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Ranking the Commanders of Jumpstart: Magic Foundations

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Hello everyone! I'm Levi from The Thought Vessel Show, and today, we're diving into the legends from the Jumpstart: Magic Foundations packs. Unlike a regular set, with Jumpstart, you simply buy two packs, mix them together, and play. For anyone who hasn't tried it before, I definitely recommend it. It's a fun and unique way to experience Magic: The Gathering.

As usual, we'll be placing each of these creatures on our tier list. The lowest tier is E Tier, which is reserved for cards that will likely struggle to see play in Commander as a whole, let alone in the command zone. The highest tier is S Tier, reserved for unique and powerful cards that could become trendsetters in their respective archetypes. Let's jump in, starting with our E Tier!

E Tier: Barely Usable in Commander

Neerdiv, Devious Diver

Neerdiv, Devious Diver -- There are far better options for milling that don't require additional steps with tapping or untapping.

Ivora, Insatiable Heir -- Blood tokens aren't very effective in Commander, and Ivora lacks the Black color that Strefan, Maurer Progenitor offers for a similar strategy.

Anep, Vizier of Hazoret -- Impulse-drawing two extra cards is nice, but exerting your Commander in a mono-red deck that aims to be fast-paced is a losing battle.

Nazar, the Velvet Fang -- Although the card draw is nice, the color identity and mana cost limit this card's potential. There are simply better things I'd rather be doing.

D Tier: Decent, But Nothing Special

Urdnan, Dromoka Warrior -- Granting first strike or double strike is strong, but the +1/+1 counter space is crowded. Sticking to one color here doesn't add much value.

Hurska Sweet-Tooth -- Even if you're not using Universes Beyond cards, food tokens and lifegain decks offer far more powerful effects than temporary buffs.

Psemilla, Meletian Poet -- This enchantress voltron commander is neat, as it doesn't require tons of auras. However, it would work much better with additional colors.

Pol Jamaar, Illusionist -- This card can draw a lot, but six mana out of the command zone for mono-Blue might not be worth it.

Brigone, Soldier of Meletis -- This mono-White voltron commander offers a decent draw engine, but the voltron space is saturated. It may struggle to stand out.

Shroofus Sproutsire -- This card can generate amusing numbers of Saprolings, though Tana, the Bloodsower offers more in this role. With Partner, you could add Kamahl, Heart of Krosa as a finisher for an overrun effect. The art is adorable, though!

C Tier: Cool, But With Drawbacks

Cleon, Merry Champion

Cleon, Merry Champion -- This commander could work well with combat tricks, potentially surprising opponents with a quick kill using double strike. White would have been helpful for protection effects.

Cynette, Jelly Drover -- A quirky commander, its abilities are limited, with 1/1 flying Jellyfish and flier buffs. It's interesting, but the upside feels a bit limited.

Sutina, Speaker of the Tajuru -- Simple but effective, this could work well as a pauper or landfall commander.

B Tier: Solid, But Missing Something

Plagon, Lord of the Beach
Taeko, the Patient Avalanche

Plagon, Lord of the Beach -- Drawing off entering creatures could refill your hand, and attacking with toughness instead of power opens up a unique Azorius aggro build. I wish its activated ability affected all creatures, not just one.

Fumulus, the Infestation -- A flying, deathtouch bug commander that drains life from opponents. What's not to like?

Braulios of Pheres Band -- Essentially a budget Bonny Pall, Clearcutter, Braulios scales with land count and can sneak in more land drops over time.

Aphelia, Viper Whisperer -- Another deathtouch commander, this one focuses on Snake tokens. Its ability to halve life totals forces tough choices for opponents.

Taeko, the Patient Avalanche -- A solid ninja commander that uses creatures leaving play with ninjutsu effects. Looks fun!

Evereth, Viceroy of Plunder -- An artifact or creature sacrifice outlet in the command zone is powerful, especially with red and Black support. I only wish its ability wasn't restricted to sorcery speed.

A Tier: Fun, Interesting Designs

Qala, Ajani's Pridemate

Qala, Ajani's Pridemate -- It's exciting to see Ajani's Pridemate get a name! This could be a top-tier token and Soul Sisters deck, going wide with attacks.

Gornog, the Red Reaper -- Mono-Red warriors and cowards return! Count me in.

Rev, Tithe Extractor -- The anime-inspired artwork is fantastic, and with deathtouch and theft abilities in mono-Black, this looks like a fun deck to pilot.

General Kreat, the Boltbringer -- With a Hero of Bladehold-like effect and Impact Tremors combo, this could be a balanced choice for players who want to power down their Krenko decks.

S Tier: Trendsetters in Their Archetypes

Dionus, Elvish Archdruid
Slinza, the Spiked Stampede
Thurid, Mare of Destiny

Dionus, Elvish Archdruid -- A powerful commander that lets buffed-up mana dorks both attack and tap for mana later. I expect this one to become quite popular.

Slinza, the Spiked Stampede -- Finally, a beast commander outside of Simic! Gruul players, rejoice!

Thurid, Mare of Destiny -- Arguably the best typal commander for Pegasus, Unicorn, and Horse. Its vague ability encourages a fun deck filled with these types of cards and I predict Thurid will become quite popular because of that.

And there you have it! These were the new commanders from Foundations. Again, I can't recommend Jumpstart games enough as a quick way to play some games and possibly pull some of these commanders in the process. Until next time, happy gaming!

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