The 46 Most Expensive and Must-Have Cards in Commander Masters

Last updated on April 29, 2024

Doubling Season | Illustration by Chuck Lukacs

Commander Masters, for better or for worse, is one of if not the most expensive set we’ve ever seen in Magic: The Gathering. Because of that, you’re going to want to know what the best hits are when you’re drafting with friends or just cracking a few boosters.

Luckily for you, I’m here with a rundown of the biggest hits in the set, including those cards that are only printed in the Commander decks.

Let's get started and look at some of the gems you can (hope to!) look forward to opening!

Honorable Mention: Enemy Battlebond Lands

While not the rare land cycle that people wanted (looking at you, allied fetches), these lands were still probably due a reprint, and nobody will be complaining that they’re affordable. Rejuvenating Springs, Spectator Seating, Training Center, Undergrowth Stadium and Vault of Champions go for between $5 and $10 each. You won’t be disappointed to open one in your pack, but it’s not the big hits you’re really hoping for.

#46. Angelic Field Marshal

Angelic Field Marshal kicks things off at just under $8. Here’s a card that is going to start a trend for the list of reprints from previous Commander sets that we haven’t seen since. This can beat up players itself pretty well, but it also works well with a wider board by allowing you to keep up some defenses after an attack with a bunch of vigilance creatures. It’s not the most expensive card in the world, but a reprint outside of a precon is nice.

#45. Stonehoof Chieftain

Stonehoof Chieftain is another Commander deck reprint, first seen in Commander 2016. At about $9, it’s a pretty nice beater. It allows your team to get in without worrying about losing them in combat, which can be pretty nice especially if you have other beefy stuff that gets better with trample. Combat focussed archetypes are relatively few and far between, but hopefully this reprint allows them to be built that bit easier.

#44. Kozilek, the Great Distortion

For a good while, if you wanted to build a colorless EDH deck, Kozilek, the Great Distortion was probably your general of choice. The only legendary creature with colorless mana in its casting cost, it’s a pretty flavourful leader and a house if you can stick it. Also at $9 it’s the cheapest of the Eldrazi titans. But it’s a popular one nonetheless, and one that has been absent a proper reprint for a while.

#43. Sower of Discord

Another Commander card designed for multiplayer formats because it can affect multiple players (which you probably want to be your opponents). Sower of Discord is a fun one, especially if you have more than two opponents to pick from giving you a chance for some fun politicking. Priced at over $94, it’s not quite in that $10 range, but it’s still something people will be happy to pick up cheaper (even if their opponents aren’t happy about it!).

#42. Synapse Sliver

The first Sliver on this list, Synapse Sliver is a much-needed reprint, currently sitting just on the nose of $10. Typal decks are often looking for ways to draw extra cards, and this card is a pretty good way to do that. Be warned: this is one of those slivers that affect all slivers on the board, so if you’re in a mirror match or if your opponent has a Conspiracy effect, this will potentially work against you!

#41. Maelstrom Wanderer

One of the downshifts from mythic to rare, Maelstrom Wanderer is a fan favorite for not just having cascade, but having it twice. The first card in the list above $10, the rare printing is sure to drop its nearly $11 price tag. This is a card I’d happily first pick as my commander in Commander Draft (three colors is nice). It’s a pretty great value engine, an easy three-for-one, and it can get in (and get everything else in quickly with haste) the turn it comes down. So many casual Temur+ decks love including this big, stupid card.

#40. Gisela, Blade of Goldnight

Gisela, Blade of Goldnight has had more printings than a lot of cards on this list, but it’s still fetching a pretty hefty $11. This is likely because of its pretty unique effect that’s nicely suited to multiplayer formats by making things worse for your opponents while better for you. One great thing about this card is that it speeds up the pace of games a little for you. Either your opponents get dead quicker, or you’re going to be targeted out!

#39. Hatchery Sliver

We’ve got our first non-reprint from the slivers deck with Hatchery Sliver. These cards are still trying to find their price point more than the reprints, so the price tag of $12 is quite likely to change. That said, the decks themselves have a pretty hefty price tag, and we don’t know the allocations yet. If these are pretty limited, highly sought cards will be selling for a premium.

