Fable of the Mirror-BreakerFable of the Mirror-Breaker | Art by Joseph Meehan

Hey, everyone! Welcome to another edition of Back to Basics. We're taking a detour from covering the clans from Tarkir (Abzan, Jeskai, Abzan, Mardu, and Sultai) to visit the top 10 most played Sagas in Commander ahead of the release of Final Fantasy (FIN), which utilizes Sagas as a mechanical theme. Sagas can be confusing to evaluate because they do a lot of things, but you'll find that the full package of effects can be pretty effective at advancing a certain game plan. They're also one of my favorite card sub-types!

10. War of the Last AllianceWar of the Last Alliance - 34,519 decks

The first Saga on the list is incredibly well-suited to a Legends-Matter deck, because all its abilities contribute to that deck's often creature-centric game plan. Double strike can be a pretty useful way to end the game! These decks are often led by Aragorn, the UniterAragorn, the Uniter or Jodah, the UnifierJodah, the Unifier, among other options.

And, because Sagas tend to feature a lot of text and frequently extra abilities, War of the Last AllianceWar of the Last Alliance also has synergy with Frodo, Sauron's BaneFrodo, Sauron's Bane and Frodo, Adventurous HobbitFrodo, Adventurous Hobbit // Sam, Loyal AttendantSam, Loyal Attendant. Finally, Sagas themselves are an increasingly well-supported card type with powerful, interesting commander options like Tom BombadilTom Bombadil, Narci, Fable SingerNarci, Fable Singer, and Sigurd, Jarl of RavensthorpeSigurd, Jarl of Ravensthorpe. It'll be fun seeing how much better that archetype becomes with the influx of new enchantments from FIN.

9. The Cruelty of GixThe Cruelty of Gix - 34,522 decks

A lot of these cards are good in Saga theme decks, and not just because they help make up the numbers. The Cruelty of GixThe Cruelty of Gix can be slow to get going at five mana, but combining a bit of disruption with a tutor effect helps you keep the Sagas flowing and can net you an important creature from one of your opponents. Anikthea, Hand of ErebosAnikthea, Hand of Erebos, Ghen, Arcanum WeaverGhen, Arcanum Weaver, or Muldrotha, the GravetideMuldrotha, the Gravetide can help squeeze every last drop of value out of the three abilities, while working a reanimator package into your deck — or playing this in a reanimator build with someone like Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright can be sweet, too.

8. Elspeth Conquers DeathElspeth Conquers Death - 40,569 decks

This former Standard powerhouse is great in EDH for the same reason it was an amazing card in decks from that format alongside Yorion, Sky NomadYorion, Sky Nomad and Teferi, Time RavelerTeferi, Time Raveler: It's a fantastic target for blink effects. Blink is such a sweet archetype because getting to reuse all your permanents feels completely broken, and it comes with some really strong commander options, like Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal, Roon of the Hidden RealmRoon of the Hidden Realm, and Abdel Adrian, Gorion's WardAbdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward // Candlekeep SageCandlekeep Sage, among others.

With Sagas, even the powerful ones, you may get one chapter that doesn't quite align with your game plan or that maybe doesn't quite measure up to the value offered by the other ones. Chapter II on Elspeth Conquers DeathElspeth Conquers Death may not immediately strike you as powerful, but when combined with timely blink effects, your opponents will need to have an answer eventually, lest they remain unable to cast multiple noncreature spells in a turn. Recurring the removal effect can also get unreasonable for opponents. For more on what goes well in Brago and other Blink decks, check out this article by Levi Perry.

7. The Mending of DominariaThe Mending of Dominaria - 43,060 decks

Aside from being an option in Saga decks, Mending also works well in decks that like filling up the graveyard and that also do stuff with lands. As it happens, black-green and other combos touching those colors feature a lot of commanders that enjoy both of those activities. The MycotyrantThe Mycotyrant powers up the more cards hit your graveyard, The Gitrog MonsterThe Gitrog Monster can draw you a bunch of cards, and Landfall cards like The NecrobloomThe Necrobloom, Field of the DeadField of the Dead, and Omnath, Locus of RageOmnath, Locus of Rage go absolutely bananas with Chapter III.

You can also build around Deserts in Naya colors, with Yuma, Proud ProtectorYuma, Proud Protector and Hazezon, Shaper of SandHazezon, Shaper of Sand providing great synergy with Mending and Obuun, Mul Daya AncestorObuun, Mul Daya Ancestor providing an excellent finisher option. Make sure to run Ancient GreenwardenAncient Greenwarden to double up all the sweet triggers when Chapter III hits!

