Tarkir: Dragonstorm Set Review - Colorless

Wombo Combo - Best Planeswalker Combos in EDH

Myth Realized - What if Any Three-Color Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander?

Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Simic)

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><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> | Art by <a href="https://www.annasteinbauer.com/">Anna Steinbauer</a></h6>
<h1>It's Not Boring; It's BOROS.</h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to a perpetually endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the sixteenth installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Boros (red and white) cards. Let's look at how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card Singleton format.</p>
<p>If you've stuck around with me until this article, you know what cards to look for in this color combination. If not, check out the articles I did in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-red/">red</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander/">white</a> to see the cards I've previously shouted out in these colors.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani Vengeant" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani Vengeant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2RW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani Vengeant|ALA|154"></div></div>
<p>Everyone complains that all Boros decks do is attack. Well, Ajani doesn't care about the combat step. Ajani doesn't care about your opponent at all. He only wants one thing, and that's a slow death for the table. I am unsure how to build a version of this deck that isn't mean. This card is Boros Stax, and that's it. I have lost to this in <em>Magic Online</em> cubes and even Modern, and there's no world where I wouldn't be losing to this card in EDH. I ended those games with few permanents on the board and a distinct lack of a smile compared to my opponent. This card is very good in 1v1 and was designed for it, with no abilities affecting more than one player, but it fits inside of its shell. Pair this card with salt-inducing inclusions like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smoke" href="#" target="_blank">Smoke</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb|3ED|280" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Authority of the Consuls" href="#" target="_blank">Authority of the Consuls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and you have a recipe for success.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Comet, Stellar Pup" href="#" target="_blank">Comet, Stellar Pup</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2RW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Comet, Stellar Pup|UNF|275"></div></div>
<p>Yes, this card is from <em>Unfinity, </em>and everyone can have their opinions about that set and its legality in the format. But this is an article series about a theoretical rule change to the biggest format going, so I will hear no slander against my Best Boros Boy. There is only one problem with this card: you can't control the ability you use each turn. Rolling a six on this card is undoubtedly the best thing you want to happen. The other roles are always situational. But unless you have no graveyard and nothing can be targeted, none of the modes are ever dead. The Squirrel-making effect of this card is met with laughter and considered underwhelming. There are a lot of cards in the format. Two of those cards are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warleader&#039;s Call" href="#" target="_blank">Warleader&#039;s Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Please don't underestimate the Dog and his Squirrels.</p>
<h3><strong><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> - 4RW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, Dinosaur Knight"></div></div>
<p>This card is supposed to work with Dinosaurs. All of the abilities on this card say the word Dinosaur. It even has the word Dinosaur in the name of this card. This card is missing one of the most important aspects of making Dinosaur-anything work in a commander deck... THE COLOR GREEN. Dinosaurs are expensive, much like this card, which is costly at six mana. The -7 not giving trample is a big letdown. I also believe that being unable to hit your creatures with the -3 is a missed opportunity. <i>Enrage </i>is a significant mechanic for Dinosaurs, and this card not being able to trigger it adds to the big pile of predictably bad cards that this is.</p>
<h3><strong><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> - 3RW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, Warrior Poet"></div></div>
<p>This card lets you do stuff with Dinosaurs, but you're not locked into Dinosaurs on only one card. If you keep to this character's typal nature, then the +2 should give you a decent amount of life every time you use it. Boros can access other large creature types outside of Dinosaurs, such as Angels, Barbarians, Dragons, Giants, and Eldrazi. I love a Planeswalker that makes a token for free, and the 3/3 Dinosaur token with trample is one of the better tokens around. The -X on this card does what I wish the previous version had the option of doing: targeting your creatures. It also makes it very easy to get past an opponent's board since you only need one damage on each creature you want to get past.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients" href="#" target="_blank">Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2RW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients|ZNR|282"></div></div>
<p>Voltron and Equipment-based strategies are not something I vibe with for decks I want to play personally. As a commander, I think this card would do something different from other Boros Equipment-matters legends. Making a creature and giving it free equip is fantastic. Those are two things that Equipment decks are always looking for. The fact that it's on a +1 means it's just icing on this card's cake. -2 finding a warrior is decent. But -2 to find <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Kaldra|PMRD|251" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Kaldra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shield of Kaldra|PDST|139" href="#" target="_blank">Shield of Kaldra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of Kaldra|P5DN|131" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of Kaldra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and maybe even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaldra Compleat|MH2|379" href="#" target="_blank">Kaldra Compleat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is "chef's kiss". Having the word "double" as part of a card text often makes things that are good into something far better. Here, the word "double" seems to take only the -3 ability from bad to just ok. An excellent commander for the Equipment-matters archetype. It's just too bad the Equipment-matters archetype in Boros is oversaturated.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nahiri, Storm of Stone" href="#" target="_blank">Nahiri, Storm of Stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2(R/W R/W)</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nahiri, Storm of Stone|SLD|533"></div></div>
<p>As usual, uncommon planeswalkers from<em> War of the Spark</em> tend only to matter based on the static ability on this card. We see nothing different in this card. Her -X damages only a tapped creature, which is too conditional to really ever matter. The first strike ability is solid, but only getting it on your turn is a major feel-bad. If this card gave double strike on your turn only, I could make an exception, but even at uncommon, the set this card came out in was not an Equipment-matters one. The designers might have been playing it safe. They did at least give you a reduction in Equipment abilities, but it's not enough.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nahiri, the Harbinger" href="#" target="_blank">Nahiri, the Harbinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2RW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nahiri, the Harbinger"></div></div>
<p>Unfortunately, the best use of the card in non-multiplayer formats is banned in this format: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the Aeons Torn|PPRO|2017" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the Aeons Torn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All that aside, this card is severely underrated. The consensus is rummage &lt; looting, but when you give it to me on a +2, I can look the other way as I race to this card's ultimate. Not to mention, the removal ability on this card is fantastic. Yes, the creature and artifact you remove have to be tapped, but you get to exile instead of destroy, and as a bonus, you can hit enchantments as well. If you can ultimate this card, the creature or artifact you get might overwhelm you with decision paralysis. So here are some suggestions:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blightsteel Colossus|2XM|357"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Angel of the Ruins|BRC|68"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Combustible Gearhulk|MPS|4"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Portal to Phyrexia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moonshaker Cavalry"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zealous Conscripts|LTC|231"></div></div>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nahiri, the Unforgiving" href="#" target="_blank">Nahiri, the Unforgiving</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 1R(R/W/2 life)W</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nahiri, the Unforgiving"></div></div>
<p>This card does a staggering amount of nothing. At first glance, having two abilities that add loyalty and an ability that doesn't cost loyalty makes it seem like there is a good card attached. This is <strong>not</strong> a good card. Forcing a creature to attack but allowing the creature to attack you or the planeswalkers you control is embarrassing. As just mentioned above, rummaging is worse than looting. The only possible good thing the card can do is use the zero ability to make a token copy of an artifact or creature that can win the game by itself. Tying the ability to the loyalty on Nahiri means this card is even more impacted by the card having the Compleated mechanic. Even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dockside Extortionist" href="#" target="_blank">Dockside Extortionist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would struggle to make this card good.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quintorius Kand" href="#" target="_blank">Quintorius Kand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 3RW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quintorius Kand|LCI|307"></div></div>
<p>So far, in Boros, Ajani wants to be built around anything that makes the other players salty. Huatli wants to be built around dinosaurs. Nahiri wants to be built around Equipment. Quintorius wants to be built around exile. Red <em>loves</em> exile. From impulse draw effects to the ultimate on this card and even the "fixed" version of Cascade, <em>Discover</em>. Quintorius will throw around two damage as if it's their job- and they are very good at it. So good at it that other cards in different formats had to be banned. While not ban-worthy, the card is not without a win-the-game combo.</p>
