Board and Card Games Favorite Magic Combos?

Any combos of cards that work so well they're scary, and how to use them. You can use old or new cards, although I much prefer old cards.
Figured we could give some tips to the Newbies.


To start off:

Aluren, Recycle, many, many elves, and X-damage spell. Most elves cost less than four mana, so, with Aluren, you can pump them out faster than... some... really fast thing... yeah, that'll work. Recycle keeps the cards coming so you don't stall as easily. And the X-damage spell, (Fireball, Rolling Thunder, Blaze, Fanning the Flames, etc.) lets you pump the hurt on the enemy. I have a whole deck based on this combo.

 

Dawn of the Dead 2BBB
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a creature from your graveyard into play. It has haste. Remove it from the game at the end of turn.

Magistrate's Scepter 3
4, T: Put a charge counter on Magistrate's Scepter.
T, remove 3 charge counters from Magistrate's Scepter: Take another turn after this one.

Coretapper 2
T: Put a charge counter on target artifact.
Sacrifice Coretapper: Put 2 charge counters on target artifact.
1/1

Infinite turns!

Dawn of the Dead out.
Magistrate's Scepter out.
Coretapper - Tap sac, 3 charge counters.
Magistrate's Scepter - Get another turn.
Next turn, Dawn of the Dead gets Coretapper.
Repeat process until you die or (hopefully) they die.

 

I thought this one up this morning, so it may still have a few bugs, but here it is.

Heartstone (All creature abilities cost one less to a minimum of one.), Heart Sliver (Slivers have haste), Citanul Hierophants (all creatures you control get (tap) add G to your mana pool), and Sliver Queen (Counts as a sliver, 2: put a 1/1 colorless sliver token into play).

Infinite Slivers! With Victual Sliver, Infinite Life! With Acidic, Infinite Damage! With Mnemonic, Infinite draw! With Magma, Slivers with Infinite power! Etc.

You see where this goes. Add a Biorythm (Players life total equals number of creatures), maybe, or a Seedborn Muse, (Untap all permanents during all untap phases).

 

Here's a simple one.

Squirrel Nest 1GG
Enchant Land

Enchanted Land has 'T: Put a 1/1 Squirrel Token into play.'

Or

Goblin Warrens 2R
Enchantment

2R, Sacrifice 2 goblins: Put 3 1/1 goblin tokens into play.

Earthcraft 1G
Enchantment

Tap an untapped creature that you control: Untap target land.

Epic Struggle 2GG
Enchantment

If you control 20 or more creatures on your upkeep, you win the game.

or any of below

Mass Hysteria R
Enchantment

All creatures have Haste.

Pandemonium 3R
Enchantment

Whenever a creature comes into play, that creature's controller may choose to do damage equal to the creature's power to target creature or playe.r

Renounce 1W
Instant

Sacrifice any number of permanents. You gain 2 life for each permanent sacrificed this way.

Fertile Ground 1G
Enchant Land

Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, that land's controller adds one mana of any color to his mana pool.

Soul Warden W
Creature - Cleric

Whenever another creature comes into play, you gain 1 life.

1/1

Altar of Dementia 2
Artifact
Sacrifice a creature: Target player puts a number of cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power from the top of his library into the graveyard.

Goblin Bombardment 1R
Enchantment
Sacrifice a creature: Goblin Bombardment deals 1 damage to target creature or player.

And many many more!

 

Oh, come on, at leas t try to win without those cop-out spells.

But if we're on the topic:
Mangara's Tome, Sliver Overlord, Coalition Victory. Voila.

The following are just simple combos, as opposed to ones you can base a deck around.

For killing little 1/1s of various kinds:
Engineered Plague (2B, -1/-1 to creatures of chosen type) Umbilicus (4, During their upkeep, players return permanant they control to owners hand or pay 2 life). (Extinction can be substituted for the Plague)

Scavenged Weaponry (2B, +1/+1 to enchanted creature, draw a card), Umbilicus

Paralyze(B tap a creature, it's owner must pay 4 to untap it), Death Stroke(BB destroy a tapped creature)

Whirling Dervish (GG 1/1 Pro:Black, when it deals combat damage to a player, add a +1/+1 counter), Whispersilk Cloak(even though I hate the bugger)

I'm not at my best right now, but those are useful, easy combos.

