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Commander 2021
Commander 2021 logo
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
Multiverse
Keywords/​ability words Demonstrate
Set size Five 100-card decks
Expansion code C21[1]
Commander series
Kaldheim
Commander Decks
Commander 2021 Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
Commander Decks
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mystical Archive
Commander 2021 Secret Lair Drop Series: Secretorium

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[ | ]

C21 retail packaging

Retail packaging with reduced use of plastic.

C21 packaging counters

Adam Styborski showing the punch-out counters in the new packaging. Note that the picture on the cardboard box is not a real card

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).

C21 minimal packaging

Minimal packaging for online sales.

Themes and mechanics[ | ]

Each deck focuses on the colors and themes of its associated college.

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
{W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
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]

  1. {C} 10/10 Eldrazi creature, for Desolation Twin and Idol of Oblivion.
  2. {U} 2/2 Drake creature with flying, for Talrand, Sky Summoner.
  3. {U} 3/3 Fish creature, for Reef Worm.
  4. {U} 9/9 Kraken creature, for Reef Worm and Spawning Kraken.
  5. {U} 6/6 Whale creature, for Reef Worm.
  6. {B} 4/4 Eternalized Champion of Wits.
  7. {B} */* Demon creature with flying, for Tivash, Gloom Summoner.
  8. {B} 4/4 Horror creature, for Hunted Lammasu.
  9. {B} 2/2 Zombie creature, for Curse of Disturbance.
  10. {G} 3/3 Beast creature, for Beast Within and Garruk, Primal Hunter.
  11. {G} 4/4 Beast creature, for Rampaging Baloths.
  12. {G} 2/2 Boar creature, for Curse of the Swine.
  13. {G} 3/3 Elephant creature, for Kazandu Tuskcaller and Terastodon.
  14. {G} 3/3 Frog Lizard creature, for Incubation // Incongruity and Rapid Hybridization.
  15. {G} 4/4 Fungus Beast creature with trample, for Trudge Garden.
  16. {G} */* Hydra creature, for Hydra Broodmaster.
  17. {G} 1/1 Insect creature with flying and deathtouch, for Hornet Nest and Hornet Queen.
  18. {G} 1/1 Saproling creature, for Druidic Satchel.
  19. {G} 6/6 Wurm creature, for Garruk, Primal Hunter.
  20. {U/R} 5/5 Elemental creature with flying, for Call the Skybreaker.
  21. {W/B} 1/1 Spirit creature with flying, for Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts.
  22. {C} */* Construct artifact creature, for Metallurgic Summonings.
  23. {C} 0/0 Construct artifact creature with "This creature gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control," for Digsite Engineer.
  24. {C} Food artifact, for Gingerbread Cabin, Gluttonous Troll, Gyome, Master Chef and Taste of Death.
  25. {C} 3/3 Golem artifact creature with flying, for Triplicate Titan.
  26. {C} 3/3 Golem artifact creature with trample, for Triplicate Titan.
  27. {C} 3/3 Golem artifact creature with vigilance, for Triplicate Titan.
  28. {C} 1/1 Myr artifact creature, for Myr Battlesphere.
  29. {C} 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying, for Pia Nalaar and Thopter Engineer.
  30. 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:

Cycles[ | ]

Commander 2021 has at least six cycles of new cards:

Cycle name {B} {R} {G} {W} {U}
Techniques Incarnation Technique Creative Technique Healing Technique Excavation Technique Replication Technique
Five rare monocolored sorceries with demonstrate.
Rare colorless Tempting Contract Elementalist's Palette Witch’s Clinic Triplicate Titan Geometric Nexus
Five rare colorless artifacts (one is a land), each supporting a deck's theme.
Cycle name {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Face commanders Breena, the Demagogue Zaffai, Thunder Conductor Willowdusk, Essence Seer Osgir, the Reconstructor Adrix and Nev, Twincasters
Five two-colored mythic rare legendary creatures, each teaching at one of the colleges of Strixhaven.
Alternate commanders Felisa, Fang of Silverquill Veyran, Voice of Duality Gyome, Master Chef Alibou, Ancient Witness Esix, Fractal Bloom
Five two-colored mythic rare legendary creatures, each supporting a deck's theme.
Gold rares Inkshield Reinterpret Revival Experiment Wake the Past Oversimplify
Five two-colored rare spells, each supporting a deck's theme.
Monocolored commanders Nils, Discipline Enforcer ({W}) Octavia, Living Thesis ({U}) Tivash, Gloom Summoner ({B}) Laelia, the Blade Reforged ({R}) Ruxa, Patient Professor ({G})
Fain, the Broker ({B}) Rionya, Fire Dancer ({R}) Yedora, Grave Gardener ({G}) Losheel, Clockwork Scholar ({W}) Deekah, Fractal Theorist ({U})
Five pairs of monocolored rare legendary creatures, each supporting a deck's theme.

Pairs[ | ]

Commander 2021 has two mirrored pairs.

Mirrored Pairs Description
Inspiring Refrain
({U})
Rousing Refrain
({R})
Rare sorceries with suspend 3. Art depicts the same musical quartet with different members playing.
Angel of the Ruins
({W})
Ruin Grinder
({R})
Rare artifact creatures with a landcycling ability. Both have one keyword evasion ability, and a replacement effect upon (entering, resp. leaving) the battlefield.

References[ | ]

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