The 57 Best Haste-Granting Cards and Enablers in Magic

Last updated on March 21, 2024

Urabrask the Hidden | Illustration by Brad Rigney

One of my favorite mechanics in Magic has got to be haste. I love how its speed and aggressiveness can overwhelm an opponent. Some creatures come with haste, but there are also lots of ways to give them that ability. You can open an aggressive strategy by granting haste to your bomb, or to multitudes of creatures that might not otherwise have it.

Haste is an evergreen keyword that allows creatures to enter the battlefield without summoning sickness. They can attack during combat and tap on their first turn on the battlefield. Haste is viewed as an aggressive and speed-based mechanic.

What kind of haste enablers are out there? What makes a good one? Let's find out!

What Are Haste Enablers in Magic?

Kenrith, the Returned King | Illustration by Kieran Yanner

Haste can be granted to a creature in a lot of different ways. Many reanimator cards bring a creature back from the graveyard and give it haste. There are red sorceries that take an opponent’s creatures and give them haste until end of turn. The haste mechanic gives these abilities value for a single-turn assault.

Other haste-enabling cards that give the ability to all your creatures or all of a specific creature type are today’s focus. Spells that give haste with another effect like blitz, and activated abilities like Goblin Motivator, Act of Treason, or Whip of Erebos are all valuable, but they’ll wait for another time.

Best White Haste Enabler

#1. Kenrith, the Returned King

Insert Lord of the Rings quote here. Kenrith, the Returned King has been a bomb card in every format it’s been legal in. It’s currently legal in the Modern and eternal formats and should be added to lots of competitive decks.

Kenrith gives the massive advantage of activating abilities of all colors and effects depending on your need, including paying one red mana to give all creatures trample and haste.

Best Black Haste Enabler

#1. Over My Dead Bodies

Over My Dead Bodies isn’t legal in any format and is just for fun. I still want to talk about it because I think it’s entertaining.

It opens all graveyards to act as a second battlefront. The static ability at the bottom of the card now gives anything that enters your graveyard haste.

Best Red Haste Enablers

#29. Trailblazing Historian

Trailblazing Historian keeps your additional costs to a minimum. When you play a creature you want to have tap right away, you don't want to pay any extra, ask this trailblazer and get attacking.

#28. Tuktuk Rubblefort

Tuktuk Rubblefort is a small defender that probably won’t help your board presence much. The value comes from enabling haste for all your creatures instead of just one. It probably won’t make it into too many decks with the mana cost of three and without upside.

#27. Hellraiser Goblin

Of all the goblins that enable haste, Hellraiser Goblin is lowest in value. It's nice to give all your creatures haste, but the forced attack every turn could put you in a situation you’d rather avoid.

#26. Barbarian Class

Of all the class enchantments from Forgotten Realms, Barbarian Class is one of the cheapest and least playable. There aren't too many overpowered or even competitive dice-rolling cards, and you have to invest a decent amount of mana to get to the level three ability. Once you reach level three your creatures will swing fast with haste.

#25. Doomskar Titan

Doomskar Titan is a haste enabler that costs too much to pair with a creature that would need haste. The haste effect is just for Doomskar Titan unless you have a ridiculous amount of available mana. It’s better left for Limited play only.

#24. Maze Rusher

Elementals can be very strong and work together in amazing ways. But Maze Rusher doesn’t impress me. It’s always nice to give creatures haste, but the mana cost and the restriction of only multicolored creatures makes it less worthwhile.

#23. Cyclops of the Eternal Fury

Cyclops of Eternal Fury is a big creature that also speeds up your other big creatures. But the six mana is a huge payment for a 5/3 creature.

#22. Sethron, Hurloon General

Sethron, Hurloon General is your answer to the question, “how can I make my minotaurs faster and harder to block?” If you aren’t asking that question, we can move on.

#21. Burst of Speed

Burst of Speed is one of the only sorceries here. They aren’t always good at granting haste because you need mana to cast it. How much mana can you afford for a sorcery and creatures in an aggressive deck?

This card should be saved for decks with a massive board that needs to swing quickly, like a Scute Swarm Modern deck.

#20. Ashling’s Prerogative

Ashling's Prerogative is an interesting gamble for speed in Modern or eternal formats. For this card to be effective all your creatures need to have either even or odd mana costs.

The enchantment affects your opponents’ creatures. It may be fun to play with a companion like Gyruda, Doom of the Depths or Extinction Event.

#19. Bloodsworn Steward

This is a nice card if you need your commander to attack as soon as possible. Bloodsworn Steward can help activate those attacking triggers that you build around in your commander.

#18. Emblem of the Warmind

Emblem of the Warmind is a red enchantment that can give all your creatures haste. The downside is that it’s an aura, so you lose the enchantment if you lose the creature.

