Off the Beaten Path is here to show you how to give a bit of unique flair to your prized stack of cards by examining some out of the ordinary card picks, and what decks they shine in. You certainly won't find anything here in the "top cards" section on EDHrec.com. Each article I'll be taking a single card from a specific colour and writing why it deserves a bit more love.
But first, a bit of an introduction. I'm Tom, and I've been playing Magic since Mirrodin in 2003, and commander since 2012. It is by far my favourite format for it's diversity and general "fun" factor, and allows you play with cards that would never see the light of day in any constructed format. But that's enough of the introduction, let's get into this article's cards!
According to the colour wheel we're going to start with white. Every playgroup I play with knows me well for this one, so let's kick off this series with Parallax Wave!
I don't blame you; at first glace this card really, REALLY, looks like an old school Journey to Nowhere. But it's utility is much deeper than that.
Taking a note out of Journey to Nowhere's book, it's very useful for dealing with problematic creatures, though temporary. Worst case, you exile a few attackers, and it saves you from being dealt lethal. Best case, it rips apart that pesky creature combo deck.
But that's not the main reason. It doesn't specify who the creatures have to belong to, so it's just as useful when exiling your own creatures. Got a good board state but facing a Wrath of God? Exile as many of your creatures as you can, then have them all come back next turn. Want to reuse that Avenger of Zendikar and get even more tokens? Put it under Parallax Wave, and when it comes back it'll make those tokens all over again.
And it's even abusable by you combo oriented readers! As soon as it enters the battlefield, put your Auramancer or Eternal Witness under it, and when it inevitably goes to the bin, you can get it back with either of them.
Even though I would argue that it belongs in any deck with Plains in it, there's a few commanders that can break this card in two.
Atraxa, Praetor's Voice is the first. I know it's not going to win you the game, but she lets you ignore the fading part of the card, and just exile things. As long as she stays in, you can guarantee whatever creatures you exiled stay out. And in a similar vein, Ertai, the Corrupted can allow you to pull off some Fiend Hunter-esque shenanigans. Remove all the counters from Parallax Wave, and while those triggers are on the stack, sacrifice it with Ertai. Parallax Wave's "leaves the battlefield" trigger resolves first, then the creatures get exiled. FOREVER. Bye bye, creatures!
And with that, I think I've shed all the light I can on this deceptively powerful enchantment. If you have a white deck, consider trying it out. It's has a lot more utility than would appear at first glance!
May you never be the target at your table,
Tom
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