<div id="1190-2492-2845-3556" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="1190-2492-2845-3556" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Quintorius%20Kand%22%2C%22Flicker%22%2C%22Bonus%20Round%22%2C%22Biblioplex%20Assistant%22%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20damage%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinite%20lifegain%22%2C%22Infinite%20lifegain%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20LTB%22%2C%22Infinite%20magecraft%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20storm%20count%22%5D&id=1190-2492-2845-3556&color=RW&extraRequirementCount=0"></script></div>
<p>This is one of the better generic planeswalkers in this color combination and one of my favorites from recent years. Other than someone playing Ajani Vengeant "fairly" or Comet, Stellar Pup, you don't need to build around Quintorius for it to be good.</p>
<h3><strong>Wrap Up</strong></h3>
<p>I like Boros. It's straightforward. Every card in Commander doesn't need to be something that makes the gears in your brain turn a mile a minute. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani Vengeant" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani Vengeant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quintorius Kand" href="#" target="_blank">Quintorius Kand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are the most likely candidates to be the "top tier" new commanders if they suddenly became legal. The thing about this color combination is that it lacks a pure number of cards and the ability to do anything the color needs. Red and white are two colors that used to struggle the most in the Commander format. Over the years, both colors have seen improvement and in the case of the white color pie have seen some of the best cards for the format ever.</p>
<p>Boring is not even the correct description for the set of cards. Uninspired does a better job. I hope there will be more Boros planeswalkers printed over time, and they are more exciting than some of the ones in this article. Maybe letting all planeswalkers be legal as commanders would push for exploring that design space. Perhaps that change would do the opposite? Only time will tell. Either way, I don't see any danger in changing the rule with this set of cards, but other colors might not be the case. Check out my other articles if you want my thoughts on different colors. Join me as we close out the guild pairs with what has to be the most potent pairing, Simic.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Read more:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="HuJBYbHweu"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-golgari/">Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Golgari)</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="&#8220;Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Golgari)&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-golgari/embed/#?secret=0JVCDGBFXz#?secret=HuJBYbHweu" data-secret="HuJBYbHweu" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="YRHsGrYtlc"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/do-your-worst-boros-lands/">Do Your Worst - Boros Landfall</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="&#8220;Do Your Worst - Boros Landfall&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/do-your-worst-boros-lands/embed/#?secret=X0Qsn2yQhO#?secret=YRHsGrYtlc" data-secret="YRHsGrYtlc" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Boros)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska the Unseen" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska the Unseen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artofmtg.com/art/vraska-unseen/">Aleksi Briclot</a>)</h6>
<h1>Where Do The Golgari Go To swim? Under Da City.</h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to a perpetually endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the fifteenth installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Golgari (black and green) cards. Let's look at how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card Singleton format.</p>
<p>If you've stuck around with me until this article, you know what cards to look for in this color combination. If not, check out the articles I did in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-black/">black</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-green/">green</a> to see the cards I've previously shouted out in these colors.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Apex Predator" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Apex Predator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 5BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk, Apex Predator"></div></div>
<p>There might never be a better poster child for former powerhouse planeswalkers than this card. With a name like Apex Predator, this card had to put in <strong>work</strong> when it hit the table, and by all accounts, he did just that. Garruk had four abilities at a time where the only other planeswalker with that amount was the powerhouse <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace, the Mind Sculptor" href="#" target="_blank">Jace, the Mind Sculptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. His +1 either removed an opposing planeswalker or made a formidable blocker with deathtouch. Creature removal and life gain on the -3 with an ultimate that will kill one player in most scenarios. The big downside with this card is the mana cost. Commander and <em>Magic </em>in general seem to get faster as the years go on, and time has not been kind to Garruk. It's a very cool card, and I would love to see it at a table where I play, but it won't break the format anytime soon.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Cursed Huntsman" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Cursed Huntsman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 4BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk, Cursed Huntsman"></div></div>
<p>So, what if you like Garruk to the point where you want to play all versions of him? Then this right here is the commander for you. A simple in-concept planeswalker can turn a game upside down if brought out at the right time. It has the standard abilities of making blockers and removing creatures for value, but it can also provide loyalty to any other Garruks you have lying around. The card is best used when you can either give it another counter as soon as it hits to get the emblem or when you have a way to sacrifice the Wolves to up the loyalty on itself and other Garruks you control. Maybe not a Superfriends deck, but at least one super friend for the person running this cursed huntsman as their commander.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk Relentless" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk Relentless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 3G</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk Relentless"></div></div>
<p>Somehow, Garruk is always getting cursed. A card often found in cubes, this might be one of the strangest planeswalkers on any of my lists. Essentially, the front-side version of this card wants to "die." But don't let it die <em>too</em> hard, or else we will not be able to get what we want to be doing with this card: playing the back side. <span class="edhrecp__link reverse"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, the Veil-Cursed" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, the Veil-Cursed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, needs some help before he comes out, but then the possibilities are endless. This card and how good it can be depends on how many counters you can get the back side to come out with. Whatever that number may be will let you decide which ability best suits you. Maybe make a blocker that can be sacrificed? Or if you have a creature lying around, get your big win-the-game card; I like the classic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. How about we win the game, provided we have a stocked graveyard to help pump up our creatures? The world is your oyster, and Garruk looks strong enough to pry it open with his bare hands.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nissa of Shadowed Boughs" href="#" target="_blank">Nissa of Shadowed Boughs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nissa of Shadowed Boughs"></div></div>
<p>Landfall commanders seem to never have the ability to be bad. They always land on the scale somewhere between OK and broken. While Nissa is much closer to the OK end of the scale than the broken side, she <em>can</em> do some broken things. The -5 is very easy to get to on this card and is an ability you can use multiple times if your deck is built for it. Figuring out when you want to play it is what makes this card hard to pinpoint. Slamming it down on turn four might mean you don't have a land drop to pair her with. And playing her without having enough land to get the creature you want means she does nothing for you. This card is a pick-your-moment type of commander. Pick wrong and lose; pick the right, and you might win.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler" href="#" target="_blank">Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 1BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler"></div></div>
<p>This is undoubtedly the single most powerful card on this list. It's strong, and having it in your command zone makes it stronger. While not giving your creatures actual haste, letting them use abilities that need them to tap when they come down and being able to untap one of them can let a player get crazy. Most people will rightfully pair this card with any Elf they can get their hands on. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Priest of Titania" href="#" target="_blank">Priest of Titania</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Archdruid" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Archdruid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even the lowly <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Llanowar Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Llanowar Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can all do work with this card. And the -2 ability on this card should not be overlooked. Golgari is a color combination that has many die-hard fans in the ranks. If there is a way to break this card, they will find it by letting it live in the command zone. Tyvar is a card that would need to be watched if a rule change came down from on high.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska, Golgari Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska, Golgari Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Golgari Queen"></div></div>
