Pointed Discussion

When I first saw this, I was surprised double cascade hadn't been done before. It seems like this set is being used to do things like this, i.e. make cards they wish they had made when the mechanic was out (See also Thromok).
As for the card, it is cool. 8 mana in three colours for a 7/5 is bad. But stapled to TWO free spells, it is practically a steal. Add in that you get haste for the 7/5 AND any creatures you may cascade into, and this is a massively swingy creature. Look at it this way, Bloodbraid Elf does less than what half of this does.
As for EDH, yes. It can be built around, but it also fits in VERY nicely with Animar's Elementals. Plus, you cast this creature and then the two you cascade into. So, from just an Animar, you can easily put your entire hand onto the board, cascade at least twice, then attack with all creatures in your hand and the cascaded ones AND beefier Animar. Expect to see this guy.

This was such a great choice for the first preview card. It is huge, splashy, and has something we've never seen before.
This will go great in a tribal elemental deck, because you could easily cascade into all those other expensive elementals with evoke and keep them.

5/5 for TIMMEH!

Then do it again!

Goes very, very nicely with Animar, Soul of Elements. 7/5, haste, and double cascade for ? Sure, why not? He (She? It?) also makes a cool Commander, but that casting cost means that when Maelstrom Wanderer comes storming out of the command zone, this better be your alpha strike.
5/5 for another awesome Elemental with epic Timmy and Johnny potential.

I've noticed that the phrase "Then do it again" always heralds good times when you see it in the reminder text.

All of the RUG generals are... God tier. they also play SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME together. It's super doubtful you'll be able to use Riku when you cast Maelstrom Wanderer but damn just the thought.

wow...pricey.

At last, the general of my dreams has arrived. Quickly, Bloodbraid Elf, to the EDH Cave!

This guy and Etherium-Horn Sorceror are going straight into the Riku deck. Yo dawg...

Basically a bigger Bloodbraid Elf that you can make a EDH general out of. Not that that's a bad thing ;)

Suddenly, using Horde of Notions's ability to reanimate measly Mulldrifters and Shriekmaws seems inadequate.

You can't not love a card that says "then do it again."

Quicksilver Amulet....that's all I have to say

Yet another excuse to use Dream Halls. Maybe even cast a Man-O'-War (Then do it again.)

Add this to my growing list of 'Riku of Two Reflections + Doubling Season + Mirror Gallery + you get the point -_-' cards....

Seriously...Infinite Universes of Madness MIGHT be a Commander-Tier deck 0.O

However: Vorthos says FAIL, WIZARDS, FAIL! for not including any lore on Vela, Krond, Wanderer, or Thromok in the INSERTS!

You cast Maelstrom Wanderer:
Your first Cascade results in you hitting Enigma Sphinx which hits Enlisted Wurm which hits Bituminous Blast which hits Bloodbraid Elf which hits Shardless Agent which hits Coiling Oracle.
Your second Cascade results in you hitting another Enigma Sphinx, which hits Etherium-Horn Sorcerer, which hits Deny Reality, which hits Stormcaller's Boon, which hits Violent Outburst, which hits another Coiling Oracle.
Then your opponent casts Mindbreak Trap at the end of both of the Wanderer's Cascade chains...
This rectifies as a situation to punch said opponent, correct?

First of all get the Planechse cards properly linked and formated!

Second is an inquiry: If I use Natural Order and search for this card does it Cascade

I'm surprised no one has talked much about the fact that this thing costs 8. With cascade. This card is the proper color to do things like ponder, or brainstorm, or top, and cascade into not one, but two somethings that can be truly terrifying. Hell, you can do some weird 4 or 5 color thing and cascade straight into Cruel Ultimatum. Brrr.

The reminder text gave me the same sinister grin as Contagion Engine's.

I've been deciding whether or not to comment on this for days, but I feel like this just has to be said.

I hate this card.

No, not because I lost to it on several occasions (because I have). The problem I have with this card is that there's hardly ANY coming back from it. It stops games almost immediately after it hits the field. I'm the kind of player who doesn't play magic for "infinite combos", "Huge Creatures", or "Expensive decks that win immediately". I play because the game takes a lot of thought and consideration when choosing who to swing with, and who to leave blocking. Which mana to tap, and which to leave open. When the best time is to drop the card you've been holding since the beginning of the game. I LOVE the thinking aspect in it, and I'm having the MOST fun when there's a war going on.

I have four creatures. My opponent has five. We're playing all our combat tricks here, and soon we'll be top-decking. It comes down to who is smarter about who their attackers and blockers are. How to spot a bluff, and exploit an opening they didn't know they had. It's beautiful, and I love the tactical game that comes down to who trumped who with superior strategy. Now let's introduce this card.

I'm in that moment. I'm starting to win through careful consideration, and meticulous calculation. Thinking several turns ahead as to what I'll have, and what my opponent might have. I've set a plan in motion that I believe is superior to his, and now I'm looking for that combat trick in my deck to help me push through.

