Why You Should Play More Fogs | Magic: the Gathering | Commander

[@aaronmorgan1989]

I just want to clear the air around fogs: not playing one is a mist opportunity

[@Commander_Claw]

you couldn't wait to use that lol...good one

[@AlucardDarkEnding]

😂😂😂

[@TheMindovermouth]

I can't see the humor in this one.

[@AlucardDarkEnding]

@@TheMindovermouth I'm Autistic and even I get it. But if you don't get it, why not ask the Internet or someone what you're missing?

[@TheMindovermouth]

@@AlucardDarkEnding maybe because it wasn't clear?

[@sebastianq5086]

Don’t tell that to everyone!

[@DedicatedCaffeineUser]

Pause for Reflection is my go-to fog effect. It has convoke so you can definitely surprise someone when they think you’re tapped out

[@sawderf741]

Thank you for sharing a crazy good card. Super budget too.

[@halofreakrun1]

I'm so happy you mentioned Darkness, but I wish you'd have mentioned my favorite black fog, Sudden Spoiling. There are a lot of things that get around it in combat, but it doubles as a way to shut down creature combos or creature engines when you need it to.

[@Commander_Claw]

Sudden Spoiling is devastating...split second

[@Pushoverify]

Sudden Spoiling doesn't solve a lot of things a Fog normally would, like +1/+1 counter decks, Voltron commanders, Overrun effects, or mass tokens with Anthem effects. It's got some other awesome use cases, but it also misses a lot of the situations a Fog takes care of.

[@Marquardtfarms]

It is more narrow as a fog because it has some very large gaps, but the removal of all abilities has a lot of added functionality outside of combat.

[@scottricks1676]

I’ve been hurt by this card more than once….it does sting.

[@mrjelis2390]

A card I really like and kind of "prevent combat damage" is [Mandate of Peace] which gets people so much because they're never ready for it and it usually ends their turn right away because they can't cast anything else. Mandate of Peace (1 and a white): Instant. Cast this spell only during combat. Your opponents can’t cast spells this turn. End the combat phase. (Remove all attackers and blockers from combat. Exile all spells and abilities from the stack, including this spell.)

[@Level_1_Frog]

Awww I thought this video was called 'Why You Should Play More FROGS' and I got really interested. (Thankfully, Spore Frog is both a fog and a frog, and I love them 🐸❤)

[@chasm9557]

Spore Fog for the win!

[@goldbergbrain]

One of my favorite aikido effects is from the literally forgotten forgotten realms - Windshaper Planetar. Don’t sleep on it!

[@EDHRECast]

Oh heck yeah, that's a really cool one!

[@s.shadowwe3012]

I love the selfless squire. The faces that I get when my Boi is suddenly 80/80 ;D

[@charmishing]

Jaheira’s respite literally let me go from about to lose to an army of double striking dragons to winning on the following turn

[@kylegonewild]

If you're playing Orzhov colors you should absolutely consider playing Batwing Brume. 1 and Hybrid B/W that fogs if you paid white to cast it and drains everyone attacking equal to the number of attacking creatures if you paid black to cast it (or both if you paid both); similar to the Rakdos charm mode but gets around damage prevention. It's so good. I run it in several of my decks.

[@kylekrazymars6726]

Such an underrated card imo.

[@mathiashls]

This card sounds like fun tbh Thank you for sharing, I will get one to try it out with my Liesa deck

[@guyatanosavia8487]

Just wish I could get it to work with Sunforger. :c

[@magica3526]

chant of vitu ghazi has won me a lot of games in the divine convocation precon. Going from the lowest life to the highest and leaving the biggest threat defenseless at the same time puts you in a really strong position

[@forresthenry297]

I saw this video yesterday and swapped one fog into my deck, and it won me last night's game! Great vid!!

