Unleash the Potential of Old School MTG Cards | Hidden Gems

The Commander's Quarters is your Magic the Gathering source that helps you Command Your Budget! Today Mitch talks about Unleashing the Potential of Old School MTG Cards with these Hidden Gems!
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[@danielsalas1064]

Let’s appreciate how much cooler the art was before

[@sirmegallot3276]

And card design.

[@JaredGenesis444]

before AI

[@woodroeparadee8374]

Oh my god, I love "Borrowing 100,000 Arrows" to explain to Mitch why it's named that. It is a reference to the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, Zhuge Liang was tasked with getting 100,000 arrows in 10 days by Lu Su for the battle of Red Cliff. So he got a bunch of fast boats filled with strawmen and used fog cover to trick their enemies into firing volleys of arrows at the straw men, these arrows would be used in the coming battle against said enemies, thus Borrowing 100,000 Arrows.

[@wolfwarrior8392]

That's actually sick

[@indicalultimate2205]

If I'm not mistaken Vanishing also protects itself. If someone targets it you can phase out the creature to phase out that creature and aura attached to that creature.

[@natelagrassa9337]

Correct

[@ninjaboy1415]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="911">15:11</a> An important thing to note about Koskun Falls is that it still has the World supertype. If another “World” card enters the battlefield, all the other ones are put into the graveyard as a state-based action.

[@Shoup1155]

100%!

[@mattdeters8306]

When I was building Magda, I scoured Scryfall looking for artifacts that do weird things that people don't see coming. Null Brooch from Exodus and Ring Of Immortals from Legends were two of my more exciting finds. Tutoring out Null Brooch at instant speed to stop the Thoracle player cold is oh-so-satisfying.

[@jameskelly2559]

I love it when you do these videos- it adds so much fun and interest to games I play in as nobody has ever seen any of these cards before. Thanks for what you do- I appreciate it

[@Dreffbuilder]

Thank you for this video Mitch. As a person who doesn't really know old cards, this is very helpful! Some of my friends have been using these cards and they totally got me caught a couple of times. Trade Routes is especially a great card in almost any blue deck. My friends are also interested in old card only commander and some of them have old cards in bulk. Cheers!

[@DerrylHopkins]

I love Borrowing 100,000 Arrows in Hylda of the Icy Crown! :D

[@joshdillon3517]

Great and hilarious card name. Especially after a sleep

[@reesercliff]

I love it in goad decks force everyone’s creatures to attack then draw a billion cards lol

[@Donnyjohnsonbooks]

This card is actually from an ancient legend where an invading army used decoys and mobile barricades to resupply their dwindling supplies.

[@rizoa4625]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="529">8:49</a> At no point on the card does it say you have to choose AN opponent, it just says "your opponent" This would mean in commander that it applies to all of your opponents. I've seen similar rulings by judges for old school cards.

[@jodypschaeffer]

I used to use Statecraft in a Tim deck: Prodigal Sorcerer, Zuran Spellcaster, Pirate Ship, Mawcor, Rootwater Hunter, and Thornwind Fairies. Worked great, a couple of decades ago.

[@SnowmanJazz]

Kinda surprised you listed the PTK price for [Borrowing 100,000 Arrows] when it got reprints that have turned it into a budget card! Absolutely love the flavor of that card, and the "supposedly-real" event which inspired it...

[@LastAlmasty]

Thanks for making this video! I'm just starting to make a Judith, Carnage Conniosseur deck and, oh my is 'Dingus Staff' going to be a brutal addition...thanks again. I have Primal Order in my Ruxa deck and it's very satisfying :)

[@canoli62]

One mono blue spell I think should become a format staple is Steal Enchantment. UU to take control of an enchantment. Enchantments are powerful, and in commander, there are some HUGE enchantments that are ubiquitous. They often represent an inevitable win for a player if they cannot be answered. So many games can be stolen by just seizing those enchantments for 2 measly mana. I've started putting this into my blue decks instead of one counterspell - don't counter it, take it and use it :)

[@CastonAdrulu]

strangely enough, there were a lot of red, white, and blue cards in this list that work well with a "combat manipulation" strategy. Got me inspired to work on a Pramikon, Sky Rampart deck again. never could quite get it how i like it, but some of these fit super well. neato

[@Radjammin]

He's right about Insight. I have one, "Whenever an opponent casts a green spell, you draw a card.", and Ill-Gotten Gains is a great card for cheap. It triggers discard pain cards. I play Nature's Chosen in my Uril Deck, stupid card, but good with white creatures. Gaea's Touch is a cheap Exploration. Primal Order is from Homelands, like the one good card from that set. Titania's Song is a great card vs. combo artifact deck. Mana rocks go brrr. BTW, Pros (Cadaverous ) Bloom was the very first combo deck, unless you count Channel Fireball.

