My Favorite Underrated Commander Cards

[@itsdeanbeaches]

This is my favorite underrated MTG channel

[@Just-a-Canuck]

Yes!

[@alexapostolou338]

The only MTG Content Creator where I make sure I watch every video. Demo deserves way more followers then he has. 💪

[@DSAntrat]

Agreed, this and @nickslotus help me find a lot of weird cards which I love to build full decks around

[@micahhonig1575]

So true

[@MegatronTarantulas]

same

[@seanbullough6296]

I'm gonna say the inspiration for the Razormane Masticore art was the Beast of Gevaudan from the French movie Le pacte des loups (Brotherhood of the Wolf)

[@GuusLot]

Was thinking this too, but you beat me to it 😂 it has to be right?

[@edhdeckbuilding]

wow, you nailed it. congrats.

[@awatts30]

Man, it’s been 20+ years since I’ve seen this one. I think I need to dust off my DVD tonight.

[@shanonkallhoff2431]

Great movie :)

[@bobbyfartz5591]

Beast of gevaudan is folklore/story

[@reedeek1473]

Parallel Thoughts are a incredible include in my 3-cmc based Vannifar(that simic Birting Pod commander) deck The deck is based around 2-cmc dorks that tap for mana of any color. It's the only ramp aside from combos on later turns, and I have 20 of them. My game plan is pretty much t1 land, 2t land + dork, t3 land + commander. I need those dorks to sack them to my commander to search for, for example, Azusa + Ramunap Excavator (3 landdrops per turn + play lands from grave, any fetch turns into huge ramp + 6 landfall triggers) THE PROBLEM IS Any wipe will just stop my deck. My card draw and tutors are based around 3-cmc creatures I tutor from my deck. If I have my 2-cmc dorks I can tutor for another tutors, for card draw, for grave recursion, but without them I can only pray I'm stuck with a decent hand However, Parallel Thoughts can just be a tutor for seven 2-cmc dorks that I can draw whenever I need. It's just a perfect fit into my deck

[@reedeek1473]

In other words, if you have a niche deck based around big amount of interchangable cards, Parallel Thoughts may be a great inclusion. Eggs for example may also have it

[@Fran6yo]

Another "hidden mechanic" of Parallel Thoughts: the enchantment doesn't go away when you've drawn the seven cards. So you can choose to skip a draw by drawing from the empty pile and potentially save you from the occasional mill deck! 9:04

[@MisterWebb]

Symbiotic Deployment is one of my favorites because it has a cool depiction of Eladamri

[@christopherr7657]

That strategy with Parallel Thoughts is a next level IQ play. Outstanding!

[@jcstaff1007]

This must be Demo’s alt. I see you Demo!

[@Linguistic1]

Absolutely! Parallel Thoughts is going into at least two of my decks...

[@MegatronTarantulas]

I use it in my grolnok deck to avoid self-milling (no labman/thoracle)

[@xeper9458]

As usual, some fantastic suggestions from Demo! One of the cool things about Evolving Door is there's no time constraint for playing the exiled card

[@chrysmurphy3974]

Parallel Thoughts goes well in a Persistent Petitioners deck, get 7 Petitioners under it, you still have plenty in your deck but, until its either destroyed or you "draw" all the cards you're guaranteeing that you'll draw a Petitioner every turn.

[@ericlandess5063]

I put evolving door in my atla palini deck thanks to your earlier recommendation and it's a powerhouse! I use it to sacrifice my green egg tokens and search for big baddies while I hatch other big baddies

[@VegtamTheWonderer]

14:36 A Hex Parasite goes crazy with Wave of Terror to help destroy repeat Mana Values. I run it in a Korlash, Heir to Blackblade deck (which was inspired by your video on the Grandeur ability).

[@natelagrassa9337]

That’s brilliant! 👍

[@XerexB]

Wheel of sun and moon definitely became a staple in my group at one point when one player used his Grolnok deck a bunch lol

[@jstaz9001]

The last time I played Razormane Masticore was a mono-white deck using Endless Horizons. Horizons would supply something to discard every turn or a land drop, and you still draw gas from your deck. It was kind of narrow in its application, but it would work well just the same.

