Cunning
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3.
When enchanted creature attacks or blocks, sacrifice this Aura at the beginning of the next cleanup step.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Exodus
- Price
- $0.07
- EDHREC rank
- #29422
Cunning lets you redirect a spell targeting one of your permanents or players to a new legal target — instant-speed, no mana cost beyond the two blue it takes to hold up. It's a niche defensive tool that does real work in blue control shells but rarely earns a slot over Deflection or the many counterspells that just answer the threat outright.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Cunning occupies a narrow role: redirecting removal, theft, or burn away from your board or key players at instant speed. The four-player table makes targeting spells more common, which gives Cunning more opportunities than in 1v1, but two mana open every turn is a real cost and most blue decks would rather run a hard counter. In Legacy and Vintage, the card is legal but essentially invisible — the interaction density in those formats demands answers that end the spell entirely, not redirect it. Pauper is where Cunning has the most plausible home, since removal is prevalent and counterspell options at common are limited enough that a redirect effect has genuine upside.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.07 bulk tier
At $0.07, Cunning is deep bulk — the price reflects low demand, not low power. It holds essentially no monetary value, but it's a near-free pickup if the effect fits your deck.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.