ConfluxConflux | Art by Karl Kopinski

We did it, readers! Last week's Naya () feature wrapped up a 10-article series on the most played three-color cards in Commander. I've already looked at the most played monocolored cards as well as the top 10 cards from each of the two-color pairs.

In response to feedback from some of you, I wanted to write mini lists for each tricolor group uncluttered by legendary creatures. So today we're looking at the shards of Alara and next week, I'll bring you the clans of Tarkir.

If you want to know which cards landed in each group's top 10, check out my author page for the full collection.

Let's dive right in!

Bant

3. Finest HourFinest Hour - 12,776 decks

We're kicking things of with a non-red card that features a very red effect: extra combat steps! While perhaps not exactly in the mechanical identities of white, blue, or green, the Bant shard's unique exalted keyword ability justifies powerful and unique payoffs to attacking with just one creature per combat step.

Finest Hour is most commonly run in decks looking to take advantage of attack triggers or the enchantment card type. Rafiq of the ManyRafiq of the Many is a classic Voltron-style commander who loves combat, while Mr. FoxgloveMr. Foxglove is a newer commander that uses Finest Hour to both draw a bunch of cards and "Elvish PiperElvish Piper" a big creature into play.

This plus ProgenitusProgenitus may also spell doom for an opponent, while Galea, Kindler of HopeGalea, Kindler of Hope and Tuvasa the SunlitTuvasa the Sunlit are Bant commander options that attack profitably and key off enchantments.

2. Endless DetourEndless Detour - 13,439 decks

I've banged on endlessly about how important and powerful modal spells like charms are in Commander. Well, Endless DetourEndless Detour is basically a modal spell in that it's essentially a CancelCancel, a VindicateVindicate, and a Tormod's CryptTormod's Crypt in one card. That's busted, and, while I am exaggerating and the downside of letting opponents choose the destination of their card is quite real, it's no wonder this is the third most played removal spell in these colors behind Bant CharmBant Charm and Brokers CharmBrokers Charm.

It's also usable on your own stuff, as protection or graveyard recursion.

1. Kellan Joins UpKellan Joins Up - 14,051 decks

I love it when new cycles make a splash in Commander. We know Charms and Ultimatums are good, but how about these fun three-color enchantments from Outlaws of Thunder Junction?

Annie Joins UpAnnie Joins Up topped the Naya list and the Bant iteration has made a splash as a cheaper Cathars' CrusadeCathars' Crusade for legends that also spots you the three mana you need to cast a spell on a later turn!

It's tailor-made to synergize with Kellan, the KidKellan, the Kid, but it also fits right into creature-heavy legends-matter decks like Aragorn, the UniterAragorn, the Uniter and Jodah, the UnifierJodah, the Unifier.

Esper

3. Thopter FoundryThopter Foundry - 14,517 decks

Foundry is a classic artifact combo card with a lengthy Commander Spellbook page. Here's the most popular one:

Thopter-Sword has been a staple combo of various Constructed formats through the years, as well as Cube lists, and it's good enough in Commander to have made Ethan Coover's Best Esper Combos list.

You're most likely to find Foundry in Breya, Etherium ShaperBreya, Etherium Shaper and Urza, Chief ArtificerUrza, Chief Artificer, who both take great advantage of its ability to produce tokens even when you haven't assembled the combo. It's a grindy card, too!

2. Obscura CharmObscura Charm - 14,590 decks

This Charm is a pretty clear-cut example of how flexibility equals power. For just three mana, you get a conditional counterspell, a removal spell that deals with most utility creatures, and the wildcard third mode gives you value in white and black decks that often want more ways to recur creatures from the graveyard.

Sure, the modes are all somewhat restrictive, but that's why Obscura CharmObscura Charm is just commonly played and not downright ubiquitous.

1. Birth of the ImperiumBirth of the Imperium - 17,432 decks

What more can you ask for in a Saga? Birth of the ImperiumBirth of the Imperium adds to your board in a way that scales with the game, it keeps your opponents' boards a little smaller than they could be, and Chapter III ties the whole yarn together with some card advantage. It's a haymaker enchantment and a flavor win!

Being a Saga, Tom BombadilTom Bombadil and Terra, Magical AdeptTerra, Magical Adept can make use of this, and so can Esper Warhammer precon buddies Marneus CalgarMarneus Calgar and, to a lesser extent, Inquisitor GreyfaxInquisitor Greyfax.

You might want to ensure you're running token generators to make this card really pop, but Birth is simply a powerful and largely self-contained game piece.

Grixis

3. Nicol Bolas, PlaneswalkerNicol Bolas, Planeswalker - 15,597 decks

I was hoping that doing the bonus list this way would make the Grixis section a little less... Bolas-ey, but such is Magic's big bad's stranglehold on his color trio. It's okay though, because we adore him, and he knows it.

Originally printed in Conflux, this Bolas was the first time the character appeared on a planeswalker card, and boy, was he powerful. Working your way up to a sort of Cruel UltimatumCruel Ultimatum is great flavor and his abilities just read so clean and concise.

While threats have certainly gotten better since 2009, Bolas still managed to crack the top 100 of Joseph Megill's epic undertaking of ranking "battlecruiser" Magic cards.

