Hidden Gems: Seals and Stuff

Welcome to the first ever article here on The Casual Commander! Before I jump into my first topic I would like to give you a run down of what this blog is aiming to achieve:
  • Discover hidden gems that get overlooked and are underplayed.
  • Feature decks of players in the community.
  • Recaps crazy game moments (with photos).
  • Occasionally touch on topics not relating to gameplay.
Now, on to the reason this article was written in the first place. I have to admit, the idea to do articles on obscure cards for commander was inspired by a friend of mine, Daniel. Through the years I have realized that I can always count on him to play cards that will troll me and roll me (at the same time). So Daniel, this one's for you. Up first is the seal cycle from Nemesis. Allow me to introduce you:


These rattlesnake types of cards have a unique effect on any game they are played in (Well...except for the red and green versions, which are just not very strong in this format). Much like a rattlesnake these are warning you if you come too close, you will be bitten. Sometimes they act as a shield in that they will keep a player from playing a card out of fear theirs will be the target. Speaking from experience, Seal of Removal and Seal of Doom are not very kind to Xenagos (If you know me, you know this is my go-to deck). The situation only gets worse if the owner of the seal has a way to recur it such as Sun Titan, Hannah, etc. 

If we dig a little deeper we can find similar effects, except attached to creatures. The two that come to mind the quickest are Spore Frog and Kami of False Hope.


The same goes for these guys, they can have such a powerful effect on a game. It's not rare for a Spore Frog lockout to happen. Which, incidentally, I've been on the receiving end of one of those too (Daniel, yet again...notice a trend?).



Lastly, Mirrodin and Scars of Mirrodin provided us with a large cycle of spellbombs. However, only two truly stand out as Commander All-Stars: Aether Spellbomb and Nihil Spellbomb. These types of cards can completely shut down a player's game plan and are not to be underestimated.

I'm sure there are plenty of cards I may not have mentioned, so please let me know in the comments below! If you have a card you feel is a hidden or overlooked gem I'd also love to hear from you too. You can also reach me on Twitter at @CasualCmdr. If you'd like to submit your commander deck to be featured you can reach out to me on Twitter or at thecasualcmdr@gmail.com.

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