Diversion UnitDiversion Unit | Art by Xabi Gaztelua

Aetherdrift is here, and given its chaotic mix of Mario Kart death race energy it is perhaps unsurprising that it brings us a long list of cards to spice up our multiplayer games.

Welcome to another list of the most interesting and interactive cards for your Commander decks, except this time it’s cars.

As always, I approach this list with the aim of selecting cards that make for interesting and memorable games – where you leave your evening with the warm feeling of having had good and interactive games where things happened.

These cards are not necessarily going to help you win games, and they are not selected to introduce chaos or randomness, but I hope that they will help to inject some interest and interactivity, keeping players engaged with games and perhaps generating new and interesting situations.

Whether or not a card is interesting is subjective, so this is an inescapably biased list, but I hope that it will make for an interesting read, perhaps make you think about a card that has passed you by in the maelstrom of new sets and products, and maybe generate a discussion or two.

Honourable Mention

The Aetherspark

To cover it off before I get stuck into the list, let’s talk about The AethersparkThe Aetherspark. I should mention this because it is interesting. As the first Legendary Artifact Planeswalker – Equipment, The AethersparkThe Aetherspark therefore present us with the first time that our creatures can triumphantly carry a planeswalker into combat.

However, type line aside, The AethersparkThe Aetherspark is not especially interesting. It’s certainly powerful, and I’m not sure what possessed WOTC to leave out “to a player”, but really its abilities boil down to card draw and ramp, and we’ve got plenty of that already. It will be strong, and fun to play with, but that’s not what this list is about.

#10 – Cursecloth WrappingsCursecloth Wrappings

Cursecloth WrappingsCursecloth Wrappings is a fairly straightforward card. It provides a static buff to Zombies under your control and gives you a way to make more Zombies.

There are a couple of additional considerations that make this stand out beyond this, however.

Firstly, this generates incredible value, giving you a slow but steady access to a second copy of anything that you either can’t or won’t be reanimating.

Secondly, Cursecloth WrappingsCursecloth Wrappings generates a token copy of the embalmed creature. This comes with some downsides over simple reanimation or recursion, but also the significant upside of being populatable.

As a long-time Xavier Sal, Infested CaptainXavier Sal, Infested Captain player, this pushes large and colorful buttons for me. But in any deck with cards like Determined IterationDetermined Iteration, Nesting DovehawkNesting Dovehawk or Promise of AclazotzPromise of Aclazotz, you’ll be very pleased to have a reliable way to make token version of things that have ended up in your graveyard.

This card won’t be breaking commander any time soon, but it is definitely an interesting design that will generate you good value over the course of a game.

And if you can take advantage of the peculiarities of the creatures that it generates – white tokens in a black+ deck – then it’s all upside.

#9 – The Speed DemonThe Speed Demon

I’m a big fan of finishing games quickly in explosive fashion to get more games in, and The Speed DemonThe Speed Demon is going to put a pretty short timer on the game as soon as it hits the table, or at least your involvement in it.

A 5/5 flying trample demon is going to be a reliable source of speed, so it likely won’t be long before you’re drawing 4 cards a turn at the not-insignificant cost of 4 life. S

ome combination of the drawn cards and life lost will catapult you either into the lead or out of the game, and either way it will be a memorable experience for you and your opponents.

Whether it is the greatness of victory or the greatness of glorious self-defeat, The Speed DemonThe Speed Demon will certainly deliver it to you at any cost.

#8 – Sab-Sunen, Luxa EmbodiedSab-Sunen, Luxa Embodied

Aetherdrift adds two new gods to the Amonkhet pantheon, one of which is a terrifying exile-based Orzhov powerhouse, and the other one is Bounty of the LuxaBounty of the Luxa on an indestructible stick.

The flavor of this card is off the charts. Sab-Sunen is the embodiment of the river Luxa, and ebbs and flows like the river itself. In a vacuum, she will be available for combat on every other turn, and on her turns off will draw you two cards. There are any number of ways to have her do one of these things every turn, however, and many ways to make her do both.

Any repeatable way to add or remove +1/+1 counters from her will allow you to have Sab-Sunen draw you two additional cards a turn while always being available for attacks and blocks.

Simple effects like Bristly Bill, Spine SowerBristly Bill, Spine Sower, Ms. BumbleflowerMs. Bumbleflower or Perilous SnarePerilous Snare will let you put additional counters on Sab-Sunen, and cards like Shapers of NatureShapers of Nature, Soul DivinerSoul Diviner or Xavier Sal, Infested CaptainXavier Sal, Infested Captain will allow you to remove counters from her, variously giving you added value beyond the ability to control which of Sab-Sunen’s abilities trigger each turn.

If you are able to change the number of counters from odd to even after the beginning of your first main phase but before combat on your turn, she will both draw you the cards and meet your opponents in battle.

I think that Sab-Sunen, Luxa EmbodiedSab-Sunen, Luxa Embodied will be a strong card, but for me it is the flavor that makes this such an exciting card.

#7 – Demonic JunkerDemonic Junker

Demonic JunkerDemonic Junker has already appeared on many “best cards from Aetherdrift for commander” lists, and I don’t disagree. In the right deck, this card can be a 1 mana destroy three creatures and optionally get a death trigger from your own board.