Craw Giant (3GGGG, 6/4 Trample, Rampage 2) Lure (must block with everthing capable of doing so) Runesword (3(tap)+2/+0 to target creature. Any creatures it deals lethal damgage to cannot regenerate and are removed from the game)

Gorilla Berserkers/Dwarven Berserkers, Spikes of various kinds. Make these creatures that no one wants to block into ones they have to block or die.

 

'Cop out' spells generally have ridiculous requirements. Infinite combos thus surpass them. When you have infinite, you'd better not lose anyway...

Yeah, except Overlord costs sunburst, you need a creature of each of the other 4 (Overlord, though 5 color, counts as one creature), and Slivers usually play lands of dual-mana nature, rarely 4 of each basic land. Coalition Victory also costs 8. If I wanted a shiny thingy, I'd have kept witih Legacy Weapon.

Only works for tribal, and how does Umbilicus help? You return 1 or you pay 2. Don't see much vs Weenies there. Engineered Plague just isn't effective vs single creature types if you have to return and replay. Stick with Infest.

Okay, it draws you cards, and you return it and replay it. ..How does it kill weenies again?

That's to kill big guys that are black. We have Terror for 2, and Death Stroke can be often used by itself because I don't think there's any blacks that have 'Doesn't tap when attacking'

Slith Firewalker's got this guy beat by far... RR 1/1 Haste Combat damage to player = +1/+1 counter, as does Slith Bloodletter, RR 1/1 1B:Regenerate.

Craw Giant costs 7 mana, Runesword costs 6.. by the time you have that mana you should win without those guys. Krosan Drovers and Beasts, anyone?

The point of Gorilla and Dwarven Berserkers are to not block them so they do their menial 1 or 2 damage to you. Spikes serve for that effect, but unblockable Amrou Kithkin or Crafty Pathmage/Dwarven Warriors with a weenie, Firebreathing/Giant Growth does that far better.

Here's another combo for the masses (Masses? We don't got many people..)

Ball Lightning + Blood Lust + Fling = 1 Turn Kill!

 

I didn't realize that Overlord would only count as one of five. I figured, since I had all five colors in creatures, it would work. Oh well, I never use that card anymore anyway.

Infest? But anyway, Engineered Plague. Kills off anything with toughness of one. So, Play it, kill a bunch, next turn, recast it, kill a bunch more, etc. If you want to stop the chain, return Umbilicus.

It doesn't. It just gets you cards faster so you can get to the REAL killers.

Let's face it. We don't always have a Terror when we need it. This makes a good back-up. And let's say you wouldn't live through an attacking creatures damage, and can't block it. (IE Phage with shadow) this stops it before they can attack.

Remember who you're talking to. I'm Shinryu. The advocate of pre-sixth edition cards? You said so yourself. Don't try to turn me.

See above. Also, I like long games, that last 1 to 2 hours. By the time I win those, I have all my mana out. (about 33) In those games, it's not uncommon to lose by decking an hour and a half in.

You could pump it up PERMANENTLY after the blockers are declared. Ahh the former 1/1, now 20/20. So useful.

That combo costs seven mana. How would it be a one turn kill? Three black lotuses? This combo is vulnerable in many ways.

[EDIT]Many of these are "contingency" combos to keep things going until you can pull off the killer ones.[/EDIT]

 

Infest is a 1BB/2BB (forgot) that -2/-2 to all creatures. A lot more useful when you aren't dealing with tribal but a mix.

Paralyze has a much better job at just stalling attackers rather than killing them. An earlygame paralyze can stop a beast-pounding right quick.

If you don't have all your terrors, you better have your Vendettas/Devouring Shadows/Dark Banishings/etc. If you have that Death Stroke, it'd be a lot better to wait for the tap rather than wasting a paralyze that may be stalling another attacker.

