Squad Commander MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Kor Warrior
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Generates creature tokens, providing board presence and card advantage with every new Warrior played.
  2. Instant speed token creation with a full party surprises opponents, disrupting their strategy.
  3. However, Squad Commander’s effectiveness hinges on maintaining a diverse creature party.

Text of card

When Squad Commander enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Kor Warrior creature token for each creature in your party. (Your party consists of up to one each of Cleric, Rogue, Warrior, and Wizard.) At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you have a full party, creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain indestructible until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Squad Commander provides an immediate impact on the board by generating additional creature tokens whenever another Warrior enters the battlefield under your control. This creates multiple threats and potential blockers, keeping your hand stocked with other spells and options.

Resource Acceleration: While Squad Commander itself doesn’t produce mana, it facilitates an accelerated board presence, potentially reducing the cost of future party mechanics or tribal synergies. By increasing the creature count you control, it can indirectly lead to a form of ‘resource acceleration’ through efficient use of your creatures.

Instant Speed: The ability to create a sizeable army at instant speed during your end step if you have a full party can catch opponents off guard, disrupting their calculations and potentially altering their combat strategies or spell timing, adding a layer of complexity and advantage to your gameplay.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Squad Commander requires you to have a party of creatures with varying types to fully leverage its abilities. This stipulation means that in some scenarios, without a diversified party, it leads to a suboptimal board presence, potentially wasting the card’s potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Sporting a specific white mana cost not only makes Squad Commander somewhat restrictive in deck-building but also demands a focused mana base which can be a hurdle in multicolored decks that may not prioritize white mana generation.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four, which includes three generic and one white mana, Squad Commander’s cost might be seen as steep considering the current meta where tempo plays a crucial role. Players may opt for lower-cost creatures that allow for faster and more flexible gameplay strategies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Squad Commander offers an adaptable role in decks that focus on party mechanics or creature-heavy strategies, seamlessly integrating into the board state and bolstering your forces.

Combo Potential: This card can escalate the power level of your game play significantly when combined with other cards that boost creature count or benefit from multiple creatures entering the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: With a constantly evolving meta, Squad Commander shines in environments where summoning multiple creatures can pressure opponents and sway the tide of battle in your favor.


How to beat

Squad Commander is a powerful card that can quickly turn the tides in a game of Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to create a 1/1 white Kor Warrior creature token for each creature in your party, it can overwhelm opponents with sheer numbers. However, to effectively counter Squad Commander, one strategy is to limit the number of creatures your opponent controls. Spells that cause mass removal, like Wrath of God or Damnation, prove to be effective by clearing the battlefield of multiple targets at once.

An alternative method is to prevent Squad Commander from entering the battlefield in the first place. Counterspells are handy in this scenario – a well-timed Mana Leak or Dovin’s Veto can nip the problem in the bud. Last but not least, instant-speed removal spells like Path to Exile or Terror can eliminate Squad Commander before its ability has the chance to cause any real damage. This prompt removal is crucial, especially before the combat phase when tokens are typically created.

Ultimately, managing your opponent’s creature count and having the right counters or removal spells at the right time are key strategies in outmaneuvering Squad Commander and maintaining an edge in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG is well reflected in the card interactions of Squad Commander. Your gameplay can flourish by integrating this card with careful planning and an emphasis on party mechanics. Building a robust deck around the commander ensures a wartime advantage with every creature that graces the battlefield. While mindful of the deck’s mana base and diversity, the benefits gained from a well-assembled party can be a turning point in your matches. For those looking to harness the full potential of Squad Commander and thrive within the evolving MTG meta, we welcome you to expand your knowledge and expertise with us. Step into the command zone; your journey to victory starts here.


Cards like Squad Commander

Squad Commander stands out in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering, akin to notable cards like Brimaz, King of Oreskos. While Brimaz also centers on creating creature tokens upon attacking or blocking, Squad Commander alternatively flexes its might by conjuring a 1/1 white Kor Warrior creature token for each creature in your party at the end of your turn. This not only diversifies your creature base but can also swiftly amplify your battlefield presence if you have a full party.

