The 32 Best Treasure Commanders in Magic Ranked

Last updated on February 28, 2024

Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer | Illustration by Magali Villeneuve

Did you know that there’s a dragon token named Smaug created from the third chapter of the enchantment saga There and Back Again? The card is from The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. When it dies, you get 14 Treasure tokens. Wow, that’s a lot!

While Smaug is a legendary token creature, you can’t build a deck around it like the other treasure commanders in MTG. Despite this, the saga it comes from can go in any of the treasure commander decks that include red in the color identity.

So which commanders deal with Treasure tokens? Before we dive into that treasure chest, let’s first define what treasure commanders are.

What Are Treasure Commanders in MTG?

Galazeth Prismari | Illustration by Raymond Swanland

Treasure commanders are legendary creatures that create Treasure tokens in some way. They synergize with many of the Treasure token-creating staples in the Magic universe, which we’ll highlight later on.

Treasure tokens are colorless artifacts generated from creatures, instants, sorceries, and other card types. You tap Treasure tokens to sacrifice them and add one mana of any color. However, Treasure tokens can have other applications based on a treasure commander’s specific abilities.

What are you waiting for me hardies? It’s time to go search for some Treasure with MTG’s 32 best treasure commanders. And no, not every treasure commander is a pirate, either!

#32. Bill Ferny, Bree Swindler

Bill Ferny, Bree Swindler is one of the only two mono-blue commanders that makes Treasure tokens. Their ability triggers when they become blocked, which means you should be attacking as much as you can and forcing opponents to block by any means necessary.

Courtly Provocateur and Grappling Hook both force an untapped creature on your opponent’s side to block Bill Ferny. Nemesis Mask takes it a step further and causes all available creatures to block your equipped Bill Ferny.

#31. Safana, Calimport Cutthroat

Gain the initiative from other cards such as Vicious Battlerager and Underdark Explorer so Safana can make you a Treasure token.

Incorporate cards such as Acererak the Archlich, and Yuan-Ti Fang-Blade to help you complete dungeons. Once you’ve finished a dungeon, you can create three Treasures on every end step instead of just one.

#30. Mahadi, Emporium Master

Mahadi, Emporium Master benefits from a build with creature that sacrifice themselves in some way. Lagomos, Hand of Hatred creates a 2/1 Elemental token that has to be sacrificed at the end of each combat. Plaguecrafter destroys a problem creature on an opponent’s side via sacrifice. Mirkwood Bats drains opponents’ life totals when you create or sacrifice tokens. All these cards can help Mahadi create Treasure tokens at your end step.

#29. Galazeth Prismari

Galazeth Prismari is one such treasure commander where Treasure tokens have another application. While you can tap and sacrifice a Treasure to cast creature spells, Galazeth Prismari synergizes its artifact build with instant and sorcery cards. Accumulate your Treasure tokens and tap them to cast instant and sorcery spells all without having to sacrifice them to do so!

#28. Tivit, Seller of Secrets

Tivit works a little differently than other treasure commanders, which is why they’re an interesting choice for this list. Tivit only creates Treasure tokens if players cast a bribery vote whenever it enters or deals combat damage.

Since you can vote an additional time, you can create two Treasure tokens for each instance of voting. The other votes would depend on what your opponents select. Cards such as Ballot Broker and Brago's Representative can help you get additional votes so you can create more Treasure tokens each time you land combat damage with Tivit.

#27. Malik, Grim Manipulator

Force opponents to sacrifice creatures so Malik, Grim Manipulator can give you Treasures. Tergrid, God of Fright turns that sacrificed creature into more value by bringing it to your side of the battlefield when it hits the graveyard.

You get two Treasure tokens when you cast Tergrid's Shadow. Gisa's Favorite Shovel makes an opponent sacrifice a creature when the creature equipped with this artifact attacks. Cruel Reality forces the enchanted opponent to sacrifice a creature or planeswalker on every upkeep, and you’ll get a Treasure for every creature that an opponent sacrifices.

#26. Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff

Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff sits back and collects the treasures without you having to do much of anything except wait for opponents to cast their second spell each turn and support the cause. Make more Treasures with Discerning Financier if opponents have more lands than you.

Monologue Tax does the same thing as Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff, but you don’t lose a life from that card. Double your Treasure output with Mondrak, Glory Dominus.

#25. Baeloth Barrityl, Entertainer

Baeloth Barrityl, Entertainer can very well be a Voltron and treasure commander because of their ability. Attach equipment and auras to Baeloth Barrityl that increase their power and toughness such as Arcane Teachings and Commander's Plate. As they increase in power, almost all creatures will be goaded for you to create more Treasures when they die.

