<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar|xln|222" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.zackstella.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zack Stella</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/dinosaurs">Dinosaurs</a> are awesome! They're real-life monsters that dominated the planet for longer than humans have existed as a species. And you can play them in <em>Magic!</em></p>
<p>But what are the best Dinosaur cards and commanders? And how do Dinosaurs win in Commander?</p>
<p>This EDHREC Guide is here to answer all of these questions.</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Gishath-Suns-Avatar.jpg

<p>Despite being a legitimate historical classification of creature, <em>Magic</em> takes the pop-culture approach of Dinosaur depiction and simply makes them Lizard Beasts. Literally!</p>
<p>While first appearing in the set <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/ice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ice Age</a>,</em> Dinosaurs as a creature type were actually removed in the Grand Creature Type Update back in 2007. Because the Dinosaur creature type was rendered obsolete, further creatures that were named after actual dinosaurs ended up being other creature types such as Lizard or Beast.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pygmy Allosaurus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shivan Raptor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fungusaur"></div></div>
<p>In 2017, the creature type was officially re-instated with the <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/xln" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ixalan</a> block with some previously-printed creatures being re-assigned the Dinosaur creature type. This, then, made <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fungusaur" href="#" target="_blank">Fungusaur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> the earliest-printed creature to be a Dinosaur, even though it only became a Dinosaur decades after its printing.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deathmist Raptor|DTK|180"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deathmist Raptor|DSC|176"></div></div>
<h6 style="text-align: center;"><em>Left: Dragons of Tarkir (2015) | Right: Duskmourn: House of Horror Commander (2024)</em></h6>
<p>Dinosaurs as a creature type show up in any color, though are most strongly associated with <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, and to a slightly lesser extent <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>


<h2>Useful at All Costs</h2>
<p>Dinosaurs run the gamut of stat-lines, with a healthy spread across multiple tiers of value. But primarily, they're mid-range or heavy-hitting creatures that usually have at least one keyword, such as trample or haste.</p>
<p>The Dinosaurs with lower stats tend to provide utility, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kinjalli&#039;s Sunwing" href="#" target="_blank">Kinjalli&#039;s Sunwing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> forcing your opponents' creatures to enter tapped. Some provide value to your other Dinosaurs, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunting Velociraptor" href="#" target="_blank">Hunting Velociraptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allowing you to cast your larger creatures for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> after dealing combat damage.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kinjalli&#039;s Sunwing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hunting Velociraptor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gigantosaurus"></div></div>
<p>But primarily, a Dinosaurs is a gigantic creature. A <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gigantosaurus" href="#" target="_blank">Gigantosaurus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, if you will. High power, high toughness, and often for a pretty good mana value!</p>
<p>And on top of that, many Dinosaurs of varying power levels allow you to discover N, exiling cards from the top of your deck until you exile a non-land card under N mana. You get the choice to either cast it without paying its mana cost or putting it in your hand, which is a way to cheat out another Dinosaur while still giving the flexibility to save that spell for later.</p>
<h2>Out-Of-Type Support</h2>
<p>Many non-Dinosaurs support Dinosaurs, primarily from their focus in the Ixalan plane<em>.</em> Usually these are Humans such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atzocan Seer" href="#" target="_blank">Atzocan Seer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which work towards reducing the cost or aiding in the recovery of your Dinosaurs. Others such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drover of the Mighty" href="#" target="_blank">Drover of the Mighty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> "selfishly" benefit from the presence of Dinosaurs.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atzocan Seer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drover of the Mighty"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus"></div></div>
<p>And of course, anything that provides extra mana ramp has the ability to support the aggressive playstyle of Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs also synergize quite well with anything that multiples their natural stats, given their high bases. Particularly something that can cheaply or repeatedly increase the power of your creatures, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>Awesome Effects</h2>
<p>And I do mean awesome, as in awe-inspiring.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a decently large bruiser that allows you to exile the top card of each player's library and then cast any number of spells from those exiled cards without paying their mana cost. Not only does this allow you to mess with the plans of your opponents, it also ensures you retain value in maintaining constant pressure.</p>
<p>Particularly if Etali is your commander, you won't have access to consistent mana growth that <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> offers even though so many Dinosaur strategies flourish in it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta, Primal Hunger"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, similarly, is a big show-stopping creature to play. Not only due to that 12/12 stat-line, but because it can flood your board with high-costed creatures for only <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<p>Certainly that's a lot, but with how plentiful and expensive Dinosaurs tend to be, even only three played for free may well be worth it.</p>


