Of all the different “bending” mechanics in MTG Avatar, Firebending is often the most difficult to maximize. Since you’re only given a small window to utilize the extra mana, unless you have the right support, the mana will just go to waste. One particular Avatar legend with Firebending, however, serves as an exception. Ozai, the Phoenix King is big, resilient, and helps lead to huge turns that can pull you super far ahead, making it an awesome EDH build-around.
Ozai, the Phoenix King
Ozai, the Phoenix King is an extremely unique Firebending creature, primarily because of his second line of text. Being able to save up any excess mana you would generate temporarily is a huge boon. Obviously, this synergizes well with his own Firebending 4 ability as well as other new cards like Sozin’s Comet. Alongside these, there are plenty of strong cards from outside MTG Avatar that make it easier to build up a surplus of mana across multiple turns.
In fact, we’ve already seen some spicy Ozai Commander filler options spike in price. Last week, Braid of Fire, which makes for an incredible early play in an Ozai shell that scales as the game progresses, ballooned to $30. Meanwhile, Neheb, the Eternal has also seen its value rise a bit in recent days. Neheb does take a bit of extra effort to maximize, but with access to a seven-power monster with Haste and Trample in the Command Zone, it’s pretty easy to rack up a burst of mana.
From there, even one-shot Rituals make for strong inclusions in an Ozai shell. While cards like Dark Ritual and Seething Song don’t provide the same upside as other repeatable options, they make up for this by helping you get your Commander into play ahead of schedule.
Once in play, having a card like Doubling Cube around can quickly let you generate obscene amounts of mana. While this is obviously incredibly useful, having essentially infinite mana with no outlet isn’t very useful. Thankfully, there is no end of powerful X spells in MTG for you to jam into the 99.
Torment of Hailfire is often the best of the bunch due to its efficiency, but any card from Exsanguinate to Jaya’s Immolating Inferno that lets you hit multiple opponents at once should do the trick to end the game. Outside of lethal haymakers, even simple sources of card advantage like Commune with Lava should pull you far ahead, making it easier to set up a win in short order.
Ozai in the 99
On top of being a sweet Commander option, Ozai does have plenty of utility in the 99 of some other decks. Unsurprisingly, numerous new Firebending Legends, including Fire Lord Zuko, will want Ozai in the mix. Fire Lord Ozai decks in particular make for excellent homes, since Fire Lord Ozai both produces lots of red mana and functions as a mana sink. Still, there are some other old archetypes that will welcome the Human Noble as well.
Yurlok of Scorch Thrash shells, for instance, welcome the new legend into the 99. Right off the bat, Yurlok’s mana generating ability lets you cast Ozai ahead of schedule. Ozai then ensures that any extra mana you produce won’t go to waste, so there’s no fear of Yurlok’s symmetrical effect coming back to bite you.
Unsurprisingly, producing excess mana goes a long way towards propping up Xancha, Sleeper Agent and Grenzo, Dungeon Warden. Ramp is hard to come by in Rakdos, so any effects that provide a consistent flare of mana are worthwhile considerations.
Ozai being a beefy, Trampling threat also makes it a decent option in strategies that heavily reward you for dealing lots of damage to your opponent. A single attack with Ozai easily sets up Rakdos, Lord of Riots and Indoraptor, the Perfect Hybrid as follow-ups. Even though Ozai is a bit on the expensive side, the mana production from his Firebending ability makes it easier to cast him, attack, and then cast these Commanders all on the same turn.
Of course, having Haste makes Ozai come in clutch in Goro-Goro and Satoru decks as well as those with Shadow the Hedgehog at the helm. Even being able to fight over the Monarch in Queen Marchesa decks has a lot of value.
Perhaps one of the best, and sneakiest homes for Ozai is in a Warhammer classic. Not only is Ozai a great hit for any Cascade effect, but Abaddon, the Despoiler, in particular, is perfectly enabled by Ozai. Not only will this turn on Abaddon’s Cascade effect, but the extra mana from Ozai can also help cast spells.
All in all, Ozai has all kinds of different homes all across different Commander decks. Between enabling crazy Fireballs kills himself, and turning on any aggressive-themed Commander in his colors, don’t be surprised if you see this at your Commander table in the near future.
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