The 32 Best 5-Color Cards in Magic Ranked

Last updated on April 30, 2024

Progenitus | Illustration by Jaime Jones

Running 5-color cards gives the best of all worlds when building Commander decks. Sometimes you’re limited to what cards you can use with a 2-color or 3-color commander, but not with 5-color cards!

We have a mix of sorcery, enchantment, and creature spells that have five colors in their color identity. Here, we’ll rank 30 of them from worst to best. Can you guess which 5-color card is the most popular out of them all?

Read on to find out!

What Are 5-Color Cards in MTG?

Fallaji Wayfarer | Illustration by Victor Adame Minguez

The 5-color cards in MTG are known as cards, which means they have the color identity of all colors in the Magic universe: white, blue, black, red, and green.

#32. Two-Headed Hellkite

Need help with card draw in your 5-color deck? Have the menacing and hasty Two-Headed Hellkite attack its way to your opponent for your card draw engine. If your opponent has no flying creatures, then you’ll be guaranteed to draw two extra cards each turn to gain faster access to your resources.

Even better, have The Locust God and Breath of Fury on the battlefield along with this dragon for almost infinite tokens with haste and infinite card draw. Don’t forget to have a Laboratory Maniac out on the battlefield when you do this combo to win when you deck yourself out.

#31. Rukarumel, Biologist

Rukarumel, Biologist allows you to create a deck with two creature types: Slivers and whatever other creature type you choose when they enter the battlefield. Incorporate all the key Sliver creatures to give them protection and other benefits.

Root Sliver reassures your other Sliver spells won’t get countered. Thorncaster Sliver gives all Sliver creatures an ability to deal damage to any target when they attack. Horned Sliver on a field full of Slivers can be a win condition.

How you build the deck based on your other creature type is up to you. Include a few legendary creatures of that secondary creature type as secret commanders so you receive additional benefits while refining your play strategy.

#30. Atogatog

There are only 11 other atog creatures in Magic that can be sacrificed to Atogatog. That’s not many, of course, so how can you make Atogatog more valuable as your commander? 

Consider throwing in a Maskwood Nexus and Birthing Boughs to help you make changeling shapeshifter creatures that’ll also be atogs. These tokens can be sacrificed to Atogatog to buff them up and swing for the win.

Don’t forget Anointed Procession, Parallel Lives, and Primal Vigor as token doublers to increase your shapeshifter token output for more atogs on the battlefield. Plus, you’ll have access to all the changeling cards in the Magic universe because of Atogatog’s 5-color identity.

The Bears of Littjara can pump your shapeshifter creature tokens created from Birthing Boughs and Maskwood Nexus from 2/2 to 4/4. This pump also applies to other creatures with shapeshifter typing that you control.

#29. Fallaji Wayfarer

Fallaji Wayfarer from Dominaria United Commander is a special kind of 5-color card whereas you only need to cast it, but the oracle text considers it to be all colors. This means it can go in any 5-color deck.

Fallaji Wayfarer gives convoke to any multicolored spells you’ll cast in the future, including dual and tri-colored creatures as well as 4- and 5-color creatures. This is a unique form of ramp that lets you save your lands to cast additional spells during each of your turns.

#28. Meeting of the Five

Be sure to have a lot of cards that have exactly three colors in your 5-color deck that includes Meeting of the Five. You receive two of each mana to help you cast five spells that have exactly three colors. Threats such as Sen Triplets and Yurlok of Scorch Thrash can be cast thanks to this formidable 5-color sorcery.

#27. Unite the Coalition

Unite the Coalition is such a versatile 5-color instant spell that can change the tides of the games in the snap of a finger. You can choose one of the same modes as many times as you want. For example, you can  choose to deal 2 damage five times for 10 damage towards a problem creature or at an opponent’s face to win the game.

Are you at low life and an opponent’s creature is about to swing at you for the win? Have it phase out. Do you need an answer to deal with a threat on board? Draw a card.

Is there a graveyard recursion player at the table and you know Torment of Hailfire is about to be recast? Exile their graveyard! Is there an enchantment or artifact giving your opponent too much value? Destroy it!

