The 30 Best Simic Card Draw Cards in Magic Ranked

Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait | Illustration by Viktor Titov

Green and blue, together called Simic after the Ravnican guild of said colors, are in an interesting space in Magic. The worst color pair for years in Limited, Simic in casual Commander is arguably the best color pair (Relax! I said “arguably”!).

A key piece of the Simic package when it works is card draw, which you can see when you look at the most popular Simic commanders at the top of this list. Although sometimes just running blue card draw is easier, there are some snowballing synergies that come with some the best Simic cards.

Let’s take a look!

What Is Simic Card Draw in MTG?

Keruga, the Macrosage | Illustration by Dan Scott

Simply put, we’re looking for cards with both blue and green in their color identities, and only those Simic colors that draw cards. There are almost 70 cards in this color pair that do that, but we’ll narrow it down to the 30 best.

We’ve got a mix of spells and creatures, all the basic Simic vibes, which makes sense given that Simic combines the creature-based card draw of green all the way back to Pyknite and the classic blue spell-based card draw.

Many of these cards are staples you are well familiar with, especially from a Commander perspective, where “Simic draws cards” is kind of the joke. But there will be some here under your radar, perhaps.

#30. River Hoopoe

I’m mostly kidding with this card, although Simic decks often get to the place where they can activate this card once or twice between turns, so it’s a kind of flood protection. Really, though River Hoopoe is here because my playgroup insists this card is rock-bottom terrible, it has won me two games: once with timely lifegain, and the other to get me some advantage in a topdeck war. They’d say I’d have won sooner if I had played a real card and not the river bird. They might be right. I think I want to call for a judgment from the readers. Let me know in the comments!

#29. Sages of the Anima

One more hot take. No one plays Sages of the Anima. You’re thinking, “That’s because it’s a terrible card.” You’re probably right. Once this is out, no more lands for you, for one thing. But is it possible to build a reasonable deck in Simic colors that’s all creatures, especially with adventures? If so, that’s a lot of cards? Maybe. This is a card I don’t think people know about. I didn’t! I’m going to grab one for my Tazri, Beacon of Unity party deck, as it’s a wizard.

The other idea is to make sure you have cards like Shrieking Drake that can bounce this as needed, or perhaps something like a Vodalian Illusionist to phase it out? Eh, probably a bad idea, but there’s power here if you can find a way around the massive downside.

#28. Thunderous Snapper

Thunderous Snapper is generally unplayable, but if you’re building an Up the Beanstalk deck, having another much worse backup of the effect seems fine.

#27. Keruga, the Macrosage

It seems impossible to run this as a companion in EDH. There aren’t enough cards that you can pitch or adventure around the mana value the way you can manage in 60-card formats. And this isn’t a good Simic commander. Is it worth it to run Keruga, the Macrosage in the 99?

A 5/4 body that draws at least one card for itself? Not really. If you have a deck that can let you draw at least four with some regularity, then Keruga might be worth it. If you’re in some kind of Bant blink deck, then maybe more so.

#26. Jolrael, Voice of Zhalfir

Jolrael, Voice of Zhalfir is Toski, Bearer of Secrets for land creatures. That’s a good source of cards if there’s enough land creatures. Aside from its onboard trigger, there are a lot of creature lands, including plenty in Simic colors. And Simic has a lot of spells and abilities that animate lands for attack, as well, from popular cards like Druid Class and Destiny Spinner to a lot of them in the snow-covered land space, like Avalanche Caller to Balduvian Conjurer.

This all still seems a bit not quite there, but I imagine soon enough it will be.

#25. Biomantic Mastery

Usually spending 7 mana to draw a ton of cards at sorcery speed isn’t exactly the right move. But this Overflowing Insight variant can really drop a massive number of cards in a game of Commander. If you’re the kind of Simic deck that ramps hard with mana dorks, you’ll get a lot of cards. If you can cheat Biomantic Mastery out somehow or can use this in a shell with flash granting effects like Borne Upon a Wind, it could be worth it. Most likely this is the kind of win more card you convince yourself is good and then slowly realize you need to cut it for, like, even an Opt, but if your deck needs to draw 18 cards one time, there is little better.

#24. Kiora, the Crashing Wave

In Commander, Kiora, the Crashing Wave is often a sorcery speed Growth Spiral for 4 mana that leaves a planeswalker behind. Not awesome. But in an Atraxa, Praetors' Voice superfriends space where you’re proliferating, this might just retain enough value.

#23. Incubation // Incongruity

Not exactly card draw per se, Incubation // Incongruity is like a sorcery speed Opt that nabs only creatures, which is nice in an opening hand if you run a lot of mana elves. And the incongruity side isn’t to be slept upon. It’s an upgraded Generous Gift that exiles its target. Both halves at instant speed makes this perfect in a creature-heavy Simic deck.

