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50 Best Broken and OP Cards in Magic: The Gathering Commander & EDH


most overpowered cards in magic the gathering commander edh
Credit: Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

Many Magic: The Gathering (MTG) players have been forecasting Commander as the future of paper MTG. Here are the top 50 best broken and OP cards in Magic: The Gathering Commander and EDH.

In Commander, all black-bordered sets in the game's 25+ year history are legal to play.

For those who are new to the format, a Commander deck contains 99 MTG cards, with one Legendary creature (and sometimes Planeswalker) as their Commander.

No duplicate cards are allowed in a deck, except for basic lands. Because virtually every card is legal in Commander, there are a lot of powerful cards you can play that will give you a distinct advantage over opponents.

In no particular order, here are our 50 most overpowered cards in Commander and EDH:

  1. Sol Ring

    Sol Ring is the definition of power in Commander. It's a card many have called to be banned, yet still remains. Sol Ring is the definitive power card in Commander.

    Everyone knows when a player gets a turn 1 Sol Ring, you get to attack him.

    What makes it so good? Even after casting it, it still nets you one mana, and on each of the following turns, it nets you 2 mana. That kind of ramp effect is impossible to ignore.

  2. Vampiric Tutor

    While not quite Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor is the next best thing in Commander. You can grab any single card from your library with it, without limitation.

  3. Demonic Tutor

    The most iconic of the tutor cards, which let you search your library and put any one card into your hand. For two mana, you can have the exact card you need. If you only owned one tutor card from Magic's history, this is the one you would want.

  4. Sylvan Library

    Green has long been known for lacking card advantage. Sylvan Library has become a staple in green decks to fill that gap. You can draw two cards a turn with it. Since Commander games start with a high life total, the life loss isn't a huge drawback.

  5. Mystical Tutor

    Mystical Tutor isn't actual card advantage, it just puts the card you need on top of your library. One mana to draw a powerful instant or sorcery spell is pretty powerful.

  6. Rhystic Study

    Rhystic Study is the definitive blue Commander card. If you haven't played against it before, you haven't played Commander. The amount of card advantage it provides is insane. Just go easy asking your opponent if they "pay the 1". They know, trust me.

  7. Enlightened Tutor

    Enlightened Tutor followers in Mystical Tutor's footsteps. Go ahead, grab yourself a Sol Ring for turn 2. You deserve it.

  8. Teferi's Protection

    White has long been acknowledged as the weakest Commander color. Teferi's Protection was likely printed to address that.

    It can effectively counter any spell that targets you or your permanents and protects your board from wipes. It can even stop life loss.

    Teferi's Protection is the most versatile counterspell in the game, despite the fact that it doesn't counter anything directly.

  9. Wordly Tutor

    Worldly Tutor helps you complete your creature combo with ease. Just grab the missing piece and good game.

  10. Lightning Greaves

    Nearly every deck in Commander plays a copy of Lightning Greaves, and for good reason. Giving your Commander shroud will make it difficult to kill. The best thing about Lightning Greaves is it cost zero mana to equip. So as soon as you are able to play your Commander, you can give it valuable protection.

  11. Arcane Signet

    The Research and Development team at Magic: The Gathering have stated this card was more powerful than intended and likely shouldn't have been made. If that isn't a strong advertisement to run it in your Commander deck, I don't know what is. It's the best mana-rock you can run.

  12. Jeweled Lotus

    Arcane Signet seems quite ordinary when compared to Jeweled Lotus. It's a Black Lotus for your Commander! Playing an Omnath, Locus of Mana on turn 1 with this seems broken. Jeweled Lotus might be the most powerful turn 1 card in Commander.

  13. Bribery

    It's rare that I resolve Bribery and my opponent doesn't immediately scoop. Casting it on turn 3 off of a Sol Ring has won me quite a few games. I run this in every blue Commander deck I own, and I recommend others do as well.

  14. Acquire

    Acquire doesn't pack the same punch as Bribery, but it still gets the job done. There's a ton of overpowered artifacts in Commander you can snag. I've grabbed my fair share of Blightsteel Colossus with it to pull out a win.

  15. Gaea's Cradle

    Any creature-based deck that runs green should include a copy of Gaea's Cradle. It taps for 2+ mana most of the time. I've had a lot of success with it.

  16. Once Upon a Time

    Free spells lead to insane starts. Use it to grab a Gaea's Cradle or another powerful land early in the game.

  17. Skullclamp

    The mana efficiency of card draw in Skullclamp is unparalleled. It's usable in Commander decks that often can't draw cards (Red, Green, and White). Skullclamp is banned in Modern and Legacy for good reason.

  18. High Tide

    While Blue has access to card draw, it rarely has access to mana ramp. High Tide lets you double your mana, given your lands are Islands. So go ahead, pump out a turn 6 or better Blightsteel Colossus!

  19. Scapeshift

    There's plenty of combo lands you can run in Commander and Scapeshift lets you tutor them out all for four mana.