#17. Frenzied Saddlebrute

Frenzied Saddlebrute has some very interesting wording: your creatures may attack players and planeswalkers as though they had haste. It’s worded like this to let your creatures attack but not tap for other reasons.

The distinction and the mana cost are enough to steer me away.

#16. Thopter Engineer

Red has always been a good color for artifact decks. Thopter Engineer is a card to add speed to all your artifact creatures. It can pair well with cards like Patchwork Automaton and Reckoner Bankbuster.

#15. Village Watch / Village Reavers

Village Reavers grants haste to your wolves and werewolves. It has value if you want to overpower your opponent and have the chance to change the board to night. It’s not a popular choice for werewolf decks in Standard right now, but it might be worth consideration.

#14. In the Web of War

In the Web of War is an enchantment that’s on the expensive side, but the payoff may be worth it. Your creatures will be faster, stronger, and more burdensome for your opponent if you can create ways to get to five mana quickly. It’s legal in Modern and eternal formats.

#13. Hammer of Purphoros

Mjӧlnir take a seat, Hammer of Purphoros is a legendary enchantment artifact that speeds up your assault. The fact that it has lots of card types may give it value in many builds from Pioneer to Commander.

It also can give you creature tokens with haste in the end game to seal up the win.

#12. Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded

You’ve met the hammer, now meet the god. Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded was probably my least favorite god from Theros: Beyond Death, but it still has value in accelerating your creatures. It can be paired with big red creature or aristocrat-style creature decks.

#11. Lovisa Coldeyes

You have to love a versatile card with multiple options for tribal builds. Lovisa Coldeyes grants haste and gives +2/+2 to your barbarians, warriors, and berserkers. This card is fantastic for these tribal builds in the Modern and eternal formats.

#10. Fervor

Fervor is a straight-to-the-point enchantment that enables all your creatures to have haste. If you want to speed up some of your big mid-range and end-game creatures, Fervor is a card for you. It’s legal in Modern and eternal formats.

#9. Goro-Goro, Disciple of Ryusei

Abilities based on modified creatures are an underrated mechanic in Standard. Goro-Goro, Disciple of Ryusei is a bomb way to take advantage of your creatures with equipment, auras, or counters.

With enough mana, you can create big flying dragon tokens. In the meantime you can give your creatures haste to apply pressure.

#8. Zariel, Archduke of Avernus

Here’s a planeswalker with immense value that can give your creatures haste. After the first turn your Zariel, Archduke of Avernus is played you don’t have to spend any mana to give your creatures haste and a slight pump.

#7. Anger

The incarnation creature types are mostly found in the Modern and eternal formats, but they’re incredible. Getting value and abilities from your graveyard can be a huge advantage.

Your creatures have haste when Anger is in your graveyard. It’s a nice addition to counter annoying board wipes and control decks.

#6. Cavalier of Flame

Cavalier of Flame is a great mono-red enabler. It can draw cards and do damage, and it can grant your creatures haste. The Cavalier is legal in lots of formats and should be considered when playing a mono-red midrange deck.

#5. Mass Hysteria

This is what I’m talking about!

Mass Hysteria is exactly what you want from a haste enabler. It costs one mana and there are no restrictions for your creatures. This is the card for you if you want to speed up your deck in the Modern or eternal formats.

#4. Goblin Chieftain

A focal point of the goblin creature type is their tribal synergy and speed, and Goblin Chieftain is a perfect example. Along with Battle Cry Goblin and Goblin Warchief, it’s a must-have for goblin tribal decks in Modern, Historic, and Commander.

#3. Battle Cry Goblin

Battle Cry Goblin has just left the Standard rotation, so it can now make waves in the more expansive formats. Goblin tribal has been a popular build since MTG started, and this card fits perfectly into the mold.

You now can give all your goblins haste and pump them for very cheap. This card is a must-add for any goblin tribal build.

#2. Goblin Warchief

Goblin Warchief is like the other goblins haste enablers above it. Where this card excels is the fact that it gives goblins haste, and they all cost one less colorless mana.

This should really speed up your assault. The cherry on top is that Warchief is legal in almost all the non-Standard formats.

#2. Ogre Battledriver

Ogre Battledriver gives any creature that enter the battlefield haste and +2/+0. The wording may seem a little strange, but the benefit and value is there. Load up the Ogre onto your next aggressive deck!

#1. Urabrask the Hidden

Phyrexian creatures can always turn the tide of a game by giving huge advantages to you. Urabrask the Hidden gives all your creatures haste while slowing down your opponent’s defenses.