#22. Alaundo the Seer

It’s slowish tappy card draw plus extra suspend “card draw” and synergies with decks helmed by The Tenth Doctor and The Thirteenth Doctor that appreciate casting from exile and/or time counters. Alaundo the Seer is this a pretty solid Temur card, so a Harmonic Prodigy wouldn’t be unwelcome. And in pure Simic, card like Instill Energy and Legolas's Quick Reflexes are excellent.

#21. Prime Speaker Zegana

Prime Speaker Zegana is a bit like Keruga, the Macrosage, but it usually works better in a Simic deck that has a few tall fellows. Even something like Koma, Cosmos Serpent is enough to get a stack of cards. I don’t love this card, as outside of a resilient card like Koma, Zegana can flop to well-timed instant speed removal and turn into a 6 mana 1/1 that draws a card or two. I’d play this card only in decks that run lots of counterspells and protection.

#20. Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca

Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca is the far and away most popular Simic merfolk commander because it can draw a ton of cards if you’re going wide with cards like Deeproot Waters and Deeproot Pilgrimage. The card draw just doesn’t work outside of that space, so it’s a difficult card to rank.

#19. Fathom Mage

Simic’s ability to drop counters means this card can really go off on a good turn. That’s good, because a 1/1 for 4 with evolve isn’t good enough to make Fathom Mage playable on its own.

#18. Hydroid Krasis

This is how you stabilized the game when you finally got your Wilderness Reclamation down in those decks. Life, cards, a big flier. But you need real mana for this to matter. Cast for 4 it’s a 2/2 flier that gets a card and a life. That’s Inspiring Overseer territory, which isn’t all that inspiring outside of Limited.

#17. Cold-Eyed Selkie

What sets Cold-Eyed Selkie apart from all the Scroll Thief style competition is that unique text that rewards you for pumping it up, which Simic is pretty good at. That islandwalk helps, as well, as someone at the EDH table is running blue.

#16. Golden Ratio

I know Golden Ratio is a sorcery, but it’s better than you think. In my Galadriel of Lothlórien ramp deck, last time I cast this I drew five cards. Usually it gets three, which is a good rate.

#14. Eureka Moment

Quick Study is 2023 design. Before that you had to deal with downsides to draw two cards for 3 mana at instant speed. Eureka Moment is a decent rate, especially for Commander, once you factor in the land drop. That’s the tough part. If you can’t have a reasonable expectation to have lands in hand, this may not be worth it. This is maybe a bit more niche than it seems, being better off in lands-centric decks like Jolrael, Voice of Zhalfir and Zimone and Dina.

#14. Gretchen Titchwillow

Gretchen Titchwillow doesn’t look like much, but we’ve seen how powerful a 4-mana activated ability to draw a card at instant can be in Spectral Sailor tempo decks. The land drop is even better. A case could be made to run it as your Simic commander and stack the rest of the deck with all the huge things you’re deciding between as your possible commanders, as it can come down earlier and start ramping.

Gretchen is especially good to have as a command zone option when your various ramp options aren’t showing up in your hand and you don’t want to have to think about mulliganing to five, say.

#13. Zimone, Quandrix Prodigy

Although Gretchen is a more popular commander, I think Zimone, Quandrix Prodigy has a higher ceiling. If you’re playing a lot of Nature's Lore style ramp cards you can get to it drawing two pretty quickly, which is just nuts for a 2-drop. On later turns there aren’t going to be enough lands in hand for Gretchen to add that value, and on earlier turns, being able to tap Zimone for one to ramp a land is really nice.

#12. Primal Empathy

In Simic decks that go tall or at least spew +1/+1 counters, Primal Empathy is Phyrexian Arena without a downside. And if you do fall behind on power, it dishes out counters, which often can trigger something like Fathom Mage and get the train rolling. I’d have said 3 mana for an enchantment that draws a card a turn might be a little slow for todays’ Magic, but given that the Arena is pretty popular on, well, Arena, maybe there’s some legs here after all.

#11. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner

A key piece to Pioneer mono-green devotion decks, Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner’s untap ability alone is likely worth it in many decks, like Prime Speaker Vannifar. But that static ability triggers a surprising number of times in beefy Simic decks.

#10. Risen Reef

Card draw by another name, if I didn’t include Risen Reef many of you would be wondering why it wasn’t here. It’s the star of various obnoxious to play against elementals typal decks. If you’ve not had the pleasure, it triggers every time an elemental ETBs, so this is a lot of cards. And if you play that deck, you know that it kind of feels like you’re drawing cards.

There are other cards in this space which I’ll let the Reef stand in for, as they aren’t exactly card draw, like The Fourth Doctor and Korlessa, Scale Singer, but nothing is as good as the Reef.

#9. Urban Evolution

Draw three for 5 mana seems to be the rate. Urban Evolution lets you drop a land because Simic. At sorcery speed, that’s not the best thing ever, but when you manage this on turn 2, you’re eatin’ good.

#8. Bred for the Hunt

Three mana for a harder to kill Toski, Bearer of Secrets/Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor sort of effect? Yes, please. In Simic, usually there’s some +1/+1 counters stuff going on, so make sure that’s your build before you sleeve up Bred for the Hunt.

