Henzie "Toolbox" TorreHenzie "Toolbox" Torre | Esika, God of the TreeEsika, God of the Tree | Art by Johannes Voss

Three is a magic number! Yes it is, it's a magic number! Today, we'll be looking at Magic's magic number: commanders that cost exactly three mana.

In this edition of Top 40, we've got lots of powerful cards in store. From recently printed bombs to long-standing Commander staples, there's a ton of super cool legendary creatures on this list.

Deck numbers and ranks are accurate as of February 2nd, 2026.

#40. Wolverine, Best There IsWolverine, Best There Is

Decks: 9,684 | Rank: 181

Is Wolverine really the best there is? Well, no, he's sitting dead last on our list. But, he's still a powerful Gruul () Voltron commander. He's a 2/2 that deals double damage to all sources, and he gains +1/+1 counters at the end of every turn that he's been dealt damage. Wolverine even protects himself through regeneration, a somewhat outdated keyword mechanic that prevents him from being destroyed.

Wolverine decks are relatively straightforward, getting the commander to fight something at least once per turn before swinging in for some devastating damage. I'd bet that a large portion of this card's popularity is due to the IP it's tied to, though, as there are more interesting Voltron commanders in this color combination alone (looking at you, The Howling AbominationThe Howling Abomination).

#39. Veyran, Voice of DualityVeyran, Voice of Duality

Decks: 9,755 | Rank: 179

I'm shocked to see Veyran appear so low on this list. She amplifies classic Izzet () Spellslinging shenanigans, turning something as simple as a GuttersnipeGuttersnipe into a game-ender, while also being a potent Voltron threat herself.

I've played against decks that leverage her psuedo-prowess ability alongside combat tricks like AntagonizeAntagonize to take chunks out of opposing life totals while keeping a full grip of cards through Archmage EmeritusArchmage Emeritus-style effects. Our upcoming return to Strixhaven may embolden more potential Veyran pilots, letting them see just how fantastic this card can be.

#38. Mirko, Obsessive TheoristMirko, Obsessive Theorist

Decks: 9,771 | Rank: 178

While Murders at Karlov Manor was certainly not the most popular set Wizards of the Coast has ever created, they did a fantastic job with the Revenant Recon precon. Mirko ties together years upon years of surveil cards in a neat Dimir () package.

For as long as surveil remains a deciduous mechanic, we'll keep getting fantastic new cards like Twilight DivinerTwilight Diviner, and Mirko will remain a highly playable commander.

#37. Eshki, Temur's RoarEshki, Temur's Roar

Decks: 9,869 | Rank: 175

Eshki is the face commander of a powerful precon from a popular set, so she was always likely to be popular. This version of her, though, is surprisingly simple. She gets a +1/+1 counter anytime we cast a creature spell (much like Animar, Soul of ElementsAnimar, Soul of Elements), lets us draw a card if that creature is somewhat large, and lets us ping down our opponents if that creature is even bigger.

While she won't be blowing anyone's hair back as the next big thing for Temur () decks, she's a nice role player and card advantage engine to have in the command zone.

#36. Sefris of the Hidden WaysSefris of the Hidden Ways

Decks: 10,195 | Rank: 170

Are dungeons annoying to track in Commander? Yes, absolutely. Is Sefris cool enough to outweigh that downside? Maybe. There are some cards in Sefris' color identity that synergize well with our dungeon-centric game plan, but perhaps not enough to build an entire deck from.

Lists led by this Human Wizard tend to focus heavily on filling up the graveyard to trigger their commander, while also providing plenty of reanimation targets. While I'd prefer to play Hashaton, Scarab's FistHashaton, Scarab's Fist for a deck of this sort, Sefris is certainly a fun option.

#35. Derevi, Empyrial TacticianDerevi, Empyrial Tactician

Decks: 10,540 | Rank: 161

Despite being released over a decade ago, Derevi has remained one of the most powerful commanders. This Bird Wizard can untap Gaea's CradleGaea's Cradle and The One RingThe One Ring, while also providing access to a fantastic big-mana color combination (Bant, ).

Derevi gets access to more and more fantastic cards each set, like Formidable SpeakerFormidable Speaker and Brigid, Clachan's HeartBrigid, Clachan's Heart from Lorwyn Eclipsed. The Bird is certainly the word.

