Sokka, Tenacious TacticianSokka, Tenacious Tactician | Art by Robin Har

Hey everyone! After last time's dive into the ninjutsu mechanic inspired by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, today we're looking ahead to Secrets of Strixhaven releasing on April 24.

Since the original Strixhaven set was mechanically centered on spells, it's a good time to bring you the most played cards in Commander with the prowess ability.

Let's jump in!

10. Lyse HextLyse Hext - 27,497 decks, 1,839 as commander

You don't see a ton of prowess cards in white, but it is the tertiary color for the mechanic with several powerful commander options in Jeskai: Elsha of the InfiniteElsha of the Infinite, Narset, Enlightened ExileNarset, Enlightened Exile, and Sokka, Tenacious TacticianSokka, Tenacious Tactician.

Lyse HextLyse Hext can do some good work in these decks as an extra Goblin ElectromancerGoblin Electromancer, but she's most popular by far in Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed, where you can't play Electromancer and getting mana discounts on spells significantly progresses your game plan.

9. Riptide GearhulkRiptide Gearhulk - 31,875 decks

You'll often play cards that just happen have prowess in decks that don't optimize for the mechanic by playing a bunch of cheap spells. Riptide GearhulkRiptide Gearhulk is a great example of a popular prowess card that is more prized for its other characteristics. Its removal-based enters ability is great in Azorius () Blink strategies with Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal, Niko, Light of HopeNiko, Light of Hope, and Kykar, Zephyr AwakenerKykar, Zephyr Awakener, while its card type and ability to brawl make it a nice addition to Mendicant Core, GuidelightMendicant Core, Guidelight or Sharuum the HegemonSharuum the Hegemon.

Kara Blinebry recently made room for it in her Don & Leo, Problem Solvers deck tech, even calling it the "most potent piece of removal" in her list. I can't help but agree.

8. Firebending StudentFirebending Student - 33,324 decks

Student starts small like a Monastery SwiftspearMonastery Swiftspear, but for one extra mana you also get a combat-phase-only Rite of FlameRite of Flame or better. Most at home in firebending-themed decks led by Fire Lord AzulaFire Lord Azula, Zuko, Firebending MasterZuko, Firebending Master, Avatar Roku, FirebenderAvatar Roku, Firebender, and others, the body plus prowess probably isn't enough to merit a spot in all but the most aggressive decks.

Attaining critical mass of mana generation is crucial so you can cast your big spells, though.

7. Bria, Riptide RogueBria, Riptide Rogue - 35,900 decks, 9,628 as commander

We've seen a couple of legends in the past who buff other creatures when you cast spells — psuedo-prowess, you might call it — but Bria explicitly grants the ability to your team without caring about creature type, just like Narset, Enlightened ExileNarset, Enlightened Exile.

This makes her ideal for a Spellslinger or aggressive prowess-based deck, where you can go wide with Third Path IconoclastThird Path Iconoclast, Talrand, Sky SummonerTalrand, Sky Summoner, and other token generators and end the game with a flurry of cheap spells that pump your whole team.

Coruscation MageCoruscation Mage and Firebrand ArcherFirebrand Archer give the deck a different angle that doesn't require combat to win, though Bria does a great job breaking board stalls on her own.

6. Kitsa, Otterball EliteKitsa, Otterball Elite - 57,311 decks, 698 as commander

The Otters from Bloomburrow are juiced up! While Kitsa is absolutely good enough to fit into aggressively slanted prowess decks led by Bria, she really shines in decks that need multiple Merfolk LooterMerfolk Looter/Rummaging GoblinRummaging Goblin effects like Hashaton, Scarab's FistHashaton, Scarab's Fist or Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge.

DougY left her off his list of top 10 loot effects, but she still merited an honorable mention as the only looter that can activate its ability after attacking.

