<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grip of Desolation" href="#" target="_blank">Grip of Desolation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/lasahido" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lius Lasahido</a></em></span></p>
<p>Terrible things lurk beyond the bounds of reality in <em>Magic.</em> The <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/eldrazi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eldrazi</a> are beyond both mortal comprehension and immortal will, devastating the multiverse.</p>
<p>But how do they play in <em>Magic?</em> What are the best Eldrazi cards and commanders? And how do Eldrazi win in Commander?</p>
<p>This EDHREC Guide is here to answer all of these questions.</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Grip-of-Desolation.jpg

<p>Known for their massive costs, incredible power, and awesome names, Eldrazi are standouts in <em>Magic's</em> creature type roster. A relative newcomer, only entering the game's circulation in the titular <em>Rise of the Eldrazi</em> in 2010, they represent cosmic horror and monsters beyond understanding.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emrakul, the Promised End"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulamog, the Defiler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kozilek, the Broken Reality"></div></div>
<p>Eldrazi are not evil. They do not hate you. They simply "are." And what they "are" is fundamentally incompatible with your continued existence.</p>
<p>The Eldrazi are overwhelmingly colorless, having transcended past the bounds of mana. They distend from the place between planes, annihilating everything and leaving behind barren wastes in their wake. Countless planes have fallen before them, and it took the concerted efforts of numerous planeswalkers working together just to stall them.</p>


<h2>Unlimited Power</h2>
<p>Eldrazi, in being eldritch entities from the Blind Eternities, have the power and toughness to back it up. Regularly exceeding even 10/10, Eldrazi possess some of the highest base stats in all of <em>Magic's</em> creature types.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulamog, the Defiler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kozilek, Butcher of Truth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flayer of Loyalties"></div></div>
<p>Not every Eldrazi possesses such power, such as the various Drones, Spawns, Processors, and Scions that act as the creature type's fodder. But by and large, the main draw of playing Eldrazi is the various heavy-hitters they have access to.</p>
<p>Particularly when one is your commander, being able to swing at an opponent three or sometimes only two times can deal enough commander damage to take them out of the game.</p>
<h2>Annihilator</h2>
<p>While not unique to Eldrazi, annihilator is their signature ability. Whenever a creature with annihilator N attacks an opponent, that opponent must sacrifice N permanents.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nazgûl Battle-Mace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eldrazi Conscription"></div></div>
<p>It triggers on the creature's attack, meaning before blockers are declared, and it resolves even if the creature is destroyed without dealing damage. And it doesn't specify nonland permanents; everything is fair game!</p>
<p>Annihilator has been softly stepped away from, with Eldrazi returning in later sets opting for other keywords and mechanics. But it's still a legal keyword that is incredibly powerful to wield and occasionally makes an appearance in other sets.</p>
<h2>Colorless</h2>
<p>Eldrazi are a colorless creature type, often relying upon colorless mana. Colorless mana (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-c" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) is distinct from generic mana. While it's somewhat confusing to wrap your head around, colorless mana is effectively a "sixth color" for the purposes of casting costs.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek, the Great Distortion" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek, the Great Distortion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> requires <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-8" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> of any color and specifically two colorless mana produced by a source such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wastes" href="#" target="_blank">Wastes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kozilek, the Great Distortion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wastes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="World Breaker"></div></div>
<p>Not every Eldrazi requires colorless mana specifically, with some even relying on colored mana while being devoid (being a colorless card even with a colored mana cost) and cut off from that color. But the end result is that Eldrazi often are immune to color-hating effects such as protections or destruction.</p>
<p>This doesn't render them fully immune to targeted effects, but it's a layer of protection that the five primary colors don't have.</p>


<h2>They Are Expensive</h2>
<p>Eldrazi tend to be quite expensive, as befitting their stats. They might exceed <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-10" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> as an unmodified cost, potentially even requiring colorless mana to boot. Not every Eldrazi is like this, but the most game-impacting Eldrazi titans (<a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Ulamog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ulamog</a>, <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Emrakul" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emrakul</a>, and <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Kozilek" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kozilek</a>) certainly are.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hand of Emrakul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Palladium Myr"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conduit of Ruin"></div></div>
<p>Luckily, you can mitigate this via Eldrazi's built-in mana-production strategies. The creature type relies heavily on its expensive titans and so provides a number of Drones to be sacrificed for mana or even just explicit cost reduction methods. The <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hand of Emrakul" href="#" target="_blank">Hand of Emrakul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one such example, which can reduce its cost from a whopping <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-9" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to the sacrifice of four tokens.</p>
<h2>Many Are Colorless</h2>