<h2>Extinct for a Reason</h2>
<p>Dinosaurs are quite impactful, with effects that go past simply their power and toughness. But they really struggle with sustainability and flexibility.</p>
<p>Not many Dinosaurs have in-built protections, which when coupled with their high average cost means they're fantastic targets to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And while many Dinosaurs <em>do</em> have trample or flying, they struggle with overcoming chump blockers (creatures the opponent doesn't care about losing and is willing to throw in the way of your Dinos).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Path to Exile"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swords to Plowshares"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heroic Intervention"></div></div>
<p>This means they can get stalled out if left on their own.</p>
<p>So Dinosaurs need some external support, either in enchantment-hate from <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> or direct damage from <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Exiling and protective instants from <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> are also fantastic supplements.</p>
<h2>Need Extra Support</h2>
<p>Dinosaurs are strong on their own, but don't scale off of themselves in the same way that other creature types do. Dinosaurs such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curious Altisaur" href="#" target="_blank">Curious Altisaur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> triggers off of your Dinosaurs dealing combat damage to a player, and many others synergize with you playing or attacking with other Dinosaurs. But there aren't many in-type effects that directly increase your Dinosaurs' power, not in the same way Humans or Elves have.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curious Altisaur"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Itzquinth, Firstborn of Gishath"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zilortha, Strength Incarnate"></div></div>
<p>Most Dinosaurs function quasi-independently, increasing in value with the more Dinosaurs you control but not compounding in the same way as other creature types. Though that's not a problem per se, given how powerful and aggressive Dinosaurs tend to be. Their value arises from fast, consistent pressure applied to your opponents ballooned with supporting spells.</p>
<p>The ideal Dinosaur game plan doesn't even hurt from its lack of self-strengthening effects because it's already won by the time they'd be noticeable.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored" href="#" target="_blank">Pantlaza, Sun-Favored</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored" href="#" target="_blank">Pantlaza, Sun-Favored</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the seventh most-played commander at the time of this guide's writing. For good reason!</p>
<p>Its effect is a great value-add that allows you to discover X when your Dinos enter the battlefield (ETB), where X is the Dinosaur's toughness.</p>
<p>This is only once per turn, but as mentioned earlier, discovering lets you exile cards from the top of your deck until you reach a nonland card of value X or less. Then, you can play that card without spending mana or add it to your hand.</p>
<p>With how many Dinosaurs you'll be playing, you'll be able to trigger this once per turn just about every turn. Ideally, this doubles your creature production, with many Dinosaurs hitting that sweet spot of 4-5 toughness that allows the playing of mid-range Dinosaurs.</p>
<p>But it also has significant value in getting utility creatures onto the board and ensuring you have instants in-hand for when you'll need them.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> believes in leading from the front and charging into danger. A 7/6 with vigilance, trample, and haste, Gishath is a great piece of pressure before even getting into its ability. Which, due to haste, it can trigger the turn it enters!</p>
<p>Whenever Gishath deals combat damage to a player, you reveal that many cards for the top of your library and put any Dinosaurs revealed onto the battlefield. Which, with Gishath, you'll be dealing combat damage regularly. Even if the opponent blocks you, you'll likely still get some damage through thanks to trample.</p>
<p>That means opponents you attack will be pressured to devote more resources to blocking your attacks, making them more effective.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atla Palani, Nest Tender" href="#" target="_blank">Atla Palani, Nest Tender</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atla Palani, Nest Tender"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atla Palani, Nest Tender" href="#" target="_blank">Atla Palani, Nest Tender</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Human that you can tap and spend <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to create a 0/1 Egg token creature with defender. And whenever an Egg you control dies, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature card, which you then put on the battlefield.</p>
<p>This is not only a great way to gain some chump blockers that then can cheat out your more powerful Dinosaurs, but it also benefits from other creatures with the Egg type, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dinosaur Egg" href="#" target="_blank">Dinosaur Egg</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Atla Palani is at its most powerful when it has the opportunity to create an Egg every turn and then you're either being attacked or dealing damage to your own creatures. But there are other creatures out there that will provide even more value, given Eggs by and large are intended to have some evolution or adaptation effect on their own. This just adds extra value on top!</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Owen Grady, Raptor Trainer" href="#" target="_blank">Owen Grady, Raptor Trainer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> // <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blue, Loyal Raptor" href="#" target="_blank">Blue, Loyal Raptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Owen Grady, Raptor Trainer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blue, Loyal Raptor"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Owen Grady, Raptor Trainer" href="#" target="_blank">Owen Grady, Raptor Trainer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is partnered with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blue, Loyal Raptor" href="#" target="_blank">Blue, Loyal Raptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making this effectively a two-in-one commander in terms of board presence.</p>
