Good day everyone. Today is Friday and what happens on Friday? Friday Night Magic! Folks head to their favorite hobby shops to play Magic: The Gathering.
As most of you already know, Magic: The Gathering TCG is a diverse trading card game. With various card game format being played here and there, there is something for anybody. Have you opened some recently released Magic: The Gathering booster packs? Try the standard format. Got some cards slowly gathering dust on your storage boxes from the past years? Why not try modern or better yet vintage or legacy. Got many common-rarity cards? Try pauper format. Got a single copy of Magic cards? Play tiny leader format, or even better, commander. Oh and by the way, commander format, also called EDH (short for Elder Dragon Highlander), is one of the Magic game format that has been recently established.
Speaking of recent establishments, one of the recently created card types in Magic: The Gathering are planeswalker cards. And I'm telling you right now that these cards pack a lot! Planeswalkers are cards that enter the battlefield with multiple abilities that can be used on the go (provided you have loyalty points to spend for it). I'm not going to bore you by explaining mechanics since you probably knew that already knew and there are multiple websites discussing these in greater detail (or you may just head to the Magic: The Gathering website).
So without further ado, I present to you what this article really is for. The top 7 best planeswalkers in commander format.
Coming up with the list. Several factors were considered such as game relevancy. Does the abilities the planeswalker have are relevant and usable to the current game state? Are they game-changers? Another factor is survivality, Can these planeswalkers protect themselves in any way? Next is affiliation. Can more than one deck theme use the planeswalker or it is only bound to one or two deck themes. Casting cost may not be much of a factor here since a game of commander may take numerous rounds that even the costliest of planeswalkers even see play. Sadly we will not consider the flipwalkers, planeswalker cards introduced in Magic Origins set, for this list. These cards originally start out as creatures and just transform or 'flip' to become planeswalkers later on.
Honorable Mentions
Sorin Markov
Magic's planeswalking vampire made the list. Sorin's first ability is the traditional black's burn spell. Frankly, it isn't quite as relevant on most game states since players are starting at huge life (40) and due to the length of commander games, opposing creatures are usually large that 2 damage wouldn't be enough to kill it. Your opponent may also have multiple creatures on his side that a one creature killed wouldn't deter him. But a life loss is still their loss and a life gain is still our gain so I'll take it. Useful on endgames when players are running low on life and are quickly razing each other. Their loss is your gain.
Sorin's second and ultimate abilities are where he shines. Being able to instantly turn an opponent's life from 40, 100, or whatever they can count to mere 10 life is heaven-sent. Being able to control one of your opponent's turn, as brought by his ultimate ability, means the difference in win or defeat since every single turn is important.
All the black mana on his cost made him a difficult to include on most decks running two or more colors but once you cast him, you'll live to see the day. Or rather the night.
Garruk Wildspeaker
Garruk made the list. In a world of green deck, being able to produce out creatures is a more than a must. Garruk's first ability searches the top cards of your library for creatures and his second ability puts that said creatures or any other creatures in your hand into play. Very sweet. Big costly creatures see play early to wreak havoc on otherwise unsuspecting opponents.
Believe me, Garruk's ultimate is just icing on the top of a already sweet cake. What's more better than creatures? More creatures. Cast cheap creature spells then put into play the biggest and nastiest of your creatures from your library and soon you'll have a herd of stampeding creatures in no time.
Daretti, Scrap-Savant
Also making our honorable mentions is Daretti, the goblin planeswalker. Being able to be chosen as a commander himself is plus one for him. Decks revolving around artifacts will surely love him. His first ability is how a red draw typically works. Discard one to two cards and then draw that much. Got an expensive artifact card that is hard to cast. Discard it. Know that it won't be there for long. Daretti's second ability puts an artifact back into play at a cost of another. Remember the expensive artifact you discarded earlier, sacrifice a cheaper artifact to get that more expensive artifact instead.
Daretti's ultimate ability is what packs the most heat. Got an artifact that can be sacrificed to deal damage. Then deal unending artillery fire to opponents. When the dust settles, only you will be left behind. Do you have an artifact that gives life or puts into play token creatures when sacrificed? Go on and abuse Daretti's emblem ability. The possibilities are endless.
Top 7
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
This Elspeth card is all about relevance and protection. The addition of not just one but three soldier creature tokens is always a welcome addition to her team. The soldiers give her much needed protection from attackers or possible attackers to undefended oppositions.
Elspeth's second ability drops all heavy hitters dead. Unfortunately, this includes your own creatures too. This will however give you a breathing room to operate. All is not lost though. Your soldier creature tokens lives. And sometimes they are just enough to destroy an already wiped out opponent.
If Elspeth's first and second ability are enough to protect you, her last ability is what will see you through. Your previously meek soldiers are now airborne knights ready to bring the glory.
Top 6
Tezzeret, the Seeker
The Tezzeret the Seeker planeswalker card is beloved by decks built around artifacts. His first ability doubles the efficiency of any artifact by being able to untap that artifact to be reused. A single Sol Ring may give 4 mana instead of 2. Artifacts that deal damage may deal double that damage instead. A an artifact creature that attacked earlier may be untapped as a defender on the opponents' turn.
Tezzeret's second ability is game relevant. Missing an artifact that does a particular effect needed at that particular game state? Search for it provided Tezzeret's loyalty counter match the casting cost for it.
Tezzeret's ultimate ability makes all those inconspicuous artifacts and equipment lying around rise and take arms. However, this is seldom used since it also risks your artifacts from being affected by spells normally targeting or affecting a creature but when it is used, it usually means victory may be achieved.
