Commander Fun Ranking: Aetherdrift

Hashaton, Scarab's Fist | Illustrated by Wisnu Tan
Ketramose, the New Dawn | Illustrated by Maaz Ali Khan
Temmet, Naktamun's Will | Illustrated by Douglas Shuler
Sab-Sunen, Luxa Embodied | Illustrated by Valera Lutfullina
Saheeli, Radiant Creator | Illustrated by Ernanda Souza

Hey, nerds! With the release of Aetherdrift, we're introduced to 34 new commanders, and while many people might ask which of these is the most powerful, I like to ask how fun they are.

Of course, each person's definition of fun differs, so I might rate a commander lower or higher than you; that doesn't mean I think it's bad or that you're bad for playing them, and to be clear, this is for casual EDH only.

The ranks are as follows: 

• Want to build: These are commanders I'm interested in building. It could be that their effect is unique or a new take on an old mechanic I like.
• Very Fun: These are close to wanting to build, but not going out of my way to brew a list for myself.
• Fun: This is where most commanders fall. They either have enjoyable play patterns or a unique effect. 
• Kinda Fun: This is where more generic commanders go that are kindred lords or tend to become pile decks. 
• Not Fun: This is usually reserved for older commanders who are seven-mana vanilla creatures, legendary creatures that aren't meant for EDH, or are too salt-inducing for my taste.

Aatchik, Emerald Radian

I'm glad to see more Golgari getting more Insect support. Reminds me of Izoni, Thousand-Eyed, but it can buff itself and is a win condition on its own.

Fun Ranking: Very Fun

Basri, Tomorrow's Champion

It's a one-mana commander that makes Cats, but you can only do it once every other turn. If you add a way to untap him multiple times a turn it could be sweet. I think better in the 99.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Caelorna, Coral Tyrant

It's a vanilla 0/8. Need I say more?

Fun Ranking: Not Fun

Captain Howler, Sea Scourge

Izzet discard, madness, and/or cycling could be a fun deck. I like that this pumps a creature and gives it a way to replace the card you discarded, and if you stack this ability on one creature, you draw multiple cards. The ward also seems pretty powerful. Maybe we can build Izzet Pirate Discard or something weird

Fun Ranking: Very Fun

Caradora, Heart of Alacria

A Mount or Vehicle tutor from the command zone is actually wild. I haven't looked at the entire set yet, but I'm sure there will be something we can combo with. Plus, it's a Hardened Scales for creatures and Vehicles.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer

It is nice having another Goblin Welder type effect in the command zone, and because it triggers on attack, we can add some extra combat effects to juggle two artifacts with powerful ETBs between the graveyard and our board.

Fun Ranking: Very Fun

Far Fortune, End Boss

I love that this card has start your engines! And it has an easy way to trigger it. I'm not sure how good max speed will be in Commander, but I'm not going to write it off until I jam with it, and the max speed effect is solidly fine.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Gonti, Night Minister

Gonti seems like a great commander. They encourage cracking in with creatures, specifically not at you. It does give your opponents Treasures if they cast a spell, but you can also play lands from this ability. Reminds me of a Xanathar, Guild Kingpin, but you have an incentive to attack. I am interested in building a mono-black aggro list with him.

Fun Ranking: Want to Build

Hashaton, Scarab's Fist

Esper discard seems like a fun deck. It's easy to cast creatures from the graveyard or loop creatures using Tortured Existence all while making copies of it. Or you can cycle creatures with powerful enter triggers, like Angel of the Ruins or Monstrosity of the Lake.

Fun Ranking: Want to Build

Hazoret, Godseeker

Seems like a card for 1v1, not Commander, which is fine. If you want to build mono-red aggro, I think there are more fun commanders than this.

Fun Ranking: Kinda Fun

Kalakscion, Hunger Tyrant

Another vanilla creature. Not much to say here sadly.

Fun Ranking: Not Fun

Ketramose, the New Dawn

There is a lot of hype around this card. A cheap creature with a card advantage engine that is easy to trigger. If you blink, cascade, discover, or exile cards from graveyards, you get to draw. There are a ton of ways to build this commander, and I'm excited to see what people do. I'd want to build a God-Pharaoh's Gift and Refurbish deck akin to something from old Standard.

Edit: Cascade and discover do not work. I'm silly.

Fun Ranking: Want to Build

Kolodin, Triumph Caster

Seems like a great Vehicle and Mount commander. Not too interested in building him, though. I like that he gives haste and saddles the Mounts or animates Vehicles, making them better.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Lagorin, Soul of Alacria

A legendary Mount that cares about Vehicles and Mounts. I do like that it grows Mounts and Vehicles, but it's a bit too narrow for my liking. I think it is better in the 99.

Fun Ranking: Kinda Fun

Loot, the Pathfinder

I think Loot would make a good Temur toolbox commander, but not sure exactly how I'd want to build it. I think you'd want a blink package so you can retrigger the exhaust abilities. Also, can we talk about how loot has Ancestral Recall built-in? Oh, and Loot combos with Deadeye Navigator if you have enough mana at the start of the loop. So that's cute.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Mendicant Core, Guidelight

A max speed artifact commander that can enter turn one or two. If you can get max speed, you get an incredibly powerful effect to copy any artifact spell for one extra mana. Combining this ability with the cost reduction found in artifact decks seems like a ton of fun.