<p>Owen's value comes from the fact that he puts menace, trample, reach, and haste counters on Dinosaurs. Blue then allows all other Dinosaurs that enter your battlefield to have the same counters kind of counters put on them. So if Owen puts a menace counter on Blue and then you play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cresting Mosasaurus" href="#" target="_blank">Cresting Mosasaurus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, your Mosasaurus gets a menace counter.</p>
<p>This is at its strongest when you can get multiple counters on Blue and then your high-power Dinosaurs have extra keywords. But ultimately, they all support the same playstyle Dinosaurs are already inclined towards, so it just amplifies your pre-existing strategies.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wayta, Trainer Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Wayta, Trainer Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wayta, Trainer Prodigy"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wayta, Trainer Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Wayta, Trainer Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to pay <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and tap it in order to make a creature you control fight another creature. Simple enough, and quite useful for your monstrous horde of scales and fangs. This ability only costs <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> if you target two creatures you control.</p>
<p>Also, Wayta doubles any triggered effects caused by your creatures taking damage. This is tied into the <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Enrage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enrage mechanic</a>, which triggers whenever a creature with enrage takes damage.</p>
<p>It's a signature mechanic of Dinosaurs in Ixalan and does everything from drawing cards to increasing the creature's power and toughness. But other non-Dinosaurs also can gain benefits from Wayta, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stuffy Doll" href="#" target="_blank">Stuffy Doll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta, Primal Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta, Primal Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta, Primal Hunger"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta, Primal Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta, Primal Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets cheaper the more creatures you have out and can easily be reduced to just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<p>There are enough <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> Dinosaurs out there that a mono-colored <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> Dinosaur deck is entirely viable, particularly if it leans into the natural strength of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and ramps. At minimum, easy access to a 12/12 with trample is nothing to ignore.</p>
<p>So long as you can maintain a board presence, you will not be without your commander for long.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta and Mavren" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta and Mavren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta and Mavren"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta and Mavren" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta and Mavren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is yet another massive Dinosaur, but with the added mix of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> vampirism. Not only does this incarnation of Ghalta remain a 12/12 with trample, but every time you attack you can create either X 1/1 Vampires with lifelink, where X is the number of other creatures attacking, or one X/X Dinosaur with trample, where X is the greatest power among other attacking creatures.</p>
<p>Despite being rather simple in its execution, as you swing big and get more tools to swing with, you're actually afforded a reasonable amount of flexibility in how you operate. So long as you keep up the pressure, of course.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wayward Swordtooth" href="#" target="_blank">Wayward Swordtooth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wayward Swordtooth"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wayward Swordtooth" href="#" target="_blank">Wayward Swordtooth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits multiple high points in a single card. It passively allows you to play an additional land each turn, which is great for ramping up into other Dinosaurs. And it's a 5/5 for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>!</p>
<p>While it can't attack or block until you have the city's blessing, once you have ten or more permanents on the board you get the city's blessing for the rest of the game.</p>
<p>In practice, that means you'll just need <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wayward Swordtooth" href="#" target="_blank">Wayward Swordtooth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, three lands to provide the mana for it, and six more permanents for it to be able to attack and block. That's not counting a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or the additional lands you'll get from the extra lands.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curious Altisaur" href="#" target="_blank">Curious Altisaur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curious Altisaur"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curious Altisaur" href="#" target="_blank">Curious Altisaur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 2/5 with vigilance and reach, meaning it's a great mid-game defender. But its value comes from the fact that whenever a Dinosaur you control deals combat damage to a player, you draw a card.</p>
<p>Not only do many of your Dinosaurs have trample, meaning it's quite easy to get at least a single point of damage past a blocker, but it has no limit per turn or per opponent.</p>
