The prerelease of Outlaws of Thunder Junction has passed, and we’re approaching the official release weekend. This set introduces 44 new Legends, many of whom are the central antagonists causing havoc on an unexplored plane. Alongside these Legends, we have a plethora of new cards and additions included in Outlaws of Thunder Junction. Keeping track of all this can be daunting, but fear not! I’ve compiled a list of the top ten Commander cards from both the set and the Commander subset. Unlike previous articles, this list focuses on versatile and widely applicable cards rather than niche or deck-specific ones. Outlaws boasts a diverse array of strong cards, making it challenging to narrow down to just ten, especially with some exceptional Commanders also vying for inclusion. With that said, let’s delve into my top picks from the latest Standard set.
Tower Winder
This card do not only efficiently draws the optimal land from your deck, aiding in color fixing and ensuring consistent land drops, but also serves as a formidable deterrent on the battlefield, capable of neutralizing any threats that dare to attack you (except those with first strike!).
Pitiless Carnage
This card may induce some feelings of disappointment as it demands sacrificing your hard-earned permanents, particularly when sacrificing a land seems necessary. Nonetheless, the payoff of efficiently drawing numerous cards makes it worthwhile. It serves as an ideal utility player in various decks, likely to earn favor among Commander players worldwide.
The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride
When it comes to lands and sacrifice, The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride stands out as an exceptional Golgari Commander (or a creature in the ninety-nine of a deck), emphasizing both creature sacrifice and land accumulation. Already, I’ve witnessed impressive decks that pair up the community’s beloved Frog with various creatures that scale in power according to the number of lands under your control.
Insatiable Avarice
Another addition featuring Black makes it onto my list, this time with the captivating card, Insatiable Avarice. Offering a blend of an Imperial Seal impression and card draw, it stands as a robust yet adaptable choice suitable for numerous higher-power Commander decks.
Bristly Bill, Spine Sower
This is particularly pertinent to Bill’s second ability, which holds the true strength by doubling the +1/+1 counters on all creatures!
Calamity, Galloping Inferno
Although both creature copies self-sacrifice at the end of the turn (as is customary with most Red token-producing cards), the ability to generate two copies of a creature every turn you attack with Calamity is an astounding effect.
Final Showdown
At long last, a White card emerges! Final Showdown, another Spree card, comes at the cost of just one White mana and offers a spectrum of fantastic modal abilities such as (a) strip all creatures of their abilities until the end of turn; (b) select a creature under your control ; (c) grant it indestructibility until the end of turn. Wipe out all creatures.
Lavaspur Boots
Lavaspur Boots will prove to be a valuable inclusion in decks seeking to safeguard their Commanders, a priority for most players, even if it’s just offering Ward 1. The additional +1/+0 is surprisingly significant, especially with the emergence of more potent Commanders who emphasize the damage they deal (like the next one on this list).
Obeka, Splitter of Seconds
Obeka, the character whose earlier card is arguably one of the most peculiar designs in Magic history, returns, still tampering with time! Seeing Obeka ranked at number two might surprise you, but my main reason for placing her here is because I believe she’s one of the most thrilling Commanders to emerge in years!
Felix Five-Boots – Foil
Let’s break it down: a five-mana creature (requiring three of which to be Sultai), 5/4 with menace and ward 2. That alone sets a solid foundation, guaranteeing a Commander who excels in combat and is resilient to removal.
The full MTG Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander decklists are worth checking out but if you’re in a hurry, each deck’s blurb gives a clue as to what you can expect from play.
Happy gaming!