#26. Niv-Mizzet, Supreme

Niv-Mizzet, Supreme lets you build a jump-start theme deck using multi-colored instants and sorceries. All you need to do is discard a card and pay the spell’s mana cost to recur it from the graveyard.

The spells you jump-start must be exactly two colors, which incentivizes you to find unique cards to play. For example, you might go for Countersquall over the usual Counterspell, or Lim-Dûl's Vault as an alternative to the usual Demonic Tutor.

#25. Genju of the Realm

Have a creature on backup in emergencies with Genju of the Realm. Enchant a land and pay 2 mana for it to become a legendary 8/12 spirit with trample. If an opponent destroys your enchanted land, then you can return Genju of the Realm to your hand so it’s always available for you to recast.

#24. Begin the Invasion

Get the battle going with Begin the Invasion to search for as many battle cards as you can pour into X and slap them on the battlefield. Seems like a great deal right? Of course! Especially when there are 36 battles that you can choose from across all colors to go into your 5-color deck.

#23. Garth One-Eye

Garth One-Eye taps to give you access to some of the best and most iconic cards in MTG. These cards include Disenchant, Terror, Braingeyser, Shivan Dragon, Black Lotus, and Regrowth.

Choose wisely when you tap to create a card because you can’t make it an additional time after that. Black Lotus can help you cast a high-cost win condition and Shivan Dragon can save you if you need a flying creature on the battlefield to stave off an opponent’s horde of flyers.

#22. Maelstrom Nexus

The first spell you cast each turn with Maelstrom Nexus on the battlefield will cascade into a free spell of lesser mana value.

For example, if you cast Dragonlord Silumgar for 6 mana, then you might hit a Baleful Strix that you can cast for free, and that’s being generous. Hopefully, you’re casting an Omnath, Locus of Rage instead so you can get more expensive cards from that cascade ability.

#21. O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami

O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami hates when opponents attack its controller. It’s a 5-color removal powerhouse that penalizes opponents for attacking you because then they’ll lose a nonland permanent when you attack them back.

Even if opponents stop attacking you for a while, you can still swing at them for aerial damage and take advantage of the fact that they have no flying creatures, if applicable.

#20. Coalition Victory

Coalition Victory is one of the main conditions in a 5-color deck. Or it would be, if it wasn’t banned in Commander. With the right mana fixing in your land base and enough variety of color identities across your creatures, it’ll be easy to win the game. Let’s hope there’s no Counterspell to foil your plans. Be ready with your own backup counterspell. Note, this card is legal in Oathbreaker.

#19. Tom Bombadil

Tom Bombadil revolves around saga enchantments. Incorporate the 10 read ahead sagas such as The Cruelty of Gix and The Phasing of Zhalfir to resolve Tom Bombadil’s ability faster and search up a new saga right away.

#18. Scion of the Ur-Dragon

Scion of the Ur-Dragon places dragons in the graveyard from your library and becomes a copy of them until the end of your turn. Did you know that with two other dragons, you can make a janky yet awesome combo? Let’s hash it out.

Combine Scion with Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon, and Moltensteel Dragon to make an opponent lose the game. The other two dragons have to be in the library while Scion’s on the battlefield. Have at least 6 red mana (or 18 life) and 4 colorless mana available to do the process.

Put two activations of Scion’s ability on the stack before letting one resolve. When the first activation resolves, search for Moltensteel Dragon first, then pay 2 life or red mana six times to give it +6/+0 until the end of the turn.

Then, resolve the next Scion activation by searching for Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. Then since Ur-Dragon is now Skithiryx pumped up by +6/+0 when it was Moltensteel Dragon, you can swing with Skithiryx as a 10/6 to deal 10 infect to your opponent, which causes them to lose the game.

#17. Cromat

Cromat has five 2-color activations that give different benefits. Destroying creatures, giving them flying, regeneration, pumping them up by +1/+1 for each activation, or protecting them by placing them on top of your library.

Don’t have a flyer on board when your opponent does? Give Cromat flying. Is Cromat about to be destroyed? Simply pay before the destruction spell resolves to regenerate it. Combine its +1/+1 and flying abilities to swing in for victory.