[@JyAre774]

As soon as I opened my Aminatou, Veil piercer precon Deck list to add Pedantic Learning, I saw that you made the suggestion right after. Thanks

[@canoli62]

My favorite underrated card is probably treachery. Not only does it work really well to steal one of those mid-to-late game threats that everyone loves to play - from commanders to eldrazi and everything between - but it also is either effectively free or functions as a free ritual adding extra mana as well if you are untapping more lands than you needed to tap. It is broken so much of the time, but because it seems expensive no one seems to play it.

[@derekprestwich7036]

Evolving door is incredible in my Yarus deck. Probably the best use case. Cast some colorless morph creatures, when I sac them to evolving door, Yarus brings them back and flips them face up. Then I tutor for another monocolor morph creature which is pretty much all of them. Rinse and repeat on my next turn.

[@XerexB]

I shitted myself with laughter when you said “Ornithopter. Just kidding its tokens” it was so unexpected

[@hux0rd]

Yoymiya pfp

[@grapepinkfruit472]

The masticore looks like its based on the alien

[@Nils-jb1us]

I'm playing Wheel of Sun and Moon in my Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith deck. Nazahn is there only to Tutor Spy Kit from the deck. Together with Verdant Succession and Ashnod's Altar, you can search for any creature in the deck and trigger any ETB effect as many times as you want.

[@DisgruntledFinnegan]

Hibernations end is a fantastic pick for a toolbox deck like Rocco Cabaretti Caterer for instance, where even just grabbing a 1 CMC card is a huge deal. For 1 CMC I can go get a Kami of False Hopes and shut down the player with the huge board, or for 2 CMC I can get a Grand Abolisher to kill that one mono blue player, or a Soulless Jailor to stop grave-recursion AND exile themes in a single swoop.

[@jcstaff1007]

Soul separator is cool (mostly bc of flavor) but we have so many of these recursion/grave hate pieces now. We just got a new one with Ghost Vacuum. Dino DNA is another for 1 mana and 1 to exile a card. 6 to make a token 6/6 body with trample. Another is Dollhouse of Horrors where the cost is upfront for 5 and 1 to exile a card and make a construct copy of it. This is mostly better in that it doesn’t have the “activate only as a sorcery” clause to it. Two bodies may matter as well.

[@27777BigRedBarn]

I do enjoy the variety of cards you present to your audience Demo. I will say that I'm often trying to have something to advance my game plan on turn 3. But I am considering putting Wave of Terror in my Sheoldred deck. I run a bunch of control cards and it seems super fun and janky.

[@casually_lurking]

Flips Path of Mettle, casts Silent Arbiter, refuses to elaborate. . .

[@ernestkirlig8590]

I love to play symbiotic deployment in my Emmara, soul of the accord deck. It taps my commander, it draws me cards... Especially since I use many cards that untap my creatures on other players untap steps... It makes enough value to counteract the drawback. ^^

[@RedCometNurse]

Holy crap, Parallel Thoughts would go perfect in an Elsha of the Infinite deck. The deck is low on lands anyway (for obvious reasons), so grabbing all lands would be a great plan. Not only is it keeping you from running out of lands when you need them, but it is also drastically reducing the possibility of there being a land on the top of the deck (my deck ran 32 lands, that removes no less than 22% of the lands in the deck, probably more like 25%). If I rebuild that deck, I would 100% put that card in it.

[@sirondium]

Any token doubling effects (Anointed Procession, Mondrak) work really nicely with Soul Separator.

[@bengum-b5e]

I use wheel of sun and moon in my Scion of the Ur-dragon deck. Targeting myself and being able to reuse my dragons has been fun every time I get to use it.

[@natelagrassa9337]

That’s what I had it in… loved it. It got old so I updated it to just the ur-dragon! Lol

[@fidde208]

Looks like a lion/tinman/scarecrow combo? Wizard of Oz?

