Bard, King of DaleBard, King of Dale | Art by Xabi Gaztelua

Welcome back, my precious, to Wombo Combo, the everlasting series of Commander's best combo cards, ranked by data from EDHREC and Commander Spellbook. This week, we shall pass through the new The Hobbit set!

The Hobbit is the second Magic set exploring Middle-earth, complete with many key characters and archetypes from the original stories. While there are a decent number of reprints from the original The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth set, there's also a plethora of new cards bringing strong effects that are sure to become staples in many decks. Let's see what combo cards this Hobbit-centered set has to offer.

#10: Bilbo, Luckwearer // Burglar's Plot

Number of Combos: 41

Bilbo, LuckwearerBilbo, Luckwearer has a creature part that allows you to loot when it deals combat damage. It also has an Adventure side which gives you a slightly cheaper version of Shifting LoyaltiesShifting Loyalties. The Adventure is more useful for combo purposes, giving opponents control of cards that will ultimately hurt them. Demonic PactDemonic Pact and Archfiend of the DrossArchfiend of the Dross are both great options which cause an opponent to lose the game. This effect also works for some locks, such as giving an opponent ModerationModeration while Knowledge PoolKnowledge Pool is out.

#9: Fateful Discovery

Number of Combos: 45

Fateful DiscoveryFateful Discovery is the artifact version of Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery, but far stronger overall. Whenever you have an artifact enter, you draw a card as a bonus. Where Fateful Discovery excels is that you draw for any artifact, and you'll draw one card per artifact that enters. So if you play Brass's BountyBrass's Bounty and make eight Treasures, you'll also draw eight cards. Mind Over MatterMind Over Matter is a perfect pairing with Fateful Discovery, as it'll untap permanents with those cards, including cards like Myr TurbineMyr Turbine that can tap to make artifacts for a near-infinite loop. Fateful Discovery can also draw Sensei's Divining TopSensei's Divining Top off the top of your library, which will also result in you drawing your library.

#8: Little Bear

Number of Combos: 52

Little BearLittle Bear's effect is far from unique, being found on many different cards from Corridor MonitorCorridor Monitor to Bounding KrasisBounding Krasis. With that being said, untapping a creature as it enters is still a strong effect, and a staple in decks running Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and/or Splinter TwinSplinter Twin. Little Bear can also be copied by DoppelgangDoppelgang, and used to untap other creatures like Echo MageEcho Mage. Little Bear can also be simply blinked by Displacer KittenDisplacer Kitten or similar effects to untap large mana dorks like Selvala, Heart of the WildsSelvala, Heart of the Wilds for ramping purposes.

#7: Thorin, King of Durin's Folk

Number of Combos: 60

If you like Dwarves, then Thorin, King of Durin's FolkThorin, King of Durin's Folk is the card for you. Thorin gives you Treasures as Dwarves enter, and boosts their power based on the number of artifact tokens you control. The Treasures can also be forwarded into more Dwarves, which is an easy way to execute a combo with Cloudstone CurioCloudstone Curio. All you need to add is two Dwarves who aren't artifacts and are castable with one colored mana: Toolcraft ExemplarToolcraft Exemplar and Staunch ShieldmateStaunch Shieldmate are two perfect examples.

#6: Smaug the Impenetrable

Number of Combos: 72

Smaug the ImpenetrableSmaug the Impenetrable is extremely strong, giving you Treasures as it's dealt damage, alongside built-in indestructibility. This creates easy two-card combos with PyrohemiaPyrohemia to deal large amounts of damage, and Mayhem DevilMayhem Devil if you already control a Treasure. Chain LightningChain Lightning is another great option, where you can just keep copying it targeting Smaug over and over again. Throwing a Pariah's ShieldPariah's Shield on Smaug will redirect all damage that would be dealt to you to Smaug, and gives you Treasures as compensation. This also allows Volcano HellionVolcano Hellion to create an excessive amount of Treasure tokens.