#34. Rocco, Street ChefRocco, Street Chef

Decks: 10,896 | Rank: 155

Rocco combines a lot of themes. He's got elements of group hug, impulse draw, life gain, +1/+1 counters, and artifact synergies. This huge menu means that there's truly no wrong way to build Rocco, which has likely contributed significantly to his popularity.

No matter what sort of Naya () deck you're interested in building, Rocco can help you cook it up.

#33. Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind

Decks: 11,590 | Rank: 142

Counters are everywhere in Commander. From +1/+1, to poison, to the credit counters on Icatian MoneychangerIcatian Moneychanger, there's no shortage of options.

Kilo, having led a recently released precon, was destined to be at least somewhat popular. But the broad reaching Jeskai () counters theme that Kilo plays into has likely helped it climb to this spot on our list.

#32. Terra, Herald of HopeTerra, Herald of Hope

Decks: 11,672 | Rank: 139

This is an interesting take on Reanimator. Terra provides both self-mill and reanimation in the command zone, but can only bring back small creatures from the graveyard.

This commander is a self-contained value engine; she packs a huge punch for just three mana, but doesn't do anything particularly splashy. She's a solid, consistent way to drive a graveyard-centric game plan forward.

#31. Captain America, First AvengerCaptain America, First Avenger

Decks: 11,750 | Rank: 136

Much like Wolverine, I'm sure that a good deal of Cap's popularity comes from his Marvel IP origin. Putting that aside, Captain America is a fantastic Equipment commander. Slapping a Colossus HammerColossus Hammer the same turn he hits the battlefield is pretty sweet, and can let us close out games quickly.

His color identity also includes the two best colors for Equipment in Commander ( and ), meaning decks built around the First Avenger can be quite powerful.

#30. Kibo, Uktabi PrinceKibo, Uktabi Prince

Decks: 11,934 | Rank: 132

Look at how silly this Monkey is! Don't worry about the massive number of +1/+1 counters he can dole out to his Ape and Monkey friends, Kibo is a silly Monkey!

In all seriousness, Kibo's cute art belies an incredibly powerful artifact commander. While -based commanders aren't known for their synergies with artifacts, the Uktabi Prince's color identity allows us to easily get rid of the artifacts we hand out to our opponents and thus load our creatures up with +1/+1 counters.

Especially when combined with a card like Viridian RevelViridian Revel, the Uktabi Prince is no joke.

#29. Feather, the RedeemedFeather, the Redeemed

Decks: 12,021 | Rank: 130

Feather turns simple, straightforward spells like ShelterShelter and ExpediteExpedite into repeatable protection and card advantage. Once a copy of Feather hits the board, it can be near impossible to remove.

A single copy of Gods WillingGods Willing in hand can represent protection for Feather turn after turn after turn. This is one of the most resilient Voltron decks around.

#28. Satoru UmezawaSatoru Umezawa

Decks: 12,749 | Rank: 114

You know what's fun? Blightsteel ColossusBlightsteel Colossus. You know what's even more fun? Paying just for a Blightsteel Colossus that's all but guaranteed to hit an opponent.

Satoru Umezawa can provide absurd discounts to expensive creatures with very little setup, making him a scary commander. The problem is that these decks tend to rely very heavily on their commander. As cool as this commander is, a single removal spell can ruin a Satoru Umezawa pilot's night.

#27. Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom

Decks: 12,791 | Rank: 113

Najeela provides some fantastic bonuses for an often under-appreciated creature type. Some of Commander's best creatures, like Professional Face-BreakerProfessional Face-Breaker and Kutzil, Malamet ExemplarKutzil, Malamet Exemplar just so happen to be Warriors, allowing us to take full advantage of Najeela's super powerful abilities without compromising on card quality.

#26. Tidus, Yuna's GuardianTidus, Yuna's Guardian

Decks: 12,813 | Rank: 111

Bant () counter decks are a staple of our format. Tidus doesn't add anything particularly unique to the theme, but allowing the movement of counters can allow for some interesting synergies. This commander plays well with +1/+1 counters, keyword counters, and more.

#25. Omo, Queen of VesuvaOmo, Queen of Vesuva

Decks: 12,900 | Rank: 110

Omo is one of the more unique Simic () commanders. Omo turns cards like CloudpostCloudpost, Urza's TowerUrza's Tower, and even Basilisk GateBasilisk Gate into powerhouses without the critical mass of similarly typed lands that they typically require. They also let typal synergy pieces, like Lord of the UnrealLord of the Unreal, become significantly more effective.

