10 Surprisingly Expensive Commons for Commander

Ophidian Eye | Art by Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Welcome, collectors, speculators, and Commander players. Like many of you, I try to follow a monthly budget when buying Magic: The Gathering cards. MTG is not a cheap hobby, especially with the release of Final Fantasy (FIN). Thankfully, you don't have to buy a Buster Sword or Lightning, Army of One to win a Commander game.

Wizards of the Coast also designs helpful and affordable cards at lower rarities, including common. For example, Black Mage's Rod, Cornered by Black Mages, and Adventurer's Inn are three functional commons from FIN.

Moreover, there are plenty of other Commander-playable commons. How many times have you cast Cultivate or Kodama's Reach? Do your blue decks contain copies of Counterspell and Negate?

Many commons are not only helpful, but also acceptable alternatives to higher rarity cards. For instance, Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse are serviceable replacements for Fabled Passage and Prismatic Vista.

However, not all common cards are budget-friendly. Astonishingly, some useful commons have an average market value of over $5 each! Let's discuss some of the most playable and surprisingly expensive commons for Commander.

10. Creeping Bloodsucker

One of the prominent commons in Jumpstart 2022 (J22) and Foundations Jumpstart (J25) is Creeping Bloodsucker.

What makes Creeping Bloodsucker a $4 common is its triggered ability. In a four-player Commander game, Creeping Boodsucker deals one damage to each opponent and gains you three life at the beginning of your upkeep. Additionally, Creeping Bloodsucker's Vampire typing makes it a fine addition to Vampire-centric decks.

Several commanders are capable of maximizing Creeping Bloodsucker's ability. Obeka, Splitter of Seconds's combat damage ability is particularly potent with Creeping Bloodsucker on your battlefield. Another fascinating synergy is with Rakdos, Lord of Riots. Creeping Bloodsucker's ability lets you cast Rakdos, Lord of Riots and reduces the casting cost of creature spells while Rakdos, Lord of Riots is under your control.

Try Creeping Bloodsucker in the 99 of Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin, Strefan, Maurer Progenitor, and other Commander decks to see its potential in action.

9. Snuff Out

Long-time MTG players may be familiar with Snuff Out, a fantastic removal spell that excels in mono-black decks. You may want to run a copy of Snuff Out in decks with additional colors besides black; just ensure there are enough Swamps to cast it for no mana.

Speaking from experience, I play Snuff Out in the 99 of my Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow deck. Rowan, Scion of War and Glarb, Calamity's Augur are two other multicolor commanders that pair well with it.

Amazingly, Snuff Out received a reprint in Final Fantasy Commander (FIC). Thanks to that recent reprinting, its average market price dropped to around $5 for a few versions. Now could be a great time to add a more affordable copy of Snuff Out to your collection.

8. Burning Inquiry

If you have a burning desire to play Burning Inquiry, be prepared to hand over $5 for a copy.

The supply for Burning Inquiry is somewhat limited, as it's only been printed in Magic 2010 (M10) and The List. In addition, it's a fantastic Wheels deck inclusion as it forces everyone to draw three cards and discard three cards at random. Wheels-centric commanders, such as Winter, Misanthropic Guide, Ian Malcolm, Chaotician, and Xyris, the Writhing Storm, can take full advantage of Burning Inquiry.

7. Sigil of Sleep

Initially printed in Urza's Destiny (DDI), Sigil of Sleep is a blue Aura for . It's often played in the 99 of Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph and Nekusar, the Mindrazer. With Sigil of Sleep attached to either commander, triggering their one damage abilities lets you bounce creatures to opponents' hands. However, Sigil of Sleep's recent rise to $6 per copy wasn't driven by Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph or Nekusar, the Mindrazer.

The release of FIN introduced players to Vivi Ornitier and Y'shtola, Night's Blessed. Bouncing creatures with Sigil of Sleep each time you activate Vivi Ornitier or Y'shtola, Night's Blessed's triggered ability is excellent. As a result, demand for the Aura surged, along with its price.

6. Helm of the Ghastlord

Another common that spiked in price due to Y'shtola, Night's Blessed is Helm of the Ghastlord. Since Y'shtola, Night's Blessed identifies with blue and black, Helm of the Ghastlord grants the ability to draw a card and an opponent to discard a card when it deals damage to an opponent.

