Board wipes are the primary reset button in Commander, allowing you to stabilize losing positions and punish overextension.

They control the pace of the game, reset advantage, and create openings to win. The tradeoff is often symmetry—unless your deck is built to break it.

In Commander, board wipes don’t just reset the game—they redefine it. In practice, these wipes often outperform staples because timing and asymmetry matter more than raw power.

If you’re new to Commander: start with 3–5 wipes. If you’re optimizing, choose wipes that favor your board state.

This tier list evaluates board wipes based on:

  • Efficiency — Mana cost relative to impact
  • Flexibility — What they hit (creatures, artifacts, enchantments, etc.)
  • Asymmetry — Ability to break parity
  • Speed — Instant vs sorcery

This is both a power ranking and a practical EDH removal guide.

Color Legend

  • W = White
  • U = Blue
  • B = Black
  • R = Red
  • G = Green

Top 5 Board Wipes

If you only run a few wipes, start here:

  1. Farewell (W) — Total graveyard + board reset
  2. Cyclonic Rift (U) — Asymmetrical game-ending tempo swing
  3. Toxic Deluge (B) — Most efficient scalable wipe
  4. Blasphemous Act (R) — Cheapest mass damage spell
  5. Austere Command (W) — Flexible and modular

These define the efficiency and flexibility ceiling for board wipes in Commander.

They also form a strong foundation for any removal package.

Tier List

S+ Tier — Best-in-Class

Minimal downside, maximum impact. Frequently game-defining.

Best Use Cases: Control / Midrange / Universal

  • Farewell (W)
    Exiles multiple permanent types and graveyards. One of the cleanest resets available. (Flexible, Asymmetrical)

  • Cyclonic Rift (U)
    Instant-speed, one-sided reset that often wins on resolution. (Asymmetrical, Game-ending)

  • Toxic Deluge (B)
    Efficient, scalable, and bypasses indestructible. (Efficient, Flexible)

S Tier — Premium Wipes

Extremely powerful, but slightly narrower or more conditional.

Best Use Cases: Control / Tempo / Synergy

  • Blasphemous Act (R)
    Often costs 1 mana and clears most boards. (Efficient)

  • Austere Command (W)
    Modular wipe that allows selective destruction. (Flexible)

  • Vanquish the Horde (W)
    Reliable low-cost wipe in creature-heavy games. (Efficient)

  • Damn (W/B)
    Early removal or late-game wipe in one card. (Flexible)
  • Evacuation (U)
  • Devastation Tide (U)
    Bounce-based resets that preserve your resources or tempo. (Tempo, Flexible)

A Tier — Strong and Reliable

Consistent wipes with manageable drawbacks.

Best Use Cases: Midrange / Budget / Synergy

Classic Creature Wipes

  • Wrath of God (W)

  • Day of Judgment (W)
    Efficient and reliable baseline wipes. (Efficient)

  • Damnation (B)
    Black’s equivalent to Wrath—clean and consistent. (Efficient)

Scaling / Conditional

  • Crux of Fate (B)
    Flexible depending on creature types. (Conditional)

  • Chain Reaction (R)
    Scales well with board size. (Scaling)

Flexible / Modal

  • Merciless Eviction (W/B)
    Exiles a chosen permanent type. Strong but slower. (Flexible)

B Tier — Playable Picks

Functional, but slower or more limited.

Best Use Cases: Budget / Niche / Slower metas

Damage-Based

  • Starstorm (R)
    Instant-speed but often inefficient. (Flexible)

  • Earthquake (R)
    Hits players as well—situational. (Flexible)

Narrow / Conditional

  • Extinction Event (B)
    Can miss key threats due to parity split. (Conditional)

  • Languish (B)
    Limited scaling. (Narrow)

C Tier — Niche Options

Only viable in specific strategies.

Best Use Cases: Synergy / Themed decks

  • Hour of Revelation (W)
    Can be efficient but inconsistent. (Conditional)

  • River's Rebuke (U)
    One-sided but single-target. (Tempo)

D Tier — Avoid

Inefficient or outclassed options.

  • Overcosted wipes with no flexibility
  • Effects that fail to meaningfully reset the board

(These reduce deck efficiency and consistency.)

When These Rankings Change

Context heavily affects wipe value:

  • cEDH / high-power

    • Cheap wipes and asymmetry are critical
    • Cyclonic Rift becomes even stronger

  • Casual metas

    • Slower wipes are acceptable
    • High-cost effects see more play

  • Creature-heavy pods

    • Cheap wipes increase in value
    • Blasphemous Act becomes premium

  • Graveyard decks

    • Exile wipes (Farewell) become essential

  • Token metas

    • Damage-based wipes improve significantly

Best Board Wipes by Role (Quick Reference)

  • Efficient: Toxic Deluge, Blasphemous Act
  • Asymmetrical: Cyclonic Rift
  • Flexible: Farewell, Austere Command
  • Classic: Wrath of God, Damnation
  • Tempo: Evacuation

When NOT to Use Board Wipes

  • In highly proactive or combo-focused decks
  • When your deck cannot recover faster than opponents
  • When wipes conflict with your win condition

Final Thoughts

Board wipes define tempo and recovery in Commander.

  • Use S+ / S tiers for efficiency and flexibility
  • Use A tier for consistency
  • Use B tier for budget or niche roles

The best board wipe isn’t the strongest—
it’s the one that resets the game in your favor.

See Also