What can I do with my late game mana in Commander

Question

I'm building some EDH decks and I keep running into a problem - lots of mana, no spells to cast. Now, this is moderately acceptable, but only because my opponents are often in the same state.

It seems if I could do something with this mana, I would have the edge. But there seem to be very few mechanics that exist on enough cards to create a theme, but are efficient enough to be worth while. In fact, the only one I've really found is firebreathing. But that's not viable for any non-mono-red deck.

What mechanics are mana dumps that are plentiful enough to bake into an EDH theme? Do the effects even need to synergize, or should I just take random efficient mana dumps as they come?

Answer 1

I agree with the other answers, when the problem is "lots of mana, no spells to cast" the most obvious answer is "draw more spells somehow".

But I thought I'd take a look at the problem from a slightly different angle: if your deck consistently has more mana than spells to cast, maybe the problem is the deck's mana curve.

An ideal mana curve means you constantly have spells to cast, and the spells your draw and have in hand get more and more powerful as your mana base builds. Maybe your deck has too many cheap spells but not enough expensive threats?

But if you go too far, early in the game you don't have enough mana to play the spells in hand. However, there are many keywords in magic that help you "cheat" on your mana curve by increasing the power of your spells or increasing your card advantage when you spend a little extra.

Keywords that help:

• Cycling: Cast a big spell later, or ramp/replace the card early if you don't yet have the mana base.
• Kicker/Multikicker, Replicate, Echo: Spend extra mana for a bigger effect.
• Buyback: Easy way to get more spells? Don't put the cast spell in the graveyard. :)
• Flashback, Retrace, Unearth: Another way to get more spells? After they hit your graveyard, cast them again.
• Evoke: You can play something big later, or gain advantage early.
• Forecast: You can play something big later, and gain advantage early.
• Miracle: You can play something big later — or if you're lucky, sooner.
• Suspend: You can play something big later or… uh… later.
• Cumulative upkeep: Arctic Nishoba or Magmatic Core might be nice.
• Level up: Make your board stronger.

I'm sure there are more… but that's a start.

Answer 2

It's important (in my opinion) to build your deck engine around your commander. If I were designing a deck around the commanders you've mentioned, here's what I'd do. I know this isn't specifically what you asked, but drawing more cards is a key part of Commander strategy.

Lyzolda

Well, she has card draw built in to her. Look for cards that will give you black or red creature tokens (and ideally both, but there's only a couple of those). Also look for ones that are either permanent token generators or can be re-cast from the graveyard. Some examples:

• Worm Harvest (can be recast many times, and gives you something to do with excess lands)
• Army of the Damned (can be cast twice)
• Bitterblossom (permanent)
• Bloodline Keeper
• etc.

As supporting cards, black has many instants and sorceries for drawing cards and for searching for specific cards. There's no need to have all of your non-land cards have the same mechanic (in fact, that would be a poorly balanced deck).

Uril

Obviously, it's key to get Auras onto Uril. Thankfully, White and Green have cards that help you if are playing something Aura-heavy.

• Verduran Enchantress, Mesa Enchantress, Argothian Enchantress, Enchantress's Presence: all give you card draw when you cast an enchantment
• Green Sun's Zenith, Chord of Calling, Worldly Tutor, Summoner's Pact, Fauna Shaman: all let you search for creatures
• Academy Rector, Enduring Ideal, Enlightened Tutor, Idyllic Tutor: all let you search for enchantments (Enduring Ideal is a bit of a weird one though!)

There's also a bunch of creatures with the word "aura" in their description that do cool stuff. Pick all your favorites and your favorite auras and have fun.

Lovisa

Mono-colored commander decks are a little trickier. Every color has some way of drawing more cards, so you generally have to rely on that. In red's case, you are usually (but not always) "looting", i.e. discarding either before or after you draw. As another poster mentions, artifact draw can also help.

• Faithless Looting, Dangerous Wager, Control of the Court: all examples of looting cards - these can really help think your deck
• Wheel of Fortune, Wheel of Fate: ways to replenish your hand if it's empty
• Koth of the Hammer, Chandra Ablaze, Chandra, the Firebrand: all of these planeswalkers have good mid to late game abilities.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Card Draw might just be the solution you are looking for... of course that can be harder in some colors than others, but if you can find ways to spend mana on card advantage, you end up solving both problems you're having. And it's not like decking is frequently a problem in EDH. The down side is of course that an efficient card draw engine is an obvious threat to other players. Get too good at and you'll paint a big old bullseye on yourself.

Answer 4

Card Draw is the solution you are looking for. If you have lots of mana, and no spells to cast, and your opponents are in the same boat then you guys aren't using your cards efficiently.

As for specific cards for your decks:

Lyzolda, the Blood Witch Commander

• Necropotence >> (budget) Phyrexian Etchings - The best card draw available in black. Alternatives that aren't nearly as good Minions' Murmurs, Greed, Oath of Lim-Dul, Skeletal Scrying
• Phyrexian Arena >> (budget) Gravestorm
• Night Dealings has some synergy with your commander, but works even better in multiplayer with Pestilence, Pyrohemia, Thrashing Wumpus, Pestilence Demon (et. al.)
• Decree of Pain >> (budget) Dregs of Sorrow
• Ancient Craving >> (budget) Hoarder's Greed

Uril, the Miststalker Commander

• Keen Sense or Snake Umbra. It is always fun to throw this on a Ifh-Bíff Efreet / Squallmonger or Warmonger

Lovisa Coldeyes Commander

Red doesn't have good card draw, so you are going to have to resort to the best artifact card draw.

• Mind's Eye, EDH staple
• Tower of Fortunes
• Memory Jar
• Staff of Nin or Urza's Blueprints
• Angelheart Vial
• Farsight Mask
• Bottled Cloister or Mindstorm Crown

and many more.

Answer 5

Ant Queen is great for turn after converting mana into tokens, Wolfbriar elemental is great for late game wolf army creation, and Timur Sabertooth is a great way to use mana evacuating creatures which might be destroyed or repeatedly using enter the battlefield effects of your other creatures. Hydras and cards with x cost are ok ways to spend the mana but they are only able to help you mop up all your mana oncey. I definitely disagree with the previous posters that the only solution is more card draw, having a consistent ability among your permanents which uses mana maximizes the value. But if you do need card draw, shamanic revelations