Any card that searches for something that's not a basic land, is a tutor. And that's because any card that's not a basic is limited to one copy so the tutors increase their redundancy. A rampant growth is not a tutor because basic lands have no limits, so you play it for ramping and not for redundancy. If you want redundancy on your basics you can just run more basics.

Commie Commander here, I just wanted to take a moment to address something that’s been bugging me. Are we really going to discuss the case against tutors and just completely overlook ramp, like it’s some innocent bystander? Come on, folks, let’s be real-Rampant Growth is a tutor. We all know it, Matt knows it, and we’re just not calling it that because acknowledging it means green decks might have to slow down to the same pace as everyone else-and that’s something we seem to want to avoid. And let’s be honest: even if green decks did slow down, they’d still be the most powerful. Green doesn’t even need land tutors to dominate! Between cards like Lotus Cobra, Dictate of Karametra, Vernal Bloom, Overgrowth, and Wild Growth, green has all the land acceleration and mana fixing it could ever need. Meanwhile, other colors are still relying on mana rocks, just hoping no one casts Vandalblast. Let’s also talk about Dana’s Birthing Pod commentary. It’s a perfect example of how this conversation gets so one-sided. When you joke about “disappointing Pod activations,” you’re already acknowledging that not all tutors are created equal. But then when it comes to Demonic Tutor or Diabolic Tutor, it’s like the world is ending. Why? Is it because of some lingering nostalgia for the “good old days” of Commander, when tutors were inherently seen as too powerful? I think we need to call that what it is: confirmation bias. Now, let’s talk about “working for it.” If ramping into six lands by turn five is considered “earning it,” then we’ve got a seriously warped sense of what effort means. Sure, let’s all give ourselves a pat on the back for dropping Explosive Vegetation like it’s some heroic task, while the rest of us are trying to keep up without the luxury of tutoring for a mana base. Here’s the thing-this debate misses the bigger picture. It’s not about whether tutors are bad; it’s about how they’re used. If someone tutors for a way to stabilize the board, is that really worse than ramping into 12 mana and steamrolling the table? Personally, I think it’s not even close. But we keep avoiding green’s complete monopoly on resource acceleration, because it’s easier to vilify black’s card-fetching spells than to admit that green is the real king of breaking parity. What if we gave other colors the tools to compete more fairly? Maybe if someone ramps three lands, everyone else should get three lands too. Or how about some enchantments that punish those greedy ramp strategies? Something that slaps an opponent every time they tap one of those shiny new lands they just tutored for. It’s time to balance things out a bit-green doesn’t need to have all the fun. And Dana, I’ve got to ask-Stoneforge Mystic gets a pass because of its theme? Really? I’m over here running niche, under-supported decks, stuff that doesn’t get the same love as the big-name strategies, and I’m supposed to avoid using tutors just because they don’t fit some arbitrary thematic standard? What’s going on there? If Stoneforge Mystic gets a free pass because it fits with the equipment theme, then my niche deck, which relies on tutors to even have a chance, deserves the same consideration. It’s about keeping the game both fun and functional, not just about “oh, this card fits the aesthetic of my deck, so it’s fine.” If we’re letting some cards slide just because they’re thematic, let’s make sure everyone else gets that same wiggle room too. At the end of the day, I’m not trying to ruin anyone’s fun. Tutors aren’t the issue-it’s how we use them. Let’s stop picking and choosing which types of resource acceleration are “okay,” and start having more genuine conversations about balance. Thanks for listening, and no hard feelings-just wanted to bring some NON-GREEN fairness into the conversation!

Minthara nation rise up!

I like playing tutors but I don’t use them to get combos (which IMO is where they are problematic because it makes every game more or less the same). I just use them to adapt to opponents decks, where I may really need a board wipe or specific spell to prevent an opponent snowballing out of control. I think this can make games more fun, not less. My opponents will need a few tricks up their sleeves to win. You don’t just get to Craterhoof for a win as an example, because I see it coming and can have a fog or counter-spell at the ready.

people who play tutors just basically bypath the essentials of the commander format - which is its randomness and thus the sometimes given chaos which evolves out of edh-games. i just cannot understand the high percentage of decks playing all the tutors on edhrec, evry time i see those numbers im like: nope im not like these guys.

Also I ended up building Minthara as a Aristocrat deck, later turned into a Braids Arisen Nightmare deck, but was fun to have the Aristocrat strategies drain stuff, or swing with a lot of tokens with Minthara's buff. Go build this Joey!!

