Wall of SwordsWall of Swords | Art by Douglas Shuler

Way back in 2004 Magic: The Gathering released the Darksteel expansion, the second in the original Mirrodin block. Darksteel introduced the very first two "Swords of X and Y."

Sword of Fire and IceSword of Fire and Ice and Sword of Light and ShadowSword of Light and Shadow were instant fan favorites. It took a really, really long time to complete the cycle of ten, finally wrapping up with Sword of Once and FutureSword of Once and Future from 2023's March of the Machine.

Along the way we even got a couple more swords similarly designed if a bit outside the box, but many of them have proven to be very popular in Commander decks over the years.

For today's article, I'm going to rank all of them! So (swash)buckle up, and let's cut through this list like a hot knife through butter!

Honorable Mention

Even though it's not technically legal for Commander due to being a silver bordered Unstable card, I had to at least give the flavorful Sword of Dungeons & DragonsSword of Dungeons & Dragons a shout-out, especially since several Dungeons & Dragons-themed Magic sets have come out over the years, including cards that specifically care about dice-rolling.

I built a Commander deck I call "Friends Forever Playing Magic" that has all of the Stranger Things Secret Lair kids in it, and as many of the D&D Magic cards I could cram in there, with an emphasis on the delve into the dungeon & initiative mechanic, and - of course - Dragons! How could I not also run this Sword as well?

Here's a link to the deck list if you're curious!

#11 Sword of Body and MindSword of Body and Mind

EDHREC has Sword of Body and MindSword of Body and Mind ranked at #9. I put this pro-green and blue sword at the bottom of the list because the mill trigger is pretty small when you're facing down two or three 99-card decks, and so is that 2/2 Wolf creature. It's just very low impact unless you're facing down a monocolored deck that this sword offers protection from, but that's true of ten of these swords.

I looked up some of the top commanders on EDHREC that are running this sword and found a couple inspired choices. Captain N'ghathrodCaptain N'ghathrod loves milling opponents' decks and stealing juicy artifact or creature targets that get milled. And Voja, Jaws of the ConclaveVoja, Jaws of the Conclave draws you a card for each Wolf you control when Voja attacks.

Cloud, Midgar MercenaryCloud, Midgar Mercenary isn't surprising since when it enters you'll get to search your library for a sword that offers the best protection, and if Cloud is equipped with one of these swords and gets that combat damage trigger, it will trigger an additional time.

#10 Sword of Once and FutureSword of Once and Future

EDHREC ranks Sword of Once and FutureSword of Once and Future at #11. I rank it a little higher because protection from black blanks a lot of commonly played creature removal spells, and the triggered abilities are quite good in Spellslinger decks.

There are some cool choices of top commanders that run this sword. Mirko, Obsessive TheoristMirko, Obsessive Theorist appreciates the surveil ability, which can fill the graveyard with a creature to get back or a cheap spell to cast. Feather, the RedeemedFeather, the Redeemed is chock full of cheap spells it usually wants to pull back to your hand over and over, but if any end up in the graveyard the sword can let you play it again.

Lord of the NazgûlLord of the Nazgûl makes a cool Dimir Spellslinger commander, and the sword lets you play cheap instant or sorcery spells from the graveyard and Lord makes more Wraith creatures.

#9 Sword of Sinew and SteelSword of Sinew and Steel

EDHREC has Sword of Sinew and SteelSword of Sinew and Steel ranked at #10. Oh hey, when you pull it up two of my articles are suggested. How cool!

I like this sword a bit more because of its protection from black, and I like that it can destroy artifacts (and the occasional planeswalker). Note that your destroy targets don't have to belong to the player you deal damage to. There are a ton of good artifacts you'd like to blow up in Commander, and if you play Liquimetal TorqueLiquimetal Torque you can make any nonland permanent an artifact to flex on.

Taking a look at the top commanders for this anti-Rakdos () sword, it's not surprising to see Syr Gwyn, Hero of AshvaleSyr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale, which is going to be filled with Equipment and Knights.