#7. Growth Spiral

I had to put this ubiquitous card on the list, even though you’d never run it for the inefficient card draw alone. Growth Spiral is a terrific ramp card you’re likely already playing. The card draw is just the cherry on top.

#6. Tishana, Voice of Thunder

A sort of fixed Prime Speaker Zegana, Tishana, Voice of Thunder is less subject to a blowout on casting. This card can drop as a huge beater drawing a ton of cards. And since it’s an enter-the-battlefield effect, you can blink to your heart’s content, assuming you’re not just slapping this at the head of a go wide merfolk army ready to take revenge on the surface dwellers for their crimes!

#5. Thrasios, Triton Hero

A popular cEDH partner commander, Thrasios, Triton Hero seems somewhat underwhelming on its face, but in high mana environments, its activated ability really begins to add up. As good as it can be to have Gretchen Titchwillow in the command zone, Thrasios is even better, especially with partner.

#4. Uro, Titan of Nature’s Wrath

Busted and sometimes banned, Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath is a bit tamer in Commander. The escape ability means you don’t have to pay commander tax if you’re filling the graveyard regularly, which appeals to some players. But just as a 3-drop Growth Spiral that gives you life and a threat later, Uro is a pretty great 3-drop in the 99.

#3. Edric, Spymaster of Trest

Because Edric, Spymaster of Trest can be your general, that edges it out over Bred for the Hunt, even though it’s easier to kill. This Simic Commander classic seems like it has a downside in that it grants opponents cards when their creatures attack someone else, but isn’t encouraging opponents to attack each other the best thing? They think they’re pulling you along for the ride for second place, but if your late game is better, the tables will turn.

#2. Tatyova, Benthic Druid

Tatyova, Benthic Druid is the base model for the upgraded effect on our #1, and it remains a popular and powerful commander today. Being 1 mana cheaper than Aesi helps Tatyova retain a small share of cEDH decks, as it’s a bit easier to luck into being able to drop it on turn 1 than it is to do so with a 6-drop.

There’s just something satisfying about landfall mechanics rewarding you for doing things you have to do to play the game anyway. There’s also something satisfying about rolling people with an uncommon in the command zone!

#1. Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait

The face commander of its precon deck, Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait is the most popular Simic commander because it’s a card draw machine, both on its own and in synergy with other great Simic cards like the others on this list. What makes Aesi really go, though, are the green and Simic land ramp cards like Explore and Growth Spiral, which are reasonably plentiful. Aesi not only gives your deck something to do when you topdeck a Nature's Lore on a later turn, it almost makes it a good thing.

Best Simic Card Draw Payoffs

Cards are often their own reward, especially in a color pair like Simic, where you’ll often have enough mana to cast them. But there are a few specific kinds of payoffs for Simic decks that are worth exploring.

Pump

Many cards get temporary buffs from card draw. The classic is Dream Trawler, but there are others, including Burlfist Oak in green and Bloodhaze Wolverine in red.

Drain/Gain

You’ve got to expand beyond Simic, but cards like Zimone and Dina and Queza, Augur of Agonies pay you off in a different way for card draw. And you can get similar things going with Psychosis Crawler, Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, and Niv-Mizzet, Parun, among others. In Simic, you get Horizon Chimera, which isn’t a lot, but it’s something.

Counters

Many of these payoffs are in blue specifically, like Wizard Class and Chasm Skulker, but of course the Simic flag bearer for this effect is Lorescale Coatl.

Creatures

You can go tall with Ominous Seas, wide with Alandra, Sky Dreamer, or tall/wide with Nadir Kraken, among others. There are a few ways to convert card draw into bodies, some in other colors as well, like Hoofprints of the Stag.

Mill

Blue has quite a number of cards that mill based on card draw, and it’s probably the most reliable way to try to mill people out in Commander. Think Jace's Erasure, Psychic Corrosion, Sphinx's Tutelage, and Teferi's Tutelage.

Archmage Ascension

A really powerful thing to do with card draw if you can take the time to get it on the battlefield is Archmage Ascension, which just turns into a constant stream of tutoring if they don’t deal with it.

Wrap Up

Tishana, Voice of Thunder | Illustration by Anna Steinbauer

Especially in Commander, Simic is all about that card advantage. Hopefully I've given you some food for thought today, especially if you’re new to the Simic EDH space. If nothing else, you can see that you are a bit spoiled for choice when it comes to Simic commanders that help you draw cards. There’s a decent choice at many ranges of mana values, so if you need to speed up or slow down your deck to tune for your local meta, you’ve got options.

A word of warning before I finish, though, especially if you’re newish to Commander. The big Simic commanders on this list draw you a lot of hate early. If you’re going to look like a scary value machine, be sure your deck is stacked with scary value!

Who is your Simic commander of choice, veteran players? Anyone not on the list? Let me know in the comments or on the Draftsim Discord.

Happy card draw!