#38. Toxic Deluge

One of the better black board wipes, especially when you start at 40 life, Toxic Deluge is even able to get around most protection effects by giving everything negative toughness rather than destroying or dealing damage. It’s no surprise that it’s currently worth about $11.50, although a rare printing in this set should drop that a fair amount now. Every Commander deck needs some kind of “press in case of emergency” button, and this 3-mana wipe is ideal for most black decks.

#37. Commandeer

Only receiving a brief The List reprint since its original printing in Coldsnap, Commandeer is a powerful card that can turn a game around out of nowhere. Having the Force of Will free spell clause, it’s kind of surprising that it’s only worth $12, but even that won’t hold now that it’s had this reprint. It may bring more eyes onto the card, so maybe expect to see it turning up on your tables more going forward.

#36. Selvala, Heart of the Wilds

Selvala, Heart of the Wilds was once over $50, but now it’s much more affordable after a few reprints and is sitting at $14. Definitely a card for the Timmys out there, it wants you to cast some beefy creatures, and it helps you get there. Similar to a number of cards in the set, it’s not the hit that it was just a few years ago, but still a reprint that will be good to keep the price low.

#35. Heliod, Sun-Crowned

Another newer card on the list, Heliod, Sun-Crowned is known for being both a popular EDH card and a combo piece in formats like Modern and Pioneer. Naturally, it brings with it a pretty hefty price tag for a new card at $14. If you play older Historic on Arena, you know just what this can do with Scurry Oak, but it’s also best buddies with Walking Ballista. If this weren’t reprinted soon, I could definitely see the price rising.

#34. The Immortal Sun

The Immortal Sun is a pretty unique piece that hates on planeswalkers and pumps pretty much anything you want to do. Only being printed in the small set of Rivals of Ixalan, it’s not surprising that it’s selling for $14.99. Yes, it’s still at mythic rarity, but the price is likely to drop even at that, and you might expect more of your opponents to be running it in their more casual decks than you’re used to.

#33. Savage Beating

Savage Beating is a pretty powerful card that forms two-card combos with many cards, like Spellbinder and Chun-Li, Countless Kicks, which explains why it’s sought after and worth $15. Every time a new combo piece is printed for it, particularly a commander that wants it, it spikes a good amount, so picking these up right after a reprint is a great way to make sure you have them on hand when you want them.

#32. Lazotep Sliver

Lazotep Sliver had me convinced that it was going to use the eternalize mechanic when the art was first spoiled, but amass slivers is pretty cool, too, especially as we’ve just had amass orcs in Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. Still affected by being one of the few new cards in the set, $14.99 isn’t too shocking for a new sliver with a cool ability. Afflict 2 is also a nice way to push damage through if your opponent has a bunch of blockers!

#31. Smothering Tithe

One of the bigger controversies in the set was the upshift of Smothering Tithe from rare to mythic. Seeing it’s priced at $17.99, a reprint will lower the price, but it won’t hit it as much as some would like. It’s the second reprint in two years, so Wizards clearly want to get this card into players' hands. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this again in the future, even if we don’t see it at rare again.

#30. Morophon, the Boundless

Morophon, the Boundless is one of those cards that pretty much any 5-color deck wants to include, at least if it’s a typal deck. Only printed once before in the first Modern Horizons, it’s crept up to $18 in the intervening years and was starting to need a substantial reprint. It’s also a pretty great card to pick up in Draft because you can then draft all 5 colors if you want to!

#29. Purphoros, God of the Forge

Combo-tastic Purphoros, God of the Forge is one of the go-to commanders for a goblin deck or a great inclusion in the 99 of a go-wide token deck that allows you to win without an attack. This card has always been worth something, and a reprint will do some to reduce its $19 price tag, but likely not as much as some will hope. Probably the most played Theros god, even including the later reprints, Purphoros is a great inclusion in the set.

#28. Deadly Rollick

One of the most cycles that players wanted reprinting was the free spell cycle from Commander 2020. They’ve all crept up in price (ok, not so much the green one), and generally have evaded reprints to this point. At $19.50, Deadly Rollick isn’t the cheapest of the cycle but the first one of this list. Exiling something for free as an emergency button can save you at the 11^th hour and seeing this (and the rest of the cycle) printed at rare is fantastic.