Windgrace’s JudgmentWindgrace’s Judgment is an expensive but sometimes underrated removal spell, and Demonic JunkerDemonic Junker gives you a similar effect on a stick, being flickerable, blinkable, reanimatable and cloneable. Removal is a core part of a healthy commander game, and one of the most essential types of interaction available.

This card will help to keep on top of problem boardstates and perhaps avoid taking the nuclear option – where a board wipe would reset the board and extend the game, a tactical multitarget removal spell like Demonic JunkerDemonic Junker could see you removing problematic creatures on your opponents’ boards while maintaining your own boardstate, keeping the game moving and your momentum strong.

#6 – Diversion UnitDiversion Unit

Of all of the bizarre and exciting cards revealed for Aetherdrift, Diversion UnitDiversion Unit immediately stood out as something fun. As a 2 mana 2/1 flier, it is an evasive annoyance that will chip in throughout the early game, which can often become clogged with ramp and setup plays.

It is its activated ability to Mana LeakMana Leak an instant or sorcery spell that puts this reasonably high up this list, however. I am not typically a fan of Mana LeakMana Leak, it can be effective in a game where players regularly tap out to play their bombs turn after turn, but it is – usually – a one-and-done effect.

The power of Diversion UnitDiversion Unit is the lurking threat of its activation. It requires your opponents to respect the potential additional 3 mana, which can lead to spells being delayed for three turns to make sure the mana is available, or suboptimal ordering in an attempt to bait the Diversion UnitDiversion Unit.

There are many other similar effects in the game – Glen Elendra ArchmageGlen Elendra Archmage and Daring ApprenticeDaring Apprentice threaten hard counters, which are certainly more powerful than the humble Diversion UnitDiversion Unit, but it is perhaps arguable that they may disrupt your opponents’ gameplay less.

The ability to pay an additional 3 mana gives your opponents hope for their spell’s resolution, so rather than firing their spells off to simply get the counterspell effect off the board, they are more likely to play things out in strange and different orders.

Realistically, the floor of this card is that an opponent tries to cast something like a Rampant GrowthRampant Growth or a Risky ShortcutRisky Shortcut and it winds up taking up their whole turn instead of being a cheap first spell.

The ceiling seems like it could be a sort of stax-adjacent chaos, but either way Diversion UnitDiversion Unit is an interesting and interactive addition to the commander toolbox.

#5 – Trade the HelmTrade the Helm

Trade the HelmTrade the Helm is not a unique effect. Role ReversalRole Reversal, Shifting GriftShifting Grift and SwitcherooSwitcheroo are already available to us for swapping our less exciting thing for an opponent’s more exciting thing. There are a couple of things that set Trade the HelmTrade the Helm apart, however.

Firstly, where most similar effects limit you to exchanging a creature for a creature or an artifact for an artifact, Trade the HelmTrade the Helm also lets you exchange one for the other.

In a format filled with Treasure, Clues, Food, and Blood (etc.) this opens up the ability to toss a single disposable artifact token an opponent’s way in exchange for I don’t know, their commander?

And likewise perhaps you are awash with Saprolings or Zombies and your opponent has an Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir, Bolas’s CitadelBolas’s Citadel or The Great HengeThe Great Henge…

Secondly, Trade the HelmTrade the Helm has cycling. This is a simple quality-of-life upgrade on previous iterations of this effect – in situations where you don’t need or want to make an exchange, you can just cycle it away.

Effects like Trade the HelmTrade the Helm can turn games on their head, and will make for exciting and memorable moments. Just watch out for Diversion UnitDiversion Units, I’m less convinced by this effect at 8 mana.

#4 – Mimeoplasm, Revered OneMimeoplasm, Revered One

Three of the remaining four cards on this list are legendary creatures, which I hadn’t intended but speaks to the commander-centric design of modern sets.

First up, we have Mimeoplasm, Revered OneMimeoplasm, Revered One. One of my favourite cards from Commander Legends: Battle at Baldur’s Gate is Shameless CharlatanShameless Charlatan.

Your commander being able to change into a copy of something else at instant speed without any sort of a once-per-turn restriction is hugely powerful, and Mimeoplasm, Revered OneMimeoplasm, Revered One allows you to do this at an even cheaper rate.

These days filling your graveyard with interesting creatures is trivial, so the question is no longer how do we make creatures available to this card, but is simply what do we want to turn it into?

As long as you have 2 mana available, you will be able to turn Mimeoplasm, Revered OneMimeoplasm, Revered One into an unblockable creature during combat and a powerful threat before damage is declared, or a creature with indestructible or hexproof in response to removal.

You can leverage its +1/+1 counters to have a large version of something that’s “supposed” to be small, or have a buried copy of a combo piece that you bring out later on when it’s safe to do so.

Now consider that with additional counters such as those supplied by Scavenged BrawlerScavenged Brawler your Mimeoplasm version of each of these creatures will be the same but so much better.

Simply put, if the right creatures are absorbed into the Mimeoplasm it’s going to be an absolute nightmare to remove, and you will feel completely unassailable.