I just use them to get a board wipe or a land when needed

I have a 5c.mutate deck where I run Vadrok, Apex of Thunder is a secret commander. the majority of noncreature spells are chosen so I can cast them with Vadrok. Also it is atm the only deck I - I think - play a demonic tutor. It is actualky just to find Vadrok and to keep on mutating through casting DT to get the next mutate. The decks commander and swissarmy knife is Garth One-Eye + Jegantha as a companion. Otherwise Inhave left tutors behind, they can absolutely be strong but its so dull when you see people just tutoring for the same stuff time and time again.

Honestly I don’t mind tutors and see them as kind of a first world commander problem. We are realistically talking about like 3 slots in a deck max (any more and you’re problably pushing cEDH/high power level of spectrum). They are glorified draw spells, and if anything are more skill intensive to play and add complexity to your deck which makes it more interesting for me personally.

I often draw half my deck with Rite of Harmony in my Cadira deck. That card is wild and the Flashback is so unnecessarily good.

I think this mindset needs to expand beyond tutors to a lot of generic high power staples. I stopped including cards like Rhystic Study, Smothering tithe, Teferi's Protection, and Cyclonic Rift in nearly all of my decks and it opened up my deck building so much. When I stopped including generically powerful staples in my decks, it freed up ~10+ spots in each deck. I'm not saying don't run card draw, removal, or protection, but maybe reconsider what types of those cards you're including instead

I am at the point of mainly thematic tutors are okay. I only got one deck with demonic left. I am less against them in combo decks. I come from constructed and competive games. They are normal in combo for me. The deck with demonic is a combo deck trying to mill its combo and play it for win. That being said in my lower power decks, only thematic ones make the cut at all

I run very little tutors in my decks. I have a demonic tutor in my Liliana Heretical Healer deck, but that is a deck themed around Liliana, all her demons, all her planeswalkers, and the DT in the deck has her and Kothophed on it, so I have it more for thematic reasons. A DT in my Nekusar the Mindrazer deck, which I probably don't need as theres lots of card draw in that deck, it's just a higher power deck so a tutor feels more justified. Enlightened Tutor in my Calix Guided by Fate deck, which I'm debating taking out. Finale of Devastation more as a game ender even though it is a tutor. Worldly Tutor in my Cleopatra deck, but that might also come out. Entomb in my Nethroi, but I like entomb to get Scourge of the Skyclaves in the grave for the weird interaction. Grim Tutor in my Nazgul deck. But I think unless the tutor is thematic like for Liliana, or not as crazy like Invasion of Ikoria, I'm gonna start taking out the 1 and 2 mana tutors.

To me the laziest tutors are ones that find combo wins, and ones that find generic advantage (rhystic study). I’m typically cool with everything else

I have a Slimefoot and Squee deck, and I got disappointed that I was always tutoring for Etali, Primal Conqueror. I left the tutors in and took Etali out. Now I have a much more balanced spread of options that vary by game.

Yes please build Minthara! Another NonBo is with her and the far traveler background, same situation of triggering on the endstep after she'd check the gamestate. She's one of my favourite decks and such a fun build around. Being only a power pump and not a full anthem means cards like skullclamp give so much value, especially with token makers like nested shambler that can scale really high! A great thing about her too is that when you get 1 experience counter you can let her go back to the cz and proliferate freely, then bring her back out for a go wide and tall swing. (Also Chthonian Nightmare works amazing because you reanimate so many 1-2 cmc cards that you'll actually have excess energy and can hit 6+ for a big creature quite easily while still applying pressure)

I completely refuse to play tutors. I just think they are not fun and completely kill the idea of the game. In my opinion the soul of TCG's lie in randomness. You have to make the most out of resources you get. You have to create your deck in certain way to support your game plan, you have to balance resources during the game, make decisions etc. Having "get out of jail free" cards sucks. If you play some quirky combo deck, then I understand that, but other than that? Come on, just put something you will be excited/fun to see instead. It will make the game much, much better for everyone included.

