Format Staples

[SpecialBats]

So, I'm defining Staple for the purposes of this discussion as a card one can usually expect to see played (with good reason) in decks of the associated color. Demonic Tutor, for example, should be and most likely is in any deck containing black in this format so I'd consider that to be a staple.

Some of the cards that are on my list are maybe controversial, people might disagree and so I encourage people to bring up cards that are not on the list that should be or maybe make a case for why one should be removed. Or maybe cards should be added. This thread is for discussing what cards are necessary for making a deck run efficiently.

White:
Faith's Fetters - Enchants any pernement, disables creatures and all activated abilities and randomly makes you not lose to burn.
Land Tax - Fixes mana, thins deck, and gives the white player excellent hand advantage, a strong move before armageddon.
Enlightened Tutor - Fetches Top, combo pieces, or a lot of good answers as an instant.
Swords to Plowshares - Removes almost anything from the game for W at no real gain to your opponent.
Wrath of God - Gives great card advantage when it kills multiple creatures, helps control to stabilize.
Armageddon - Prevents control from stabilizing, disables a lot of strong decks. Stops bombs from being played. Usually assures victory once you have a superior board position.
Ravages of War - A second chance at drawing Armageddon.
Decree of Justice Uncounterable "put X tokens into play" at instant speed, you may draw a card. An excellent control finisher. It isn't bad when hardcasted and is deadly with cards like mana drain.
Jotun Grunt - An aggressive creature that heckles decks trying to capitalize on their graveyard. Efficient against Loam, Mindslaver, things you suspect will be Regrown, genesis, gigapede, or feeding cards back into your library you can tutor for.
Exalted Angel - 4/5 Flying Lifelinker that can feasibly come out on the fourth turn. It's an unfair advantage in the damage race, is a good control finisher and is good at outracing control decks.
Austere Command - Probably the best 'bad' wrath of god. It's very versatile and frequently will be the answer you need.
Disenchant - I find 'disenchants' always have a worthwhile target in highlander games.
Mirror Entity - It's hard to build tribal in highlander, so this fills in a lot of gaps, being a changeling, and makes creatures that were weenies in the early game much bigger to finish the game.

Blue
Mana Drain - Steals a turn and a card out of their hand, and gives you mana to set up for a win on the next turn.
Fact or Fiction Because it only has one blue in the casting cost, decks that only use blue for splash can play this amazingly powerful hand and graveyard filler. There is almost never a way for an opponent to separate a fact or fiction that won't give you a ridiculous advantage.
Deep Analysis A draw spell that can be played twice, netting 4 cards.
Dissipate - Things like to come back from the graveyard in highlander, so this counterspell is almost necessary for anyone trying to use blue for control.
Cryptic Command - A hard counter/targeted removal/turn-stealer/cantrip.
Misdirection - Changes removal targets, throws uncountable burn spells and Mind Twist back at the caster's face, counters counterspells, retargets drawspells... it's a sneaky and important move in a format where blue cannot have four force of will.
Back to Basics - If you're mana base is in vast majority basic, punishing most of the format for playing mostly nonbasics is the thing to do. It's a one-sided stasis against 90% of highlander.
Treachery- Frequently a two-for-one, is also a win condition if you steal a good enough creature.
Bribery - Denies them their card, puts a bomb into play under your control.
Intuition A good tutor that gets a life from the loam engine online, dumps genesis, gigapede, or mindslaver, and is necessary for running reanimator.
Gifts Ungiven - Good for the same reasons intuition is.
Trinket Mage - Top, Engineered Explosives, Phyrexian Furnace, pithing needle, zuran orb, and cursed scroll are all strong targets for him in this format.
Capsize Can steal multiple turns, is often "blue vindicate."
Morphling - Strictly good as a control finisher, though he's a fundamental include for any blue-based control decks in that he's an excellent blocker, attacker, has evasion, and can't be targeted.
Thirst for Knowledge - An instant speed drawspell that is good in reanimator or decks with plenty of artifacts.
Personal Tutor - Wrath, Decree, Ancient Craving, Upheval, or some red X-spell are all good targets for this card in this format. Sadly, Mystical tutor is banned but this does its job.
Opportunity -Because games tend to be long in highlander, it's feasible to cast this at the end of an opponent's turn most games and really cannot be replaced by any other card as far as something that's going to significantly increase the number of cards in your hand as an instant- Maybe stroke of Genius, however, Opportunity is cheaper costed at six.