Omo is a ton of fun, knitting together a multi-typal strategy with a land-centric deck to produce something entirely new.

#24. Terra, Magical AdeptTerra, Magical Adept

Decks: 13,013 | Rank: 107

Magic players love five-color commanders. Although Terra may cost just , her activated ability flips her into a super powerful Saga creature that provides her with a five-color identity.

Whether we're focused on maximizing the effectiveness of Esper Terra (the Saga on the back side of this card), or just using Terra as a food chain outlet in the command zone, this Human Wizard Warrior is a force to be reckoned with.

#23. Azlask, the Swelling ScourgeAzlask, the Swelling Scourge

Decks: 13,215 | Rank: 106

Eldrazi decks are already quite popular. But, prior to Azlask, there was no commander dedicated to Eldrazi Spawns and Scions. Azlask is an interesting way to lead a deck focused on those tiny Eldrazi, providing a powerful anthem at any time for just .

Notably, there's just one non-token Spawn in all of Magic (Elder SpawnElder Spawn), so these decks will rely heavily on appropriately-typed tokens.

#22. Tovolar, Dire OverlordTovolar, Dire Overlord

Decks: 13,609 | Rank: 100

Tovolar provides everything that a Werewolf deck could ask for: card advantage, an easy way to ensure it's always nighttime, and even a repeatable anthem.

It's hard to ask for more from a typal card, so it's no wonder that Tovolar is the first card on this list to break into EDHREC's top 100 commanders.

#21. Stella Lee, Wild CardStella Lee, Wild Card

Decks: 14,580 | Rank: 88

Stella Lee can be a powerful synergy piece for Bracket 3 decks, a combo piece for Bracket 4 decks, and a fantastic leader for some extremely fast cEDH decks. She's a fantastically powerful commander, and provides renewed relevance to draft chaff like CrypsisCrypsis and RefocusRefocus.

#20. Zurgo StormrenderZurgo Stormrender

Decks: 13,649 | Rank: 87

Zurgo is like a updated Garna, Bloodfist of KeldGarna, Bloodfist of Keld. They have basically identical abilities, but Zurgo outclasses her for two main reasons. First, he provides in his color identity, giving us access to cards like Cartel AristocratCartel Aristocrat, bolstering this commander's death-trigger-centric game plan. Zurgo also has mobilize 1, meaning he gives us a 1/1 creature token to trigger his main ability with.

This card is a ton of fun, and the subtle ways in which it improves upon Garna are representative of how years of power creep have affected our game.

#19. Helga, Skittish SeerHelga, Skittish Seer

Decks: 15,033 | Rank: 84

It's hard to ask for more from a mana dork. Helga lets us draw cards, gain life, and even provides progressively more mana over time. The caveat on the mana she provides, needing to be used on either large creature spells or creature spells with in their mana cost, isn't much of a restriction for Bant decks.

#18. Urtet, Remnant of MemnarchUrtet, Remnant of Memnarch

Decks: 15,262 | Rank: 82

Urtet provides a home for all 42 of Magic's Myr. Sure, some Myr are better than others (I'd certainly rather play Myr BattlesphereMyr Battlesphere than Myr PrototypeMyr Prototype), but Urtet gives players with older card collections an excuse to dig up their Myr from over 20 years ago in service of a functional deck.

Urtet is no slouch either, making Myr creature tokens, untapping all of our Myr mana dorks, and even amplifying all of our creatures with at least three +1/+1 counters every single turn.

#17. Zinnia, Valley's VoiceZinnia, Valley's Voice

Decks: 15,287 | Rank: 81

Zinnia is freakishly powerful. Imagine paying for two Devilish ValetDevilish Valets, for two Esper SentinelEsper Sentinels, or even for two Ocelot PrideOcelot Prides. There are so many low- and medium-cost creatures that have fantastic abilities, and getting to copy any of those creatures for just is frankly absurd.

The token synergies available to Jeskai () decks are the cherry on top.

#16. Sisay, Weatherlight CaptainSisay, Weatherlight Captain

Decks: 15,919 | Rank: 76

Sisay is an intriguing cEDH commander. Because most of Bracket 5's interaction is meant to deal with instants and sorceries, there are very few ways available to deal with activated abilities. Sisay pilots can easily win with just a few activations of their commander, and they keep getting fantastic new tools in each set.