I love dragon shield. The best part is you can use custom art so if you can take a screen shot or have a picture you can get anything on the sleeves

Like 90% of my favorite commanders are tutors: Sisay, Rocco, Oswald, Kaho, Arcum, Zur, and Vannifar. Codie, The First Sliver, and The Prismatic Bridge *can* be tutors. The way I make them interesting is secret commander strategies and trying to find creative ways to take advantage of the commander's ability rather than be Spike goodstuff piles. I also generally avoid combo wins. Sisay: build entirely around old Norin, Marisi, or Ragavan. Rocco: build entirely around Life of the Party or Academy Manufactor. Oswald: Modern Lantern Control but played like group hug instead of ruining opponents' draws. Glasses of Urza ❤. Arcum: same as Oswald but has fun options for Isochron Scepter. Zur: build around Zombie Infestation or High Alert. Build around Overencumbered group hug. Vannifar: build around Orvar + Sakashima + Adrix and Nev. Codie: build around casting and recasting Crashing Footfalls or Inevitable Betrayal. Build around hitting Profane Tutor into a Bring to Light toolbox of pet cards (Fractured Identity, Mirrorweave, Radiate, Saw in Half, Faith's Reward ❤. Kaho: figure out how to win with instants without combo or being miserable to play against. Cast and recast Elminster's Simulacrum. The Prismatic Bridge: only able to hit Boldwyr Heavyweights. Figure out how to win around/with what people get. The First Sliver: only spells are Tibalt's Trickery + Eternal Dominion/Endless Swarm, or Reshape the Earth without Gates to try and win with manlands, Field of the Dead, and/or Valakut.

“There should be no tutors except for the ones I like” this is what I hear from this video. The quote I dislike is tutors take out the suspense if he has the card or not AKA a two hour boring game where people are just drawing cards and the game is stalled.

my favorite tutor that I play in a few decks is Hoarding Broodlord, it's a generic tutor but it just, is expensive enough and works differently enough with the exiling that it's actually kinda fun

Before I watch, I feel like the movement of removing tutors has grown here in the last few years. And I’ve always kind of disagreed with it. Commander is a singleton format, sometimes you need to get a card right now and tutors help with that. But the argument to that statement is that commander is a singleton format and tutors are basically extra copies of cards in your deck. It’s a very circular argument that doesn’t go anywhere so I’ve never tried to have the discussion about it. Play tutors if you want, don’t play tutors if you don’t want to.

why run tutors in a casual singleton format? how sweaty and desperate to beat your friends are you?

"Mr Necromancer" huh?... nice try Joey

I imagine the reason Dolmen Gate isn't being run much in Kona is that it's over $20

On the one hand, I enjoy a good toolbox deck. On the other, I can't stand shuffling lol

With how strong power creep is, decks don't really NEED tutors as much as they used to. Decks with combos or ones that run a ton of mechanics need them; for example, I have a 5-color Tiamat deck that plays really slowly, so I run a lot of tutors to make sure I can deal with the board before Tiamat is cast and goes crazy. I have a Gonti thievery deck that runs a handful of tutors, so I can maximize the cards I'm stealing from an opponent. Golgari combo deck self-explanatory. Without them, neither of these decks really do anything. On the other hand, I just built three token decks where I run one staple tutor total because I want the density of token generators more than my "best" token generator for 1-3 more mana to fetch it. Lately in the tutor slots, I've just been running more card draw. Who needs 5 tutors if you have 16-22 cards that draw more cards? Commander is so broken that if you don't want to see a card in your hand, it shouldn't be there. Swap it out for card draw, synergy, or something interactive.

Tutors are my least favorite part of the game.

If land ramp is okay, so are tutors. Green players being hypocrites.

Go K-State!

Gamble is the only exception to tutors that I make. You have to tutor for something that isn't so important that you can not deal with discarding it and it just leads to fun game moments, especially if you gamble with only 1-2 other cards in your hand.

Sometimes tutors can help enact a janky strategy that would otherwise be impossible

The tutors I almost always run are the cards with Transmute.

Ever since I built a Sissay shrines deck I stopped playing tutors. I just play more card draw. I still play land fetch but I don't play tutors. I personally think it goes against the spirit of the format. That's just my personal opinion and I don't expect anyone else to follow this mindset. I will not play Elvish Harbinger in any of my elf decks. The only tutor tutor I play is Crop Rotation.

4.04 to skip intro

The point of this game, and any game, is to win. Sorry not sorry. Use the cards that help you win. This "let me do my thing" thing in edh is crazy.

Before watching the video: I think tutors without all too many targets, high vmc cost and/or sorcery speed are often fine. Stuff like steelshapers gift can often only search for greaves and skullclamp, both are good but by no means gamebreaking. And that would make steelshapers gift just the same as another copy of one of these, just like when blue plays coastal piracy and reconnaissance mission. Those are fine, but the moment you spend only 1 mana at instant speed to get either a wincon, a boardwipe, a removal, a protection, card draw or literally anything else via mystical tutor cause it can search instants AND sorceries I think they become high power by default and to me atleast not fun.

I’ve been building decks optimally for years, but I’m loving building decks for flavor or isolated to the set that the commander came from! Plus, I don’t necessarily have to upgrade the deck with each set.