Fun Ranking: Very Fun

Mimeoplasm, Revered One

A new The Mimeoplasm is cool, and I think I like this one more than the original. I love the flavor of being able to swap between creatures at instant speed, which I'm sure will lead to some cute interactions or combos.

Fun Ranking: Very Fun

Mu Yanling, Wind Rider

I kinda hate this card. Not for the abilities, just the flavor. I'm sure there is some story reason, but just not my vibe. But this is a fun ranking, and I think this card is meh. I'm sure there will be people who disagree, but mono-blue Vehicles don't do it for me. Seems like a great card in the 99 of a deck, though.

Fun Ranking: Kinda Fun

Nissa, Worldsoul Speaker

Well, I'm glad this is in the precons and not Standard. This card seems insane and would get old very fast as a commander. Not much to say. Just another powerful lands commander. I hate it less in the 99 of decks.

Fun Ranking: Kinda Fun

Oviya, Automech Artisan

So a power-crept Elvish Piper in every sense aside from maybe not being an Elf. It also incentivizes your opponents to attack each other rather than you. But with this effect in play, you'll probably get attacked instead.

Fun Ranking: Kinda Fun

Pia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic

This is a cool energy commander. I love that you get energy from dealing combat damage, and her effect is flavorful but not awful. I'd want to include Reckless Fireweaver-type effects to get chip damage in and ways to clone Pia with Spark Double or Helm of the Host to get more energy. Because it's a combat damage trigger, we can use Berserkers' Onslaught and Rage Reflection to give our creatures double strike.

Fun Ranking: Very Fun

Redshift, Rocketeer Chief

A Gruul mana dork commander that can put a bunch of permanents into play for 12 mana. Seems like a generically powerful ramp commander. Or, we could have some fun and build Gruul Goblins. Add Rhythm of the Wild and Beastmaster Ascension to grow your Goblins and then swing in. Or you just do the usual Goblin nonsense with Krenko, Mob Boss. I think how fun this commander is, will depend on how it is built.

Fun Ranking: Kinda Fun

Sab-Sunen, Luxa Embodied

I wish Sab-Sunen was also a fog, so we could have a god-frog commander. But aside from that, I think this is a solid value engine commander. If you have two [Hardened Scales[/el] effects or a single Hydra's Growth, you can turn this into an extra two cards each turn. Or use a single hardened scale so you can always attack with them.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Saheeli, Radiant Creator

I swear I've seen this card before (Dr. Madison Li).

Okay, jokes aside Saheeli seems like a fun energy commander. I can't wait to copy Rogue Refiner, Volatile Stormdrake, or Combustible Gearhulk for all the value. I hope Volatile Stormdrake works how I want, but if not, let me know in the comments below. I appreciate a powerful but not back-breaking or just pure value commander.

Fun Ranking: Very Fun

Samut, the Driving Force

I think the way to build Samut isn't a creature beatdown deck, but instead, Naya burn. Yes, you heard that correctly, I said Naya burn. You can use green burn spells, like Hurricane and Squall Line, to trigger speed, and Samut helps reduce the cost of these x spells. Plus, you get to play cards like Firesong and Sunspeaker, then just use green to ramp into big X burn spells.

Fun Ranking: Want to Build

Sita Varma, Masked Racer

I think Sita Varma is a card meant for Limited or 1v1, not Commander, and that's fine. You could try to build a counters deck with them, where you blink them to reset the exhaust trigger. If you can give your board haste, you can do this with Kami of Whispered Hopes and Deadeye Navigator. I'm not sold on this one, though.

Fun Ranking: Kinda Fun

Sundial, Dawn Tyrant

Another vanilla commander. Not much to say here.

Fun Ranking: Not Fun

Temmet, Naktamun's Will

The Esper precon that grows your Zombie army as you attack or just draw a ton of cards. It is a great new player commander and solid with effects that let you draw additional cards. I don't think this is a commander for me, but I'd have no issues jamming against it.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Terrian, World Tyrant

It is big. An Ooze and still not fun.

Fun Ranking: Not Fun

The Speed Demon

A mono-black card draw engine from the command zone. You can easily get to max speed to draw four and lose four, but I'm not exactly sure what to do with this commander. It is generically powerful and works great with Sheoldred, the Apocalypse. Drawing cards is fun, so I'll put it in fun.

Fun Ranking: Fun

Tyrox, Saurid Tyrant

It can be Skullclamped.

Fun Ranking: Not Fun

Vnwxt, Verbose Host

It is a mono-blue card draw commander, I guess. You need max speed to get the most value. I think this is a great roleplayer for the 99 of a deck.

Fun Ranking: Not Fun

Winter, Cursed Rider

Another card that is meant for 1v1 and is better in the 99 of an artifact deck than in the command zone. The ward to artifacts is nice, but the exhaust isn't impressive.

Fun Ranking: Not Fun

Zahur, Glory's Past

An Orzhov sacrifice commander that has a mediocre max speed ability. The sac outlet is only once each turn. So at most, you can get four 2/2 tapped Zombies. Not sure how good or fun this would be as a commander. But I'm willing to be proven wrong, so into fun it goes.

Fun Ranking: Fun