk, as demonstrated by it being in the bottom half of salty).</p>
<p>Why the salt? It’s a free counterspell. Looking for a shields moment in the blue player(s) and going for it only to hear “Force” is gut-churning.</p>
<h2>#8 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Farewell"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 518,178 </strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.13</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 41</strong></p>
<p>This is the newest card of the top 10. It is a true board wipe, getting rid of basically every major permanent type and graveyards for good measure. For six mana, it’s very attainable in most games. Its high usage can also be attributed to being included in several different commander precons across the last few years.</p>
<p>Why’s it salty? Compare this to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldfire" href="#" target="_blank">Worldfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sway of the Stars" href="#" target="_blank">Sway of the Stars</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Farewell isn’t a full game reset in the same way that those cards are, but this is damning with faint praise. “Choose up to two modes” would have gone a long way to making this card feel better to play against.</p>
<h2>#7 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Drain" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Drain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Drain"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 706,609</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.89</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 69</strong></p>
<p>Interesting note: this is the least salty card in the list.</p>
<p>This is the most busted counterspell that’s not free. Before Wizards of the Coast started making supplemental draft products, Mark Rosewater famously said that all of R&amp;D would have to be run over by a bus for this card to be reprinted. Even if you don’t have a use for the mana, it’s still <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of the most played cards of all time. “You're welcome for the convenience.”</p>
<p>This being on the lower end of salt feels like it’s being compared to the free counterspells.</p>
<h2>#6 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi&#039;s Protection"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 731,446</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.13</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 39</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a three-mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>… or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that also dodges <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And for good measure, it protects you from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banefire" href="#" target="_blank">Banefire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of all things, a card that can’t be countered and whose damage can’t be prevented. This card looks at both of those lines of text and laughs. It’s shockingly versatile and that versatility brings with it a sense of “oh, of course, this card again”.</p>
<p>This versatility is why it’s so salty. Counterspells are commonly cited as the most frustrating card type that R&amp;D consistently supports, and the big T-Prot here acts as a counterspell in most situations while also being able to interact with a developed board state.</p>
<h2>#5 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The One Ring"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 798,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.55</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 14</strong></p>
<p>What do you mean it’s an insane draw engine stapled to half of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and it costs generic mana? Look, the card is at its best when you can untap it or flicker it, but even a “fair” One Ring is going to take over the game by drawing an obscene amount of cards in no time flat.</p>
<p>Most likely reasons for saltiness: the price tag, generic mana cost, and everything written on the card.</p>
<h2>#4 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fierce Guardianship" href="#" target="_blank">Fierce Guardianship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fierce Guardianship"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 855,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.30</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 27</strong></p>
<p>The second card in this list to be originally printed in a precon! The cycle of “if you control a commander” free spells from<em> Commander 2020</em> have had a big impact on the format, to say the least. Not only is this comparable to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it compares favorably because I wouldn’t feel terrible about hard-casting this in a pinch.</p>
<p>Why the salt? A free counterspell, and easier than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The high amount of play despite the high amount of salt can mostly be chalked up to relative availabilities. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is in just a little over half as many decks, so it isn’t as visible.</p>
<h2>#3 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 932,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.58</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 12</strong></p>
<p>Here we are, in the big 3, with a card that’s nearly in the top 10 saltiest cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns your opponents’ draws into taxation or Treasure for only four mana, with one white pip to be seen. That obscene tax rate of two mana per draw makes this a Treasure-dumping machine. The high splashability means there’s virtually no cost of inclusion for deckbuilding.</p>
<p>Why the salt? Too much value for its mana cost, and the constant questioning is like driving on a highway that suddenly has speed bumps.</p>
<h2>#2 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 1,008,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.36</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 22</strong></p>
<p>The first card of the list to break a million decks, Cyclonic Rift used to be <i>the</i> salt-inducing card. It was a consistent top 10 for the first few years of the Salt List.</p>
<p>The instant speed one-sided board wipe in blue for seven mana, or a perfectly serviceable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disperse" href="#" target="_blank">Disperse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a pinch. The best C-Rifts are those used to clear the way for victory, but… all too often it’s a dead card because the player isn’t actually at seven mana, or else they deploy it while behind and just grind the game to a halting “do it again, but more frantically”.</p>