Top 5
Liliana of the Veil
None reflects cruelty more than Liliana of the Veil. Her cheap casting cost assures you get to see the pleasure of seeing her enter play early and often. And her involvement signals boon for you and the start of a punishment for everybody else.
Liliana will definitely punish you without lifting a finger. You will do the punishment yourself. Her first ability is the hors d'oeuvre, the appetizer. She will make everyone discard a card, but it will be a player's card of their own choosing. Her second ability forces an opponent to sacrifice one of his own creatures. Yes, it will be the opponent's own guilty choice.
Liliana will definitely punish you without lifting a finger. You will do the punishment yourself. Her first ability is the hors d'oeuvre, the appetizer. She will make everyone discard a card, but it will be a player's card of their own choosing. Her second ability forces an opponent to sacrifice one of his own creatures. Yes, it will be the opponent's own guilty choice.
Her ultimate ability is her plat principal, the main course. You separate all of the opponents permanents into two piles and be spared the burden of guilt as you sadistically watch your opponent as he gets to choose which he saves and which he sacrifices.
Top 4
Karn Liberated
Usually few decks are able to cast Karn Liberated on most other formats, moreover utilize him. But hey, this is commander. The average length of rounds usually see Karn and other costly planeswalkers see play. From the get-go, Karn does what he does best. Distraction and disruption. Along with a big body (I mean loyalty counter) of 6, Karn usually warrants opponents to take him out immediately as things will definitely go out of hand as long as he stays in the game. Karn's first and second ability exiles a card or a permanent from a player's hand or game respectively. Note the word 'exile'. Not 'destroy', not 'discard', but 'exile'. Usually there is no return from that.
Once Karn's ultimate ability activates, everything is reset back to square one. One thing though. Whatever exiled by his first and second abilities are put into play giving you the ultimate advantage.
Top 3
Dack Fayden
Dack Fayden's popularity has somehow been overshadowed by the fact he came from Conspiracy and Vintage Masters sets and thus is only available for use on vintage, legacy, and commander formats. But there will be no shortage of love for Dack Fayden here. That being said, commander format has allowed Dack to shine brightest as he is used for multiple devious purposes.
Dack's first ability is the typical behavior of a red blue draw spell, drawing two cards and then also discarding two cards afterwards. Best for decks which overall theme thrive from the graveyard (flashback, aftermath, delve, etc.). What sets him apart though is his other two abilities. His second ability lets you gain control of any other artifact. Period. What's better than one Sol Ring? Two Sol Rings. Maybe three Sol Rings. Or maybe all of your opponents' Sol Rings.
Dack's ultimate ability lets you gain control of any permanent whenever you target them with your spells. Cast a spell that damages all creatures, light enough to damage them but not to destroy them, and you'll find yourself flooded with creatures rallying to your cause. Better yet, cast a spell that target all permanents and you'll not just have all creatures but every planeswalkers, lands, enchantments, and artifacts as well.
Dack's ultimate ability lets you gain control of any permanent whenever you target them with your spells. Cast a spell that damages all creatures, light enough to damage them but not to destroy them, and you'll find yourself flooded with creatures rallying to your cause. Better yet, cast a spell that target all permanents and you'll not just have all creatures but every planeswalkers, lands, enchantments, and artifacts as well.
Top 2
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Talking about game relevancy, this card has that word written all over it. No wonder it has been banned in modern format. In fact Jace, the Mind Sculptor boasts to be the only planeswalker card yet that has been banned in existence (shame on you Jace). However, in reality this card is nothing to laugh at. Go ahead and you can ask players that this card went up against. His first ability lets you look at the top card of your opponent's library. You also get the option to put that card on the bottom of his library as you deem appropriate barring your opponent to never have the cards he badly needed.
Jace's second ability has the most acclaim as you are able to draw three cards and be able to put back in your deck two cards and mind this, not just from the three cards you just drawn but from your hand instead. This grants a great advantage since you literally control what you draw.
Jace's third ability protects him from danger as you're able to return an opposing creature (or any basically any creature) into their owner's hand.
Enter Jace's infamous fourth ability. It exiles the opponents current library and then makes the opponent's hand as his own limited library. Good luck to your opponent handling that.
Now for the moment of truth. Most of you might be surprised Jace only making the number 2 spot. But believe me, the top 1 nicked him by a small margin.
Top 1
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
It's Ugin for the win! The spirit dragon takes his rightful throne as the best planeswalker card in commander format. This card is all about relevancy and survivability. Let's discuss why.
First of all Ugin, like Karn, is colorless and thus doesn't require any particular colored mana to play. This makes virtually any deck theme available to include him if they want do so. Also being on a commander format where rounds usually take long, Ugin almost always see play and when he does, he always sees game action Ugin also boasts a sturdy loyalty counter of 7 that it usually needs 3 or more creatures to dispose him permanently. These makes him of utmost important to be handled early and rid-off by opposing players. Whenever that time comes though, Ugin may have already made an impact for you.
Ugin's abilities are all very relevant at any game state. His first ability deals three damage to any creature or player. This can destroy any creature fortunately thin enough to be destroyed and efficient for razing other players to death. His second ability grants him protection as it exiles ALL of colored permanents whose converted mana cost is less than or equal to the loyalty counters he used to spend for the ability. Since the permanents are exiled, there's usually no coming back from that. Ugin's last ability offers the ultimate advantage by giving you additional life, additional card draw, and being able to set up your battlefield with your permanents.
Please be reminded that this list will be definitely updated from time to time if there are newcomers able to dethrone the listed cards positions. As this discussion closes, do you have any particular card in mind that you think should have made the list. Got any of the listed card here that you think should not be in this list. Hit that comment section and let's discuss.
As always, keep shufflin'.
