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Taking Sol Ring out of my commander decks - a reasoning.

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Kelly:
Hello folks,

I'll start by saying I don't play cEDH, so this is an argument for all decks I run, which cap out around power level 8.  As a player, I like strong themes and tight efficiency, but most importantly I enjoy a game that has variety, swings and surprises.  Winning is great and fun, but not at all costs and to that end, I've always felt Sol Ring was a necessary evil, obviously busted but so ubiquitous that it's become a standard game piece in the format.  I'd thought of taking it out simply on moral grounds, but I'd just put myself at a slight disadvantage and nobody cares, so for years I've just accepted it as part of the game, feeling slightly sheepish when I was lucky enough to get it in my opening hand.  Yet, over time I think things have changed enough that I've been able to reason Sol Ring out of my decks - not just because I wanted to, but because it actually makes sense to do so for me now.

The positives for including Sol Ring are obvious, but from the casual commander perspective, over time I've found enough positive reasons to take it out:

1. Threat level & Utility.  When I need it most in the early game, playing Sol Ring puts my game plan on blast.  Later in the game when looking for answers and win-cons, Sol Ring doesn't offer much.

2. Versatility.  There are many versatile 3-cost rocks available these days (Cursed Mirror, Machine God's Effigy, Eye of Ojer Taq, Glittering Stockpile, Misleading Signpost, etc) that ramp innocuously early game and offer value at any stage in the game thereafter.  For the casual game, I find these all better than Sol Ring.

3. Theme/Fun.  I often anguish over which cards make the final cut in my decks.  In light of the above, cutting Sol Ring suddenly seemed like a great idea instead of cutting something I wanted to play, but lacked for a slot.  Getting that last card in sometimes feels like the cherry on top.   

4. Personal Identity.  It's not just Sol Ring here, there are a lot of cards that could fit into almost any deck that shares a color with it.  Personally, I'd only consider 'good stuff' pieces if they fit the theme I'm building. 

5. Philosophy.  In the end, is it really important to have more wins than your friends?  I think not.  It's the comradery, the gathering.  If I can pull off a win in style and get some laughs from the table, I'll cherish the memory.  Maybe your group is totally down for degenerate MTG, but if it isn't, then what does Sol Ring really adding?

That's my piece.  I'm 100% sure many will not see it the same, but I'm comfortable with that.  I wouldn't expect anyone else to pull it out, but I will focus them when they drop it turn one :)

fire5167:
Hi Kelly,

Yeah, I have been thinking about doing similarly. I really like to tinker with decks and improve them (as opposed to brewing new ones from scratch) and I always have days when I feel super idealistic and remove sol ring from my decks, but the very next week I can't justify not playing it when I've spent hundreds of dollars to make it as powerful as possible. Your points are valid... but sol ring is just so good. The question is does its power outweigh it's homogenization and boring play patterns

jlutzxinc:
I already don't play Sol Ring and never will.  I don't need it, and if I did there's the way more fair Sol Talisman.

Dactylartha:
I took it out of my decks with commanders less than 6 cmc and not my top power level decks and I'll never go back. Games are way more fun not having it.

Kelly:
Hey, that's cool others have come to a similar conclusion (or close to it!).  Another bonus is I now have 20 copies of it I can trade in toward MH3.

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