March of the Machines, releasing April 21 (don’t forget you can get everything at pre-release on April 14), brings a stunning conclusion to the trickle story we’ve had hints of since Kaldheim. The Phyrexians grand plan is in motion and every plane in the multiverse is being invaded. We revisit fan-favorite planes like Tarkir or Lorwyn as well as cutting deep into Magic’s history with planes like Shandalar and Pyrulea. The set introduces a new card type called Battle - which are double faced Permanents with an Enters the Battlefield effect and a payoff once the Battle is flipped. Battles are flipped through removing Defense counters, either with Combat or a Vampire Hexmage. These card types can only benefit the caster, so don’t expect help from other players without some good deal-making.
As with other Top 10 lists, we’ll focus on cards that are best for your 99, but we’ll make an exception for Legendary Creatures that have some broad appeal. Let’s explore the best Commander cards for your 99 from this exciting new set!
1. Sunfall
Sunfall is an Exiling Wrath that serves as a functional upgrade to Phyrexian Rebirth. This card will lead to lots of swaps since the initial cost is less and Exiling is a significant improvement over Destroying. Being able to wipe the board of Indestructible Creatures is worth a pick up.
Surge of Salvation provides you and all your Permanents with Hexproof, perfect for countering mass targeting spells. It also prevents damage from Black or Red sources to your creatures. It’s not a perfect catch-all though as it doesn’t grant Indestructible like Heroic Intervention, but it does open up the effect to other Color identities.
This Faerie Rogue will allow you to draw more cards over the course of a game than a single-use Draw spell. A word of caution, Faerie Mastermind will be seen as a threat given its strength, so be prepared for it to be a lightning-rod for removal.
Hoarding Broodlord tutors a card from your deck and allows you to cast it with Convoke. This may not seem like much at first glance with the high Mana Value of 8, but don’t be fooled - this is a strong card. Convoke lets you use your Creatures to pay for casting costs, giving the tutored card Convoke opens some interesting strategies. Within a competitive context, Saw in Half quickly combos out Witherbloom Apprentice and Chain of Smog.
5. Pile On
Destroying a Creature or Planeswalker and getting to Surveil two cards gives some great functionality. With Pile On having Convoke, this can be a free spell in most cases as long as you have one Black Creature. Even if you only have two Creatures, casting this for two will still be a fantastic rate.
Another Village Rites? Yes please! In decks that want to Sacrifice their Creature or have a lot of them laying around, efficient Draw like this is top tier. If I were you, I’d plan to pick up a few of these.
Into the Fire is a low-to-the-ground Wrath with an optional mode that lets you self-Wheel, offering some strong card draw. Its modality offers some flexibility on functional effects, essentially freeing up a slot in your 99.
8. Urabrask
With an effect similar to Birgi, God of Storytelling, Urabrask will be sure to make a splash in spell-slinger decks. While this doesn’t work for every spell type (just Instants and Sorceries), the added upside of dealing one damage to an Opponent of your choice makes the tighter restriction worth it. There is also some added benefit in the Saga on the reverse side, offering a targeted board wipe, some solid Ramp and an Underworld Breach-style effect.
Invasion of Ikoria shares similarities with Finale of Devastation, tutoring a Creature into play. If you manage to flip this Battle card, you'll gain a potent form of evasion to help close out games.
Invasion of Alara is a fun-to-cast, five-Color double Cascade spell. If you're seeking something splashy, Awaken the Maelstorm on the reverse side of Invasion of Alara will surely grab your attention. You can draw two cards, cheat a strong Artifact into play, copy it (or another Permanent you control), pump some creatures and destroy a problem Permanent an opponent controls. Yes, seven Defense is a lot to deal, but the payoff would lead to some memorable moments.
March of the Machines promises to deliver exciting new mechanics and powerful cards for Commander players to explore. With the multiverse being invaded by Phyrexians and a return to beloved planes, this set is poised to make a lasting impact on the Commander format. The introduction of the new Battle card type adds another layer of depth and strategic potential to the game. How this will work in Commander games will be interesting to see as there’s not much incentive for other players to help defeat one. As we've discussed, there are several standout cards that are sure to find a place in your 99, bringing versatility and power to your decks. As we eagerly await the release of March of the Machines, take a spin through the full set and get ready to embrace the thrilling new possibilities this set has to offer.
Were there any cards you’re excited about that I missed? Let me know in the Chimera Gaming Discord, or you can reach me directly on Twitter. Happy shuffling, and hope to jam a game or two with you in the future!