#5: Bag End Banquet

Number of Combos: 74

Bag End BanquetBag End Banquet gives you three Foods and lets you tap it to add for each Food you control. It's an amazing option for Food-centered decks, such as decks helmed by Ygra, Eater of AllYgra, Eater of All or Sam, Loyal AttendantSam, Loyal Attendant. The scalability of the mana production opens up more combo possibilities, like copying it with Chrome DomeChrome Dome or Cogwork AssemblerCogwork Assembler. Animating Bag End Banquet (with Ensoul ArtifactEnsoul Artifact, for example) also allows it to be infinitely untapped by Voltaic ConstructVoltaic Construct.

#4: Thranduil the Strategist

Number of Combos: 86

Thranduil the StrategistThranduil the Strategist is one of several landfall cards that create creature tokens, joining a list that also includes Dancing from Dark to DawnDancing from Dark to Dawn, Thranduil, Sindarin LiegeThranduil, Sindarin Liege and Down in the ValleyDown in the Valley. These cards are commonly included alongside Kodama of the East TreeKodama of the East Tree, as the tokens will trigger Kodama to put lands onto the battlefield. This creates more landfall triggers, putting more lands onto the battlefield with the creature tokens, and so forth. Bouncelands like Simic Growth ChamberSimic Growth Chamber are great options for infinitely playing and bouncing lands. Thranduil the Strategist itself also lets Elves tap for mana, working alongside Intruder AlarmIntruder Alarm for good amounts of mana.

#3: The Great Goblin

Number of Combos: 96

The Great GoblinThe Great Goblin provides large amounts of utility for Goblin decks: flinging damage as you fling Goblins, and impulsive draw to boot. The first ability turns into a damage cannon when paired with The Red TerrorThe Red Terror after it's made into a Goblin by Maskwood NexusMaskwood Nexus. The second ability is perfect for MortuaryMortuary, as the Goblin that died can then be exiled and played again. Coupled with Skirk ProspectorSkirk Prospector, Impulsive PilfererImpulsive Pilferer or one-drop Goblins and Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer, you have a simple combo casting creatures from exile.

#2: Elven Raft-Steerer

Number of Combos: 146

If you like Retreat to CoralhelmRetreat to Coralhelm's untapping combo shenanigans, then Elven Raft-SteererElven Raft-Steerer gives you another option! From untapping Walking AtlasWalking Atlas-style creatures to Zimone and DinaZimone and Dina and everything in between, a strong effect in Landfall decks can now appear twice. Being on a creature does give you more options for fetching and/or cheating it out, thanks to Worldly TutorWorldly Tutor style cards. The downside to Elven Raft-Steerer over Retreat to Coralhelm is that it'll be more susceptible to removal spells, but running both in a deck together gives a great chance of the effect sticking around.

#1: Bard, King of Dale

Number of Combos: 499

What's better than a token doubler? A token doubler and a card draw doubler on the same body! Token doublers are some of the most useful combo cards, and almost every deck benefits from drawing more cards. Both of these together make Bard an easy inclusion, even if you don't play with infinite combos. From using it alongside Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe for more Treasures, to pairing it with Mind Over MatterMind Over Matter for infinite card draw combos, there's certainly no shortage of combos that can be performed. If you're looking at The Hobbit and wanting a strong combo commander, Bard may very well be your best option.

Honorable Mentions

Still scouring the shire for more combo options? Here are a few more for your reading pleasure:

1. Gleaming SplendorGleaming Splendor: A great card for group hug decks, and lets you profit off an opponent drawing multiple cards. Smothering Tithe is a perfect pairing with this card as well.

2. The Notary HobbitsThe Notary Hobbits: A decent mana dork in its own right, especially since it makes two copies of itself. In Halfling decks or those running decent token doubling, the amount of mana can spiral very quickly.

3. Bilbo, Thief in the NightBilbo, Thief in the Night: Makes spells not cast from your hand cheaper, adding a benefit to topdeck effects like The Reality ChipThe Reality Chip or recursion effects like Muldrotha, the GravetideMuldrotha, the Gravetide.

4. The Master of Lake-townThe Master of Lake-town: An easy way to mill opponents as they lose life. Pair with Bloodchief AscensionBloodchief Ascension to likely kill an opponent.

Thank you very much for reading this edition of Wombo Combo, and don't forget to check out Commander Spellbook for more Commander combos and visit the Commander Spellbook Discord to submit your own Commander combos. Until next time, happy comboing!