Advocate of pre-sixth or not, I can still point out how parts of combos can be replaced by superior objects. :]

Yes, but unblockable becoming a 4/4 or a 7/7 til end of turn is all you need. Don't need that 20/20 sitting right there if creature-kill or removal can get it out quickly. Why not give them a surprise?

Black Lotus and 2 Seething Songs should do the trick, really.

 

But it kills your creatures too. Why not just Wrath of God and set it all straight?

That's true. But that doesn't mean it can't be used elsewhere.

Not always. Say with the Phage/Shadow thing I mentioned. Paralyze/Death Stroke Phage so it can't kill you.

I don't see how those are better. All three have one extra ability, plus yours are red. Mine is green, meaning it fits in my mono-color deck. Pro:Black isn't a bad thing, and Green has regeneration out the wazoo. Try a Broken Fall, boom. Better than the Bloodletter.

You can then use Spike Rogue's ability to pull counters off of it. And still how is four to seven damage once better than 20 damage with a 20/20 left behind? Yes, it's more expensive, but that's what cards like Heartstone, Seedborn Muse, Citanul Hierophants are for.

Oh? Black Lotus gives 3 mana, Seething Song costs 3 and gives 5, so with one land, you'd have... 8 mana left after all three spells. 7 if you don't tap the land. So that works, but, even ignoring the COST of the Black Lotus, (~$400) though, and the other cards, you'd still have to DRAW all seven cards together. Good luck with that. If you actually succeed, let me know. And why try to win in one turn? Why not play a decent game you can actually get some enjoyment out of?

While we're giving unrealistic combos, why not play Black Lotus(x4) Dark Ritual (x2) Big Furry Monster (costs 15 black, 99/99, cannot be blocked by less than 3 creatures, is two cards) That should work just as well, I think. Only a card cost of about $1620.20.
Or perhaps a deck with nothing but Mishra's Factories?
One with no lands?

[EDIT] Looking WAAAAAY back:

Throw in a Clearwater Goblet and you have infinite life as well.

Now do you understand me when I say new cards are ridiculously overpowered?[/EDIT]

 

Because Wrath costs 4, is white, and can be saved for a lot more dire situation? Infest is a very good weenie killer, and it doesn't kill your blacks since either 1] You don't have creatures out or 2] Your creatures are bigger than 2.

If you use it for an insta-tap, why not Icy Manipulator? Twiddle? Paralyze is renown for its first-turn stall, since not many can pay 4 early.

Blocking it with shadow also works, you know. And, by the time a Phage that has shadow shows up, I'd be surprised if you 1] didn't have blockers 2] didn't have a enchant killer or 3] actually had those 2 cards in hand. Few bother to keep paralyze in hand.

Slith Firewalker is basically a 2/2 at any given time. With the whispersilk, Bloodletter is better, but over all, of all the 'damage = counter', Firewalker is probably the best due to its sheer versatility.

What's so special about Spike Rogue's ability compared to others? It still has to pay 2 for EVERY SINGLE COUNTER. As for the counters overall, well, what happens if you get Aether Snap'd? It's also a lot easier to giant growth a creature than to move 19 counters onto a 1/1 Spike after declare blockers.

Most T1 decks are about getting draws, and stalling when they don't. Do remember that I don't have to aim for a first-turn kill. I can easily whip out the lightning and smack em any time I want. Add Blistering Firecats also.

BFM, you realize, is also unplayable. The left side has no power/toughness, and thus dies immediately. The right side has no name, nor does it have a creature type, and thus it is illegal. The left side has no casting cost, therefore you cannot play it - much like how you can't play a token from your hand if you were to have one, and such.

Throw in a Clearwater Goblet and you gain 3 life a turn, 3 more every turn. Not very spectacular compared to infinite turns.

 

Back when I played, when the game was actually decent and fun, and when people weren't always such sticklers for precise rules, one of the favorite combos was the infamous:

Initiates Of The Ebon Hand + Channel + Drain Life

Of course, Channel is restricted/banned, has been for some time, so doesn't much matter.