<p>Yeesh. The only thing worse than this is…</p>
<p>Oh dear sweet mother of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (61st-saltiest card, by the way, at 1.97)… Let’s take a break first.</p>
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<p>The EDHREC Salt Score list includes every card that has some salt votes on it. I chose to limit my scope to the Top 100 for reasons of breadth of coverage as well as cohesiveness. (Did you know <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Not on My Watch" href="#" target="_blank">Not on My Watch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a 1.14 Salt Score… making it higher than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait" href="#" target="_blank">Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at 1.13? Strange!) However, I will take a moment to highlight some of the most-played cards from the general list here (and note where they would have roughly been placed had they been included).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mystic Remora"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Esper Sentinel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deflecting Swat"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Remora" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Remora</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (pseudo #9)</p>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 774,166</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.54</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esper Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Esper Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (pseudo #7)</p>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 872,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.67</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (pseudo #6)</p>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 887,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.72</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Remora" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Remora</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esper Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Esper Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both interrupt the game with “do you pay the (number)” but at least Remora blows itself up in a few turns and Sentinel is a fragile artifact creature. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only just missed the Top 100, taking 102nd place — free interaction is always trouble, but at least this one has a “you deserved that” element.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Tomb"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demonic Tutor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sol Ring"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Tomb" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Tomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (pseudo #4)</p>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 972,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.41</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (pseudo #3)</p>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 948,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.58</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (pseudo #1)</p>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 8,401,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 1.46</strong></p>
<p>These three are clearly here due to ubiquity and value. None of them have crazy lines of text, they just do one thing a little too well for most play groups. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a number one most-played “salty card” would have felt a little silly, if we’re being honest.</p>
<p>There’s one final card to talk about, the card from the Top 100 Saltiest list that’s the most played. It also does one thing a little too well, but that one thing is <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-intersections-of-salt-and-rhystic-study">really, <i>really</i> annoying</a>…</p>
<h2>#1 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhystic Study"></div></div>
<p><strong>Deck Count: 1,105,000</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Score: 2.73</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salt Ranking: 5</strong></p>
<p>The fifth-saltiest card is also the most played saltbomb. It’s a little jarring, on some level.</p>
<p>You know it, you hate it, and you apparently play it anyway, it’s Rhystic Study. The three mana enchantment that originated the “do you pay the 1?” memes. In bad pods, no one pays the one, and the Rhystic player wins. In solid pods, the game is slowed by the tax until someone draws removal and then plays their own Rhystic. And everyone groans as they keep having to answer a question with no good answer before they can finish playing a spell.</p>
<h2>What Can We Learn From This?</h2>
<p>Magic players aren’t logical, that’s for sure. My first thought was that the most played salty cards would all be the least salty of the bunch. Instead I found the opposite — the fifth-saltiest is the most played of that category. I think prevalence may be a big factor here! It’s hard to find something salty if you don’t see it at all.</p>
<p>Most of the cards on this list have unique qualities when compared to a lot of the other salty cards. Instead of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smokestack" href="#" target="_blank">Smokestack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, we have reactive pieces — counterspells, effects which can protect your game plan, or ways to disrupt your opponents in short bursts rather than keep them from playing outright.</p>
<p>Some of these reactive pieces are great, but they just drag the game out if the caster doesn’t have a win on the way. When not reactive, they are turbo value engines that quickly outpace all else. Magic players don’t like their games to be too slow, or too fast.</p>
<p>They need it to be… well…</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Three Bowls of Porridge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flaxen Intruder|ELD|155"></div></div>
<h3>The EDHREC Salt Score voting <a href="https://edhrec.com/salt">is now open</a>! Cast your votes today!</h3>


