The Top 40 Five-Mana Commanders

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Haze" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Haze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.gregstaples.com/">Greg Staples</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, everyone, my name's Jonathan, and today I'm dusting off that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradox Haze" href="#" target="_blank">Paradox Haze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> I bought years ago and never played. That's right, today's article is about the five (plus two honorable mentions) best upkeep triggers in Commander!</p>
<p>As always, when I say "the best" I mean "the best in my opinion". This also means these are not absolute judgments: feel more than free to discuss my opinions and say whether you agree or not in the comments!</p>
<p>So, get ready, start praying your permanents survive a whole turn rotation and then let's jump right into this article.</p>
<hr />
<h2>First Honorable Mention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes"></div></div>
<p>I remember a time when this card took entire (60-card) formats by storm. In Commander it's definitely not that oppressive, but it's still a more than reasonable card to run as a commander or in the 99.</p>
<p>Its abilities are good but not absurd: you can pump your creatures and then sacrifice them to deal some damage wherever you want (and perhaps draw some cards).</p>
<p>This is pretty neat, but what ties it all together is its upkeep trigger: creating Boo. It may seem a small detail on a quite flashy card overall, but it actually is the key to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes" href="#" target="_blank">Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s success.</p>
<p>Having access to the perfect target for both of its abilities on every single turn makes this card extremely reliable and self-supporting.</p>
<p>It's an army in a can, as you can pump your token on off turns, when nothing relevant is happening, and then you can sacrifice it to remove a pesky creature/planeswalker or even just to draw a bunch of cards.</p>
<p>And remember: you get to start this cycle again at the beginning of your next upkeep!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Second Honorable Mention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Court of Garenbrig" href="#" target="_blank">Court of Garenbrig</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Court of Garenbrig"></div></div>
<p>The "Court" cycles are both very good, and most of them have relevant upkeep triggers that could/should be showcased in this spot. Nonetheless, I decided to go with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Court of Garenbrig" href="#" target="_blank">Court of Garenbrig</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> because of how easily it can get out of hand.</p>
<p>First off it is cheap, with most decks being able to cast it on their second turn; of course, you may want to wait a bit to deploy it, so that you actually have creatures to buff.</p>
<p>Then, the base effect is quite good, slowly but steadily increasing your board's stats. This can be almost optimal during the first turns, when you don't have many creatures on the board anyway.</p>
<p>But if you untap with it while being the monarch in the late game, that's where things get messy. All the +1/+1 counters you've amassed on your creatures thus far suddenly double, transforming any body into a lethal threat.</p>
<p>What makes this effect good is that you don't need to trigger this improved effect right away: one turn at any point in the late game is all it takes to make your board a true army.</p>
<p>Also, my perception of this card may or may not be biased by it destroying me on multiple occasions. But I guess we'll never know.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Number Five: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of All" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sanctum of All"></div></div>
<p>I've tried so hard to place this card higher on the list, but I realistically couldn't justify it. And this really bums me, because <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Go-Shintai of Life&#039;s Origin" href="#" target="_blank">Go-Shintai of Life&#039;s Origin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is my favorite commander of all time. It is what it is.</p>
<p>Overall, Shrines don't have many good upkeep triggers. The only ones that have one are the <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=honden&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Hondens</a>; and while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Honden of Infinite Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Honden of Infinite Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Honden of Seeing Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Honden of Seeing Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are good (although a bit expensive to cast), the others are mostly included to up the count of Shrines in the deck.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of All" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the exception to this trend. Its upkeep ability is absurd, allowing you to tutor for what's probably the best card in your deck (aka, a Shrine) turn after turn, and even getting it out of the graveyard if it was destroyed.</p>
<p>The second half of the card is good but not quite as great: the six Shrines requirement can be difficult to meet, also because everyone will target them as soon as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanctum of All" href="#" target="_blank">Sanctum of All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits the battlefield.</p>
<p>In general, this is a very strong card and one dear to my heart. Still, its limits are undeniable. Other than the limitation on its second ability, this is a hyper-specific card, meaning it will only ever be good in dedicated Shrine decks.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, I do love this strategy and each and every deck revolving around it; but, if that's not your cup of tea, then you'll probably forget this card even exists.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Number Four: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Land Tax" href="#" target="_blank">Land Tax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Land Tax"></div></div>