[@dudemetslagroom8065]

You are completely right. I've been eyeing "You look upon the Tarrasque" for similar reasons but i was never so certain especially cuzz it cost 5 mana... Still it has 2 very potent options

[@anthonycrew2239]

I do love that card. It is always unexpected and delicious when you give an opponent lethal when they swing at someone else

[@dudemetslagroom8065]

@@anthonycrew2239 Also the few times i've used it (only recently in my deck still testing it) my friends always go for the attack on titan OST... Especially when my 9/9 The Swarmlord sudddenly becomes indestructible 14/14 and has to be blocked.

[@delailama736]

I play a rampage deck with General Marhault and since then, I add things like Taunting Elf to all my green decks. It's crazy how many times I get everything through because someone doesn't really comprehend "all creatures must block this creature".

[@CrisZis]

Once I knew of it's existence, I started playing Righteous Aura in Enchantment decks. I like playing older cards that catch players off guard. And can be had in foil!

[@BlackHawkXx9]

I'm so glad that you mentioned batwing brume. I built a mardu stuffy doll deck that uses several of the cards you've mentioned to turn my opponents power against themselves, and batwing brume is my favorite among them.

[@BobbyBev95]

I’ve been very tempted to test out Darkness in my Gix deck. Especially since it’s a deck that can go shields down at times, and Gix gives card advantage to opponents when they connect. Having a fog there seems like it could be pretty good

[@spellbreakerunbound]

My favorite of these is March of Swirling Mists. It functions as a fog, a combo disruptor, a protection piece, AND a board clear to win the game. It’s so versatile!

[@Ramschat]

Thank you, this is exactly what I needed

[@Dubi264]

Great suggestions here! I've loved using glacial chasm, tainted sigil, batwing brume, and more in my Liesa Taxes deck to stall out the game and give my taxes the time to bleed people dry. One fog you didn't mention that I've had a a lot of success running in my boros graveyard deck, quintorius field historian, is Prismatic Strands. The 0 mana flashback cost of tapping a white creature is super easy to keep up even if I didn't know I'd have it and mill into it at instant speed; and, the prevention of damage from only one chosen color is often both sufficient to avoid lethal damage and lets your blockers still do damage.

[@kevinthecarpathian]

Not fog specifically but a similar card - I have been sticking Domineering Will into a lot of my blue decks lately. At minimum I am usually taking out 3 utility creatures and stopping myself from being hit and sometimes I can even take out the scary creature/s attacking me. So it's like fog and removal in one and I always get huge value out of it.

[@christinamouawad1153]

I have a boros graveyard deck led by the OG Quintorius, and Salvaging Station is such a strong value engine! The variety of ways I have used this one card has created so many fun scenarios. I've used it to reanimate the suspend lotus 3 times in one main phase to cast my commander for the 4th time in a game (lot of board wipes in that one). Salvaging Station does require some build around, but if your commander cares about artifacts or graveyards then it is such a good add.

[@Tempest-Official]

Great video, Joey! I think the key piece of information here is that playing a fog with no upside has more chance of feels bad because that often requires you to have a board state. I think that is why Arachnogenesis and Inkshield feel so good to play even though they cost more mana. You don't need an established board to get the massive upside. Even blessed respite has the upside stapled onto the card.

[@dizzynarutofan100]

Time to share my love for obscuring haze. Even better in a parter/background deck

[@MrBrawler65]

I added batwing brume to my orzhov deck after i saw it on challenge the stats

[@kylegonewild]

Been singing Batwing Brume's praises for years. Love it.

[@felipeguidolin1055]

Batwing Brume is amazing! Punish those pesky token decks

[@MrBrawler65]

@@felipeguidolin1055 well my orzhov deck already punishes people for playing creatures, instant, sorceries, drawing cards so why not for attacking😅

[@TheRedKnightOfPain]

A trick ive used in 60 card formats for making a bad attack to get an attack trigger, fog my attack, and hold up mana to fog the crackback. Aetherize also has a nifty secret 2nd to bounce your own creatures to rebuy cast triggers in a pinch. Fogging yourself can save you against blow outs too, someone drops a pump or mass pump spell into your attack, fog it, save your stuff abd swing back next turn. Sense fog is a generalizing effect that hits everything universally you get around hexproof, shroud, and ward where player target or targeted removal will fail. Yes i know teferis protection is probably the best, but sense a recent infect/proliferate set is the most recent, you can still get got from infect wich is important to remember.