Oh wait, he played this thing. And he cascaded into another huge thing, that cascaded into another huge thing. Oh, and they all have haste. Great. So he swings all out, and I HAVE to block just to HOPE to survive. There goes all my planning. Because of one broken as all hell card that stopped the game entirely, and with little to no thought, my opponent has the game in his grasp, and I can't do shit about it. Thanks Wizards. If it was just the creature I had to kill, it might not be so bad. But I have to deal with the entire army it brought with it. Oh, and I have to deal with the new army NOW. No time to think about it, and maybe employ a strategy in my mind. That single card has ruined 4 out of the 10 Planeschase games I've played against that deck so far. I don't think I'll be playing it much anymore.

But no.

5/5

FUN.

@ Damia

No. Casting Natural Order to cheat out a creature with Cascade, or any other effect that says "When you cast..." (i.e. Artisan of Kozilek) won't trigger that card's ability. A spell is only considered "cast" when you spend it's mana cost to actually cast it from your hand. However, if you use Natural Order to put a creature with an "Enters the battlefield" - effect into play, that ability will trigger.
Hope that helps :)

so in edh what are the 2 best creatures to come out of Maelstrom's cascades? I think the best situation is that you cascade into a hamelback goliath and then into a clone copying hamelback goliath.

the first one will come into play as a 6/6. The cloned one will come into play as a 6/6 and the first one will be a 12/12. Then Maelstrom Wanderer will come in and make the first Goliath a 19/19 and the second one a 13/13. Altogether you will have 39 points of power originally from 1 creature. You won't quite be able to one shot someone, but it'll be damned close. So is there anything better?

This guy look like fun. Someday I will make a deck with this guy at the helm.

@ StreamHopper

You sound mad.


Just run Mindbreak trap. GG

There's definitely better than the simplicity of three big creatures (especially given that the three of them can be stopped by Hornet Queen's tokens). The two best plays I've had with my Wanderer decks (usually alongside Scroll Rack for maximum benefit):

2. Wanderer into Kiki-Jiki and Eternal Witness, with Time Warp already in the graveyard, and 5 mana left up to recast the Time Warp. People hate infinite turn losses, but it's one of those handy trios in a URG EDH deck where all three cards are good on their own, but together theyr'e a win con.

However, my best one:

1. Third turn Wanderer into Bribery and some other irrelevant spell (Far Wanderings or something). However, my opponent was tapped out, had no blockers, and had a Magister Sphinx in his library. One of the fastest EDH wins I've had the pleasure of piloting.

@RAV0004 Why combo this with Riku? You will kill your general because of the legendary rule, and you will not even get extra cascades, as it is not an "Enter the Battlefield" effect.

As a Primary Blue black player this sort of card shouldn't appeal to me. The Lack of control this creature provide is just unreal. Then combine this with Storm, Buyback, kicker and the chaos just increases. What will happen when this thing hits the field? Will it be met with no resistance because nothing is left after you hit a Devastation Tide and a Destructive force? Or do you hit something with much less impact, like a Crystal Ball and a Birds of Paradise? This sort of unknown possibility in this card terrifies the blue player in me. Me being some one who likes being in control. But the Chaos this card inspires brings out a carnal desire I have. This card will find a place as one of my Commanders.

Feels like they dropped the ball with this guy. Maelstrom critter that isn't WUBRG? Wizards, I am disappoint.

@BuffJittePLZ You don't copy the Maelstrom Wanderer, you copy the stuff he cascades into.

I run Maelstrom in the Animar EDH set up, usually making him a simple RUG to cast. Often I find that having Momir Vig, Simic Visionary is game ending when Maestrom hits the board. Stack the triggers like this: Momir blue, cascade, cascade, momir green. Momir green fetches Avenger of Zendikar. Cascade plays Avenger, triggering another Momir green. Momir green fetches Primeval Titan dropping a couple lands to pump Avenger's plants to 2/3's and triggering another Momir green. Fetch something like Solemn Simulacrum. Momir blue resolves, giving Solemn in hand and by now, he's usually free with Animar's stack of counters. Drop Solemn and make them plants into 3/4's. Drop your land for the turn for 4/5 plants. And then... iono, swing with your mass hasted army? Primeval drops a couple more lands and pumps the plants to 6/7.

I dunno about you, but from just having a momir vig, an animar, and enough mana to cast maestrom, you come out swinging with...
Maelstrom (7/5)
Primeval Titan (6/6 trample)
Avenger of Zendikar (5/5)
5+ Plants (6/7) depending on how many lands you had
Solemn (2/2) why not, he's more useful dead
Not to mention you didn't have to draw Primeval or Avenger either.

And even if you didn't have Momir Vig, the randomness is still exciting.

I run this big guy as the general of a rug EDH deck, and the deck is amazing with him at the helm. The deck is about 50% fatties and 50% ramp, so the plan is that I ramp into home, and either cascade into fatties or it cascades into ramp that sets me up to cast the monsters in my hand. What I've found, is that this deck can take the swingiest turns ever. A lot of times I won't even have a creature out until turn 8, then cast him and cascade into a balefire dragon and loxodon warhammer and that's usually game

"Then do it again." I don't think appears on any other card. 5/5 for flavor
Cost prohibitive, but that's what EDH is for.
When cast he can end games, particularly with lots of high cost Cascade in your deck.
Use the Haste to swing with the fatties he just dropped on the board for free.
4/5 for power/cost.
4.5/5 in total.

