All 12 Elemental Lords in Magic Ranked

Last updated on January 31, 2026

Omnath, Locus of the Roil | Illustration by Lius Lasahido

Every creature type in Magic has its lords, and while some get more support than others, elementals have carved out a pretty powerful space of their own. These fiery, stormy, and earthy beings come with plenty of synergy pieces that can turn a pile of creatures into a real engine.

Today, we look at the best elemental lords out there—and of course, we’ll rank them.

Intrigued? Let’s dive in!

What Are Elemental Lords in MTG?

Thicket Crasher | Illustration by Mathias Kollros

Elemental lords in Magic: The Gathering are creatures that make elementals stronger or reward you for playing them. They often boost power and toughness, grant abilities like haste or trample, or create extra value whenever an elemental enters the battlefield. While not every card that helps elementals is a true “lord”, these cards are the backbone of any elemental deck and turn a group of creatures into a true army packed with value.

Honorable Mentions

Before diving into the true elemental lords, it’s worth pointing out a couple of cards that don’t really buff them directly but still play such a huge role in the strategy that they almost feel like lords in their own right.

Risen Reef isn’t really a classic “lord”, but it’s way too good with elementals to leave out. Every time you play one, this card gives you either an extra land or a new card in your hand. Your plans keeps moving, no matter what. When you mix it with cards that make tokens like Scampering Scorcher, things get out of hand really fast. It’s one of the best ways to keep your elemental deck full of action.

Omnath, Locus of the Roil is another card that deserves a shoutout. When it enters the battlefield, it hits something right away, dealing damage equal to the number of elementals you already have. It feels like a removal spell and a creature in one. After that, every land you play makes your elementals stronger, and later it even draws you cards. You could argue the elemental-pumping ability gives this lord status, but there's a chance this never actually helps any of your elementals out, so it's a bit more situational.

#12. Brighthearth Banneret

Brighthearth Banneret may look small, but it’s a huge enabler for elemental decks. Making both elementals and warriors cheaper gives you faster access to big threats like Avenger of Zendikar or Maelstrom Wanderer. On top of that, its reinforce ability means it’s never a dead card—if you draw it late, you can pump up an attacker instead. This flexibility keeps your deck flowing, especially in aggressive builds that want to dump multiple creatures onto the battlefield early.

#11. Scampering Scorcher

Dropping Scampering Scorcher onto the field is like flipping a switch for your elementals. Not only does it bring along two tokens, but it also gives haste to your whole team. Suddenly, your board can swing for a huge chunk of damage out of nowhere. Pair it with Creeping Trailblazer to pump those tokens, or Risen Reef to draw and ramp with each new body. It’s the kind of card that turns a stalled board into a lethal attack.

#10. Chandra, Novice Pyromancer

Planeswalkers don’t usually act as typal lords, but Chandra, Novice Pyromancer is a clear exception. Giving your elementals +2/+0 makes even the smallest tokens suddenly threatening. The mana ability also helps to ramp into bigger plays like Omnath, Locus of Rage. Plus, the −2 to burn something adds removal when you need it. It’s a versatile piece that boosts aggression, accelerates mana, and clears blockers—all the things an elemental deck loves to do.

#9. Creeping Trailblazer

Few cards scream “pump the team” like Creeping Trailblazer. By giving all your other elementals +1/+0, it turns token swarms into real threats. On top of that, it can pump itself based on the number of elementals you control, so it’s a scary attacker in the late game. It pushes some real damage when paired with Scampering Scorcher. It’s one of the most straightforward, yet most effective elemental lords for aggressive strategies.

#8. Thicket Crasher

Sometimes the best buff is evasion, and that’s where Thicket Crasher shines. By granting all your elementals trample, it ensures that your pumped-up creatures don’t just get chump blocked. Its own 4/3 body with trample adds to the pressure, especially when you pair it with buffs from Creeping Trailblazer. In a go-wide deck that floods the board, this card makes sure your damage actually connects, which forces opponents to take heavy hits even when they have blockers.

#7. Caterwauling Boggart

Though not an elemental itself, Caterwauling Boggart is a sideways fit for elemental builds because it grants menace to both goblins and elementals. Your opponents need multiple blockers for each creature, which quickly becomes overwhelming when you’re flooding the board with tokens. Pair it with cards like Scampering Scorcher or Incandescent Soulstoke, and suddenly your army of elementals is nearly impossible to stop. It’s a sneaky support piece that forces awkward blocks and pushes damage through.

#6. Mass of Mysteries

Can I start off by saying the first three keyword abilities on Mass of Mysteries key on first strike to work together beautifully on offense and defense. This creature threatens to eat chunky creatures before it gets to regular combat, and vigilance is underrated in Commander.

OK on to the main reason you came here, myriad is like mobilize but better. You get to pick your best elemental attacker and enjoy a possible 3x multiplier on your ETB and LTB effects. Did I mention there's no additional costs to do these things, just drop good elementals you want to attack with, put in some payoffs for the temporary creatures and there will be no mystery why you win.

#5. Incandescent Soulstoke

Incandescent Soulstoke is the classic elemental lord. It buffs your elementals with +1/+1 and lets you cheat them into play with haste, even if only for a turn. This makes it perfect for cards with strong enters effects, like Shriekmaw or Mulldrifter. Even if the creature is sacrificed at the end step, the burst of value or damage can be game-changing. It keeps the pressure high, and your opponents stay guessing what you’ll drop next.

#4. Master of Waves

Master of Waves might technically be a merfolk, but it plays like one of the strongest elemental lords around. When it enters, it floods the board with 1/0 elemental tokens that immediately live thanks to the +1/+1 buff it provides. The more blue devotion you have, the bigger the army. Protection from red makes it tough to remove in the colors most likely to burn it out. In an elemental deck heavy on blue symbols, this card can take over games all by itself.

#3. Kaheera, the Orphanguard

As a companion or just in the main deck, Kaheera, the Orphanguard gives elementals another steady buff. Granting +1/+1 and vigilance keeps your board strong on offense while it leaves creatures back to defend. Since it also supports beasts, cats, nightmares, and dinosaurs, it can slot into mixed typal decks, but in elementals it feels right at home. Playing it alongside cards like Risen Reef or Creeping Trailblazer makes sure your board scales into a real army over time.

#2. Twinflame Travelers

I would take less stats and mana cost to bring the ability doubler on Twinflame Travelers to the battlefield sooner, but Panharmonicon is strong so it's easy to see why this one is too.

#1. Ashling, the Limitless

Ashling, the Limitless provides a nice alternate casting cost that fixes your mana from a certain point of view. The triggered ability is what gets me though, a free sacrifice outlet lays out a floor of getting two uses from each of your elemental cards. Though it's pricey, the mana sink is a very nice use for extra mana.

Wrap Up

Master of Waves | Illustration by Karl Kopinski

While elementals don’t have the deepest pool of lords compared to other creature types, the ones they do have bring some really solid support. If you play your cards right, the synergy can snowball into something truly explosive.

What do you think—would you like to see more elemental support in future sets? Is there a lord you love to throw in to your Elemental deck? Let us know in the comments or on the Draftsim Discord! Thank you for reading, and if you enjoyed the content, remember to follow us on social media so you never miss a thing.

Take care, and see you next time!