Sword to Plowshares is the best single removal in Commander
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Sami Lindqvist

Wed Feb 16 2022

guideremovalstaples

Best removals in Commander for each color

In commander you often end up in a situation where you have no other options than removal. Here is a collection of the best removals in the commander format. All these removals are commander staples and have a home in almost any deck with the given color identity.

Table of contents

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What is removal in MTG?

Removal is a critical aspect of any MTG format and commander is no different. With removal you remove one or more resources from the game. Removals can be spells, permanents or activated abilities or triggered abilities. Countering, exiling, destroying or returning to a players hand are examples of removals.

What is the best removal in White?

White is the best color for removal in MTG and has removals for every situation: permanent removal, creature removal, land destruction, board wipes, one-sided board wipes and even a few counter spells. The best removal for Commander is Path to Exile. Very close second is Swords to Plowshares.

What is the best removal in Blue?

The best removal in MTG is without a doubt Cyclonic Rift. The ability to bounce a single nonland permanent or overloading with 6 in instant speed makes Cyclonic Rift easily the strongest and the most versatile removal. As Rift can end the game in a right situation no other removal is even close to the same power level.

What is the best removal in Black?

Black is the second best color for removal and is almost as strong as white. The lack of removals for enchantments and artifacts does hinder the abilities a lot and most of the creature removal is destroying not exiling. The best removal in black is Baleful Mastery.

What is the best removal in Red?

Red is struggling with instant speed removal, non damage based board wipes and enchantments. Red does have many Shock and Lightning Bolt card to remove small creatures, but it does struggle with bigger creatures. The best removal in red is Chaos Warp with the ability to remove any targetable permanent with the chance of 2-5% not working.

What is the best removal in Green?

Green, the color of stupendously large beasts and great card draw effects. But green is definitely the weakest color in Commander for removal. Green excels in removing artifacts and enchantments but really struggles with creatures. The best removal in green is Beast Within with the ability to destroy anything in instant speed.

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Sami Lindqvist

Hi everybody, I'm Sami, the creator of EDH Chamber. I've played MTG from 2020 now, mostly Commander but I have a little bit of experience of pre-MH2 modern too. My goal is to build new, interesting and challenging decks. Really hope to find new out-of-color-pie commander decks like Dimir dragons!

Card highlights

Removal

Beast Within

Beast Within

4 / 5

Beast Within is a strong removal and has a white counterpart, Generous Gift. Destroying any permanent in instant speed is great but the mana cost is only reason why it is weaker than the rest of the spells.

Chaos Warp

Chaos Warp

4 / 5

Chaos Warp is definitely a powerful card. And sometimes causes hilarious situations. I remember a game where the removed permanent returned immediately from the library back on the table and caused a secondary ETB effect.

Baleful Mastery

Baleful Mastery

5 / 5

Baleful Mastery does cost a bit more, but has the ability to cost less when you let your opponent to draw a card makes it the strongest removal spell in black. The exile effect and ability to target planeswalkers does make a difference.

Cyclonic Rift

Cyclonic Rift

5 / 5

Cyclonic Rift is the best removal spell in commander. The ability to remove everything from your opponents is so excruciating that it can literally end the game.

Swords to Plowshares

Swords to Plowshares

5 / 5

Sword to Plowshares is competing with Path to Exile for the first price in removal for white. The lifegain is often miniscule in commander, but sometimes the infinite sized tokens due cause issues.

Path to Exile

Path to Exile

5 / 5

Path to Exile is the best removal in white. Instant speed and mana value of 1 with the ability to exile and downside of allowing the opponent to search a land is minimal in commander.

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