Every so often, a card that has seen virtually no Constructed play has a breakout performance that puts the card on the map. As new cards constantly enter the Magic ecosystem, some synergistic older cards are bound to get better. The key is being able to find those hidden gems.
Today, we’re going to discuss one card in particular that made some noise this weekend seemingly out of nowhere. This six-mana instant printed back in Throne of Eldraine requires you to craft your deck in a very specific way to maximize it. However, the payoff is quite large.
Building a Deck to Accommodate Banish into Fable
- Mana Value: 4WU
- Rarity: Rare
- Card Type: Instant
- MTG Sets: Throne of Eldraine
- Card Text: When you cast this spell from your hand, copy it if you control an artifact, then copy it if you control an enchantment. You may choose new targets for the copies. Return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. You create a 2/2 white Knight creature token with vigilance.
The card we’re talking about is none other than Banish into Fable. Getting to bounce a nonland permanent and make a 2/2 for six mana is far from impressive. But what if you can do these things three times each? All of a sudden you have a massive tempo swing in your favor.
The problem is that you need to be playing a deck with a high volume of artifacts and enchantments to make this work. You also need to be playing a strategy that can reliably get to six mana. For this reason, we’ve mostly seen Banish into Fable pop up in Commander.
Getting to six mana is trivial in Commander, and with so many mana rocks and value-oriented enchantments like Rhystic Study at your disposal, getting to copy Banish into Fable twice is pretty easy. Decks built around Haytham Kenway and other synergistic Knight Commanders work well with this card.
By contrast, in a setting like Pioneer, you need to buy time to set up Banish into Fable. With this in mind, artifacts and enchantments like Portable Hole and High Noon that help accomplish this feat are excellent tools to pair with the expensive spell.
Cheap artifacts and enchantments that sit on the battlefield after generating value, such as Omen of the Sea, do great work here. So long as you can keep yourself alive with Sunfall and The Wandering Emperor, you’re in business.
Turning the Corner
- Mana Value: 2W
- Rarity: Rare
- Card Type: Enchantment- Class
- MTG Set: Bloomburrow
- Card Text: (Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.) Whenever one or more tokens you control enter, draw a card. This ability triggers only once each turn. Level 2: W: When this Class becomes level 2, create a token that’s a copy of target token you control. Level 3: 3W: Creature tokens you control get +2/+2.
What’s nice about this strategy is that, by enabling Banish into Fable, you’re well set up to turn the corner and close games quickly. Any problematic permanent on the opposing side you get to bounce right away. You get six power across three bodies, making it tough for your opponent to disrupt your attacks cleanly.
From there, you add in Caretaker’s Talent as a way to buff your tokens, and your opponent will be dead in no time. Simply cast Banish into Fable on the opponent’s end step, go to your turn, Level Caretaker’s Talent to chapter 3, and deal 12 to the opponent right off the bat.
Banish into Fable really comes in handy against decks like Rakdos Demons that play a lot of clunky permanents. Caretaker’s Talent and Reckoner Bankbuster are excellent grindy elements, while Banish into Fable acts as your closer as long as you can stay alive.
It’s really cool to see such an underutilized card get some love. It may take some effort to maximize Banish into Fable, but the reward is there.
