Commander Masters is an upcoming Magic: The Gathering set devoted to its popular Commander format. Commander Masters comprises popular commanders or other spells reprinted to make them more available for players. For the most part, these cards are exact copies of their older printings with no changes.
However, Commander Masters is changing the rarities of several Magic: The Gathering cards. For the most part, the set has promised to downshift them, making them one level more common than they once were. This increases the odds of finding iconic cards for all players and pumps new cards into the rarity-limited Artisan and Pauper formats.
10 Mangara, The Diplomat
Mangara, the Diplomat is one of Magic: The Gathering‘s more recent cards getting downshifted in Commander Masters. It’s a Mythic Rare card from the Core Set 2021 that rewards its controller when the enemy attacks them or draws additional cards. Mangara, the Diplomat has proven reasonably popular among white Magic creatures since its release.
However, Mangara, the Diplomat is crowded out by the upper echelons of Commander Masters’ high-power creatures. As a result, its rarity has been dropped from the highest Mythic Rare tier to the more reasonable Rare.
9 Extinguish All Hope
Extinguish All Hope is a board wipe effect from the Theros set Journey into Nyx. For its above-average cost, it destroys non-enchantment creatures on the battlefield. A well-built deck can use this to devastate an opponent’s board state without harming their own in any significant way.
However, Extinguish All Hope is both expensive and limited for a board wipe in Magic the Gathering. In particular, it might lack synergy in Commander Masters-specific drafts. The set downgrades it from a Rare card to an Uncommon one, making it one of the few board wipes players can use in Artisan.
8 Blood Aspirant
Blood Aspirant is an Uncommon creature from Theros: Beyond Death. Its effects allow the player to sacrifice their creatures, and rewards them by buffing its Power and Toughness. This can turn Blood Aspirant into an impressive threat in its own right and a useful piece in many aristocrats decks.
Commander Masters is making Blood Aspirant more ubiquitous throughout the game. It’s being downshifted from an Uncommon creature to a Common one. This is one of Commander Masters‘ many additions to the Pauper format, providing a significant boost to red decks that only use Common cards.
7 Wakening Sun’s Avatar
Wakening Sun’s Avatar is a Dinosaur creature from the Ixalan set. For its high cost, it combines a powerful creature with an uneven board wipe. As long as a player casts it from their hand, it destroys every non-Dinosaur creature on the battlefield. This can leave a player with a commanding board state if they’ve built their deck around it.
Ixalan has Wakening Sun’s Avatar as a Mythic Rare creature. However, Commander Masters gives it a significant downshift to merely Rare. Given that it isn’t a Legendary creature and therefore cannot be a Commander, this saves more Mythic Rare slots for beloved Commanders.
6 Windrider Wizard
Windrider Wizard is a blue Uncommon creature from the Zendikar Rising set. Whenever its controller casts a sorcery, instant, or Wizard creature spell, they can draw a card and discard a card. This helps players go through their deck quickly for cards they need or fill their graveyard with valuable spells.
Commander Masters is downshifting Windrider Wizard from an Uncommon creature to a Common one. This lets players use it in the Pauper format. Given that blue has some of Magic: The Gathering‘s best card draw, even in Pauper, this may not change the game dramatically. Nonetheless, it could enable unusual decks or combos in Pauper.
5 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit is a white Legendary creature from the Dragons of Tarkir set. She makes heavy use of the Bolster mechanic. Every time a creature enters the battlefield, Anazenda, Kin-Tree Spirit can give one of her creatures with the lowest toughness a +1/+1 counter.
Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit has never been a particularly beloved creature or Commander as a Rare card. However, Commander Masters is downshifting her to Uncommon. She’s still unlikely to see much use as a Commander as a result, but many players may welcome her presence in Artistan format counters decks.
4 Rankle, Master Of Pranks
Ranke, Master of Pranks is a black Legendary creature from Thrones of Eldraine whose playstyle revolves around disrupting every opponent. When Rankle deals combat damage, his controller can force all players to lose one life and draw a card, discard a card, sacrifice a creature, or any combination of the three.
Rankle, Master of Pranks has often annoyed Magic: The Gathering Commander players. Commander Masters looks set to make him even more commonplace. Rather than a Mythic Rare creature, the new set is printing him as Rare. Many more players will have the chance to open Rankle and blight their opponents with his abilities.
3 Rakka Mar
Rakkar Mar is a red Legendary creature from the Conflux set. Alongside Haste, she can summon hard-hitting Elementals for a low cost. Unlike with many similar effects, the player doesn’t have to sacrifice Rakka Mar’s elementals on their end step. A canny player can snowball Rakka Mar into a commanding board state.
However, Rakka Mar isn’t among Magic: The Gathering‘s most powerful creatures. Even among Commander Masters reprints, she’s below the average power level. Her downshift to Uncommon rarity may give her more of a chance to shine and liven up red decks in Artisan or Artisan Commander formats.
2 Brass Knuckles
Brass Knuckles are one of the few downshifted artifacts seen so far in Commander Masters, a set with a heavy focus on Magic‘s iconic creatures. For four mana, a player gets two copies of an equipment artifact that can give creatures Double Strike if they have two artifacts equipped.
Brass Knuckles has been Uncommon since its introduction in Streets of New Capenna. However, very soon after its first printing, Commander Legends is downshifting it to Common. It breaks new ground for Pauper, due to giving many creatures Double Strike and being an easily copied permanent. However, its high mana cost for its effects will likely limit its usefulness.
1 Gisela, Blade Of Goldnight
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight has been frequently reprinted since her introduction in Avacyn Restored. She’s a red-white Legendary Angel who halves the damage suffered by her controller or their permanents and doubles the damage her controller or their permanents do to others.
Commander Masters breaks new ground with Gisela, Blade of Goldnight. Previous reprints have kept her at her initial Mythic Rare rarity. However, the new set’s reprint downshifts her to mere Rare status. Given Gisela, Blade of Goldnight’s questionable power level for Mythic Rare, this may bring her more in line with others.