[@vectorstrike]

This is a great idea for a video. I like using those cheap, almost unkown cards. Hope it becomes a series!

[@minispiel19]

An old card I ended up with a bunch of is Robe of Mirrors. One blue to give a creature shroud. If I am running blue, and I just need my Commander to sit on the board, I just run it. Super budget and only one mana. Sure I can’t target it with anything else but if I don’t need to it doesn’t matter.

[@assassn8gaming]

Great video! I play a lot of the cards listed

[@camdenharper7244]

Cadaverious Bloom was a key card in the first ever true combo deck, Prosperous Bloom. One of the most iconic cards of early competitive Magic

[@Becvar80]

Yes, a lot of them are worded strangely, but that's why we have Oracle text. It would probably benefit your viewers a lot if you gave them the updated wording, as well. For example, Altar of Bone, <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1560">26:00</a>, has been updated to read, "As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature. Search your library for a creature card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle."

[@thomashull7776]

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane!

[@Spiceitwithred]

sandwurm convergence actually says creatures with flying can't attack you or planeswalkers you control, meaning it and island sanctuary effectively prevent all attacks bc no one uses islandwalk

[@MrAstarothien]

Also a tip for an old card thats nice. Uphill battle : R2 - creatures your opponents play come into play tapped. Red tax, bit it serves a great purpose when playing aggressive strategies 😊

[@Talinsword]

Portcullis is amazing to slow down creature strategies. People will work hard to remove a creature and play one that same turn in order to secure one of the two spots. Others will just flood creatures under the Portcullis in hopes of breaking it eventually -- While others will protect the Portcullis for you to protect against the inevitable flood.

[@anttiarokoski6255]

Thx! Classic sidedeck (15) cards from past 60 card tournaments. So Looong ago dxD

[@EulogyfortheAngels]

I guess I really have been playing awhile: a bunch of these surprised me to be considered hidden gems lol. Then again, it’s always been fun to try and find underused cards to spice up decks. I remember playing Mystic Remora and my local store group didn’t know what it was (back around 2010-11). Several of these are old Storm cards for Legacy. Elephant Grass is/was a fundamental piece for Legacy enchantress. City of Solitude was a sideboard card for it (I think).

[@peggle09]

There are so many fun old cards. I have a 5 color deck with old cards like this and it is fun to see people react to them.

[@valyrian7076]

I like Altar of Bone, its a slow Sac outlet for Protean Hulk, you tutor an Eternal Witness with it + whatever you want from Protean Hulk. Then you go get the Hulk back with the Eternal Witness and you can blow up the Hulk again! Its slow yes, but it works if you got the mana.

[@RaginKavu]

Island Sanctuary says "draw one less" because of Howling Mine effects. So, with a Howlling Mine in play, you'd still draw at least one card. Everyone else is drawing 2, but hey, they're most likely unable to attack you.

[@Dalfort73]

Love this kind of content, any chance you would do a Top x cards for each set? Obviously some sets don't fall into budget at all but anything that flies under the radar would be great to see. Keep up the great work 😁

[@iMrAsono]

My favorite old green card is Instill Energy! I pulled it from a random bulk box and been hooked ever since haha haste and vigilance for 1 is just too good.

[@valhallarchist9511]

Noetic Scales is in, both, my Arcades and my Doran decks... along with Meekstone. Also, you missed a fantastic card in Boros: Reflect Damage. That card lives in my Pramikon deck, and I've taken more than one player out with it. Portcullis is good in a Manlands deck, too

[@Zendrig]

I know and own most of these cards but even for me as an MTG Methuselah there were some cards I've never heard of (or completely forgot about).

[@Sinspinner]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it but I used to run Koskun Falls in my King Macar deck. It’s also pretty good for cards with an untap ability. Not many of those but there are some useful affects.

[@lancenuttman]

Love this video. Doesn't hurt that I gave like 80% of these. Hooray for old collectors who can't get rid of things!

[@birdman9580]

Cadaverous Bloom and Greater Good work very well together

[@TheMusrich888]

Watching that first commander episode of Loading Ready Run's Friday Nights, I learned about the 2-card combo that is Island Sanctuary and Mystic Decree, an enchantment that makes creatures lose flying and islandwalk. With this combo, no creature can attack.

