Cloud Key
Artifact
As this artifact enters, choose artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, or sorcery.
Spells you cast of the chosen type cost 
less to cast.
*The advent of cloudsculpting ended the use of mechanical locks in Illvoi society.*
Why Play Cloud Key
Cost reduction artifacts shine in decks built around specific card types, and Cloud Key excels when you can consistently cast multiple spells of the chosen type each turn. Artifact-heavy decks benefit most, turning expensive mana rocks and utility artifacts into efficient plays while enabling explosive turns. Deploy Cloud Key early to maximize value over the game's duration, ideally before your key expensive spells. The card works best in decks with high spell density rather than creature-based strategies.Format Notes
Commander represents Cloud Key's strongest format, where longer games and higher mana costs make the reduction more impactful over time. Legacy occasionally sees play in artifact combo decks, though competition from other cost reducers limits adoption. Modern applications remain niche, typically appearing in budget builds of artifact-based strategies. The card has never faced banning issues due to its fair rate and entering-tapped timing restriction.Combos & Synergies
Artifact-based strategies pair naturally with mana rocks like Sol Ring and Mana Crypt, creating explosive mana development when Cloud Key reduces their costs. Semblance Anvil provides redundant cost reduction effects, while Foundry Inspector offers similar benefits specifically for artifacts. Storm decks can leverage Cloud Key on instants or sorceries to enable cheaper spell chains, though the three-mana investment often proves too slow for competitive storm builds.Featured in These Decks
- Counter Intelligence Commander