This can be a true difference maker in the longer-lasting formats like Historic, Modern, and Commander. It’s a great card to consider for red decks that need to get a combat advantage on an opponent.

Best Green Haste Enablers

#4. Ellywick Tumblestrum

A lot has to happen for this planeswalker to give your creatures haste. It comes from the final ability, which means Ellywick Tumblestrum must survive and grow for multiple turns.

This planeswalker has a base loyalty of four and has to spend seven loyalty points to become a haste enabler. It’s a tall order if gaining haste is your goal, but at least you only have to spend six loyalty points in Alchemy.

#3. Surrak and Goreclaw

Surrak and Goreclaw is an expensive card, but as long as you're not relying on tokens, your creatures get a great boost. The upside of gaining trample makes this duo an awesome addition to decks with big creatures.

#2. Concordant Crossroads

Do think you can out power your opponent and that giving them speed won’t make a difference? Concordant Crossroads is a great sideboard or gamble card to cheaply give your creatures haste.

The downside is that your opponents’ creatures also get haste. This is a fantastic addition in eternal formats if you know or discover that you’re playing against noncreature decks.

#1. Ulvenwald Oddity / Ulvenwald Behemoth

Ulvenwald Oddity is the perfect addition to the mono-green Standard or Commander deck. The 4-mana Oddity can strike hard and fast when you need the damage immediately. All your creatures get strikingly better when this card is transformed.

Ulvenwald Behemoth gives all your creatures haste and trample to make them very deadly. It’s also good that green has a lot of ways to get to the 7-mana transformation cost.

Best Multicolored Haste Enablers

#18. Samut, Tyrant Smasher

War of the Spark unleashed a lot planeswalkers. Samut, Tyrant Smasher is on the weaker end of the scale of these planeswalkers.

It’s nice to give all your creatures haste, and Samut even gives a creature haste with a loyalty ability in case of removal. There are no abilities to increase the loyalty points, so this card doesn’t have the power to be added to many competitive decks.

#17. Rushblade Commander

Building a warrior Commander deck? Do you want all your warriors to attack much faster? Rushblade Commander is the answer to these burning questions.

It’s also great in a Two-Headed Giant event as the card reads “team” instead of “player.”

#16. Garna, the Bloodflame

Garna, the Bloodflame is an interesting card because it looks like it has so much value, but it doesn’t always pay off. It could be a great board changing presence in an aristocrat-based deck by flipping the board advantage then giving all your creatures haste.

This seems great, but the mana cost and specific scenario where this card excels make it much less viable in a lot of Rakdos () decks.

#15. Gallia of the Endless Dance

How often do you think about building a satyr tribal deck? Probably not often, but if you are, consider Gallia of the Endless Dance as an addition.

This card pumps and gives your satyrs haste with the extra benefit of drawing more cards if you attack with three or more creatures. It’s not the most exciting card, but it has some value in Limited.

#14. Phabine, Boss’s Confidant

From New Capenna Commander comes a token boosting machine. Phabine, Boss's Confidant can give all your tokens haste, and its parley ability at the beginning of combat on your turn gives you tokens or pumps your creatures.

It’s a very fine card for the Naya () enthusiasts in the eternal formats.

#13. Kragma Warcaller

Kragma Warcaller is like Sethron, Hurloon General, but with a lot more value. The two cards cost the same but Kragma pumps your minotaurs and grants them haste as a static ability.

If you’re building a Rakdos minotaur deck, have fun with Kragma Warcaller.

#12. Dalakos, Crafter of Wonders

If you asked me which colors are the best for equipment decks, I’d tell you red and white. Dalakos, Crafter of Wonders can challenge you to try a blue and red equipment deck with its abilities.

This card gives you colorless mana to use for your equipment and gives equipped creatures flying and haste. I think it’s an interesting card to test your deckbuilding skills.

#11. Alibou, Ancient Witness

Alibou, Ancient Witness is a nice commander if you need new ideas. This card focuses on the white, red, and colorless artifacts that want to attack often.

It gives all your artifact creatures haste, and it does damage and scrys whenever you attack with one or more artifact creatures. What do you have to lose?

#10. Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer

You can often find some really broken cards in the Masters sets. Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer is a token-creating, token-changing, haste-enabling beast! To truly unlock the power of this card, make sure you’re using it in an eternal deck that makes a lot of big creature tokens.

#9. Fires of Yavimaya

If there's a color group that can use haste more than mono-red, it's Gruul (). Fires of Yavimaya is a lovely enchantment for eternal Gruul decks. It can speed up your wild Gruul creatures, and it can be sacrificed as a final punch to give a creature +2/+2.

#8. Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund

Dragons might be my favorite tribal deck. Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund gives all your dragons haste. It takes a lot of mana and resources to get to, but you swing with your big dragons at a speed your opponent probably can’t survive if it stays alive for a few turns.