#27. Extraplanar Lens

Extraplanar Lens is a pretty unique card, and it can provide a lot of ramp in even non-green decks. While it can also ramp your opponents, it’s still unique enough to nearly break $20, and comes in at $19.50. All sorts of different types of decks want this card, and now they have better access to it at cheaper prices. This reprint should make plenty of people happy.

#26. Balefire Dragon

Balefire Dragon was first seen in Innistrad, and it has since only seen a reprint in Ultimate Masters. Once worth over $40, its current price is much more manageable at $21.79, and it’s likely to drop more with this reprint. Part hate piece, part efficient beater, this is a kill on sight card for a lot of people and can really disrupt a player’s game plan if it gets in.

#25. Cyclonic Rift

Possibly only coming in second to Sol Ring for the most iconic Commander card ever, Cyclonic Rift is an inclusion in pretty much every blue deck, and it’s quite surprising it’s currently only worth $23. It could be said, however, that it’s surprising it’s still worth that price, even with all the reprints it’s seen. A powerful card, opening the way to win, it’s always going to see play and will always be worth at least something. Nobody is shocked to see it turn up here.

#24. Champion’s Helm

Champion's Helm is essentially another copy of Swiftfoot Boots or Lightning Greaves in a Commander deck. It has seen far fewer reprints, so it costs $23.69, even with this reprint announced. Nowadays, that legendary clause means less and less, as legendary creatures are everywhere. If that trend continues, this card will just get better.

#23. Medallion Cycle

The Medallion cycle was first introduced in Tempest, then reprinted in the original Commander decks. They’ve remained elusive since then, dodging reprint after reprint. They’re back now, even if they’re at rare, and come in prices ranging from $11 to $24.96, with Emerald Medallion as the cheapest and the rest at similar prices at the higher end of the price range. Incredibly popular cards, some of the best mana rocks, players will be happy to see them again, even if they’ve been upshifted.

#22. Anikthea, Hand of Erebos

There’s something unusual going on with the face commanders from the Commander Decks, and the etched foil versions are the cheaper versions, so Anikthea, Hand of Erebos is priced at $26.48 for the etched version and $30.00 for the normal version. A different spin on enchantress decks, Anikthea cares about getting enchantments into the graveyard and can make them into 3/3 zombies, too. It’s an unusual card that creates a unique deck, but it doesn’t bring the hype that a new 5-color sliver legend or a legendary Eldrazi would, but it’s cool nonetheless.

#21. Loyal Retainers

First printed in Portal: 3 Kingdoms, Loyal Retainers hasn’t seen a substantial reprint since, so this one is pretty hyped. At least some of its $27 price is due to availability, but it’s still a pretty nice card to have. It can reanimate legends, and it can even help you get around the commander tax if you’ve had your commander die and choose not to put it back in the command zone. Its price will likely dip, but it probably won’t drop as much as some of the other P3K reprints we’ve seen in recent years.

#20. Land Tax

Land Tax is a staple in white decks that want to make sure they’re hitting their land drops. While not strictly ramp, it thins your deck and is much more likely to trigger when you have multiple opponents. Super unique for white, it’s not surprising that it consistently holds a high price tag, and it’s currently at $27.92. It’s had a few reprints over the years which haven’t really put a dent in the price, and I don’t expect this one to do too much, either.

#19. Craterhoof Behemoth

The big green finisher of many peoples’ choice, Craterhoof Behemoth shares the feature of a lot of the cards at this point on the list, in that it’s seen multiple reprints over the years but still holds a fairly staggering cost of $27.99. Look, sometimes you just need a big green idiot to end the game so that you can move on to the next one. ‘Hoof does that in spades.

#18. Archfiend of Despair

Battlebond was a really fun set, and it brought us some great cards like Archfiend of Despair. Not having much of a reprint since, it’s crept up to $28. Hating on lifegain decks, this is a pretty sweet way to get some extra damage in to your opponents and close out games much quicker than you otherwise could. Have someone in your pod who just adores lifegain? This is the card for you.