Black:
Demonic Tutor - It's not banned yet!
Damnation - Another Wrath of God
Phyrexian Negator - Most highlander decks are too slow to handle this card.
Chainer's Edict - Removal you can play twice!
Entomb - Tutors for anything that's good in your graveyard, can be comboed with Regrowth. Necessary in reanimator.
Duress - Disrupts control, takes important burn spells, spot removal, or combo pieces.
Thoughtsieze - Good for the same reasons Duress is.
Skeletal Scrying - A really efficient instant-speed draw spell.
Withered Wretch - A low-cost threat that disrupts graveyards, good for the same reasons Jotun Grunt is.
Stinkweed Imp - Its deathtouch makes it kill things that might not be killable with spells or activated abilities or wraths, and it comes back from the dead, dumping goodies into your graveyard as it does.
Unearth A sneaky thing to do in an aggro deck, I think. It also reanimates some really big creatures like Psychatog, terravore, or tarmogoyf. Can cycle if unneeded.
Mind Twist - A really good disruption spell that just got unbanned! Watch out for misdirection.

Red:
Grim Lavamancer - Recurring burn that can come out early.
Shattering Pulse - Recurring artifact destruction. It always has  a target in highlander.
Ruination - Played for the same reason Back to Basics is.
Magus of the Moon - Played for the same reason Back to Basics is.
Blood Moon - Another nonbasic hoser.
Price of Progress - A really good game finisher in this format.
Banefire - Uncounterable X damage.
Demonfire - Uncounterable X damage.
Rolling Earthquake - Red wrath of god that deals X damage.
Goblin Welder - Combos with mindslaver, sundering titan, Smokestacks, and other silly artifacts that destroy one's opponent.
Viashino Heretic - Recurring artifact destruction that deals punishes the artifact's controller and is a small threat.
Countryside Crusher - helps you draw into burn, and he gets really big real fast.
Kird Ape - Too good for any red/green aggro deck not to play.
Pillage - There are a lot of artifacts and lands that need to be destroyed, like Maze of ith, Tabernacle, Library, Masticore, and vedalken shackles. Because it's versatile I think any red deck can play it, lando or not.

Green:
Llanowar Elves/fyndhorn elves - Puts you a turn ahead manawise, and is a creature threat.
Birds of Paradise - Another card that sets you a turn ahead.
Regrowth - Lets you play any effect multiple times.
All Sun's Dawn - Gives excellent hand advantage of quality cards.
Eternal Witness - Played for the same reason regrowth is.
Krosan Grip - Uncounterable disenchant effect.
Mirri's Guile - Played for the same reason Sensei's Divining Top is.
Garruk Wildspeaker - Can untap gaea's cradle, constantly produce threats, and overrun for the kill. Essentially costs 2 because of its first ability.
Call of the Herd - A threat you can play twice.
Life From the Loam - Recurs wasteland, is a draw engine with the cycling lands, and dredges important graveyard-based cards.
Gigapede - Cannot be maze of ithed, is not a worthwhile bribery target, cannot be thwarted with counterspells, and forces opponents to sacrifice creatures with they attack or block. Is strong with life from the loam and intuition.
Sylvan Library - Played for the same reason top is, improving green's consistency and giving hand advantage the color usually does not have.
Genesis - Constantly recurs creature threats from your graveyard.
Crop Rotation - Fetches Library, forbidden orchard, maze of ith, bazaar of baghdad, wasteland, dustbowl, tabernacle, or fixes your mana.
Desert Twister - In decks without black/white, the cost of desert twister is well worth the while of its caster for "destroy target pernement." Mono green does not have many ways of killing creatures apart from this and bad abilities like deathtouch. I see this card get played to good effect and is often a necessary draw for the decks that run it.

