Continuing with our set reviews, we come to the Arabian Nights set. Arabian Nights marks what I would call the start of the Stone Age as far as Magic design is concerned. We have this wonderful new set of tools that were developed in Alpha, yet they didn't quite know what to do with them. Arabian Nights makes up for what it may lack in adding to Magic technology with its cool top-down, flavor-driven designs.
Arabian Nights has 78 cards (including the infamous Arabain Nights Mountain), and was released in December of 1993 right around the time when Unlimited hit the shelves. So for us, we are looking at only 8 cards to make our Top 10%.
1) City of Brass: The original 5-color land, City of Brass still has some applicability to the 2, 3, and 5 color decks that people love to run, and the life loss is negligible when you start with 40 life. I will say that often times City of Brass may end up getting cut if the player has enough color fixing fetchlands, and especially in green decks with their color fixing spells.
2) Desert Twister: It's expensive, but its so flexible in what it can kill that the extra cost is worth it. It's especillay nice because it gives green access to killing creatures, something that its current color pie status says it shouldn't do very well.
3) Bazaar of Baghdad: Not being able to tap for mana can be a pain, but if your deck is one that wants cards in the graveyard there are very few more efficient ways of doing so that with Bazaar.
4) Diamond Valley: Cheap effects that sacrifice your creatures are very useful in Commander. Making sure that your creatures don't get stolen or exiled is helpful, as if protection you commander from "tuck effects".
5) Drop of Honey: Creature control is definitely not one of green's strong suits, so I am quick to point out when it does get something strong. The fact that this sticks around until the board is clear is also very nice.
6) Guardian Beast: Any deck that runs black and runs a significant number of non-creature artifacts will like having Guardian Beast around.
7) Eye for an Eye: Not as powerful as some similar cards, sometimes just threatening to retaliate can make for some interesting politics.
8) Cyclone: If you can keep this going you can both make the board hostile towards creatures and drain your opponent's life totals pretty quick. As a repetetive source of damage and creature kill, Cyclone can be pretty good.
Honorable Mention
Ali from Cairo, Island of Wak-Wak, Jihad, Old Man of the Sea, Shahrazad (I loathe to even mention Shahrazad, but it exists, its legal, and it has a very unique game effect)
Tribal All-Stars
Elephant Graveyard (Not that I plan on building an Elephant Tribal deck...)
Other Top Removal
None
Best Color Hosers
Magnetic Mountain
Cards That Don't Translate Well to Commander
Ernham Djinn, Juzam Djinn, Serendib Efreet - Undercosted creatures with a drawback just don't cut it in this format, so unless you are playing Djinn and Efreet tribal these cards are typically left on the bench.
Cards Banned in This Set
Jeweled Bird - Banned due to the referenec to playing for ante.
Library of Alexandria - Banned for power reasons
* Ring of Ma'rûf: This is not technically part of the banned list, but if you are not playing with the optional sideboard rule then its basically useless. If you do play with it, I would suggest asking your playgroup how you want to handle what you can get with it. Nobody wants to wait around 15 minutes while you sift through your trade binders looking for something to grab.
Cards That Go In My Decks
Mikaeus, the Lunarch: Eye for an Eye, Jihad
Arcum Dagsson:
Azami, Lady of Scrolls:
Marrow-Gnawer:
Bosh, Iron Golem:
Ezuri, Renegade Leader: Desert Twister
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV: Eye for an Eye
Oona, Queen of the Fae:
Wort, Boggart Auntie:
Wort, the Raidmother: Desert Twister
Rosheen Meanderer:
Captain Sisay: Desert Twister
Rhys the Redeemed:
Trostani, Selesnya's Voice: Diamond Valley, Drop of Honey
Brion Stoutarm: Eye for an Eye
Experiment Kraj: Drop of Honey
Ghost Council of Orzhova: Diamond Valley, Eye for an Eye
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind: Bazaar of Baghdad
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord: Bazaar of Baghdad
Glissa, the Traitor: Guardian Beast
Sharuum the Hegemon: Guardian Beast
Zur the Enchanter:
Sedris, the Traitor King: Bazaar of Baghdad, Diamond Valley
Kresh, the Bloodbraided: Diamond Valley, Drop of Honey
Uril, the Miststalker: Drop of Honey
Rafiq of the Many:
Doran, the Siege Tower:
Ghave, Guru of Spores:
Karador, Ghost Chieftain: Bazaar of Baghdad, Diamond Valley
Riku of Two Reflections: Desert Twister
Maelstrom Wanderer: Desert Twister
Kaalia of the Vast:
Damia, Sage of Stone:
Zedruu the Greathearted: Eye for an Eye
Horde of Notions: City of Brass
Scion of the Ur-Dragon: City of Brass
Sliver Overlord: City of Brass
Progenitus: City of Brass
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