Does this card (specifically cascade) work with Flash?

@gman92: It does appear on Contagion Engine. Ah, "then do it again" always heralds good, good times.

Most people seem to have enjoyed this card as soon as it was previewed, but I shouted "NOOO!!! Why couldn't it have costed 1 more mana????"

One of my top 10 favorite multiplayer casual decks to play involves using Grozoth to tutor up 14-20 CMC 9 cards to my hand and then Myojin of Life's Web to put every single one of those into play (I use things like Dream Halls and Keeper of Progenitus to cast it from my hand but Flash or Show and Tell on Grozoth). The big hole in the deck is haste. Sure I could use a Concordant Crossroads, but having a 9 CMC creature that gives all your boys haste is way more elegant and awesome. Plus it ensures at least one big swing before I get Wrathed.

This wouldn't have just benefited this deck though. Just look at all the fun CMC 8 stuff it could have cascaded into:

Akroma, Angel of Wrath (and her red alter ego)
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Griselbrand
Avatar of Woe (Woah! Haste on her is good)
Bogarden Hellkite
Craterhoof Behemoth
Godsire
Verdant Force
Woodfall Primus

Oh well, better luck next summer! :-/

Actually, I'm surprised no one has mentioned how easy it is to set up infinite combos with this. Just play a deck with only cards with CMC of 8 or higher and this as your Commander and bam, get your infinite combo on turn 8, guaranteed. The only question is what combo to play, really. I'm partial to Deadeye Navigator and Palinchrom, myself. Float all the mana, then Grozoth/Desolate Lighthouse/Myojin of Seeing Winds for Worldfire, then recast this one and win.

LET'S DO THE CASCADE AGAIN!

What happens when you cascade into something with cascade? I think the new cascade would go on top of his 2nd cascade then after the new one resolves you complete his 2nd cascade. Unless of course the new cascade, cascades into another cascade. Then your opponent is free to flip the table.

@kajisama
No, you have to "cast" something with cascade for the ability to trigger. Flash does not "cast" the card, it just puts it into play. In this same way, cloudshift affects will not work, but unsummon + recasting will.

Recent occurence in an EDH game that demonstrates the chaotic hilarity that cascade produces:

On 5 life, in a pretty bad way generally.
Maelstrom Nexus on the battlefield, cast Maelstrom Wanderer. Triple 8-CMC cascade incoming:
1st cascade: Bituminous Blast, which cascades into Sakashima the Impostor.
2nd cascade: Stormcaller's Boon, cascading into Worldly Tutor.
3rd cascade: Cruel Ultimatum

That would have been awesome, had Wild Ricochet not been played at that point.
Sigh.

Yo dawg, I heard you like cascade. So I put some Bloodbraid Elf in your Etherium-Horn Sorceror, so you can Maelstrom Wanderer while you Shardless Agent.

@kajisana: no, cascade only triggers when you cast the spell (be it normally from your hand or through some other effect like Djinn of Wishes. General cheating into play (with Flash or Elvish Piper, for example) doesn't work.
@ElCarl: I can't blame you for not supposing an opponent had Wild Ricochet in hand, but that loss was sort of avoidable. If you had decided to cast the Worldly Tutor from the 2nd cascade you could have set up a creature for the 3rd cascade to hit.

And this gains thumbs up for being the only cascade which works with Cream of the Crop.

Why the hell is this card a 7/5? I frequently think it's an 8/5, even when I then realize that's not true, I repeat that mistake on the next game.

Just another one of these ugly fatties which are just completely overpowered and make hundrets of other really nice generals totally redundant in this game.

Especially love it when people play this in "casual" EDH games, mass ramp and hit you with this together with another ugly fattie (or perhaps even a third one!) on turn 3 or 4, and probably also kick you as soon as you play anything infinite. Hate this card.

I once bought two packs of chaos reigns and mixed them together.

... What have I done...

@ElCarl: Wild Ricochet can't redirect Cruel Ultimatum back at you (although it can copy it) because you're not your own opponent.

very powerful general in EDH. In a properly designed deck, you will usually be happy with whatever you cascade into, be it a 1 mana sol ring or your 6 mana consecrated sphinx. You then get a creature that kills in 3 hits and that's if it's just killing from general damage, since mass haste means you can easily win with just mass creatures. Find ways to willingly sacrifice wanderer or bounce it to your hand (ex; food chain, crystal shard) to get the cascade triggers again, and you will win with sheer card advantage.

It's not a tier 1 general in 1v1 EDH, because the randomness of cascade does affect the consistency of the deck. But it's definitely a deck to be wary of, particularly if you do hit good cascades.

This card is awesome, both aesthetically and technically. I wish I had it.

He's in the colors of the best Scry cards......... I think I just busted his potentiality as a commander lol