Is Daughter of Autumn Playable in EDH? - Magic the Gathering (MTG) Commander

by ElspethFTW, Old School Duelist

Homelands is considered one of the worst overall sets in Magic: the Gathering history. Most of the Legendary Creatures in the set aren’t very good, either. But there’s one Legendary Creature from Homelands that you simply don’t see played in the format: Daughter of Autumn. What’s particularly important about her is that at one point, she wasn’t even legal as a Commander!

Daughter of Autumn is hardly a horrible card. For 2GG, you get a 2/4 Avatar who allows you to pay one white mana to transfer 1 damage dealt to a white creature to herself. But wait, why would you play a Green card to redirect damage to a White creature? Fortunately, because of this ability, her color identity becomes both Green and White. While this is hardly a bad ability, one that’s seen on a number of decent Cleric creatures throughout Magic’s history, a Green creature that helps protect white creatures seems awfully bizarre.

So why was she once was ineligible to even be a Commander? After a rules change in 2010, Commanders that had an ability that cost mana not in its actual mana cost became eligible whereas previously they were not.  These include some fairly recognizable Commanders such as Bosh, Iron Golem, Memnarch, Rhys the Exiled, Thelon of Havenwood, and of course, Daughter of Autumn.

Considering that those other Legendaries are all quite playable in Commander, no one has ever really built around Daughter of Autumn. Is there some untapped potential here? Could there be a life redirection theme to build around here? Yes, there is. There are enough cards that make this possible. In fact, back in 2010, there was a decklist on MTGSalvation created with the intent to have her break the format. OK, perhaps it didn’t ever do that. But this is a pretty nice starting point, using cards such as Druid’s Call and Rite of Passage to take advantage of any damage dealt.

Of course, it’s been 6 years, and plenty of cards exist now that didn’t then. This includes some indestructible creatures and ways to redirect damage. Many of the creatures and Enchantments which have been added to this particular list weren’t available in 2010.

Here’s the 2016 edition of a Daughter of Autumn EDH deck.

Commander

Daughter of Autumn   

Creatures (29)

Mother of Runes
Beacon of Destiny  
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails   
Eternal Witness
Knight of the Reliquary     
Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo    
Oriss, Samite Guardian   
Palace Guard    
Solemn Simulacrum
Acidic Slime
Genesis
Guardian of the Gateless
Karmic Guide
Oversoul of Dusk
Phytohydra
Reveillark
Seedborn Muse
Stonehewer Giant
Stuffy Doll     
Jareth, Leonine Titan    
Oathsworn Giant    
Palisade Giant  
Spirit of the Hearth     
Sun Titan
Sunblast Angel
Twilight Shepherd     
Yosei, the Morning Star  
Angel of Salvation    
Avatar of Hope     

Spells (30)

Condemn
Enlightened Tutor     
High Ground    
Path to Exile    
Sol Ring
Swords to Plowshares
Brave the Sands     
Druid's Call
Eladamri's Call
Inviolability
Lightning Greaves   
Aura Shards     
Behemoth Sledge    
Cultivate    
Heart of Light     
Idyllic Tutor      
Kodama's Reach    
Krosan Grip  
Magebane Armor
Oblivion Ring   
Pariah    
Rite of Passage    
Sandskin     
Ajani Goldmane  
General's Kabuto   
Return to Dust    
Asceticism      
Mirari's Wake     
Privileged Position
Soratami Cloud Chariot

Lands (40)

Arctic Flats       
11 Forest       
Graypelt Refuge       
Kor Haven       
Nantuko Monastery       
19 Plains       
Selesnya Sanctuary       
Stirring Wildwood       
Sunpetal Grove       
Temple Garden       
Windswept Heath       
Yavimaya Hollow        

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