With the release of The Streets of New Capenna in Magic: The Gathering, we’re given five new mechanics to go along with each of the crime families that run this fair city. The Brokers introduce shield counters to Magic’s multiverse, the Cabaretti make alliances, the Riveteers blitz toward their enemies, the Maestros take casualties, and the Obscura are conniving. While each family is always trying to get an upper hand over their opponents, the Obscura might have the most efficient mechanic for this.

RELATED: The Most Valuable Cards From Streets of New Capenna

Connive allows you to draw a card and discard a card (referred to as looting), and if the discarded card is nonland, then a creature gets a +1/+1 counter. So, the Obscura are always looking ahead and preparing their members accordingly. Connive promises to add something to a number of deck archetypes in multiple formats.Here are the best cards for the action.

10 Obscura Confluence Is Three Times More Conniving

Magic Card displaying three characters standing around a blue orb

Obscura Confluence is a card seen in the New Capenna prebuilt Commander decks, so it naturally has a higher power level than we see from the majority of cards in the Standard set. It's an instant speed spell with three different modes, for the low mana value of four. Talk about efficiency.

Most of the Standard cards with connive come attached to creatures. Obscura Confluence allows you to choose a creature to give connive to, and you can give it to them three times, thanks to the clause “You may choose the same mode more than once.”

9 Mask Of The Schemer Is Obscura's Conniving Artifact

A golden mask

Mask of the Schemer is an artifact that allows you to connive multiple times, and is another card from the Obscura Commander deck. So, don’t expect to play this in your Standard deck. Unlike the majority of cards with connive being able to be used as a cantrip, Mask of the Schemer requires you to wait until you attack. However, that is the only downside of this card.

Mask of the Schemer’s mana value and equip cost are reminiscent of the Mirran swords, like Sword of Fire and Ice, only costing three to play and two to equip. Where the mask lacks protection, it more than makes up for in card advantage.

8 Kamiz, Obscura Oculus Is A Team Player

Image of the Kamiz, Obscura Oculus card in Magic: The Gathering, with art by Chris Rallis

It’s unfortunate that Kamiz, Obscura Oculus isn’t playable in Standard, because he adds a lot to a deck. Not only does he offer connive when a creature attacks, but he also makes that creature unblockable. Kamiz doesn’t even have to attack for this ability to trigger.

RELATED: The Best Streets of New Capenna Cards for Standard

If that wasn’t powerful enough, Kamiz goes on to give another attacking creature double strike. The only stipulation here is that the creature gaining double strike has to have less power than the one that connived — which isn’t difficult, since conniving typically pumps the creature.

7 Lethal Scheme Connives With A Returning Mechanic

Lethal Scheme card with a man in a coat and hat standing in a street

A mana value of four might seem a little steep for some spot removal, especially when you consider that most board wipes cost the same. However, Lethal Scheme comes with the convoke mechanic, which allows you to pay the mana cost by tapping down untapped creatures.

When the spell has been cast, Lethal Scheme sends a creature or planeswalker to the graveyard. Then, any creatures that convoked this spell connive. That’s up to four cards drawn, and potentially four creatures that receive a +1/+1 counter.

6 Raffine, Scheming Seer Helps From Afar

Image of the Raffine, Scheming Seer card in Magic: The Gathering, with art by Johannes Voss

As one of the best commanders from Streets of New Capenna, expect to see the Obscura leader to connive in numerous formats. Raffine, Scheming Seer is an inexpensive creature with a lot to offer on the battlefield. A one-quarter body for three mana is incredibly understated. It might not seem like much, but when considering everything else he offers it's a lot. He’s a flier, which allows him some evasion, and he has protection with Ward 1.

Then we get into the meat and potatoes of this guy. He offers an attacking creature connive whenever you attack. Raffine doesn’t even have to attack for this ability to trigger. So, if you need a solution to something on the battlefield, you may find it in the middle of an attack.

5 Obscura Interceptor Follows Venser's Footsteps

A character staring at a hologram with a blue tint

Since Obscura Interceptor has flash and returns a spell to its owner’s hand, it’s reminiscent of Venser, Shaper Savant from the Future Sight set. Obscura Interceptor offers something a little more than that, though, because it can connive.

RELATED: The Best Creatures From Streets of New Capenna

Being able to flash in Interceptor, bounce a spell, loot, and possibly pump Obscura Interceptor is a lot for a single spell to do. Playing it at instant speed gives it so much versatility. This will be an auto-include in any tempo or control list.

4 Body Launderer — The Reanimator

A large, burly man injecting a body with a syringe

Body Launderer has the potential to draw a lot of cards, and become an imposing force. With connive being triggered every time a nontoken creature dies, this guy might find a home in an Aristocrats type of deck — one that allows you control over your creatures dying. With the right sacrifice outlet, this is a powerful card. This might very well be one of the best black cards in the entire set.

It’s not legendary, so you can have multiple of them on the battlefield simultaneously. You’ll be able to cycle through your deck with no problem, and its stats are already fairly impressive with a 3/3 body. Connive only promises to make it stronger.

3 Change Of Plans Offers Protection

A creature flies in the air, looking down at people walking in the streets

Another card from the Obscura Operation deck from Commander 2022, Change of Plans offers some card advantage along with protection. Phasing out doesn’t simply mean exile. It requires the players to treat whatever is phased out like it’s not part of the game anymore. Change of Plans allows its controller to protect either one creature or multiple from certain death. And, when said creatures return to the battlefield, they’re most likely going to be stronger than before.

2 Raffine's Silencer Is A Necessary Sacrifice

A woman in a dress holds a dagger and stares at a blue hologram

Spells are great and all, but creatures with spells attached to them are even better. Raffine’s Silencer is a removal spell with a body. When looting with this creature, it’s important to discard a nonland so it can earn a +1/+1 counter. That way, when it dies it can take an opponent’s creature with it.

Giving another creature -2/-2 might not seem like much, but this will most likely have more than one counter on it. With the right deck with the right spells, Raffine’s Silencer can easily be pumped multiple times, taking out even Titan of Industry.

1 Toluz, Clever Conductor Saves For The Longterm

A woman stands in the middle of the fram at some controls

Toluz, Clever Conductor is a powerful card. It’s surprising it wasn’t printed with the Commander set. But no, Toluz slipped through the cracks and ended up in the main expansion, landing himself a spot in Standard. For the price of three mana, Toluz potentially lands on the battlefield as a 4/2 ready to cause some damage.

Its body isn’t the point of interest here. What’s nice about this connive card is that every card you discard, not just the ones discarded by Toluz, gets stored in exile. When Toluz eventually dies, those exiled cards come to your hand. Throw Toluz into a deck filled with connive spells, and there shouldn't be a time where you're empty-handed.

NEXT: The Best Cards For A Mono-Black Commander Deck, Ranked