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4 New Reality Fracture Rares Showcase New Commander Staples

Riley Hicks
4 min read
4 New Reality Fracture Rares Showcase New Commander Staples

By reimagining lots of popular MTG designs, Reality Fracture has become an instant hit with fans everywhere. Beyond the nostalgia of seeing new takes on old favorites, many of these cards feel powerful and fit a wide range of strategies. With that in mind, a fair few new spoilers look like future Commander staples.

MTG Ajani’s Anguish

If you need a cheap Trample enabler for your red Commander deck, Ajani’s Anguish will be the new gold standard. Offering your board Trample for one mana, Ajani’s Anguish is bound to be a super-staple in Voltron and +1/+1 counter decks that can run it. Otherwise, mono-red Commanders like Slicer, Hired Muscle who direly need Trample enablers will also be happy to grab this upgrade.

If granting Trample were all Ajani’s Anguish did, the card would already be playable, but it doubles as a burn spell if you have extra mana. This can synergize with noncombat-damage Commanders like Solphim, Mayhem DominusSolphim, Mayhem DominusSolphim, Mayhem DominusIf a source you control would deal noncombat damage to an opponent or a permanent an opponent controls, it deals double that damage to that player or permanent instead.
{1}{R/P}{R/P}, Discard two cards: Put an indestructible counter on Solphim. ({R/P} can be paid with either {R} or 2 life.)
, but that extra versatility makes Ajani’s Anguish even more playable in any red deck.

Notably, Ajani’s Anguish’s removal perk may let the card see competitive play, too, as it looks promising in Standard Landfall strategies. The Trample is huge here, allowing the deck to set up explosive Mightform HarmonizerMightform HarmonizerMightform HarmonizerLandfall — Whenever a land you control enters, double the power of target creature you control until end of turn.
Warp {2}{G} (You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
lethals through blockers. Since the deck naturally accrues a lot of mana, having some extra late-game reach can also help close games or deal with problematic threats like Clarion Conqueror.

MTG Simulacrum Shaper

Despite Solemn Simulacrum‘s past Commander super-staple status, the card seems too slow in the format now without additional synergies. Fortunately, for green players, Simulacrum Shaper offers exactly the same thing as the sad robot, but for one mana less, so long as you’re in green. While this color doesn’t really need help ramping, the cost reduction on Simulacrum Shaper is a big deal for bracket 2/3 Commander.

At three mana, it’s no exaggeration to say that Simulacrum Shaper could see play in any green Commander deck. Of course, Shaper is even better with Commanders like Emiel, the Blessed that have additional synergies with it. This card happens to be an Elf too, making it more appealing for the likes of Lathril, Blade of the ElvesLathril, Blade of the ElvesLathril, Blade of the ElvesMenace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Whenever Lathril deals combat damage to a player, create that many 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature tokens.
{T}, Tap ten untapped Elves you control: Each opponent loses 10 life and you gain 10 life.
, or the new Thranduil, the Strategist.

That said, while Simulacrum Shaper is a decent Commander card, it often won’t make or break your games, similar to its predecessor. Because of this, if this ends up being a $5+ card, it might not be worth its price tag.

MTG Kindred Judgment

For a long time, Kindred Dominance has been an auto-add in any black Typal Commander deck that can run it. Seven mana is expensive for a board wipe, but one-sided wipes like this one often just win the game outright.

Now, thanks to Reality Fracture’s ‘what if?’ shenanigans, we now have Kindred Dominance in white, bringing the one-sided board wipe to even more Typal Commanders. This is a particularly powerful upgrade for popular typal Commanders like Pantlaza, Sun-FavoredPantlaza, Sun-FavoredPantlaza, Sun-FavoredWhenever Pantlaza or another Dinosaur you control enters, you may discover X, where X is that creature's toughness. Do this only once each turn. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with that mana value or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.), and Choco, Seeker of Paradise, who don’t have access to black. With all kinds of different Commanders adapting this card easily, Kindred Judgment is bound to be a Reality Fracture hit.

MTG Curse-Marred Demon

While Reality Fracture is already putting some tutors in the command zone, we won’t say no to a few more. Curse-Marred Demon offers a well-statted body with a Gamble stapled on, giving players the chance to find the perfect answer to any situation. Generally, Commanders like Vivi OrnitierVivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier{0}: Add X mana in any combination of {U} and/or {R}, where X is Vivi Ornitier's power. Activate only during your turn and only once each turn.
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Vivi Ornitier and it deals 1 damage to each opponent.
, who can easily keep their hand stocked, will rarely discard their tutored card. That said, discarding a card you want in your graveyard completely avoids this Demon’s downside.

Whether you find a Flashback card like Past in FlamesPast in FlamesPast in FlamesEach instant and sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.
Flashback {4}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
or Sevinne’s Reclamation, or a card like AngerAngerAngerHaste
As long as this card is in your graveyard and you control a Mountain, creatures you control have haste.
that has an effect in the graveyard, you have plenty of tutor targets that let Curse-Marred Demon create value with an empty hand. Alternatively, Commanders like Green Goblin, who can replay your discarded card, avoid this Demon’s downside altogether.

While it’s easy to include just one Flashback card in your Commander deck, you hardly need to do that for Cursed-Marred Demon to see play.

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Riley Hicks
Written by Riley Hicks

After being introduced to MTG in 2014, Riley has done everything from attending a Pro Tour, accidentally developing an entire competitive archetype (RIP Mardu Fury) and sitting down to play games of Commander with friends regularly. If Riley isn't covering the latest breaking news for Magic: the Gathering, you'll generally find him tapping and untapping his Lotus Field somewhere.

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