The one-two punch of card draw and discard makes Helm of the Ghastlord a highly playable card in the 99 of Y'shtola, Night's Blessed. Unfortunately, its single printing in Shadowmoor means its average market price of about $7 is less susceptible to lowering in the near term.

5. Freed from the Real

It behooves me to mention the $7 blue common, Freed from the Real. When an opponent casts Freed from the Real, you should anticipate a game-ending interaction to follow. Further, several infinite combos utilize Freed from the Real's untap enchanted creature ability.

Freed from the Real creates two-card combos with Bloom Tender and Faeburrow Elder. All you need to do is enchant Bloom Tender or Faeburrow Elder (without summoning) sickness with Freed from the Real to generate infinite non-blue mana.

Swapping Bloom Tender with Sanctum Weaver or Zaxara, the Exemplary can produce infinite colored mana. You can go a step further by inserting Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy into the combo of Freed from the Real and any aforementioned mana-producing creature to dump all non-Humans in your library onto the battlefield.

Feel free to explore plenty of other infinite combos involving Freed from the Real on its combo page.

4. Pyretic Ritual

When it comes to mana ramp spells, Pyretic Ritual is a good choice. Netting one extra red mana lets you play a key spell a turn sooner. Moreover, copying Pyretic Ritual with cards like Dual Strike and Flare of Duplication is stellar.

I'm a fan of slotting Pyretic Ritual in Spellslinger decks. Storm, Force of Nature is an obvious home since it wants to storm off. Also, Pyretic Ritual is a joy to cast with Stella Lee, Wild Card under your control.

I hope WotC finds a way to reprint Pyretic Ritual outside of a Secret Lair; the more affordable, the better. For now, expect to pay around $7 for a copy.

3. Merchant Scroll

Merchant Scroll is a personal favorite tutor card from the early days of MTG. Although you can only find a blue instant with it, the options are compelling.

My go-to card to grab is the amazing Cyclonic Rift. Besides that, Dramatic Reversal and High Tide are nice finds for combo-enablement. Also, you can fetch Reality Shift for a removal spell when necessary.

Merchant Scroll may not be Mystical Tutor, but it does put a card into your hand rather than on top of the library. Spending $10 for a tutor is nothing outrageous, especially for competitive blue decks.

2. Tortured Existence

Stronghold (STH)'s Tortured Existence is a one-mana black enchantment with a useful activated ability. Paying to discard a creature card and return another creature card from your graveyard can help commanders like Sefris of the Hidden Ways, Imotekh the Stormlord, and Hashaton, Scarab's Fist.

Interestingly, Tortured Existence forms a two-card infinite combo with Kheru Goldkeeper that can loop self-discard triggers.

Demand for Tortured Existence doesn't seem to be slowing as new-to-MTG cards continue to synergize with it. Coincidentally, Hashaton, Scarab's Fist's popularity likely contributed to Tortured Existence's current average market price of over $10 per copy. Unfortunately, it will take another reprint to considerably lower its average market price.

1. Ophidian Eye

Ophidian Eye has been a longstanding two-card combo-enabler with Niv-Mizzet, Parun and Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind. When either Niv-Mizzet card is enchanted by Ophidian Eye, drawing a single card will set off a chain reaction of additional card drawing and damage to win a game.

Yet, Ophidian Eye's current average market price of around $15 is not driven by Niv-Mizzet. Instead, synergies with Vivi Ornitier and Y'shtola, Night's Blessed drove Ophidian Eye's price point to new heights.

Ophidian Eye adds card draw to Vivi Ornitier's excellent triggered ability. Drawing additional noncreature spells means more chances to grow Vivi Ornitier's power, which improves its activated ability.

The synergy between Ophidian Eye and Y'shtola, Night's Blessed is similar to Vivi Ornitier. With Ophidian Eye attached to Y'shtola, Night's Blessed, its triggered ability will draw a card. Consequently, an extra card may enable you to trigger Y'shtola, Night's Blessed's ability again, leading to another card drawn at the end of the turn.

If you want a cheaper alternative to Ophidian Eye, try running Curiosity or Keen Sense.

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Please note: card prices listed in this article are accurate at the time of writing, but prices can vary over time and between locations.