Anyone who enjoys playing Commander knows just how popular typal archetypes are. This is especially true for those centered around big monsters like Dinosaurs. On top of this, it’s no secret that players also love showcasing unique combos that others may not be familiar with. Luckily, for Dinosaur enthusiasts, there’s a simple inclusion that can give you the best of both worlds. With the right support, Polyraptor is an MTG Dinosaur that’s more than capable of ending games in an instant.
MTG Polyraptor
Despite being an expensive mythic Dinosaur, Polyraptor is actually a very simple card. At the very least, it makes for one hell of a blocker, as any less-than-lethal damage will give you a token copy of it. While this effect can quickly spiral out of control, demanding a board wipe, Polyraptor admittedly isn’t an auto include everywhere.
According to EDHREC, Polyraptor sees play in around 36,000 Commander decks right now. Naturally, it makes an easy inclusion within Dinosaur Typal decks, like those helmed by Gishath, Sun’s Avatar. Alongside these, Polyraptor also sees steady play alongside Hansk, Slaker Zealot, thanks to their unrestricted damage ability.
By targeting Polyraptor with Hansk, you can guarantee you get at least one copy. From here, using a damage outlet like Pyrohemia can allow you to quickly flood the board with Polyraptor tokens. If you want to lean into the strategy more aggressively, Indoraptor, the Perfect Hybrid, makes for a stellar Commander option.
Admittedly, while there is a ton of potential and synergies to exploit with Polyraptor, this MTG card is obviously expensive. Not only does it cost eight mana to cast, but a near-mint copy will typically set you back at least $13. Thanks to this, you’ll want to make sure you get your money’s worth out of this unique Dinosaur. Luckily, this isn’t too much trouble, as alongside general synergies, there’s also infinite combos to exploit.
Infinite Combos
Recently, MTG players have been rediscovering Polyraptor thanks to its impressive combo potential. With multiple two-card combos that are capable of creating infinite Polyraptors, this card has serious game-ending potential. That said, the easiest Polyraptor combo won’t actually win you the game, but instead draw it.
With Marauding Raptor in play, all you have to do is resolve and stick Polyraptor to create an infinite loop. When Polyraptor enters, Marauding Raptor will deal two damage to it, which will get you a token copy of it. This new copy will then also be dealt two damage in an infinitely repeating cycle. Since this will never end, the game will be forced to end in a draw, unless you can stop the loop.
While it costs a little bit more, using Forerunner of the Empire is a much safer version of this infinite combo. Not only can Forerunner of the Empire clear the entire board, but since it’s a map ability, you can stop the loop whenever you’d like. From this point, any effect that grants Haste, like Mass Hysteria, will let you close out the game that turn.
As if these two combos weren’t enough, there are tons of remarkably easy-to-use combos involving Polyraptor. Using Aether Flash, Blasting Station, Goblin Bombardment, or even Terror of the Peaks, you can set up similar infinite combos. Adding Haste or an effect like Impact Tremors makes any of these lethal, giving Polyraptor remarkable utility.
With this strength in mind, it’s no wonder that Polyraptor is getting another turn in the spotlight right now. If anything, the only trouble with this card is that it’s so easy to build around. While this can make it an excellent choice as a hidden or secret Commander, it’s difficult to randomly throw into the 99 of any deck. Still, it’s hard to deny that this unique Dinosaur is capable of causing all kinds of shenanigans.
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