While MTG is, in many ways, an incredible game, the individual price of cards is a huge problem. With many of the best Commander cards commonly demanding $50 or more, it’s extremely easy to get priced out of building a Commander deck. Because of this, once you’ve added all of the better-known $1 Commander cards to your deck, finishing things off on a budget can be difficult.
To help, we have a list of cheap, underplayed Commander gems that not only deserve to see more play, but could easily swing games in your favor.
White | The Pandorica
Price: $0.29
Because of Commander’s unique set of rules, removing an opponent’s Commander for an extended period of time is a tricky endeavor. With a simple kill spell moving a Commander back to the Command Zone, all you’ve managed to do is delay the inevitable. Phasing a Commander out, however, gets around this, allowing The Pandorica to be an excellent way to keep an opponent’s Commander locked down.
While The Pandorica can keep a Commander locked down for as long as it stays in play, the card’s versatility is a huge point for it, too. Should a nastier permanent come into play, like Doubling Season
Doubling SeasonIf an effect would create one or more tokens under your control, it creates twice that many of those tokens instead.
If an effect would put one or more counters on a permanent you control, it puts twice that many of those counters on that permanent instead. or Blightsteel Colossus
Blightsteel ColossusTrample, infect, indestructible
If Blightsteel Colossus would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Blightsteel Colossus and shuffle it into its owner's library instead., The Pandorica can untap and Phase that out instead. With a trigger copier like Strionic Resonator
Strionic Resonator{2}, {T}: Copy target triggered ability you control. You may choose new targets for the copy. (A triggered ability uses the words "when," "whenever," or "at.") or Peter Parker’s Camera, you can even Phase Out multiple permanents at once.
Throw in the more niche use of protecting your own Commander before you cast a board wipe, and The Pandorica’s power and versatility give it a lot of game in Commander. Considering how adept this card is, its low play rate in only 6,550 decks according to EDHREC is rather shocking. For just $0.29, The Pandorica seems extremely underrated in MTG Commander, especially in ability-copying decks.
Blue | Sleep
Price: $0.27
When playing Commander, it’s extremely common for one player to get ahead of the rest, becoming an Archenemy for the rest of the table. Until they’re dealt with, winning the game is almost impossible for anyone else. Board wipes won’t always fix the issue, either, since you won’t be able to pressure the Archenemy with a lack of creatures in play.
So long as you have the power of politics on your side, Sleep can solve this, giving players a massive window to take out an Archenemy opponent. By keeping their creatures tapped down for at least a turn cycle, all of the other players should have plenty of opportunity to take chunks out of their life total. If politics aren’t enough, Goad Commanders like Bohn, Beguiling Balladeer or cards like Disrupt Decorum can force a lot of swings.
While there are better options for this idea at higher budgets, Sleep can easily pull its weight for just $0.27. With a relatively modest play rate of just 24,500 decks according to EDHREC, you can easily surprise opponents with this easily forgotten uncommon.
Black | Changing Loyalty
Price: $0.74
Released in Secrets of Strixhaven’s Silverquill Influence, the fact that Changing Loyalty is still a $0.74 card is absolutely ridiculous. With the capability of stealing multiple of your opponent’s creatures, this enchantment is at its absolute best when cast in response to a board wipe. Outside of this, Changing Loyalty is still a great option for protecting your own creatures from targeted removal.
Of course, this enchantment is at its best with synergistic Commanders like Killian, Decisive Mentor, but any Commander-centric strategy can reasonably run this. From Fire Lord Azula to Y’shtola, Night’s Blessed, there are tons of extremely popular Commanders that need to stay alive for their strategies to work. With this in mind, if you don’t have Changing Loyalty as part of your Commander collection, consider picking it up quickly.
Red | “Name Sticker” Goblin
Price: $0.79
When it comes to underrated red cards in MTG Commander, it’s hard to beat Name Sticker Goblin. The card is essentially a Ritual on a stick, creating five red mana on average, and three at the absolute worst. This means that Name Sticker Goblin is essentially a free body that can generate even more mana with blink effects like Ephemerate
EphemerateExile target creature you control, then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control.
Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.), or trigger doublers like Panharmonicon. With all of this in mind, Name Sticker Goblin is easily strong enough to become a Commander staple.
Considering this strength, Name Sticker Goblin has an extremely low play rate, only appearing in about 21,000 decks according to EDHREC. At $0.79, the card’s a fantastic budget option, too, but there’s a catch.
You need to use Sticker sheets in order to play Namesticker Goblin properly, which can be a lot of hassle for the average MTG player. That said, these sheets could easily be proxied outside of sanctioned play, making this an incredible budget option for the Commander player who wants to go the extra mile.
Green | Reap
Price: $0.65
Despite appearing on shows like The Command Zone, Reap is a surprisingly unpopular Commander card. It’s absolutely fantastic, too, as even returning two cards with it is a rate that cannot be beat in MTG. In some decks, like Rendmaw, Creaking Nest and Hansk, Slayer Zealot, you can even force opponents to have black permanents, making Reap an absolutely incredible spell.
Of course, there is the risk that none of the players at your table will be playing Black, but between three different opponents, this is a lot less common than you might think. Most of the time, Reap will be pure card advantage, bringing back more cards from your graveyard than any other two-mana card can accomplish.
Considering this, Reap only seeing play in 11,000 decks according to EDHREC is an absolute crime. If that weren’t enough, despite only having one printing in Tempest, Reap can be found for a budget, too. While worse-conditioned copies can be found for $0.65 on TCGplayer, even near-mint copies are available for around $1. At these low prices, Reap is an easy upgrade for any budget green Commander deck.
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