[@abdiz1]

Loves these videos. Many of them Are gems. Please do a commander analyze/deck build of "garth one-eye"... I cant understand why the heck this commander dont see more play...

[@Vektor480]

Pedantic Learning is amazing in my Slogurk selfmill voltron list. Deck ran 60 lands and a lot of selfmill to grow the commander fast, and learning game me great card advantage

[@jaredwonnacott9732]

I've used Parallel Thoughts to just get 7 counterspells or removal cards or boardwipes, depending on what I and my opponents are doing, and then, when I need an answer, I just draw from my answer pile instead of my deck. I'll also load up Parallel Thoughts with my combo piece and a bunch of can trips or other draw spells, which can also work really well.

[@dudemetslagroom8065]

i love this. So many cards have really cool effects and i go "welp... i can't use this one" i have Soul Separator and it just doesn't work in any of my decks (I guess i could try it in my Arvinox deck? eh)

[@jacquesdespadas]

Hibernation’s End would probably be a good “rebuild” card in enchantress. A board wipe takes out your early drops or you anticipate one, so you play this out, and on upkeep 1 you grab a Soul Sister, and on 2-4 find your remaining enchantress pieces.

[@claudedavid1729]

I think the best use of Parallel Thoughts is to grab seven cheap card draw spells. Then every time you cast one of those, you can choose to grab another card draw spell from the Parallel Thoughts pile. That's a lot of cards!

[@jacobstone4070]

An idea I've been tinkering with is an Amareth, the Lustrous deck that takes advantage of her ability not technically being a draw ability and then using cards like Spirit of the Labyrinth and Omen Machine to slow down opponents without slowing myself. Parallel Thoughts fits the deck in that it replaces would be draws with a pseudo draw like Abundance or Tomorrow, Azami's Familiar

[@TimIce-s4n]

I absolutely love symbiotic deployment in my patron of orochi deck. All you need is to draw 2 cards per turn rotation and it’s worth it.

[@Vo1t]

I’d guess Razormane is inspired by Brotherhood of the Wolf.

[@patriciosoler3861]

Yeah, that's my guess too!

[@edhdeckbuilding]

underrated movie to go with an underrated card.

[@tomallan9615]

Pedantic learning is such a good upgrade for the jumpscare precon!

[@mikeseel5290]

I can't wait to slot this into my Gyruda clones build. Disgusting.

[@palicaoo]

ahah souls separator is all in my zombie decks because it's so flavourful

[@AKAaBuster]

Hibernations end is also cool bc it doesn't care about pips, just mana value. I feel like it would be rad in a deck that is manipulating counters and has wild pair as secret commander. I don't know if that deck would ever be functional, but it tickles my fancy.

[@shaedeymamlas5496]

I really like playing deployment in decks that have an enchantment sac outlet in the command zone. Soul separator has so much potential, but haven’t found a home for it yet, maybe etali?

[@tropicalhokage6382]

I will definitely be putting Hibernation’s end into my Atla deck,thx

[@WawrzyniecTheIII]

Interesting side note: When I was in High school there was confusion on wtf a sideboard was. (Yeah Rural area, limited exposure, Rules books confused players as they changed over time and people had different rule books.) Several of the people literally understood sideboard to do exactly what Parallel Thoughts does (this was before the card existed obviously). Some put lands in that "Sideboard" and others did bombs etc. I always find it funny that some confused teenager's understanding of the rules became a card years later.

[@monfinna]

My favorite pet/personal underrated card is Staff of Nin. I love getting it in my mono white deck. It’s casual card draw and can destroy anything with power one or less just by tapping. I’ve used it on an Ocelot Pride before Haha

[@monfinna]

(I know the cards not great. But it’s fun!)

