Cunning Maneuver
Instant
Target creature gets +3/+1 until end of turn.
Create a Clue token. (It's an artifact with "
, Sacrifice this token: Draw a card.")
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Price
- $0.22
- EDHREC rank
- #9852
Cunning Maneuver untaps your creatures and gives them a second combat phase for a single turn, turning a wide board into a closing punch most tables won't see coming. Fire Lord Azula is the clearest home — the extra attack step converts status counters into immediate pressure — but the cost is real: this is a narrow effect that does nothing when you're behind.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Fire Lord Azula
Fire Lord Azula's whole game is stacking status counters through combat, and Cunning Maneuver hands you a second trigger window in the same turn, doubling the pressure without needing any additional setup.
Ozai, the Phoenix King
Ozai, the Phoenix King wants to swing wide and push through as much damage as possible before opponents stabilize, and Cunning Maneuver turns one profitable attack into two before anyone can untap to block.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Cunning Maneuver is a Commander card through and through — the three-mana extra combat effect scales with the wide, creature-heavy boards that multiplayer games produce, and the untap clause rewards commanders who apply counters or triggers on attack. In 1v1 formats like Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer, extra combat spells face a much higher bar: you need to kill the opponent that turn, and cheaper options like Aggravated Assault or Savage Beating exist for dedicated combo shells. Pauper is where Cunning Maneuver might carve out occasional niche use in aggressive common-creature decks, though the competition is stiff even there. Standard and Oathbreaker are playable on paper, but the card's ceiling is squarely in Commander.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.22 bulk tier
At $0.22, Cunning Maneuver sits firmly in bulk territory, which is appropriate for a narrow extra-combat effect that only fits specific commanders. Pick it up freely — there's no price risk here, and it won't appreciate unless the Avatar series generates a sustained surge in Azula and Ozai builds.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.