There's also Ardenn, Intrepid ArchaeologistArdenn, Intrepid Archaeologist partnered with Rograkh, Son of RohgahhRograkh, Son of Rohgahh; Ardenn moves around any number of Equipment cards to target permanent, and why not load up on Rograkh, who has first strike, menace, and trample and can really use buffing up to threat level.

#8 Sword of War and PeaceSword of War and Peace

EDHREC and I are aligned ranking Sword of War and PeaceSword of War and Peace at #8. This one has protection from red and white, the Boros colors. Protection from white is quite good when some of the best pinpoint removal are white spells. The damage from the trigger is usually not much of a factor unless an opponent is going ham drawing cards, but the life gain is solid given how many lifegain synergies there are these days.

Top commanders for this sword include the flavorful war and peace guy, Captain America, First AvengerCaptain America, First Avenger. Cloud, Midgar MercenaryCloud, Midgar Mercenary and Syr Gwyn, Hero of AshvaleSyr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale unsurprisingly show up here too, along with many of the other swords on this list, so I may have to dig a little deeper going forward.

#7 Sword of Wealth and PowerSword of Wealth and Power

EDHREC has Sword of Wealth and PowerSword of Wealth and Power at #6. This oddball, non-silver bordered sword provides protection instants and sorceries rather than two colors. It provides solid protection from most pinpoint removal spells, but with a tradeoff of not getting evasion like the other swords provide, so it might be difficult to get that combat damage trigger. If you do though, that Treasure and copy effect can lead to a big turn!

A deck built around Cloud, Ex-SOLDIERCloud, Ex-SOLDIER is going to want a bunch of Equipment, and the Treasure it can potentially make can team up nicely with the sword's spell copying ability. Kotis, the FangkeeperKotis, the Fangkeeper has indestructible, and the protection from instant and sorcery spells can make it really difficult to deal with as you load it up with other Equipment or Auras.

Arna Kennerüd, SkycaptainArna Kennerüd, Skycaptain's ability to create copies of permanents attached to a modified creature you control that's attacking is incredibly good with any of the swords on this list.

#6 Sword of Forge and FrontierSword of Forge and Frontier

I rank Sword of Forge and FrontierSword of Forge and Frontier just a little lower than EDHREC's #5 for the protection from red and green, the Gruul colors. Neither of those are really colors of creature removal, and I'm not particularly fond of exiling cards from the top of your deck that you have to play in the same turn. Though playing an extra land is solid.

The top decks with this sword include Cloud, Midgar MercenaryCloud, Midgar Mercenary, Arna Kennerüd, SkycaptainArna Kennerüd, Skycaptain and - surprise! - Cloud, Ex-SOLDIERCloud, Ex-SOLDIER. We sure have a ton of Equipment commanders these days, don't we?

Oh, here's a multi-card combo with this sword if you're interested!

#5 Sword of Truth and JusticeSword of Truth and Justice

Ranked #4 by EDHREC, Sword of Truth and JusticeSword of Truth and Justice's protection from white is quite good, and it plays well with the metric truckload of +1/+1 counter synergies that Magic is awash in these days. There are all sorts of other counters you can do proliferate shenanigans with, starting with loyalty counters on planeswalkers, if you can protect them.

Speaking of proliferating, Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice appreciates having more of that ability in the deck. Tidus, Yuna's GuardianTidus, Yuna's Guardian moves counters around and also proliferates. Then there's The Wise MothmanThe Wise Mothman which loves proliferating rad counters for everyone!

Here's a convoluted combo with this sword if you're looking for a wild one!

#4 Sword of Light and ShadowSword of Light and Shadow

EDHREC's #7, Sword of Light and ShadowSword of Light and Shadow gives protection from Orzhov () colors, the best pinpoint creature removal colors around. So having protection from both is incredibly solid.

I've always ranked Sword of Light and ShadowSword of Light and Shadow higher than most Magic players because I tend to play a lot of creatures in Commander, and my creatures often die and end up in the graveyard - especially ones you can sacrifice for an awesome effect (here's looking at you, Boromir, Warden of the TowerBoromir, Warden of the Tower). Sacrifice Boromir to give your creatures indestructible, cast Wrath of GodWrath of God, and then you can easily attack and deal damage with the sword and get back Boromir.