She's also an easy inclusion in the Alania, Divergent StormAlania, Divergent Storm Otter kindred deck, where you can cast cheap spells and copy payoffs like Otterball AnticsOtterball Antics and Pearl of WisdomPearl of Wisdom.

5. Ral, Crackling WitRal, Crackling Wit - 58,503 decks

No humans on Bloomburrow means that any planeswalkers traveling there become absolutely adorable. There was no otter choice for Ral, the spellslinger 'walker, who not only makes tokens with prowess but has his card type's version of prowess. In the right deck with a ton of cheap spells that maintain card velocity, Ral can get up to ultimate range pretty easily, and from there, you can win with a ham sandwich copied 10 times.

Nicholas Lucchesi put Ral on his list of best planeswalkers in the format post-War of the Spark, because it really is incredibly easy firing off his ultimate. And if you can't do that, you're just drawing cards and making prowess creatures. Everything he does is on-plan.

4. Monastery MentorMonastery Mentor - 76,898 decks

A creature from prowess' tertiary color is also one of the most powerful cards you can play in the entire archetype. Mentor costs one more mana than other token producers like Iconoclast, but that extra expense gets you a Rolls Royce of an army-in-a-can that leaves behind creatures that can win a game even without the 2/2.

And, while Izzet Spellslinger decks might lean more aggressive, adding white to your commander's color identity grants you more staying power in the form of more token generators and more explosiveness through abilities like Narset's or Shiko and Narset, UnifiedShiko and Narset, Unified's. Extra one-mana removal that hits anything is great, too.

3. Stormcatch MentorStormcatch Mentor - 109,334 decks

What if a Goblin ElectromancerGoblin Electromancer could brawl? Well, it would be one of the most played prowess cards in Commander! Stormcatch MentorStormcatch Mentor not only provides the kind of redundancy in mana discount effects that combo players dream of, it also acts as a payoff for the multitude of spells you cast with its help.

It's ideal in aggressive prowess decks like those helmed by Balmor or Bria, but it works in pretty much any deck playing blue and red, from Storm, Force of NatureStorm, Force of Nature storm decks to decks that lean more into copying spells like Zevlor, Elturel ExileZevlor, Elturel Exile. Cards that generate mana are pretty powerful!

2. Harmonic ProdigyHarmonic Prodigy - 161,574 decks

There are a ton of Shamans and Wizards out there that get supercharged by having this PanharmoniconPanharmonicon variant in play. Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier can generate absurd amounts of mana and damage, Kefka, Court MageKefka, Court Mage runs your opponents out of cards pretty quickly, and any of the Final Fantasy pinging Wizard cards get a huge boost.

And, as with any card that doubles, Prodigy does have combo potential, though with how complex it can be to set these combos up, you might be better off just relying on the raw power of doubling specific abilities:

1. Pinnacle MonkPinnacle Monk - 184,193 decks

Prodigy is incredibly powerful and versatile, but that doesn't make it good enough to beat a good ol' utility card. Pinnacle MonkPinnacle Monk is perhaps better thought of as an untapped land that keeps your mana development ticking over in the early game and that remains relevant even in the late game. Spell-lands can do pretty much anything to merit consideration in Commander; such is the power of never being a dead card.

It just so happens that Monk's enters ability is really powerful and repeatable with bounce, blink, or ReanimateReanimate effects. It even has combo potential!

There's just no way to lose out when you run this card in your deck, so it deserves its place, even if the prowess is often incidental.

Finally, Something to DoFinally, Something to Do

Prowess has been around for quite some time now, even appearing in sets like Modern Horizons that tend to feature a higher power level. I'm surprised to see just how many Otters from the recent Bloomburrow set have displaced older cards. Then again, the Izzet () color pair was laser-focused on spells, so it makes sense that we got some sweet, wordy designs like Kitsa and Bria.

What's your favorite prowess card that didn't make the list? I'm a big fan of Bedlam RevelerBedlam Reveler as a bit of a bigger spells-matter creature suited for long games.