Commander 2021 | |||||
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Set Information | |||||
Set symbol | |||||
Symbol description | A decorated shield | ||||
Design |
Ethan Fleischer (lead) Taymoor Rehman Daniel Holt Ken Nagle Noah Millrod Sheldon Menery Ari Nieh Chris Mooney | ||||
Development | Corey Bowen (lead) | ||||
Release date | April 23, 2021 | ||||
Plane |
Arcavios Multiversal | ||||
Keywords/ability words | Demonstrate | ||||
Set size | Five 100-card decks | ||||
Expansion code | C21[1] | ||||
Commander series | |||||
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Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
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Commander 2021, also referred to as Strixhaven Commander[2], officially styled as Commander (2021 Edition) and marketed as the Strixhaven: School of Mages Commander decks, is a product in the Commander series released by Wizards of the Coast. The set was released on the same day as Strixhaven: School of Mages, and was marketed as an integral part of that set.[3] It was released on April 23, 2021.[4]
Set details[ | ]
Commander 2021 consists of five preconstructed theme decks, similar to Ikoria Commander, and features 10 playable premium foil commanders. The five enemy colored 100-card decks contain 357 different cards in total, though 28 of those (including the five basic lands) are reprints from Strixhaven, leaving 329 unique cards that bear the set symbol from Commander 2021. There are 81 new cards (#1-81) legal in Vintage and Legacy (1 commons, 70 rares, 10 mythic rares). These are set on the same plane as Strixhaven, though the reprints (#82-327 and #408-409) can be from anywhere.
The 70 new rares and 10 new mythic rares from the Commander 2021 decks are available in an extended-art version (#328-407). These may be found in a dedicated single slot of the Strixhaven: School of Mages Collector Booster.[5] These extended-art cards are only available in non-foil. Of note, the rares and mythic rares that are reprints in the Commander 2021 decks aren't found in Strixhaven Collector Boosters.
Two cards found in Quantum Quandrix, Tranquil Thicket and Yavimaya Coast, have collector numbers #408 and #409, following the extended art cards.
Each package contains 1 foil-etched display commander card (replacing the oversized cards from previous Commander sets), a 100 card deck (including 2 regular foils), 10 double-sided tokens, 1 deck box and 1 life wheel.[6] In addition, there are 9 punch-out counters and a divider which are part of the paper packaging.[7] Each deck features 17 new cards, with one of them (Study Hall) appearing in each deck.
Each deck contains multiple legendary cards, including two mono-colored legendary creatures, but only the face card and the secondary commander are foiled.
Packaging[ | ]
As part of a larger push toward moving away from plastic packaging, this product features reduced plastic packaging.[8] An additional "minimal packaging version" of the deck is introduced for sales online using even less material and space. This doesn't feature the design of the typical retail packaging, but uses a corrugated cardboard box to contain the product. The only difference between the minimal packaging and retail versions is that the insert tray holding the deck box does not offer punch-out counters and a divider—you'll still receive everything else (the deck and deck box, plus life wheel, display commander, and double-sided tokens).
Themes and mechanics[ | ]
Each deck focuses on the colors and themes of its associated college.
- Silverquill (): Politics and aggro
- Prismari (): Instants and sorceries with high mana value
- Witherbloom (): Lifegain
- Lorehold (): Artifacts and graveyard recursion
- Quandrix (): Tokens and +1/+1 counters
Commander 2021 introduces the keyword demonstrate, which allows players to copy a spell when they cast it by allowing an opponent to have a copy as well.
Preconstructed decks[ | ]
Commander 2021 consists of five college-themed decks.
Theme deck name |
Color Identity | Commander | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Silverquill Statement | W | B | Breena, the Demagogue | |||
Prismari Performance | U | R | Zaffai, Thunder Conductor | |||
Witherbloom Witchcraft | B | G | Willowdusk, Essence Seer | |||
Lorehold Legacies | W | R | Osgir, the Reconstructor | |||
Quantum Quandrix | U | G | Adrix and Nev, Twincasters |
Tokens[ | ]
Each of the five Commander decks contains ten double-sided tokens. Of those, 22 are double-sided variations, with five having Strixhaven tokens on one side and Commander 2021 tokens on the other, and one featuring Strixhaven tokens on both sides. The 30 Commander 2021 tokens are:[9]
- 10/10 Eldrazi creature, for Desolation Twin and Idol of Oblivion.
- 2/2 Drake creature with flying, for Talrand, Sky Summoner.