Pepper in lifegain synergies and you're cooking!

I was surprised to see Ezio Auditore da FirenzeEzio Auditore da Firenze near the top of the list of commanders running this sword, but it already has a bit of evasion, and if you can get it through to deal combat damage you can potentially end that player's game. Dogmeat, Ever LoyalDogmeat, Ever Loyal's ability to self-mill gives you more options to get back creatures from the graveyard with the sword.

Once you equip Felix Five-BootsFelix Five-Boots with five boots, why not give it a sword or two and take advantage of that trigger doubling?

Want to chain infinite turns with this? Here you go!

#3 Sword of Fire and IceSword of Fire and Ice

EDHREC also has Sword of Fire and IceSword of Fire and Ice, with protection from Izzet (), at #3. On paper, this looks like a middling-powered sword: protection from red and blue doesn't offer too much actual protection, and that two points of damage is pretty small potatoes in a typical Commander game.

But that goes to show just how powerful drawing an extra card can be, especially if you combine a creature with other evasion and double strike or extra attacks.

Lightning, Army of OneLightning, Army of One has evasion and, when it deals combat damage, it doubles damage dealt to that player or a permanent they control until your next turn. Ouchie!

Balan, Wandering KnightBalan, Wandering Knight brings that sweet, sweet double strike if it's equipped two or more times, while Squall, SeeD MercenarySquall, SeeD Mercenary provides double strike whenever a creature you control attacks alone. Its combat damage trigger can even get back from the graveyard a sword that has been destroyed.

#2 Sword of Feast and FamineSword of Feast and Famine

This might cause a little bit of controversy, bumping Sword of Feast and FamineSword of Feast and Famine from it's vaunted spot as EDHREC's #1. Protection from black protects from a lot of removal, and protection from green provides evasion for many of the best creatures in Commander. And that triggered ability to untap all lands you control is incredibly powerful, giving you full access to your land base after combat.

What dings this card for me though is the other half of the trigger, which forces the defending player to discard a card. Players hate having to do that in Commander, and will be doubly motivated to destroy the sword or the player playing it. I was tempted to knock it down another slot, but there's no denying this is an incredibly powerful sword.

The protection abilities really help Obeka, Splitter of SecondsObeka, Splitter of Seconds get in there, and the size boost is vital towards getting more upkeeps for all your upkeep trigger shenanigans. Storm, Force of NatureStorm, Force of Nature's combat damage trigger appreciates having all that extra mana from untapping your lands to help you storm off.

And of course Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom can just get infinite attacks if you're got all five colors available in the lands you untap.

There are a bunch of combos with Sword of Feast and Famine over on Commander Spellbook.

#1 Sword of Hearth and HomeSword of Hearth and Home

Oh look, there's another one of my articles recommended next to the sword! EDHREC has Sword of Hearth and HomeSword of Hearth and Home, with protection from Selesnya () colors at #2.

Like Feast and Famine, this sword has protection from one of the best pinpoint removal colors, and protection from many of the best creatures in the format. That combat trigger lets you exile a creature you own and search your library for a basic land and put them both onto the battlefield. So you get to blink a creature that has an awesome enters ability, and you get to ramp your land - notably the land isn't forced to enter tapped like many land searching effects.

Also, importantly, the blink effect works on any creature you own, so if an opponent has stolen a creature you own, or if you've given one to an opponent, that creature enters under your control from exile since you own it. This will come up a lot more often than you think!

It's unsurprising to see Deadpool, Trading CardDeadpool, Trading Card show up at the top of the list for commanders running this sword since blinking Deadpool is evil good times. White has a ton of creatures that have powerful enters abilities, so doubling them with Elesh Norn, Mother of MachinesElesh Norn, Mother of Machines makes a ton of sense.

Then there's the combo with Aurelia, the WarleaderAurelia, the Warleader!

So which of these swords do you most enjoy playing? Do have a particular commander that pairs up with one of these swords in a really cool way?

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