[@zackkelley2940]

No creature can attack YOU (whomever has Island Sanctuary and Mystic Decree). YOUR creatures can still attack.^^

[@TheMusrich888]

@@zackkelley2940 ah. Thank you for the correction.

[@borislavpetrov3775]

More of this please!

[@nils3939]

Need more vids like these!

[@ANitschkeProduction]

Instill Energy works just like Nature's Chosen. Able to untapped the enchanted creature and only once a turn. As well as can attack as though they had haste.

[@derhupi]

I played back the days in tournaments a cadaverous bloom deck. Combo Deck with Squandered Resources and Natural Order, draw your deck and drain life ... i mixed some variants but always top with it in the old days =) was fun

[@derhupi]

... back in mtg after many years with a rly cool group. we play commander now and i find so many funny old cards. The old days we play without sleeves ... oh man ... my old dual lands look ... used XD

[@derhupi]

Ah it was Prosperity Bloom and Natural Balance not Order.

[@samb123078]

The thing about statecraft is that you can’t really use your own creatures with tapped abilities or you need creatures to block. And if you have creatures, they can’t block evasion or rogue’s passage just because you have statescraft

[@markcahalan5698]

Love Penance, I recommend it and Titania's Song to a lot of people

[@Osogladiator]

The more people play land heavy strategies and strategies where they don't think their mana base is a target, the more I think MLD needs to come back. Also Cadverous Bloom is amazing and was used in one of the first 'combo' decks in what would become the standard format.

[@Jay_IMO2012]

Invasion plans with goading seems like it would chaos.

[@ericr4677]

Energy arc + Will Breaker is how I like to Break hearts in my Kenrith deck

[@tbssen36]

I run Dream Halls in my Tiamat deck and it's honestly one of the best cards in my deck. I can easily win the turn I play it. You do have to be careful with it though because it's not one sided.

[@joelagrinsoni4016]

I have I-ll gotten gains, and synergy with waste not is phenomenal!! Yes you all get three cards but YOU EXPLODE WITH BENEFITS when it happens and everyone else still has 3 cards

[@dr3w64]

another really cool one I'd recommend for white is aegis of honor.

[@jamesgasik3424]

In addition to Nature's Chosen, don't forget Instill Energy!

[@100authentik6]

I love Dream Halls in Braids

[@isaiahblackthorn1039]

I love hidden gens. My favorite reason for thr format

[@steelmyr1485]

As a pillowfort control player you listed a lot of the cards I frequently play

[@jek15origami]

Mitch is so diabolic when he's doing his voices

[@Sunborne187]

Invasion Plans goes well in General Marhault Elsdragon

[@dimitriid]

Never thought I'd see the day where you recommend a 20 dollar card. Don't get me wrong it's an interesting effect (Not near the top of my list for blue cost reducers cause of the CMC but certainly not unusable) but hey: maybe you can potentially explore an episode like 'Ok if you *really* want to get expensive cards, consider these choices' a.k.a. Expensive cards that give you more bang for your buck than the usual expensive card staples.

[@DrudgeSkeleton]

Trade routes is so powerful

[@yanncatt]

Portcullis is one of my favorites

[@alansmithee920]

I run every one of those. also, speaking of marty's cause, check circle of despair

[@MrMartinSchou]

Energy Arc is an effective fog - especially when someone tries to pop off with multiple combats in a single turn. How many azorius fogs exist?

[@tristonshelley96]

Tombstone Stairwell is pretty good too i run it in my esper zombie deck. lots of etb, ltb, death triggers off of one card

[@tristonshelley96]

its reserve list so like 15 bucks but still a good card if you want to dish out a little extra cash

[@joshuagetman1769]

Ill-Gotten Gains gets funnier with a rest in peace effect making asymmetrical

[@Syncopiia]

Island Sanctuary is great in a deck with consistent draw like Bennie Bracks.

[@lonsmithicus]

Great choices. Insight is better than Rhistic Study folks just don't hype it.

[@justinlarimore1349]

Vanishing is a dope card

[@JoeyjojoShabadoo7]

Cadaverous Bloom + Prosperity + Drain Life back in the day…iykyk

[@jeffhess8241]

I have won a couple games with my slicer deck cause of bedlam. Instant panic sets in lol

[@OvAeons]

Penance is an MVP in my Yennett top deck deck.