<p>Just as Eldrazi being a colorless creature type is one of their strengths, it can also a great weakness. When your commander has a colorless identity, like many Eldrazi commanders, you have no access to colored spells. This, in turn, means you can't access staples of the format normally available to just about every other deck out there aside from colorless artifacts.</p>
<p>And even then, artifact decks tend to be based in a color, like <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> or <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>!</p>
<p>While Eldrazi are strong, that strength can't synergize with all of the other strategies <em>Magic</em> offers by the simple fact that some Eldrazi can't access them. Which, from a lore perspective, is a fantastic wrinkle! But mechanically, it provides quite the challenge.</p>
<p>This means colorless Eldrazi often rely on artifacts for their support, along with what colorless Eldrazi spells they can use to support themselves.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Morophon, the Boundless"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulalek, Fused Atrocity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azlask, the Swelling Scourge"></div></div>
<p>But there are also Eldrazi commanders which, while their commander is a colorless card, still involve mana symbols and are therefore allowed to field colors because of their Commander color identity.</p>
<p>It's important to note that cards with devoid may be colorless in the eyes of the game's mechanics, but when it comes to Commander's color identity rules, those cards have the color identity of any color pips present on the card.</p>
<p>For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abstruse Appropriation" href="#" target="_blank">Abstruse Appropriation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abstruse Appropriation"></div></div>
<p>This is mechanically a colorless card because of devoid, but for a Commander deck, you can only play Abstruse Appropriation if your color identity includes black and white.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulalek, Fused Atrocity" href="#" target="_blank">Ulalek, Fused Atrocity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulalek, Fused Atrocity"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulalek, Fused Atrocity" href="#" target="_blank">Ulalek, Fused Atrocity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">19th most played commander</a> at the time of this guide's writing. And for good reason!</p>
<p>While cheap for an Eldrazi centerpiece, Ulalek has two features that set it apart. First, it's a five-color commander, which gives amazing flexibility in what cards you can bring. Despite being a colorless commander in a primarily colorless deck archetype, Ulalek decks can supplement whatever their strategy is with card draw <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, mana ramp <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, and more.</p>
<p>Second, Ulalek allows you to copy all spells and activated or triggered abilities you control, for just two colorless mana, whenever you cast an Eldrazi spell. This means you'll be running quite low on available mana if you're casting one of your heavy hitters.</p>
<p>But the ability triggers on any Eldrazi spell, including a low-cost Processor or any changeling.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zhulodok, Void Gorger" href="#" target="_blank">Zhulodok, Void Gorger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zhulodok, Void Gorger"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zhulodok, Void Gorger" href="#" target="_blank">Zhulodok, Void Gorger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants cascade. Then it grants cascade again. The fact this only applies to spells you cast with mana value seven or greater doesn't matter much when you're running an Eldrazi deck. But on top of that, cascade benefits most from high-costed cards!</p>
<p>Cascade allows you to exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less than the card triggering cascade. You can then cast it without paying its mana cost, returning the other cards to the bottom of your library randomly. Then, Zhulodok does it again.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azlask, the Swelling Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Azlask, the Swelling Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azlask, the Swelling Scourge"></div></div>
<p>Another five-color colorless commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azlask, the Swelling Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Azlask, the Swelling Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> focuses on the long game. A cheap and unassuming Eldrazi, its value arises from the fact that your experience counters don't fade when it dies. So even if you can't protect Azlask, you're still developing for further in the game.</p>
<p>Being able to dip into other colors allows you to engage in mechanics such as proliferate, inflating how many experience counters you have. If you enhance your token generations, that's more Scions and Spawns which all have annihilator 1 upon attack.</p>
<p>And this all acts as a fantastic pressure while you develop your board to summon more powerful Eldrazi. Or simply swarm them with chaff!</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek, the Great Distortion" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek, the Great Distortion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kozilek, the Great Distortion"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek, the Great Distortion" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek, the Great Distortion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has an on-cast ability to draw up to seven cards, which is a great value for when you're running low on fuel. Menace on a 12/12 is great, even if it lacks keywords such as trample or annihilator to secure damage dealt.</p>
<p>The real value of Kozilek comes from its ability to counter just about anything. The trick is to match the cards in your hand to the mana value of what your opponents are going to cast, which requires having a good spread in your deck as well as having a full hand. Luckily, that's what the on-cast ability is for!</p>
<p>Kozilek can be downright oppressive, completely shutting down your opponents' plays while swinging with a hard-to-block 12/12. And even the threat of being able to counter can weigh on its own, as if you had a free <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> at all times.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animar, Soul of Elements" href="#" target="_blank">Animar, Soul of Elements</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Animar, Soul of Elements"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animar, Soul of Elements" href="#" target="_blank">Animar, Soul of Elements</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't an Eldrazi, and is a good example of how out-of-type synergies can make a creature type pop. Not only does Animar have protection from <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, two colors that love cheaply exiling and destroying creatures, but it also grows in power over time.</p>
