Commander Masters – the next entry in Magic: The Gathering's format-based "masters" sets – is due for a big reveal this week. If the reveal event follows the same format as other recent reveals like The Lord Of The Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth, we're going to have a lot of cards to sink our teeth into.
Before the reveals roll out, we wanted to take a minute to suggest a few cards which are due for a reprint. Some we haven't seen in a long time, some are too dang expensive, and some are both of those things, but no matter the reason, Commander Masters will serve the MTG faithful well by including our suggestions.
First, a few honorable mentions, which in this case are designating cards likely to be a shoo-in for this new set:
- It's been in only two sets and it still costs a ton of money. It's due.
- It's an artifact specifically made for Commander, and it's only been printed in one set and one Secret Lair. It's time to come back.
- The Fetch Lands (Arid Mesa, Marsh Flats, Bloodstained Mire, etc.)
- This is selfish, but I just want these to be less expensive.
- While this is a good candidate, it's here because the editor-in-chief of this website lists this card as his favorite card ever, so if I didn't include it, he would probably have been salty with me. [Editor's Note: He's not wrong.]
Alright, here's the real list:
Those "Free If You Control A Commander" Cards
Deadly Rollick. Deflecting Swat. Flawless Maneuver. Fierce Guardianship. Obscuring Haze. These five cards were included in the Commander 2020 preconstructed decks, and they all had a single defining trait: they were each free to cast if you controlled your commander. Only one of them has seen a printing since that Commander 2020 debut – Flawless Maneuver was found in a Phyrexia All Will Be One commander precon – so now is the time.
Despite the familiar "free if you control a commander" mechanic, these cards are by no means evenly matched. Deadly Rollick and Deflecting Swat were free answers to opposing spells, which made them the most valuable of the bunch, but each of them have their merits in the middle of a match. If there were ever a time to bring these back, it's Commander Masters.
The Other Four Commander 2016 Face Commanders
Every Commander player knows the name Atraxa, Praetor's Voice. Since her debut seven years ago, Atraxa has become one of if not the most popular Commander card in the entire format. However, she was only one of five featured commanders in the 2016 lot, and it's high time the other four get their due.
Kynaios And Tiro Of Meletis, Saskia The Unyielding, Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder, and Breya, Etherium Shaper were also powerful cards in their own right, they were just completely overwhelmed by the Praetor's Voice. With Atraxa seeing a recent reprint in March Of The Machine's Multiversal Legends subset, let's get the other four Commander 2016 leaders some time to shine.
Edgar Markov
We already know The Ur-Dragon is coming, as it was essentially the first card announced for the set. However, there's another highly sought after commander from that group of decks, but this one is less dragon and more Dracula.
In fairness, Edgar Markov has appeared in a set since that 2017 printing, but the Charmed Groom from Innistrad: Crimson Vow wasn't as effective as his original counterpart. His crimson bride Olivia Voldaren has seen a few different forms and reprints, most recently in one of the March Of The Machine Secret Lairs, and now it's time for Edgar to make his triumphant return.
Cyclonic Rift
One of the most potent spells in the Commander format, Cyclonic Rift can turn a game upside down in seconds thanks to its unconscionable Overload ability. Letting a player slowly fill up a board over the course of a match, only to cast this just before their end step is a double whammy – it bounces all permanents back to the opponent's hand, and then forces them to discard a lot of those permanents to get down to seven cards in hand.
Because of its powerful nature, the card continues to command high prices for every printing it's ever seen, with the most recent being Double Masters. A reprint here might bring that price down some more, and every little bit helps.
Ancient Tomb, Mana Crypt, and Mana Vault
This entry is simple: These three cards produce a lot of mana cheaply, and all three are too dang expensive. Reprinting them in Commander Masters would get these cards into more hands, which will then open the door to all manner of wacky hijinks using these mana generation machines.
We are aware Ancient Tomb was technically part of the LOTR set through the Realms And Relics box-toppers, but the card still costs an arm and a leg. Inserting it into another set, along with its more expensive brethren (Mana Crypt is how much now?!), and we have a recipe for success.
The Medallions
Thanks to the ever-present Reserved List – Wizards Of The Coast's answer to a question no one asks anymore, but that's another article – the famed Mox cards can never be reprinted for another set. This means we have to settle for the next best thing, and the Medallion cycle from Tempest and Commander 2014 are just that.
Each of the five Medallions – Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, and Sapphire – makes a spell of the corresponding color cost one colorless mana less to cast, which is similar to a Mox but not quite the same. It's been a while since we've seen these cards outside of a Secret Lair, and hopefully Commander Masters breaks that streak.
Seedborn Muse
If we were designing Commander Masters, we would want to include cards that, if given the opportunity, could become eternal staples in the format. Seedborn Muse here is one such card, as its vigilance-but-more ability should be a staple find in all green decks.
The ability to untap every permanent you control during every player's untap step is dang near broken, especially in multicolored decks rife with Counterspells or other defensive options. Seedborn Muse is a perfect example of a card which deserves to be more widely experienced by players of every skill level.
Terror Of The Peaks
Some may think this Core Set 2021 pick to be odd, but it continues to command a hefty price tag thanks to its only ever being printed in that one set. Commander Masters is a perfect opportunity to get cards like this back into the hands of players.
Also, if I'm being honest here, at time of writing I'm eight cards away from completing a fun Arni Metalbrow mono-red deck with this card as a major part of it, but the price tag is keeping me from being able to finish things up. If this new set wanted to throw me a bone, I'd personally appreciate it.
Grave Pact
This card is a strange case: It was originally printed in 1998's Stronghold, saw a smattering of reprints including Eighth through Tenth Edition, but then after Commander Anthology Volume 2 in 2018, the Grave Pact has gone missing.
We'd argue this would have made a fine addition to either the "Death Is Temporary, Metal Is Forever" or "Bad To The Bones" Secret Lairs offered as part of the Summer 2023 Superdrop, but if Grave Pact wasn't included there so it could be included in Commander Masters, that's fine too.
Teferi’s Protection
Teferi's Protection is a must-play for any mono-white deck – and a strong candidate for any deck running white – but it's another one of those cards that, despite recent reprints in Double Masters 2022 and Strixhaven's Mystical Archive subset (and its incredible artwork), remains a big ticket card.
Its proclivity in white commander decks, in our opinion, makes this as close to a shoo-in as we're willing to put on this list outside of the honorable mentions above, but Wizards Of The Coast loves to surprise us. Considering his big return in March Of The Machine, we expect Teferi-themed cards to feature throughout Commander Masters, with Protection as one of the main cards among them.
