Though it feels like an eternity ago now, Magic’s crossover with Fallout is actually only a little over two years old. Thanks to being inundated with new cards and crossovers since then, it’s been easy to forget that this set contained some real gems. Cards like Rex, Cyber-Hound, for instance, have huge potential as both a potent value engine and prolific combo engine.
Rex, Cyber-Hound MTG
The big draw with Rex, Cyber-Hound is its second ability, which is a more resilient take on ability stealers like Koh, the Face Stealer. This lets you plunder graveyards, including your opponents’, for activated abilities, providing graveyard hate and value in one.
Of course, to use this ability at all, you’ll need to build up a store of energy. Rex can do this itself if it connects for damage, so evasion granters like Whispersilk Cloak, and trigger doublers like Delney, Streetwise Lookout, are must-plays here. Other efficient energy makers are great fits here, too, especially repeatable ones like Roil Cartographer and Automated Assembly Line.
To bring Rex’s ability fully online, you’ll also want to ensure you have a steady stream of targets for it by running some mill effects. Repeatable mill like Ghoulcaller’s Bell, and wheel effects like Windfall, can get this done very quickly indeed. With plenty of targets to work with, activated ability doublers, like Illusionist’s Bracers can help you collect them all much faster.
Rex should be able to pick up plenty of abilities from your opponents’ decks, but you’ll want to run some relevant ones yourself just to be safe. The sky really is the limit here, from mana dorks like Omen Hawker to powerful card draw like Arcanis the Omnipotent. To make the most of Rex’s inherited arsenal, activated ability support pieces like The Enigma Jewel and Thousand-Year Elixir are great additions.
Combos On The Brain
Rex, Cyber-Hound is capable of playing a fair MTG game, but it also has plenty of infinite combo potential. Alongside Pili-Pala and Palladium Myr, for instance, Rex can make infinite mana. Simply exile both creatures with Rex’s ability, then you’ll be able to tap Rex for two, then pay two to untap it for mana. Rinse and repeat to build up the mana needed for an immediate Walking Ballista win.
For a funkier combo line, you can pair Rex with Trench Behemoth and Walking Atlas for infinite Landfall triggers. Once exiled, you’ll be able to bounce a land to untap Rex, then tap Rex to put the land back into play for a Ruin Crab or Altar of the Brood win. Using this combo, you can even get infinite mana, provided you bounce a land that enters untapped.
Every Dog Has Its Day
Despite the card’s flexibility and combo potential, Rex isn’t particularly popular in Commander right now. According to EDHREC, in fact, just under 1,400 players run the card in the command zone. While it does better in the 99, where over 11,000 players make use of it, thankfully, this play rate doesn’t make it expensive.
Over on TCGplayer, you can nab near-mint copies for just $0.10, or even the elusive surge foil version for only $1. At this price point, Rex makes a great budget Commander for your next deckbuilding project.
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