<p>Every time you cast a creature spell, Animar gets a +1/+1 counter. This is good, consistent scaling that isn't limited by anything other than your ability to cast creatures.</p>
<p>And then it reduces the cost to cast creatures by <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for each +1/+1 counter on it.</p>
<p>Not only does this mean you can more effectively spam out cheap creatures to continue growing it, but yes, your giant Eldrazi titans can be made affordable! Notably, this doesn't reduce colorless mana costs, but can absolutely reduce Eldrazi with only generic mana in their cost down to <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-0" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another example of a large Eldrazi that costs a lot and packs a serious punch. An indestructible 10/10 on its own is scary enough, but that can still be exiled. Which is why Ulamog exiles two target permanents upon being cast, just to ensure you always get <em>some</em> value from it.</p>
<p>Even without annihilator, Eldrazi still hate lands!</p>
<p>When Ulamaog attacks, it exiles the top twenty cards of the opponent's library. This is a fifth of the opponent's deck, though likely won't be able to effectively mill them out completely due to being unable to access <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. It will absolutely scare them, and if they have any degree of deck sculpting, that will trash it.</p>
<p>And it's exile, meaning you can target graveyard reclamation decks without fear!</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultima, Origin of Oblivion" href="#" target="_blank">Ultima, Origin of Oblivion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ultima, Origin of Oblivion"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultima, Origin of Oblivion" href="#" target="_blank">Ultima, Origin of Oblivion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an alternate method of improving your colorless mana economy. A flying 4/4, Ultima has a deal of flexibility in strengthening your economy and destabilizing your opponents'.</p>
<p>Whenever Ultima attacks, you may put a blight counter on a target land, which effectively converts it into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wastes" href="#" target="_blank">Wastes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And whenever you tap a land for colorless mana, gain an extra <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-c" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<p>This speeds up your ability to summon Eldrazi, particularly if you pack some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wastes" href="#" target="_blank">Wastes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or colorless mana generating lands into your deck to begin with. As soon as you get out your commander, you just doubled your mana production. And in such cases, you can mitigate an opponent's ability to produce mana or shut down one of their nonbasic lands.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="It That Betrays" href="#" target="_blank">It That Betrays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="It That Betrays"></div></div>
<p>With all of the annihilation going on with early Eldrazi cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="It That Betrays" href="#" target="_blank">It That Betrays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes an already strong keyword and compounds it even further. Not only is it an 11/11 with annihilator 2, it also steals the cards your opponents sacrifice.</p>
<p>It has synergy with the rest of the early Eldrazi, can proc its own ability, and even functions as a general deterrent against certain playstyles in colors like <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hideous Taskmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Hideous Taskmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hideous Taskmaster"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hideous Taskmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Hideous Taskmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is devoid and therefore colorless, though still requires <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to cast. This isn't an issue when considering that upon casting it, you gain control of a number of creatures equal to your number of opponents for the turn. Not only do they get trample and haste, but they also get annihilator!</p>
<p>While its toughness means it won't live long, it doesn't need to. The value of Hideous Taskmaster is to disrupt the board state, force an opponent or opponents to sacrifice some permanents, and perhaps deal some damage along the way.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oblivion Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Oblivion Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oblivion Sower"></div></div>
<p>Being able to cheat out lands is great, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oblivion Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Oblivion Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets you do that while simultaneously denying those lands from your opponent. Eldrazi are mana-hungry, so any amount of economic boost will help you immensely. The fact it skims them off an opponent's deck upon being cast just adds to an already sorely-needed mechanic.</p>
<p>And despite being <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-6" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, that's cheap for Eldrazi! Particularly as a 5/8, which gives you a solid attacker and a fantastic defender for (relatively) cheap.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Incubator" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Incubator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza&#039;s Incubator"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Incubator" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Incubator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a staple of just about every typal deck, given the fact it fits literally any creature type you could need it for. As a result, this "anchor staple" isn't really worth mentioning in most guides.</p>
<p>The Eldrazi, however, have one mana-burning weakness. Therefore, each and every method of combatting that is necessary, and you will feel the value of Urza's Incubator stronger with Eldrazi than just about any other creature type.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mystic Forge"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants the ability to look at and play the top card of your library if it's colorless. In an Eldrazi deck, of course, that will be the majority of your cards, including all devoid cards.</p>
