All 8 Sarkhan Planeswalkers in Magic Ranked

Sarkhan Unbroken | Illustration by Aleksi Briclot

Alara is always gonna be one of my favorite planes, mostly because that was when I started to take events more seriously. I’ve always been a dragon fan, so the moment I saw a planeswalker built around them, Sarkhan Vol, I was instantly in. His first card wasn’t really the format-breaking monster I expected, but his story hooked me right away.

Ever since that first appearance, I’ve been curious about where Sarkhan’s journey would go and what kind of character he would turn into. So today, that’s exactly what we’re getting into: Who Sarkhan is, what he has gone through over the years, and where he stands now after Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

Curious what our favorite dragon fanboy has been up to? Let’s dive in.

What Are Sarkhan Planeswalkers in MTG?

Sarkhan Vol | Illustration by Daarken

Sarkhans are planeswalker cards that feature Sarkhan and his dragon-themed playstyle, and use the Sarkhan subtype. There are less than 10 total including digital releases, with classics like Sarkhan Vol, Sarkhan the Mad, and Sarkhan Unbroken leading the list.

#8. Sarkhan, Wanderer to Shiv

While it’s a digital-only card on MTG Arena, Sarkhan, Wanderer to Shiv is all about feeding a dragon gameplan with perpetual help and reliable card access. One uptick upgrades dragon cards in hand so that those threats become easier to cast, while the other plus conjures a Shivan Dragon, which in nothing else is card advantage every turn. It also has a clean -2 for 3 damage to a creature, so it can stabilize early while it sets up bigger dragon turns later.

#7. Sarkhan, Fireblood

Sarkhan, Fireblood is a clean, practical dragon setup piece that helps your hand and your mana at the same time. One ability lets it filter dead cards into fresh draws, while the other gives 2 mana that pushes out dragons several turns earlier than normal. If the game goes long, it can cash in for a huge swing by making four 5/5 fliers, which is often enough to take over the board fast.

#6. Sarkhan, Dragonsoul

If you want a top-end threat, Sarkhan, Dragonsoul plays like a finisher that pressures life totals and small creatures immediately. Its plus ability chips every opponent and weakens opposing boards, then the minus can blast a player or planeswalker for 4 when you need direct pressure. The ultimate is the big payoff, an ability that drops any number of dragons from your library straight onto the battlefield for a game-ending push.

#5. Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker

In aggressive midrange shells, Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker stands out because it can turn into a hasty, flying, indestructible 4/4 and attack right away. It also doubles as removal with 4 damage to a creature, so it isn’t just an attacker. The emblem mode is wild value with extra draws every turn, but the hand discard clause means it rewards decks that can spend cards quickly.

#4. Sarkhan the Masterless

Built for dragon and planeswalker overlap, Sarkhan the Masterless punishes attacks by pinging incoming creatures with each dragon you control. Its plus ability can suddenly convert your whole planeswalker lineup into flying 4/4 dragons for surprise combat pressure. The minus gives steady board presence with a 4/4 dragon token, so it stays useful even when you’re behind.

#3. Sarkhan Unbroken

Temur () players usually like Sarkhan Unbroken because it does a bit of everything without feeling clunky. It draws a card and fixes mana on the plus, it creates a 4/4 flying dragon on the minus, and it threatens a massive endgame by putting any number of dragons from your library onto the battlefield. It reads like a value engine early and a closer late, which makes it very flexible.

#2. Sarkhan the Mad

Sarkhan the Mad feels chaotic in the fun way since it draws cards at the cost of loyalty based on mana value. Near the middle of a game, it can turn any creature into a 5/5 dragon token by forcing a sacrifice first, which can be removal or a clever upgrade depending on board state. The last ability turns your dragon board into direct damage, so it can close games the moment you untap with enough power.

#1. Sarkhan Vol

Fast creature decks love how Sarkhan Vol speeds up combat with team-wide +1/+1 and haste for explosive turns. The steal effect can flip combat math hard by taking the best opposing creature, untapping it, and swinging immediately. If it survives long enough, the ultimate gives five 4/4 flying dragons and usually ends the game in short order.

