Umbral Collar ZealotUmbral Collar Zealot | Art by Dmitry Burmak

Welcome back to Wombo Combo, the article series chronicling Commander's best combo cards based off data from EDHREC and Commander Spellbook. Last year, we looked at the best combo cards released in 2024 to round off the year. Let's run it back in this edition with 2025's best combo cards for Commander!

This year saw the release of many new sets, like Aetherdrift and Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and many crossover sets, featuring IPs like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Final Fantasy. With these sets came thousands of new cards - some as functional reprints of existing effects, and some with completely new effects never seen on another Magic card.

This list will contain a healthy mix of both categories, allowing you to introduce new effects into your decks, and bolster pre-existing metas all the same.

Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?

#10: Szarel, Genesis Shepherd

Set Released: Edge of Eternities Commander (EOC)
Number of Combos: 221
Deck Inclusions: 4,728 as commander (#478); 13,948 as card (5.06%)

Szarel, Genesis ShepherdSzarel, Genesis Shepherd is a strong combo card that places +1/+1 counters on your creatures as you sacrifice permanents. This effect works well with cards like Evolution WitnessEvolution Witness to recur permanents, or for triggering Animation ModuleAnimation Module to make tokens.

Szarel also lets you recur lands from your graveyard, allowing you easier combos with Mystic SanctuaryMystic Sanctuary or to prevent damage dealt to you thanks to Glacial ChasmGlacial Chasm.

Szarel's counter placement is also the perfect way to counter Puppeteer CliquePuppeteer Clique's persist trigger, sacrificing the other creature it gives you to trigger Szarel.

#9: Monk Gyatso

Set Released: Avatar: The Last Airbender Eternal (TLE)
Number of Combos: 222
Deck Inclusions: 597 as commander (#1,708); 6,075 as card (1.68%)

Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso has a unique ability that airbends creatures you control when they're targeted by a spell or ability. This is a great method of evasion, allowing them to narrowly escape MurderMurder and similar cards.

You can also target the creatures yourself, and recast them to get ETB triggers. This works especially well with cost reducers, like Semblance AnvilSemblance Anvil that can reduce the creature spell to , and cost abilities, such as those found on ShukoShuko and Outrider en-KorOutrider en-Kor.

From here, pick your favorite creature with an ETB ability, such as Ayara, First of LocthwainAyara, First of Locthwain or Cathedral SanctifierCathedral Sanctifier, for your preferred results.

#8: Spider-Man, Peter Parker

Set Released: Marvel's Spider-Man Eternal (SPE)
Number of Combos: 227
Deck Inclusions: 357 as commander (#2,041); 4,047 as card (0.37%)

Spider-Man, Peter ParkerSpider-Man, Peter Parker provides a similar effect to Ajani's PridemateAjani's Pridemate, with some notable extras, allowing the counter to be placed on any creature you control and giving that creature indestructible. The counter works great for combo purposes, allowing many lines with Animation ModuleAnimation Module and a Soul WardenSoul Warden or similar effect.

Spider-Man can also pair with Walking BallistaWalking Ballista or Shalai and HallarShalai and Hallar for infinite damage (if you give them lifelink) or Spike FeederSpike Feeder for infinite lifegain. Spider-Man can also capitalize on Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks's lifegain to counteract the -1/-1 counter by its persist ability.

#7: Stridehangar Automaton

Set Released: Aetherdrift Commander (DRC)
Number of Combos: 252
Deck Inclusions: 49,644 decks (1.06%)

Stridehangar AutomatonStridehangar Automaton creates an additional 1/1 Thopter artifact creature token whenever you make a creature token. This creates simple combos with Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer, Warren SoultraderWarren Soultrader, and Shilgengar, Sire of FamineShilgengar, Sire of Famine.

In many combos, Stridehangar Automaton can also function similar to Doubling SeasonDoubling Season, giving you another creature token that can be used for paying mana costs. This allows easier combos using Clock of OmensClock of Omens, allowing Transmutation FontTransmutation Font or Retrofitter FoundryRetrofitter Foundry to produce two tokens each time instead.

Stridehangar Automaton also provides additional utility for many popular commanders, like Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw and Breya, Etherium ShaperBreya, Etherium Shaper.

#6: Beifong's Bounty Hunters

Set Released: Avatar: The Last Airbender (TLA)
Number of Combos: 295
Deck Inclusions: 2,423 decks (1.5%)

Beifong's Bounty HuntersBeifong's Bounty Hunters earthbends a land whenever a nonland creature you control dies. Due to earthbending returning the land when it dies or is exiled, Beifong's Bounty Hunters is perfectly paired with BloodghastBloodghast to infinitely recur it and the land. You can also use Khalni GardenKhalni Garden to create a token as it enters, allowing you to then sacrifice it and earthbend Khalni Garden.

Baloth PrimeBaloth Prime or Springheart NantukoSpringheart Nantuko effects can also serve a similar purpose. It's also possible to use Yedora, Grave GardenerYedora, Grave Gardener along with two other creatures, alternating sacrifices for an infinite combo.

#5: Toph, the First Metalbender

Set Released: Avatar: The Last Airbender (TLA)
Number of Combos: 300
Deck Inclusions: 11,891 as commander (#121); 5,348 as card (2.18%)

Toph, the First MetalbenderToph, the First Metalbender turns all your nontoken artifacts into lands, and also allows you to animate a land once per turn using its triggered ability. With earthbending's recursive properties, this allows you to repeatedly use MindslaverMindslaver to control opponents, or The Stasis CoffinThe Stasis Coffin to give you protection.