I'm also partial to The Wretched/Krovikan Vampire + Regeneration + Venom + Lure. Very nice combo there.

 

In my black deck, it would decimate me as well as my opponent (hopefully).

The fact is, ANY card can be put to use outside it's usual parameters. The Gorilla Berserker can be used to slaughter an opponent's large, weak army as well as smash them with a surprise boost when left unblocked. Same with Paralyze. While you are correct in saying it is best used to delay, it can also be used to kill (with death stroke) when you're short on options. Sure, it doesn't have to be used often, but if it can pull your butt out of the fire, why not? Necessity is the mother of invention.

That's true, but who uses Shadow anymore? It's now basically the same as unblockable. As for how it gets Shadow, I use my Dauthi Trapper. (2B, 1/1, (tap) Target creature gains Shadow until end of turn.) Lastly, if I see a future use for it, I save it.

I think you missed my last statement. It works well in my mono-green deck. I see how the Firewalker may be better for all-purpose cases. Whirling Dervish is a more specialized card. It can single-handedly slaughter a mono-black deck, and humble those that rely heavily upon it. Cards like Terror, Dark Banishing, Death Stroke won't work on it. Explain how the Firewalker is better than that.

Spike Rogue can pull them off any creature you control! SO I could pull them off my Whirling Dervish, through my Spike Rogue, onto my Feeder, and gain life galore! (Costs a lot though)
Umm... Heartstone? Reduces cost of creature abilities by 1? With a Seedborn Muse and a Citanul Hierophants, you can have enough mana to jump them to six different creatures! As for Aether Snap, flip 'em all to Feeder and offer (for free) to gain 4 life apiece! Fast effects are faster than sorceries!

I know. I'm just saying the odds of getting those cards are pretty low. I don't think you'd keep Black Lotus around long anyway. Nor many of those other cards.

I know it's unplayable. Besides all of that, it's Unglued! I was making a point about how useless the above combo was.

I think you misunderstood. Throw the goblet in with the whole other combo! Gain a max of 4 life every turn, + infinite turns=Infinite Life! Much better than what you suggested.

But we should get back on topic. I'm running kind of low on combos. I don't use any unless I come up with them, usually off the collar, immediate kind of things I refine and use until they prove useless.

Keldon Warlord+Whispersilk Cloak, in a token creature deck! Ridiculously over-powerful, unblockable, untargetable creature! Just came up with that one!

In that infinite turn combo, if it's a deck with a ton of modular, Arcbound Overseer! Creatures with inifinite stats!

Modular creatures and Triskelions! Move the counters and fire away!

 

Sorry about the double post, but here's an interseting combo that :shock: uses new cards!

Atog/Megatog/anything to sacrifice artifacts to, Disciples of the Vault, Arcbounds, either Bringer of the White Dawn or Arcbound Reclaimer.

Sacrifice your artifacts to atog, opponent loses 1 life for each, arcbounds move counters on to others/Arcbound Reclaimer, Reclaimer or Bringer brings them back. Attack with atog.

I found this combo pretty scary. I barely beat it, and only then because of fast-effect rules, good timing, and luck.

Of course, now my elf deck can gain more life than it can damage, thanks to my wellwishers, but still.

New: Avatar of Woe, Seeker of Skybreak (x4), Seedborn Muse. A bit awkward, with green and black, but, it has the capability to wipe out an opponents army with terrifying speed. The Avatar can kill a creature by tapping, the Seekers untap creatures by tapping themselves, and the Muse untaps everything during your opponent's untap phase. One word. Ouch.

 

Avatar/Skybreak isn't erally a combo, since each does its own thing. They don't really synergize, they do what they are supposed to do. A combo takes advantage of a special ability of a card and another. If that counted as a combo, Twiddle, Icy Manipulator, and a bunch of other things could work.

Ravager/Disciple's better than Tog/Disciple/Revive. Use it with March of the Machines and other little things for maximum effect. Shrapnel Blast is often used in conjunction.

