Command Beacon Top Cards of 2020

Along with our Top Commanders there are some incredibly strong cards cards that came out last year that will have a lasting impact on the format. Before continuing on with the year I figured we should acknowledge and share the list so let’s get started.

10. Omnath, Locus of Creation

Coming in at number 10 is the first 4 colour Legendary creature since the Commander 2016 cycle. Omnath. Locus of Creation is a solid 4/4 for 4 with 4 abilities. It’s high value and landfall abilities was so powerful that it was banned in standard. Due to it’s four colour identity though it’s hard to slot into a deck as anything other the Commander and while Omnath is powerful it’s not game breaking in the format. Still a lovely card which was Standard ban worthy so I wanted it on a list.

Card Name: Omnath, Locus of Creation. Mana Cost: {R}{G}{W}{U}. Card Oracle Text: When Omnath, Locus of Creation enters the battlefield, draw a card.Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 4 life if this is the first time this ability has resolved this turn. If it's the second time, add {R}{G}{W}{U}. If it's the third time, Omnath deals 4 damage to each opponent and each planeswalker you don't control.. Power/Toughness: 4/4
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9. Nyxbloom Ancient

This 7 drop 5/5 Trample Elemental Enchantment Creature is a mana tripler causes a game breaking amount of mana for its controller. Casting it is completely possible but reanimating it, cloning it, or cheating it in any way for less enables some insane turns. Considering the previous mana multiplication effects such as Mana Reflection which double mana, tripling it was a heck of a power increase. Whether as more value or a infinite combo piece Nyxbloom Ancient isn’t going away from the format anytime soon, or possibly ever.

Card Name: Nyxbloom Ancient. Mana Cost: {4}{G}{G}{G}. Card Oracle Text: TrampleIf you tap a permanent for mana, it produces three times as much of that mana instead.. Power/Toughness: 5/5
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8. Teferi, Master of Time

Another year, another Teferi with insane abilities. This time we’re back to mono-blue which makes it easier to slot in to different decks. It loots, phases an opponent’s creature, and the ultimate is a Time Stretch. You can get to ultimate pretty easily since you can activate Teferi at instant speed and on each turn! While a bit silly 1v1 it gets ridiculous in a 4 player Commander pod. After you’re done looting and sculpting your hand go ahead and take a couple of extra turns, possible in between players just to mess with turn order. Bringing back Phasing was an interesting choice too but being able to remove a combo piece creature like Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, Kiki-Jiki Mirror Breaker, or Deadeye Navigator in the middle of the combo to break it is a great piece for blue. Use him for looting and get huge payoffs, what another silly card.

Card Name: Teferi, Master of Time. Mana Cost: {2}{U}{U}. Card Oracle Text: You may activate loyalty abilities of Teferi, Master of Time on any player's turn any time you could cast an instant.+1: Draw a card, then discard a card.−3: Target creature you don't control phases out. (Treat it and anything attached to it as though they don't exist until its controller's next turn.)−10: Take two extra turns after this one.
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7. Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy

When Kinnan was spoiled there was immediate Basalt Monolith combo and hype for some competitive play. A Commander who boosts your resources and has a built in way to search for a win condition. The prevalence of Blue/Green has been on the rise since Oko, Thief of Crowns and decks with Simic colours continues to be visibly threatening in multiple formats. The speed of this Commander is something to behold and while it may not be the most versatile card to fit into decks the ones that it does fit into are more than a little troublesome.

Card Name: Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy. Mana Cost: {G}{U}. Card Oracle Text: Whenever you tap a nonland permanent for mana, add one mana of any type that permanent produced.{5}{G}{U}: Look at the top five cards of your library. You may put a non-Human creature card from among them onto the battlefield. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.. Power/Toughness: 2/2
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6. Drannith Magistrate

The hatebear strategy gained yet another asymmetrical ability creature to add to their repertoire and this one is a doozy. Drannith Magistrate prevents your opponents from casting spells from anywhere other than their hands. Besides the combo with the usual Knowledge Pool pieces in a natural game this means no casting from exile, no flashback or graveyard effects, and no Commander from the Command Zone. This is an easy card slot to fit in a white deck that shuts down all sorts of strategies and if you can protect it from the table can/will hinder your opponents significantly.