[@Vangeltheunderdog]

*Before watching* Yes, yes, yes; the number of times of taken a game because of a well-placed fog is immeasurable. Some of my favorites include Blessed Respite (which will make you shutter, Joey...), Repel the Abominable (for human synergy decks), and just plain old Fog/Holy Day, due to them being only 1 mana ('He only has one mana up, what could he possibly...oh crap, a fog...'). *After Watching* I'm glad you mentioned my faves, but there's one more that I absolutely love that wasn't mentioned in your Fog/removal section. That is Angel of the Dire Hour. While very high in mana cost (7 mana!), it is such a flavor win to be on an angelic body with no other drawback - straight-up exiles all attacking creatures. It being a creature makes it a little trickier to counter, as well. Luckily for me, I am able to safely run it in my Naya-Answers deck where I play it as a land-pass Naya deck.

[@Myagic]

Just a note that you can use reigns of power as a fog. The lack of blinding fog is concerning since it can be used to eat removal for breakfast

[@EricErik]

Shieldmage Advocate is an obscure I love. Great for politicking!

[@andrewtaylor5883]

I didn't see it here but a shout out to two cards that require very little but could provide an immense amount of protection both of offense and defense! 1. Prismatic Strands - [2][W] to prevent any damage NOT just limited to combat damage. 2. Glory - [2][W] to give your creatures protection from the chosen colors (yes there are requirements to meet) it is NOT a one time thing so double activation is great for defensive OR offensive to ensure damage triggers. **Also, cast a Blast-Act and while maintaining priority give pro RED!

[@sanfranfan53]

I’ve been thoroughly impressed by how well constant mists does in games.

[@ethanvincent8270]

Mandate of Peace is by far my favorite fog in white. I have no good reason for it. I just like it lol

[@TaskMaster5]

Mandate is just a solid fog like effect as well as a disruptor. Shuts down all 'when attacking' triggers as well as just stuffing their attack attempts in general as well as basically making them skip their second main phase. They lose a lot of value for your small mana investment.

[@DavidGreeneMtgJudge]

These episodes are great. It's like the EDHREC cast doesn't let Joey initiate challenge the stats, so Joey makes his own challenge the stats videos with hookers and blackjack.

[@michellemoore7829]

Blessed respite their vampiric tutor is a power play

[@unseeliedream42]

Batwing Brume is my favorite fog in my Orzhov Vampires deck

[@Carniak]

So one tiny note on fogs like Obscuring Haze and similar spells like Chameleon Blur, Thwart the Enemy, etc., they prevent all DAMAGE. This will shut down many infinite damage combos as well, since many rely on some kind of ETB damage triggers from creature.

[@achocofilah]

I have windgrace and gitrog decks, both running constant mists. Sac a land for buyback cost, I get to fill up my graveyard to either trigger more landfall effects or draw cards, AND preventing combat damage? The value 😎

[@RobertTheSmall]

I really like Dawnstrider as a semi repeatable fog effect, it's not too oppressive as it can essentially only be used once per turn cycle unless you have ways to untap it and it can benefit discard synergies as well

[@stephendowd8161]

I have had great success with Ghostway, Eerie Interlude, Akroma's Will, and Lae'zels Acrobatics alongside more traditional fogs like Teferi's Protection and Arachnogenesis. I love fogs

[@DOTSliveSDO]

I like Thwart the Enemy, a 3 mana green fog that prevents ALL damage by creatures. At least in my pod, we have a player who has a Bosch deck that doesn’t swing out but we still got to stop the massive damage it can do. Thwart the Enemy helps even when combat isn’t the main win con. Illusionist’s Gambit is also hilarious as a blue fog that stops combat, starts it again, and makes your opponent attack someone else.