The 10 Most-Played Salty Cards in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon|A25|5" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> |</em> <em>Art by <a href="https://www.rahnart.com/">Chris Rahn</a></em></p> <p>Hello everyone! I’m Levi from <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ThoughtVesselShow">The Thought Vessel</a></em>, and I have the privilege of kicking off Salt Week, scheduled for Oct. 5-9.</p> <p>When players see the Salt List every year, they take away different things from the data. Some players accept the list as a personal challenge to play the saltiest deck they can. Other players look at the trends in salt over the years. Some players go as far as to use it like a soft ban list, as they don't want to use cards that people don't like.</p> <p>Everyone is welcome to use the list however they like, but today I want to push back on using the Salt List as a ban list and open the conversation a bit. These cards are Commander legal and can be used to cultivate fun play experiences when used in the right context.</p> <p>Let’s take a step back first and go over exactly what a Salt Score is.</p> <h2>What is a Salt Score?</h2> <p>Every year here on EDHREC, we have a survey of cards legal in Commander where players rate, on a scale of 0 to 4, with 0 being no salt at all, how salty they thought the card was. While powerful cards can end up with a high Salt Score, it’s not a requirement. Instead, Salt Scores allow players to see what types of cards the greater Magic community might have negative feelings toward. Any card can wind up with a high Salt Score, but we typically see some patterns develop.</p> <h2>Top Salt Categories</h2> <p>When we look at the saltiest cards from last year, most of them fall into one of four categories.</p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div></div> <h3>1. They vault a player into the lead.</h3> <p>These are your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cards. They generate a ton of value and will pull a player ahead of the rest of the table if left alone. Some of the most boring or frustrating games of Commander are when one player gets out to a lightning fast start and no one has anything they can do to stop it.</p> <p>A big reason that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeweled Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Jeweled Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Crypt" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Crypt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> were banned is that they were some of the best cards for getting a commander out earlier than anticipated with little to no downside. These non-games can build up frustration and ultimately put a lot of salt on these types of cards.</p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stasis"></div></div> <h3>2. They make playing <em>Magic</em> difficult.</h3> <p>This is the biggest category on the Salt List, as Stax pieces are well represented, with the top card on the list being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p> <p>In fact, of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt">top ten saltiest cards from last year</a>, eight were what I would call Stax cards if you count <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tergrid, God of Fright" href="#" target="_blank">Tergrid, God of Fright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Stax cards can stop things from untapping, steal cards, make spells cost more, or even remove mana sources like lands. The objective is to make an environment where opposing decks can't function well, if at all.</p> <p>Commander is, in a lot of ways, playing <em>Magic</em> in a board game-like setting. Players don’t like being restricted in their choices. It would be like taking away one of the dice from someone in <em>Monopoly</em> or completely skipping a player’s turn in <em>Risk</em>.</p> <p>When a player gets to their turn and realizes that they can only untap one land thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or they can’t cast their commander because <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drannith Magistrate" href="#" target="_blank">Drannith Magistrate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is in play, it’s understandable that they might have some frustrations toward those cards.</p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy"></div></div> <h3>3. They are high-power cards being played in a lower-power pod.</h3> <p>There is some overlap between this category and our first category, as cEDH players tend to like explosive cards that can give them an edge in their games, but there are extra levels to cards that I would put here.</p> <p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a very well-known cEDH win condition paired with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Consultation" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Consultation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or other cards to remove a library. When players see a card like this used in a casual Commander game, the assumption is that the person casting it is trying to pub stomp with a combo, even if they can only cast it late game after drawing through their deck.</p> <p>This can carry over to the command zone too, with commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These commanders have incredibly high ceilings and high floors, having been used at higher power tables for years. They are so generically strong that it’s very difficult to power these decks down.</p> <p>Even upgrading a couple of cards with a new set can change power levels significantly. Getting blown out by these decks over and over in games where it really doesn’t feel like anyone has a chance, even if that isn’t true, generates salt.</p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warp World"></div></div> <h3>4. They make decisions in the game insignificant.</h3> <p>And now we have chaos cards. These are your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thieves&#039; Auction" href="#" target="_blank">Thieves&#039; Auction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warp World" href="#" target="_blank">Warp World</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldfire" href="#" target="_blank">Worldfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cards.</p> <p>A lot of Commander players, myself included, enjoy games that have a lot of strategy to them and where decisions matter. The game progresses and is built upon the decisions of the players in the game. Cards in this category can erase the history of the game.</p> <p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldfire" href="#" target="_blank">Worldfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, if cast by itself, exiles every player’s hand, board, and graveyard while setting the table to one life.</p> <p>It doesn’t matter what political deals were made early in the game, how many creatures were on the board, or how much card advantage was generated before that point. Everyone is now trying to draw a land or two and a way to deal one damage to each opponent to win the game. A lot of players don’t want to be put into a position where their decisions are no longer their own, and consequently, if someone casts a spell in this category without talking about it with the pod beforehand, it’ll likely upset some people.