Brotherhood's EndBrotherhood's End | Art by Bryan Sola

Hey, everyone! Today's top 10 list is about The Brothers' War from 2022. This artifact-heavy set appealed to both fans of Magic: The Gathering's old-school lore and characters, as well as to newer players and deckbuilders with a raft of sweet mechanics and card designs. If you're not too familiar with what BRO was all about — and that's totally fine, because new sets seem to be coming out faster than we can count them — you should know that it was designed as an event set recounting one of the most important events in MTG's original timeline: the relationship and rift between Urza and Mishra. The Brothers' War also played out on cards from 1994 expansion Antiquities and in an eponymous novelization released in 1998.

And, speaking of nostalgia, make sure you check out my last list on Jumpstart 2022 and my continuing series on the most played cards from every booster set with new cards from the past few years. Now, let's dive right in!

10. Gaea's GiftGaea's Gift - 106,457 decks

It's interesting how writing these lists lets me spot patterns in card releases over the years. When I see Gaea's GiftGaea's Gift seeing play in over 100K decks, I think about how this effect was pretty uncommon in until Ranger's GuileRanger's Guile came out in Innistrad in 2011 and was soon eclipsed by the strictly-better Blossoming DefenseBlossoming Defense five years later. Soon after that, variants would be printed seemingly in every other set, each with their own quirks and upsides, with some versions like Tamiyo's SafekeepingTamiyo's Safekeeping and Snakeskin VeilSnakeskin Veil slotting into a quarter of a million decks on EDHREC.

Some decks, like +1/+1 counters builds, will pick and choose the ones like Veil that synergize the best with their game plans, while other decks, like Kotis, the FangkeeperKotis, the Fangkeeper voltron, will want to run a critical mass of protection spells. Critical mass will often mean that Gift earns a place in the 99, even if it does cost 100% more mana. In exchange, you get a permanent counter and trample too, the latter being pretty useful in decks with creatures that need to hit opponents in the face to net you value.

9. Awaken the WoodsAwaken the Woods - 108,647 decks

This hybrid White Sun's ZenithWhite Sun's Zenith/Sylvan AwakeningSylvan Awakening is actually so much better than the sum of its parts (combo applications aside) because you also get X landfall triggers when you cast this. That makes this pretty close to a staple in decks ranging in speed from Omnath, Locus of CreationOmnath, Locus of Creation to Tifa LockhartTifa Lockhart.

The WSZ half of the card is also incredibly powerful in Baylen, the HaymakerBaylen, the Haymaker, while Zaxara, the ExemplaryZaxara, the Exemplary and Magus Lucea KaneMagus Lucea Kane reward you for putting a sizable chunk of mana into X. This is one of those cards that awakens the palates of deckbuilders and invites them to squeeze every bit of synergy they can out of it.

8. BushwhackBushwhack - 109,220 decks

If you read this name and expected it to improve your mono-red Krenko deckimprove your mono-red Krenko deck, you're out of luck, but every other Commander player is happy to have access to more ways to fix their mana. Interestingly, it's the Prey UponPrey Upon mode that really helps this shine in the format, since five-color decks often have more efficient ways of ensuring they can cast their spells. It's essentially a tapped land that can also trigger Shelob, Child of UngoliantShelob, Child of Ungoliant to get you a very special Food token or Maarika, Brutal GladiatorMaarika, Brutal Gladiator, among other options. It being a modal card makes it even better than both fight and land fetch variants in Riku of Many PathsRiku of Many Paths.

In Commander, we like to use every part of the buffalo.

7. Third Path IconoclastThird Path Iconoclast - 111,315 decks

In my Spellslinger deck guide, I identified this as one of the best payoffs you can play in decks packed with instants and sorceries. The fact this triggers off artifacts, enchantments, and planeswalkers really propels it ahead of Young PyromancerYoung Pyromancer, as long as you're already playing Izzet (). In the end, spellslingers are absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to token-generating payoffs, with Saheeli, Sublime ArtificerSaheeli, Sublime Artificer, Monastery MentorMonastery Mentor, Talrand, Sky SummonerTalrand, Sky Summoner and more offering a great mix of redundancy and unique advantages.

6. Liberator, Urza's BattlethopterLiberator, Urza's Battlethopter - 111,931 decks, 2,683 as commander

A legendary Thopter sounds adorable, until it's liberating you from your peace of mind by making you deal with Eldrazi cast triggers in response to you just playing out your turn. If that sounds like a specific example, that's because this warship... fighter plane... thingy with what looks like Urza's bust on it is commonly played in those decks, usually led by Zhulodok, Void GorgerZhulodok, Void Gorger and Ulalek, Fused AtrocityUlalek, Fused Atrocity.