[@vauk5081]

I've been playing Magic for almost 30 years. I've been playing EDH for over a decade. I have never put a fog in a deck and I will continue to never do it again except Teferei's Protection or if they eventually make something better.

[@lucamauri4651]

Probably my favourite fog is Moonmist, is relegated only to wolf and werewolf decks but a one sided fog is very effective even if you are on the offence not just for defence. And I agree a fog effect is really cool and useful to have in a deck, tho sometimes it doesn't feel worth a card. I'm just wating the day they give us a fog on an MDFC or an adventure, that would be amazing.

[@johanandersson8252]

Mandate of Peace ✌️ could it be considered as a fog effect

[@thesleepershark4265]

Another underrated prevent combat damage in green is Lull. One you can say "Lol" to your opponents combat step, and two it has cycle so you can swap it for a card if need be

[@satansamael666]

Even in cEDH, fogs do sometimes act as quite narrow but stupidly efficient counterspells against some combos as well. Those that say “prevent all damage” are particularly spicy in a world where Bowmasters exist and Bowmaster loops are getting discovered. Fogs may not be awesome but they’re certainly underrated.

[@greekPharaoh666]

I 100% agree. I've started putting fog effects in my deck, and it has gotten to many blowouts that resolve in me winning more games. I do believe this is meta dependent, but our playgroup is combaty enough that they are worth it.

[@NateFinch]

Fogs are so good for making memories. I once goaded an opponent to "put me out of my misery" when I was low on life, only to cast inkshield in my aristocrats deck and then proceed to sacrifice all the tokens and kill the table. Amazing.

[@BrootalMetalBanjo]

I put fogs into my Big +1/+1 counter deck. Makes swinging out with my huge monster feel safer when the smug crack back is just negated. Also saving other people is super fun, it spoils an opponent’s plan and now you have a temporary ally in most cases.

[@vantain20]

Angelsong, Reverent Mantra, and Intervention Pact are my go-tos. Angelsong can be cycled late game for card draw, Reverent Mantra for free cast when you want to block (blocking effects, if you have any present) but don't want your creatures dying, Intervention Pact for free cast but dying on your own terms, unless you have open mana on your upkeep Riot Control, Respite, and Blessed Respite, have won me games before.

[@draken882000]

I play a single fog in a few decks. Here's another example of why you need to run one..... and also why you should have plan B path to victory. I played a landfall mirror match where both of us had a constant mist in hand. As stated by Joe, this basically means neither could win through combat damage. It was at that point i added Scute Swarm and Goblin Bombardment to that deck. (Yes, i avoided adding that combo ON PURPOSE).

[@ayayashamwow2021]

My group is full of crazy combat, from big Dragons, to instant kill infect, to a one shot sliver deck. The amount of times Darkness has saved me is crazy and i always make room for it, and it's a good mind game tactic. In all my decks I have a few tricky fog-esque effects, so I always leave at least some mana open. The amount of times I should've been knocked out and wasn't because I bluffed fogs is astounding

[@kylekrazymars6726]

I have always been a firm believer in fog effects.

[@albertonunez2045]

I made a fog deck recently. It’s Bant and I also have a lot of cards that negate damage done to them. Usually win by my commander double striking people to death

[@alexbufmack852]

Jaheira’s respite + warstorm surge or a sac outlet has actively won me so many games in gruul omnath…

[@dalol90]

I love ink shield in my Sisay, weatherlight captain deck. I usually leave 5 or more mana to tutor a legendary that helps me with anything i need atm (I play toolbox legendary Sisay), so having 5+ mana is totally normal for me and nobody suspects the "fog and I get an army that if you dont remove it, you all lose" everytime.

[@Bennerz]

Blunt the Assault is my personal fave that isn't a straight up fog, life gain for ALL creatures on the battlefield, that's usually a decent amount to warrant the extra mana

[@scire105]

This is why i run Insult // injury in my werewolves deck. You know what feels better than foging and attack to you? Insulting the enemy fog and dealing the damage anyway, and double it up to add salt to the injury. I'll admit though that moonmist has shown to be a very strong card in the deck, and that onesided fogs are huge on most combat decks, specially those that don't have tons of vigilance or ways to prevent crackback.

