Some of MTG’s TMNT cards have received… very mixed reviews. That always seems to be the case with Universes Beyond cards, but these turtles take the usual Universes Beyond antics a bit further. The set’s Class enchantments, in particular, have been steeped in controversy thanks to their uniquely awful names.
Sadly, despite the cards having names like ‘Party Dude’ and ‘Does Machines’, these Class cards are extremely powerful. This may, arguably, make things worse, since players will have no choice but to play them in competitive formats. Cool but Rude, in particular, already looked strong enough to guarantee a spot in Standard. Thanks to a particularly nasty combo, the enchantment could even see play in Modern and beyond.
A Cool, But Rude Combo
It’s extremely clear to many players that Cool but Rude has a ton of potential. Offering tons of card selection for aggressive decks, Cool but Rude can quickly rack up damage. This not only allows the enchantment to wreak havoc alongside Artist’s Talent, but it even slots into Modern decks like Hollow One. Throw in a spice of Commander potential in this card’s third level, and Cool but Rude is clearly one of the best cards in MTG x TMNT.
While this enchantment’s potential in Standard Lessons shells was clear, it turns out that the Cool but Rude even creates some instant death combos. So long as you have enough life to draw up to 15 cards, Necrodominance‘s hand size modification will cause you to discard 10 cards. If Cool, but Rude is Level 2, that’s 20 direct damage to your opponent. You can even tutor for a Necrodominance with this Class’s third level, making this a one-card combo to some extent.
While this combo is already powerful, it would be a bit less concerning if Necrodominance weren’t right on the tipping point of being a balancing problem already. The card has created multiple turn-one kill combos in Legacy and Vintage, and sees steady amounts of Modern and Timeless play. This combo even works in Commander, knocking all of your opponents out at once.
Fortunately, while powerful, this combo doesn’t look like it will break any formats wide open. Thanks to Cool but Rude’s awkward mana demands, this combo is probably only viable in Commander and Modern at most. Spending four mana playing and leveling up the Class enchantment is too slow in older formats, but it does give Necrodominance a guaranteed kill in Modern, which is quite significant.
Unknown Potential
While Cool but Rude is certainly a powerful win condition for Necrodominance, whether or not it will redefine the Modern archetype is unknown for now. The need to level up the card, combined with its color identity, makes things a bit awkward. Fortunately, even if Cool but Rude is the real deal with Necrodominance, it’s unlikely to become a Modern metabreaker.
This means that Cool but Rude and Necrodominance might end up being a Commander-exclusive pairing, and it’s certainly a slam dunk there. The TMNT enchantment is already an auto-include in decks like Anje Falkenrath and Asmo, and Necrodominance is the type of card that makes every Commander deck better for including it. Throw in the Gamble-esque final level, and running Cool but Rude basically has no downsides.
There’s also a real, but slim, chance that Cool but Rude and Necrodominance even show up in Legacy and Vintage. Some MTG players are already trying to brew new builds around the powerful combo, meaning that it could end up being a powerhouse in any number of places.
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