Black Vise
Artifact
As this artifact enters, choose an opponent.
At the beginning of the chosen player's upkeep, this artifact deals X damage to that player, where X is the number of cards in their hand minus 4.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Masters Edition III
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #10731
Black Vise punishes players for holding cards — at one mana, it deals damage every upkeep for every card in hand beyond four, which in Commander translates to real pressure against draw-heavy opponents and instant payoff when something like Peer into the Abyss dumps an opponent's library into their hand. Kami of the Crescent Moon decks run it as a primary damage vector precisely because the commander is actively filling enemy hands every turn.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Kami of the Crescent Moon
Kami of the Crescent Moon draws opponents extra cards on every upkeep, so Black Vise converts that generosity directly into damage — the engine is self-sustaining from turn two onward.
Red Death, Shipwrecker
Red Death, Shipwrecker forces opponents to discard and redraw, which keeps hand sizes volatile and creates windows where Black Vise connects for three or more damage in a single upkeep.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Black Vise occupies a specific niche: dedicated hand-size-matters decks that flood opponents with cards and then punish them for it. Outside that archetype, four players drawing cards aggressively means hands cycle through fast enough that Vise rarely deals more than one or two damage per trigger. Legacy sees it occasionally as a one-mana pressure piece against slower blue control, but its inconsistency has kept it out of serious competitive lists. Vintage and Oathbreaker are legal homes, though the card sees minimal play in both.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Peer into the AbyssBlack Vise
Target opponent loses the game at the beginning of their next upkeep
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data isn't currently available for Black Vise, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for live numbers before buying. Given its age and occasional reprint history, copies are generally easy to find — it's not a card you should have trouble tracking down.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.