[@jacc1854]

I love the combat damage step enough to consider Insult/Injury and Flaring Pain in most decks it's most important to. I *live* for the gotcha of stopping damage prevention. So far my highlight is flipping an Insult off the top 4 in my Narset prowess deck after someone spore frogged, but my bucket list item is to kill a player through a Teferi's Protection with "Damage can't be prevented," and Commander damage.

[@MaxBeaulieu]

Whether there will be puns or not, I haven’t the foggiest idea.

[@andrewrockwell1282]

I do love a good fog effect. From the classic to inkshield, i always feel good gotcha -ing someone.

[@johndyar-xi4ub]

I like moon mists for my werewolf commander deck even if the transforming part doesn't work with the new ones they still can do damage if blocking with them. It is also just 1 and a green to play.

[@skillcollector9800]

I run both Constant Mists and Glacial Chasm in my Baba Lysaga deck. I agree that they can almost be too good. Glacial Chasm in particular can be completely backbreaking in the right deck.

[@Suhrvivor]

I play Constant Mists on my Lord Windgrace deck and nobody ever expects it, some decks can't even touch you with it, it's great.

[@draken882000]

I NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT LOVES CONSTANT MIST!!!!!!!

[@felipeguidolin1055]

We had to soft ban Constant Mists, Forbid and Capsize... Those cards have a way to warp the game around themselves that we found negative to the experience of the table.

[@Suhrvivor]

@@felipeguidolin1055 Most of the time you'd become the archenemy and you'll die first, it's very hard to survive against 3 other players determined to kill you.

[@SwedeRacerDC]

How often have you heard if only I had one more turn! Thus, play fogs. There are some amazing ones and you sure show them. I did lose to and discover ink shield by attacking out to kill the rest of the table and was prevented from it.

[@9-b_b-9]

I have a monogreen Shigeki Self Mill Fogs deck. Shigeki lets you loop fogs forever along with other return to hand cards. I call it Green Hell because I'm still figuring out my win con XD

[@staatsnoobNr1]

i like how blessed respite seems to be a guy returning to gaeas blessing to rest

[@caioalp5106]

Solitary Confinement is deceptevely good if you can keep recuring it, it prevents all damage, not just combat damage and it is grave protection a lot of grave hate cards say "target player exiles their graveyard".

[@wytzevanderveer6351]

Personally, when I think fogs, I think "tempo-reliant one-sided board wipe". Because that's kinda what if feels like. How do fogs compare to board wipes, especially board wipes like cyclonic rift or mizzium mortars which can keep your own board safe?

[@ShinyNachos]

The first time I made a Selfless Squire play, I was totally sold on fogs! Wiping the smug look off someone face with a+30/+30 creature is a life changing moment. I'll beat that record someday!

[@DrMeisterBabylon]

Obscuring Haze is soooo goood. Its been my secret spice since it's release and everyone dissing on it has made it easy to find multiples of it.

[@cactuz4813]

Constant Mists + A commander that rewards for sac’ing (Yuma) allows you to stall indefinitely while building tokens. An emerald medallion and it casts for 1! Enjoy!

[@s.dalner7245]

I misread the title as "Why You Should Play More Frogs" and I was so confused for the longest time.

[@facelessgames94]

Jaheiras Respite soon became one of my favourite green cards. Sure, its 5 mana, but I don't care. Its a ramp spell that protects me. Very playgroup specific

[@NotJustAthena]

Reading the title "you should play more frogs" while building yargle n multani myself spooked me for a second😂 thought they were about to get much more popular

[@felipeguidolin1055]

This video felt like a response to yesterday's Mtg Goldfish podcast

[@dizzynarutofan100]

14:13 My pod has started to do this to themselves if I look confident enough. Having obscuring haze as a pet card does that I guess.