<p>Vraska does a bit of everything anytime they make a Golgari version of her. A planeswalker that takes the standard outline of uptick-for-value, downtick-for-removal, big-downtick-game-win-ultimate and turns all the dials to make it look shiny and new. And Vraska <em>does</em> look new, but maybe not very shiny because of where the Golgari are typically found in Ravnica (read: the sewers). I have died to the ultimate of this card before, and while I'm unhappy about it, I wouldn't be worried about it. Sadly, this card just isn't very exciting. People often pick <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis Reignited" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis Reignited</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as the baseline for how a planeswalker should look. I would say Vraska might also be a good contender for that pick.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska, Regal Gorgon" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska, Regal Gorgon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 5BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Regal Gorgon"></div></div>
<p>The only planeswalker deck planeswalker on the list <strong>isn't</strong> necessarily the worst one I have seen. It's overpriced, and the effects aren't exactly top-notch. However, this card<em> does</em> have nice numbers compared to other planeswalker deck cards. A +2 does a lot of heavy lifting to make this card not laughable bad. Pair that with a reasonable cost to kill a creature at -3, and we have a pretty standard-looking planeswalker on our hands. The -10 takes a lot of work and requires a setup to take full advantage of, but it does land close to the mark of a game-winning ability. It's still a card that is close to unplayable compared to everything in its color and planeswalkers, but it is far from the worst of the worst.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska, Relic Seeker" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska, Relic Seeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 4BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Relic Seeker"></div></div>
<p>This might be the best -3 removal effect on any planeswalker ever. Removing almost any permanent type and giving you a Treasure to further your plays is on par or better than drawing a card. The +2 creating a token with menace means you hope to have other protection for Vraska since that token only wants to get at your opponent's life total. The ultimate on this card is also very good. At first glance, it's reminiscent of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and his -3. However, taking someone to one life instead of ten is a big difference. So many things in the game can deal one point of damage, and many do it as an afterthought. Even if you don't possess anything that can deal the damage, this will take your opponents off using a variety of lands, anything with pay life to activate effects and make them play on the back foot for the rest of the game.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska, Swarm&#039;s Eminence" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska, Swarm&#039;s Eminence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2(B/G B/G)</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Swarm&#039;s Eminence"></div></div>
<p>Like many keyword-typal decks, deathtouch will always get pieces whenever cards come out. It might only be one or two cards, but there will <em>always</em> be cards. This Vraska does two things very well: Kill planeswalkers and make your opponents regret the attack step. Her 1/1 Assassins that can literally assassinate planeswalkers, when you get right down to it, can be perfect in the right matchup. Putting a +1/+1 counter on your deathtouch creatures means what used to be an annoying little <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moss Viper" href="#" target="_blank">Moss Viper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into a card to be feared. She also fits into a nice spot regarding the other nine possible <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/deathtouch/bg">Golgari commanders</a> focusing on deathtouch as a theme. Not the top-end powerhouse like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chevill, Bane of Monsters" href="#" target="_blank">Chevill, Bane of Monsters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but I believe above the low end such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sisters of Stone Death" href="#" target="_blank">Sisters of Stone Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska the Unseen" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska the Unseen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 3BG</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska the Unseen"></div></div>
<p>This is an excellent example of how to make a planeswalker in the earlier days of the card type's existence and a great example of how they would never make one today. The +1 on this card is a good deterrent for being attacked since she might not die outright. Vraska is also not enough of a deterrent for someone to find a reason not to poke it just so that you will never hit the -7. We once again see a solid -3 removal option for Vraska and a 1/1 Assassin (with chronologically their first planeswalker appearance). I think this card is long past the days of seeing a play at the commander's table, but she gives a glimpse back to the past of what planeswalkers used to look like, and I will give her some appreciation for that.</p>
<h1>Wrap Up</h1>
<p>Golgari is in a sad place when it comes to planeswalkers. Outside of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler" href="#" target="_blank">Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, nothing here synergizes on a deep level with what this color combination is known for—there is only a light sprinkling of anything related to sacrifice, token-making, and self-mill strategies. Ten options is not the most extensive list to date, but I have to note that the hits in this color combination disappoint me. However, the most significant thing against the Golgari is the steady onslaught of time. Many walkers cost too much mana and do too little in exchange. They were initially designed for one-versus-one formats, but even considering that having a five or above-cost commander in today's world can mean two things. You love the card so much you will play it no matter the cost. Or the card is so good that it wins as long as it can resolve.</p>
<p>I believe that Tyvar would be a dangerous card to add to the ever-growing list of commanders since it does everything you want a good commander to do. The electricity we saw in the last article with the Izzet has brought us equally to the dampness feature within the Golgari. Regardless, we push forward in the quest to answer the question: What, if any, planeswalker could be your commander? And we only have two colors left to go. Join me next time as we suit up with the Boros Legion.</p>
<hr />
<h4>Read more:</h4>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="33CMy2acVj"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-izzet/">Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Izzet)</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="&#8220;Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Izzet)&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-izzet/embed/#?secret=tdKQF4BiNo#?secret=33CMy2acVj" data-secret="33CMy2acVj" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="LM9n4JZmTX"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/singleton-shmingleton-lhurgoyf/">Singleton Shmingleton - Lhurgoyf</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="&#8220;Singleton Shmingleton - Lhurgoyf&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/singleton-shmingleton-lhurgoyf/embed/#?secret=KZu3oQYtfs#?secret=LM9n4JZmTX" data-secret="LM9n4JZmTX" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Golgari)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dack Fayden" href="#" target="_blank">Dack Fayden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.ericdeschamps.com/">Eric Deschamps</a>)</h6>
<h1>Izzet, Searching for Love in all the Most Explosive of Places.</h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to a perpetually endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the fourteenth installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Izzet (blue, red) cards. Let's look at how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card Singleton format.</p>
<p>If you've stuck around with me until this article, you know what cards to look for in this color combination. If not, check out the articles I did in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-blue-pt-1/">blue</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-red/">red</a> to see the cards I've previously shouted out in these colors.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dack Fayden" href="#" target="_blank">Dack Fayden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 1BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dack Fayden"></div></div>
<p>The greatest thief in the multiverse, possibly the greatest Planeswalker in vintage cube history, and my all-time favorite Izzet Planeswalker. It's cheap to cast and has two abilities that can be instantly impactful right when it hits the board. The two big things against Dack leading a deck are low loyalty and a somewhat irrelevant ultimate. Most patterns involve immediately using the -2 to take someone's artifact and a +1 on the next turn before someone gets rid of him. But if you're stealing mana rocks, the number of times you can recast Dack becomes less and less of an issue. It's fun for only the person casting them and a significant threat to the rest of the table.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral, Caller of Storms" href="#" target="_blank">Ral, Caller of Storms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 4BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral, Caller of Storms"></div></div>
<p>One of the best things about the Izzet colors is that we only have to deal with one instance of a Planeswalker deck walker. And here is the one and only representative. Just like most who came before him, another card that costs too much mana and does far too little. You only draw one card when you have to spend six mana to cast this. I don't know what storms Ral is calling with this card, but I don't think anyone needs to bring an umbrella. The ultimate is nice in that you get to draw seven cards, and the damage will get rid of most of your opponents' boards, but it will take so long to get there that you might as well use other options for card draw and board wipes.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral, Izzet Viceroy" href="#" target="_blank">Ral, Izzet Viceroy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 3BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral, Izzet Viceroy"></div></div>
<p>They look like they talk a big game but will utter no more than a whisper. In a 1v1 format, this card is nothing to scoff at and has the potential to win a variety of games due to card selection and creature removal. This card also has an ultimate that gives you a game-winning emblem. But you will have to do some work to get there. I think the other version, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral, Caller of Storms" href="#" target="_blank">Ral, Caller of Storms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, would be more fun for you to lead a deck with. But if this is what gets you charged up, then I hope he brings you, as the emperor would say, "Unlimited Power."</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral, Storm Conduit" href="#" target="_blank">Ral, Storm Conduit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral, Storm Conduit"></div></div>
