Magic: The Gathering Designer Reveals the $1 Avatar: The Last Airbender Commander That Deserves More Play

Water is the element of change, and this Commander feels like a game-changer The most popular Commanders in Magic: The Gathering tend to make everything around them easier. The Ur-Dragon makes dragons cheaper, draws extra cards, and cheats permanents onto the board. Edgar Markov buffs all of your vampires while spawning even more. Others, like Vivi Ornitier or Y’shtola, Night’s Blessed, frequently ping opponents for damage while offering other potent benefits. The common thread is that the Commanders players love self-sustaining engines that offer steady value. Some of the most fun I’ve ever had building and playing Commander, however, happens when I find an overlooked option and make a deck that surprises everyone at the table. Especially with so many Universes Beyond sets, which are chock-full of legendary creatures you can use as your Commander, a lot of potential options fade into obscurity. Venat, Heart of Hydaelyn from Final Fantasy is one such sleeper, with a simple but effective toolkit in mono-white I’ve had a lot of fun playing. That led me to asking the lead designer on the Avatar: The Last Airbender set, Chris Mooney, about which member of Team Avatar deserves more play