Wizards of the Coast has made a point of printing a significant number of legendary creatures in each set, which has given Sisay pilots new options like The Cabbage MerchantThe Cabbage Merchant and Tam, Mindful First-YearTam, Mindful First-Year as tutor targets.

#15. Henzie "Toolbox" TorreHenzie "Toolbox" Torre

Decks: 16,584 | Rank: 70

The moment that Henzie hits the battlefield, all opposing players are in a catch-22. If they allow Henzie to stick around, his pilot can easily generate tons of value through discounted (and sacrificed) creatures. But, if they remove Henzie, he becomes even more powerful when he's inevitably recast.

If you like playing big Jund () monsters and making opponents uneasy with every game action they take, Henzie's your guy.

#14. Eriette of the Charmed AppleEriette of the Charmed Apple

Decks: 17,015 | Rank: 67

There's tons of enchantment synergy in Orzhov (), and Eriette provides a win condition to pair with the lockdown Auras we'll be distributing across our opponents' creatures. It's easy to fill the 99 of this deck with enchantments like PacifismPacifism, and coast to a controlled win with Eriette on the board.

That's too evil for my taste, but it seems that over 17,000 of you disagree with me.

#13. Glarb, Calamity's AugurGlarb, Calamity's Augur

Decks: 18,357 | Rank: 55

Glarb is a near-perfect control commander. He's a deathtoucher that lets us cast big spells and play lands from the top of our library, essentially providing us with an extra card in hand at all times. Spells like Force of WillForce of Will can be cast for free from the top of our library with Glarb on the field, which is a nice bonus.

The Frog's tap ability also lets us easily crack a DoomsdayDoomsday pile, which is a neat way to close out high-power games.

#12. Ghyrson Starn, KelermorphGhyrson Starn, Kelermorph

Decks: 18,547 | Rank: 53

Commander players love pingers. From Firebrand ArcherFirebrand Archer to End the FestivitiesEnd the Festivities, we love dealing exactly one damage to our opponents and the creatures they control. Ghyrson Starn encourages us to play with a ton of those dinky little pingers, turning each instance of one damage into three.

That alone would be a recipe for a strong commander, but the Warhammer precon designers also gave this Tyranid Human ward !

#11. Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIERSephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER

Decks: 19,421 | Rank: 45

This is Blood ArtistBlood Artist in the command zone. A Blood Artist with a built-in sacrifice outlet. And, as if that weren't enough, this version of Sephiroth can transform into a mass sacrifice outlet that lets us draw tons of cards (much like God-Eternal BontuGod-Eternal Bontu).

Sephiroth provides everything that an Aristocrats player wants, and more. He's also the only monocolored commander on this list.

#10. Flubs, the FoolFlubs, the Fool

Decks: 19,798 | Rank: 40

Flubs! This Frog is so awesome. As long as we've got no cards in hand, Flubs ensures that every single land we play and spell we cast cantrips. He encourages us to live on the edge, and can enable some truly ridiculous storm turns if the stars align.

And, most importantly, he's adorable. I truly hope that we get to see more whimsical designs like this soon.

#9. Bello, Bard of the BramblesBello, Bard of the Brambles

Decks: 20,826 | Rank: 34

Bello turns artifacts and enchantments into 4/4, indestructible, hasty creatures that draw us cards upon connecting with an opponent. Combined with damage multipliers (Gratuitous ViolenceGratuitous Violence, Unnatural GrowthUnnatural Growth, and Berserkers' OnslaughtBerserkers' Onslaught), Bello can end games in short order.

But, because these decks play very few actual creatures, they're often susceptible to opposing attacks. Pilots who politic well can find a significant degree of success with Bello.

#8. Mr. House, President and CEOMr. House, President and CEO

Decks: 20,984 | Rank: 32

Although it appears that Mr. House was designed around six-sided dice, the majority of dice-rolling cards in Commander utilize twenty-sided dice. That fact means that Mr. House decks can create a constant stream of 3/3 artifact creature tokens and Treasure tokens.

There are so many ways to turn those tokens into victory, like Ingenious ArtilleristIngenious Artillerist and Vihaan, GoldwakerVihaan, Goldwaker. Just don't let a Mr. House pilot resolve Vexing PuzzleboxVexing Puzzlebox. You might as well concede if it hits the board.