<p>He is one of the most back-breaking Planeswalkers I've ever had the pleasure of piloting. As I may have told readers of this series before, I am not very good at drafting and sealing, regardless of format. But no matter if I win or lose, one of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy a prerelease event is to grind my opponent into the dust during <em>War of the Spark</em><em> </em>with a deck containing the Storm Conduit themselves. This card is hard to eliminate and will take an opponent out of a match faster than anyone saw coming. So many cards in that format give you tokens to block and apply pressure to the +2 to scry and -2 to copy the next instant or sorcery that this card provides, making managing the loyalty on Ral an afterthought. This version of Ral would be a kill-on-sight commander, as anyone running it would pair it with the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guttersnipe" href="#" target="_blank">Guttersnipe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baral, Chief of Compliance" href="#" target="_blank">Baral, Chief of Compliance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> alongside spells such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Tide" href="#" target="_blank">High Tide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and possibly even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grapeshot" href="#" target="_blank">Grapeshot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral Zarek" href="#" target="_blank">Ral Zarek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral Zarek"></div></div>
<p>S0, this card is not good. But this card is, without a doubt, fun. To be fair to the original Ral Zarek, you can find ways to make the +1 work for you thanks to untapping something like a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gilded Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Gilded Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a fair bit of colored mana. Having a Lightning Bolt for a -2 might have been ok during <em>Return to Ravnica</em> Standard, but this is commander, and in commander, we need to think much, much bigger. Luckily, there is a bit of a built-in home for the card already, the much beloved and often bemoaned for how long some turns can take the coin flip archetype. Often led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom" href="#" target="_blank">Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Okaun, Eye of Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Okaun, Eye of Chaos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, your one goal will be to get this card to ultimate so that you can collectively draw all the cards, make Okaun the biggest boy on the board, and most importantly take all the turns.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli, Filigree Master" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli, Filigree Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saheeli, Filigree Master"></div></div>
<p>This card should see more play. According to <a href="https://edhrec.com/cards/saheeli-filigree-master">EDHREC</a>, this card is only in 1% of eligible decks. It has a fair bit of competition, being in two of the best colors for artifact decks. I don't think a Planeswalker that can reach an ultimate this powerful after only one uptick should be seeing this little play. Tapping an untapped artifact to draw a card hurts, and taking almost all the loyalty for two thopters will make people shy away from this card. As the commander of a deck, or with a bit more exploration by the player base, I think this is a diamond in the rough just waiting for a chance to shine.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli Rai" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli Rai</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 1BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saheeli Rai"></div></div>
<p>Who remembers when Wizards of the Coast just missed a two-card infinite combo printed into the standard format? I do like it was yesterday. You wouldn't be able to do it with Saheeli Rai at the head of a deck, since using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would result in an uphill battle rule zero conversation. What can be done with the Izzet colors? A few combo lines that involve turning Miss Rai into an artifact and removing the legend rule like so:</p>
<div id="142-486-1434" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="142-486-1434" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Saheeli%20Rai%22%2C%22Liquimetal%20Torque%22%2C%22Mirror%20Box%22%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20Saheeli%20Rai%20tokens%22%5D&id=142-486-1434&color=UR&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli, Sublime Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli, Sublime Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 1(B/R B/R)</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saheeli, Sublime Artificer"></div></div>
<p>Uncommon <em>War of the Spark</em> Planeswalkers can be terrifying. If this card had a way to add loyalty, it might be one of the most used Planeswalkers out there. At first glance, this looks like one of the most useless Planeswalkers. You only get a servo for casting a noncreature spell, what good will that do? This card is only limited by your imagination and the limits of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>. Turning the token you just made or any random artifact lying around into something better when the time is right can lead to some explosive turns. If you need more mana, why not make something a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silverbluff Bridge" href="#" target="_blank">Silverbluff Bridge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Want some more cost reduction? How about a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jhoira&#039;s Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Jhoira&#039;s Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Maybe you need to take out two people simultaneously; there might be nothing better than another copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nettlecyst" href="#" target="_blank">Nettlecyst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Not only would Saheeli be on my shortlist of decks to build, but the deck that would come forth would be nothing short of sublime.</p>
<p><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Royal Scions" href="#" target="_blank">The Royal Scions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> 1BR</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Royal Scions"></div></div>
<p>One of the more divergent Planeswalkers for the Izzet color combination on the list features brother and sister Will and Rowan Kenrith. A slight mainstay of past 1v1 formats, this card can be a solid role player for tempo strategies, featuring cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Delver of Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Delver of Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card screams, "Put me in the command zone" and not for the reason you might think. In the 99, I think this card is relatively weak. Drawing this will often be met with the wish of it being almost any other card. But being a commander means this card can be deployed at the perfect spot while not taking up space in your hand. The benefit of this card always being available far outweighs the potential it has inside the 99.</p>
<h1><strong>Wrap Up</strong></h1>
<p>What Izzet lacks in the sheer number of Planeswalkers, it more than makes up for in their quality. Top to bottom, this is one of the strongest color combinations if this rule change were to go through, but one of the most beatable. These walkers might be strong, but they are not bringing anything to a table that a seasoned commander player has not gone up against. The two main strategies found across these walkers are spell-slinging and artifact matters. No deck, when piloted and constructed well, will be easy to beat. Looking at it from a purely strategic standpoint though, this is child's play for the other pod members.</p>
<p>If your commander pod allowed these, my eyes would carefully watch the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dack Fayden" href="#" target="_blank">Dack Fayden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli Rai" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli Rai</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli, Sublime Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli, Sublime Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Dack for the possible outcry from other players and the two Saheelis for the latent and in-your-face combo potential that could improve with every new card printed. It is a delight to bring a joyful article filled with strong potential commanders to my 14th article. If you like this, look at my other articles on the site, and join me next time as we travel from the thunder and lightning-filled sky to the deep underground as we look at everyone's rotten love, the Golgari!</p>
<hr />
<h3>Read more:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="iva0SFusUS"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-gruul/">Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Gruul)</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="JOjeRdev2W"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/do-your-worst-izzet-auras/">Do Your Worst - Izzet Auras</a></p></blockquote>
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Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Izzet)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/409/orzhov-basilica">Orzhov Basilica</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJim+Nelson%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Jim Nelson</a>)</h6>
<h1>Kaya and Sorin Sitting in a Tree, Definitely Not KISSING</h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to a perpetually endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the thirteenth installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Orzhov (white, black) cards. Let's take a look at how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card Singleton format.</p>
<p>If you've stuck around with me until this article, you know what cards to look for in this color combination. If not, check out the articles I did in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander/">white</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-black/">black</a> to see the cards I've previously shouted out in these colors.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Bane of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Bane of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 3(W/B W/B W/B)</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaya, Bane of the Dead"></div></div>
