You can wait to play it when it has a meaningful impact since it doesnt cost anything, avoiding the potential damage that it does to you
This is more likely to get you a little farther than Orchard Elemental if you draw it later in the game since it can add to your board state or be a big creature
Note there is no current way to do that
Not to say that you wont get the best price, especially on a card by card basis
Despite Magic s gradual drift away from hand-based decks and grindy duels for card advantage, its hard to deny Cryptic Command is the perfect top-end for such a playstyle a swiss army knife with options that cut through any possible game state, so long as you choose the right ones
Where a lot of the others are floating, ephemeral, almost free of their mortal coils, this spirit looks to be dragged from its repose