<p>This is quite the trip down memory lane. When I first started playing in late 2018/early 2019, this card was a staple of the format. White didn't have access to good ramp options, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Land Tax" href="#" target="_blank">Land Tax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> filled this role perfectly.</p>
<p>It provides lands while also granting a somewhat noticeable deck-thinning advantage over the course of turns. This means that, if it stays in play long enough, you'll improve the quality of your draws, as you'll be less likely to draw lands.</p>
<p>The ability to basically guarantee your land drops for the rest of the game (granted you're running an adequate number of basic lands) was crucial for some color combinations (Orzhov, Azorius and Boros above all), as well as mono-white.</p>
<p>As years passed, more and more replacements for this card were printed. Additionally, nonbasic lands got better, making it hard for decks to play a high-enough basic lands count that justifies running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Land Tax" href="#" target="_blank">Land Tax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Still, its storied past is untouchable, but also its present isn't all that bad either: the factors mentioned above can't take away this card's power, and, if slotted into the right deck, it can still do a ton of work!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Number Three: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Descent into Avernus" href="#" target="_blank">Descent into Avernus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Descent into Avernus"></div></div>
<p>This is a truly unique card in all of Commander. The way in which it speeds up the game is unmatched: not only does it whittle down life totals, but it also gives every player resources to reach the final line as soon as possible. What makes this card so strong is precisely its ability to make games spiral in the blink of an eye.</p>
<p>Additionally, it's cheap and easy to cast, which means it's not impossible for it to be on the battlefield on turn two. From that point on, other players better have a solution at the ready, or they're in for a very quick match.</p>
<p>The only downside I can find to this card is that it isn't an auto-include in every deck. Or, to be more precise, that you need to somewhat build around it to make it work as intended. You can theoretically put it in the 99 of any random red deck, but it won't be nearly as impactful as it could be.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Number Two: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revel in Riches" href="#" target="_blank">Revel in Riches</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helix Pinnacle" href="#" target="_blank">Helix Pinnacle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and more</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Revel in Riches"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Felidar Sovereign"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helix Pinnacle"></div></div>
<p>This entry is for several cards that can win the game on your upkeep. Of these, the easiest to trigger are:</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revel in Riches" href="#" target="_blank">Revel in Riches</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s condition has become trivial to match over the years, given the ever-increasing amount of support for decks centered around Treasures. Also, its first triggered ability is extremely good as well!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't quite as good, but it can catch players off guard, especially newer ones, who won't see it coming. I think it is more suited for lower brackets, where the boards can get clogged easily, thus making it hard to reduce life totals.</p>
<p>Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helix Pinnacle" href="#" target="_blank">Helix Pinnacle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the progenitor of these effects. It's cheap and resilient, but it also takes a while to get going. It's probably not a good win condition anymore, but its legacy should forever be remembered.</p>
<p>What makes all of these cards almost always good is the fact that they suddenly set a timer on the whole game. Either players find a solution during their next turn, or it's game over for them.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Number One: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defense of the Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Defense of the Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defense of the Heart"></div></div>
<p>At first, this might seem a weird pick. In the end, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defense of the Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Defense of the Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a quite simple, not-that-flashy card. But it only took me one time playing it to understand why it is so powerful.</p>
<p>First off, it'll basically always be active, given how easily players deploy three creatures at a Commander table. Then, although expensive upfront, it can easily grant you access to creatures worth three or four times the mana you spent the turn before.</p>
<p>And finally, the ability to tutor your two best creatures is so unbelievably good. Of course, it can get you combo pieces, but even just big haymakers would do it for me.</p>
<p>Additionally, it doesn't require you to take any peculiar deckbuilding choice. While not a cEDH card, as long as you're running big, hard-hitting creatures, this card will have a use-case in your deck.</p>
<p>Also, it may seem slow, but its effect corresponds to such a great tempo swing in your favor that you'll most likely get ahead of your competition as soon as its trigger resolves.</p>
<hr />
<p>That's from me! What do you think? What cards would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments!</p>


