One of the most unique and controversial win conditions in all of Magic is Mill. Being able to completely ignore your opponent’s life total and instead close games in an unconventional way can feel very satisfying. Watching your opponent’s despair as all of their favorite cards hit the graveyard, for the few who play mill, is worth the entire mission.
In most cases, Milling an opponent out requires building a deck around the mechanic and combining a multitude of effects together. Things only get harder in a Commander setting, where players start with 99 cards in their decks instead of 60. Yet, one particular sorcery is capable of Milling an opponent’s entire library in one go! There are a surprising number of ways to take advantage of the underplayed card, so long as you put in some effort.
MTG Tunnel Vision Combos and Synergies
Tunnel Vision is an extremely weird card with a low floor and high ceiling. In order to even get any value out of your six-mana sorcery, you have to name a card that exists in the library of whichever player you target. If you target your opponent and name a card not in their deck, they simply shuffle their library, and you spent six mana for nothing.
If you can successfully name the bottom card of an opponent’s library, however, you force them to Mill their entire deck except for that card they reveal. Obviously, naming the bottom card of an opponent’s deck with no help is nearly impossible, but there are a bunch of cards you can use to manipulate the bottom card of an opponent’s deck for your benefit.
Both Hinder and Spell Crumple, for example, are unique sources of counter magic that put whatever spell you counter on the bottom of your opponent’s library. Even a simpler design like the newly printed Dutiful Knowledge Seeker can reset a library’s bottom card, perfectly enabling Tunnel Vision.
Notably, if you build around it further, Tunnel Vision also provides a bunch of value by targeting yourself. If you throw Thassa’s Oracle in the mix, you can execute a similar combo as described above, but you’ll actually be able to win the game in a multiplayer environment rather than simply forcing one opponent to lose. Even Milling your library with a copy of Syr Konrad, the Grim in play may set up lethal damage depending on the number of creatures in your deck.
Beyond combo victories, there is value in using Tunnel Vision as an expensive Vampiric Tutor that also self-Mills in the process. Whether you’re looking to set up Guiltfeeder, increase the power of Mortivore, or search your library for Aftermath Analyst with the intention of Milling and resurrecting a ton of Lands, Tunnel Vision offers more utility than you might expect.
Best Homes for Tunnel Vision
As exciting as Tunnel Vision is, the card still needs a lot of work to get off the ground. Considering its lofty mana value as yet another deterrent, Tunnel Vision really needs to synergize with your Commander to warrant an inclusion.
No legend pairs better with Tunnel Vision than Vendilion Clique, since the Faerie makes it trivial to win via combos. You can even take away an opponent’s piece of disruption in the process, making it more likely you resolve Tunnel Vision.
Interestingly, the new Wan Shi Tong, All-Knowing makes for another decent home for Tunnel Vision. Because Wan Shi Tong pays you off for putting cards back into libraries, you’re already encouraged to run spells like Hinder and Dutiful Knowledge Seeker, making Tunnel Vision a natural fit. Plus, if your opponent ever unknowingly puts a permanent you target with Wan Shi Tong’s enters ability on the bottom of their deck, you can surprise them with a Tunnel Vision kill.
For less combo-focused Commander options, Melek, Reforged Researcher does a great job reducing the cost of Tunnel Vision significantly. Once you resolve Tunnel Vision targeting yourself, there’s a good chance you will Mill over a bunch of instants and sorceries, thus growing your Commander significantly. Similarly, once you transform The Emperor of Palamecia, Tunnel Vision helps set up a brutal attack that sends a wave of damage to each of your opponents. The card even has merit in Bruna, Light of Alabaster decks, since Milling over a boatload of Auras enables Bruna’s attack trigger quite well.
An Underrated Win Condition
All in all, because Tunnel Vision is quite clunky and requires some specific tools around it to make it work, it’s easy to write it off quickly. Regardless, this only makes it more exciting when your opponents have to read the unfamiliar card, and you get to slowly see the realization on their faces that you’ve pulled off an epic combo.
Despite some of the best Commanders incorporating Tunnel Vision being printed last year, the card has maintained a lower price tag. With only one Ravnica: City of Guilds printing to speak of, Tunnel Vision still sits under $4 in traditional, near mint form according to TCGplayer market. So, if you’re looking for a unique engine to surprise your friends with that doesn’t break the bank, Tunnel Vision could be right up your alley.
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