Bring a spark of joy to your Commander games.
Planeswalker is a card type in Magic: The Gathering, first introduced in 2007. Well-known cards like Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Liliana of the Veil possess planeswalker typing. Close to 300 planeswalker cards exist in MTG (including cards with planeswalker backsides) as of the time of writing. However, March of the Machine’s storyline caused the desparking of many planeswalkers and a pullback on the frequency of new planeswalker cards in future sets.
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Market Price: $18.19
Wizards of the Coast’s desparking of fan-favorite planeswalkers did not prevent them from designing innovative planeswalker cards. Modern Horizons 3 contains a cycle of transforming planeswalkers such as Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student and Grist, Voracious Larva. Also, Throne of Eldraine’s planeswalker, Oko, returned after a hiatus in Outlaws of Thunder Junction.
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Market Price: $17.08
Planeswalkers can see play across various Constructed formats, including Commander. Moreover, Commodore Guff; Dihada, Binder of Wills and Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes are planeswalkers capable of being a commander. While not all new-to-MTG planeswalkers are commander options, they can serve other commanders well. Let’s discuss six planeswalker cards worth your consideration in the 99 of a Commander deck.
6. Jace Reawakened
Jace Reawakened
Outlaws of Thunder Junction, Mythic
Outlaws of Thunder Junction’s Jace Reawakened is a two-mana planeswalker card joining the ranks of Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded and Wrenn and Six. Jace Reawakened provides three functional loyalty abilities, albeit with one drawback. You cannot cast Jace before the fourth turn of a game. Although, casting Jace on turn four or later is less of an issue in Commander than in other Constructed formats.
Activating either of Jace Reawakened’s +1 loyalty abilities to loot or plot a nonland card with three or fewer mana synergizes with multiple commanders. Foretell-themed decks led by Kellan, the Kid and Vega, the Watcher can use Jace’s plot ability to cast permanent spells for free and draw additional cards. Stella Lee, Wild Card may want to leverage Jace’s to trigger its static ability, which exiles the top card of your library to play until the end of your next turn.
Another opportunity for Jace to shine is inplaneswalker-themed decks led by Commodore Guff and Leori, Sparktouched Hunter. Commodore Guff wants to flood the battlefield with planeswalkers to draw cards and deal damage. Leori’s combat damage ability enables you to loot or plot twice in a turn. Don’t let Jace’s drawback stop you from exploring ways to generate more value.
5. Wrenn and Realmbreaker
Wrenn and Realmbreaker
March of the Machine, Mythic
Wrenn and Realmbreaker is a three-mana planeswalker from March of the Machine with several abilities. Lands you control can tap for mana of any color merely by having Wrenn and Realmbreaker on your battlefield. Players may recognize the same effect on Chromatic Lantern, Joiner Adept or Dune Chanter.
Besides its static ability, Wrenn and Realmbreaker can briefly turn a land into a 3/3 Elemental creature with vigilance, haste and hexproof. Also, using the -2 loyalty ability will mill three cards and let you put a permanent card from among them into your hand. If you can activate Wrenn and Realmbreaker’s ultimate ability, you will receive an emblem letting you play lands and cast permanent spells from your graveyard.
Wrenn and Realmbreaker excels as a support card in lands-themed Commander decks. Wrenn and Realmbreaker’s -2 loyalty ability harmonizes with Lord Windgrace’s -3 loyalty ability as any milled lands left in the graveyard can go to the battlefield. Milling one or more lands with Wrenn and Realmbreaker will also trigger The Gitrog Monster’s card draw ability. The Necrobloom can utilize Wrenn and Realmbreaker to fuel its landfall ability and provide color fixing.
Speaking of color fixing, Wrenn and Realmbreaker is an excellent addition to the 99 of some five-color commanders. Horde of Notions; Omnath, Locus of All and Esika, God of the Tree are five-color commanders that could maximize Wrenn and Realmbreaker’s abilities. There are other potential uses for Wrenn and Realmbreaker in Commander decks led by Tatyova, Steward of Tides; Yuma, Proud Protector and Carth the Lion.
4. Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients
Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients
Zendikar Rising, Mythic
Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients is a Boros planeswalker from Zendikar Rising with an affinity for Warriors and Equipment. For four mana, Nahiri enters the battlefield with three loyalty abilities you can activate immediately. Nahiri’s three loyalty abilities are as follows:
- +1 loyalty creates a 1/1 white Kor Warrior creature token, and you may attach an Equipment you control to it
- −2 loyalty lets you look at the top six cards of your library. You may reveal a Warrior card and/or an Equipment card from among them and put them into your hand, and put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order
- −3 loyalty has Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients deal damage to a target creature or planeswalker equal to twice the number of Warriors and Equipment you control
Though Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients’ average market price is under $1, it can pack a punch in Boros Equipment-themed Commander decks. One reason to slot Nahiri in the 99 of Nahiri, Forged in Fury; Wyleth, Soul of Steel or Bruenor Battlehammer is its ability to create a 1/1 white Kor Warrior creature token repeatedly. Equipment-themed decks are susceptible to targeted removal and board wipes, which could leave your battlefield empty of creatures. Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients can ensure you have one or more creatures available to equip and attack for significant combat damage.
