Dawn CharmDawn Charm | Art by John Avon

Welcome to The Cycle Report, an series where I rank the best cards of any given cycle for Commander play. Today, we're looking at one of Magic's oldest and most expansive cycles: Charms.

If you're unfamiliar, Charms are cards that let players pick from one of multiple effects (usually three). Also, they have "Charm" in their name. There's actually been many different cycles of Charms over the years, making them a sort of meta-cycle (or tight cycle, in designerspeak). In Commander, these cards are especially relevant. The flexibility of Charms means including one can actually free up a card slot - instead of playing one card to counter spells and another to remove a creature, you can play a Charm that can do both!

Today we'll look at the Charms whose effects offer the most value, flexibility, and potential for exciting blow-out plays.

Honorable Mentions

Vision CharmVision Charm is, admittedly, too niche to see play in most decks. But if your deck centers around artifacts, phasing is just about the best protection you could ask for. And the ability to turn all lands of one type into another is sneakily disruptive, as it has the potential to lock an opponent out of playing spells for a turn. Just watch the Tergrid player try to cast their commander when all their Swamps are Islands! Finally, its inclusion in Magic's funkiest format, Forgetful Fish, AKA DandânDandân, lends the card a sort of folklore appeal.

Simic CharmSimic Charm is one half of Heroic InterventionHeroic Intervention, which already makes it notable. Bouncing your own creature to save it from a wrath or re-buy its enters or cast trigger is always good value, and bouncing a Blightsteel ColossusBlightsteel Colossus (or Yargle) can be life-saving. Finally, no one suspects a combat trick in Commander, so the +3/+3 can be hilariously effective, and can even be used politically on an opponent's creature.

10. Jeskai Charm

Admittedly, you might not get much use out of the middle mode of Jeskai CharmJeskai Charm, but if you've ever won a game of Commander with Lightning BoltLightning Bolt, you know the thrill potential is there.

But this card earns its place for the third mode, because there are a lot of Jeskai decks that care about noncreature spells and going wide - the new Elsha is a perfect example, and Kykar, Wind's FuryKykar, Wind's Fury is an all-time favorite. The buff to your team coupled with the lifelink can lead to massive point swings, and the removal mode might save your life one day. It'll certainly annoy your opponents, that's for sure.

9. Sultai Charm

Sultai CharmSultai Charm is the bread-and-butter of Charms. Its modes aren't exciting or splashy, but it can remove a good deal of troublesome permanents, and if it's not doing that, the final mode lets it replace itself. The ability to draw two cards then discard one has extra relevance in Sultai decks, which often want specific cards in their graveyard. Dumping a nine-drop haymaker rotting in your hand for later reanimation always feels good.

8. Rith's Charm

Rith's CharmRith's Charm is an oldie, but a goodie. It's the only Charm that can destroy a land, and as WotC seems intent on printing more problematic lands (Urza's SagaUrza's Saga, anyone?) I value this effect pretty highly. It can also be three 1/1 tokens at instant speed for three mana, which is a respectable rate, and there are any number of Naya commanders that care about tokens and going wide.

7. Dawn Charm

On its face, Dawn CharmDawn Charm seems like an entirely defensive spell, but it's one of the more subtly political cards I've seen. The FogFog mode can save you from an alpha strike, or you can save an ally in return for favors. Similarly, the second mode lets you regenerate any creature, which you can also use to curry favor. The last mode is the most niche, but countering a fully kicked Rush of DreadRush of Dread will always feel incredible, and they never see it coming.

6. Riveteers Charm

Like Sultai CharmSultai Charm, Riveteers CharmRiveteers Charm is just all around solid. The removal mode can get around hexproof and shroud (just hope your opp isn't packing a Dawn CharmDawn Charm, as it targets a player!), and the last mode being incidental graveyard hate is growing more relevant by the day.

If neither of those two modes are doing it for you, you can always see three cards for three mana at instant speed, which is a decent rate.

5. Archmage's Charm

I'll admit, I have mixed feelings about Archmage's CharmArchmage's Charm. It is, on its face, quite powerful. Countering spells will never not be good. Drawing two cards is fine. Stealing a Sol RingSol Ring or a SkullclampSkullclamp or an Esper SentinelEsper Sentinel with the final mode is always satisfying. The card puts in work, but the amount of dramatic, memorable moments it creates are few and far between, and the longer I play Magic, the more I'm looking to create those moments more than anything else.

4. Rakdos Charm

Pound for pound, Rakdos CharmRakdos Charm is not better than Archmage's CharmArchmage's Charm, but it's my list! There's almost always a use-case for the first two modes, but the real reason Rakdos CharmRakdos Charm is so high on the list is for the final mode, which I just adore. This has the potential to scale incredibly well on clogged boards; I've seen more than one game end with this card dishing out upwards of 40 damage across the table. The fact that it's a symmetrical effect makes it that much cooler.

3. Charming Scoundrel

We could debate all day if Charming ScoundrelCharming Scoundrel is a charm or not - and please do, in the comments - but I've been slotting this into more and more decks. It's easy to cast, it blocks in the early game, and it's blinkable. This card can be a solid role player in a shocking number of strategies. Like Sultai CharmSultai Charm, the rummaging effect can move a card from your hand to the 'yard for later reanimation, and WotC continues to print commanders with artifact and Treasure synergies. From Prosper to Sauron, Uril to Calamity, this lady simply belongs.

2. Boros Charm

We've talked enough about the importance of protecting your board and the thrill of burning out an opponent at low life, so I won't reiterate that here. What I will say is I love double strike. It's easily one of the best ability keywords in the format. It can be used offensively to end games out of nowhere, and it can be used defensively to trade up on blocks. And much like Dawn CharmDawn Charm, Boros CharmBoros Charm can give double strike to any creature, meaning you can use it politically on an opponent's creature to completely upend an attack step.

Also, fun fact, I believe it's the only card whose artist shares a name with the card they drew!

1. Archdruid's Charm

I don't think there's any debate that, pound-for-pound, Archdruid's CharmArchdruid's Charm is the best Charm WotC has ever printed. When you break it down, it essentially breaks the Charm rules by having five modes, not three.

• Search your library for a creature card and put it into your hand.
• Search your library for any land card (yes, really, any land card) and put it onto the battlefield.
• Buff your creature, then punch an opponent's creature.
• Exile target artifact.
• Exile target enchantment.

These modes range from good to phenomenal. Given the ability to tutor creatures and lands, the flexibility of this card really is nearly limitless. The only question is, can you cast it?

Charmed, I'm Sure

Those were my personal picks for the top 10 Charms in Commander. If anything, I hope you found a good utility piece that frees up a slot in your deck for your pet card (Loxodon WarhammerLoxodon Warhammer, here I come!) or better yet, synergizes with your commander in ways you never considered.

What do you think? Did I miss your favorite Charm? Are you worried I hit my head and forgot Charming PrinceCharming Prince or Golgari CharmGolgari Charm exist? Let me know in the comments below! I'll read them. I promise.