Bitter WorkBitter Work | Art by Bun Toujo

It's that time again, when we look at the best commons and uncommons of a new set in order for us to not let good cards collect dust. When it comes to Avatar: The Last Airbender, it's absolutely stacked with playable cards in those typically overlooked slots in a booster pack.

So, join me Tyler 'Savesya' Bucks, and let's Bulk Up!

GREEN

Kicking things off with one of my favorite commons in the whole set, Origin of MetalbendingOrigin of Metalbending. Two mana to destroy an artifact or enchantment is a solid rate for that effect, but pairing that with a protection spell is what puts it head and shoulders above a lot of the other cards in that same vein.

Adding this to an Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice deck could give another counter to your board, as well as some additional interaction to slow down your opponents.

All decks need a few ways to get things back from their graveyard. So if you happen to be in a permanent-heavy deck, True AncestryTrue Ancestry is just the card for you. Not only do you get to return something important to your hand, you also get a Clue token to cash in for a card later.

If you picked up the precon built around Morska, Undersea SleuthMorska, Undersea Sleuth last year, True Ancestry would be a beneficial upgrade for it. When it comes to that deck, the more Clues the better.

This creature happens to be a lot more powerful than it looks. Unlucky Cabbage MerchantUnlucky Cabbage Merchant could fetch you one land when you sacrifice a Food, however, if you sacrifice more of those tokens in response to the trigger, you'll fetch all those lands even if the Merchant is already gone.

A commander that usually has a lot of Food laying around is Rocco, Street ChefRocco, Street Chef. Thinking about it more... I don't know how wise it would be for a chef to have the Cabbage Merchant as one off their vendors;, I'm sure a lot of shipments would go missing before they get to the restaurant.

If you're playing a deck that's heavy on land synergies, then Seismic SenseSeismic Sense can put in a lot of work for only one mana. Digging deep into your library can be a way to help you out of a lot of sticky situations you might find yourself in.

Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre StraitAesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait's entire game plan is to get as many lands into play as possible, which means that by the late game you could be looking through a huge number of cards to put a key piece into your hand.

Both of these cards rhyme with spells that already see a lot of play. Shared RootsShared Roots is similar to Rampant GrowthRampant Growth, and Cycle of RenewalCycle of Renewal hits a lot of the same notes as HarrowHarrow. However, both of these new effects are also Lessons, which could be a strict upgrade for a few decks out there.

RED

Mono-red decks can rejoice, because they just got a brand new toy with Solstice RevelationsSolstice Revelations. Not only does it exile cards until you hit a nonland spell, but it could also help you cast it for free. Plus it has flashback, so you can do it again in the late game when you have even more Mountains in play!

A commander that would enjoy adding this to its ranks is Laelia, the Blade ReforgedLaelia, the Blade Reforged. Since one of the main goals with those decks is to cast as many spells from exile as possible, Solstice Revelations will fit in perfectly.

It's an honor to highlight the next card on the list, because it's none other than Zuko, Exiled PrinceZuko, Exiled Prince. Since he makes you three red mana when he attacks, you can put that right into his second ability to exile the top card of your library to play on your turn.

Ashling, Flame DancerAshling, Flame Dancer loves seeing red mana enter your mana pool and will ensure it sticks around for a long time, which makes Zuko one of her new strongest allies.

While How to Start a RiotHow to Start a Riot might not seem like the flashiest card on the list, the fact that it gives +2/+0 to your entire board at instant speed could just close out a game without the table realizing they're already dead...

You know what creature type would love a riot? Goblins. Throw this new spell in your Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss deck and watch those little guys cause mayhem!

Now this is a card that can truly cause some explosive turns. Combustion ManCombustion Man attacks and gives your opponents the choice of keeping one of their permanents or taking damage. If you run this in a deck that pumps their creatures, it could make their decision even harder to make.

A great commander that could help you with that game plan is Xenagos, God of RevelsXenagos, God of Revels. Now, when you move to combat, you can boost up Combustion Man's stats to hit harder with both combat and potential burn damage.

While mass land destruction is frowned upon in Commander, a card like Price of FreedomPrice of Freedom is here to assist you by only removing one problem causing land. If you don't happen to have any big targets for it at that time, you can always destroy an artifact and draw a card in the process.

If you do cast this to destroy an artifact, it'll help buff up your entire board in a Kibo, Uktabi PrinceKibo, Uktabi Prince deck. Now that's how you cause a rumble in the jungle.

BLACK

Our first black card is a strong reprint that captures a truly heart-breaking moment from the show. Heartless ActHeartless Act can get rid of a creature without any counters on it, or it could remove some pesky counters from a creature, which is even better with all these earthbended lands rolling around with this set.