Another motive for running Nahiri is its -2 loyalty ability. There will be scenarios playing Equipment-focused decks where you have several creatures on the battlefield and need more Equipment for them. Some decks may have enough Warrior cards in the 99 where the probability is high enough to consistently find a Warrior within the top six cards of your library.
3. Ajani, Sleeper Agent
Ajani, Sleeper Agent
Dominaria United, Mythic
Ajani, Sleeper Agent is a four-mana, GW planeswalker from Dominaria United. Interestingly, Ajani, Sleeper Agent has the compleated ability, which lets you pay two life instead of one green or white mana when casting it. Paying two life instead of mana results in Ajani entering the battlefield with two loyalty counters instead of four.
Ajani has three loyalty abilities. For +1 loyalty, you reveal the top card of your library; if it is a creature or planeswalker card, you put it into your hand. If you do not put the card into your hand, you may put it on the bottom of your library. Spending -3 loyalty lets you distribute three +1/+1 counters among up to three target creatures. The targeted creatures also gain vigilance until the end of the turn. Finally, -6 loyalty earns you an emblem: “Whenever you cast a creature or planeswalker spell, target opponent gets two poison counters.”
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Ajani’s ultimate loyalty ability aligns with infect-themed Commander decks. Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice; Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa and Vishgraz, the Doomhive are all possible commander choices for infect-themed decks featuring Ajani in the 99. Ajani’s compleated ability is a flavor win too.
Alternatively, players may want to put Ajani, Sleeper Agent in +1/+1 counters-themed decks led by Falco Spara, Pactweaver and Kros, Defense Contractor. Ajani’s +1 loyalty ability complements Falco Spara since you can peak at the top of your deck before activating it. Furthermore, +1/+1 counters placed by Ajani support Falco Spara, Pactweaver’s ability to cast cards from the top of your library. Regarding Kros, Ajani’s -3 loyalty ability can put +1/+1 counters on any creature on the battlefield. Goading and providing trample to three of your opponent’s creatures with one loyalty ability is not insignificant.
2. Quintorius Kand
Quintorius Kand
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, Mythic
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan’s Quintorius Kand is a five-mana Boros planeswalker. Quintorius Kand can protect itself by creating a 3/2 red and white Spirit creature token. Quintorius’s more appealing abilities are its -3 loyalty ability to discover four and its static ability that deals two damage to each opponent and gains you two life whenever you cast a card from exile. Paying -6 loyalty to generate red mana off cards in your graveyard and cast some of them from exile is helpful but not always an option.
Where Quintorius Kand is impressive is in Commander decks that want to cast cards from exile. Pia Nalaar, Consul of Revival works well with Quintorius Kand on the battlefield. Casting any card from exile will net you a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying and trigger Quintorius Kand’s static ability. It is hard to ignore the synergies between Quintorius, Loremaster and Quintorious Kand as both cards can create Spirit creatures and aim to cast spells from exile.
Combining The Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler with Quintorius Kand can generate plenty of damage and life gain. The Tenth Doctor wants to suspend tons of cards, which ultimately get cast from exile for free. Commodore Guff will likely desire Quintorius Kand since it can produce a blocker or discover four into another planeswalker or support card.
1. Lolth, Spider Queen
Lolth, Spider Queen
Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, Mythic
Lolth, Spider Queen from Adventures in the Forgotten Realms is a five-mana black planeswalker. Lolth, Spider Queen has a fascinating triggered ability that lets you put a loyalty counter on it whenever a creature you control dies. Although Lolth does not have a loyalty ability to sacrifice creatures, it can create two 2/1 black Spider creature tokens with menace and reach by depleting three loyalty. If Lolth is low on loyalty counters, you can always draw a card and lose a life. Building eight or more loyalty counters on Lolth will possibly earn you an emblem: “Whenever an opponent is dealt combat damage by one or more creatures you control, if that player lost less than eight life this turn, they lose life equal to the difference.”
Lolth is an obvious inclusion in Spider-themed Commander decks. Shelob, Child of Ungoliant and Ishkanah, Grafwidow are two of the more popular Spider-themed commander choices. Lolth can repeatedly activate its loyalty ability to create two 2/1 black Spider creature tokens with menace and reach by having your own or other Spider creature tokens under your control perish.
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Aristocrats-themed Commander decks are another fine home for Lolth. Yawgmoth, Thran Physician can sacrifice creature tokens generated by Lolth for added value. Also, Yawgmoth can proliferate, further increasing Lolth’s loyalty counters. Drivnod, Carnage Dominus and Teysa Karlov have abilities that will double the loyalty counters gained by Lolth whenever a creature you control dies.
Fascinatingly, Carth the Lion turns Lolth’s first loyalty ability into +1 loyalty, enabling it to gain a loyalty counter and draw you a card for one life. Xavier Sal, Infested Captain is another commander interested in Lolth and other black planeswalkers. A few more commanders interacting positively with Lolth include Tomik, Wielder of Law; Chatterfang, Squirrel General and Grist, the Hunger Tide.