We’ve all been there.
You have a board of threats, a grip of cards, and you’re feeling great about the game of Commander you are playing. You feel like you are close to winning.
Then at the end of your turn, one of your opponents casts an overloaded
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
.
Then, the game of Commander resets. Frustrating, right? According to EDHREC.com,
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
is among the most played cards in Commander. While that ranking is only in the last few years, it’s amongst powerful cards such as
Sol Ring
Sol Ring
{T}: Add {C}{C}.
and
Swords to Plowshares
Swords to Plowshares
Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power.
. It’s either deeply loved or hated by Magic: The Gathering players, which causes plenty of discussion on whether the card should see a ban in the format.
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Why Do People Want to Ban Cyclonic Rift?
Granted,
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
is the best board wipe in the format by a considerable margin. It’s good to have various ways to end games but
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
generates more poor play experiences than most. Other cards that encourage similar experiences are
Narset, Parter of Veils
Narset, Parter of Veils
Each opponent can't draw more than one card each turn.
−2: Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a noncreature, nonland card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
, or even Iona, Shield of Emeria which is now banned in Commander.
The issue with
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
is that the effect isn’t symmetrical. It leaves the caster of the spell untouched while knocking everyone else back to rebuild their board. Going further, it becomes an issue if the player is able to recur
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
back to their hand turn after turn — leaving everyone else at the table with little else to do. It’s a singleton format so the chances of seeing
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
in every game is slim, but it’s that potential that can harm play experiences within the format.
It’s not being on the end of a
Cyclonic Rift
Cyclonic Rift
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
, but you’ll revel in it if you are casting the card yourself. It’s such a polarizing card that could see a ban in Commander someday.
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