<p>However, it also allows you to exile the top card of your deck, which gives you a fair bit more flexibility in what you'll have access to. If you're in a position to play one of your heavy hitters, you can exile a cheap Eldrazi without fear of reprisal. You might not come across the card you want, but at the very least you can thin your deck once you're in the position to capitalize on it for a single life per turn.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Monolith"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an expensive, indestructible artifact that allows you to pay <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-0" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> instead of a colorless spell's normal cost once per turn. That's potentially a value of up to <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-15" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, which more than makes up for the initial cost of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-8" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<p>The fact it's an indestructible artifact means it's not going anywhere anytime soon, unless your opponents decide to exile it.</p>
<p>It requires a minor amount of protecting, but in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek, the Great Distortion" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek, the Great Distortion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> it will put in incredible value.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="From Beyond" href="#" target="_blank">From Beyond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="From Beyond"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="From Beyond" href="#" target="_blank">From Beyond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants Eldrazi Scion production, 1/1 tokens that can be sacrificed to add <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-c" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. This is only once per turn but makes summoning your powerful Eldrazi easier.</p>
<p>And even if you're not in a position to cast anything major, that's a free blocker every turn.</p>
<p>It also has a lovely secondary effect to sacrifice itself and tutor for an Eldrazi, searching your library and finding a specific card to add to your hand. This might be after multiple turns of creating Scions when you know you can cast the Eldrazi or in response to From Beyond being removed. It's not a bad thing to have access to, particularly if your deck is built around a handful of anchor Eldrazi.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eldrazi Conscription" href="#" target="_blank">Eldrazi Conscription</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eldrazi Conscription"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eldrazi Conscription" href="#" target="_blank">Eldrazi Conscription</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes a non-Eldrazi creature and turns it into an honorary Eldrazi. Alternatively, it takes an existing Eldrazi and superpowers it.</p>
<p>While annihilator 2 is impressive, the real value here is +10 power and trample. Applying this to your commander means you're able to deal enough commander damage in two hits to take an opponent out - perhaps even a single hit, depending on your commander. This is dependent on blockers, but something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulamog, the Defiler" href="#" target="_blank">Ulamog, the Defiler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with only three +1/+1 counters on it has annihilator 5 and is a 20/20 with trample.</p>
<p>That means the opponent requires at least six blockers and to have taken no commander damage from Ulamog previously to survive.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Echoes of Eternity" href="#" target="_blank">Echoes of Eternity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Echoes of Eternity"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Echoes of Eternity" href="#" target="_blank">Echoes of Eternity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an Eldrazi enchantment used in a variety of combos, such as supporting the triggers from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glaring Fleshraker" href="#" target="_blank">Glaring Fleshraker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. As a kindred enchantment it counts as an Eldrazi spell and is entirely devoted towards supporting Eldrazi of varying power levels. Artifacts as well!</p>
<p>It also allows annihilator triggers to proc multiple times. Which is horrifying, considering how impactful that can be.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin&#039;s Binding" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin&#039;s Binding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin&#039;s Binding"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin&#039;s Binding" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin&#039;s Binding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is, nearly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While you can't overload it, it can be exiled from your graveyard when casting a colorless spell of cost <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-7" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> or greater to effectively accomplish the same thing. And it doesn't have an additional cost!</p>
<p>In an Eldrazi deck, this effectively allows you to sneak a <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changer</a> into your deck given how many high-cost colorless spells you'll have access to. And devoid means it's immune to <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>-hate, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Red Elemental Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Red Elemental Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of the Eldrazi" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Eldrazi</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rise of the Eldrazi"></div></div>
<p>While more expensive than some high-costed Eldrazi, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of the Eldrazi" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Eldrazi</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is your showstopper. And it can't be countered, which is a much-needed form of protection for such an expensive card.</p>
<p>Rise gives you a taste of each Eldrazi lineage's specialty. You can destroy a permanent. A target player, which will likely be you but not necessarily, draws four cards. And you get to take an extra turn. You have to exile Rise of the Eldrazi after playing it, but just that one burst can change the tide of games.</p>