#16. Conflux

Conflux is like a melting pot for fetching multi-colored cards. When you search for white, green, blue, red, and black cards, they can be mono-colored or multicolored cards. For example, when searching for a white card, you can grab an Iroas, God of Victory, or a Daxos, Blessed by the Sun because there’s at least white in their color identities.

You can use Conflux to sculpt your hand for Atemsis, All-Seeing and take an opponent out on the spot.

#15. Iridian Maelstrom

How many of the people in your play pod run 5-colored decks? Chances are that there aren’t many that do. Raise the salt level and increase competitiveness at the table by casting Iridian Maelstrom to destroy every creature that’s not all colors. It can turn into a one-sided board wipe if most of your creatures are all colors.

#14. Karona, False God

Karona, False God is like a group hug 5-color commander. If an opponent ends up gaining control of Karona, they’ll reap the benefits of their creatures that share a typing getting pumped by +3/+3. It’s a great offensive option for typal decks and a pretty bad defensive option altogether.

#13. Esika, God of the Tree / The Prismatic Bridge

Esika, God of the Tree is best built with legendary creatures in the army so that they can tap and add one mana of any color when you need it. While its color identity is green, the flip side of the card, The Prismatic Bridge is all colors.

Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful can become a large doggo in this deck, and Flowering of the White Tree can give all your legendary creatures +2/+1 and ward .

For added flavor, don’t forget to add Esika's Chariot to your deck build. You get a couple of 2/2 green Cat tokens when it enters, plus you make a copy of any token you want whenever you crew and attack with the Chariot.

#12. Tiamat

Tiamat thrives in a dragon-type deck. Incorporate Magic’s best dragons such as Old Gnawbone, Goldspan Dragon, Dragonlord Dromoka, Terror of the Peaks, and Ancient Gold Dragon. When Tiamat enters, you can search for five of them and ensure you’re deploying dragons for turns to come.

#11. Sliver Legion

Sliver Legion buffs all Slivers based on how many are on the battlefield besides it. Hence, if you control five Slivers, then they’ll all get a +5/+5. Don’t forget an Urza's Incubator to reduce your Sliver spells by for faster casting, more value, and to avoid commander tax the first time you recast Sliver Legion from the command zone.

#10. Sliver Hivelord

Nobody’s safe when Sliver Hivelord hits the battlefield because it gives all Slivers indestructible. Be sure to have a Guilty Conscience attached to Spiteful Sliver while Sliver Hivelord is out.

You need a way to deal damage to Spiteful Sliver so that it can kill your opponent with infinite damage. Consider Red Sun's Zenith or Meteor Blast. When Spiteful Sliver is dealt damage, Guilty Conscience will deal that much damage to Spiteful Sliver. Continue this loop to drain your opponent’s life total.

#9. Sliver Overlord

Sliver Overlord has activated abilities that let you search for a Sliver in your library or gain control of a Sliver. This is great for you to build your win condition around specific Slivers. Plus, if someone gains control of one of your best Slivers, you can utilize Sliver Overlord to get it back. Don’t forget to add its 5-color legendary buddies, Sliver Hivelord and Sliver Legion to the deck build for added value.

#8. Sliver Gravemother

Sliver Gravemother will benefit from cards such as Mirror Box and Helm of the Host as backup cards if it gets removed. Slivers gaining encore is a formidable ability that encourages constant attacks to make your opponents’ life totals plummet.

#7. Maelstrom Archangel

Maelstrom Archangel is a value engine of free spells. As long as it deals combat damage every turn, you can cast any spell you want without paying its mana cost.

Have Swiftfoot Boots on first cast to get the value engine rolling immediately. Don’t forget Mithril Coat so it’s protected from targeted removal.

High-cost spells such as Omniscience and Avacyn, Angel of Hope would be great includes for a deck including Maelstrom Archangel. If only it could be your commander.

#6. Sliver Queen

Sliver Queen is a high-power Reserved List card that can help you build a formidable Sliver army, making the card a phenomenal commander or a compliment to your 5-color commander deck.