#17. Demonic Tutor

Tutors have always been a big part of EDH, and one of the biggest is Demonic Tutor. Despite reprints, including Strixhaven Mystical Archive, this is still at $28.94. Although it will dip, it’ll probably still cost that in a couple of months, so make sure you get one of these for your more competitive EDH deck if you’re wanting to make it more consistent.

#16. For the Ancestors

The slivers deck is bringing a few goodies with its new cards, and For the Ancestors isn’t just wanted for sliver decks. It’s not quite Collected Company, but it can still draw you up to six cards for a single spell, and you get to flash it back. If you end up empty-handed, this one can get you back into the game in no time. I don’t expect the current price tag of $29.86 to hold, but it’s still going to be a wanted card.

#15. Titan of Littjara

Another new Commander Deck card, Titan of Littjara, is another gift to typal decks from the slivers. Currently preordering for $29.99, it might well drop, but we know that typal decks are popular in all walks of Magic. This one will always be worth at least something.

#14. Composer of Spring

The enchantments deck brings Composer of Spring. A new ramp piece that can also do a good impression of Elvish Piper, $29.99 is maybe slightly high for this card, but it is still pretty cool if you’re playing with enchantments.

#13. Chandra, Legacy of Fire

We’re getting our first planeswalker matters precon, and with it come some sweet planeswalkers and planeswalker matter cards. Chandra, Legacy of Fire is both, as a planeswalker that cares about other planeswalkers! Also currently costing $29.99, it ramps, it damages, and it draws cards. Three great abilities, even if this Chandra costs 5 mana. Still, cast it, add a bunch of mana, cast something else… profit!

#12. Cacophony Unleashed

What do you need to play more of in Commander? That’s right, board wipes. Black isn’t exactly lacking for wipes, and this 7-mana one needs to be good to get there. Good news is, it is good! Chances are it’ll leave your field of enchantment creatures intact. Not only that, but it can turn into a beater itself, so you can continue getting value from it. $29.99 is maybe a little high currently.

#11. Ondu Spiritdancer

Who doesn’t love a copy? Ondu Spiritdancer is a bit like a Doubling Season for your enchantments (more on that card later) and has a chance of keeping something like its current tag of $30.00. It’s still a 5-mana 3/3, so it’s susceptible to removal. If only there were a way to protect your creatures in white, eh?

#10. Rukarumel, Biologist

The second commander out of the Sliver Swarm Commander deck, Rukarumel, Biologist is pretty much a Conspiracy on a stick, or even better, from the command zone. Effects like Maskwood Nexus have proved popular in the past, and a commander that can do that is sure to draw some popularity. Will it hold at $32? Maybe. We’ll just have to see.

#9. Deflecting Swat

Like the rest of this cycle, plenty of people were happy to see Deflecting Swat reprinted, and even happier to see it not at mythic! Like the rest, the power of this card is being able to cast it when you’re tapped out, so no one can see it coming. One player may think they’re safe to go for their game-winning spell, but they really aren’t. This card has been at its current price of $33 or above for a while now, and I’d be shocked if it weren’t higher than this in a year’s time.

#8. Fierce Guardianship

The most expensive card in the cycle, Fierce Guardianship simply counters exactly what it needs to (as long as it’s not a creature!). It’s been at $34 or higher since its original printing, and this price tag won’t be going much lower. Free counterspells are always popular and pricey, and this one is no different, even if it doesn’t see much play outside of Commander.

#7. Zhulodok, Void Gorger

There’s only three Eldrazi titans, right… right? Well, maybe, maybe not! I’m not sure on the lore, but Zhulodok, Void Gorger looks like it might be one of Ulamog’s brood. Either way, it’s hyped and it’s currently priced at $40 for the etched version and $60.00 for the normal version. Cascade is a fantastic ability to have on a big spell, and giving it to your big spells is even better. This will see play as both commander and in the 99 in big-spells decks, and it’s going to be popular.

