Sphere of Influence: November 1, 2024

Welcome to Sphere of Influence, a pre-FNM look at some potential movers and shakers that are worth picking up before their prices increase.

Wizards of the Coast is always finding ways to add cards onto cards. Manifest dread is one of 'em, and Rooms from Duskmourn is the other appearing in the same set, turning cards into double cards. Here's a look at a few of them (and one non-Room) worth the price and a pick-up.

Charred Foyer // Warped Space

Outpost Siege has been the comparison point for impulse draw effects since its printing - a Phyrexian Arena for four mana that triggers on your upkeep. A few other cards have iterated on the concept at the same mana cost, like Brazen Cannonade and Visions of Phyrexia, but this new Room card from Duskmourn may be the best one. Four mana gets you an Outpost Siege, but with Charred Foyer // Warped Space, you can open the second door later in the game and cast Dance with Calamity or Soulfire Eruption for nothing (after a six mana investment, of course).

Each of the Rooms is slightly over-costed for what it does, but the card is only priced at $1. Plus, it’s a mythic rare, and there’s no telling what the ceiling looks like for those cards.

Dazzling Theater // Prop Room

Each Room of this card can have a huge effect if you’ve built out a sizable white weenie board - usually not a difficult thing to do. Dazzling Theater saves you mana and Prop Room ensures you’ll always have a stable of blockers at the ready - another Seedborn Muse-type effect in white. It’s like White Plume Adventurer if the Initiative had only a “convoke” mode.

The only downside of this card is that it’s not a creature itself, meaning any synergies you’ve built into your deck won’t affect Dazzling Theater // Prop Room. Its flexibility and $3 price tag makes up for this.

Polluted Cistern // Dim Oubliette

Duskmourn: Commander included this gem of a card that slots perfectly into most graveyard-based decks, especially if they contain even a casual level of mill. Polluted Cistern is a steal at only two mana with no restrictions on how many times it triggers per turn - this plus Altar of Dementia can stand to do a ton of damage all at once. Then, when all else fails, you can pay to reanimate something you milled - worth it even if that effect is a whopping five mana. That’s the same cost as a Phyrexian Delver, and this effect isn’t as repeatable. Pick up a copy of this card for $5 for Polluted Cistern alone, and consider Dim Oubliette a freebie.

Persistent Constrictor

It almost doesn’t matter what any effect is as long as it triggers during every player’s upkeep, and Persistent Constrictor may be one of the best, even outside dedicated -1/-1 counters decks. Each upkeep, an opponent loses a life and a utility creature, or at least has one of its fatties cut down to size. And, thanks to persist, this is one Constrictor doomed to stick around for awhile. Its body is a bit over-costed, and I wish it had deathtouch, but it’s also a bulk rare with huge potential to mitigate strong boards at casual tables. Grab one before it grabs you!

Room for More?

Any Rooms you’ve used to great effect so far? Let me know! I’m a big fan of flexible cards but I haven’t tested enough to see if the mana value of these cards is castable most of the time.