6. One Ring to Rule Them AllOne Ring to Rule Them All - 44,462 decks

Another Saga from the Lord of the Rings set (and not the last one on this list), One Ring to Rule Them AllOne Ring to Rule Them All has great synergy with many of Middle Earth's legends that include black in their color identity, with Tom Bombadil being a gimme due to being pretty much the Saga Commander. Sméagol, Helpful GuideSméagol, Helpful Guide helps you build up to a monstrous Chapter III; Sauron, the Dark LordSauron, the Dark Lord is a high-powered legend that rewards you heavily for Ring tempt instances in a Zombies or Reanimator build; and, while not a creation of J.R.R. Tolkien, Coram, the UndertakerCoram, the Undertaker later in the game both helps enable a big Chapter III and works well with Chapter I.

Also, I feel like I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up this fun but not-necessarily powerful combo with this and Body of ResearchBody of Research:

A lot of things can prevent you from winning the game after you mill everyone's decks, but maybe the three decks running this combo swear by it!

5. There and Back AgainThere and Back Again - 54,944 decks

This isn't the first Saga on the list to boast a combo, but it is one with a pretty popular engine, figuring in over 3,000 EDHREC decks:

With Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor, Mirkwood BatsMirkwood Bats, and There and Back AgainThere and Back Again, you can create 42 tokens and deal 42 damage to the rest of the table — and that's before even sacrificing anything!

Aside from incorporating the combo into Saga decks, you could run it in decks that like it when you sacrifice stuff anyway, like Korvold, Fae-Cursed KingKorvold, Fae-Cursed King or Juri, Master of the RevueJuri, Master of the Revue. EDHREC users are also playing this in Dragon kindred decks since the token Chapter III makes has that creature type.

4. Fable of the Mirror-BreakerFable of the Mirror-Breaker - 62,427 decks

Speaking of combos, Fable of the Mirror-BreakerFable of the Mirror-Breaker boasts a ton of them, thanks to its Chapter III that is a Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker callback! Check out the card's Commander Spellbook page for all the ways you can win the game with it!

Chris Guest featured the card in his list of 15 Best Goblin Cards and it's a popular addition in Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss decks and other mono-red lists, like Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw and Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge.

3. The Eldest RebornThe Eldest Reborn - 65,456 decks

In multiplayer Commander this will often be a better Cruelty of Gix, because its first two chapters affect each opponent and Chapter III lets you pick from among the planeswalkers in the graveyard aside from creatures. Its similarity with the rare Saga does mean it slots into most of the same decks, including Saga lists, Anikthea, Muldrotha, Ghen, and Tergrid, where its actually much better because it can net you multiple permanents on the battlefield. I do also want to mention Sagas' synergy with Glissa SunslayerGlissa Sunslayer, who can remove just counters from your Sagas and reuse Chapters I and II. Xavier Sal, Infested CaptainXavier Sal, Infested Captain does something similar.

Just remember that removing counters from Sagas doesn't do anything immediately; chapter abilities won't trigger again until the Saga receives a new lore counter after your next draw step.

2. Binding the Old GodsBinding the Old Gods - 71,532 decks

This is another one that's juicy with Glissa, Anikthea, or Muldrotha, helping you trigger more than once. Binding is also great in token-heavy decks like Squirrels, Fungi/Saprolings, or Elves where the last mode can threaten to get in for a lot of damage without good blocks for opponents.

1. Urza's SagaUrza's Saga - 417,086 decks

It's unsurprising that the most played Saga in Commander is also a land that you can slot into any deck, because that upside is just incredible. It doesn't matter very much at all that you lose a land when Chapter III triggers, because the value you end up getting out of it will usually more than make up for the downside. Unlike the other Sagas on this list, you don't really see this played in Saga theme decks; rather, Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer, Zhulodok, Void GorgerZhulodok, Void Gorger, and other artifact or colorless commanders are much more popular.

What are EDHREC users fetching out of their library with Chapter III? Sensei's Divining TopSensei's Divining Top, SkullclampSkullclamp, ShadowspearShadowspear, and Expedition MapExpedition Map are just four of the many great options depending on the situation. Not to mention that you probably got a large Construct token out of the deal as well! Urza's SagaUrza's Saga isn't just a great Saga; it's a powerhouse EDH card.

While They Squabble Below, Let Us Rise AboveWhile They Squabble Below, Let Us Rise Above

And that's the end of this Saga of a Top 10 list! I can't wait to see what FIN has in store for the Saga theme decks and how its Sagas mix up the format in other decks. Until next time, I hope your Reflections of Kiki-Jiki always have something sweet to copy!