[@johnrinka2904]

Parallel thoughts is one of my favorites ever. I’ve put it into every blue deck (to always take them out). I have every single time I’ve used it searched out lands. Legit deck thinning at that number

[@Poenas]

Azor’s gateway and matzalantli, the great door are personal favs of mine

[@crawdaddy1234]

6:15 Is it just me, or do other people miss set mechanics that are (or at least are in part) DOWNSIDES? Vanishing/Fading, Cumulative Upkeep, Champion, Hellbent, Rampage, Shroud?

[@mathieubrebouillet714]

I have hibernation's end in two decks as a creature tutor to get moving. I had path of mettle in my knights deck.

[@GrimSoulBanisher]

Razormane Masticore works well in a Greasefang deck as a discard outlet to put your vehicle back in the graveyard

[@MaximBeatsMusic]

Have been playing symbiotic deployment in Emmara for 5 years now and just love the card.

[@necrogenesis1981]

I totally forgot about Wave of Terror, it looks perfect for my Kuon deck.

[@biostem]

I'll give Pedantic Learning a spin in Mothman. Tons of incremental self-mill happening there. Have to decide if I want to play it with or in place of the new Hedge Shredder though.

[@Lazydino59]

For underrated cards I swear by Matzalanti the Great Door. Even in non graveyard decks I have to stop myself from jamming it in. Looting in general is underrated, but getting it on an artifact without summoning sickness makes it perfect for sculpting your hand

[@kcrad1527]

Impending Disaster is one of my favorites. So cheap and usually hard to deal with, save for a counterspell.

[@HyanBro]

Wave Of Terror would be perfect in an Xavier Sal deck where you’re looking to manipulate counters to populate or tokens to proliferate.

[@greatbrandini3967]

Can confirm that Path of Mettle is underrated. My newest deck is Anya, Merciless Angel, and I've already had all 3 parts of the card have massive impacts in my games. Turns out top decking it after an opponent casts Ink Shield is back breaking

[@Eddiegamer91]

I would argue that soul separator is cool but in a deck where you DO have recursion. If you let your commander go to the graveyard and someone destroys soul separator you're SoL. But in a deck with recursion it becomes a backup way to recur

[@marthblood9991]

Razormane masticore might go in my Oskar deck the problem with all the looters is their small bodies but having a 5/5 that has synergy with my commander it could also be good in an anje deck

[@Lanceboivin]

Maybe a stupid strategy, i used parallel thoughts in my elsha, of the infinite deck to grab 7 lands, usually to suck the lands out of the library.

[@chummer2060]

Parallel Thoughts is a really fun card. I use it in a janky combo deck. It's fun to play around. Did I tutor up all my combo pieces or did I bluff?

[@Aldo7Aces]

Soul Separator is good in my Queen Kayla bin-Kroog deck. Since she puts it on the field for 'free' AND can put expensive creatures in your graveyard.

[@Harmony_Strikes]

Is Razormane Masticore from Wizard of Oz?

[@bartoffer]

Evolving Door is cracked in Morph strategies, particularly Yarus. Morphs are colorless, so they always sac up into one-color. If you exile something that has morph, you can also cast it face-down like this. It works well with Yarus because he'll reanimate whatever you sac'd, and if you have another sac outlet on-board, you can grab ridiculously expensive creatures, play them face-down, throw them at something, and get a giant hasty beater. It also searches the Ashcloud Phoenix infinite out whenever you want, which is a bit less fun.

[@cody98533]

Path of mettle I think has a great home in commander mustard it’s on my considering list for him

[@julonwar]

I love Soul Separator! I'd play it in a black deck, because with Tree of Perdition in the GY I can nuke someone's life to 1.

[@victormiller1420]

So the symbiotic deployment problem could be avoided or lessened by just having land cards that can turn into creatures. They are a type of back up basically.

[@joedoe7572]

Path of metal goes great in Wayta, Vihaan, and Gisela Coincidentally, Soul Separator also goes great in Gisela

[@isaactirrell7866]

My Mothman deck could use Pedantic Learning. Thanks for the idea

[@codyseymour3253]

Do you think soul separator would be a possible include for Coram? As a possible way to use his cast spells from graveyard a 2nd time in a turn.

