When it comes to removal, mono white can deal with almost any threat. Planeswalkers, creatures, enchantments, artifacts, nothing is safe when you’re up against a white deck. But which spells are currently the best ones to run? This article lists the best white removal spells to play in EDH right now, according to us.
This article lists out the best spot removal cards, check this article if you are looking for the best board wipes in EDH.
Table of Contents
10. Crush Contraband
A solid option for artifact/enchantment spot removal in white is Crush Contraband. It doesn’t have the scalability that Heliod’s Intervention has, but it does exile instead of destroy, which can be huge in some situations. If you face a lot of indestructible enchantments in your meta, for instance Purphoros, God of the Forge, I would not overlook this card.
9. Fateful Absence
This one is also a little more meta dependent because it can remove a creature or a planeswalker. If you’re just looking to kill creatures there are better options out there. My playgroup doesn’t play that many planeswalkers which makes this card less interesting. If your playgroup does, I would definitely consider running this card, 2 mana is a good rate for targeted removal and the downside of handing away a clue is a small one.
8. Dismantling Wave
Hitting 3 enchantments or artifacts for just 3 mana is unmatched by any card in magic, which makes this a great option for artifact or enchantment removal. The cycling mode can be relevant in some situations, which is just an added bonus on an already great card.
7. Unexpectedly Absent
The official rule text of this card reads: “If you choose 0 as the value for X, put that permanent on top of its owner’s library”. This means that for 2 white you can put any permanent on the top of a player’s library. Since we don’t want the player to get the card back on their next draw, we can play this card in response to an opponent’s shuffle effect, like Cultivate. The result: the removed card will be shuffled into that player’s library, which for 2 mana is a very good deal. There are more shuffle effects in EDH than you might think, for example any fetch land(e.g. Evolving Wild) or any Tutor (e.g. Demonic Tutor) will do.
6. Darksteel Mutation
This card makes EDH players crave for an enchantment removal top deck. For 2 mana you can turn someone’s commander into an indestructible insect artifact creature without abilities. This essentially removes it from the game until they blow up either the enchantment or the insect itself. In EDH this is often better than destroy or exile effects, because the commander creature cannot return to the command zone. If a deck is built around the commander this can lock it out of the game completely, so be ready to draw some hate!
5. Skyclave Apparition
For 3 mana you can hit any nonlands, nontoken permanent on the board that is 4 CMC or less. This is still able to hit most commanders, and plenty of other juicy targets like Smothering Tithe or Rhystic Study. And if your deck cares about having creatures, or is able to recur them, this card gets really interesting. Similar to Generous Gift your opponent will receive a token, but that’s well worth it if you remove a high-value target.
4. Heliod’s Intervention
Although the second mode of this card is a meme, the first mode is an excellent form of artifact/enchantment removal in white. It’s scalability is unique and also why it is so good. For 4 mana you blow up 2 pieces, but for 6/7/8 mana this turns into a one-sided board wipe. One of the most flexible and best white removal spells in EDH against artifacts and enchantments.
3. Oblation
The downside of Oblation is bigger than for most cards on this list, granting your opponent 2 extra cards is a serious perk. Hitting any nonland permanent at instant speed for 3 mana can still be worth it though and it beats Generous Gift on the fact that this can remove indestructible permanents. Oblation also gives you the option to remove your own permanent and draw two cards, in some situations this versatility comes in handy.
2. Generous Gift
This card should be in every mono white deck (together with Path to Exile). For 3 mana you can hit literally anything that’s on the board at instant speed, including lands. This is the only card in white that can destroy any permanent unconditionally. The downside is a joke compared to the flexibility that this card gives you, imagine trading a Kozilek, Butcher of Truth or a Gaea’s Cradle for a 3/3 green elephant?
1. Path to Exile/Swords to Plowshares
Path To Exile is the most iconic creature removal spell in EDH, it’s been in EDHREC‘s top 10 since forever. A single white mana for an instant exile creature effect is incredible, with the small downside of losing life. Path’s slightly worse twin is Swords To Plowshares. And although ramping your opponent is strictly worse than losing a bunch of life, you have the option to ramp yourself by blowing up your own creature!
That concludes our list! Thanks for taking a look at our take on today’s best white removal spells in EDH.