Another comparable card is Winota, Joiner of Forces, which also leverages the power of creatures entering the battlefield, but it does so through non-Human creature triggers that fetch Human creatures into play. Squad Commander, conversely, benefits directly from the party mechanic intrinsic to the Zendikar Rising set, rewarding a varied creature type assembly. Nevertheless, Winota could potentially cheat out more powerful creatures, albeit with a degree of unpredictability.

Comparing these cards within Magic: The Gathering showcases how each card can be pivotal, depending on the context of the deck they’re played in. Squad Commander can solidify your command over the game with a steadfast stream of tokens, provided you maintain a diverse party to maximize its potential.

Brimaz, King of Oreskos - MTG Card versions
Winota, Joiner of Forces - MTG Card versions
Brimaz, King of Oreskos - Born of the Gods (BNG)
Winota, Joiner of Forces - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)

Cards similar to Squad Commander by color, type and mana cost

Northern Paladin - MTG Card versions
Moorish Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Witch Hunter - MTG Card versions
Carrier Pigeons - MTG Card versions
Tormented Angel - MTG Card versions
Seasoned Marshal - MTG Card versions
Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Teroh's Vanguard - MTG Card versions
Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Devoted - MTG Card versions
Leonin Abunas - MTG Card versions
Kami of Old Stone - MTG Card versions
Aven Cloudchaser - MTG Card versions
Blinking Spirit - MTG Card versions
Seht's Tiger - MTG Card versions
Valor - MTG Card versions
Veteran of the Depths - MTG Card versions
Guardian Seraph - MTG Card versions
Lightkeeper of Emeria - MTG Card versions
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions
Northern Paladin - Revised Edition (3ED)
Moorish Cavalry - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Witch Hunter - Chronicles (CHR)
Carrier Pigeons - Alliances (ALL)
Tormented Angel - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Seasoned Marshal - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Coalition Honor Guard - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Teroh's Vanguard - Torment (TOR)
Mangara, the Diplomat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Akroma's Devoted - Legions (LGN)
Leonin Abunas - Mirrodin (MRD)
Kami of Old Stone - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Aven Cloudchaser - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Blinking Spirit - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Seht's Tiger - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Valor - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Veteran of the Depths - Lorwyn (LRW)
Guardian Seraph - Magic 2010 (M10)
Lightkeeper of Emeria - Worldwake (WWK)
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - Salvat 2011 (PS11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Squad Commander MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Zendikar Rising Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Squad Commander and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Squad Commander Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2020-09-25 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by Ekaterina Burmak.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 838042015normalblackEkaterina Burmak
22020-09-25Zendikar Rising PromosPZNR 41s2015normalblackEkaterina Burmak
32020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 3232015normalblackEkaterina Burmak
42020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 412015normalblackEkaterina Burmak
52020-09-25Zendikar Rising PromosPZNR 41p2015normalblackEkaterina Burmak
62022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7092015normalblackEkaterina Burmak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Squad Commander has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Squad Commander card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-09-25 An ability referring to the number of creatures in your party gets a number from zero to four. Such abilities never ask which creatures are in your party, and you never have to designate specific creatures as being in your party. You can't choose to exclude creatures from this count to lower the number.
2020-09-25 If a creature has more than one party creature type, and there are multiple ways to count that creature that could result in a different number of creatures in your party, the highest such number is used. For example, if you control a Cleric and a Cleric Wizard, the number of creatures in your party is two. You can't choose to have it be just one by counting the Cleric Wizard first as a Cleric.
2020-09-25 If an ability of a creature counts the number of creatures in your party, that number is counted as the ability resolves. If that creature is still on the battlefield when the ability resolves, it'll be counted if appropriate.
2020-09-25 Once Squad Commander's last ability has resolved, the affected creatures won't lose +1/+0 or indestructible if you no longer have a full party.
2020-09-25 Some cards refer to you having a “full party.” This is true if the number of creatures in your party is four.
2020-09-25 Squad Commander's last ability affects only creatures you control at the time it resolves. Creatures you begin to control later in the turn won't get +1/+0 or gain indestructible.
2020-09-25 To determine “the number of creatures in your party,” check whether you control a Cleric, whether you control a Rogue, whether you control a Warrior, and whether you control a Wizard. The number is the total number of those checks to which you answered yes. Each creature you control can be counted for only one of those checks.

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