This spell is already a staple in decks built around Toshiro UmezawaToshiro Umezawa, so if you happen to have one of those in your arsenal, you can now utilize the art of Appa being stolen to deliver full psychic damage when you cast it.

Up next is another great firebending card that feeds into its own engine with Azula, On the HuntAzula, On the Hunt. When she attacks, you'll make two red mana as well as a Clue, which you can then utilize in order to crack the token and draw that card right away. This is good on its own, but it's just great for any deck that loves to store up artifacts as well.

Creating tokens is the name of the game for Marneus CalgarMarneus Calgar, which'll love seeing even more card draw added to the mix. Also, sidenote: since that red mana is in the reminder text for Azula, she is still a mono-black spell.

There's a whole lot of decks out there that would love to add some more flying tokens to their ranks, and Fire Navy TrebuchetFire Navy Trebuchet is here to assist with that. Not only does it help you with attacking, it also helps with defense, being a great blocker with reach.

Isshin, Two Heavens as OneIsshin, Two Heavens as One would surely love to throw twice as many Ballistic Boulders in the air, while having a great defender to protect your life total.

It's not just the flavor that's a win for this card, but it's also very strong in a myriad of decks. Joo Dee, One of ManyJoo Dee, One of Many gives you a way to add more tokens to the board, sculpt the top of your library, fill your graveyard, and sacrifice some creatures or artifacts - all on a two-mana body.

If you have a Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIERSephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER deck, Joo Dee would put in a lot of work for you. While you continue to make more copies of her, you'll be draining your opponents in the process.

If you have a deck that draws plenty of cards, then WolfbatWolfbat's ability to get itself back from the graveyard could be invaluable in the right strategy. Only one mana to bring it back from the dead is a cheap enough cost to overcome that finality counter it re-enters with.

Zoraline, Cosmos CallerZoraline, Cosmos Caller is a Bat commander that already loves pulling cards back from the graveyard, so adding the Wolfbat to those decks would give you more redundancy for that recursion effect.

Spending one mana to get a powerful creature back from your graveyard to your hand makes Zuko's ConvictionZuko's Conviction playable enough in some decks. However, the fact that you can also kick this spell to bring a creature right onto the battlefield ensures that this card will work great early and later in the game.

A commander that likes to fill its graveyard with creatures is Hashaton, Scarab's FistHashaton, Scarab's Fist. Throwing creatures away in order to make copies of them is a strong effect, so having a way of returning one of them back to your hand or the battlefield could be a great boost to the deck.

BLUE

I'm a huge fan of removal spells like Honest WorkHonest Work. Locking down someone's commander and turning off its abilities can sometimes be better than straight up removing it all together. Plus, you also get to tap the creature down when you cast it, opening the way for an attack.

A classic enchantment commander is none other than Zur the EnchanterZur the Enchanter, which would probably love to turn a problem creature into a Humble Merchant during combat.

Cards that have effects like Waterbending LessonWaterbending Lesson get stronger and stronger with each set. Since we continue to get powerful graveyard and discard focused commanders, that downside of discarding a card could turn into an upside.

Plus, if you want to keep all the cards in your hand, it's nice to have that waterbending option to dodge that discard.

Norman OsbornNorman Osborn is one of the most popular commanders from this year and absolutely loves when you throw your spells into the bin, so that you can cast them for their mayhem cost.

Clone spells are something we've gotten more and more of recently, and Ember Island ProductionEmber Island Production gives a whole new take on that effect. Not only can you copy something important, like your commander, but you can also copy something on the other side of the table to steal someone else's effects.

You know what's scarier than one Jodah, the UnifierJodah, the Unifier? Two of them. Plus, you can copy an opponent's legend, and power it up with your commander's stat buff.

Even though this next spell is a sorcery, Boomerang BasicsBoomerang Basics still has a lot of good uses for it. Whether you cast it on one of your opponent's threats or bounce something back to your hand, just to draw a card and recast it, this'll put in work for your blue decks.

Galadriel, Light of ValinorGaladriel, Light of Valinor decks love cards with strong entering the battlefield abilities, so adding an effect like Boomerang Basics to the mix, allows you to utilize it as either an offensive or value centered effect.

If you have a deck that needs ways to protect your commander, then Octopus FormOctopus Form could be for you. It gets even better if you have a particularly strong tapping ability that you want to activate again out of nowhere.

When we're talking about creatures with tapping abilities, Garth One-EyeGarth One-Eye comes to mind. Fizzling someone's removal while casting a Black LotusBlack Lotus sounds like a great combo to me.

WHITE

Here's a card that feels like it's close enough to be playable in a lot of decks, since it rhymes with other three-mana removal spells in the format. Airbending LessonAirbending Lesson exiles a nonland permanent that can be cast for two mana later, which could buy you time in a game, all while drawing you a card in the process.

