<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://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://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://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-1024x337.png 1024w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-300x99.png 300w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-768x253.png 768w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/newplot-5-3-1536x506.png 1536w, https://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>


five color eldrazi

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