<p>Well, it is a bit of a shame to start the year off with such a stinker of a card, but here we are. If you told me a planeswalker cost six mana but had seven loyalty in the dark, I might think it was not too bad. When you tell me it is the Bane of the Dead, I will tell you never to speak to me again. There is no world where I would pay this amount of mana for something I can play in any color deck by adding a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Detection Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Detection Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to my mana base. Adding on an exile effect as the only ability on this card does not improve its status as a bad card in every situation.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Geist Hunter" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Geist Hunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 1BW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaya, Geist Hunter"></div></div>
<p>On the other hand, Geist Hunter is a bit of a mixed bag. There is no doubt that the card is powerful. Giving your team Deathtouch means that no one will be enthused to block you even if you have a board of 1/1 tokens. Any effect that can double up or even triple up on tokens in a deck with white is significant; looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anointed Procession" href="#" target="_blank">Anointed Procession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mondrak, Glory Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Mondrak, Glory Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The downside is that this will be a one-off double-up effect rather than something that can stick around. The ultimate is not out of reach due to being too high on the loyalty numbers. However, I just do not see a world where you are never down-ticking this card to potentially get a slightly improved <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necromancer&#039;s Covenant" href="#" target="_blank">Necromancer&#039;s Covenant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The card is only three mana, so everyone should know the rule in place for a planeswalker of that cost by now. It has desirable effects, so this would see play, but it comes with a massive sign reading, "I am a token deck; try to stop me."</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Ghost Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Ghost Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2BW</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaya, Ghost Assassin"></div></div>
<p>I cannot tell you where, when, why, or how I have died to this card. But I can promise you it has happened. What I can tell you is that it will probably not happen again. This card does come with one of the most interesting loyalty costs on a planeswalker. The ability to blink it and another creature can lead to some interesting play patterns. Outside of the blink ability on this card, I do not think I want to use the other abilities. The life gain/life loss has the "new school" wording, which caps the amount of life you can gain, and you only ever draw one card of the -2 ability. There are some very powerful black creatures with enter-the-battlefield (ETB) effects, though. As long as white has access to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karmic Guide" href="#" target="_blank">Karmic Guide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reveillark" href="#" target="_blank">Reveillark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, there will always be something this card can help facilitate.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Intangible Slayer" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Intangible Slayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 3WWBB </strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaya, Intangible Slayer"></div></div>
<p>Do not let the mana value scare you away from this card! This card is well worth finding a way to make it happen. One of the worst things in any game of Magic is playing a planeswalker and having it eat a removal effect from an opponent. With this version of Kaya, your chances of that happening significantly decrease. And before you start yelling about how I did not like the life gain/ life loss on the last Kaya, look at the two cards again. In case you missed it, this one has bigger numbers and is a +2 compared to a -1, so it is some amount of a numerical value better. This card comes down with six loyalty and has relevant abilities, once more setting it apart from a previous iteration. If you still do not trust how good this card is, wait until you are -3 on your opponent's best creature and gain it for yourself. Do it after activating your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Geist Hunter" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Geist Hunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> -2 ability. I would run this in the command zone of an Orzhov deck, no questions asked.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Orzhov Usurper" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Orzhov Usurper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 1WB</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaya, Orzhov Usurper"></div></div>
<p>Strong with a smaller deck. A time went by when this card would live in the main deck or sideboard of 60 card-constructed decks across formats. But we are not dealing with 60-card decks, and we are not dealing with just one opponent. This card is not "bad" like some in the past and, like some, surely will be in the future, but this card is just not designed synergistically for the commander format. It would be hilarious to run this as a commander and kill the self-mill player when they put over half their deck in the graveyard.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya the Inexorable" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya the Inexorable</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 3WB</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaya the Inexorable"></div></div>
<p>It is the best Kaya ever printed and is not even close. Five mana and five loyalty is the only fair thing about this card, beyond that the Inexorable is a house of a card. The +1 makes it near impossible for an opponent to remove your creature, and when they burn the first removal spell or wrath on it, it goes back to your hand, and you get a 1/1 spirit for the trouble. -3 to exile any non-land permanent, sign me up. The first time you see someone exile their creature after they put a ghostform counter on the turn before to reuse the cast/ETB effect of the card, your faith in true beauty will be restored. Possibly the most essential ultimate for legendaries-matter decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esika, God of the Tree" href="#" target="_blank">Esika, God of the Tree</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sisay, Weatherlight Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Sisay, Weatherlight Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Not even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can answer threats if you resolve this ability.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Grim Nemesis" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Grim Nemesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 4WB</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin, Grim Nemesis"></div></div>
<p>To me, Sorin is a massive physical being. Sorin is imposing and someone whose presence you would know when they walked into a room. This card is all about doing things big. Six mana and six loyalty are big numbers for our big bad boy. A card draw and a potential kill condition on the +1 make this card hum when it does see play. Conditional removal with a modal minus ability ensures you can kill what you need and gain life as a bonus. The -9 ability on this card could not be made better for Commander. The highest life total from all players in a format where everyone starts at 40 means a massive amount of Vampire Knights. This might draw some ire from the table if you have it leading your deck, but you might be able to be a successful nemesis, thanks to Sorin.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Lord of Innistrad" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Lord of Innistrad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2WB</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin, Lord of Innistrad"></div></div>
<p>A four mana planeswalker that has an immediate way to make an emblem; we must be talking about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gideon, Ally of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Gideon, Ally of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, right? No, we are talking about the Lord of Innistrad himself. While this emblem only gives you a power boost, the tokens might be better with lifelink. The token from the +1 ability protects Sorin and is a likely path to reach the ultimate. This color combination is not known for keeping opponents' creatures and planeswalkers around, so if you get to the -6, you might not want to use it as there may be no value for you to garnish. You get bonus points though if you run this card as the leader of a black white Vampire Typal deck.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Solemn Visitor" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Solemn Visitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2WB</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin, Solemn Visitor"></div></div>
<p>Before earning his title as Lord of Innistrad, this card was much worse. While this card can give all of your creatures lifelink in addition to the power boost, this is not stapled to an emblem, so the temporary aspect is a knock against this card. A 2/2 token with flying is better than other tokens planeswalkers make, but it does not compensate for this card's unfortunate attempt at an ultimate. Most likely, this card joins the 99 of a few of these other planeswalker lead decks.</p>
<h3><strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - 2WB</strong></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord"></div></div>
<p>Black white superfriends have a leader, and their name is Sorin. Is giving the planeswalkers you control lifelink that beneficial in this color combination? No, but it is going to be neat. Moving the lifelink ability to the static ability of a planeswalker is the perfect middle ground between an activated loyalty ability and an emblem. The +2 on this card does not do anything special damage-wise, but it does gain you life and get you to a nice high number on loyalty counters. When you use the minus on this card, you will hopefully get something good out of it. This card can do some cool things, and that's sometimes what Commander is all about when you're making a deck.</p>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p>A cliché in <em>Magic</em> is "strong in the right deck." That's a great way to describe the top end of the Orzhov walkers. Like most of the colors we have looked at, nothing here will break the format in half. There are some powerhouses in their own right, to be fair. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya the Inexorable" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya the Inexorable</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is the best example of this. The card does so many strong things, and the ultimate is something that, with a deck built around it, can win the game. Many people would rather play a myriad of other Orzhov or black white planeswalkers as their commander or play Kaya in the 99. These planeswalkers emulate a feeling I have about this color combination as a whole; they are strong but missing something. Both the characters of Kaya and Sorin would draw people to using them as the leader of the 99, but I would be shocked if they usurp the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tymna the Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Tymna the Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for raw power, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teysa Karlov" href="#" target="_blank">Teysa Karlov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for token-based strategies, or<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim" href="#" target="_blank">Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for life gain/aristocrats.</p>