<p>It will take a lot of mana to play, but drawing four cards and being able to swing your Eldrazi effectively for free before resetting on another turn cannot be overstated. At its least valuable, it hampers a single opponent and gives you some card draw. At its most, it allows you to set up and pay off something in two linked turns.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek&#039;s Command" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek&#039;s Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kozilek&#039;s Command"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek&#039;s Command" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek&#039;s Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants flexibility, giving you two choices of a range. It can provide Eldrazi Spawn that can be sacrificed for colorless mana, scrying followed by card draw, exiling a target creature, or exiling a number of cards from a graveyard.</p>
<p>This is an X-costed card, meaning that not only is it mechanically flexible, it's also economically feasible. It's only as expensive as you need it to be, meaning you can use it to squeeze a small amount of value from an otherwise wasted pool of mana or swing big for sweeping change.</p>
<p>It's effective either way, and yet another noncreature Eldrazi spell.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, Eye of the Storms" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, Eye of the Storms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin, Eye of the Storms"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, Eye of the Storms" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, Eye of the Storms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s biggest contribution is its ability to exile colored spells every time you cast a colorless spell. Gaining life and drawing a card is useful, particularly for gaining two loyalty counters. Three colorless mana is great economic value for future Eldrazi casting.</p>
<p>But Ugin's flashiest ability is to search for any number of colorless nonland cards, exile them, then cast them for free. That is all of your Eldrazi, support pieces such as artifacts and enchantments, and even instants or sorceries.</p>
<p>The ultimate only costs eleven loyalty counters when Ugin begins at seven and gains two each increment, which means on Ugin's third turn you can do this. That would mean losing Ugin, and with one board wipe you're done, but it can catch a table unprepared.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, the Spirit Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin, the Spirit Dragon"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, the Spirit Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is somewhat less impressive than the prior iteration, though still quite useful. A constant ping of three damage to gain loyalty can put pressure on opponents or remove utility creatures. Blanket exile of colored permanents dependent on mana cost is a quite powerful ability, given Ugin begins at seven loyalty.</p>
<p>And given it's an Eldrazi deck, Ugin's ability to play up to seven permanents from your hand onto the battlefield for free can win you a game. It's less dramatic than the previous iteration, but it requires one fewer loyalty counter and allows you to draw cards beforehand.</p>
<p>Ugin's ability to cheat out Eldrazi is useful in all its forms.</p>


<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reliquary Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Reliquary Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reliquary Tower"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reliquary Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Reliquary Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an example of a land that generates colorless mana with an additional effect. Most Eldrazi decks take a range of them, where being able to produce colorless mana is the priority of their inclusion.</p>
<p>Having no maximum hand size is useful, particularly given many other ways of achieving it that are tied to specific colors. But the ability to generate colorless mana is more relevant to the archetype it's being included in.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tomb of the Spirit Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Tomb of the Spirit Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tomb of the Spirit Dragon"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tomb of the Spirit Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Tomb of the Spirit Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, meanwhile, has a more impactful activated ability. Still granting colorless mana, it can also spend <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to gain a life for each colorless creature you control.</p>
<p>Eldrazi utility creatures usually aren't quite numerous, though the Eldrazi have many methods of creating Spawn and Scion tokens. With any amount of setup, the Tomb can allow you to sustain yourself quite easily without needing to spend your Spawn blocking.</p>
<p>Then you can sacrifice them to cast your larger Eldrazi, at which point you won't need to worry about sustaining yourself.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Ugin" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Ugin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eye of Ugin"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Ugin" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Ugin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is tailored to make Eldrazi players' lives easier. It provides no direct mana production, but passive decreases all colorless Eldrazi spells by <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Which given how many of them have no color or are devoid, means most of them.</p>
<p>Then you can spend <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-7" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to tutor for a colorless creature card, such as an Eldrazi, and put it in your hand. Given the cost, you likely won't be able to cast it that turn, but if you have the ability to produce <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-7" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> then that means you'll be able to cast at least an <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-9" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>-value Eldrazi the following turn.</p>


