As an Eternal format, which makes use of countless long-forgotten MTG cards, many Commander decks can be enticingly affordable. Due to the myriad preconstructed decks and budget options, it’s no wonder that Commander is the most played format on paper. As much as it can be cheap, however, Commander also has the potential to be tremendously expensive.
Since Commander has access to countless Reserved List cards, competitive decks can cost an insane amount of money. Thanks to cards like Gaea’s Cradle and Tropical Island, for instance, building a mana base alone can cost thousands. Mercifully, not every powerful and popular Commander card is expensive as these Reserved List staples. In fact, comparatively, the majority of Commander cards are blissfully inexpensive.
While they’re nothing in comparison to a $1,000 Gaea’s Cradle, Commander still has plenty of fairly expensive staples. Many of these cards are the Commanders that you build your deck around. Thanks to limited print runs and serialized promo cards, many of these cards have extraordinarily expensive variants which players can show off with. In this list, however, we’ll be taking a different approach to divining the most expensive Commanders in MTG.
Throughout this list, rather than covering the de facto most expensive Commanders in existence, we’ll be covering the MTG Commanders you may actually want to play. This is because the other version of this list would be tremendously boring. Due to the Reserved List and cards from the late 1990s, the truly most expensive commanders in MTG are frightfully dull. Just look at Lady Zhurong, Warrior Queen for instance. Expensive? Yes. Good? No.
As a result of this, we’ll be doing things a little bit differently!
The Caveats
As we mentioned above, to make this list interesting, we won’t be including every single potential Commander ever printed. Instead, cards from sets with especially limited print runs and those which are rare solely due to their age are being excluded. To put it simply, this means we won’t be including any Reserved List cards or Commanders from before 1998’s Urza’s Saga.
Alongside this major caveat, throughout this list, we will be basing prices and placement on the cheapest variant of cards. This is to prevent cards such as Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer from stealing the show with their serialized variant. When it comes to pricing, it’s also worth noting that we use TCGplayer’s Market Price to determine value. On other websites and at other stores, these cards may be more or less expensive.
Now, with those caveats out of the way, let’s get right into this list! Without any further ado, here are the top 10 most expensive Commanders in all of MTG!
Honorable Mention | Gwendlyn Di Corci
Price: $336.96
Technically, just a few moments ago, we said we wouldn’t talk about Reserved List cards in this list. I’m sorry to say but we lied. Since they are technically the most expensive Commander in MTG, we’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about Gwendlyn Di Corci.
Released in Legends, Gwendlyn Di Corci is simply not a very good Magic: the Gathering card. In theory, with a few untap abilities, Gwendlyn Di Corci could be used to make your opponent discard their entire hard. On their own, however, this rather expensive Legendary Creature is undeniably lackluster.
Despite their weak ability and stats, however, Gwendlyn Di Corci is nevertheless tremendously expensive thanks to their rarity. Since they’re on the Reserved List, this rarity isn’t going to change any time soon. Subsequently. It’s unlikely that Gwendlyn Di Corci will ever be knocked off this honorary top spot.
10 | Doric, Nature’s Warden
Price: $38.60
To get into the list properly, we’re kicking things off with a very recently released MTG card. Launched as part of the Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Secret Lair drop, this card is controversially a Secret Lair exclusive. Similarly to another card on this list, which we’ll get to later, this move didn’t go down well with the community.
Due to only being available for a limited time, copies of Doric, Nature’s Warden are somewhat surprisingly scarce. Since MTG players knew this was a limited-time sale, at first, this didn’t seem like too much of a problem. After all, due to the warning, players who were interested could surely buy the Secret Lair if they were interested, right? Sadly, that’s not quite how it has gone down.
Unfortunately, while this warning should have helped, Doric, Nature’s Warden threw a spanner into the works by being quite good. Providing a consistent ramp and buffs to your board, Doric, Nature’s Warden is certainly the best out of the bunch. As a result, since their release, their price has continued to climb steadily.
While they’re not played extensively in any format, Doric’s rarity nevertheless makes them one of the most expensive Commanders in MTG. Without a future MTG set which is set in the Forgotten Realms, this price may not drop any time soon.
9 | Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
Price: $40.52
Thanks to a recent reprint in the Multiverse Legends bonus sheet, the price of Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer has recently taken a bit of a hit. That being said, however, compared to other Multiverse Legends cards, the price has barely budged. The formerly $60 Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice, for instance, is now worth just $13.70 following their reprint. Ragavan, however, only fell in price by around $20.