#24. Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge

Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge gives you Treasures at the beginning of your end step based on how many creatures died that turn. Increase the death output for more benefits.

Create more Treasures with Spiteful Banditry when creatures die. For each Treasure you make, slowly whittle down your opponent’s life total with Reckless Fireweaver. Incorporate ETB effects that create Treasures such as Ganax, Astral Hunter and Patron of the Arts.

#23. Ganax, Astral Hunter

Speaking of Ganax, Astral Hunter, it’s a treasure commander, too! You create a Treasure for each dragon entering the battlefield, Ganax included. Dragonspeaker Shaman and Dragonlord's Servant reduce how much mana you have to spend on dragon spells to generate Treasures faster. Don’t forget Xorn to help you make an additional Treasure every time that you make one or more of them.

#22. Old Rutstein

As long as you mill a land on your upkeep, Old Rutstein will give you a Treasure token. There’s still value in generating an Insect token if you so happen to mill a creature card or a blood token for every noncreature card you mill.

Considering this token build, token doublers such as Primal Vigor and Parallel Lives are beneficial. Incorporate a sneaky win condition your opponents may never see coming with Revel in Riches to win the game if you have 10 or more Treasures.

#21. Vazi, Keen Negotiator

Vazi, Keen Negotiator seems like a group hug deck until you read the other ability. While they do reward opponents with Treasures when you tap them based on how many you created that turn, it comes at a price. You pump a creature and draw a card whenever an opponent utilizes a Treasure to activate an ability or cast a spell.

Branching Evolution doubles how many +1/+1 counters you place on a creature when opponents use the Treasure tokens you give them. Jolene, the Plunder Queen gives you an additional Treasure each time you make one or more.

In doing so, you’ll eventually give more Treasures to your opponents with Vazi. That’ll strengthen your creatures and enhance your access to resources when they utilize the Treasures you gave them.

#20. Mari, the Killing Quill

Mari, the Killing Quill encourages a build of rogues, mercenaries, and assassins that can remove hit counters from opponents’ creatures in exile to create Treasures and draw cards. Enchant Mari with Gift of Doom to keep the shenanigans going longer with indestructible.

Incorporate flying creatures with the said typings such as Rankle, Master of Pranks, Bloodthirsty Aerialist, and Nighthawk Scavenger. Doing so will ensure combat damage to trigger Mari’s ability, especially if your opponents lack flying creatures in their arsenal.

#19. Jan Jansen, Chaos Crafter

Jan Jansen, Chaos Crafter can create two Treasures whenever you tap them to sacrifice an artifact creature. Get more value by building an army of artifact creature tokens with Myr Battlesphere, Myrel, Shield of Argive, and White Sun's Twilight.

Use cards such as Thousand-Year Elixir and Patriar's Seal to get more than one activation out of Jan Jansen each turn.

#18. Ziatora, the Incinerator

Ziatora, the Incinerator piles on the damage toward your opponents and their creatures and planeswalkers, depending on the power of creatures you sacrifice each end step. Plus, each sacrifice rewards you with three Treasures.

For each sacrificed creature, you can turn around and put +1/+1 counters equal to the sacrificed creature’s power on Kresh the Bloodbraided for added value. Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper gives you a Graveborn creature token as long as that sacrificed creature was a nontoken.

#17. Burakos, Party Leader

Burakos, Party Leader is a card from Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate that continues the party mechanic that started in Commander Legends. It’s much like Veteran Adventurer, Stonework Packbeast, and Tajuru Paragon since you can designate them as a cleric, rogue, warrior, or wizard.

Burakos is a flexible party member with Treasure token creating prowess! You can make up to four Treasure tokens and have an opponent lose four life each time Burakos attacks while controlling a full party.

Have Revel in Riches on the battlefield and accumulate your Treasure tokens for an easy win condition once you hit 10.

#16. Gimli of the Glittering Caves

Craft a team of red legendary creatures for Gimli of the Glittering Caves to get their +1/+1 counter triggers. Gimli’s increasing strength gives you more chances of landing combat damage to create a Treasure token. Because of double strike, you can create two Treasure tokens if Gimli goes unblocked.

Increase your Treasure token generation with Tempting Contract, Xorn, and Captain Lannery Storm. Don’t forget to equip Gimli's Axe to gain menace. Gimli's Fury will give a temporary pump and trample for when you’re ready to end the game.

#15. Captain Lannery Storm

Speaking of Captain Lannery Storm, they’re also a treasure commander. Cap’n creates the tokens on attack and temporarily pumps up as you sacrifice more of them.

Big Score and Seize the Spoils are sorceries that can enhance Treasure output while giving you access to card draw. Sacrifice enough Treasure tokens to increase Captain Lannery Storm’s power level while equipped with Embercleave to trample and double strike your way to victory.