</p> <h2>No More Mr. Nice Card</h2> <p>Sometimes, cards are mean, and that’s okay. <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> has always been a game of action and reaction. One player will play a threat, and their opponent can deploy a threat of their own or address the current problem on the board.</p> <p>Being able to answer or slow each other down is how we prevent the format from speeding up beyond control. Interacting with each other is what makes Commander an interesting game. If we’re all racing for the finish line, the fastest person will always win. But if we’re allowed to slow each other down or boost ourselves, now the winner at the end of the day isn’t always the same.</p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Voja, Jaws of the Conclave"></div></div> <p>If we counter an opponent’s commander, that isn’t exactly nice. Getting mauled by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voja, Jaws of the Conclave" href="#" target="_blank">Voja, Jaws of the Conclave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and his crew of Elves and Wolves because we let him live isn’t particularly nice either.</p> <p>We are constantly getting in each other’s way, as is the nature of a four-player free-for-all battle. It can be absolutely frustrating at times, but it’s a core part of the game.</p> <p>Speeding up our deck may be just as important, if not more, than slowing everyone else down. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raph &amp; Mikey, Troublemakers" href="#" target="_blank">Raph &amp; Mikey, Troublemakers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an incredibly powerful commander, but it’s also seven mana. If we’re waiting until turn six or seven to cast them for the first time, it might be too late in the game to make an impact.</p> <p>Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can get our deck up and running at a relevant pace. It isn’t a matter of trying to pull away from everyone in that context, but speeding up enough to actually play the game. If we wanted to play Raph and Mikey in a lower bracket, I would avoid these higher acceleration cards because games are naturally going to go longer and we have time to let things play out.</p> <p>These cards earned their Salt Score for a reason, and when we add them to decks, it’s important to be intentional with our choices.</p> <h2>Salt Doesn’t Go on Everything</h2> <p>Looking at the saltiest cards in Commander, it should be noted that while some cards also fall onto the Game Changers list, all current cards are Commander legal. I’m a believer that every card has a home in the right deck, and players shouldn’t be afraid to play these cards just because they have a bad reputation.</p> <p>The Salt List is a guide that can help players understand what cards in their decks may warrant a heads-up to the table during pregame conversations. If we sit down and I disclose that I’m playing a Horror typal deck featuring <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxrill, the Corrosive" href="#" target="_blank">Toxrill, the Corrosive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I want to give players the opportunity to opt out of that experience if they aren’t feeling up for it.</p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toxrill, the Corrosive"></div></div> <p>Of course, a full-blown Kinnan cEDH list in Bracket 3 or Game Changers in Bracket 2 or less can create a pretty significant mismatch. Some of these cards are incredibly strong, and we definitely want to take that into account when we decide to put them in our decks. Salt, power, and suitability aren’t the same thing, and it’s important to know the difference.</p> <p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is powerful and salty, but it wouldn’t be suitable in a precon-level deck since it’s a Game Changer. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warp World" href="#" target="_blank">Warp World</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may not be my favorite card of all time and isn’t extremely powerful, but if a playgroup likes chaotic games, it might be a suitable card to add to a deck.</p> <p>Understanding how these cards fit on each scale can help us make decisions on what card would belong in our decks. When salty cards get added to decks the right way, interesting things can follow.</p> <h2>Salt Adds Flavor</h2> <p>As philosopher Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”</p> <p>Commander games can get repetitive when everything goes according to plan. Players ramp easily in the game, build up their boards, attack where they can, and someone typically wins off of a big spell or synergy. But what happens when players aren’t able to cast their commander on the most optimal turn due to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drannith Magistrate" href="#" target="_blank">Drannith Magistrate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p> <p>What happens when the aggro deck is immediately put on the back foot by an explosive <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck? Can we adjust when things go <em>very</em> wrong? Sometimes it’s fun to test our deck and skills as a Commander player with situations we weren’t prepared for.</p> <p>While it may be frustrating in the moment, working with the table to overcome and beat a deck that is trying to lock players out of the game is incredibly satisfying. It’s those games that feel like, as long as the archenemy doesn’t win, it’s a win for everyone.</p> <p>Stepping into the role of the villain at the table can be very satisfying too. Who doesn’t want to practice their maniacal laugh while fighting through blockers and removal spells? One of the best parts of Commander is when players can work together for a mutual goal, even if that goal is murdering us.</p> <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Villainous Wealth"></div></div> <h2>Wrapping Up</h2> <p>While you may not want to play a ton of cards that the community has negative reactions to, I don’t think that it needs to be a hard and fast rule. In the right pod, with the right people, any card can find a home.</p> <p>All I ask is to give a higher salt card a try. Add a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadpool, Trading Card" href="#" target="_blank">Deadpool, Trading Card</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a way to steal a commander’s text box, or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Warp" href="#" target="_blank">Time Warp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to get that extra turn to close out a game. You may like adding a little extra spice to Commander night.</p> <p>Which of the top Salt List cards do you play? Bonus points for Stax pieces. Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy brewing and stay salty!</p> <p>Salt voting opens Monday, Oct. 5 and will continue through Friday, Oct. 9!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> 

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