 

Twiddle could, and yes, there are others that could, but, with the Seedborn Muse, the Seekers can be used in conjunction to cause radid destruction among your opponents rank. The Seekers can be used and reused, Twiddle can only be used once. Icy Manipulator can only tap things, according to wizards.com. So, it could slow the rate, but not stop it. I think this is a very deadly combo, and am now using it in my elf deck. (Yes, the one that you beat) That should take care of those armies of powerful creatures my opponents send at me. Then, the way is clear to wipe them off the face of Dominaria with my multitude of 5/5 forestwalking untargetable elves. (Also allows them to survive long enough to become this.

Well, I'm not the best with these blasted new cards. My friend uses this combo to devastating effect, but I suppose you would know better than I how to make it deadly. Arcbound Ravager, though, isn't that $30 to buy? Not many people are going to shell out that kind of cash for one card. I mean, if they got lucky enough to get it in a booster pack, sure, but...

 

Ravager wasn't $30 until Raffinity was introduced, and before that it wasn't high in price, and many people got them beforewards. *shrug* Cards only get expensive when they start dominating fields because one guy thought up a way to do so.

 

Amen.

Okay here's a couple that i have. Both are from my decks.
---------------------------
Arcbound Reclaimer: (4); 0/0; Remove a +1/+1 counter from Arcbound Reclaimer: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to the top of your deck; Modular 2

Myr Retriever: (2); 1/1; When Myr Retriever is sent to the graveyard from play, you may return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.

Skullclamp: (1); Equipped creature gets +1/-1; When equipped creature is sent to the graveyard from play, draw two cards; Equip 1.

Cloudpost: Land - Locus; Add (1) for each Locus in play

Any basic land.
---
4 Cloudposts and the basic land are out.

Tap one cloudpost, play Reclaimer. Use it's ability to bring back any two artifacts from the graveyard, thus sending Reclaimer to the graveyard. Tap another Cloudpost to bring out Skull clamp and Retriever. Clamp the retriever with the remaining (1) mana from the cloudpost to bring back Reclaimer, while drawing two cards (the two artifacts that were in the graveyard). Tap another Cloudpost to play reclaimer again, and immediatly put Retriever to the top of the deck. Clamp the Reclaimer with the basic land to bring back Retriver. Bring out Retriever next turn, and continue the combo.
-----------------
Cranial Plating: (2); Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each artifact out in play; Equip 1.

Spikeshot Goblin: (2)R; 1/2; R, (Tap) - Deal damage equal to Spikeshot Goblin's power to target creature or player.
---
Basically, attach 4 cranial platings to Spikeshot Goblin. That's 17 damage for 5 mana. Next turn, it's only one mana.

 

Second's an obvious function thing going, though a combo depending on 4 of any card other than basic lands is questionable. The first one is valid, yes, but what does it actually do - other than bringing back your graveyard and drawing one extra card a turn for a whopping 17 mana? It is a good way to take advantage of synergies, I say. But it requires a good amount of mana to be continuous (-4 Reclaim -2 Retriever -1 Clamp -4 Reclaim)

 

True. But lets say that a powerful creature, in this case my Arcbound Overseer, is destroyed. This combo is vital to my Arcbound-draw deck for bringing back overseer and other cards, arcbound hybrid. Basically, this combo, although costly, gets the job done.

 

And of course, you could add several cards to this combo to make it easier to pull off. Such as Citanul Hierophants for extra mana, and Genesis Chamber for more creatures for extra mana. Every combo is useful in its own right, and can be improved. With Valant's help, (his beating me) I realized some weaknesses in my earlier mentioned Recycle/Aluren combo, and have made steps to fix it. I'm adding Mass Hysteria to give my elves haste, and several other cards to bolster the surviving power of it, because, I admit that, until it gets going, it's vulnerable, and even then, it doesn't have a lot to spare.

A very simple (and old) combo would be Dingus Egg and Armageddon.

Dingus Egg, 4, Whenever a land is put into a graveyard from play, Dingus Egg deals 2 damage to that land's controller.

Armageddon, 3W, Bury all lands.

Does massive damage, and wrecks their chances of winning by ruining their mana supply. Of course, with today's cards, there are many ways around the no-land trap.