Multicolor
Pernicious Deed - The most efficient wrath spell in Magic, it will stop you from losing to aggro.
Army Ants - For three, this creature turns any of your lands into strip mine.
Psychatog - It's been a format wrecker in every MTG format since it was printed, and highlander is no exception. He's a terrific early game blocker and late game he's a three-costed phaige the untouchable. When he's untapped, he's Moat, when he's tapped, he's the Abyss. Any deck loaded with draw spells and protection should capitalize on this card.
Fire/Ice - either a two-for-one or a turn-stealer.
Vindicate - Well, I tried to make a case for Desert Twister. However, this is clearly the best card that "destroys target permanent."
Stormbind - It turns cards into damage, which, when aggro decks go on topdeck, this card is good for all the reasons cursed scroll is.
Figure of Destiny a one-drop that catches up with the pace of the game as you pay mana. Is a strong threat at any point in the game.
Putrefy - Instant-speed burial of any creature, or artifact destruction. Kills Swords or mana accelerators.
Mortify Instant-speed burial of any creature, or enchantment removal. Removes faith's fetters, sylvan library, or other obnoxious enchantments.
Lim-Dul's Vault The format does not have Vampiric Tutor, so this is the next best thing.
Hull Breach - A disenchant with a possible two-for-one.
Terminate - Buries any creature.

Artifact
Sensei's Divining Top
Oblivion Stone
Fellwar Stone
Mind Stone
Coalition Relic
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Light and Shadow
Phyrexian Furnace
Engineered Explosives
Scroll Rack
Crucible of Worlds
Masticore

Land:
Library of Alexandria
Mishra's Workshop
Bazaar of Baghdad
Tolaria West
Onslaught Fetches
Mirage Fetches
Krosan Visage
Manlands
Karakas
Maze of Ith
Thawing Glaciers
Dust bowl
Wasteland
Reflecting Pool

*Edit: Definitions added, "yavimya ants" changed to "army ants"

[so_not]

Some background info would be nice. Why did you make this list? What is its purpose and so on? How do you define a staple?

In my eyes Desert Twister and Fissure for example are far from staple.

[majikfreak]

Yavimya Ants?


Did you mean Army Ants?

[Mythrandir]

This sure could use a little more text, rather than just these lists.

There are few cards there that are far from being staples, and others that you don't list.

[SpecialBats]

Yep! Thanks for the suggestions, I'm working on writing descriptions for why these cards are staples, it takes a while But you know. I'll get there. ;p

[Mythrandir]

i dont know what kind of meta you play, but the phrase:

Phyrexian Negator - Most highlander decks are too slow to handle this card.

I aggree with most of the cards. Of course it depends wheter you're going aggro (negator is fine) or more control oriented (then negator is not fine, but you can use phyrexian totem).

Cards that i dont consider to be staple:
- morphling
- opportunity
- capsize
- shattering pulse
- desert twister

Things to add: aggro creatures like savana lions, isamaru, mogg fanatic, etc...
eladrmi call
and probably the biggest "misses" Survival of the fittest and oath of druids in green. And recurring nightmare in black.

But like i said, it's really hard to make a staple list: isamaru is a staple in WW but hardly a staple in UW control, for example...

[Nastaboi]

If I was gonna make the list, I'd define "stable" as a card in its color that I should always at least consider playing when playing that colour. Personal preference should have little effect in those decicions though. I, for example, don't like Survival and Krosan Grip too much, but they are really widely played and I do always consider them when building a deck with green. A card with unique effect for its colour is not a stable if no one ever plays it (nor should).

[pyyhttu]

If I was gonna make the list, I'd take a look into my binder.