The Five Best Upkeep Triggers in Commander

Top 10 Repeatable Untappers for Gran-Gran

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Giant Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Giant Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://gallegosart.com/">Randy Gallegos</a></em></p>
<p>In real life, the humble yet adept spider is a predatory hunter, ensnaring its prey before drinking its victim's blood. Some spiders are venomous; some of their venoms can incapacitate things much larger than us. Many of them hide within the darkness to keep their ghastly vigil.</p>
<p>All this to say, no pretense determines that spiders aren't inherently scary animals. And yet, over the years, humankind has learned to coexist (or at least try to ignore) our arachnid neighbors. This is partly made manifest via a revamped association and fascination with them, thanks to corporate properties like Marvel's <em>Spider-Man</em> franchise.</p>
<p>In the context of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, Spiders are some of the most true-to-reality creatures in the game. Typically, they have reach and occasionally deathtouch. However, if you've been paying much attention to the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/marvels-spider-man-preview-season-kicks-off-at-pax-west" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previews for <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em></a>, <em>Magic</em>'s newest upcoming set, you may see that reach and deathtouch don't come standard with Spider-People. In this way, they're not exactly the truest to form anymore, statistically.</p>
<p>For this reason, today I'm going to look at the top 10 non-Marvel Spiders in <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>. This is obviously an article based on personal preference. Feel free to agree or disagree with my choices in the comments!</p>
<p>Let's begin.</p>
<h2>10) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silklash Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Silklash Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Silklash Spider"></div></div>
<p>Call me old-fashioned, but I find that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silklash Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Silklash Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is still an extremely relevant threat to flying creatures in formats where it's still legal.</p>
<p>It came out originally back in 2002 with the <em>Onslaught</em> expansion. Its ability to pump mana into damaging flyers is nothing short of deadly for the average Angel or Dragon players in formats like Commander. This is especially true when you realize that Silklash Spider can also block before dealing that damage, then potentially kill an attacking flyer that's been weakened enough by the activated ability.</p>
<p>As for why Silklash Spider can't be higher on this list, it costs a hefty <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" 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 class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. And then, you have to pump <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-x" 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 class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> into its ability whenever you want to use it. Such a large investment of mana means it's a prime target for removal. I'm not saying it "dies to removal" as an argument. I'm saying it draws more removal towards it than I'd like.</p>
<p>However, it can't be overstated how cool this older Spider creature is. Therefore, it deserves its 10th-place spot on this list.</p>
<h2>9) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obelisk Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Obelisk Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obelisk Spider"></div></div>
<p>A dark horse pick from 2017's <em>Hour of Devastation</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obelisk Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Obelisk Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cool piece of interactive support. With its ability to act as though it's got wither in addition to normal damage, Obelisk Spider is a powerful 3-drop in decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons" href="#" target="_blank">Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Volrath, the Shapestealer" href="#" target="_blank">Volrath, the Shapestealer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Volrath, the Shapestealer"></div></div>
<p>Beyond this strong ability, it also acts as an <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/aristocrats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aristocrat</a> effect for these decks, something that may be a bit harder to find space for otherwise. However, the idea that it takes that role primarily in decks that care about counter placement means Obelisk Spider is overall a bit of a niche card.</p>
<p>While it's a bit more specialized than Silklash Spider, the cost and its novel effect are enough to elevate it to 9th place.</p>
<h2>8) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doom Weaver"></div></div>