  20. The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale

    Tabernacle is a must-have for many Commander Decks. This card currently fetches $2,500 or more, which is insane. You can buy it for under $50 on MTGO.

  21. Serra Ascendant

    Serra Ascendant has been a staple powerhouse since Commander became a format. It's a 6/6 with flying and lifelink for 1 mana.

  22. Mana Drain

    This card belongs in the Power 9 of Commander. Countering a spell and adding a big chunk of mana on your next turn is a huge tempo advantage.

  23. Mana Vault

    Mana Vault is fast mana, but you can only use it once, and after that there is some penalty before you can use it again. I still run Mana Vault in a majority of my Commander Decks, but it isn't an auto-include.

  24. Grim Monlith

    Grim Monlith has some nifty infinite combos worth considering. It will help you power out a turn 3 Karn or other powerful cards. Imagine playing this off of a turn 1 Sol Ring.

  25. Mana Crypt

    Banned in Legacy, Restricted in Vintage, and legal in Commander. I include Mana Crypt in all of my decks. It's just as important as Sol Ring.

  26. Deadeye Navigator

    Sure, it takes an extra two mana to get going, but Deadeye Navigator is one of the easiest creature cards to break in Commander. There are plenty of synergies and win combos that utilize it.

  27. Insurrection

    Every time I resolve this, I win the game. In multiplayer Commander, it's incredibly powerful.

  28. Sneak Attack

    This card speaks for itself. Cheat all your big creatures into play for one mana. Also, fun with Bearer of the Heavens.

  29. Blightsteel Colossus

    Arguably the most powerful single creature legal in Commander. Also, shoutout to my boy, the OG Darksteel Colossus.

  30. Omniscience

    Sure... that's fair. Basically, a win if you can resolve it.

  31. Gilded Drake

    For two mana, Gilded Drake gives you the best creature in play. It synergizes well with unsummon and blink effects.

  32. Command Tower

    Command Tower gets a spot in every multi-color Commander deck. It's the best all color mana card you can run.

  33. Fierce Guardianship

    Free spells are often overpowered. Fierce Guardianship is no exception.

  34. Dark Ritual

    Some cards from Alpha, the first MTG set, are still overpowered. Dark Ritual happens to be one of the few that isn't banned.

  35. Show and Tell

    Fun for the whole table! Go ahead and cast a turn 1-3 Blightsteel Colossus.

  36. Expropriate

    Getting 3 extra turns is extremely powerful, or gain the best card each player has, or a bit of both. Few cards are as powerful as Expropriate in multiplayer Commander.

  37. Natural order

    For 4 mana and a green creature you can tutor out the best green creature in all of Magic: The Gathering! My favorite targets are Craterhoof Behemoth, Progenitus, Woodfall Primus, Terastodon, Bane of Progress, Worldspine Wurm, and Avenger of Zendikar.

  38. Moat

    Moat has never been reprinted, but still impacts the game today. It is possibly the most powerful White enchantment ever made.

  39. Humility

    Humility is a close second to Moat. Creatures lose all abilities, but an army of 1/1s can still attack. It does stop creatures with flying.

  40. Mystic Remora

    As close as you can get to an Ancestral Recall in Commander. I run this in all my blue decks.

  41. Bazaar of Baghdad

    Incredibly powerful discard and draw outlet. Combo it with Squee, dump flashback cards, use it with reanimation, make Knight of Reliquary bigger, etc...

  42. Wheel of Fortune

    Exceptionally strong when used properly.

  43. Ancient Tomb

    I run this in almost every one of my Commander decks. It is as important as Sol Ring or Mana Crypt. Fast Mana leads to quick wins.

  44. Mishra's Workshop

    In an artifact-based deck, this card is busted. No wonder it costs close to $2,000.

  45. Ad Nauseam

    Draw your entire deck with Ad Nauseam. A few EDH decks are built around this card. You can also use it as a fair draw spell at Instant speed.

  46. Yawgmoth's Will

    Yawgmoth's Will is banned in Legacy and Restricted in Vintage. Commander is the only format where it is fully legal.

    Late game, you can combo off with it. Even if you don't, simply recasting the strongest cards in your graveyard will provide a card advantage.

  47. Necropotence

    Necropotence is one of the best card advantage cards in Black. It's also Banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage. It is especially good in Commander because you have a higher starting life total.

  48. Eladamri's Call

    Eladamri's Call is a two-mana instant speed creature tutor. It's possibly the best creature tutor in the game. Run it to find the missing creature in your combo or the strongest situational card.

  49. Craterhoof Behemoth

    Craterhoof is an incredible finisher for Green. It often ends the game on the spot. Works great in Elfball and Omnath builds.

  50. Cyclonic Rift

    Cyclonic Rift is one of the most iconic board wipes in all of Commander. The best thing about it is that it doesn't target and gets around indestructibility and hexproof. Plus it is an instant speed board wipe, which is rare.

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