Instead of a deck suggestion, I want to know what you think about this card. Will you play it in any of your decks? Let me know in the comments what commander you'd pair with this instant.

When it comes to board wipes, they don't usually come in at the uncommon level, so that makes Destined ConfrontationDestined Confrontation a great card to have around when you're building with your bulk. Even though this is one more mana than a similar card like Slaughter the StrongSlaughter the Strong, if your deck wants more of that kind of effect, this is for you!

The Jolly Balloon ManThe Jolly Balloon Man loves small creatures, so adding this to one of your 99s could ensure that you leave your board untouched, while sweeping everyone's team.

Blink decks are always on the lookout for cheap value creatures to trigger their abilities over and over again, so Momo, Playful PetMomo, Playful Pet is here to add even more variety to those decks. Getting this little guy down as early as turn one means that you can start that engine right away.

If you're planning on building a blink deck around Fire Lord ZukoFire Lord Zuko, why not throw his ol' buddy Momo in there! Not only does it help you with sculpting your library or making Food, but it also can put counters on Zuko to enhance that firebending he's doing.

While Compassionate HealerCompassionate Healer might not seem like a powerhouse, when paired with the right strategy, it can be great for your deck. If your deck is centered around Vehicles, Spacecraft, or Mounts, this is a great two-drop to add to your 99s.

A powerful Vehicle commander that would love this card is Kotori, Pilot ProdigyKotori, Pilot Prodigy. Since it makes all your crew costs only 2, that means that this Healer can crew even the biggest Vehicle in your garage.

Our next card packs a major punch for only one mana. Enter the Avatar StateEnter the Avatar State is not only a protection spell for a pivotal creature, it also adds a large number of great keywords in the process, making this great to use offensively and defensively.

Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast usually becomes public enemy number one in games, so helping her enter the Avatar State might be important for keeping your game plan moving. Plus, if you target a big Angel, Demon, or Dragon, this could gain you a huge amount of life while dealing a big chunk of damage.

MULTICOLOR

Starting things off for our multicolor spells today is Bitter WorkBitter Work, another one of my picks for the best bulk cards from the set. Whenever you attack a player with a creature that has power four or greater, you draw a card. Plus, it also gives you the option to activate a one-off earthbend effect.

A commander that loves both lands and big creatures is Omnath, Locus of RageOmnath, Locus of Rage. When you're making all those big Elementals, you're in a good position to swing at all your opponents in order to help refill your hand.

While we already have several cards that give you this same effect, Abandon AttachmentsAbandon Attachments has a few things going for it. First, it can be cast at instant speed, which is already a big benefit, but it's also a Lesson card. Since we have so many payoffs for that card type in this set, this is probably a card you don't want to let collect dust.

If you're excited to build around everyone's favorite uncle, Iroh, Grand LotusIroh, Grand Lotus, you'll probably want to be gathering as many Lesson cards as possible to help fill out that list!

When it comes to Aristocrat decks, Tolls of WarTolls of War could fit right into many of their 99s. Not only does it give you a Clue when it enters, but it also creates a creature token once on your turn when you sacrifice a permanent. The fact that the token is also an Ally just heightens the power of this enchantment.

A commander that I've been considering building around for a while is Carmen, Cruel SkymarcherCarmen, Cruel Skymarcher. These decks are filled with ways to sacrifice pieces of your board to bring them right back, so an enchantment like Tolls of War is perfect for those lists, since it brings you three permanents in one.

COLORLESS

Well, here we are, back to one of my favorite segments of Bulk Up where we ask the question: Is this three-mana mana rock good enough in Commander? Bender's WaterskinBender's Waterskin is one of the best mana generators for draw-go strategies, since it assists with casting spells on everyone's turns, or for dumping into activated abilities.

Alela, Cunning ConquerorAlela, Cunning Conqueror loves when you cast spells on an opponent's turn, so having a mana rock that'll help you in that endeavor will be invaluable to include.

When it comes to mono and even two-color decks, I love throwing lands like Rumble ArenaRumble Arena in their 99s. Since this enters and scries you a card, it's great in the early and late game. Plus, if you're turning your lands into creatures, that vigilance will be a big help to you.

A commander that loves animating lands is Jolrael, Voice of ZhalfirJolrael, Voice of Zhalfir. Turning this Arena into a flying Bird that doesn't need to tap when it attacks feels too good not to add to those lists.

The Wrap Up

So, there you have it, the best commons and uncommons from this incredible new set. As long-time readers of my articles, or viewers of my YouTube channel The Pillow Fort might know, I'm a massive fan of the Avatar series. Seeing this set come to life has seriously been a dream come true for me.

So if you've read this far, I just want to say thank you. Covering this set is an absolute honor, and I hope that these commons and uncommons become beloved cards in your favorite decks.

More Avatar: