Header and images by Nick Wolf

The 2026 EDHREC Salt Scores are here, and your voice was heard.

Over the course of five days of voting, the community logged a whopping 2.2 million salt score votes, the highest total in three years.

Every year since 2019, you vote on the cards that make Commander players groan and grimace. The results this year show the usual suspects still hold the top, but there's been real movement underneath, including the single biggest climb we've seen up there in a while.

One note before we dive in: the ranking is by average saltiness, not raw vote count, so a card despised by a passionate few can out-salt one that merely annoys the masses.

It's the squeaky card that gets the salty grease, so to speak.

But first, we'll look at what's cooking at the top, and how this year's top ten compares to 2025's.

The 2026 Saltiest Cards in Commander

10. Ravages of WarRavages of War

Salt Score: 2.63

Ravages of War jumps eleven spots, from twenty-first all the way into the top ten. It's both surprising and totally not to see its ascension, since it's basically just ArmageddonArmageddon, a known salt-generator.

The Portal Three Kingdoms sorcery wasn't even reprinted or anything. At least, not since its inclusionits inclusion in Fallout a few years ago, and before that a judge promo in 2015.

So its ascent into the top ten is a bit of an eyebrow-raiser, though now that it's here it feels like it never wasn't.

9. Static OrbStatic Orb

Salt Score: 2.71

Down a single spot from eighth, but don't read much into it. Static Orb is still Winter OrbWinter Orb's cousin, it's still Stax, and it's still very, very salty.

8. Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier

Salt Score: 2.71

The year's biggest faller at the top. Vivi tumbles from third all the way to eighth, and loses his crown as the format's saltiest commander (a 2.81 salt score down to 2.71) along the way.

Vivi's a year older, and perhaps players are a year wiser when it comes to dealing with the mage.

7. Grand Arbiter Augustin IVGrand Arbiter Augustin IV

Salt Score: 2.76

A warm welcome to everyone's favorite tax professional, Grand Arbiter Augustin IV. He's up four spots from eleventh, introducing himself to the top ten for the first time.

GAA4's Salt Score jumped from a 2.58 salt score to a 2.76, coming within a whisker of the saltiest-commander crown.

6. Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright

Salt Score: 2.81

Speaking of the saltiest commander of 2026, here we are. Even though Tergrid slipped two spots to sixth on the overall ranking, that's more a story of other cards jumping up rather than this one falling down.

Tergrid's salt score barely budged (2.80 to 2.81); the cards above it simply out-salted the God of Fright. And with Vivi falling away, Tergrid quietly inherits the title of saltiest commander in the game.

5. Rhystic StudyRhystic Study

Salt Score: 2.82

Rhystic Study was fifth last year, and is fifth this year. Immovable, ubiquitous, unavoidable. "Do you pay the one?" is as eternal as ever.

Unless there's a full reevaluation by Commander players about Rhystic Study, or it catches a ban, it's likely never going to see much movement on our list.

4. The Tabernacle at Pendrell ValeThe Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale

Salt Score: 2.83

Up two spots to fourth, Tabernacle's a land that taxes every creature, every upkeep. Despite it being roughly $3,000 and rarely seen at most Commander tables, Tabernacle just keeps climbing.

Paying four figures to make your opponents inconvenienced by a one-mana tax on their critters is apparently the finest of gourmet salt.

3. Winter OrbWinter Orb

Salt Score: 2.93

Down one spot is the chilly ball, from its usual runner-up spot to third, and it's a rare year Winter Orb doesn't earn a silver salt medal.

Lands still don't untap, the game still grinds to a halt, and there are still players out there who play it symmetrically out of a sense of unbridled sado-masochism.

2. ArmageddonArmageddon

Salt Score: 2.98

The story of the year up top: Armageddon rockets from seventh all the way to second, a five-spot climb.

We saw Ravages of War jump into the top ten, so it only makes sense that the more famous version of the card also experienced a bump.