Seriously, everyone has their own understanding of cards that are stable. If one isn't going to bother harvesting deck lists and grep data to form statistics what is played and what is not, no-one here is entitled to say what's stable and what is not. And that's just my opinion.

See right panel called "Recent statistic" at morphling.de to see what I mean.

[king of nothing]

for me a staple in a mono red deck is goblin charbelcher,  this card has single handedly won me many a game

[grizzledmage]

Mm, Goblin Charbelcher; dunno. I do happen to have it in my one RDttW deck but that's really largely to have a non-red source of damage dealing (I am considering adding Ghostfire as well).

The only two cards that I immediately include in any new HL deck build are Sensei's Divining Top and Wasteland (maybe Dust Bowl now also).

[peeler]

The problem with staples is that there aren´t many of them (isamaru is a god example) most cards aren`t auto inclued in every deck of that colour. Aggro or Control make a big difference.

Saying the obvious at its best^^

[Kassow-Rossing]

I did not fully read this article, but spending two minutes on it, made me realize I had to make at least one comment:
Phyrexian Negator is NOT a Highlander Staple

A staple is a card - per definition - that will be played in any deck who runs the colours. Phyrexian Negator will def. not be played in any black Highlander deck. Far from. It's a very far out corner card who can only be played in the agro versions of black. No control deck would play it

As short as I could

[GoblinPiledriver]

Hi, I wanted to give you a summary over the Highlander Metagame. I searched http://mtgpulse.com/events-highlander for the true played cards in 181 Highlander-decks which made Top8. This gives a true impression of the metagame as a whole, and you see which cards are a staple in Highlander.


White:

Swords to Plowshares       115/181
Stoneforge Mystic          112/181
Path to Exile              105/181
Oblivion Ring               99/181
Elspeth, Knight Errant      84/181
Aven Mindcensor             80/181
Mother of Runes             61/181
Mirran Crusader             51/181
Baneslayer Angel            45/181
Gideon Jura                 45/181
Parallax Wave               41/181
Sun Titan                   38/181
Reveillark                  36/181
Ranger of Eos               35/181
Loam Lion                   32/181
Wrath of God                27/181
Hero of Bladehold           24/181
Tithe                       19/181
Academy Rector              18/181
Day of Judgment             17/181
Armageddon                  16/181
Karmic Guide                16/181
Journey to Nowhere          15/181
Serra Avenger               15/181
Mana Tithe                  14/181
Wall of Omens               12/181
Disenchant                  11/181
Isamaru, Hound of Konda     10/181
Savannah Lions              10/181


Blue:

Mana Drain                  83/181
Jace, the Mind Sculptor     82/181
Bainstorm                   80/181
Vendilion Clique            77/181
Force of Will               74/181
Phantasmal Image            67/181
Venser, Shaper Savant       66/181
Fact or Fiction             65/181
Bribery                     63/181
Trinket Mage                61/181
Mana Leak                   61/181
Snapcaster Mage             59/181
Counterspell                58/181
Daze                        58/181
Glen Elendra Archmage       58/181
Preordain                   53/181
Ponder                      47/181
Ancestral Vision            46/181
Jace Beleren                44/181
Cryptic Command             41/181
Sower of Temptation         37/181
Treachery                   36/181
Remand                      33/181
Back to Basics              31/181
Mental Mistep               30/181
Spell Snare                 30/181
Pestermite                  30/181
Miscalculation              28/181
Intuition                   27/181
Spell Pierce                27/181
Force Spike                 26/181
Stifle                      26/181
Thirst for Knowledge        25/181
Gifts Ungiven               25/181
Control Magic               23/181
Consecrated Sphinx          22/181
Serendib Efreet             22/181
Condescend                  22/181
Into the Roil               17/181
Upheaval                    17/181
Compulsive Research         16/181
Mulldrifter                 16/181
Looter il-Kor               14/181
Personal Tutor              13/181
Impulse                     13/181
Repeal                      13/181
Mystical Teachings          13/181
Tezzeret the Seeker         13/181
Man-o'-War                  12/181
Memory Lapse                12/181

