Card in Review - Enchanted Evening

Did you know Urza's block was supposed to be "the enchantment block"? It's true. Between Tolarian Academy, Metal Worker, Copper Gnomes and the like, everyone had artifice on the mind. But think about Replenish, Opalescence, the various "song" enchantments, the veiled creatures... they had certainly put in the work, we just all missed it. Apparently to get the enchantment theme across, you really have to hit a Magic player over the head with it. So what better way to make sure it's completely clear than by making everything an enchantment?

Oops, all enchantments!

Enchanted Evening is an interesting card, following in Mycosynth Lattice's footsteps of tacking on a card type to every permanent. We're all holding our breath for the card that makes all permanents into planeswalkers or sorceries, but until then we'll have to make do. Still, this card doesn't actually accomplish anything in a vacuum - an enchantment land still taps for mana and an enchantment creature can still beat your brains in - but five mana isn't exactly cheap. Like any Card in Review candidate, we're interested in what sort of combos you can eke out with the Evening. The enchantment type hasn't had much focus outside of the Urza's block and Theros block, so fortunately that means it's pretty easy to interact with all enchantments in big, sweeping ways and for relatively cheap.


Back to Nature - Want to blow up the world? Apocalypse requires triple red and Worldslayer needs ten mana and an unblocked creature. So long as Enchanted Evening is out, Back to Nature can wipe out every permanent for a mere two mana - and at instant speed, no less! Double the cost and Multani's Decree does the same while gaining you a boatload of life, while Reverent Silence can do the deed for no mana at all. Harmonic Convergence lets you remove even indestructible permanents and know what everyone's draws are going to be.

Cleansing Meditation, Calming Verse, Primeval Light - I mean, blowing everything up is cool and all, but it doesn't necessarily put you ahead. Why not exclude yourself from the mass removal and march to victory unopposed? Another tricky way to go about it is to cast Faith's Reward, then immediately respond with a free Patrician's Scorn.

Aura Thief - If blowing up all of your opponent's permanents is great, then taking them for yourself is surely even better!

Aura Barbs - Blowing up every permanent is pretty flashy, but blowing up every player is perhaps moreso. Having everyone take 2 damage for every permanent they control will probably wipe out all but the most life-gorged players. Sidestep the heat yourself with a pre-emptive Personal Sanctuary, Safe Passage or Samite Ministration.

Femeref Enchantress - You can't always have both halves of your game-winning combo on hand, but if you do get the Evening, surely the ability to draw a card any time a permanent is binned should help you draw the other half in short order! Do note that the card draw is not optional, so maybe count how many cards you have left before you drop that Calming Verse in a big multiplayer game.

Scour - More the sadistic type? Wiping someone's entire board should be rude enough, but against a monocoloured deck, Scouring a basic land lets you remove someone's entire mana base from their deck, ensuring they well and truly have no chance of recovering.

Sphere of Safety - More of a "fair" combo, though it's just as likely to slow the game to a crawl. Having to pay one mana for each permanent you control will keep away anything short of Twelvepost players at bay.

Serra's Sanctum - You thought Tolarian Academy was powerful? Thought Gaea's Cradle was rife for abuse? Try a land that gives you one mana for each permanent you control and you can... well, you can attack that guy with the Sphere of Safety, for one.

Yavimaya Enchantress - If you're just looking to bust some heads, a creature that gets +1/+1 for each permanent in play - yes, that includes your opponent's cards, and yes, that include herself - should be able to drop anyone in a single hit. Ancestral Mask can make any creature join in the fun, letting you select one with some sort of evasion to make the job easier.

Ajani's Chosen - If you just want to make a mess, take this infinite loop on for size. Every cat token from the Chosen is an enchantment, meaning each will generate another cat token with no end in sight. Either you can let the game end in a draw, or turn it into a victory with Impact Tremors or the like.

Opalescence - Speaking of making a mess, the notorious Opalescence is no more restrained under an Enchanted Evening. All permanents are turned into creatures, and most notably all lands will be 0/0s and immediately die, as will any other lands that may be played afterwards. Of course, you can keep your mana base safe and sound with a Leyline of Vitality or even a simple Parapet. You also open the always-fun door to Planeswalker Creatures: have fun with that one.


While perhaps not as versatile as some other Card in Review subjects, Enchanted Evening allows for all sorts of cheap mass-removal schemes built on the generally undervalued nature of the enchantment type. There are over a dozen cards that destroy all enchantments, some of them even for zero mana - it's a little harder to do the same to creatures or planeswalkers. Still, whether you're hoping to annihilate the sanctity of the game or just make a wacky boardstate, the Evening can definitely meet all of your Enchanting needs.