<hr />
<h3>Read more:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="0bapFdVctA"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-rakdos/">Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Rakdos)</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="&#8220;Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Rakdos)&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-rakdos/embed/#?secret=azi1GcVZ1o#?secret=0bapFdVctA" data-secret="0bapFdVctA" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="509LvsnYMW"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/reconstruct-history-orzhov-removal/">Reconstruct History — Orzhov Removal</a></p></blockquote>
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Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Orzhov)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/aer/131/oath-of-ajani">Oath of Ajani</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CWesley+Burt%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Wesley Burt</a>)</h6>
<h1>Clear Eyes and Great Hearts Can Still Lose: The Selesnya Story</h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to a perpetually endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the eleventh installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Selesnya (white, green) cards and how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card Singleton format.</p>
<p>If you've stuck around with me until this article, you know what cards to look for in this color combination. If not, check out the articles I did in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander/">white</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-green/">green</a> to see the cards I've previously shouted out in these colors.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Mentor of Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Mentor of Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 3GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, Mentor of Heroes"></div></div>
<p>This is one of the physically most difficult-to-read cards of all time. It's a bit unique to that extent as well, and it might be on a small list of planeswalkers where you're more often only ever going up in loyalty. At five mana, many might think that it's too expensive, but you want to be established anyway before this card hits the board, and sometimes that's a benefit when the card is tucked away in your command zone.</p>
<p>Three +1/+1 counters across one, two, or three creatures aren't too shabby of an ability, and these are the best colors to benefit from counters of most kinds. Filtering through your top four cards for an Aura, creature, or planeswalker lets you diversify your deck to lean heavier into one of those types. The only thing about this card that's relatively lackluster is the ability to gain 100 life. When I first saw this card, I figured it was unbeatable. How do you kill someone at 100+ life? There are quite a few answers in the commander format that do this for you and hopefully, the other players still alive in the game. The other way is to win the game yourself. There are 29 cards, according to Scryfall, that allow their controller to <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=%28oracle%3Ayou+oracle%3Awin+oracle%3Athe+oracle%3Agame%29+%28game%3Apaper%29">win the game</a>.</p>
<p>Now, some of these are much better than others, and you aren't guaranteed to win with any of these before the Ajani player uses that 100 life to kill you with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but more often than not the -8 on this card is to be ignored. This will not demonize itself when it shows up across the table from you, and it's not oppressive, but similar to many cards in the last article, it's a solid Selesnya planeswalker.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Sleeper Agent" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Sleeper Agent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 1G(G/2 life/W)</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, Sleeper Agent"></div></div>
<p>Two articles in a row featuring a Compleated planeswalker! This Ajani is either hitting the board on turn four with four loyalty or turn three with two loyalty, and you having two less life. To me, this version of everyone's favorite cat dad is "what if they made <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Mentor of Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Mentor of Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in 2023". We see a +1 filtering ability, but we only check the top card, and we get the counter distribution from its previous iteration and the addition of vigilance but on a -3. The craziest part of this card is an emblem that gives you an alternate way to win the game. This card lets you poison your opponents out of the game as another path to victory. This sleeper agent wants you to wake up to the rolling creature storm about to hit the table.</p>
<p>While five planeswalkers after this ultimate might be a struggle, five creatures in a color combination known for ramp and cheap mana value could kill one player immediately after activation. Cards that give players poison counters are sadly more concentrated in black, and they are few and far between, but there are many ways to turbo out a table if you manage to get this card's emblem. Reliance on a planeswalker's ultimate as your main win condition isn't the most reliant way to win, but it's an interesting one. There is a world where something could break this card if specific cards supporting planeswalkers get pushed in future sets, but at the moment, this would be fine as a commander sitting across the table.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, the Greathearted" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, the Greathearted</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, the Greathearted"></div></div>
<p>Possibly the most synergistic planeswalkers for any color combination. It puts counters on creatures, helps your mana dorks by giving vigilance, adds counters to planeswalkers, and has a fair mana cost. Selesnya colors are found in five of the top ten <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/p1-p1-counters">+1/+1-themed top commanders</a>. It also synergizes with far too many commanders across the entire GW and GWx color combinations. Now, this card isn't going to beat tables by itself. It alone does nothing other than gain you three life with its +1 ability. But there are infinite pieces that can be put around it to piece a cohesive victory together.</p>
<p>The Greathearted Ajani is going to be a card that will do everything you want a card in your deck to do, but at the same time in the 99 could be a dead draw when you're in top deck mode. It's not broken, but it's not worth leaving unsleeved when building your deck. As a commander, this would open up more build-around opportunities when you always have access to this card when you need/want it.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani Unyielding" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani Unyielding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani Unyielding"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-red/">In my article discussing mono-red</a>, I emphasized how many walkers were just slight variations of a previous version of the same character. Well, that wasn't unique to the red section of the color pie. This card is unyielding in its similarities to all previously discussed cards. We have card filtering on an uptick, counter distribution on a downtick, and a random third ability thrown in for a splash of uniqueness. At six mana, this card pumps up all the numbers around the abilities on the card. The +2 gets us the possibility of three cards as long as they're nonland permanents.</p>
<p>The unique ability of this Ajani is a -2 version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swords to Plowshares" href="#" target="_blank">Swords to Plowshares</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The counter distribution of this card is at win-the-game levels compared to other versions. Five +1/+1 counters to ALL your creatures and five loyalty counters to ALL your other planeswalkers is huge if you can get to it. This will let you ultimate multiple planeswalkers, and with some evasion added to those creatures, there aren't many tables that can withstand what you'll have in front of you. The biggest knock against this card is that it's slower. It has a high mana cost, a big loyalty number to get to this card's ultimate, and a second ability with a minus attached. Big and splashy but not big, splashy, and dangerous.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Valiant Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Valiant Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani, Valiant Protector"></div></div>
<p>Right in the middle, we get this article's annual planeswalker-deck planeswalker. At face value, this card doesn't look as bad as it secretly is. Six mana and only four starting loyalty is not great, to begin with. We can add +1/+1 counters again, but we cannot split them on a wide board. We also get card filtering, which is guaranteed to hit a card that goes to our hand, but this time, it can only be a creature. A -11 ultimate is impossible to hit without any additional cards to help you. The worst part about this card is that even by taking off eleven loyalty counters, you still aren't going to win the game. All the counters have to go on one creature, and it gives counters based on your life total, which this card doesn't interact with in any way. This makes it a bit worse for wear. All of its abilities synergize with creatures to a degree, but the biggest pump this card gives is tied to your life total, coming from a card that is not hitting the board till mid-game at best and not doing anything after it hits till much later.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calix, Destiny&#039;s Hand" href="#" target="_blank">Calix, Destiny&#039;s Hand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Calix, Destiny&#039;s Hand"></div></div>
