MAGIC: THE GATHERING

Blue Commanders

 

Though some may think playing blue in Magic can be a bit overrated but there is a reason for that. The power and abilities you can get out of playing Blue can take your Magic game to the next level! Here are 4 Blue Commanders you can play at your next Friday Night Magic. 

 

Urza, Lord High Artificer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Urza, Lord High Artificer
Mana Cost: 2UU
Type: Legendary Creature: Human Artificer
Power/Toughness: 1/4

Abilities:

• It costs 4 mana total: 2 generic and 2 blue.

• So you’ll need to be in a blue deck, and it’s probably best in a mono-blue or heavy-blue artifact deck.

“When Urza enters the battlefield, create a 0/0 colorless Construct... gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control.”

• This gives you a creature right away that gets stronger the more artifacts you have.

• That includes artifact lands, mana rocks, tokens, even Urza himself (he’s not an artifact, but the token still counts any other artifacts you control).

• Common in artifact synergy decks where you might easily have 5+ artifacts, making the token a 5/5 or bigger.

“Tap an untapped artifact you control: Add {U}.”

• This lets you tap any artifact (even if it doesn’t normally tap for mana) to get blue mana.

• It’s effectively turning artifacts into mana sources, even things like tokens or equipment.

• This is very abusable with cards that untap artifacts or generate lots of artifact tokens (like Thopter Assembly or Sai, Master Thopterist).

“{5}: Shuffle your library, exile the top card. Until end of turn, you may play it without paying its mana cost.”

• This is a powerful card advantage engine.

• You don’t have to cast the card immediately: it’s available until the end of the turn.

• You can play anything you hit for free: lands, creatures, planeswalkers, giant spells…

• Very strong in big mana blue decks, especially if you’re using his mana ability to generate tons of blue mana with cheap artifacts.

When Urza, Lord High Artificer enters the battlefield, create a 0/0 colorless Construct artifact creature token with “This creature gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control.”

Tap an untapped artifact you control: Add {U}.

{5}: Shuffle your library, then exile the top card. Until end of turn, you may play that card without paying its mana cost.

Orvar, The All Form

Mana Cost: 3U
Type: Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Power/Toughness: 3/3
Rarity: Mythic Rare

Abilities:

• Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell that targets one or more other permanents you control, create a token that's a copy of one of those permanents.

• When a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard this card, create a token that's a copy of target permanent.

🔷 Mana Cost & Color Identity

• Costs 3U (3 colorless, 1 blue), so it's a blue card.

• This makes it playable in mono-blue decks and gives it access to typical blue themes like cloning, spells, and trickery.

👤 Changeling

• Means it’s every creature type at all times, no matter where it is.

• This makes it great for tribal synergies: whether you're playing Wizards, Merfolk, Rogues, or something wacky like Eldrazi tribal, it fits in.

🌀 Copy Effect (Primary Ability)

“Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell that targets one or more other permanents you control, create a token that's a copy of one of those permanents.”

• What it means: If you cast a spell (like Opt, Twiddle, Defiant Strike, etc.) and it targets something you control (like a creature or land), you get a copy of that thing.

• It’s a copy, not a token with just power/toughness or simple effects: it keeps abilities and everything the original has.

• You can do wild stuff by targeting your creatures with cheap spells to get clones of creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects.

 

Eluge, The Shoreless Sea

• Mana Cost: 1UUU (1 generic mana, 3 blue mana)

• Type: Legendary Creature — Elemental Fish

• Power/Toughness: Equal to the number of Islands you control

• Rarity: Mythic Rare

Abilities:

1. Power/Toughness Scaling: Eluge's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Islands you control. This means Eluge can become a formidable creature as your Island count increases.

2. Flood Counter Mechanic: Whenever Eluge enters the battlefield or attacks, you may place a flood counter on target land. That land becomes an Island in addition to its other types for as long as it has a flood counter on it. This ability can help you turn non-Island lands into Islands, potentially enabling synergies with other cards that benefit from having more Islands.

3. Spell Cost Reduction: The first instant or sorcery spell you cast each turn costs {U} (one blue mana) or {1} (one generic mana) less to cast for each land you control with a flood counter on it. This can lead to significant cost reductions, especially in decks that can place multiple flood counters on lands.

Strategic Considerations:

• Commander Play: Eluge's abilities make it a strong choice for Commander decks that focus on Islands and spellcasting. The potential for large power/toughness and cost reductions can be game changing.

• Synergies: Cards that place flood counters on lands or benefit from having more Islands can synergize well with Eluge. Additionally, effects that manipulate land types or abilities can enhance Eluge's impact.

• Deck Building: To maximize Eluge's potential, consider including cards that can place multiple flood counters on lands, as well as spells that benefit from reduced costs.

 

Talrand, Sky Summoner

Mana Cost:

2UU (2 generic, 2 blue)

Legendary Creature — Merfolk Wizard

Power/Toughness:

2 / 2

Rules Text:

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, create a 2/2 blue Drake creature token with flying.

What Does It Do / Why Is It Good?

• Token Generation Engine: Every time you cast an instant or sorcery, you get a 2/2 flying Drake. This turns your spells into creatures, essentially letting you swarm the board while casting spells you'd probably want to cast anyway.

• Synergy with Cheap Spells: Works extremely well with cheap cantrips (like Ponder, Brainstorm, Opt), control spells (Counterspell, Unsummon, etc.), or any spell-heavy strategy.

• Works in Multiple Formats: While it sees the most love in casual and Commander formats, it’s a solid choice for any spell-heavy blue deck that wants to go wide.

Commander Usage:

In EDH, Talrand is often the commander of mono-blue spellslinger decks. The usual gameplan:

• Load up on instants/sorceries

• Cast spells to control the game and generate flyers

• Overwhelm opponents with a swarm of 2/2 flying Drakes