<p>Emerging from the set-booster exclusives of <em>Innistrad: Crimson Vow</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a worthy Spider for 8th place within this Top 10 list. The creature is a formidably tough creature with a posterior-heavy toughness of eight. This base toughness and its reach ability are both nice for being able to block a wide range of opposing creatures, even at a mana value of six.</p>
<p>But what puts Doom Weaver on the list at all is its soulbond ability. When it's paired with another creature, both of them can potentially let a player draw many cards when they die.</p>
<p>However, the Weaver wants to be played in a Spider-typal deck, and doesn't have the power to draw a ton of cards on its own. Given that Spiders typically don't have a lot of power to them natively, it's not a very reliable source of card advantage, sadly. However, the draw is enough to put Doom Weaver at #8 on this list.</p>
<h2>7) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlair Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlair Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragonlair Spider"></div></div>
<p>A card originally printed in <em>Primordial Hunger</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thromok the Insatiable" href="#" target="_blank">Thromok the Insatiable</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s precon for <em>Planechase 2012</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlair Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlair Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a large, mana-intensive Spider that makes a ton of Insect tokens if allowed to stick around for long enough.</p>
<p>A mighty 5/6 for a hefty <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" 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 class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" 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 class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Dragonlair Spider is a great deterrent for opponents who like to sling spells with abandon.</p>
<p>The catch to this creature is probably the fact that it's got a really, <em>really</em> specific mana cost. That, and the tokens it makes, which feel like they <em>should</em> have flying, don't. But beyond that, there's not a lot of ill to speak of for this one. It's worth #7, which is where it belongs.</p>
<p>And who wants to argue with a Spider living in a dragon's lair?</p>
<h2>6) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thantis, the Warweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Thantis, the Warweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thantis, the Warweaver"></div></div>
<p>Our first legendary Spider on this Top 10 list, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thantis, the Warweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Thantis, the Warweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a creature that doesn't do a lot of the things that Spiders want to do in <em>Magic</em>. Sure, it has reach, but despite also having vigilance, most other Spiders <em>don't</em>. Pairing this unfortunate fact with its mandate to force each creature to attack means Thantis is a bit of a trap for the discerning Commander player.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, there are obviously ways to mitigate this issue within deckbuilding for a deck with Thantis at the head. Plenty of cards can grant a Thantis-run battlefield vigilance, so that's always a plus.</p>
<p>However, that Thantis isn't in colors that usually have creatures with vigilance is a blow against its ranking here. Therefore, Thantis makes the list, but at a below-average rank of 6th place.</p>
<h2>5) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spinner of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Spinner of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spinner of Souls"></div></div>
<p>Debuting in <em>Foundations</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spinner of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Spinner of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a creature that's all upside. With an above-rate stat line of 4/3 for only <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" 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>, it's already doing great, even in monogreen where big creatures are the norm. However, it's got reach (par for the course for Spiders, as mentioned previously) and a strong effect.</p>
<p>Spinner of Souls will never leave your board bereft of creatures!</p>
<p>My argument for why Spinner of Souls is only worth 5th place could be seen as a bit controversial, however. I think it's a very strong creature, to be sure. But my issue with it is that, like Thantis and several other Spiders not on this list, Spinner is not quite Spider-like. Its power is higher than its toughness, which is extremely uncharacteristic of Spiders in <em>Magic</em>. Even if it's a 4/3, which is a minuscule difference overall, that feels like it shouldn't be the case.</p>
<p>So, while Spinner of Souls is a fantastic card, it's a suboptimal Spider from this perspective, and that puts it at #5 on this list.</p>
<h2>4) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twitching Doll" href="#" target="_blank">Twitching Doll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Twitching Doll"></div></div>