<p>Eldrazi are a solidly late-game creature type, oriented around building up their economy and sustaining themselves until they can unleash one or two creatures that they'll rely on to win the game. This means creating Drone and Scion tokens to sacrifice later. Setting up artifacts and enchantments to make colorless creature spells cheaper. Keeping up a wall of blockers to protect your mana production.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Endbringer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eldrazi Displacer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Writhing Chrysalis"></div></div>
<p>Some Eldrazi decks engage in early-game pressure. The numerous middling Eldrazi can have a decent pressure to them, particularly if focused on using their abilities to target pain points in an opponent's defenses. They have access to numerous targeted exile effects and/or the ability to scale themselves over time.</p>
<p>But ultimately, the majority of an Eldrazi deck's playstyle will revolve around "not dying until I can play Emrakul" or whichever titan is their linchpin.</p>


<p>There are multiple combos that an Eldrazi deck can field unrelated to simply achieving near-infinite colorless mana to cast any creature they want. Though that is something they can do with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Basalt Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Basalt Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forsaken Monument" href="#" target="_blank">Forsaken Monument</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>In an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulalek, Fused Atrocity" href="#" target="_blank">Ulalek, Fused Atrocity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, you can play both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glaring Fleshraker" href="#" target="_blank">Glaring Fleshraker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Echoes of Eternity" href="#" target="_blank">Echoes of Eternity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to deal near-infinite damage. Once you cast any colorless Eldrazi spell, this triggers Ulalek's ability and Fleshraker's first ability, both of which are doubled by Echoes. Once you pay two colorless mana, this copies everything. You then resolve Fleshraker's trigger to create an Eldrazi Spawn, which then triggers its second ability to deal a damage every time a colorless creature enters the battlefield under your control. You can then sacrifice it to gain a colorless mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulalek, Fused Atrocity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glaring Fleshraker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Echoes of Eternity"></div></div>
<p>Due to the fact that everything is doubled, you can do this again. Because of the copying, you're able to sacrifice enough Spawns to keep up with the mana cost of Ulalek's copying trigger. Echoes doubles everything. Ulalek copies everything. Fleshraker both gives Spawn to sacrifice for mana as well as damage triggers.</p>
<div id="5642-5657-5705" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
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<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe><br />
This combo requires all three of the cards to be set up on the battlefield before playing an independent colorless Eldrazi, but it's a well-earned combo that is much cheaper than trying to cheat out a titan.</p>


Eldrazi in Commander

EDHREC Guide to Eldrazi in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chill" href="#" target="_blank">Chill</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.simansondesign.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greg Simanson</a></em></p>
<p>Welcome to <em>Fire and Ice</em>! For those of you who are new here, this is EDHREC's data-driven series where I go over cards that are becoming more or less popular for different Commander decks, and talk about why they may be gaining or losing popularity. We'll draw conclusions from that data about how certain commanders' decks have changed over time, give insight into how the format's players are thinking about new cards, and hopefully provide some tech for your favorite commander's list.</p>
<p>I'm Julia, your Duchess of Data, and I'm super excited to jump into today's article!</p>
<p>We're focusing on some of the format's most popular commanders, and today we're looking at a unique Eldrazi card: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azlask, the Swelling Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Azlask, the Swelling Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! This creature is #109 on our site, with over 12,000 decks built with it at the helm.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azlask, the Swelling Scourge"></div></div>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azlask, the Swelling Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Azlask, the Swelling Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div id="attachment_172248" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-172248" class="size-large wp-image-172248" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-1024x337.png" alt="What's Hot and What's Not for Azlask, the Swelling Scourge" width="1024" height="337" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-1024x337.png 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-300x99.png 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-768x253.png 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-1536x506.png 1536w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3.png 1669w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-172248" class="wp-caption-text">What's Hot and What's Not for Azlask, the Swelling Scourge</p></div>
<p>Azlask is a unique commander, caring about Eldrazi tokens instead of the bigger, scarier monsters. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eldrazi Spawn" href="#" target="_blank">Eldrazi Spawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eldrazi Scion" href="#" target="_blank">Eldrazi Scion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s are cute (definitely not horrifying), so it makes sense that this Eldrazi commander has become so popular.</p>
<p>Among the Scourge's most popular cards are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glaring Fleshraker" href="#" target="_blank">Glaring Fleshraker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 83% of decks for token production), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meren of Clan Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Meren of Clan Nel Toth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 64% of decks for experience counter shenanigans), and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Echoes of Eternity" href="#" target="_blank">Echoes of Eternity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (in 62% of decks for some trigger doubling nonsense).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glaring Fleshraker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meren of Clan Nel Toth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Echoes of Eternity"></div></div>