[GoblinPiledriver]

Black

Demonic Tutor               92/181
Shriekmaw                   59/181
Tainted Pact                55/181
Dark Confidant              50/181
Thoughtseize                42/181
Duress                      39/181
Inquisition of Kozilek      38/181
Bitterblossom               29/181
Dismember                   25/181
Necromancy                  25/181
Bone Shredder               24/181
Recurring Nightmare         20/181
Go for the Throat           19/181
Damnation                   19/181
Animate Dead                17/181
Phyrexian Arena             15/181
Living Death                15/181
Grave Titan                 14/181
Liliana of the Veil         14/181
Hymn to Tourach             12/181
Skinrender                  11/181
Diabolic Intent             10/181
Vampire Nighthawk           10/181


Red

Lightning Bolt             101/181
Flametongue Kavu            94/181
Grim Lavamancer             75/181
Arc Trail                   64/181
Chain Lightning             64/181
Magma Jet                   50/181
Incinerate                  39/181
Kird Ape                    32/181
Magus of the Moon           31/181
Burst Lightning             30/181
Blood Moon                  28/181
Goblin Guide                26/181
Price of Progress           25/181
Tribal Flames               25/181
Char                        24/181
Firebolt                    22/181
Koth of the Hammer          21/181
Inferno Titan               21/181
Staggershock                21/181
Volcanic Hammer             20/181
Sulfuric Vortex             19/181
Ruination                   17/181
Rift Bolt                   16/181
Hell's Thunder              16/181
Fire Ambush                 15/181
Forked Bolt                 15/181
Arc-Slogger                 15/181
Hellspark Elemental         14/181
Cunning Sparkmage           13/181
Fireblast                   13/181
Mogg Fanatic                12/181
Imperial Recruiter          12/181
Keldon Marauders            12/181
Stormblood Berserker        12/181
Molten Rain                 11/181
Searing Blaze               11/181
Blistering Firecat          11/181
Hero of Oxid Ridge          11/181
Rhystic Lightning           10/181
Brimstone Volley            10/181
Ember Hauler                10/181
Slagstorm                   10/181


Green

Birds of Paradise          113/181
Noble Hierach              109/181
Green Sun's Zenith         105/181
Tarmogoyf                  103/181
Eternal Witness             92/181
Fauna Shaman                91/181
Scavenging Ooze             87/181
Garruk Wildspeaker          86/181
Llanowar Elves              86/181
Lotus Cobra                 80/181
Birthing Pod                76/181
Sylvan Library              70/181
Thrun, the Last Troll       68/181
Fyndhorn Elves              65/181
Natural Order               58/181
Avacyn's Pilgrim            56/181
Primeval Titan              54/181
Acidic Slime                51/181
Arbor Elf                   50/181
Wickerbough Elder           48/181
Worldly Tutor               47/181
Garruk Relentless           47/181
Dryad Arbor                 45/181
Wall of Roots               44/181
Rancor                      42/181
Wild Nacatl                 41/181
Sakura-Tribe Elder          40/181
Skyshroud Elite             23/181
Beast Within                22/181
Obstinate Baloth            22/181
Crop Rotation               22/181
Wall of Blossoms            21/181
Regrowth                    19/181
Matca Rioters               18/181
Skinshifter                 17/181
Garruk, Primal Hunter       14/181
Protean Hulk                13/181
Pattern of Rebirth          13/181
Primal Command              12/181
Troll Ascetic               11/181
Vengevine                   11/181
Master of the Wild Hunt     10/181
Viridian Emissary           10/181
Scryb Ranger                10/181
River Boa                   10/181

[GoblinPiledriver]