Destroy all lands, destroy all goodwill. Last year was the Salt Score of taxes and staxes. This year, voters felt that MLD was getting too comfortable.

1. StasisStasis

Salt Score: 3.05

Speaking of taxes, we're adding this to that famous phrase. It's now "death, taxes, and Stasis."

When's the last time you cast a Stasis? Had one cast against you? Doesn't matter. For another year running, nothing untaps, nobody has fun, and Stasis sits alone at the top.

If you ever wanted to be your table's villain, there's never been a clearer blueprint to that role. Just cast Stasis and laugh.

The Saltiest New Cards

New printings almost never crack the real salt tiers, since it takes time to earn a reputation. The saltiest newcomer of the year, The Legend of YangchenThe Legend of Yangchen, doesn't even come close to the overall top 50...yet.

Universes Beyond dominates the newcomer list, partly for its divisiveness and partly due to four of the seven sets considered new in 2026's vote being UB.

That's not to say in-universe sets are all sunshine and rainbows, though. Reality Fracture and Secrets of Strixhaven each have three cards landing on the top new salt list.

Oh, and keep an eye on Gleaming SplendorGleaming Splendor and Hexing SquelcherHexing Squelcher. Those two are already settling into recognizable salty roles.

• The Legend of YangchenThe Legend of Yangchen - 2.09
• Prismari, the InspirationPrismari, the Inspiration - 1.97
• Improvisation CapstoneImprovisation Capstone - 1.84
• World War HulkWorld War Hulk - 1.51
• Badgermole CubBadgermole Cub - 1.45
• Karn, Argent DefenderKarn, Argent Defender - 1.30
• Decorum DissertationDecorum Dissertation - 1.29
• Hexhaven InvigoratorHexhaven Invigorator - 1.28
• Samut, Tyrant of NaktamunSamut, Tyrant of Naktamun - 1.27
• Avatar's WrathAvatar's Wrath - 1.25
• Gleaming SplendorGleaming Splendor - 1.17
• The Serpent SocietyThe Serpent Society - 1.16
• Krang, Utrom WarlordKrang, Utrom Warlord - 1.13
• Hexing SquelcherHexing Squelcher - 1.12
• Zhao, the Moon SlayerZhao, the Moon Slayer - 1.10
• High Perfect MorcantHigh Perfect Morcant - 1.07
• Raph & Mikey, TroublemakersRaph & Mikey, Troublemakers - 1.06
• Jaws, Relentless PredatorJaws, Relentless Predator - 1.04
• Ashling, the LimitlessAshling, the Limitless - 1.03
• Pox PlaguePox Plague - 1.01

Biggest Risers Since 2025

The sharpest climbers are deep cuts.

These tend to be niche cards with only a couple dozen ballots apiece, mostly land destruction and resource denial finding fresh resentment.

StrangleholdStranglehold is probably the most recognizable name in the group, up a full point as search-hate keeps trending.

Ice StormIce Storm and Plague SporesPlague Spores round out the distinctly "destroy your lands" flavor to this year's shifting salt.

• Plague SporesPlague Spores - +1.08 (0.06 → 1.14)
• Dwarven BlastminerDwarven Blastminer - +1.05 (0.07 → 1.12)
• StrangleholdStranglehold - +1.01 (0.70 → 1.71)
• Cruel RealityCruel Reality - +0.98 (0.19 → 1.17)
• Part WaterPart Water - +0.94 (0.00 → 0.94)
• Umbris, Fear ManifestUmbris, Fear Manifest - +0.92 (0.14 → 1.06)
• ScaldScald - +0.92 (0.20 → 1.12)
• Ice StormIce Storm - +0.89 (0.27 → 1.16)
• Celestial ConvergenceCelestial Convergence - +0.89 (0.35 → 1.24)
• Smashing SuccessSmashing Success - +0.88 (0.00 → 0.88)

Biggest Fallers Since 2025

On the other side, a batch of cards cooled off hard, and this is the result of a larger sample size than the risers.