<p>So long as you're attacking and keeping pressure on your opponents, you'll be drawing more cards which will fuel your ability to keep up the pressure on future turns. It's a positive feedback loop, so long as you have the mana to capitalize on it.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otepec Huntmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Otepec Huntmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Otepec Huntmaster"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otepec Huntmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Otepec Huntmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a non-Dinosaur support piece for Dinosaur decks. It makes them <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> cheaper, which for Dinosaurs is a very welcome piece of utility. But also, it can tap to grant a Dinosaur haste.</p>
<p>Given Dinosaurs' general lack of sustainability, this all but ensures the Dinosaurs you play will be able to generate immediate value on the turn they enter the battlefield. This might be swinging for twelve damage or dealing some chip damage and getting to draw a card.</p>
<p>Either way, very useful to speed along a creature type that loves active aggression.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Skullspore Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">The Skullspore Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Skullspore Nexus"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Skullspore Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">The Skullspore Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets cheaper the greater the power of your creatures, which is fantastic for high-power Dinosaurs. Further, it can double the power of a creature for only <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, meaning your already-powerful Dinosaurs will be able to be propelled to catastrophic levels until the end of turn. Particularly if that Dinosaur has trample and is able to scale an ability trigger of of how much damage it deals.</p>
<p>But the most notable aspect of The Skullspore Nexus is that whenever one or more nontoken creatures you control dies, you create a Fungus Dinosaur that has the combined power and toughness of the creatures that died. So if you have two creatures that die, each of which are a 3/3, you would gain a single 6/6 Fungus Dinosaur.</p>
<p>Not only does this give a second wind to any of your Dinosaurs that die, but it also turns a board wipe into a conjuring of a truly horrifying creature, given every creatures' power and toughness would be added together into one Fungus Dinosaur.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agent&#039;s Toolkit" href="#" target="_blank">Agent&#039;s Toolkit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agent&#039;s Toolkit"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agent&#039;s Toolkit" href="#" target="_blank">Agent&#039;s Toolkit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a +1/+1 counter, a flying counter, a deathtouch counter, and a shield counter. Any time a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may move a counter from the toolkit to that creature, granting them the associated bonus. So it might increase their power and toughness, grant them a keyword, or give them a one-time protection from damage.</p>
<p>Also, since it's a Clue, you can spend <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and sacrifice it to draw a card.</p>
<p>While most effective when paired with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blue, Loyal Raptor" href="#" target="_blank">Blue, Loyal Raptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this is generic enough that it can find success in application to any number of Dinosaurs. Your smaller fodder can gain deathtouch while flying or a shield counter can give some protection to your larger Dinosaurs.</p>
<p>It's versatile, just as an agent's toolkit ought to be.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dino DNA" href="#" target="_blank">Dino DNA</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dino DNA"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dino DNA" href="#" target="_blank">Dino DNA</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can exile a creature card from a graveyard for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Then for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-6" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, you can create a copy of a creature card exiled with this artifact as a 6/6 Dinosaur with trample. Which, depending on the creature exiled, can be quite impactful!</p>
<p>6/6 isn't a showstopper in a Dinosaur deck, but it's also nothing to ignore. At minimum, it's survivable enough to avoid a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cut Down" href="#" target="_blank">Cut Down</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shock" href="#" target="_blank">Shock</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, meaning you can actually get value from whatever abilities you copied from that exiled creature. And if it's good enough, you can continue to make more copies of it on subsequent turns.</p>
<p>Also, if you're able to make infinite mana, you can sink it into Dino DNA for infinite tokens.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Welcome to . . ." href="#" target="_blank">Welcome to . . .</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Welcome to . . ."></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Welcome to . . ." href="#" target="_blank">Welcome to . . .</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Saga with three chapters. To start, each opponent transforms a noncreature artifact they control into a 0/4 Wall with defender. In the second chapter you create a 3/3 Dinosaur with trample and haste.</p>
<p>In the final chapter, you destroy all Walls - including those transformed artifacts from the first chapter - and transform the Saga into the legendary land Jurassic Park.</p>
<p>Jurassic Park doesn't just give <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for every Dinosaur you have, it also grants all Dinosaurs in your graveyard escape. Escape allows them to be cast from the graveyard, though Jurassic Park specifies that you must also exile three other cards from your graveyard to do so.</p>
<p>Still, being able to recall your Dinosaurs quite easily and having a pump of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> tied into a land is a great deal. Once the park opens, it stays open!</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poetic Ingenuity" href="#" target="_blank">Poetic Ingenuity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Poetic Ingenuity"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poetic Ingenuity" href="#" target="_blank">Poetic Ingenuity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> creates a Treasure token every time one or more Dinosaurs you control attack. These allow you to cast more Dinosaurs, which in turn will attack more to create more Treasures, feeding into itself quite nicely.</p>