[@hanschristopherson8056]

One thing with fogs to avoid feels bad is don’t show them to your opponent unless you’re playing it because they might be tricked into not attacking you because they think you played it

[@CapoDV]

Joey, idk if there is a better place to put this, but do you have any plans for an upgraded the average for the CMM commander decks? Specifically looking for Guff.

[@joshuaplank9791]

I think the Pauper favorite Prismatic Strands deserves some more love, since you can easily use it politically. Use it to prevent some early damage, and then trade the borderline free flashback cast for a much bigger favor!

[@vincent-antoinesoucy1872]

Mandate of peace is the most underrated piece of cardboard around.

[@markbrierley6367]

My meta sees only 2 fogs: a spore frog loop in a Muldrotha deck and a Moments Peace in a Multani voltron deck. We see too much from The Questing Beast which blanks fogs. We see the Settle the Wreckage Angel in an Angel tribal deck, but I disagree that this type of effect is a fog since it's frequently used on opponents turns as mass removal.

[@towelguy]

it shows the power level I usually play in that reins of powers is considered a powerful card I should for sure play one more fog in this meta

[@kiriyalwasp]

I somehow managed to repeatedly misread the title as "why you should play more frogs"

[@prinnyEXE]

Who I want to build a turbo fog deck now thank you

[@Takazatara]

Prismatic Strands is very underrated too!

[@Oof_Proof_Goof]

Aetherize only has one line of text, and in my experience it typically reads “you win the game”.

[@markocelenkovic]

Even after watching this video I'm not a huge fan of fogs still (though I do want to try them out now) but I would just recommend any goad cards as "fogs". Theres lots of goad cards but especially Taunt from the Ramparts and Kardur are really nasty ways to prevent the damage coming your way and make your opponents take a ton of damage, just in your main phase instead.

[@JusticeJudge]

Agree with this fogs are very underrated, and makes swinging out feel much safer.

[@oxpolitik]

Love Festival. Old school. No one plays it. No one really expects it. Cast when someone is going for the win.

[@uselesscommon7761]

Haze of Pollen tho. Fogs are situational, why not run one with Cycling?

[@orrfannut9527]

Last weekend I had a game where my buddy played primal surge and it was his only non permanent in the deck. He thought he had the win between haste enablers and massive beaters. I cast obsuring haze and laughed

[@hovercar00]

Mirror Strike and Reflect Damage have a special place in my decks as killing someone with their own attacking Blightsteel Colossus since these spells will cause the infect to carry through on the damage redirection.

[@SweetOddBoi]

My buddy uses Righteous Aura in his Queen Marchesa deck and it is very annoying. It keeps him alive and stops you from being able to take the Monarchy or Initiative from him so he just racks up SO much value over the course of the game.

[@anaskaadan5845]

infinite fog effects trigger me. How can you not immediately team up against the player that threatens an infinite fog loop? They are basically in full control of the combat step, which is, like you said, the primary way people deal damage to each other in commander.

[@Sir-Darmek]

No love for serene sunset? My favorite fog

[@memonk100]

One damage prevention card i love is Martyr's Cause it should be in every white token deck.

[@breyor1]

LordWindGrace is a pro at “not dying” with Glacial Chasm/Constant mists. It’s amazingly funny when some of the other decks just can’t deal with a land lol

[@Donistotle-mtg]

Just starting the video, but if Blessed Respite doesn't get mentioned... 😢. I've been loving the versatility of it in my midrange playgroup

[@Donistotle-mtg]

Wooo, you're already a fan 😊

[@natecolonna9359]

Sudden Spoiling I don't think was mentioned. 3 mana in black, but it's great. 1 sided and it's versatile enough that some combo decks can be stopped by stripping creatures of their abilities out of no where

[@Yakiro255]

I love fogs! But it's so hard to play them because I need room for so many other important cards!

[@PhiladelphiaCoIlins]

I have a Jared Carthalion true heir deck that has something like 20 fog effects. Not meant to be strong but it's funny

[@bubzettel922]

I thought the title said "frogs" and watched for about 5 minutes getting more and more confused until I realized...