#6. The Great Henge

It’s just seen a reprint in Tales of Middle-earth, but The Great Henge is a huge card in multiple formats and is still priced at $40 The card advantage that this provides in creature decks is phenomenal, and that 9-mana cost is nothing but lies and slander. It’s never going to cost you that much, and it pays you back 2 mana the turn it comes down anyway. The double reprint may lower this more than it would without the previous one, but it’s still going to be a big hit in your pack.

#5. The Ur-Dragon

The Ur-Dragon was the headline card in one of the most expensive Commander decks ever, and not seeing a “real” reprint since, it still costs $40. The eminence ability may be acknowledged to have been something of a design mistake, but it’s out there now and reprinting the popular card with it is definitely needed. Yes, it costs 9 mana, but just look at everything it does. Card advantage, cost reduction, not to mention it’s a huge, scary, dragon itself. A great package for any dragon lover.

#4. Avacyn, Angel of Hope

An iconic character as well as a powerful card, Avacyn, Angel of Hope is still worth $42, even though it’s had a good handful of reprints over the years. The last time we saw this was Double Masters, and it’s done nothing but go up in price since. It turns out that turning all your stuff indestructible is good. Who’d have thought it?

#3. Sliver Gravemother

We’ve seen a number of cards from the sliver-themed Commander Masters precon pop up throughout this list, and Sliver Gravemother is the biggest, baddest, and most expensive of the lot! Costing $32 for the etched version and $69 for the regular printing, this is currently preselling at the price some stores are selling the deck at. I don’t expect to see it stick to this price, and I don’t think it’ll supplant some of the older 5-color sliver legends as the general of a deck. But this is a great inclusion in the 99, and a way to get some value out of them after that inevitable board wipe.

#2. Doubling Season

Doubling Season is a card that’s so popular (and expensive) that even “budget” versions like Anointed Procession and Parallel Lives are beginning to fetch hefty price tags. But this, the OG, comes in at a hefty $59. At this point, Doubling Season seems to combo with pretty much everything, but planeswalker superfriends decks love it in particular, allowing most walkers to ultimate on the turn they come down. Banger of a card and very much in need of a reprint.

#1. Jeweled Lotus

Here it is. The big one. The one and only Jeweled Lotus. When first previewed in Commander Legends, this turned heads immediately and seemed a perfect fit for the Commander format. If you’ve got a deck that wants to get the commander out as early as possible, this is a must have. If you can afford it at $63, that is. It was the star of the show in Commander Legends, and it returns as the best card in Commander Masters, too. I don’t see this getting another reprint any time soon, as it can only really go into Commander-focused sets. If I were looking for one I’d probably want to grab it now.

Promos, Alternate Art, and More

Of course, it wouldn’t be a modern-day Magic sets with some amount of booster fun and alt-arts, special foil treatments and more! One thing that’s missing, however, is serialized cards. They’ve been in pretty much every other set released this year, but they’re notable in their absence in the Masters sets.

What we do have, however, are textured foils. This is a new foiling treatment, and the headline card with this foiling is none other than Jeweled Lotus, preselling for something in the region of $700. These cards can only be found in Collector boosters, and even then show up only four percent of the time!

A unique treatment we’re getting in all packs are “Profile Legendary Creatures”. These are only on legendary creatures and feature a striking side-on profile of some of the legendary creatures in the set, with a plain color background. They’re not to everyone’s tastes, but there are plenty of people out there who love this effect, and they’re very different from what we’ve seen before.

We’re also getting a number of really nice borderless versions of common and uncommon staples for multiple formats. Some highlights in this section include Path of Ancestry and, of course, Sol Ring.

There are also etched foils of a number of cards, but these seem less popular these days, as well as old border basics from fan-favorite artists like Rebecca Guay. There really is a huge mishmash of things to look forward to here, if alt arts or special treatments are your thing.

Wrap Up

Archfiend of Despair | Illustration by Josh Hass

And that’s it! Definitely some gems around in this set, and some cards that really needed a reprint, although it remains to be seen as to whether it justifies being the most expensive set ever.

Are you happy with the reprints? Is there anything here that you think should have been reprinted but was overlooked? Feel free to let us know the biggest, most glaring, misses down below in the comments or in the official Draftsim Discord!

Until next time, stay safe, and stay healthy!