MTG Sagas are a tricky yet powerful card type, and the best of the best can grant you a huge advantage in play.
Wilds of Eldraine’s release has brought a new cycle of Sagas into the world of Magic: The Gathering. While previous sets featured Sagas that told of myths and legendary tales, Wilds of Eldraine balances the scales and brings smaller-scope Sagas to the table. These comparatively lower-powered cards focus on fairy tales with cautionary endings.
With a new set of Sagas joining the game, we thought we’d look through all the Sagas released for MTG so far and round up the best ones to use in the Commander format. From Kaldheim to Kamigawa, we’ll take you through the best Sagas to include when building your Commander deck.
MTG 10 Best Commander Sagas
#10. The Kami War
The Kami War has always been a powerhouse of a card, but its WUBRG casting cost unfortunately reduces its playability in many Commander decks. Thankfully, the addition of Tom Bombadil as an incredible five-color Saga Commander means that the Kami War is no longer as limited as it once was. With two instances of removal and a creature that hits hard and is difficult to block, The Kami War is well worth the trouble it takes to cast.
#9. There and Back Again
There and Back Again’s first two steps definitely have some use – ramp is always appreciated – but we’re really here for the Saga’s third step. Generating a heavy-hitting flier with haste adds some real power to any deck, and that’s not even mentioning the dragon’s hoard worth of treasure tokens it drops on death. There and Back Again can tip the scales toward you very quickly if Smaug is allowed to hit the board, making it a Saga worthy of fear.
#8. Binding the Old Gods
While it might not be as flashy and instantly impactful as some of the other options here, Binding the Old Gods is an exceptional value pick. Combining removal and ramp for four mana, and an exceptionally lethal turn with deathtouch on the final step, Binding the Old Gods slowly but reliably turns the game in your favor every turn it remains on the field.
#7. The Bath Song
Simple, straightforward draw power boosts The Bath Song to its #7 spot. Adding mana and shuffling select targets back into your deck is the icing on the cake of this Saga, allowing you to potentially fetch back your otherwise spent plays and get a leg up on casting some of the options that The Bath Song allowed you to draw in the first place.
#6. Song of Freyalise
As one of the cheapest Sagas available at two mana, you wouldn’t expect Song of Freyalise to generate the absurd value that it does. Turning each of your creatures into a Mana Dork for the turn can lead to some hugely impactful plays much earlier than they’d usually be possible. And even if you’re struggling to make a dent in your opponents’ life totals early in the game, Song of Freyalise’s final step lets you swing for potentially big damage totally risk-free.
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#5. The Eldest Reborn
With consistency and broad utility, The Eldest Reborn can find a home in almost any deck running black mana. The Saga’s initial sacrifice effect can handily get around targeting protection like hexproof, forcing other players to make the difficult choice of which of their permanents to remove. A blanket discard effect reduces your opponents’ resources and fuels The Eldest Reborn’s final step, allowing you to claim their creatures as your own.
#4. Kiora Bests the Sea God
The most expensive MTG Saga on this list, but its high mana cost is more than made up for by its litany of game-ending effects. This Saga’s step one summons an 8/8 token creature, swiftly providing you with an army of powerful beaters if you have any form of counter removal. But as useful as an 8/8 can be in any format, it’s the second step that really elevates Kiora Bests the Sea God to its #4 spot. Tapping and stunning every one of an opponent’s permanents is an effective death sentence in late-game Commander, and Kiora serves as the best finisher on this list as a result.
#3. Birth of the Imperium
Coming in at five mana, Birth of the Imperium is on the expensive side as far as Sagas in MTG are concerned. But it more than makes up for its casting cost by providing bodies, card draw, and removal. Building up your boardstate, cutting down your opponents’, and potentially restocking your hand with a huge amount of cards, Birth of the Imperium can completely turn a losing game around by the time it’s fully resolved.
#2. Fable of the Mirror-breaker
After its stint as a must-pick in standard, Fable of the Mirror-breaker has made the leap to a Saga Commander staple. Providing absurd value and flexibility for relatively little investment or risk, each of Fable of the Mirror-breaker’s steps advances your game plan and helps you secure an early advantage. If your Commander has red at all, this is one to very seriously consider.
#1. Urza’s Saga
Urza’s Saga is a genuine rarity, and its broad applicability across the entire format earns it the #1 place on this list. Fetching a 0 or 1 cost card makes Urza’s Saga a reliable searcher of format staples like Sol Ring, or Saga-specific options such as Hex Parasite.
All of the Sagas on this list are great picks for a Saga-focused deck, and many can be splashed into any deck of the appropriate colors. But Urza’s Saga is excellent pretty much everywhere. If you can run it, you really should.