Best cEDH Proxies

Competitive Commander (cEDH) is a format where the difference between having the right card and not having it can be enormous. The problem is that some of the cards you want to play can also come with surprisingly high price tags. When a card is expensive, hard to find, and primarily being used for gameplay rather than collecting, proxies can be a great way to keep the focus on the game.

Demonic Tutor

Few cards are more iconic than Demonic Tutor. The ability to search your library for exactly the card you need makes it one of the classic tutors in Magic, and its long history has given it plenty of collectible versions and artwork.

That's part of what makes it such an obvious proxy candidate. Depending on the printing and version, an original copy can represent a significant investment. If you're building a cEDH deck for testing, tournaments that permit proxies, or casual games with your playgroup, putting a proxy in the deck lets you enjoy the card's gameplay without having to put an expensive collectible through constant shuffling.

And let's be honest: Demonic Tutor has some seriously cool art. A proxy gives you an opportunity to pick an artwork you love while keeping the expensive original safely in your collection.

Thassa's Oracle

Thassa's Oracle is one of those cards that went from being a relatively unassuming creature to becoming an important part of competitive Magic. Its ability to win the game when your library is empty makes it a major component of several combo strategies.

Because it's such a recognizable cEDH card, it's a natural candidate for a proxy. You don't necessarily need to own a premium copy just to have the card available for repeated testing.

It also helps that Thassa's Oracle has striking artwork. If you're going to proxy a card, why not choose an art treatment that makes your deck look fantastic?

Esper Sentinel

Esper Sentinel is another card that can be expensive relative to the role it plays in a deck. Its ability to punish opponents for playing noncreature spells makes it particularly attractive in decks that want early interaction and card advantage.

The card's value also makes it a good example of why proxies can make sense for competitive testing. You might want to experiment with Esper Sentinel in several different decks before deciding whether it's worth buying additional copies.

And, like the other cards on this list, the artwork is part of the appeal. When a card has a memorable visual design and a price tag that makes you think twice about putting it into a deck box, a proxy can be a pretty reasonable solution.

Gamble

Gamble is a classic example of an old card that can be surprisingly expensive depending on the printing you're looking for. Its effect is powerful but comes with an appropriately risky downside: you can find exactly the card you want, but you might have to discard a card at random afterward.

That combination of power, history, and cool artwork makes Gamble an especially fun card to proxy. Rather than spending a lot on a particular collectible printing, you can use a proxy for actual games and save the original for your collection.

For players who frequently build and rebuild cEDH decks, that's a major advantage. Your expensive cards don't have to endure endless shuffling, cuts, spills, and wear.

Birds of Paradise

Finally, we have Birds of Paradise, one of Magic's most recognizable mana creatures. It's been around for decades and has appeared in numerous versions, with some printings becoming particularly desirable to collectors.

The artwork is a huge part of the card's charm. Different versions of Birds of Paradise can have dramatically different aesthetics, which makes it a great candidate for an art-focused proxy.

If you're building a cEDH deck and want the card's functionality without paying collector prices for a particular printing, a proxy lets you have the best of both worlds: the gameplay you want and the artwork you enjoy.

Proxy the Game, Collect the Originals

There's a good argument for keeping expensive Magic cards out of your regular deck. Cards like Demonic Tutor, Thassa's Oracle, Esper Sentinel, Gamble, and Birds of Paradise can be valuable not just because they're playable, but because of their age, rarity, specific printings, and artwork.

That's where proxies can be especially appealing. You can build the deck you actually want to play, test different strategies, and enjoy great-looking card art without constantly risking an expensive original.

For cEDH players, proxies aren't necessarily about pretending an expensive card is worthless. Quite the opposite: when a card is valuable enough that you're worried about damaging it, a proxy can be a way to keep the original safe while still enjoying the card's role in the game.

And if the proxy has awesome art? Even better.