Phyrexian ReaperPhyrexian Reaper fell the furthest, and Olivia VoldarenOlivia Voldaren shed more than a full point of salt.

Cards that were once met with revulsion now earn a shrug, though looking at the list many should have only earned a shrug to begin with.

• Phyrexian ReaperPhyrexian Reaper - -1.32 (1.41 → 0.09)
• Cao Ren, Wei CommanderCao Ren, Wei Commander - -1.26 (1.43 → 0.17)
• Olivia VoldarenOlivia Voldaren - -1.16 (1.53 → 0.38)
• Tawnos, the ToymakerTawnos, the Toymaker - -1.10 (1.27 → 0.17)
• The Toymaker's TrapThe Toymaker's Trap - -1.08 (1.33 → 0.25)
• Prophetic RavingsProphetic Ravings - -1.08 (1.14 → 0.06)
• Angler DrakeAngler Drake - -1.06 (1.14 → 0.09)
• Khenra ScrapperKhenra Scrapper - -1.04 (1.07 → 0.03)
• Eagle of the WatchEagle of the Watch - -1.02 (1.07 → 0.05)
• Argothian SpriteArgothian Sprite - -1.02 (1.07 → 0.05)

The Saltiest New Sets

Since the 2025 vote, there were seven sets released. Don't let the low averages fool you: new cards haven't had long to upset people, and these scores are averages of all cards (main set and ancillary products) contained within.

The Universes Beyond releases of course edged out the in-universe offerings, as mentioned, with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and presumably its pizza lands leading the pack.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 0.29 avg
• Marvel Super Heroes - 0.29 avg
• Avatar: The Last Airbender - 0.21 avg
• The Hobbit - 0.21 avg
• Reality Fracture - 0.20 avg
• Secrets of Strixhaven - 0.16 avg
• Lorwyn Eclipsed - 0.16 avg

The Ten Saltiest Commanders

The command zone is where salt can really crystallize, since you see these faces every single game.

As mentioned, Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright takes the crown at a 2.81 salt score, narrowly over the eternal Grand Arbiter Augustin IVGrand Arbiter Augustin IV at 2.76.

Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier (2.71) slips from last year's top spot but stays firmly in the elite.

Both Jin-Gitaxias, Core AugurJin-Gitaxias, Core Augur and Jin-Gitaxias, Progress TyrantJin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant make the cut, and Sheoldred, the ApocalypseSheoldred, the Apocalypse is the one to watch as the most-voted commander of the group, climbing fast from a 2.03 to a 2.28.

• Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright - 2.81 (2025: 2.80)
• Grand Arbiter Augustin IVGrand Arbiter Augustin IV - 2.76 (2025: 2.58)
• Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier - 2.71 (2025: 2.81)
• Vorinclex, Voice of HungerVorinclex, Voice of Hunger - 2.55 (2025: 2.61)
• Jin-Gitaxias, Core AugurJin-Gitaxias, Core Augur - 2.50 (2025: 2.57)
• Toxrill, the CorrosiveToxrill, the Corrosive - 2.33 (2025: 2.19)
• Hokori, Dust DrinkerHokori, Dust Drinker - 2.32 (2025: 2.27)
• Sheoldred, the ApocalypseSheoldred, the Apocalypse - 2.28 (2025: 2.03)
• Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer - 2.23 (2025: 2.31)
• Jin-Gitaxias, Progress TyrantJin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant - 2.21 (2025: 2.22)

Wrapping Up

The full 2026 Salt Scores are live on EDHREC now, if you want to see exactly where your pet card landed.

Until then: stax and land destruction still own the top, taxes are as hated as ever, and a fresh crop of offenders is already climbing for next year.

So how did your deck do? Is your commander on the list, and, if we're being honest here, do you even mind?

Let us know in the comments!