Myriad in MTG: Rules, History, and Best Cards

Last updated on April 10, 2024

Battle Angels of Tyr | Illustration by Fajareka Setiawan

Today I’m covering the myriad mechanic. This is one of those mechanics specifically created and designed for multiplayer formats.

I’ll cover myriad’s rules, rank the best myriad cards, and go over how the mechanic shines with a Commander deck built around it.

Ready? Set? Go!

How Does Myriad Work?

Legion Loyalty | Illustration by Aaron J. Riley

Whenever a creature with myriad attacks a certain player, you create a copy of the myriad creature to attack every other player (not including yourself, of course). This reduces some of the downside of attacking one player in a multiplayer format like Commander.

No one is safe with myriad creatures around, and politics won’t save you from being attacked.

The History of Myriad in MTG

Myriad was created in Commander 2015 and it appears in a few cards, notably Blade of Selves. The mechanic was liked enough to appear in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate in 2022.

Since it’s a multiplayer mechanic, myriad won’t appear in every set, just supplementary sets made to play in large groups, like the Conspiracy and Commander sets. Mechanics like encore, which was released with the original Commander Legends and is similar to myriad, show that there’s design space to do these types of mechanics that work best in multiplayer instead of the traditional 1v1.

Do You Have to Attack Everyone with Myriad?

Everything about the myriad mechanic is optional. But since the downside is minimal, you should attack everyone anyway.

Sometimes you don’t want to attack a certain opponent because they have (for example) a lifelink blocker that‘ll gain them some life, or a death trigger on a permanent that they can use. There are situations where you don’t want to attack a particular player because you’ll lose life if you do, or they have a creature they'd rather block with and send to the graveyard.

What Happens if You Only Have One Opponent Left?

Myriad states that you create a copy of the creature for each opponent other than the defending player, so if there are no other players other than you and the defending player, no copies are created. You can’t just create tokens of creatures based on the starting number of opponents, only how many are still in the game.

Can You Attack a Planeswalker Using Myriad?

You can definitely attack a planeswalker with a myriad creature.

What if There’s Equipment or Counters on Your Myriad Creature?

A Myriad copy has all the characteristics of the original creature, including “until end of turn” abilities. But any counters, auras, or equipment the creature may have aren’t copied, only the intrinsic properties of the myriad creature.

Do Myriad Tokens Count as “Declaring Attackers?”

Only the original myriad creature is declared as the attacker during the declare attacker step. The other copies don’t count as declaring attackers. Similar rulings apply to Den of the Bugbear, which creates a 1/1 creature that’s also attacking.

Do Myriad Tokens Trigger ETB effects?

Since you create tokens that are copies of the attacking creature, they still trigger ETB effects for each creature.

Do Myriad Tokens Trigger Death Triggers?

Myriad tokens are exiled at the end of the turn and don’t trigger death triggers.

Does Myriad Trigger “Attacks Alone” or Not?

The creature with myriad isn’t the only creature attacking (assuming you still have at least two opponents in the game), so effects on “attacks alone” mechanics like exalted don’t trigger.

Can a Creature Have Myriad Twice?

If one or more effects grant a creature myriad, let’s say Blade of Selves and Legion Loyalty, the “double myriad” creature’s controller can attack their other opponents with two copies of the creature.

How Does Myriad Work in 1v1 Magic?

Nothing happens with myriad creatures in 1v1 Magic since you only have one opponent. You can just ignore the text on the card. The only exception would be a card with rules text like “each creature with myriad has flying” since it has to do with the myriad keyword, not how many opponents you have.

Myriad vs. Encore

Encore is a mechanic that plays in a very similar space to myriad, with certain differences.

The encore cost can only be paid if the creature is in the graveyard, and the tokens created to attack are sacrificed at the end step. But myriad works from the battlefield, doesn’t create tokens that are copies of the cards but copies. Also, at the end of turn, and its tokens are exiled at the end of the turn.

Is Myriad Good?

Myriad does its job well in a multiplayer format like Commander, depending on the incentives you have for attacking. It can be one of the best things ever if you give your attacking-style commander myriad.

Myriad works well with Dimir () style that have evasion and do something when dealing combat damage to a player. It’s also awesome with creatures that have enter- and leave-the-battlefield effects.

Gallery and List of Myriad Cards

There are 18 myriad cards, all from Commander 2015 and Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate.

• Banshee of the Dread Choir
• Battle Angels of Tyr
• Blade of Selves
• Broodbirth Viper
• Caller of the Pack
• Duke Ulder Ravengard
• Elturel Survivors
• Firbolg Flutist
• Genasi Enforcers
• Gnoll War Band
• Hammers of Moradin
• Herald of the Host
• Legion Loyalty
• Tabaxi Toucaneers
• Tiamat's Fanatics
• Warchief Giant
• Wizards of Thay
• Wyrm's Crossing Patrol

Best Myriad Cards

#18. Wyrm's Crossing Patrol

I see Wyrm's Crossing Patrol as a quick way to get attack triggers or attack a player without a defense. Especially if your commander benefits from attack or damage triggers. The 1/1 is very low impact otherwise.

#17. Genasi Enforcers

Although Genasi Enforcers doesn’t deal damage by itself, a 1/3 creature can at least safely attack without getting blocked and dying. But the activated ability can be an interesting mana sink. And you can create a lot of damage out of nowhere if you can copy the Enforcers or its myriad trigger.

#16. Tiamat's Fanatics

Tiamat's Fanatics is at least a 4/3 haste which can take everyone by surprise. Still a low power common in this list.