<p>But also, once per turn when you cast an artifact spell, you create a 3/1 Dinosaur token. While Dinosaurs aren't known for their technological prowess, there are certainly artifacts that synergize with them. Not to mention the many type-generic artifacts that allow you to choose any creature type upon playing them.</p>
<p>So long as you include more than a handful of artifacts in your deck, you'll be able to trigger this around every turn, which would grant you more Treasure tokens to boot.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Descendants&#039; Path" href="#" target="_blank">Descendants&#039; Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Descendants&#039; Path"></div></div>
<p>Because of how many Dinosaurs you'll have in your library, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Descendants&#039; Path" href="#" target="_blank">Descendants&#039; Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> vastly improves your tempo. It reveals the top card of your library on your upkeep, and if it's a creature that shares a type with a creature you control, you can cast it without paying its mana cost. Even if you only have a single Dinosaur token remaining, you can still play any Dinosaur you reveal. And if you have any supporting Humans, those work as well!</p>
<p>Descendants' Path requires you to have a board state in order to build off of it. Dinosaurs have the numbers to simply play around threats thrown their way, so you shouldn't run into an issue keeping at least one Dinosaur on the board.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return of the Wildspeaker" href="#" target="_blank">Return of the Wildspeaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return of the Wildspeaker"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return of the Wildspeaker" href="#" target="_blank">Return of the Wildspeaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> scales off your non-Humans in a big way. It can help you go on the offensive by granting +3/+3 to all your non-Human creatures for the turn, which gets even more impactful if used before doubling your creatures' power through any of the other methods available.</p>
<p>The really crazy maneuver is to draw cards equal to the greatest power among non-Human creatures you control, which might be twelve without any enhancements. Now this does come with the complication that you need mana to capitalize on all the cards drawn, or else they'll go to waste. But if you combine it with a creature like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can be downright oppressive.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savage Order" href="#" target="_blank">Savage Order</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savage Order"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savage Order" href="#" target="_blank">Savage Order</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> requires sacrificing a creature with power four or greater, which you should have no shortage of. Ideally you'll have a mid-range Dinosaur you can sacrifice whose power is around 4-5, though you may have enough high-power Dinosaurs that sacrificing something a bit more powerful isn't too bad.</p>
<p>In exchange, you can search your library for a Dinosaur and put it onto the battlefield, making it indestructible until your next turn. This is great protection to keep a big Dinosaur safe until you can swing with it and you can respond to the board state exactly how is best for the situation.</p>
<p>This would be stronger if it were an instant, but it doesn't lose its potency by being a sorcery. It's just more of a preparing spell than a reactionary one.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderherd Migration" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderherd Migration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderherd Migration"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderherd Migration" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderherd Migration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> requires revealing a Dinosaur in your hand or paying <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> additional mana to play. The single additional mana isn't a dealbreaker, but revealing a Dinosaur, particularly if you're going to play it in the next turn, isn't a very high cost.</p>
<p>The card then searches for a basic land and places it on the battlefield tapped. That's additional land ramp to fuel your Dinosaurs where you can save a mana by showing off a creature. Simple, but useful nonetheless.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has nothing directly to do with Dinosaurs, but synergizes with them fantastically. Not only do most Dinosaurs have power four or greater, meaning you're going to be drawing a card each time you play one, but you can also spend Kiora's loyalty counters to untap them.</p>
<p>This may grant your largest Dinosaurs pseudo-vigilance, swinging them and then untapping them to block. Alternatively, you might untap a land so you can ramp ahead on mana. Or untap a utility creature to gain more value.</p>
<p>Kiora is useful enough to gain value from those seven loyalty counters and particularly that passive ability, but not so much a threat it's likely to get targeted.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, Warrior Poet" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, Warrior Poet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, Warrior Poet"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, Warrior Poet" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, Warrior Poet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gains you life equal to the greatest power among creatures you control. In a Dinosaur deck, that's a lot. You can also create a 3/3 Dinosaur with trample, which, while not the strongest, still allows you to protect yourself or Huatli in a pinch.</p>
<p>Huatli's final ability is the big one. You're able to spend X loyalty counters to deal X damage divided among any number of creatures. Those that survive can't block this turn.</p>