Sarkhan Payoffs

The only true payoff for Sarkhan is Sarkhan's Whelp, since it’s the one card that directly rewards you for activating Sarkhan planeswalker abilities. That said, other payoffs still make the deck hit much harder once you commit to the dragon plan. Dragon Tempest gives your dragons haste and turns each new dragon into damage, while Lathliss, Dragon Queen adds extra dragon bodies to snowball your board. Scourge of Valkas and Terror of the Peaks keep that pressure going by converting every dragon that enters into burn.

If you run multiple Sarkhan ‘walkers, you can also use support cards that multiply loyalty value fast. Doubling Season and Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider help your planeswalkers reach ultimate range much earlier, The Chain Veil gives extra activations in key turns, and Deepglow Skate can instantly push your board of ‘walkers into a winning position. Karn's Bastion ties it all together by giving you steady proliferation over time, so your Sarkhan turns keep getting stronger.

Who Is Sarkhan Vol?

Sarkhan's Resolve | Illustration by Billy Christian

Sarkhan Vol starts as a dragon-obsessed planeswalker tied to Tarkir, but his spark awakens on Alara after witnessing overwhelming draconic power. That moment shapes everything about him. He spends years searching for dragons worth following, and that path eventually leads him to Nicol Bolas on Jund.

Serving Bolas doesn’t end well for him. Sarkhan becomes unstable, breaks away, and returns to Tarkir, pulled by visions connected to Ugin. In the Khans era, with Narset to help him reach the Nexus at Ugin’s tomb, he steps through a temporal gate. That introduces a time-travel moment in his story, and it sends him about 1,280 years into Tarkir’s past.

In that past, Sarkhan witnesses the events around Ugin’s fall and intervenes to save Ugin. That one act rewrites Tarkir’s future. When Sarkhan is pulled back to the present, he returns to a new timeline where Dragonlords rule the plane instead of the old khan-led world. The big shift is represented in sets by the Khans of Tarkir timeline first, time travel in Fate Reforged, then the dragon timeline in Dragons of Tarkir.

Much later, during the New Phyrexian Invasion era, Sarkhan fights to defend Tarkir. After that conflict, he loses his spark, which leaves him weakened and increasingly desperate. You can even see this change in card representation, where he appears on a couple of legendary creatures rather than a planeswalker.

By Tarkir: Dragonstorm, that damage is very visible. The story describes his dragon transformation as painful and harder to control, with his body resisting what used to feel natural. At the same time, we get a softer emotional beat through Ajani, who remembers Sarkhan from Alara as rough but kind, and as someone who helped to teach him how to channel rage and grief with purpose.

At the end of Dragonstorm, Ugin confronts Sarkhan directly. Sarkhan is struck by Ugin’s ghostfire, badly burned, and then dives back into the storm.

Is Sarkhan Alive?

Yes. Even though Ugin blasted Sarkhan at the end of Tarkir: Dragonstorm, he isn’t dead. The ending leaves him injured and missing rather than killed, and that has also been backed up by official Wizards reps, including Roy Graham on Bluesky.

Does Sarkhan Still Have His Spark?

No, Sarkhan was robbed of his spark and left in a very fragile state. He can still transform into a dragon, but it’s much harder now and his body resists the change. Every transformation is painful and takes a serious physical toll on him.

What Other Sarkhan Cards Are There?

Here are all non-planeswalker Magic cards with Sarkhan in the card name:

• Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant
• Sarkhan, Soul Aflame
• Sarkhan's Catharsis
• Sarkhan's Dragonfire
• Sarkhan's Rage
• Sarkhan's Resolve
• Sarkhan's Scorn
• Sarkhan's Triumph
• Sarkhan's Unsealing
• Sarkhan's Whelp

Wrap Up

Sarkhan the Masterless | Illustration by Kieran Yanner

And that’s Sarkhan’s story in a nutshell up to now: a dragon-obsessed planeswalker, a timeline breaker, and now a damaged but still dangerous force.

What do you think Sarkhan’s next step will be? Redemption, revenge, or full collapse? Let us know in the comments or on the Draftsim Discord! If you enjoyed the read, follow us on social media so you don’t miss our next big article.

As always, take care, and see you next time.