This is the fourth entry in this series, looking at some fun potential commanders from different sets. Today, it’s time to look at Aetherdrift. This was not a popular set, but I don’t think it was given a fair shake. Was the theme goofy? Definitely. It’s got a lot of really cool cards, though.
So, let’s take a look at soem fun commanders:
5. Kolodin, Triumph Caster
Colour Identity: Boros (R/W)
The Gist: Kolodin is all about getting mounts and vehicles into combat as soon as possible via saddling, crewing, and haste. Drop ’em in and send ’em forward.
Why it’s interesting: Boros aggro usually runs out of steam, but Kolodin lets you keep pushing forward with mounts and vehicles. A bit of bounce helps a lot, too, removing the need for sometimes expensive activations for your cool mounts and vehicles. This could be really fun to build around, even if it’s not a style I’d usually go for.
4. Sab-Sunen, Luxa Embodied
Colour Identity: Simic (G/U)
The Gist: On alternating turn cycles can either be used to deal some trampling, indestructible damage, or draw a couple of cards from your library. Being Simic, this can be easily manipulated.
Why it’s interesting: She gives Simic a strict, predictable heartbeat. You have to plan your turns around her cycle, using “combat turns” to slam opponents, and “draw turns” to restock your hand while holding up interaction. I also love frogs. She’s not one. But also, she totally is.
3. Mendicant Core, Guidelight
Colour Identity: Azorius (W/U)
The Gist: Converts non-creature artifacts (Treasures, Clues, Food, Equipment) into heavy commander damage, along with some passive artifact cloning once things get going.
Why it’s interesting: Instead of turning artifacts into a typical swarm of aggressive tokens, Mendicant Core turns utility tokens into an offensive threat. You’d build around artifacts, token generators, artifact creatures, and the like. The ability to duplicate artifact spells is a big mid-game boon that should be further capitalised upon with token multipliers.
2. Vnwxt, Verbose Host
Colour Identity: Izzet (U/R)
The Gist: Triggers on rapid-fire spellcasting to add significant value to your card draw spells and effects, letting you potentially cycling your deck very effectively.
Why it’s interesting: He turns low-cost cantrips into high-value draw engines. Rather than relying on rigid multi-card win condition loops, Vnwxt rewards high-density draw decks. Get yourself a Rhystic Study in there, perhaps a Consecrated Sphinx among a huge number of other big card draw spells. Just really ramp up that value and include a Thassa’s Oracle, Laboratory Maniac, or Jace, Wielder of Mysteries to grab a win if you end up depleting your deck.
1. Gonti, Night Minister
Colour Identity: Mono-Black (B)
The Gist: Grants political bonuses or incentives when opponents take damage, while exiling cards off their libraries for you to cast with mana of any colour.
Why it’s interesting: He flips mono-black from a bleak sacrifice/stax archetype into a chaotic political “Theft Hug” engine. I really do intend, at some point, to try and build a good group hug deck with this chap. I think that how group-huggy this can be does kind of depend on the table buying into the idea. Some will love the chaos of it, and the license to steal, whilst others will just find it annoying and target Gonto right away.
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