<h2>What's Fiery for Azlask Decks?</h2>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atreus, Impulsive Son" href="#" target="_blank">Atreus, Impulsive Son</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Fire Score of 6.97</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atreus, Impulsive Son"></div></div>
<p>This recently printed card is only in 88 Azlask lists, but its a very strong include. Azlask can produce lots of experience counters, making Atreus a potent card advantage engine. If we invest <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> every turn, he can draw us dozens of cards over the course of a game.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Basking Broodscale" href="#" target="_blank">Basking Broodscale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Fire Score of 2.80</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Basking Broodscale"></div></div>
<p>Part of an infamous combo with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sadistic Glee" href="#" target="_blank">Sadistic Glee</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Basking Broodscale is the latest in a long line of broken Eldrazi. While we don't have a ton of +1/+1 counter synergy in this deck, this creature's combo potential has likely contributed significantly to its popularity.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malevolent Rumble" href="#" target="_blank">Malevolent Rumble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Fire Score of 2.80</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malevolent Rumble"></div></div>
<p>An improved copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Commune with the Gods" href="#" target="_blank">Commune with the Gods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that also makes an Eldrazi Spawn? Sign me up. This is a card to cast in the early game, providing ramp, card selection, and a relevant creature token. It's not a dead draw in the late game either, due to its ability to replace itself in hand easily.</p>
<p>This sorcery is fantastic, and is one of the best commons printed in <em>Modern Horizons 3</em> (which says a lot)!</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Fire Score of 2.55</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Farseek"></div></div>
<p>Five-color decks like this one are always in need of efficient mana fixing and mana ramp, and Farseek provides both. Higher power versions of Azlask can use this sorcery to fetch typed dual lands, further increasing the effectiveness of an already great sorcery.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Veiled Ascension" href="#" target="_blank">Veiled Ascension</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Fire Score of 2.21</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Veiled Ascension"></div></div>
<p>This card seems like a confusing inclusion at first. But, after giving it some thought, I think this enchantment is in the 77 Azlask decks that are themed around morphs, disguises, and manifests. Face-down creatures are colorless, meaning their deaths can give us experience counters.</p>
<p>Azlask decks built with this theme are far from optimal, but it's a unique take on this somewhat straightforward commander.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Parallel Lives" href="#" target="_blank">Parallel Lives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Fire Score of 2.09</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Parallel Lives"></div></div>
<p>Most Azlask decks focus on making tons of Spawns and Scions, which are almost always tokens (ignoring the existence of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elder Spawn" href="#" target="_blank">Elder Spawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). This enchantment kicks our token-focused game plan into overdrive, and is a great way to power up an otherwise middling Azlask deck.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Catacomb Sifter" href="#" target="_blank">Catacomb Sifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Fire Score of 2.04</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Catacomb Sifter"></div></div>
<p>This is an excellent card, and it feels tailor-made for this deck. This Drone makes a Scion when it enters, and lets us scry one whenever another creature we control dies. We love the typing on the creature token it creates on ETB, and will benefit greatly from the card selection it'll provide in our sacrifice-heavy game plan.</p>
<p>I think this card should see more play in lots of Aristocrats decks, but Catacomb Sifter is a perfect fit for Azlask.</p>
<h2>What's Icy for Azlask Decks?</h2>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eye of Ugin" href="#" target="_blank">Eye of Ugin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Score of -2.80</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eye of Ugin"></div></div>
<p>This land is fantastic, especially because almost every Eldrazi spell is colorless thanks to devoid. But, this is a five-color deck. Most pilots want their lands to help actually cast their spells, not just discount them. While this legendary land is still a good fit for Azlask, it's not a great one when the mana demands of its cards are considered more fully.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul&#039;s Messenger" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul&#039;s Messenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Score of -2.70</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emrakul&#039;s Messenger"></div></div>
<p>I love Emrakul's Messenger, and I'm a big fan of the second-draw-matters theme overall. But this Faerie Rogue isn't very well-suited for this particular deck. We aren't overly concerned with drawing multiple cards per turn consistently, so we won't be getting too many Spawn tokens from this creature.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abstruse Appropriation" href="#" target="_blank">Abstruse Appropriation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Score of -2.43</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abstruse Appropriation"></div></div>
<p>This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Utter End" href="#" target="_blank">Utter End</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> variant is interesting, but it's still an overly expensive removal spell at the end of the day. If I'm paying four mana for a removal spell, I want it to remove multiple permanents. My mind immediately goes to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unexplained Absence" href="#" target="_blank">Unexplained Absence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Decimate" href="#" target="_blank">Decimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I'd rather have either of those spells than Abstruse Appropriation.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minthara, Merciless Soul" href="#" target="_blank">Minthara, Merciless Soul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Score of -2.45</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Minthara, Merciless Soul"></div></div>