<p>This means Huatli's strength comes from getting just enough loyalty counters to deal a damage to X creatures, preventing all of an opponent's creatures from blocking, then rushing them with a stampede of Dinosaurs to knock them out of the game.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, Dinosaur Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, Dinosaur Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, Dinosaur Knight"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, Dinosaur Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, Dinosaur Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> focuses instead on supporting your Dinosaurs. You can put two +1/+1 counters on a Dinosaur, you can have a Dinosaur deal damage equal to its power to another creature, or just grant your Dinosaurs +4/+4 for the turn.</p>
<p>This iteration of Huatli is much more support-oriented, sitting on the side of your board and just steadily increasing your Dinosaurs' strength. Which is quite useful, given how little of the in-type synergies for Dinosaurs are oriented around +1/+1 counters or static stat bonuses.</p>
<p>The ability for targeted removal will really help expedite your ability to crack through defenses.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue&#039;s Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue&#039;s Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rogue&#039;s Passage"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue&#039;s Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue&#039;s Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows one of your creatures to become unblockable for the turn.</p>
<p>There really aren't any frills here, as a 12/12 sneaking through a secret passage to swing directly is the threat. It certainly helps deal with annoying blockers or maximize the potential of abilities scaling off damage dealt, but the primary functionality here is to hit an opponent for a huge chunk of their life.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mosswort Bridge" href="#" target="_blank">Mosswort Bridge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mosswort Bridge"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mosswort Bridge" href="#" target="_blank">Mosswort Bridge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to look at the top four cards of your library when it's played, exile one of them, and then cast it without paying its normal mana cost for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> if creatures you control have total power 10 or greater.</p>
<p>This allows you to cheat out a large creature fairly easily and quickly due to how often you'll have a combined power of 10 or greater on your board. And as a land, it's very hard to remove!</p>
<p>With Dinosaurs you won't struggle to hit that power threshold.</p>


<p>Dinosaurs are somewhat uniquely a high-power aggro archetype. They're more aggressive than Dragons and cheaper than Eldrazi, while still having power and toughness to contend with either of them. Their main weaknesses tend to be they're fairly straight-laced, in that their most common keywords of trample and haste really just assist them in dealing damage the exact same way they were going to already.</p>
<p>The Dinosaur game plan is often one of two methods: aggro or late-game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, Warrior Poet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dreadmaw&#039;s Ire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta, Primal Hunger"></div></div>
<p>An aggro Dinosaur deck is trying to win as early in the game as possible, which in Commander generally requires some more turns of preparation and a cooler head than two-player formats. Aggro Dinosaurs are focused on consistent pressure where they can win after multiple turns of repeated assaults. They thrive leaning into <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and ramping with <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, but will burn out if not able to secure a victory after a few turns.</p>
<p>Other players will often see them as the largest threat in the early game since they're putting the largest target on their back.</p>
<p>Late-game Dinosaurs are quite similar to aggro Dinosaurs, though with more of a growth-mindset in their <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and a strong tie to <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. They're interested in setting up enchantments that allow them to draw cards when playing large creatures, increasing their mana production, and setting up a board state that has mid-range Dinosaurs to apply pressure.</p>
<p>But instead of fully committing to attacking, these decks tend to "play ball" and capitalize on weakness until they can explosively reveal multiple high-power Dinosaurs and rush down an opponent in a turn or two.</p>
<p>Their goal is to reach the point where they can take over the battlefield and win before anyone can react.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Colossal Majesty"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar"></div></div>


<p>Etali allows you to "steal" cards from your opponents, exiling cards from the top of their libraries and playing them without paying their mana costs. As such, it's reasonable you could leverage the strategies your opponents are using against them with their own spells.</p>
<p>Supplement this with <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> damage spells and you could make a Dinosaur <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spellslinger</a> deck, depending on what your opponents give you.</p>
<p>Or just compleat the Primal Conqueror into the Primal Sickness and poison your opponents with an unblockable 11/11.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Conqueror"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rogue&#039;s Passage"></div></div>
<p>Of course, you could always just run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored" href="#" target="_blank">Pantlaza, Sun-Favored</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and use its ability to discover to ensure you can snag <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into your hand. It doesn't win you the game if you cast it for free and it requires the playing of a Dinosaur with toughness seven or greater, but plenty of Dinosaurs have that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Approach of the Second Sun"></div></div>


Dinosaurs in Commander

EDHREC Guide to Dinosaurs in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar|xln|222" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.zackstella.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zach Stella</a></em></p>
<p>As <em>Jurassic Park</em> attempts to prove that “Life…finds a way” to revitalize its flailing franchise, the Dinosaur creature type is alive and thriving in <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>Recently, it seems as though Dinosaurs have taken up the mantle of “generic large green creature” previously held by Wurms and Beasts. Other colors have Dragons, Demons, Angels, and sea monsters, but green has struggled a bit (in spite of its reputation in Commander) to develop an iconic top-end type of its own.</p>