[@TheSmartCinema]

I used to play quite a lot of Soul Separator, but after the release of Dollhouse of Horrors, I felt the need to replace it. Repeatable + cheaper for the cost of only getting one token is a good alternative.

[@MrAstarothien]

Parallel thoughts and windfall 👌

[@sensoriko]

Soul Separator is gonna be great in my Hazel deck 👍🏿

[@sensoriko]

And Wave of Terror

[@kunopumpernikkel215]

Pedantic Learning is great in a self mill deck like The Wise Mothman

[@sensoriko]

Pedantic Learning could be good in a merfolk animate land deck I'm thinking about making.

[@chrisgebben2043]

pendantic learning is considerable for my tazri stalwart survivor deck with her mill ability since it never gets lands

[@mikemartin9345]

Razormane giving Critters vibes.

[@nuclearfuzzbomber]

@edhdeckbuilding Have you built around or used cards with the Cipher mechanic?

[@punkypinko2965]

I had seen only one of those cards. Thanks!

[@christopherr7657]

Great underrated picks!

[@TOOLandNINfan]

Might try Pedantic Learning in Muldrotha that has a lot of dredge in it.

[@crawdaddy1234]

For Wave of Terror, if Solemnity were in play (assuming it didn't have any counters on it yet), would that just constantly blow up the 0-mana-value creatures? lol

[@therealgrungler]

Hibernations End gets vastly better with some proliferation in the deck.

[@johnbryan1862]

Hibernation's End would work well in my elves tribal deck- cheap mana dorks coming up.

[@jaredwonnacott9732]

I've found it only is really worth it if you can go to 4 or 5 and get something meaningful on each turn. When I ran it with Elves, my high end was an Ambush Commander. Unfortunately, there's not much to do for 6 and 7, before slamming a Craterhoof on 8. Maybe a Wolverine Riders and an Allosaurus Rider?

[@DavidGreeneMtgJudge]

Did Riddick inspire Razormane Masticore?

[@vdawgbirdman]

Razermane masticore looks heavily inspired from the shrike in the Hyperion cantos

[@Flatwing]

I chuckled at the ornathoper joke

[@Barry-x9o]

Parallel thoughts, is in my memory jar deck

[@Dragon_Fyre]

Many of these are from the days where cards actually had drawbacks. Power creep has replaced most of them unless you need to stack your deck with a lot of such effects. They’re all playable, particularly on a budget, but there are reasons why they are unpopular.

[@johnrinka2904]

Is the masticore from a Ray Haryhausen flick? Maybe Sinbad?

[@isaabd1334]

Remember first time i casted Parallel thought, it got removed and I exile 7 cards i really wanted......

[@saleen12]

These are cards are interesting and definitely way off the beaten path. You sir must play some glacially slow magic. Like turn 15 wins

[@TheAngelRaven]

Parallel Thoughts with Forced Fruition and a cheap spell would just be a massive tutor draw.

[@jamesbv4862]

I'm playing path of mental in my key word deck. It flips on the turn it comes down or the next every time

[@OmegaMTG]

Pedantic Learning maybe in a Mothman deck?

[@jacksonnielsen9226]

10:34 as a meren player I take this very personally

[@rolindahlquist3124]

Path of mettle in a Naya deck with seed borne muse makes it even stronger

[@leop3082]

Hibernation end would fit in a counters deck

[@fisherjohnson1642]

I play Symbiotic Deployment in an old Patron of the Orochi deck, where he untaps my creatures and forests every turn, and it will draw me 3 - 8 cards per turn, on each players turn, which is pretty dece

[@geoffreypotter836]

Masticores are great!

[@ThaZapa]

I love Path of Mettle so much

[@twilightwolf90]

Pedantic Learning + Life from the Loam is busted. In a more gy-focused version of lands, you can churn through your deck in no time at all.

[@edhdeckbuilding]

great combo in a slogurk deck