[@nathanpavolko5861]

I have war cadence in my raggadragga deck 😁

[@sirmegallot3276]

1000 arrows seems super good in a mass goad deck

[@getaloadofthisguycam]

island sanctuary in my kwain deck is a mainstay

[@MintyMagicMTG]

Elephant Grass is so insanely good. Idk how it’s so cheap.

[@bigchungus2536]

So many of these uust make me want to rebuild Oloro. So many nasty cards to screw everyone up while i sit back and gain life slowly but surely.

[@Momo_pstat4]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="629">10:29</a> yes… and no. Green is king of ramp in a game that goes past turn 4. Else… what does green do?

[@Rizso1]

war tax can be used to hinder your creatures to be goaded.

[@ohb71303]

Always liked the idea of enchanting an opponents land. Using cards to change their mana base. So if they play a blue deck, change their mana to black or green. Not exactly nice.

[@lyndonhill1778]

There is a 1 drop called spy, draw a card, look at your opponents hand and any face down creatures!!!!

[@nanya524]

Ill-Gotten Gains + Leyline of the Void = "I have 3 cards, you all have nothing"

[@scottsurvival6960]

Dingus Staff!

[@MrMartinSchou]

Primal Order - Blood Moon at home.

[@MegaMania91]

Plaguelord would be great in a massacre girl deck

[@samb123078]

Reprocess has been replaced by plumbing the forbidden

[@MitchT97]

I’ll be Borrowing 100,000 Arrows for my mono blue control deck.

[@gehtsienichtsan3310]

Pls mooooooore!!

[@Doper355]

St Paul Saints hat? Nice

[@unlostmaniac8735]

insight is bonkers

[@proto204n4]

Mystic Remora! Cumulative upkeep but with three opponents, you can stall for at least a couple turns.

[@adamgreen6051]

!

[@latinojackson9694]

Hidden gems for anyone under 30 I suppose

[@barfjavelin]

Careful on that edge in case you hurt yourself

[@zach7832]

Love watching the millennials turn into boomers in real time

[@reesercliff]

I’m 37 and I didn’t know about these some of us millennials were busy playing Pokémon in the 90s

[@JPRyan816]

​@@zach7832really is sad, as millennial I've promised myself never to look down on the younger generations. The young somehow seem to always find themselves on the right side of history for their time

[@dariusgibson3368]

I'm 30

[@van-munozfamilyadventurest5021]

First!

[@timtauber5557]

Arcane laboratory limits card draw, you meant propaganda.

[@maliksmiley6209]

He tries to read so fast my gut becomes a word salad. If he’s eager to finish his videos I’m eager to skip through for cliff notes

[@wolfwarrior8392]

If you turn on subtitles they don't change fast enough

[@manchld]

Not a fan of the staxy cards

[@Caliban_80]

These old cards can't be good, they don't have 4 paragraphs of text on them...

[@jplxlabelle1681]

No one plays **Islandwalk**? Martyr's Cause is **good**? Orim's Prayer isn't **terrible**? Penance? I can't. I just can't. This guy thinks Force of Will is only cast by people named William, AND that it's a hidden gem... Explains Phasing without mentioning when it where your creatures come and go. The Phase back in during your Untap phase. If they were phased out Tapped do they come back Tapped? They come back exactly the way they left, carrying all cards and counters. So if you are under Stasis, nothing phases back it until you're allowed an Untap phase. Anyways..

[@jplxlabelle1681]

You're using War Tax wrong. People who play Statecraft simply don't know about Bubble Matrix (not an Un-card). Dream Halls?! Ill-gotten Gains? Do you even play CEDH outside you're limited playgroup?

[@jplxlabelle1681]

Elephant Grass is well-known yet has so many tricky plays that are unknown. I really like flashing it in right after my opponent taps a significant amount of manna they can no longer win. Crop Rotation to Flash-Land is popular. "Ooopsies, lol."

[@jplxlabelle1681]

Titania's Song, cast an enormous Bane of Progress, win.

[@Raisukee]

Orim's Prayer is ruined by the fact that it's only one instance of lifegain per combat, not several individual ones like Righteous Cause or Patron of the Kitsune.

[@stevenfairhaven6388]

No one understands what’s what you say makes sense I can’t understand a word you’re saying

[@davidnutting16]

Another great old gem is Ertai's meddling. For 2 mana it can frustrate a lot of plans.

[@nanya524]

Hmm, could use Vanishing to protect Storm-Klin Artist, since, yanno, that's an ABSURDLY OP card.