<p>Sure, it has little guys like Elves, but, for game-ending threats, it often finds itself bleeding into other colors. All that changed, however, when the game visited Ixalan for the first time.</p>
<p>In <em>Ixalan</em>, Dinosaurs became an officially-supported type. Some Dinosaurs already existed and were errata-ed to be Dinosaurs from types like Beasts, but Dinos really didn’t exist until then. A subsequent visit to Ixalan, along with mechanically-unique Jurassic Park cards, have fleshed out the creature type and given it a bit of an identity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar"></div></div>
<p>Dinos are typically big, strong, and tough, capable of enduring damage and even welcoming it. So today we're building a Dino deck, featuring one of the legends from <em>Ixalan</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p>Put simply, Gishath eats everything. It chomps on life totals. It swallows blockers. It even eats removal spells like a champ.</p>
<p>And for eight mana, it ought to. For that seemingly steep price, we get a 7/6 with vigilance, trample, and haste. That huge body comes down swinging, can attack and block profitably, and can’t be chump-blocked. All of this with an ability that triggers whenever it connects.</p>
<p>And that ability is a doozy! When it connects, we reveal cards equal to the combat damage the opponent takes from the top of our library and put all of the Dinosaurs revealed this way onto the battlefield.</p>
<p>It’s worth noting that this ability triggers during the combat damage step. The combat phase has five steps: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat, in that order. Since the combat damage step occurs after the declare attackers step, and the creatures do not enter tapped and attacking, the creatures Gishath puts onto the battlefield cannot attack during the combat step they were created, even if they have haste.</p>
<p>While the timing concern may make it seem like granting haste to those creatures is a waste of time, additional combat steps and generally adding haste to curve-toppers is actually vital to giving the deck its identity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored"></div></div>
<p>For a while, Gishath stood alone as the apex predator at the top of the Dinosaur food chain. But <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored" href="#" target="_blank">Pantlaza, Sun-Favored</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> emerged onto the scene a couple of years ago and has narrowly eclipsed its predecessor in popularity. Apparently, being the Avatar of the Sun is nothing compared to earning its favor!</p>
<p>Pantlaza is a 4/4 for five mana, so it's more aggressively-costed and comes down earlier than Gishath. It has an ability that is similar to cascade, and it grants that to Dinosaurs that enter after it. <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/giott-king-of-the-dwarves-deck-tech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Like Giott last week</a>, Pantlaza is a card advantage engine that doesn't require anything beyond what we're already doing: casting Dinosaurs.</p>
<p>So why would we go with Gishath over Pantlaza? It comes down to explosive potential. Pantlaza is a great commander. It synergizes well with the high mana curve-toppers and tendency towards escalation of Dinosaurs. It gives the deck inevitability by churning out card advantage in the form of multiple Dinosaurs entering the battlefield per turn.</p>
<p>But it doesn’t have the excitement of Gishath’s ability, and it will often fail to find worthwhile cards to discover. Gishath, even if blocked, will typically flip more cards for a higher total mana value than Pantlaza. It’s a tough call, but Gishath’s ability to put Dinosaurs into play regardless of mana value makes the deck operate more like a ramp or combo deck and less like a reskinned midrange deck.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>While the creatures flipped off of Gishath can’t attack the same turn without being granted haste and having additional combats, we still want to grant our creatures haste.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhythm of the Wild"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fires of Yavimaya"></div></div>
<p>Why is haste so important? Because the later games go, the less likely it is that our threats will live through a full table rotation. As odd as it may sound, Gishath’s ability is a closer. It’s there to seal the game off in a flurry of scales, feathers, claws, and fangs.</p>
<p>As an eight-mana spell, quite a lot will have happened before it drops onto the table, and, if it’s the only threat on our board at that time, it may have some trouble finding an open target.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fervor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Concordant Crossroads"></div></div>
<p>Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhythm of the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Rhythm of the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fires of Yavimaya" href="#" target="_blank">Fires of Yavimaya</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, however, hit the board in the sweet spot between our ramp spells and our Dinosaurs. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fervor" href="#" target="_blank">Fervor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Concordant Crossroads" href="#" target="_blank">Concordant Crossroads</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give that ability to everyone, which encourages players to attack each other and leaves them open to counterattacks.</p>
<p>All of these cards are low mana value and would be redundant if flipped off of a Pantlaza trigger, while Gishath can just put them on the bottom.</p>
<p>Speaking of fitting in under ramp, Dinosaurs have some powerful type-specific ramp spells, having been designed as big green monsters.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Otepec Huntmaster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knight of the Stampede"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otepec Huntmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Otepec Huntmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight of the Stampede" href="#" target="_blank">Knight of the Stampede</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a couple of the ways we have to reduce the cost of Dinosaurs, including our commander, enabling the beatdown plan whether it's out or not. And therein lies the necessity of the haste enablers: We can’t count on our commander being out and need to be able to assume the aggressor role before it lands and in between times it's been removed.</p>