2. Cruel UltimatumCruel Ultimatum - 22,087 decks

Like Bolas, Ultimatum was absolutely devastating when it was printed, even becoming the centerpiece of successful Standard and Extended decks often dubbed "Cruel Control."

In Commander in 2025, the Grixis member of the ultimatum cycle isn't the most popular one, but it still shows up often in decks that either cheat this onto the stack as early as popular or ones that can somehow copy it or cast it for free.

It's reasonable to guess that, over the past 15 years, we're seeing more cheap cards played in the format, but sometimes you really need a seven-drop to do the job!

1. Nicol Bolas, God-PharaohNicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh - 23,274 decks

If Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker dazzled in its day through clean templating and simple, yet devastating effects, Hour of Devastation's God-Pharaoh boasts four loyalty abilities and a veritable wall of text.

It's still a Bolas card though, meaning it does things like steal opponents' stuff, make them discard cards, and threaten to win the game with a splashy ultimate.

You'll see this seven-drop most often in Planeswalker decks like Nicol Bolas, the RavagerNicol Bolas, the Ravager and Esika, God of the TreeEsika, God of the Tree, but big mana and lands decks like Jodah, Archmage EternalJodah, Archmage Eternal and Omnath, Locus of AllOmnath, Locus of All play this as one of many haymakers.

Jund

3. Ziatora's EnvoyZiatora's Envoy - 8,997 decks

A solid role player in Jund decks, and specifically Riveteers-flavored ones with Streets of New Capenna, Envoy can be cast with haste to get a little extra value of off the top of your deck. That doesn't sound too exciting, but its interactions with various commanders make it a fine inclusion.

Henzie "Toolbox" TorreHenzie "Toolbox" Torre wants hard-hitting creatures to blitz into play and provide some sort of extra advantage. Ziatora, the IncineratorZiatora, the Incinerator makes sure the body isn't wasted by sacrificing it for damage and Treasure before the blitz ability sacrifices it, and Mr. Orfeo, the BoulderMr. Orfeo, the Boulder plays well with high-powered, hasty creatures.

2. Gluttonous HellkiteGluttonous Hellkite - 9,854 decks

I love that Gluttonous HellkiteGluttonous Hellkite takes the Jund shard's devour mechanic and also lets you gobble up opponents' creatures, leaving you with a huge trampler and clearer board.

This is a decent but very expensive tool that finds a home in Dragons decks as well as a supporter in Jund decks helmed a range of legends from Yurlok of Scorch ThrashYurlok of Scorch Thrash to Korvold, Fae-Cursed KingKorvold, Fae-Cursed King.

1. LavalancheLavalanche - 12,537 decks

This is a powerful sweeper that likely suffers from costing three mana to start with and only hitting one player's creatures. It's fine in a 1v1 game, but board wipes like FarewellFarewell are among the most played cards in their respective colors because they deal with everything, and permanently, too.

Still, Yurlok of Scorch ThrashYurlok of Scorch Thrash or Omnath, Locus of AllOmnath, Locus of All can get you the mana bump you need to actually clear a portion of the board, and Jared CarthalionJared Carthalion takes the three-pip cost and turns it into a recurrable sweeper.

You might just kill an opponent with the FireballFireball effect, too!

Naya

3. Cabaretti CharmCabaretti Charm - 17,459 decks

Another trio, another Charm. Cabaretti's version may only offer one type of disruption, but in exchange it also makes for the perfect inclusion in tokens or go-wide decks with abilities that either grow your board presence or buff your whole team.

A lot of the legendary creatures from the Naya top 10 list want this card, from Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's SecondJinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second to Baylen, the HaymakerBaylen, the Haymaker.

2. Titanic UltimatumTitanic Ultimatum - 18,253 decks

Naya's entry into the Ultimatum cycle is one of the best OverrunOverrun variants of all time, taking even the smallest tokens and turning them into game-winning threats.

Not all creature-oriented decks will want this effect, because they'll have plenty of other ways to win, but Rin and Seri, InseparableRin and Seri, Inseparable, Duskana, the Rage MotherDuskana, the Rage Mother, and Aragorn, the UniterAragorn, the Uniter all play this reasonably often for its surprise damage factor

1. Mayael's AriaMayael's Aria - 18,369 decks

We're ending this list with an alternate win condition, which is very sweet. Uril, the MiststalkerUril, the Miststalker's hexproof and static ability make this a viable combo, while Shalai and HallarShalai and Hallar is just happy to trigger the counters effect and start machine-gunning opponents' boards down.

Speaking of combos, you don't need a bunch of Auras to get there; Conclave Sledge-CaptainConclave Sledge-Captain, ColossificationColossification, and a bunch of other cards do the trick just fine:

Nicol Bolas Doesn’t Distinguish Between Servants and VictimsNicol Bolas Doesn’t Distinguish Between Servants and Victims

It was a great list with a bunch of older, perhaps underrated cards, so I can't wait until I can bring you the wedge list next week! Is there a three-color shard card you just can't build a deck without, even if it doesn't see a lot of play? Let us know!

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