I ran 2 in an old ravnica block deck. I remember it putting in work but I don’t remember the work. 😂

The deck I ran the most tutors in was The Council of Four where I was trying to commander damage players out with a 0-power commander. I needed High Alert style effects, but there were only 4 in those colors (5-now with Plagon). So I ran 3 or four tutors to try to get one of them out for the deck to function

My Karametra is ashamed to not have her.

Orcish bowmasters makes this card unplayable. It's a super juicy target and does nothing until you untap with it.

The problem is lotus cobra, tireless provisioner and the new nissa are all less manna. I don't think you need 4 of these effects in your deck and the four manna makes it a lot worse

Huh, i would've thought you could stack the triggers with minthara and port circle to be favorable, but yeah, given the templating on the card it checks before it even puts the trigger on the stack

That average price is in no way reflective of the deck building experience. I was out of Magic for over a decade and dove back in *hard* this year. In 12 months I built 11 decks of various commanders ranging from popular (Omnath, Locus of Rage and Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls) to less popular (Doran, Siege Tower and Eriette, the Charmed Apple) to downright obscure (Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs), and not a single one cost me more than 300 US dollars. Most were in the $225-275 range. I did pull some from my old stock, but a good chunk of these decks were built from brand new/new to me cardboard. I don't have data to explain why youe figure is higher, outside of anecdotal observations, but for a new player entering commander, 500 is way too high.

Woo! My Kona tech got into this one! Thanks a ton Dana. I have started playing next to no land-based tutors in my decks nowadays and I'm never looking back. I have found my games have been so much more enjoyable for me and the people I play with as a result. I'm so happy for this episode because I think more people need to play less tutors for all the reasons you have mentioned. (Also, Joey, build that Minthara deck)

I once made a deck that was intended to have a couple of secret commanders in it. My one friend told me I couldn't run that deck without running tutors in it, so of course I tried to build the deck without tutors in it and of course he was right. The deck changed a lot from the original vision and that was one of the few reasons why, but I love that deck so much. I really don't think I would have ended up loving that deck the same way if I did put those tutors in. Great video!

My picks which are completely different than yours (I know you want to know 🤪 so have a good reading!): Best sorcery: Come Back Wrong - card for crazy combos like stealing commanders in addition to destroying thread 🧟‍♂ Best instant: Final Showdown - destroy all creature in instant speed with option to lose all abilities and give indestructible for one of your creatures? Hell yeah! 😍 Best artifact: Brotherhood Regalia - there are many damage deal triggers in creature cards so unblockable is highly welcome, ward 2 for protection, low cost to equip and synergy with assassins/outlaws 🥷 Best enchantment: Meathook Massacre II - so much value in single card 💸💸💸 and I love fact it is referencing the older card but with different interesting effect Best creature: Doomsday Excruciator - exile all cards except 6 from the bottom of library when casted? for everyone? It is bizarre... as drawback you draw additional card on upkeep (oh no!)... but lets imagine you are cheating this guy into battlefield and drawback is now your advantage 💣 6/6 flyer, builds a lot of B devotion Best planewalker - None - You mentioned the most powerfull for storm decks, which is the strongest one in my opinion, but I do not like animal version of Ral.... Planewalkers are one of my biggest dissapointments in 2024 and 2025 does not look better Best land: Arena of Glory - very often untapped land with option to give haste to creature, but having haste on land is crazy 🔥 Best mechanic: Saddle - more funny vehicle mechanic which allows to summon creature right away onto the mount to get interesting effects (and tap that creature and reward people for having tapped creatures in other effects like Survival) 🐎 Best commander: Rakdos the 💪 - it has everything commander needs - flying to block everything and avoid blockers, trample to hit hard and a lot of attack to even kill in commander damage with some combos, additional effect on sacrificing creatures (exile own or enemy cards - stealing yes yes) and at last survivability in ability mixed with engine to sacrifice creatures. True MVP and so sad no one is noticing this card at all! (it is better for me though 😈) I would add category that Best set is for me Thunder Junction 🤠 and then Duskmourn 😱 (you can figure out from my picks). Also the best part in 2024 for me were amazing mechanics in almost every single set ❤ (sometimes more than 1 mechanic in a single set!) and dissapointment are definitely planewalkers 🥱 (plus so many UB sets are coming... 🥺) Lets see who agrees with such picks and who is not 😏

Sudden spoiling is easily an auto slot. It’s defensive and offensive and could get around most stax pieces from what I know

I question that Titania statement