My Favorite One-Two Punch Wilds of Eldraine Combos

As with any other brand new set, Wilds of Eldraine was able to introduce quite a lot of potential combos for the current MTG sets in Standard. In fact, the synergies discovered over the last month after its release were quite great. We have several new infinite combos once again, for instance, all of which are quite viable due to either pure simplicity or the viability of their tempo.

In addition to those combos, we also gained a few one-two punch combinations. These combos usually tend to be potent enough to be used independently (without the help of third or fourth intervening cards), though they could also significantly enhance the play environment created by a specific build-around.

Among these, here are some of my most favorite yet:

Restless Fortress + Wrenn and Realmbreaker

Not exactly the ideal color combination, nor is it the most amazing pair, I know. Yet, this is one of the simplest, and most wholesome one-two punch combo that I started to love using Wilds of Eldraine cards. Pretty sure the effects are already self-explanatory by reading the cards, and the gains here boils down to just having the better combination of costs and effects. The obvious downside, of course, is that without ramping, the combo is actually viable only on turn four, and hopefully your land drop isn't the Restless manland on that fourth turn.

Still, the combo is simple enough, and can be seamlessly integrated enough, that it grew on me over time, whether it is me using it or my opponent. Just one of the many nifty combos of any applicable deck brew that instantly adds a good amount of value with most openings.

Needless to say, other Restless manlands are also usable in the combo, with Restless Cottage in particular having the much better synergy where Wrenn and Realmbreaker is often used. However, Restless Fortress still has the most efficient advantage in my opinion, providing an instant drain effect, and getting a good boost from its original stats. (Restless Cottage feels better used on its own without much direct combos anyway)

Spiteful Hexmage + Brave the Wilds

Want to see explosive six damage on turn two? Well... just play any other meta aggro deck in MTG Standard. But, as far as Wilds of Eldraine related stuff go, this one comes really close. To the bargainers and sacc crowd, Braids, Arisen Nightmare would have been the more preferable pick for our annoying antagonist wannabe. But this one is just as good because of how easy it is to squeeze between established decks already. Just cast the Hexmage on turn one, pop the Wilds on turn two, and swing for instant double threes. Oh, you get to search for a basic land too? Huh, never noticed that.

As I've concluded with my pre-assessment before, Brave the Wilds does pose the risk of ruining your mana base. The effect is permanent, after all, and an annoyed opponent could simply crush your land later with any slower removal out of pure, but very flavorful, spite. Nonetheless, it's quite the entertaining combo, and never fails to make me a little happy inside whenever it can be done at the earliest turn possible.

Glass Casket + Disruption Protocol

Always love it when older Standard cards suddenly become slightly more viable whenever some newfangled effect pops up on the most recent set. This particular combo is part of a much bigger rotation of synergies involving Collector's Vault, The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration, and Tezzeret, Betrayer of Flesh. But it is these two cards in particular that provide the best one-two punch synergy due to their more independent usage. 

Each card contributes to the overall early control gameplay of the deck where they are used. But you can combine the two to make the play even more efficient. And it works with just the two of them alone. The Restoration of Eiganjo may be a good trick to recycle old Glass Caskets, and Disruption Protocol can simply tap a Blood, Food, or Treasure token. But since the Casket isn't meant to be tapped anyway, and it already fulfilled its purpose as it is cast, you get a native Counterspell whenever the two are around.

Old Rutstein + Lich-Knights' Conquest

I know, I know, there are at least a hundred more cards that synergize better with Old Rutstein, especially outside Standard. But hear me out, this one isn't too bad considering their one-two punch nature. Haven't tried this one out personally to be honest. But from what I have witnessed so far, the Rutstein does a pretty good job in setting up at least a double reanimation move on turn five when the combo is not disrupted.

First, it provides tokens for any type of card milled. Then, the milled cards themselves can potentially be targets for the reanimation combo. You don't need a third intervening card, like what we usually do with infinite combos for Three Blind Mice and Agatha's Soul Cauldron.

So even if Lich-Knights' Conquest only spits out creature cards, you will more or less always have enough resources to go wide with its initial casting, thanks to an early Old Rutstein. And what if you have other efficient token generators and self-millers spitting out stuff before turn five? Then the gains for the Conquest just become even better.

Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator + Staff of Compleation

I can only describe it as a match made in heaven. Staff of Compleation always had a special place in my heart as this somewhat underdog Mythic Rare card with hidden potential. However, even with some of the best ideas I have netdecked seen through the months, it just couldn't break beyond its jank limitations. Reserve slots for better cards just couldn't be wasted on it. But then, Ashiok arrived in the newest Eldraine set, and now I am more than convinced that it has serious playable potential. Still not meta, unfortunately, but at least now it's good enough to be a serious option.

First off, the mill. Not only does it provide a wide set of options, but each option sets your deck up even further. Any recycler or reanimator becomes immediately more compatible with such a build.

Second, its function as a mana rock and Proliferate generator could directly synergize with any superfriends build. This makes it even more synergistic with Ashiok as a pro-planeswalker card.

Lastly, it essentially becomes a one-tap draw engine. A weird alternative for The Celestus that has no day/night cycling, and chucks cards directly to the graveyard rather than discarding them (can also use both of them for even more consistent deck filtering).

Bramble Familiar + Invasion of Alara

Ah, big loopholes. The most exciting part of card games since forever. For the last few weeks, many people were quite alarmed at how this combo was able to climb the ranks of MTG Standard thanks to bypassing the mana requirements using direct mana value. It does seem very explosive when it finally goes off. When used successfully, it would seem like you're playing Historic or Explorer, generally bypassing the mana value requirements of many cards it pulls out for free.

In fact, as a one-two punch Wilds of Eldraine combo, it is still quite potent even if you don't pull out the best six/seven drops available (Cemetery Desecrator usually being the best choice since you can also flip the battle with it). You do still get to choose anything out of your milled cards, after all, even if your choices are not the absolute best.

Thankfully, the deck using this combo is significantly more tame than it looks. Very flashy when it goes off, sure. But otherwise, it has to deal with a mountain of obstacles in the meta to get it consistently working, even in Bo3.