Depending on how this deck is built, it will certainly at times feels quite uninteractive, but there is certainly potential for extreme shenanigans, and I am looking forward to seeing the builds that people put together.

#3 – Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge

Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge is the next in a long line of cards that go from just fine to extremely interactive with the simple exclusion of the phrase “you control”. Whenever you discard one or more cards, target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn for each card discarded.

You obviously have the option of discarding cards to pump your own creatures and dish out more damage than you otherwise might have done, but in the same way as a flashback-able Bulk UpBulk Up has to be respected, Captain Howler’s very presence on the board means that any unblocked creature at any point in the game is a single wheel away from hitting for 14+ more damage than you were expecting it to, and blocking maths becomes far more stressful than normal.

Wheels are the blunt force instrument in this deck. Decaying Time LoopDecaying Time Loop is a source of massive repeatable creature pumps, and both Channeled ForceChanneled Force and Fateful ShowdownFateful Showdown do the same but with added targeted damage just because.

But Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge is not just a creature of brute force, we have precision tools available to us as well. Repeatable discard outlets like Ghostly PilfererGhostly Pilferer, ScuttletideScuttletide or Land’s EdgeLand’s Edge allow you to sculpt the power of the creature(s) of your choice to suit you, whether it’s pushing through that bit more commander damage or making sure that what appeared to be a favourable block becomes a trade.

Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge puts you in a position to dictate the flow of the game, and be the driving force in wheelings and dealings around the table.

Some opponents may take issue with you wielding their creatures to beat each other up and decide to attack you instead. So just goad their creatures.

#2 – Gonti, Night MinisterGonti, Night Minister

Here he is, the Mr. Commander of Aetherdrift himself. Gonti, Night MinisterGonti, Night Minister has shed his green-and-blueness but retained his thieving ways, except this time he’s spreading the love.

Now anyone attacking one of your opponents has the potential double upside of stealing cards on combat damage and treasure generation upon casting those cards.

This is I think significant enough upside that if you have Gonti out and your opponent has two open attacks – you or someone else – you can be pretty confident that they’re not sending creatures your way.

This level of protection is powerful, but it’s the mixing and matching of cards in decks that put this at #2 on this list. In Magic: The Gathering, colors have an identity, and color pie breaks are frowned upon and/or avoided.

This is partly to protect the distinct identity of each color and combination of colors, but also to allow the designers to confidently assume that certain things in different colors won’t – under normal circumstances – mix.

Any Theft deck pilot knows that having access to colors outside of the identity of your commander can lead to all sorts of strange interactions that you didn’t plan for, and Gonti, Night MinisterGonti, Night Minister gives this power to every deck at the table. Suddenly a Shroofus SproutsireShroofus Sproutsire deck is dropping a Moonshaker CavalryMoonshaker Cavalry or a Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov throws out an Extravagant ReplicationExtravagant Replication.

I do not think that this is an every game deck, confusing the identity and game plan of everyone’s deck will be challenging and introduce not-insignificant admin in terms of giving everyone their stuff back at the end of each game, but when Gonti, Night MinisterGonti, Night Minister hits the table the game will devolve into a kind of complicated and unexpected soup of different cards, and I think that sounds fun. Sometimes.

#1 – Amonkhet RacewayAmonkhet Raceway

As my (maybe controversial) number one, I present another card that benefits from the omission of the phrase “you control”. It’s not quick to get online, but once you reach max speed Amonkhet RacewayAmonkhet Raceway becomes modal – you can tap it for a colorless mana, or to give any creature on the board haste.

This is a powerful effect, and being able to swing in with or activate an ability of a creature the turn it comes down can change up the momentum of a game in a big way. Arena of GloryArena of Glory was briefly quite cheap, until the world clocked that the ability to give a creature haste on a land was pretty excellent, and while Amonkhet RacewayAmonkhet Raceway has to wait until you’ve got max speed, and doesn’t contribute to the casting cost of its target creature, I think that the ability to point this at an opponent’s creature goes some way to making up for these shortcomings.

Every turn, you have a powerful gift to give. If you have ever played with Spectral SearchlightSpectral Searchlight or Victory ChimesVictory Chimes you’ll be familiar with the deals that these cards can broker.

Amonkhet RacewayAmonkhet Raceway’s offering could simply be added value to a player’s turn, or the opportunity to slam in for the final bit of commander damage necessary to take out the current archenemy before they can untap to prevent it.

Sometimes there will simply be no downside to giving an opponent’s new large creature haste, if the agreement is made that it swings somewhere other than at you.

It is distinctly possible that I’m overestimating this card, and that the three-turn setup is completely prohibitive to it being as useful as I’m imagining. But I am, for now at least, excited about its potential to politic in a way that keeps games moving and life totals going down.

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Let me know if any of these cards have already made their way into your decks, or if any of them might now! I hope that you all enjoyed your prereleases and pull and/or pick up exciting things as you explore Aetherdrift.

Look out for future articles on Interesting & Interactive cards, as well as the upcoming launch of the new Most Interactive Commander (name to be determined) article series. Thanks for reading!

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