#7. Animar, Soul of ElementsAnimar, Soul of Elements

Decks: 21,038 | Rank: 30

Another Commander classic, Animar does a little bit of everything. This Elemental gets progressively larger over the course of the game, has protection from some of the best removal in our format, and provides a truly crazy amount of cost reduction for our creature spells.

Animar even goes infinite with Ancestral StatueAncestral Statue, should a combo finish suit your desires.

#6. Esika, God of the TreeEsika, God of the Tree

Decks: 21,898 | Rank: 26

I suspect that the majority of Esika decks are actually Prismatic Bridge decks. Flipping into a game-changing legend like Nicol Bolas, God-PharaohNicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh or Atraxa, Grand UnifierAtraxa, Grand Unifier feels fantastic, and is certainly more powerful than a copy of Enduring VitalityEnduring Vitality in the command zone. The random nature of The Prismatic Bridge adds the right degree of fun to a powerful effect, and makes every game feel unique.

This deck gets stronger every time a powerful new legendary creature is printed, so I expect it to climb even higher on this list in the near future.

#5. Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General

Decks: 22,831 | Rank: 24

The pre-eminent face of Golgari () Aristocrats, Chatterfang is part of a truly absurd number of combos. Although the extra creature tokens that Chatterfang creates are wonderful, the on-demand removal that he provides access to is really nice to have.

We'll typically have a ton of Squirrels on board, so we can kill most any creature for just at instant speed.

#4. Baylen, the HaymakerBaylen, the Haymaker

Decks: 23,522 | Rank: 22

Not to toot my own horn, but I knew that Baylen would be one of the most popular commanders in our format the minute that I saw it previewed. They make extra mana, draw extra cards, and even act as a potent Voltron threat. All for just three mana, in the best colors for token generation.

Any one of Baylen's three activated abilities would make them a powerful commander. But, having all three is just absurd. This Rabbit rocks.

#3. Isshin, Two Heavens as OneIsshin, Two Heavens as One

Decks: 25,353 | Rank: 19

Combat is the most common win condition in Commander. It's fun to swing out with a board full of creatures, maybe pump them up with an anthem or some +1/+1 counters, and bash an opponent's face in. So many of the best cards in Commander have fun attack triggers, like Adeline, Resplendent CatharAdeline, Resplendent Cathar and Anim Pakal, Thousandth MoonAnim Pakal, Thousandth Moon, and doubling up on these triggers can provide us with an insane amount of value.

There's even some niche cards that work well with Isshin, like Fervent ChargeFervent Charge and Skyknight VanguardSkyknight Vanguard, allowing pilots to utilize some unique tech on occasion.

#2. Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier

Decks: 25,458 | Rank: 18

Vivi is among the strongest cards released in 2025. When paired with CuriosityCuriosity and/or Quicksilver ElementalQuicksilver Elemental, Vivi can flip a game on its head in an instant. This Wizard has already been banned in Standard, and has seen significant play in even the most competitive Commander pods. Vivi provides a mind-boggling amount of mana, access to the best spellslinging color combination, and costs just .

As a long-time Niv-Mizzet, ParunNiv-Mizzet, Parun cEDH player, it brings me great joy to see another Curiosity deck make waves in the format.

#1. Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

Decks: 29,356 | Rank: 10

It feels like cheating to include Yuriko on this list. In practice, she always costs just . Yuriko is easily the best Ninja typal leader in Commander, and even sees cEDH play. It's easy for Yuriko pilots to chunk their opponents for 10 or more damage from a single trigger off of their commander, closing out games in short order.

Plus, her color identity provides easy access to spells that stack the top of the deck (Imperial SealImperial Seal, BrainstormBrainstorm, and Vampiric TutorVampiric Tutor, to name a few).

She currently sits at #10 on EDHREC, but the inclusion of Ninjas in the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles release may push Yuriko even higher.

Conclusion

That's it for this list, folks! Three mana is a nice slot for a commander to sit at, right? You get to have a nice, developmental play on turn two before casting your deck's leader on turn three. And, if you're lucky, you'll get a Sol RingSol Ring on turn one to get your commander out even earlier.

Each card on this list is great, but my personal favorite is Urtet. I think Myr are neat, and it's cool to see one commander unify all of them.

Have you built any of the commanders from this article? If so, what's your favorite piece of tech from your 99? Let me know in the comments below! I'll see you all next week for another article.