- 3/3 Fish creature, for Reef Worm.
- 9/9 Kraken creature, for Reef Worm and Spawning Kraken.
- 6/6 Whale creature, for Reef Worm.
- 4/4 Eternalized Champion of Wits.
- */* Demon creature with flying, for Tivash, Gloom Summoner.
- 4/4 Horror creature, for Hunted Lammasu.
- 2/2 Zombie creature, for Curse of Disturbance.
- 3/3 Beast creature, for Beast Within and Garruk, Primal Hunter.
- 4/4 Beast creature, for Rampaging Baloths.
- 2/2 Boar creature, for Curse of the Swine.
- 3/3 Elephant creature, for Kazandu Tuskcaller and Terastodon.
- 3/3 Frog Lizard creature, for Incubation // Incongruity and Rapid Hybridization.
- 4/4 Fungus Beast creature with trample, for Trudge Garden.
- */* Hydra creature, for Hydra Broodmaster.
- 1/1 Insect creature with flying and deathtouch, for Hornet Nest and Hornet Queen.
- 1/1 Saproling creature, for Druidic Satchel.
- 6/6 Wurm creature, for Garruk, Primal Hunter.
- 5/5 Elemental creature with flying, for Call the Skybreaker.
- 1/1 Spirit creature with flying, for Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts.
- */* Construct artifact creature, for Metallurgic Summonings.
- 0/0 Construct artifact creature with "This creature gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control," for Digsite Engineer.
- Food artifact, for Gingerbread Cabin, Gluttonous Troll, Gyome, Master Chef and Taste of Death.
- 3/3 Golem artifact creature with flying, for Triplicate Titan.
- 3/3 Golem artifact creature with trample, for Triplicate Titan.
- 3/3 Golem artifact creature with vigilance, for Triplicate Titan.
- 1/1 Myr artifact creature, for Myr Battlesphere.
- 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying, for Pia Nalaar and Thopter Engineer.
- Copy, for Esix, Fractal Bloom, Feldon of the Third Path, Osgir, the Reconstructor, Replication Technique, Rionya, Fire Dancer, Rite of Replication, Theoretical Duplication and Spitting Image.
The following tokens are created by cards in the decks and are thus included with the decks. However, they are not part of the Commander 2021 expansion. Instead, they retain their Strixhaven expansion symbol and collector number:
- 4/4 Elemental creature, for Zaffai, Thunder Conductor.
- 0/0 Fractal creature, for Deekah, Fractal Theorist, Fractal Harness, Geometric Nexus, Oversimplify, Paradox Zone and Sequence Engine.
- 2/1 Inkling creature with flying, for Combat Calligrapher, Fain, the Broker, Felisa, Fang of Silverquill, and Inkshield.
- 1/1 Pest creature with "When this creature dies, you gain 1 life", for Blight Mound and Pest Infestation.
- Treasure artifact, for Brass’s Bounty, Excavation Technique, Fain, the Broker, Monologue Tax, and Tempting Contract.
Cycles[ | ]
Commander 2021 has at least six cycles of new cards:
Pairs[ | ]
Commander 2021 has two mirrored pairs.
Mirrored Pairs | Description | |
---|---|---|
Inspiring Refrain () |
Rousing Refrain () |
Rare sorceries with suspend 3. Art depicts the same musical quartet with different members playing. |
Angel of the Ruins () |
Ruin Grinder () |
Rare artifact creatures with a landcycling ability. Both have one keyword evasion ability, and a replacement effect upon (entering, resp. leaving) the battlefield. |
References[ | ]
- ↑ Printed on the card frame
- ↑ Strixhaven Commander Sneak Peek: Legendaries, Hints, Art & More! Part 1 (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (March 22, 2021).
- ↑ Blake Rasmussen (February 18, 2021). "The First Lesson: Introduction to Strixhaven". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Jess Dunks and Matt Tabak (April 16, 2021). "Strixhaven: School of Mages and Commander (2021 Edition) Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mike Turian (March 25, 2021). "Collecting Strixhaven: School of Mages". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Ari Zirulnik (March 25, 2021). "Strixhaven: School of Mages Product Overview". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Strixhaven Commander Unboxing (Video). WeeklyMTG. YouTube (April 9, 2021).
- ↑ Adam Styborski (April 8, 2021). "Check Out The New Packaging for Commander (2021 Edition) and Beyond". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (April 15, 2021). "The Tokens of Strixhaven: School of Mages and Commander (2021 Edition)". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.