#7. Regisaur Alpha

Who doesn’t want to make at least one dinosaur deck? Regisaur Alpha gives all those terrible lizards haste to really strike fear in your opponents. “Hold on to your butts.”

#6. Slivers

Slivers are great tribal creatures because they always have abilities that read, “sliver creatures you control gain/have (ability).” There are slivers of all colors that grant all your other slivers haste. If you’re building a Historic, Modern, or Commander sliver deck, include one of these creatures to speed up your assault.

#5. Madrush Cyclops

Jund () is another color combination where speed comes to mind, and Madrush Cyclops fits very well. It’s relatively cheap for a 3/4, and getting three different mana colors isn’t hard in Constructed formats.

All your Jund creatures swing much faster once Madrush Cyclops is on the board.

#4. Maelstorm Wanderer

Maelstrom Wanderer is the eternal format’s answer to how you can have fast creatures and fast spells. The 7-mana cost is very steep. The double cascading effects will start to dominate your opponent if it resolves for a turn or two.

I believe Maelstorm Wanderer is a wonderful commander or addition to any late game and big effects deck.

#3. Samut, Voice of Dissent

Samut, Voice of Dissent can be an excellent blocker with flash and double strike, and it prepares your creatures to attack by enabling haste. It’s legal in most non-Standard sets and can be used as a commander for the green, red, and white colors because of its activated ability.

#2. Dragonlord Kolaghan

What a nasty dragon. Dragonlord Kolaghan is a big, fast, flying creature that also enables your other creatures to have haste. The extreme value in this card is its static ability.

Think about how many decks rely on having multiple copies of the same bomb creatures or planeswalkers. This card has a ton of value in Pioneer and Modern, but a lot less in the singleton Commander format.

#1. Temur Ascendancy

This is a real Temur () gem. For three mana (one of each of the Temur colors), your creatures gain haste and you can get multiple draw triggers. This is a must-have card for any Pioneer, Modern, eternal or commander Temur decks that want to be aggressive.

Best Colorless Haste Enabler

#4. Swiftfoot Boots

The equip cost on Swiftfoot Boots keeps it from ranking better, but the hexproof often makes it my preference in most decks.

#3. Crashing Drawbridge

Not only does Crashing Drawbridge make sense thematically, it's also good. Tapping it to give all your creatures haste, and it's a standard 2-mana 0/4 blocker? I'm in.

It's a bit odd, still, to be playing a creature with defender in a deck that would otherwise love to give its creatures haste. Will this be an outlier in a low-curve aggro deck, or will it be the secret tech to launch forward an army of walls?

#2. Lightning Greaves

The Lightning Greaves help you strike immediately and the nearly auto-equip makes all your incoming creatures more threatening.

#1. Akroma’s Memorial

Akroma's Memorial is the bomb card you hope to get to at the end of your game. It gives all your creatures a crazy number of keywords, including haste. Seven mana is very steep for an artifact that needs other creatures to be successful.

Hopefully, your board hasn’t been wiped too much and you can swing fast and hard. The true value of this card is that it’s colorless and can fit into lots of different decks in Modern, Historic, and eternal.

Best Haste Enabler Payoffs

Goblin Chainwhirler and Krenko, Mob Boss are great cards that increase in payoff from the haste granting abilities of Goblin War Chief and Battle Cry Goblin in goblin tribal decks.

For the Gruul or Jund lovers, a Birds of Paradise is a great addition to make sure you can get to your haste granters quickly.

Mono-red decks could use a Braid of Fire or Runaway Steam-Kin to increase your mana pool.

You need to protect your haste enablers for multiple turns once they’re on the field. I suggest Deflecting Swat to protect in Commander. Boros Charm or Tamiyo's Safekeeping can also do the trick.

Haste enablers need some bomb creatures to let you overpower your opponent like Vernal Sovereign, Master of Cruelties, Balefire Dragon, Fauna Shaman, Visara the Dreadful, or Hellkite Tyrant.

Some sorceries and instants can also capitalize on the haste enabling, like Gelatinous Genesis or Rise of the Dark Realms.

Wrap Up

Temur Ascendancy | Illustration by Jaime Jones

Hopefully, you’ve been Ent-like and weren’t too hasty a reader! Haste is a fantastic ability and is one of my favorite evergreen keywords in MTG. I always try to find ways to give it to all my creatures or spells. Get out there, build those decks, and make all your creatures speed freaks.

Do you have a favorite haste enabler? What decks benefit from it most? Let me know in the comments below or over on the Draftsim Twitter.

One last time, because I love it: “hold on to your butts!”