Rogues and mill go together like peanut butter and jam (I’m not calling it jelly), like bananas and ice cream, like snowmen and summer.
They’re a natural combination that should always be leaned into, and if you’ve been mulling over the idea, then you’ll be happy to know we’ve got just the commander for you.
Meet your commander
Your Commander is
Anowon, the Ruin Thief
Anowon, the Ruin Thief
Other Rogues you control get +1/+1.
Whenever one or more Rogues you control deal combat damage to a player, that player mills a card for each 1 damage dealt to them. If the player mills at least one creature card this way, you draw a card. (To mill a card, a player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.)
. This is a four-mana blue and black 2/4 that gives other rogues you control +1/+1. That means we’ll be leaning into rogue tribal, and that’s already quite a fun little thing to be messing about with. However, there’s more.
The second ability on Anowon reads, “Whenever one or more Rogues you control deal combat damage to a player, that player mills a card for each 1 damage dealt to them. If the player mills at least one creature card this way, you draw a card.”
So, our game plan is simple, fill the deck with every kind of rogue available, then also fill it with loads of good mill cards. That’s it really, all that’s left is to highlight some of the best in each category. So, let’s get to it.
Read More: Is The Wording On MTG Cards Getting Even More Complicated?
The best creatures for Anowon
Thieves’ Guild Enforcer
Thieves’ Guild Enforcer
Flash
Whenever this creature or another Rogue you control enters, each opponent mills two cards.
As long as an opponent has eight or more cards in their graveyard, this creature gets +2/+1 and has deathtouch.
is a one-mana 1/1 with flash that reads, “Whenever Thieves’ Guild Enforcer or another Rogue enters the battlefield under your control, each opponent mills two cards. As long as an opponent has eight or more cards in their graveyard, Thieves’ Guild Enforcer gets +2/+1 and has deathtouch.” This is, clearly, a good time.
We really like
Zareth San, the Trickster
Zareth San, the Trickster
Flash
{2}{U}{B}, Return an unblocked attacking Rogue you control to its owner's hand: Put this card from your hand onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.
Whenever Zareth San deals combat damage to a player, you may put target permanent card from that player's graveyard onto the battlefield under your control.
too. They’re a five-mana card that allows you to swap them with another attacking creature for four mana, and will also allow you to steal a permanent from another player’s graveyard if Zareth San hits them.
We also really like
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Deathtouch
When Gonti enters, look at the top four cards of target opponent's library, exile one of them face down, then put the rest on the bottom of that library in a random order. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled, and mana of any type can be spent to cast that spell.
, which lets you steal cards from an opponent’s library when they enter the battlefield. Finally, our one non-rogue pick is Consuming Aberation, which reads, “Consuming Aberration’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your opponents’ graveyards. Whenever you cast a spell, each opponent reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a land card, then puts those cards into their graveyard.” That’s because we also want to mill our foes out, so let’s look at those cards now.
The best support cards for Anowon
First of all, we’ve got our suite of mill cards.
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
Each opponent exiles cards from the top of their library until that player has exiled cards with total mana value 20 or greater.
,
Mind Grind
Mind Grind
Each opponent reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal X land cards, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard. X can't be 0.
,
Drown in Dreams
Drown in Dreams
Choose one. If you control a commander as you cast this spell, you may choose both instead.
• Target player draws X cards.
• Target player mills twice X cards.
,
Fractured Sanity
Fractured Sanity
Each opponent mills fourteen cards.
Cycling {1}{U} ({1}{U}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle this card, each opponent mills four cards.
, and
Traumatize
Traumatize
Target player mills half their library, rounded down.
are all incredible, use them.
We also like stealing our opponent’s things, and it fits the themes here too. That means wanting
Mnemonic Betrayal
Mnemonic Betrayal
Exile all opponents' graveyards. You may cast spells from among those cards this turn, and mana of any type can be spent to cast them. At the beginning of the next end step, if any of those cards remain exiled, return them to their owners' graveyards.
Exile Mnemonic Betrayal.
, which reads, “Exile all opponents’ graveyards. You may cast spells from among those cards this turn, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast those spells. At the beginning of the next end step, if any of those cards remain exiled, return them to their owners’ graveyards.”
Finally, we really think you should pick up
Rise of the Dark Realms
Rise of the Dark Realms
Put all creature cards from all graveyards onto the battlefield under your control.
too. This is a nine-mana sorcery that puts all creatures from all graveyards onto your side of the battlefield. It’s an amazing win condition, and it’s the kind of thing that fits perfectly with the inherent thievery that exists in the rogues you’ll be playing with.
Read More: Transforming Sagas Are A Wonderful Idea