#14. Kalain, Reclusive Painter

Kalain, Reclusive Painter strengthens your creatures with +1/+1 counters for every Treasure used to cast them. Professional Face-Breaker and Grim Hireling can increase your Treasure token output so that you can get more counters on future creatures you cast. As more Treasures enter the battlefield, Ingenious Artillerist deals damage to opposing life totals.

#13. Atsushi, the Blazing Sky

Atsushi, the Blazing Sky is a unique mono-red treasure commander that only rewards you with Treasure tokens when it dies. Include cards that say the legend rule does not apply such as Mirror Box, Mirror Gallery, and Helm of the Host.

Doing so can help you copy Atsushi to eventually have more death triggers to get those additional Treasures. Jaxis, the Troublemaker can copy Atsushi for a card and three Treasures whenever since the token copy will die right away from the legend rule.

#12. Bilbo, Retired Burglar

Bilbo, Retired Burglar has red and blue color identity so you can protect your board with counterspells like Mana Drain while you’re on your Treasure-making spree. Equip them with Bilbo's Ring so to make them unblockable and guarantee you create a Treasure token with on every combat.

#11. Ognis, the Dragon’s Lash

Don’t get too hasty now. But with Ognis, the Dragon's Lash, you need to be hasty to get Treasures. Build your board with creatures that have haste such as Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, Questing Beast, and the game-finishing card, Craterhoof Behemoth. Attack with them on the same turn to get tapped Treasures for later turns.
Enchantments such as Concordant Crossroads and Mass Hysteria can give haste to creatures in your build that don’t already have it.

#10. Magda, Brazen Outlaw

Magda, Brazen Outlaw is a treasure commander that‘s best built as a dwarf typal deck for the power bump and Treasure-making ability. Use cards that grant a second attack step such as Karlach, Fury of Avernus to land more combat damage with your dwarves while generating more Treasures as they tap to attack.

Add in seven of the Seven Dwarves cards from Throne of Eldraine for thematic flavor. They can also buff each other up and all get up to a power of 9/9 when you have all seven of them on the board simultaneously.

#9. Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator

Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator is the second and only other mono-blue treasure commander in the MTG universe. Partner lets you customize the color identity of your deck based on what pirates you want to feature in your build.

If you want to keep the pirate typal theme, have Breeches, Brazen Plunderer or Dargo, the Shipwrecker as your deck’s partner. The color identity of red and blue will allow you to include multicolored pirate staples in the deck build so you get more Treasures as they attack. 

Captain Vargus Wrath will temporarily pump your pirate army based on how many times you’ve cast your commanders from the command zone. Marauding Looter helps with card draw as long as you attack each turn. Zara, Renegade Recruiter gains control of an opponent’s creature from their hand when they attack.

#8. Jolene, the Plunder Queen

Jolene, the Plunder Queen has a nice ring to it just like when Treasure tokens make that whimsical money clang sound when they enter the battlefield on MTG Arena. Jolene’s different from other treasure commanders in that they encourage your opponents to attack each other rather than you to get Treasures in return.

Choose to create a Treasure with Tireless Provisioner every time a land enters. Speaking of lands, don’t forget to include Bootleggers' Stash so you can tap your lands to create Treasure tokens when you’re running low on them. Cue the “Treasure” song by Bruno Mars when you sacrifice five of them to bulk Jolene up with +1/+1 counters.

#7. Gorbag of Minas Morgul

Gorbag of Minas Morgul is the leader of your army of orcs and goblins. Sacrifice them after they deal combat damage to either draw a card or make a Treasure token. As a 2-drop commander, Gorbag can start creating value for your strategy fast.

Putrid Goblin’s persist ability will make them a key component of continuous Treasure token generation as they die and return to the battlefield. Pump your goblins with Mad Auntie and regenerate a goblin as needed.

Include Ruthless Knave to get more Treasure tokens when you pay 3 mana and sacrifice a creature. Throw in Pitiless Plunderer to generate more Treasure tokens when your goblins and orcs die.

#6. Rankle and Torbran

Every time they deal combat damage to a battle or player, you can have Rankle and Torbran make a Treasure token alongside two other choices. Goldspan Dragon, Revel in Riches, and other Treasure staples will increase token output to expedite the win.

Don’t forget to add in Torbran, Thane of Red Fell and Rankle, Master of Pranks to be on point with the character theme. Plus, the additions will increase damage output (Torbran) and access to card draw (Rankle).

#5. Forge, Neverwinter Charlatan

Forge, Neverwinter Charlatan is a Secret Lair Drop exclusive treasure commander that pumps themselves by 2 power for each Treasure token you control. Forge generates one Treasure per turn if an opponent has to sacrifice at least one creature.

Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, Priest of Forgotten Gods and Liliana, Dreadhorde General are a few staples to include to force your opponents to sacrifice creatures for Forge’s trigger.

#4. Glóin, Dwarf Emissary

Glóin, Dwarf Emissary is best built with artifact creatures, utility artifacts, enchantment sagas, and legendary creatures. These are the historic spells that’ll net you one Treasure token for each one you cast.

If you prefer Glóin to be your commander, you can have Magda, Brazen Outlaw in the 99 with seven of the Seven Dwarves cards. They’ll all pump each other up and give you more Treasures as they attack.

#3. Prosper, Tome-Bound

Prosper, Tome-Bound generates Treasure tokens whenever you play cards from exile. Jeska's Will and Professional Face-Breaker are just a couple of the many cards you can include in the build that exile more of your cards so you can play them from exile to create more Treasures.

Combine Prosper with Birgi, God of Storytelling and Sensei's Divining Top for infinite card draw triggers. Replace Birgi with Professional Face-Breaker and add in Xorn for the same effect.

#2. Old Gnawbone

Pile on the Treasure tokens with Old Gnawbone. This creature does more than create Treasure tokens when it deals combat damage; other creatures dealing combat damage can help you create Treasure tokens, too!

This is the only green dragon that deals with Treasure token generation. Double your token output with Doubling Season, Primal Vigor, or Parallel Lives. Having all three on the battlefield simultaneously will octuple your Treasure token output. That’s insanely awesome!

#1. Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

Oo-oo-ahh-ahh! It’s everyone’s favorite monkey: Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer! This treasure-nabbing primate comes in as the best treasure commander not only because of its popularity amongst the MTG commander community, but also because of its abilities.

Cast Ragavan for the dash cost to circumvent commander tax and avoid sorcery-speed removal. Utilize any of the red treasure commanders to enhance Treasure token output along with Treasure-generating equipment such as Beamtown Beatstick.

Best Treasure Commanders Payoffs

Treasure tokens have become so popular in the MTG universe that there are many Treasure-generating staples you can incorporate into your decks. While some of the payoff cards have already been mentioned, let’s summarize them all here again.

Let’s start with Dockside Extortionist. The more artifacts and enchantments your opponents have, the more Treasures that Dockside Extortionist generates for you. Cast this spell late in the game when board states have been well established, so you can get the resources needed to do a board wipe or execute your win condition.

Ancient Copper Dragon can create between one and 20 Treasures depending on how lucky you are at rolling dice.

Get an additional Treasure each time one or more Treasures are created while Xorn is on the battlefield. If you’re running low on Treasures, cast Bootleggers' Stash to get one Treasure for every land that you tap.

Target Goldspan Dragon with auras and instant/sorcery pump spells to create a Treasure token for each instance. Even when it attacks, you generate a Treasure.

The Reaver Cleaver is an unstoppable legendary artifact card from Dominaria United Commander that pumps the equipped creature and gives it trample to ensure combat damage and create Treasure tokens equivalent to the damage dealt.

Revel in Riches is the staple win condition for treasure commanders with black in their color identity. Each time an opponent’s creature dies, you get a Treasure token. As long as you have 10 or more Treasure tokens, you’ll win the game on your next upkeep. Opponents will be looking for enchantment removal or artifact removal as you get closer to having 10 Treasure tokens.

Black Market Connections is another staple for black treasure commanders highly sought after in the commander community. While you can create a Treasure on your precombat phase, it comes at the price of losing a life. However, utilizing your life points as a resource can put you one step closer to your win condition.

Hellkite Tyrant is one of the commander community’s favorite win conditions in Treasure decks that run red. Gaining control of an opponent’s artifacts when this dragon deals combat damage draws you closer to having 20 or more artifacts on your side of the battlefield to win the game.

Storm-Kiln Artist is a dwarf that goes great in Magda, Brazen Outlaw or a Gloin, Dwarf Emissary Commander deck for typal flavor. However, they can shine through in any treasure commander deck that includes red because Artist pumps themself by 1 power for every artifact you control. Since Treasures are artifacts, you’ll be hitting the gold mine as its power increases.

Commanding Conclusion

Rankle and Torbran | Illustration by Viko Menezes

Again, treasure commanders are legendary creatures that generate Treasure tokens in some way. We’ve highlighted some of the best ones for you to try out a Treasure token-themed Commander deck if you haven’t already!

What’s your favorite treasure commander and why? Keep up on the latest blog updates on the Draftsim Facebook page to read more MTG content. Check out more of the best Treasure cards in MTG to start generating ideas for your next Commander deck! Until next time, we hope you find the gold mine you’re looking for! In the words of Bruno Mars: “TRE-ZHA! That’s what you are!”