<p>When we get a new character on this list, we also get a planeswalker that interacts with a card type we have not seen from Selesnya so far: enchantments. This card is strong; it does many things very well, and I've personally lost many games to it. That being said, this isn't a card that will ever be as good for enchantment strategies as any creature that's earned the short-hand "Enchantress creature" moniker. Outside of some specific outliers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zur, Eternal Schemer" href="#" target="_blank">Zur, Eternal Schemer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daxos the Returned" href="#" target="_blank">Daxos the Returned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tatsunari, Toad Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Tatsunari, Toad Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the top commanders for enchantment strategies usually do two things: Draw cards or get more mana. This card doesn't do either by itself, and depending on what enchantment you find off the +1, it might not do it at all.</p>
<p>What this card <em>can</em> do is protect itself and, more importantly, protect you from creatures and enchantments in your opponent's control, even if they get rid of Calix. The best thing this card does, without question, is a true blue "win the game" ultimate on the spot at best or "gain overwhelming value" at worst. It's -7 to get the same effect as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Replenish" href="#" target="_blank">Replenish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of the best cards for enchantment decks. If you've ever been at a table where someone resolved this ultimate or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Replenish" href="#" target="_blank">Replenish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the game is most likely over for all the other players. The four mana value and the disability to draw cards/make mana by itself makes this card unlikely to be put in the command zone over the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand" href="#" target="_blank">Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even the creature version of this character <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calix, Guided by Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Calix, Guided by Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, Radiant Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, Radiant Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2GW</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, Radiant Champion"></div></div>
<p>Another planeswalker that wants you to have both creatures and planeswalkers to get its full potential. Luckily, the Selesnya color combination is very good at making tokens, and the planeswalkers within this color are part of why they are so good. This is a planeswalker that can ultimately do so with frightening speed. A few mana dorks and small creatures can get you to the -8 needed for this card to have an emblem in as little as one turn, and this is without something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And this is an ultimate you want to get to.</p>
<p>The -1 on this card is, for the most part as good as blank text, but even with low starting loyalty at three, you could very easily tick down when this first comes in and not be worried too much about losing it since your uptick could net you three to five loyalty in most decks the next turn. This could be run in the command zone similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ajani, Sleeper Agent" href="#" target="_blank">Ajani, Sleeper Agent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, where you "win the game" with its ultimate. Still, this can also provide overwhelming value even if you can't close out the game immediately. A sneaky planeswalker that can catch people by surprise.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Huatli, the Sun&#039;s Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Huatli, the Sun&#039;s Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2(G/W)</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Huatli, the Sun&#039;s Heart"></div></div>
<p>It's a bit of a lackluster way to end the article with this planeswalker. From a set everyone is all too familiar with, <em>War of the Spark</em>, we see a planeswalker with a static ability, a downtick and nothing more. This card will never be more than part of the 99 in the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doran, the Siege Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Doran, the Siege Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, the Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades, the Strategist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The static on this card is something those decks often need to function at full capacity, and you'll gain a big chunk of like every time you get to -3 this card, but you only have two activations without help. This card will lead a deck if you want to do Selesnya walls, but other than that, I don't predict seeing it outside of the 99 of the other decks.</p>
<h1><strong>Wrap Up</strong></h1>
<p>So far, this has been the least colorful of all the color combinations. Selesnya is not a "flashy" color combination, but what it does, it does well. In the case of the planeswalkers spending four mana to put counters on your creatures, sometimes getting card selection, and maybe winning the game is what it does. I also don't think any planeswalker on here has any chance of being banned with a rule change making them all legal as a commander. Ajani and Huatli have strong ultimates on some of their planeswalkers, but they are not strong on their own, and sometimes, when you're looking for your commander or the card that wins the game, you need it to be able to go it alone without relying as much on other cards.</p>
<p>What this color combination does have going for it maybe above all else, is the single planeswalker that I would rate as bad, and it's one from a planeswalker deck product, so that's not necessarily a surprise. Selesnya seems to thrive on four-mana curves and creature synergies and not much else. If anything, this might provide proof that after going through all the single-color and half of the dual-color planeswalkers, stability might be achievable on the horizon. In my next article, we have the color combination synonymous with death and taxes, Orzhov. With ten planeswalkers split into only two characters, we should end up getting more variety than seen here.</p>


Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Selesnya)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/gtc/169/gruul-charm">Gruul Charm</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CZoltan+Boros%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Zoltan Boros</a>)</h6>
<h1>If Not Gruul, Then Why? If Not Gruul, Then You Lie. If Not, Gruul Then DIE!</h1>
<p>The question of planeswalkers as commanders has been brought up in <em>Magic</em> discourse an infinite number of times. People say it would kill EDH as a format, and others say it will do nothing but give more options to an endless pool of commanders. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. My name is Nick, and the tenth installment of <em>Myth Realized</em> will cover Gruul (red, green) cards and how they would each ruin (or not ruin) your favorite 100-card singleton format.</p>
<p>If you have stuck around with me until this article, you know what cards to look for in this color combination. If not, check out the articles I did in <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-red/">red</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-green/">green</a> to see the cards I've shouted out in these colors.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arlinn Kord" href="#" target="_blank">Arlinn Kord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arlinn Kord"></div></div>
<p>It's taken ten articles, but we finally have a flip walker that isn't a legendary creature on the front side. I saw this card opened by my best friend at prerelease for this set (this was the only card he wanted), and it was a house in Limited. This card is easy to flip, as it only cares about what you are doing to flip the card, and the backside of this card is a game-winner in its own right. The downside is that you must wait a turn after flipping this card to use the backside abilities, delaying your ability to win the game. A solid choice for Gruul Werewolves if you want to go that way, and with its offering, this might be the way to go, especially if you do not want to deal with a mentally taxing mechanic like on our next card.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arlinn, the Pack&#039;s Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Arlinn, the Pack&#039;s Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arlinn, the Pack&#039;s Hope"></div></div>
<p>Daybound (If a player casts no spells during their own turn it becomes night next turn) / Nightbound (If a player casts at least two spells during their own turn, it becomes day next turn). The fix for the new-age Werewolves of the game. It's mentally taxing and often ignored in Commander when you're only playing one card with this mechanic, but it's crucial for the sake of this discussion. This card is elegant in dealing with an ability that's sometimes out of your control. Giving creatures flash and a bonus when they enter the battlefield is fantastic for a +1 ability. Making two Wolves for -3 is a bit worse. On the back side, having a +2 that adds mana makes situations more reasonable when you need to cast two spells to flip Arlinn back. The 0 to turn your Commander into a 5/5 with keywords is fine when you need it and ignorable in every other situation. This and the previous version of the card are serviceable and a welcome surprise when looking at some of the past walkers we have seen in the series.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Domri, Anarch of Bolas" href="#" target="_blank">Domri, Anarch of Bolas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 1RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Domri, Anarch of Bolas"></div></div>
<p>Pop quiz time: What is the rule around 3 mana value planeswalkers? That's right, readers, we <strong>always</strong> pay attention to them. And this might sound wild, but I think this card would be hated in "casual" Commander and not quite strong enough for "competitive" Commander. Individual feelings on the words casual/competitive aside, the ability that matters to this card is the +1 adding colored mana and not allowing creatures to be countered. Lower-powered players/decks and new players often lament an opponent's counterspell, and when it's cast toward one of the giant haymaker creatures they just put in their deck it feels even worse. The card fixes that problem. Higher-powered players/decks and seasoned players often appreciate the ability to interact with cards before they hit the battlefield. This card makes that not an option. Un-counterability from the command zone in colors that prioritize creatures over most other things in the game takes this card from a strong card for playgroups that dislike interaction or have started to embrace the good side of countermagic. It's something that has the potential to be a menace in formats where countermagic is necessary, and losing to combat is often an afterthought.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Domri, Chaos Bringer" href="#" target="_blank">Domri, Chaos Bringer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Domri, Chaos Bringer"></div></div>