<p>An interesting mana-producing artifact creature from <em>Duskmourn: House of Horror</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twitching Doll" href="#" target="_blank">Twitching Doll</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets my pick for #4 on this Top 10 list. It's not a bad creature, and it's sufficiently as creepy as it truly should be in the setting of Duskmourn.</p>
<p>What's more, upon dying it has the propensity to spawn a <em>ton</em> of Spider tokens. These tokens have reach, which is why I am more than willing to overlook the lack thereof on Twitching Doll.</p>
<p>As far as flavor goes, this card makes my skin crawl. I'm often looking for that in multiversal horror settings like Innistrad or Duskmourn. In this way, Twitching Doll is more than satisfactory for me, and the Spider aspect has no small part in that. To that effect, Twitching Doll deserves its 4th-place spot. It's not higher, if only because a few others are just better Spiders.</p>
<h2>3) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyx Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Nyx Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Weaver"></div></div>
<p>At #3 is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyx Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Nyx Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This enchantment creature is one that I'm sure many of my readers have seen before in plenty of preconstructed Commander decks. Nyx Weaver came out initially in <em>Journey Into Nyx</em>, the third set of the original <em>Theros</em> block. Since then, it's been a mainstay in various green-black precons across the board.</p>
<p>There's clearly a very good reason for that, because it's been printed so often since then.</p>
<p>To its credit, Nyx Weaver supplants so many self-mill decks to this date. Right now, it's in 68,519 decks out of a possible 1,401,221 decks that could use it, a veritable 4.89% of decks, percentage-wise. With nearly 5% of decks that could run Nyx Weaver doing so, it speaks volumes to the helpful versatility of the enchantment Spider's ability suite.</p>
<p>However, there are two more Spiders on this list that are far more useful for a Spider deck than Nyx Weaver, so Nyx Weaver gets 3rd place here.</p>
<h2>2) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shelob, Child of Ungoliant" href="#" target="_blank">Shelob, Child of Ungoliant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shelob, Child of Ungoliant"></div></div>
<p>At our penultimate (ascending) rank of #2 is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shelob, Child of Ungoliant" href="#" target="_blank">Shelob, Child of Ungoliant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, our only Spider from <em>Universes Beyond</em> on the list. Shelob is a wonderfully scary Spider. She does everything one would expect from a Spider, from having deathtouch to eating her prey alive.</p>
<p>She's also an 8/8 for only <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" 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>. That's an excellent rate for a creature with no downsides. Shelob also gives her keywords to all other Spiders you control, essentially making all of her Spiders into her children in turn.</p>
<p>The only real issue I find with Shelob, Child of Ungoliant is that she's not really a <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> Spider outside of the fact that she's a <em>Magic</em> card now. <em>Lord of the Rings</em> was a fantastic set and felt like the way <em>Magic</em> should handle <em>Universes Beyond</em>, but beyond that, Shelob isn't a <em>Magic</em> character, memetics aside.</p>
<p>Plus, the one thing that Shelob, as a Spider, lacks is arguably the most important for a Spider to have: the ability to block flying creatures. So, Shelob is beaten out at #2 on this list.</p>
<p>With Shelob at 2nd place, what could the #1 non-Marvel Spider in <em>Magic</em> be? The answer... Probably won't surprise you!</p>
<h2>The Top Non-Marvel Spider in <em>Magic</em> Is...</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ishkanah, Grafwidow"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ishkanah, Grafwidow" href="#" target="_blank">Ishkanah, Grafwidow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the top non-Marvel Spider in this Top 10 list. While she costs a relatively hefty <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" 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> for a 3/5 creature with reach, Ishkanah does a ton for Spider decks. She creates a <em>lot</em> of Spider creature tokens at a given time, crafting a cluttered stalemate for creatures. What's more, she can turn those stalemates into a race against time with her activated ability.</p>
<p>Ishkanah is a pure stone-cold killer, and it shows.</p>
<p>With that, I'd like to open the floor to you, dear readers. Which non-Marvel Spiders are your favorite picks for your Spider typal Commander decks? Do you have a favorite that isn't on this list? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


listicle

The Top 40 Five-Mana Commanders

The Five Best Upkeep Triggers in Commander

Top 10 Repeatable Untappers for Gran-Gran

The Top 10 Non-Marvel Spiders in Magic: The Gathering