Typically, as Atraxa demonstrates, reprints can be tremendously effective a lowering a card’s price. Unfortunately, however, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer sees extensive play wherever it can do. By generating tokens and stealing an opponent’s cards, Ragavan is a powerhouse in Modern, Commander, and even Vintage. Due to this demand, it seems incredibly difficult for the price of Ragavan to budge in a significant way. As a result, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer will likely remain on this list for some time to come.
8 | Emrakul, the Promised End
Price: $43.25
Boasting the seventh highest eternal legal casting coast, Emrakul, the Promised End certainly doesn’t come cheap. This is true in every sense of the word, as they’ve also made this list of the most expensive Commanders.
While Emrakul, the Promised End can be your Commander, admittedly, they’re not the best choice for that role. Instead, Eldrazi-themed Commander decks tend to play Kozilek, the Great Distortion thanks to their impressive utility. Despite not being the first choice, Emrakul, the Promised End still deserves a spot within the 99. In fact, due to their game-ending potential, Emrakul, the Promised End is enjoyed by quite a few decks.
By taking control of your opponent for a turn, Emrakul, the Promised End has the potential to cause absolute chaos in Commander. Able to devastate not just one opponent, but the entire table, Emrakul, the Promised End is a menace when played correctly. Subsequently, it’s no wonder they’re so loved, and expensive, in Commander.
7 | Zhulodok, Void Gorger
Price: $44.95
To complicate this list a little bit, Zhulodok, Void Gorger isn’t actually out yet. Despite this small, and important detail, however, Zhulodok is still regarded as one of the most expensive Commanders in all of MTG. This is thanks to them being a purpose-built Commander powerhouse.
Due to release in the upcoming Commander Masters set, Zhulodok, Void Gorger is one of the set’s 40 new Commander cards. Within the set, Zhulodok can be found as the face Commander in the new Eldrazi Unbound colorless deck. For better or worse, this could lead to the price of this card tumbling once the set is released. As, in theory, this card should be rather accessible, even if decks do currently cost $85 on Amazon.
Regardless of how accessible they are, Zhulodok, Void Gorger is definitely a good Commander card. Synergizing heavily with high-cost Eldrazi spells, Zhulodok can, in theory, almost flood the board with massive threats. Just playing an Emrakul, the Promised End, for instance, could also get you It That Betrays and Ulamong, the Ceaseless Hunger.
Should this excellent Cascade, Cascade happen, the game will basically be over, in an instant. Subsequently, it won’t be a surprise if Zhulodok, Void Gorger becomes the go-to choice for Eldrazi-themed Commander decks. If this happens, this card may retain a lot of its value and a spot on this list. Whether or not that will happen, however, remains to be seen.
6 | Rick, Steadfast Leader
Price: $46.99
As we alluded to earlier, Rick, Steadfast Leader is the other problematic Secret Lair exclusive card on this list. While, in theory, this could be grounds to exclude them, like Doric, Rick, Steadfast Leader is a good Commander in Commander. In fact, Rick, Steadfast Leader is one of the best choices for a humans-themed tribal deck in the format.
Providing blankets buffs and abilities to humans you control, Rick, Steadfast Leader can turn a shambling horde of tokens into a real force to be reckoned with. Due to their powerful abilities, there’s a huge amount of demand for Rick, Steadfast Leader, which has kept their price high since their release. Thankfully for those on a budget, however, that is all about to change.
In the upcoming Wilds of Eldraine set, The Walking Dead crossover cards are finally getting Universes Within variants. Available as part of The List, these alternate name reprints should significantly reduce the price of Rick, Steadfast Leader. It’s possible their price may even drop below a single dollar! This would follow the trend set by previously expensive cards Universes Beyond such as Eleven, the Mage.
5 | Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Price: $47.92
Since releasing in 2012, Avacyn, Angel of Hope has quickly become the most iconic Angel in all of MTG. Boasting a suite of incredibly powerful abilities, Avacyn, Angel of Hope is a true powerhouse in Commander. Often once Avacyn lands on the battlefield, the game will be all but over. That is, of course, unless someone is holding onto one of the needed pieces of appropriate Exile removal.
Like Emrakul, the Promised End, while Avacyn, Angel of Hope can be your Commander, they’re not the ideal choice. That honor instead goes to Giada, Font of Hope. Despite this, however, Avacyn, Angel of Hope has maintained an incredibly high price tag since its release due to its strength. Considering they’re played in over 54,000 Commander decks, according to EDHREC, this price is absolutely no surprise.