<p>"Solid" might be the best adjective to describe Gruul walkers. Nothing on this card is "bad" outside of the ultimate, but the two abilities you want to use on this card are not so good that you would warp a deck to fit around this card. Making mana to cast a creature and giving that creature a bonus when it comes in solid. Creature selection on a downtick that does not immediately lose this planeswalker is also solid. At 4, say it with me now...solid. This card will never be the worst thing you have, but it might never be the best thing either, and sometimes, that is what you want in a commander.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Domri, City Smasher" href="#" target="_blank">Domri, City Smasher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 4RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Domri, City Smasher"></div></div>
<p>The first...and thankfully, only time I have to say this in the article. This is a planeswalker-deck walker, and it is not very good. With that out of the way, why is it not very good? Six mana is too much for what you get from this version of Domri. The +2 is legitimately good, giving your entire team a buff, and haste is a way to win or assist in winning. The rest of this card is significantly below the curve. A -3 for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is sad, and for the equivalent of casting the card after resolving <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, -8 for those not keeping track, you get three 1/1 counters and trample on the creature(s) that get those counters. Yuck. I don't think this card is justifiable even with the +2, as there are many, many cards in this color combination that can do some or all of this effect.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Domri Rade" href="#" target="_blank">Domri Rade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 1RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Domri Rade"></div></div>
<p>A planeswalker from a somewhat infamous block, we see another three-mana version of Domri. This card has been out for a while and hasn't made any waves, but the fact remains: this card is solid. Domri Rade might be the poster child for how many RG-but-mainly-mono-green planeswalkers operate. A plus ability that gives you a version of card draw/selection. A minus ability that lets you use your, ideally, bigger and better creatures to remove your opponents' creatures, in this case by fighting. And an ultimate that most certainly wins the game. And win the game this does. Double strike, trample, hexproof, and haste are terrifying keywords. And even more so due to this being on an unremovable emblem. Once again, solid.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lukka, Bound to Ruin" href="#" target="_blank">Lukka, Bound to Ruin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2R(R/2 life/G)G</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lukka, Bound to Ruin"></div></div>
<p>This card is <em>not</em> solid, and this character is not well-liked in the community. Compleated, another mechanic not yet seen due to when I started writing the series, is featured on this card. Compleated allows you to pay the appropriate color or two life (thanks Phyrexia<em>), </em>and if life was paid, this card enters with two fewer loyalty. At five mana and five loyalty, having this card come in with only three counters is a killer. Losing the ability to the -4 if you pay the reduced cost is a bad look for this card, and the other abilities aren't looking so good that I would want this at four mana and two life instead of just five mana. This is also the only Gruul walker that restricts what the mana it produces can be used on. The two other Domri, Arlinn, and a walker to be named later, have either no restrictions or grant a bonus if used on a creature. Mix all this together, and we get a very unimpressive planeswalker.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Samut, the Tested" href="#" target="_blank">Samut, the Tested</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Samut, the Tested"></div></div>
<p>The first appearance of Samut falls somewhere between Lukka and Domri. The +1 is fine, and the -2 is lackluster. The ultimate has game-winning potential, and with another four mana cost in the top right corner, this card can find its place among the masses. The biggest knock against this card is that the creature versions of this card do things just a bit better. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Samut, Vizier of Naktamun" href="#" target="_blank">Samut, Vizier of Naktamun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Samut, Voice of Dissent" href="#" target="_blank">Samut, Voice of Dissent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> push the aggression a bit better than the planeswalker version. However, we can always run those cards as commanders; we cannot in the case of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Samut, the Tested" href="#" target="_blank">Samut, the Tested</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Samut, Tyrant Smasher" href="#" target="_blank">Samut, Tyrant Smasher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2RR/2GG/2RG</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Samut, Tyrant Smasher"></div></div>
<p>Another solo appearance of a planeswalker from a particular product, in this case <em>War of the Spark</em> (<em>WAR</em>). And with it, I'll continue to declare another appearance of a four-man Gruul commander being solid. A static ability that gives all your creatures haste is never going to be bad to have access to. A quick Scryfall search gives me 56 cards with this particular combination of words, 55 if you remove <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Immediate Action" href="#" target="_blank">Immediate Action</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> because it is a conspiracy. So it's not as if this is unheard of, and outside of mono-blue and mono-white, there's an effect in all mono colors, colorless, and a variety of color combinations. This is a wanted effect, even more so in the color combination most likely to turn things sideways. Now, like the uncommon walkers from <em>WAR</em>, we only have one ability, reducing loyalty and limiting the uses. But this can stick around at five starting loyalty and a -1 downtick. For reasons I cannot explain, the downtick gives +2/+1 to a creature, gives you a scry, but for some reason provides the creature with haste. The corner case for using this ability on an opponent's creature to activate its ability on your turn to somehow benefit you makes my head hurt.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarkhan Vol" href="#" target="_blank">Sarkhan Vol</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sarkhan Vol"></div></div>
<p>If a trend hasn't emerged amongst the cards already discussed, it has now. We know the drill here: four mana value and an uptick ability that pumps creatures and gives haste. A way to "remove" your opponent(s) creature on the downtick, but instead of fighting, we get a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Threaten" href="#" target="_blank">Threaten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect. However, the ultimate on this card isn't as game-winning as some others in the rundown. A total of 20 power of flying lizards is good, but not coming in with haste is unfortunate. To complete the trend, this card earns another solid grade from me.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrenn and Six" href="#" target="_blank">Wrenn and Six</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrenn and Six"></div></div>
<p>If you thought my earlier statement about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Domri, Anarch of Bolas" href="#" target="_blank">Domri, Anarch of Bolas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was outrageous, get ready. This card would do nothing but give you situational ramp out of the command zone. Is that bad? Not at all. Is it good? I am not so sure. For a card banned in Legacy and format-warping in Modern; the landscape is very different when not in a 1v1 setting. One damage to any target won't do much when stapled to a planeswalker. Having a land in your graveyard to reuse is good, but there are many ways to do this in green, often in easier ways. The ultimate has to be built around if that's your plan, and it is an ultimate far-off in the distance, even if this comes down on turn two. A 1v1 menace and, for a point in time, the best card in the format. When taken to a free-for-all though, some things do not stack up.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, the Reveler" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, the Reveler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <strong>- 2RG</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xenagos, the Reveler"></div></div>
<p>There's one big difference between Xenagos, the Reveler, and all the other four mana walkers who can add mana with an uptick. This one goes up exponentially. This card is so much better than it looks, and as a person who learned that after playing it, do<em> not</em> underestimate the Reveler. What makes this even better is this card makes its creatures who happen to have haste as a bonus. Now, the ultimate of this card can win a game, but it will either win you the game randomly or with prior setup. Either way, there should still be some value gained from it, even if it is not game-winning. A card that is more fun than the first look and the final card to be given a solid grade.</p>
<h2><strong>Wrap Up</strong></h2>
<p>What else to say but "solid"? Gruul is <strong>solid</strong>. These walkers are the most medium, good in specific builds, better than they look walkers I've covered up to this point. The only question marks for me would be, is my evaluation of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Domri, Anarch of Bolas" href="#" target="_blank">Domri, Anarch of Bolas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> correct, and is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrenn and Six" href="#" target="_blank">Wrenn and Six</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> better than I am giving it credit for? Nothing on here jumps out to me as bannable or dangerous for the health of the format, but I don't think there would be many of these showing up in games anyway. I don't expect to be correct in every evaluation across all the various colors I have covered and will cover. Still, I either have a massive blind spot for the Gruul color combination, or I've found the barometer for the rest of the series.</p>
<p>As stated earlier, if not Gruul, then die. Still, another option for you is to catch my next article focusing on a color combination that is possibly the most opposed in ideologies to this one, Selesnya. Thanks to everyone for reading my tenth article in the tenth month of the year, of all things, and I hope to see you for our halfway point traveling the colors of the guilds.</p>
<h3>Read more:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="UJYGycmAF5"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/do-your-worst-gruul-mill/">Do Your Worst - Gruul Mill</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="BZ004AQDpT"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/myth-realized-what-if-any-planeswalker-could-be-your-commander-red/">Myth Realized - What if Any Planeswalker Could Be Your Commander? (Red)</a></p></blockquote>
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