Commander is an extremely powerful format, and has been since its inception. Through refinement and optimization, along with very pushed card releases, the cream eventually rises to the top. Here are my considerations for a theoretical Power 9 of Commander:
Sol Ring: The one that started it all. Sol Ring is, and will forever be a fixture in Commander. It’s the mascot, the posterchild, and the flagship of any and every Commander deck. There’s nothing like it, and it is the only auto-include in any deck out there, even the ones which try and justify not playing it.
Sol Ring is Commander.
Ad Nauseam: If Sol Ring is the representative mana rock, then Ad Nauseam is the representative win condition. Turns out that starting at 40 life instead of 20 makes cards that cost life to gain more cards much more potent. Compounded by a singleton format full of excellent, high value cards, and you have yourself a recipe for extreme value.
Command Tower: The only auto-include land in any multi color deck. Command Tower is simple, elegant, and gives you everything your deck needs. There isn’t much more that can be said about it, other than it’s just as much of a staple as Sol Ring is.
Deflecting Swat: One of the newer kids on the block. This card is one of the most warping cards in recent memory. An actual free way to protect your commander, while also potentially swinging a game in your favor, is unmatched. While the others in this cycle of cards are also powerful, nothing quite reaches the potential of Deflecting Swat.
Cyclonic Rift: The swingiest card in this list. In a format full of door slams and haymakers, Cyclonic Rift is the wrecking ball of them all. Whether you need to proverbially restart the game to keep yourself in it, or if you want a checkered flag on your attack step, Cyclonic Rift is the best card at its job, and it isn’t even close.
Rhystic Study: Another OG card draw engine, Rhystic Study can completely dictate the pace of a given game, right from turn three. We all know how powerful card draw can be. Pinching each early turn for an easy three mana investment will net you way more games in the long run, especially if games tend to go long, and especially if unrefined decks flounder.
Esper Sentinel: In a similar vein, Esper Sentinel is even more powerful in this regard. The tradeoff of two less mana for noncreature spells only is a fair trade for what you get, as the cost to remove it at all will likely get you a card regardless. Killing creatures in Commander is highly dependent on your table, but these days, people seem to like to skimp on removal, thus making Esper Sentinel even more powerful.
Dockside Extortionist: In my opinion, the only card worth considering to be more powerful than Sol Ring itself. The opinions on this card can range from incredibly powerful to absurdly miserable. It tends to scale well with both the length of an average game, and the power level of your table. Even if you break even on it, there are synergies with Treasure tokens in general, fixing your mana if it’s on two, artifacts entering the battlefield and dying, and blink effects that can lead to easy infinite mana. It’s the best ramp spell ever made for Commander. Period.
Thassa’s Oracle: Lastly, the bane of the format, and probably shadowbanned in most casual Commander spaces in general. Thassa’s Oracle is quite frankly the only card I could ever consider adding to the ban list. It’s one of the more deflating ways to lose a game, but it’s also the most defining win conditions in cEDH as a whole. If you play blue, you play this card, and you play a lot of ways to make it work that also work with the rest of your deck incidentally.
Honorable mention: Wheel of Fortune: The synergy machine. Wheel of Fortune almost made the list, but there are a couple of things going against it. First, is that it’s not an auto include in every deck, not even cEDH decks. Secondly, it isn’t quite good in every situation you can really think of. Sometimes it can work against you if you cast it, and may accidentally enable your opponents. Lastly, there’s simply way too much hate in contrast to what it can actually do. It’s very powerful, but in limited capacity and opportunities.
In a format as powerful as Commander, it can be hard to really think of cards which are unilaterally powerful, but these nine are my picks for the most influential, powerful, and impactful cards in any Commander format, cEDH included. What cards do you think should be in the Power 9?
Anthony Lowry (they/he) is a seasoned TCG, MMORPG, and FPS veteran. They are extensively knowledgeable on the intricacies of many competitive outlets, and are always looking for a new challenge in the gaming sphere.