4 | The Ur-Dragon
Price: $50.00
If you’re building a Dragon-themed Commander deck, The Ur-Dragon is the obvious choice for the deck’s Commander. This has been true since the card was first released in the Commander 2017 deck, Draconic Domination. Offering incredible synergies with the tribal archetype, The Ur-Dragon is in a league of its own when it comes to MTG Commanders. In fact, according to EDHREC, the card is the fifth most popular Commander of all time.
To explain this popularity and the accompanying price tag, The Ur-Dragon features the Eminence ability. Only seen on five cards to date, this keyword is exceptionally powerful, as it provides benefits even if the Commander is in the Command Zone. For The Ur-Dragon, this means all other Dragons you control are cheaper, which is obviously always useful. So useful, in fact, that The Ur-Dragon is worth it, even despite their hefty mana cost.
While their popularity in Commander may not wane for some time, The Ur-Dragon may be getting cheaper soon. This is thanks to an upcoming reprint as part of Commander Masters. In theory, should this reprint do its job, The Ur-Dragon could be getting significantly cheaper in the coming months. That is the hope, at least.
3 | Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
Price: $59.49
After eight boring ol’ traditional MTG cards, finally, this list has its first unique card variant. In an unusual twist, the cheapest variant of Sheoldred, the Apocalypse is the almost unreadable Phyrexian text version. Considering this is technically a rare variant of this card this might seem like quite the steal. That being said, however, it’s obviously not the easiest card to read.
Despite being almost illegible to most MTG players, this version of Sheoldred, the Apocalypse is still incredibly expensive. This is thanks to Sheoldred, the Apocalypse being a powerhouse in Standard, Pioneer, Commander, and even Modern! By punishing card draw, Sheoldred, the Apocalypse fits within countless decks, causing demand to be incredibly high. Since MTG players always love to draw cards, this demand likely won’t be going anywhere. Especially not since Standard now has a three-year rotation.
2 | Sliver Gravemother
Price: $64.95
Similarly to Zhulodok, Void Gorger, Sliver Gravemother is another new card from Commander Masters that is yet to release. For better or worse, this may mean that their price tag may not be entirely accurate. It’s possible, for instance, this card is currently overhyped, with sellers expecting higher demand than supply, Alternatively, however, the Commander Masters decks might sell like hotcakes, which would result in a price drop.
Currently, it’s impossible to know which way the price of presale cards like Sliver Gravemother will go. What we do know, however, is that Sliver Gravemother is a very powerful Commander card. They’re so strong, in fact, they may even usurp The First Sliver as the best Sliver Commander! This is thanks to them allowing Slivers to come back from the Graveyard. Typically, this zone has been somewhat of a wasted resource in Sliver decks, so Sliver Gravemother certainly fills that niche.
1 | Edgar Markov
Price: $69.48
Last but not least, we have Edgar Markov to top this list of the most expensive Commanders in all MTG. Released as part of Commander 2017, Edgar Markov is another of the five cards with Eminence. As we mentioned with The Ur-Dragon, this makes them a stellar choice for your Commander, as they’re always providing value.
Alongside their powerful eminence ability, which creates vampire tokens, Edgar Markov also provides substantial buffs to your entire board. This has made them one of the most beloved and popular Commanders in MTG. According to EDHREC, Edgar Markov is the 10th most-played Commander at the time of writing. Featured in 14610 decks, it’s no wonder that demand for this card has caused such a high price tag.
Unlike The Ur-Dragon and many other cards on this list, Edgar Markov has never been properly reprinted. This has led to the card’s price only climbing higher and higher over time. Hopefully, perhaps in a set like Commander Masters, Edgar Markov can finally get the reprint that they sorely need. Whether or not that happens, however, remains to be seen.
The Budget Balance
At the end of the day, as this list proves, there are plenty of Commanders in MTG who are worth a pretty penny. While not all of these cards are the best choice to fill that role, each card is nevertheless great fun to play with. Thankfully, however, in Commander, you don’t need to spend this much money to have a good time.
Thanks to the prevalence of preconstructed decks, and the almost 2,000 available legendary creatures, there are plenty of Commanders to choose from. This can allow the format to be incredibly affordable, especially at casual levels. Subsequently, don’t worry if these high prices have put you off, there are plenty of budget Commander decks out there to enjoy!
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