Card Name: Drannith Magistrate. Mana Cost: {1}{W}. Card Oracle Text: Your opponents can't cast spells from anywhere other than their hands.. Power/Toughness: 1/3
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5. Jeweled Lotus

The Commander Lotus, a controversial but possibly deadly card to start the game with. It’s not as game breaking as an actual Black Lotus but for many decks it’s the potential for a completely taking over the game as easily as turn one is something to account for. Ignoring the arguments of the cards existence and financial cost, it is not a bad card and it exists and so acknowledging that it’ll take the halfway point on the list.

Card Name: Jeweled Lotus. Mana Cost: {0}. Card Oracle Text: {T}, Sacrifice Jeweled Lotus: Add three mana of any one color. Spend this mana only to cast your commander.
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4. Fierce Guardianship Cycle

So Fierce Guardianship, Deflecting Swat, Deadly Rollick, Flawless Maneuver, and Obscuring Haze. some of course significantly stronger and more versatile than others but nonetheless. A series of spells that you can cast for free as long as you control your commander is powerful especially for low cost or Partner Commanders. Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh is the exemplar of both to enable these spells, the crazy little kobold. They are just more spells to keep in mind when an opponent may be tapped out but not unprepared.

Card Name: Fierce Guardianship. Mana Cost: {2}{U}. Card Oracle Text: If you control a commander, you may cast this spell without paying its mana cost.Counter target noncreature spell.
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3. Hullbreacher

If you’ve ever been at the mercy of a Narset, Parter of Veils lock with any number of Windfall or Wheel of Fortune effects you can certainly understand this pain. Hullbreacher steps it up a notch by adding insult to injury turning any cards you may have drawn into treasures which fuels the next potential spell. While not a Notion Thief it has the same response time thanks to flash which causes a Brainstorm to actually lose you cards in hard. This merfolk pirate ranks high up as one of the two terrifying flash creatures from Commander Legends who will be around for the foreseeable future.

Card Name: Hullbreacher. Mana Cost: {2}{U}. Card Oracle Text: FlashIf an opponent would draw a card except the first one they draw in each of their draw steps, instead you create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with
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2. Opposition Agent

Whether your opponents are simply fetching for a land or tutoring for a win condition send in an Opposition Agent to take it for you. This Commander Legends card has the scariest potential as it not only inhibits your opponents from making use of their tutor spells unless they want to just give it to you. Whether they actually play the card or leave it in exile this is not the creature I want to see flashing into play. If Hullbreacher is kin to a Narset, Parter of Veils effect then Opposition Agent is the Ashiok, Dream Render with a great upside. I no longer feel safe even turn one to play fetch if my opponent can Dark Ritual into Opposition Agent. You should definitely be wary for this card folks.

Card Name: Opposition Agent. Mana Cost: {2}{B}. Card Oracle Text: FlashYou control your opponents while they're searching their libraries.While an opponent is searching their library, they exile each card they find. You may play those cards for as long as they remain exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast them.. Power/Toughness: 3/2
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1. Thassa’s Oracle

The fish itself takes first place for its impact across Magic formats as a whole. With it’s enter the battlefield win condition rather than Laboratory Maniac and Jace, Wielder of Mysteries who you can attempt to remove in response to a game winning draw replacement, Thassa’s Oracle is something you need to Stifle and doesn’t care if it dies, just that the ability is on the stack. With the strongest effect in te game, the lowest converted mana cost of the effects and the absolute prevalence of this card as a win condition, there was no doubt to me it would rank at the top.

Card Name: Thassa's Oracle. Mana Cost: {U}{U}. Card Oracle Text: When Thassa's Oracle enters the battlefield, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is your devotion to blue. Put up to one of them on top of your library and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. If X is greater than or equal to the number of cards in your library, you win the game. (Each {U} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to blue.). Power/Toughness: 1/3
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So that’s it for our top cards from 2020 and any look at that year in general. While there have been more staples and fun toys that came out last year (Dryad of Illysian Grove is in so many of my decks now.) I think we’ll be getting back to the decks and other magical content. Do let us know what you think of the list. Was there anything that deserved a spot? Anything that should have ranked higher?

Anyways here’s to a better year of magic, and pretty much everything, for everyone. May your cardboard be shiny and your combos be sweet. Happy shuffling and take care, til next time.

Article by Cascade.Cascade

The editor-in-chief and creator of Command Beacon. They started playing Magic during the Scars of Mirrodin block and hasn’t been able to stop since.

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