In Commander, there are a ton of different themes players like to build their decks around. Many legends encourage specific synergies to maximize their potential. This can be as simple as putting tons of Elves in your Ezuri, Renegade Leader EDH deck. Given the vast number of legendary Creatures available for players to utilize as Commanders, there truly is something fun for everyone.
Of course, some themes are more popular than others. It’s quite common to play against typal decks or decks that flood the board with tokens, for instance. While these strategies can be quite powerful, sometimes it can be fun to think outside the box and try to maximize cards that aren’t exactly EDH powerhouses.
Well, with Outlaws of Thunder Junction right around the corner, a multitude of cool new legends will soon be added to our arsenal. One recently spoiled general in particular is not only incredibly strong, but also incentivizes players to deviate from the norm. Even though the card is focused on token production, it does so in a very unique way. The key is finding ways to abuse it.
An Interesting Hate Piece
The card in question is none other than Kambal, Profiteering Mayor. Kambal does have the ability to generate lots of tokens. However, in this case, Kambal benefits whenever tokens enter the battlefield under YOUR OPPONENTS’ control. This adds a cool spin on a general token-making theme.
What’s nice is that, even without jumping through hoops, chances are your opponents will be making tokens incidentally. Many of the best cards in Commander involve token production. From Smothering Tithe to Dockside Extortionist, Kambal can make sure that if an opponent is getting rewarded in token form, so are you.
The only downside is that Kambal’s first ability only triggers once each turn. As such, if an opponent uses multiple cards to generate tokens on their turn, you will only get token copies from the first effect. However, thanks to the way Kambal is worded, if this first effect creates multiple tokens under an opponent’s control at once, you get to make that many tokens. As such, a resolved Dockside Extortionist from an opponent may net you a boatload of tapped Treasure tokens.
Kambal is obviously extra powerful against dedicated token decks. Any card like Inkshield or Finale of Glory that could normally swing a game completely in an opponent’s favor becomes significantly less problematic. Ultimately, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised how much Kambal’s presence can mess with each of your opponent’s plans.
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A Group Hug Feel
Where things get interesting, though, is when you start to abuse Kambal’s token production. See, there a multitude of cards that put tokens under your opponents’ control instead of yours. Forbidden Orchard, for example, can make sure that every turn cycle, you and an opponent of your choice each get a 1/1 token. Similarly, the downside associated with cards like Hunted Horror or Get Lost essentially become mitigated, since you can end up getting tokens in the process, too.
Infernal Genesis works especially well with Kambal in multiplayer Commander games. While everyone else at the table only gets one crack at creating Minion tokens each turn cycle, you get an opportunity on every player’s turn.
Kambal is even worded in a way where in multiplayer games, if an effect creates tokens under each opponent’s control at once, you get the total number of tokens that were created for all of your opponents. Cards like Tribute to Horobi or The Akroan Horse become absolute all-stars alongside Kambal. If you have access to a lot of mana, Alliance of Arms can generate an absurd number of tokens for you.
To put things in perspective, let’s say five mana is invested into Alliance of Arms in a four-player Commander game. Each opponent will net five 1/1 tokens, but you will create 20 under your control! Kambal helps completely break the symmetry of these types of cards, and with a little support, you may be able to end the game in short order.
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Providing Support
To help maximize all of this token production, there are a number of cards that can help pull you further ahead. Kambal does help in this regard by draining each opponent whenever you make tokens, but unfortunately, the “one or more” clause makes it so that mass token production from Arms of Alliance won’t end the game on the spot.
Luckily, cards like Mirkwood Bats and Corpse Knight fill this role perfectly. If you have a sacrifice outlet like Ashnod’s Altar at the ready, then Zulaport Cutthroat and Elias il-Knor, Sadistic Pilgrim accomplish the same goal. Otherwise, cards like Eldrazi Monument can ensure your ability to win the game in combat.
Notably, Kambal does have the potential to drain each opponent multiple times in the same turn, but you need to utilize separate instances of token production. So, casting Arms of Alliance and making 40 tokens won’t result in Kambal draining each opponent for 40. However, if you follow this up by casting Ashnod’s Altar and Pitiless Plunderer, you can sacrifice your Creature tokens one by one. From there, each time you sacrifice a Creature, you generate a Treasure token, causing Kambal to drain each opponent for one. As such, you will likely be able to win the game right then and there.
Kambal is certainly a powerful card, but the fact that it opens the door for underused cards like Infernal Genesis makes it a rather interesting card to build a deck around. If you’re looking to put a spin on token generation in Commander, Kambal may be the perfect legend to lead your squad.
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