#15. Tabaxi Toucaneers

Tabaxi Toucaneers have evasion, and a 3/2 flier is a somewhat good creature to attack considering these cards are made for drafting a Commander deck. It's nice to get into a position where you can attack everybody for three in the air.

#14. Hammers of Moradin

Hammers of Moradin is a 3/3 for three mana, which is decent in Limited. And it taps a blocker when it attacks, so it even helps you get in with more creatures or your commander.

#13. Warchief Giant

Warchief Giant is a little better than Tiamat's Fanatics since it's a 5/3 haste for the same mana cost. But that's about it.

#12. Gnoll War Band

Gnoll War Band is a 5/5 menace that can be cast for cheap in a myriad deck that wants to attack a lot of different opponents every turn. This works well with cards like Spear Spewer or Flame Rift, and the spectacle mechanic in general.

#11. Caller of the Pack

The myriad creatures are getting bigger. An 8/6 trample attacking everyone is no joke, and myriad is a mechanic that really cares about the size of the creature. Players will get hurt around the table. Just make sure that the player you're attacking with Caller of the Pack won't block and kill it.

#10. Banshee of the Dread Choir

Banshee of the Dread Choir is worse than the other cards by its stats alone, but being able to connect the attack and forcing your opponents to discard is so much better. Think about ways to give it evasion if you're looking to put this card in your Commander deck.

#9. Broodbirth Viper

Similar to the Banshee, Broodbirth Viper needs to hit some players to draw cards. But blue is the king of flying so there's that.

Equipment or commanders that can give unblockable are very good with this card. Some commanders and enchantments can even give the Viper double strike to draw extra cards.

#8. Herald of the Host

Classic card Serra Angel just got a little better. Herald of the Host attacks, blocks, and deals damage. It doesn't need any support, just clean skies ahead.

I just want to combine this with Frondland Felidar to attack for 16 and have four tappers.

#7. Firbolg Flutist

We're entering rare territory now, and anyone that’s already played MTG knows that there's always that scary monster that someone at the table plays, that ancient dragon or 30/30 hydra.

You can steal it for one turn and attack everyone without any discrimination thanks to Firbolg Flutist. Bonus points if you can sac it instead of giving it back.

#6. Wizards of Thay

Wizards of Thay isn’t very strong on its own as a Hill Giant. The value lies in attacking with a bunch of them, reducing your next sorcery or instant by three and casting it (with flash even).

So that Cyclonic Rift with overload can cost four? I’d even be okay to sacrifice the Wizards to cast a powerful 9- 10-mana spell, like Villainous Wealth with a discount.

#5. Elturel Survivors

Elturel Survivors don't really shine at the start of the game. But if your opponents have 10+ lands and you attack everyone with a 10/4 trample, that's gotta be scary.

#4. Duke Ulder Ravengard

The top myriad cards are almost all cards that give myriad to another creature, because that's where the power lies. Goldspan Dragon with myriad creates lots of tokens and mana while Inferno Titan deals lots of damage across the table.

Being able to make a Commander deck where every creature can have haste and myriad thanks to cards like Duke Ulder Ravengard is a nice idea in my books.

#3. Blade of Selves

Equipping a creature and giving it myriad is a very nice effect, and it combos with a lot of different stuff. The extra nice thing is that Blade of Selves can go into any Commander deck.

#2. Battle Angels of Tyr

Battle Angels of Tyr is a 4/4 creature with flying, which is a good rate for a creature you'd put in your white decks. And it has a “whenever it deals combat damage” ability which goes nicely with myriad. You'll get to draw cards, make Treasure, or gain life, and the three effects can happen all at once.

#1. Legion Loyalty

All your creatures have myriad! Granted, Legion Loyalty costs eight mana and can be disrupted. But imagine laying this card down and attacking with four or five creatures.

Not to mention that myriad can be copied, so if your creatures already had myriad, the triggers happen twice.

Decklist: Duke Ulder Ravengard in Commander

Duke Ulder Ravengard | Illustration by Eric Deschamps

I decided to go with a commander that gives everybody out there haste and myriad, which is Duke Ulder Ravengard. The interesting thing about the Duke is that it affects the combat when it enters, and each creature you cast after that can potentially have haste and myriad (although only one at a time). You want some creatures that are impactful with good ETB triggers, attack triggers and if possible, LTB triggers to maximize “myriadness.”

Besides everything you’d expect from a Boros () commander (removal, sweepers, mana fixing, etc.), I also put an extra package of creatures that are good with haste and myriad. Another thing to watch out for is that if you grant a creature myriad with cards like Blade of Selves or Legion Loyalty alongside Duke’s myriad granting ability, the creature will have twice the myriad.

The deck’s plan is really simple: make sure your creatures attack with myriad over and over again. Sometimes there will be extra turns, like when Moraug is involved, or sometimes it will just rain fire with Inferno Titan, six damage per titan, or you’ll draw a bunch of cards with Inspiring Overseer.

Wrap Up

Herald of the Host | Illustration by Nils Hamm

Myriad is one of those mechanics created thanks to the popularity of multiplayer formats. These formats usually don’t encourage you to attack because you’re not winning on the exchange, and you’re benefiting your opponents that aren’t being attacked. Fortunately you can attack everyone equally with myriad.

To abuse myriad you’ll need a clear way to attack to avoid losing your myriad creatures, which can usually be done with a bit of removal and evasion. Creatures that have enters-the-battlefield or attack triggers are extra useful if you’re grating myriad left and right.

I hope you found this useful. Do you have any wild stories about myriad creatures running amok? Let me know in the comments down below or join the discussion in the Draftsim Discord.

Until the next time, stay safe!