<p>Minthara can provide a relevant buff to our tokens in the mid- and late-game, and can even protect herself from opposing removal spells. But Azlask has a better anthem built into its activated ability, meaning Minthara's slot in the 99 can be safely given away.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="It That Heralds the End" href="#" target="_blank">It That Heralds the End</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Score of -2.37</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="It That Heralds the End"></div></div>
<p>There's only four spells in the average Azlask deck on EDHREC that would have their cost reduced by this creature, making its first ability somewhat irrelevant. This creature's second ability, the anthem, just isn't good enough to justify a slot in our deck. While It That Heralds the End isn't a bad card, it's meant for a different type of Eldrazi deck.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Score of -2.26</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heroic Intervention"></div></div>
<p>Heroic Intervention is one of Commander's best protection spells, saving our board from almost any sort of removal for just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. I suspect its decline in popularity is because Azlask's activated ability provides indestructibility to our Spawns and Scions. When we've got on-demand protection in the command zone, who needs Heroic Intervention?</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Power Plant" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Power Plant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Scores of -2.15</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza&#039;s Mine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza&#039;s Power Plant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza&#039;s Tower"></div></div>
<p>The Tron lands! When all three of these cards are on the battlefield together, they can provide a ton of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-c" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for us to work with. Unfortunately, this is a five-color deck. That means we need our lands to produce varied colors of mana, and can't afford to have many colorless lands. If we're going to include a land that doesn't make colored mana, it had better have some utility by itself.</p>
<p>These lands are very weak when they're not together, which has likely led to them being taken out of decks in frustration.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin&#039;s Binding" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin&#039;s Binding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - Ice Score of -2.09</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ugin&#039;s Binding"></div></div>
<p>Again, the average Azlask deck on EDHREC only has four colorless spells with a mana value of seven or greater. That means that this instant is essentially a three mana bounce spell that sits in the graveyard and disappoints us throughout the game. Ugin's Binding performs much better in a different sort of Eldrazi list, one that has more high cost spells.</p>
<h2>What's in an Azlask, the Swelling Scourge Commander Deck?</h2>
<p>Here's a sample Azlask list. It's got all of his Fiery cards, and none of his Icy cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Fire and Ice - Azlask, the Swelling Scourge" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Azlask, the Swelling Scourge
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Atreus, Impulsive Son
*1 Basking Broodscale
*1 Brood Monitor
*1 Catacomb Sifter
*1 Chittering Dispatcher
*1 Drowner of Hope
*1 Drowner of Truth // Drowned Jungle
*1 Eldrazi Displacer
*1 Eldrazi Repurposer
*1 Eldrazi Skyspawner
*1 Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher
*1 Eyeless Watcher
*1 Ezuri, Claw of Progress
*1 Glaring Fleshraker
*1 Herald of Kozilek
*1 Kozilek&#039;s Predator
*1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
*1 Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory
*1 Propagator Drone
*1 Rapacious One
*1 Sifter of Skulls
*1 Sire of Stagnation
*1 Smothering Abomination
*1 Snapping Voidcraw
*1 Spawn-Gang Commander
*1 Spawnbed Protector
*1 Toph, Earthbending Master
*1 Ulalek, Fused Atrocity
*1 Writhing Chrysalis
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 All Is Dust
*1 Brood Birthing
*1 Call the Scions
*1 Farseek
*1 Glimpse the Impossible
*1 Growth Spasm
*1 Malevolent Rumble
*1 Skittering Invasion
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Anointed Procession
*1 Awakening Zone
*1 Echoes of Eternity
*1 From Beyond
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Kozilek&#039;s Unsealing
*1 Parallel Lives
*1 Path of Annihilation
*1 Veiled Ascension
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Eldrazi Monument
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Forsaken Monument
*1 Idol of False Gods
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Curiosity
*1 Urza&#039;s Incubator
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Eldrazi Confluence
*1 Eldritch Immunity
*1 Kozilek&#039;s Command
*1 Null Elemental Blast
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Unfathomable Truths
*1 Warping Wail
[/Instants]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Brushland
*1 Cascading Cataracts
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Corrupted Crossroads
*1 Eldrazi Temple
*1 Exotic Orchard
*3 Forest
*2 Island
*1 Karplusan Forest
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Plains
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
*1 Spawning Bed
*1 Sulfurous Springs
*2 Swamp
*1 The World Tree
*1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon
*1 Tranquil Landscape
*1 Twisted Landscape
*1 Unclaimed Territory
*1 Underground River
*1 Yavimaya Coast
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Azlask and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulalek, Fused Atrocity" href="#" target="_blank">Ulalek, Fused Atrocity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give Commander players some interesting options for five-color Eldrazi lists. But are those lists healthy for the format? Are they fun to play against?</p>
<p>Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and I'll see you all soon for more <em>Fire and Ice</em>!</p>


eldrazi commander

EDHREC Guide to Eldrazi in Commander

Fire and Ice: Which Cards Are Hot and Cold for Azlask, the Swelling Scourge?