When it's not surprising you with 10/10s, it's making artifact decks with Urza, Chief ArtificerUrza, Chief Artificer or Karn, Legacy ReforgedKarn, Legacy Reforged equally crafty. Throw in a Mystic ForgeMystic Forge and a cost reducer like Foundry InspectorFoundry Inspector and you've got a terrifying engine, and I'm not talking about the art. Either way, you probably will need to spend a removal spell on this because it can also threaten to punch you in the face for a ton of damage after acting like a Vedalken OrreryVedalken Orrery.

5. Portal to PhyrexiaPortal to Phyrexia - 129,914 decks

Out of all the mainstream formats, Commander is probably the one most suited to expensive spells. On the other hand, nine mana is still a pretty penny, so you tend to see the undoubtedly powerful Portal in decks dedicated to cheating massive, game-winning permanents into play, like Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw, Tannuk, Steadfast SecondTannuk, Steadfast Second, Kona, Rescue BeastieKona, Rescue Beastie, The Infamous CruelclawThe Infamous Cruelclaw, and many more.

Once you do put in the work and get this into play, it'll definitely be worthwhile: the board gets winnowed down to likely your opponents' best creatures, unless tokens abound, and they still have to deal with this, lest you win the game by reanimating the best thing in any player's graveyard.

4. Tocasia's WelcomeTocasia's Welcome - 153,310 decks

Tocasia's Welcome continues a trend of white engine permanents that draw cards when you play small creatures, kind of like the complement to Garruk's UprisingGarruk's Uprising and its descendants. Since Mentor of the MeekMentor of the Meek came out in Innistrad, we've seen some great variants of this effect printed, including Welcoming VampireWelcoming Vampire, Bygone BishopBygone Bishop, and Enduring InnocenceEnduring Innocence.

Believe it or not, my young readers, we used to complain that didn't get enough draw engines. Those days are long gone, and good riddance; I love being able to hang with control and value decks while I'm generating a million tokens and brushing off Day of JudgmentDay of Judgment like it's nothing. This may not be the most played of its kind, but it being an enchantment instead of a creature gives it the welcome advantage of being more difficult to remove.

3. Haywire MiteHaywire Mite - 179,013 decks

I just featured CankerbloomCankerbloom in my Phyrexia: All Will Be One list, and now we've got this lil' guy that sees play in a similar amount of decks. I can't emphasize this enough: we need ways to interact with artifacts and enchantments. This 1/1 might even offer a ton of upside on top of that, being a small creature that decks playing can UnearthUnearth, an artifact for some decks to take advantage of and an Insect for others (this is basically busted in Grist, the Hunger TideGrist, the Hunger Tide), and a dual-typed tool for delirium decks like Winter, Cynical OpportunistWinter, Cynical Opportunist.

That is so much value and synergy for just one mana, and that's before you even consider that its ability exiles a permanent instead of just destroying it.

2. Demolition FieldDemolition Field - 279,427 decks

Speaking of necessary removal, lands, especially the saltiest ones like Gaea's CradleGaea's Cradle, The Tabernacle at Pendrell ValeThe Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale and Glacial ChasmGlacial Chasm, can be really hard to interact with unless you're playing for Beast WithinBeast Within or similar effects. That's why any deck that can afford a colorless-producing utility land should consider slotting this into their deck, whether you're trying to take advantage of synergy with commanders like River SongRiver Song or Tifa LockhartTifa Lockhart, or not.

1. Loran of the Third PathLoran of the Third Path - 300,197 decks, 298 as commander

This is the fifth removal effect on this list by my count, and we haven't even seen a black card this whole article! But, of course, Loran isn't just a Reclamation SageReclamation Sage in . She's an incredibly versatile creature that packs a load of synergy with legends decks, group hug builds like Ms. BumbleflowerMs. Bumbleflower and Gluntch, the BestowerGluntch, the Bestower, and even decks looking to build a pillow fort or control the pace of the game. Letting another player draw a card so you can too isn't that bad in a multiplayer game, so I would simply be activating this every turn, whatever consequences that may bring.

This Metal Junk is Ugly, but It's Got its UsesThis Metal Junk is Ugly, but It's Got its Uses

Wow! I don't think I've covered a set with as few commanders and as many utility cards and enablers as The Brothers' War. You do love to see it, though. Commander decks wouldn't exist without splashy and flashy legendary creatures, but they wouldn't run properly without humble interaction, disruption, and value generators. What's your favorite BRO card that didn't make the list? Let us know, and I'll be back next week with another top 10 list!

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