You can also use Candelabra of TawnosCandelabra of Tawnos to untap itself, making easy combos with large mana producing lands like Gaea's CradleGaea's Cradle. And make Bumi, UnleashedBumi, Unleashed an artifact with Liquimetal TorqueLiquimetal Torque, allowing it to then untap itself when it triggers.

#4: Exalted Sunborn / Elspeth, Storm Slayer

Sets Released: Edge of Eternities (EOE) and Tarkir: Dragonstorm (TDM)
Number of Combos: Over 660
Deck Inclusions: 39,984 (Exalted); 89,257 (Elspeth)

Token doublers are common combo pieces, and 2025 gave us two new options in mono-white: Exalted SunbornExalted Sunborn and Elspeth, Storm SlayerElspeth, Storm Slayer.

Token doublers are excellent combo pieces for cards like Ghave, Guru of SporesGhave, Guru of Spores, Ant QueenAnt Queen, and Spawnsire of UlamogSpawnsire of Ulamog. Token doublers also benefit from having as many of them as possible, so you'd also want to include Anointed ProcessionAnointed Procession, Primal VigorPrimal Vigor, and other cards to take advantage of these effects.

#3: Haru, Hidden Talent

Set Released: Avatar: The Last Airbender (TLA)
Number of Combos: 420
Deck Inclusions: 76 as commander (#3,010); 13,506 as card (1.48%)

Haru, Hidden TalentHaru, Hidden Talent earthbends whenever an Ally enters, making it a strong card for Ally-focused earthbending decks. Haru loves Retreat to EmeriaRetreat to Emeria, which creates an Ally on a land drop, allowing the land to then be recurred and trigger Retreat to Emeria again.

You can also use the famous Dryad ArborDryad Arbor, and make it an Ally with Maskwood NexusMaskwood Nexus to earthbend it and recur it infinitely. Allies can also be made into lands thanks to Ashaya, Soul of the WildAshaya, Soul of the Wild to provide a similar line to the Dryad Arbor combo.

#2: Gwenom, Remorseless

Set Released: Marvel's Spider-Man (SPM)
Number of Combos: 655
Deck Inclusions: 2,300 as commander (#854); 17,162 as card (1.57%)

If you've ever wanted a Bolas's CitadelBolas's Citadel in the command zone, then Gwenom, RemorselessGwenom, Remorseless is the answer to your prayers. Gwenom lets you cast cards from the top of your library by paying life in lieu of mana.

With a plethora of lifegain cards to choose from, it's easy to counteract this life payment. This involves cards like Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir, Soul's AttendantSoul's Attendant, and Golem's HeartGolem's Heart. You can also cast cards that give your life back, like Gray Merchant of AsphodelGray Merchant of Asphodel or Death CultistDeath Cultist.

Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality is also a free cast if you have seven or more life, and can be shuffled to be cast multiple times.

#1: Umbral Collar Zealot / Phantom Train

Sets Released: Edge of Eternities (EOE) and Final Fantasy (FIN)
Number of Combos: Over 1,500
Deck Inclusions: 37,297 (Umbral); 4,198 (Phantom)

The champion of combos is, and probably always will be, sacrifice outlets. This year gave us several new options, including Umbral Collar ZealotUmbral Collar Zealot and Phantom TrainPhantom Train. The great aspect of both these cards is that they double as both an artifact sacrifice outlet and a creature sacrifice outlet, allowing you to save a card in your deck if you need both.

Sacrifice outlets are key to many combos, including recursion cards like Nim DeathmantleNim Deathmantle, triggering death triggers from Camellia, the SeedmiserCamellia, the Seedmiser, and undying or persist abilities. Sacrifice outlets can also provide effects that can trigger abilities. For example: Altar of DementiaAltar of Dementia can trigger Zellix, Sanity FlayerZellix, Sanity Flayer, and/or Syr Konrad, the GrimSyr Konrad, the Grim.

While there are too many ways to use a sacrifice outlet to list here, chances are if you want to run combos, you'll need a few in your deck.

Honorable Mentions

Can't get enough of what 2025 has to offer? Here's a few more options from this last year:

1. The Wandering MinstrelThe Wandering Minstrel: Untaps lands that enter tapped, allowing you to tap Simic Growth ChamberSimic Growth Chamber for mana immediately, or activate MirrorpoolMirrorpool after it enters.

2. Quina, Qu GourmetQuina, Qu Gourmet: similar to Stridehangar Automaton, giving you an additional Frog as you create tokens. Perfect for creating additional mana to continue a combo.

3. Ketramose, the New DawnKetramose, the New Dawn: creates some unique lines using Currency ConverterCurrency Converter or NecropotenceNecropotence style cards.

4. The Fire CrystalThe Fire Crystal: acts both as a cost reducer and a haste enabler, perfect for red combat decks and Breath of FuryBreath of Fury combos.

Thank you very much for reading this edition of Wombo Combo, and don't forget to check out Commander Spellbook for more Commander combos and visit the Commander Spellbook Discord to submit your own Commander combos.

Until next time, happy comboing, and have a wonderful holiday season!