Multicolored

Kitchen Finks              127/181
Qasali Pridemage            97/181
Eladamri's Call             93/181
Knight of the Reliquary     89/181
Lightning Helix             73/181
Ajani Vengeant              70/181
Bloodbraid Elf              63/181
Vindicate                   61/181
Maelstrom Pulse             58/181
Vithian Renegades           47/181
Woolly Thoctar              37/181
Trygon Predator             37/181
Figure of Destiny           33/181
Rhox War Monk               31/181
Rafiq of the Many           27/181
Loxodon Hierarch            27/181
Boggart Ram-Gang            25/181
Putrid Leech                23/181
Watchwolf                   23/181
Doran, the Siege Tower      23/181
Sarkhan Vol                 20/181
Tidehollow Sculler          20/181
Edric, Spymaster of Trest   19/181
Pernicous Deed              17/181
Aven Mimeomancer            16/181
Tattermunge Maniac          16/181
Fire//Ice                   16/181
Putrefy                     16/181
Geist of Saint Traft        15/181
Bant Charm                  15/181
Tin Street Hooligan         13/181
Progenitus                  13/181
Firespout                   12/181
Steward of Valeron          12/181
Shadowmage Infiltrator      11/181
Fiery Justice               11/181
Zur the Enchanter           10/181


Artifacts

Phyrexian Metamorph        114/181
Sword of Fire and Ice      113/181
Sensei's Divining Top       99/181
Sword of Feast and Famine   97/181
Batterskull                 77/181
Æther Vial                  66/181
Enginered Explosives        52/181
Winter Orb                  42/181
Mox Diamond                 38/181
Spellskite                  34/181
Tangle Wire                 33/181
Figure of Destiny           33/181
Vedalken Shackles           28/181
Wurmcoil Engine             26/181
Crucible of Worlds          24/181
Pithing Needle              23/181
Coalition Relic             22/181
Sword of Light and Shadow   12/181
Crystal Shard               11/181
Chrome Mox                  11/181
Ankh of Mishra              11/181
Expedition Map              10/181
Grim Monolith               10/181
Cursed Scroll               10/181


Lands

Misty Rainforest           153/181   
Flooded Strand             150/181
Scalding Tarn              150/181
Windswept Heath            147/181
Arid Mesa                  143/181
Wooded Foothills           141/181
Marsh Flats                141/181
Verdant Catacombs          140/181
Polluted Delta             135/181
Bloodstained Mire          128/181
Savannah                   101/181
Tropical Island             86/181
Temple Garden               86/181
Tundra                      83/181
Taiga                       81/181
Plateau                     77/181
Breeding Pool               76/181
Bayou                       71/181
Hallowed Fountain           65/181
Scrubland                   65/181
Underground Sea             62/181
Volcanic Island             61/181
Stomping Ground             60/181
Overgrown Tomb              53/181
City of Brass               51/181
Sacred Foundry              50/181
Badlands                    47/181
Razorverge Thicket          43/181
Copperline Gorge            30/181
Godless Shrine              26/181
Watery Grave                26/181
Steam Vents                 20/181
Flooded Grove               19/181
Seachrome Coast             18/181
Wooded Bastion              18/181
Sunpetal Grove              13/181
Hinterland Harbor           12/181
Yavimaya Coast              12/181
Brushland                   11/181


Utility-Lands


Wasteland                  172/181
Maze of Ith                 91/181
Karakas                     91/181
Treetop Village             88/181
Tectonic Edge               72/181
Horizon Canopy              55/181
Stirring Wildwood           54/181
Mishra's Factory            46/181
Volrath's Stronghold        39/181
Celestial Colonnade         35/181
Creeping Tar Pit            31/181
Mutavault                   29/181
Gaea's Cradle               29/181
Tolaria West                26/181
Raging Ravine               26/181
Dust Bowl                   23/181
Barbarian Ring              21/181
Bojuka Bog                  20/181
Academy Ruins               19/181
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth    18/181
Rishadan Port               16/181
Riptide Laboratory          13/181
Faerie Conclave             12/181
Teetering Peaks             12/181
Ghitu Encampment            11/181