<p>Eight mana is a lot to start, and upwards of 10 to 12 mana in subsequent turns means we’ll likely be tapping out to cast it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greater Good"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primal Surge"></div></div>
<p>So, what do we do if Gishath gets removed? We try to load up our hand to keep the cards flowing!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greater Good" href="#" target="_blank">Greater Good</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the best cards to do this, as we can sac our commander in response to the removal to draw cards equal to its power and then discard three cards, which will more than likely include some number of lands.</p>
<p>The secret sauce of the deck, however, and a big reason we don’t want to be discovering with Pantlaza, is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Surge" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Surge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This sorcery flips permanents off of the top of the library until the whole thing is on the battlefield or a non-permanent is flipped. With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Surge" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Surge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> being the only non-permanent in the deck and with all of the haste enablers, Surge is essentially a ten-mana “I win the game” spell.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wakening Sun&#039;s Avatar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrashing Brontodon"></div></div>
<p>Like with most decks in this series, the initial build is light on removal and non-basic lands. Our removal is built into our creature package, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wakening Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Wakening Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> acting as a controllable board wipe and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrashing Brontodon" href="#" target="_blank">Thrashing Brontodon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> helping to remove problem permanents.</p>
<p>Our basic lands lean green because green pips are the most common among our spells and because we need green to open up our ramp and fixing roles, so green needs to be the first color we play. If we were to include nonbasic lands, we would start with ones that produce green and at least one of our other colors, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Command Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Command Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stomping Ground" href="#" target="_blank">Stomping Ground</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>While we can’t use too many of them, one or two colorless utility lands, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kessig Wolf Run" href="#" target="_blank">Kessig Wolf Run</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, could help with the explosion. Targeting Gishath with Wolf Run can do a pretty effective simulation of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Surge" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Surge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, although it’s a largely useless land early.</p>
<h2>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<p>This Gishath deck looks to ramp into large Dinosaurs, give them haste, and turn them sideways. We can draw lots of cards with all the power we put onto the battlefield, keeping the action flowing and the advantage bar growing.</p>
<h2>Gishath, Sun's Avatar Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gishath, Sun&#039;s Avatar
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Memorial
*1 Hammer of Purphoros
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 The Fire Crystal
*1 The Great Henge
*1 Urza&#039;s Incubator
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Apex Altisaur
*1 Atzocan Seer
*1 Balamb T-Rexaur
*1 Beast Whisperer
*1 Bronzebeak Foragers
*1 Burning Sun&#039;s Avatar
*1 Carnage Tyrant
*1 Curious Altisaur
*1 Disciple of Freyalise // Garden of Freyalise
*1 Drover of the Mighty
*1 Earthshaker Dreadmaw
*1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
*1 Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant
*1 Goring Ceratops
*1 Hulking Raptor
*1 Intrepid Paleontologist
*1 Ixalli&#039;s Lorekeeper
*1 Kinjalli&#039;s Caller
*1 Kinjalli&#039;s Sunwing
*1 Knight of the Stampede
*1 Majestic Heliopterus
*1 Marauding Raptor
*1 Otepec Huntmaster
*1 Pantlaza, Sun-Favored
*1 Polyraptor
*1 Rampaging Brontodon
*1 Ravenous Tyrannosaurus
*1 Regisaur Alpha
*1 Samut, Voice of Dissent
*1 Scion of Calamity
*1 Silverclad Ferocidons
*1 Sunfrill Imitator
*1 Temple Altisaur
*1 Thrashing Brontodon
*1 Tranquil Frillback
*1 Tyrranax Rex
*1 Verdant Sun&#039;s Avatar
*1 Wakening Sun&#039;s Avatar
*1 Wayward Swordtooth
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Concordant Crossroads
*1 Fervor
*1 Fires of Yavimaya
*1 Garruk&#039;s Uprising
*1 Greater Good
*1 Guardian Project
*1 Mass Hysteria
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
*1 Rising of the Day
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Tribute to the World Tree
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
[/Planeswalkers]
[Sorceries]
*1 Primal Surge
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*20 Forest
*1 Hushwood Verge
*1 Jetmir&#039;s Garden
*1 Jungle Shrine
*5 Mountain
*5 Plains
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Thornspire Verge
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>The more recognizable and powerful Dinosaurs are big green monsters, but there are also smaller utility creatures. We look to drop as many permanents onto the battlefield as quickly as we can and give them haste to end the game in a few big combats. Ramping into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Surge" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Surge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us a ten mana “I win” button to go along with our explosive eight-mana commander.</p>


dinosaur commander

EDHREC Guide to Dinosaurs in Commander

Building a Dinosaur Typal Deck with Gishath, Sun's Avatar