Combine Sliver Queen with Mana Echoes to generate infinite 1/1 Sliver creatures and infinite colorless mana. If you don’t have Mana Echoes out, you can achieve the same effect with Sliver Queen, Cloudshredder Sliver, Gemhide Sliver, and Training Grounds on the battlefield.

#5. Ramos, Dragon Engine

Ramos, Dragon Engine buffs itself based on how many colors are in the casting cost of spells you cast. While Walking Ballista would not give Ramos a +1/+1 counter because it’s a colorless creature, Herald of Secret Streams would give Ramos one +1/+1 because it’s blue. Bonus points for also making Ramos unblockable here.

Include Branching Evolution and Hardened Scales to increase how many +1/+1 counters are placed on a creature at once. Tribute to the World Tree is helpful as well, playing into the +1/+1 counter theme and bolstering the power of the rest of your small creatures.

#4. Morophon, the Boundless

Morophon, the Boundless helps you to build the typal deck of your choice. It pumps creatures of the same type by +1/+1 and lessens the color restrictions on their mana costs.

You can choose a creature type with very few cards in Magic, such as atogs, rabbits, or raccoons, and fill out the deck with all colors of changeling cards since Morophon, the Boundless is a 5-color commander.

#3. Jodah, the Unifier

Jodah, the Unifier is another 5-color commander that thrives off of a legendary creature build. Jodah pumps legends based on how many legendary creatures you control. For example, if you control Jodah and five other legendary creatures, your legends will get a +6/+6 buff. Plus, the second ability to “cascade” for more free legends helps you build out your boardstate faster.

#2. The Ur-Dragon

The Ur-Dragon’s eminence ability automatically reduces your dragon spells by whether it’s in the command zone or on the battlefield. It becomes a card draw engine once it’s on board, and even better, you get to cast any permanent for free on each attack step.

Rafiq of the Many and The Ur-Dragon combo off to insta-kill an opponent. Rafiq of the Many gives The Ur-Dragon double strike and +1/+1 with exalted if the dragon attacks alone. As long as there are no blockers on your opponent’s side or other flying creatures, the now 22/22 dragon can take a player out with commander damage. 

#1. Progenitus

Progenitus has protection from everything, all except board wipes such as Day of Judgment or non-targeting forms of removal. Not even chump blockers can get in the way here.

Since it takes two of each color for this 10-drop commander, be sure to have enough mana fixing such as dual and tri-colored lands and mana rocks. You can use the new Virtue of Strength from Wilds of Eldraine to triple your mana from basics and get Progenitus out a turn or two earlier.

Just like The Ur-Dragon combo, Progenitus also combos with Rafiq of the Many to kill an opponent with 22 commander damage.

Best 5-Color Card Payoffs

There are so many payoffs for 5-color cards because of your access to all the colors in MTG when building decks around them.

If your play pod doesn’t mind you playing Ersta, Friend to All, the planeswalker can help you win the game as your commander if you have 20 or more wizards on the battlefield. And since you’re talking to your friends, see how they feel about you playing the banned Coalition Victory in your deck.

Platinum Angel can be a hindrance for opponents while running your 5-color deck because they can’t win the game and you can’t lose the game. Equip it with Hammer of Nazahn to make it indestructible. Have Darksteel Forge on the field to protect both the angel and the equipment from targeted removal.

Avacyn's Memorial is essential for protecting your 5-color commander and your other legendary permanents because they’ll gain indestructible. It’s an auto-include for Commander decks that run mostly legendary creatures, like Esika, God of the Tree and Jodah, the Unifier.

Wrap Up

Maelstrom Archangel | Illustration by Cyril Van Der Haegen

In closing, 5-color cards are considered cards in the Magic universe and have all of Magic’s colors in their color identity. While building a 5-color deck can be challenging, it can be fun and strategic once you get the hang of the process.

Do you need more inspiration for building your 5-color deck? Come to the Draftsim Discord to talk to Magic players who can help you out.

Visit the Draftsim blog every so often to get updated on the latest Magic news, best-ranked articles, and Commander deck builds. Until next time, we hope you have a colorful day!