A return to Lorwyn is finally on the horizon in 2026, and it’s hard not to feel nostalgic about the original set that debuted 18 years ago. It’s been a while since Treefolk and Kithkin have been in the spotlight, and if Mark Rosewater’s latest teasers are any indication, there’s a lot for fans of these underappreciated creature types to be excited about.
So, as we gear up for Lorwyn Eclipsed spoiler season, it’s only natural for some unique, older designs to get more recognition. Looking back, one Kithkin in particular stands out as a premium build-around. This forgotten legend has a ton of Commander potential, and it’s certainly worthy of some time in the spotlight.
MTG Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile as a Commander
For four mana, Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile is rather understatted. While First Strike is a useful keyword, you won’t be engaging in combat with Brigid much. Instead, this card gains most of its appeal from its activated ability. There have been many creatures printed over the years that can tap to deal damage to opposing threats, but Brigid’s ceiling is much higher. Unlike most other Pingers, Brigid is capable of killing multiple creatures at once.
With this in mind, there are a few keys to maximizing the Kithkin legend as your Commander. First and foremost, you want to include a handful of ways to ensure that any creature dealt damage actually bites the dust. After all, Commander is a format dominated by big bombs, and two damage often won’t cut kill the attackers or blockers you need to answer the most.
The simplest method to make Brigid’s activated ability lethal is to give it Deathtouch. Numerous pieces of equipment, including Basilisk Collar and Gorgon’s Head, do the trick nicely. For a bit more mana, Sword of Kaldra provides a massive stat boost to Brigid while simultaneously helping you get rid of opposing Indestructible creatures.
Once you have one of these effects online, your next step is to pair them with cards that force opposing creatures to either attack or block en masse. Nemesis Mask does an excellent job when you’re on the offensive, while cards like Gideon Jura help you set up a massive blowout on the defensive end. In a similar vein, creatures with Provoke help you untap opposing creatures and then force them to block.
After checking both of these boxes, cards like Sting, the Glinting Dagger that let you untap Brigid and activate it during each opponent’s turn goes a long way in helping you win multiplayer games. Throw in some win conditions such as Scythe of the Wretched to go above, and you’re in great shape. Brigid may look unassuming, but when your engine gets rolling, your opponents are in a world of trouble.
MTG Brigid as a Support Piece
In addition to Brigid’s potential in the command zone, there are a ton of other Commanders that synergize with Brigid in the 99. Ohabi Caleria, for instance, makes great use out of Brigid being an Archer. Getting to untap Brigid every turn is already strong, but Ohabi then takes things a step further by turning Brigid’s activated ability into a card advantage mechanism.
Other Commanders like Kudo, King Among Bears make Brigid’s ability a surefire kill by weakening the opposition. While less flashy, Trostani, Three Whispers provides similar upside alongside Brigid just by being able to grant Brigid Deathtouch on command.
Additionally, there are a handful of red Commanders focused on the Goad mechanic where Brigid fits in seamlessly. Baeloth Barrityl, Entertainer not only forces opposing small creatures to attack, but also rewards you with Treasure tokens when they die. Meanwhile, with a little effort of your own, Marisi, Breaker of the Coil can singlehandedly force all of your opponent’s creatures to attack. It’s incredible just how devastating Brigid can be in the right environment.
An Underrated Tool
Despite all of these ways to take advantage of Brigid, the card still remains criminally underplayed. According to EDHREC, there are only 389 decks using Brigid as a Commander, which is extremely small. While more decks use Brigid in the 99, it’s still a very underwhelming number for how strong this Commander card can be.
Given how strong Brigid lines up against go-wide decks, its Commander appeal is likely to keep increasing, too. Even though most of the cards haven’t officially been revealed in Lorwyn Eclipsed yet, it’s safe to assume that some exciting Changeling and typal payoffs are on the way that Brigid can exploit. Of course, if an elite new Kithkin typal payoff gets printed, Brigid’s usage could increase even more.
Nonetheless, as Brigid continues to be overlooked, the cool Kithkin only sits at $1.35 in near mint form according to TCGplayer. This comes in spite of the fact that its Lorwyn debut is its only printing after all these years. Don’t sleep on Brigid, or you might end up on the wrong side of its brutal ability.
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