Tidal Force
Creature — Elemental
At the beginning of each upkeep, you may tap or untap target permanent.
- CMC
- 8
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Commander 2013
- Price
- $0.47
- EDHREC rank
- #16262
Tidal Force taps or untaps any permanent at the start of each upkeep — every upkeep, not just yours — which turns a single 8-mana creature into a repeating tap-lock or untap engine the moment it lands. The cost is real: eight mana is a serious ask, and Tidal Force does nothing the turn you cast it if there are no untap triggers lined up.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Braids, Conjurer Adept
Braids, Conjurer Adept cheats Tidal Force into play for free off her upkeep trigger, bypassing the eight-mana barrier entirely and immediately converting Tidal Force's own upkeep trigger into a recurring tap or untap effect that runs every turn around the table.
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 |
Commander is where Tidal Force actually earns its slot — four players means four upkeeps per round, so the trigger fires far more often than in any other format, and decks like Braids, Conjurer Adept can bypass the mana cost entirely. In Legacy and Vintage, Tidal Force is technically legal but competes with formats where eight-mana creatures with no immediate board impact simply don't see play. Oathbreaker is legal as well, but the faster pace and smaller life totals make casting this fairly close to unplayable outside narrow cheat-into-play shells.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.47 bulk tier
At $0.47, Tidal Force sits firmly in bulk territory, which is about right for a niche eight-mana creature that only shines in specific Commander builds. The price is stable — there's no pressure pushing it up, and it's cheap enough to throw into any Braids, Conjurer Adept list without hesitation.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Braids, Conjurer Adept
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.