Edge of Eternities has officially launched! Hopefully you were able to get out to your LGS for a prerelease event or get the opportunity to draft this new set. If you were able to do any of those things, you're probably already staring at a pile of useless bulk to file away into the archives. But wait, some of those might be good enough for your next Commander deck! Before you file them away, consider taking these cards out first:

Focus Fire

White has more one mana removal spells than you could ever need, but here we have yet another. Focus Fire is a brand new way to remove your opponent's creatures for one mana at instant speed. This card is not as good as cards like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile, but with the amount of decks I always am brewing up, I never seem to have enough of them. Focus Fire seems to be a great alternative in a pinch. Jeskai prowess-based decks seem to be popping off more and more and want more noncreature spells to choose from and this just adds another option.

Illvoi Galeblade

Illvoi Galeblade is great for Yuriko players! This creature is only one Blue mana with flying that you can sacrifice for a card. It also has flash for playing at the most optimal time, your opponent's end step. This card isn't anything new in the design space, but another option for pesky evasive creature decks that need to get in for combat damage. Since this creature is only one mana and can replace itself easily, it makes for a great budget inclusion in Commanders such as Edric, Spymaster of Trest or Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar.

Zookeeper Mechan

Red seems to be getting a new theme in these two cost mana dorks. Brazen Collector and Sunset Strikemaster are examples of this that we received in the last year. Zookeeper Mechan is another one of these cheap dorks for Red players. Green is the primary color to have these types of reliable ramp options so it is nice to see another color get access to it. These Red dorks also provide a little utility by having another effect stapled to them which is also nice! I hope they keep this subtheme up with Red and give it more explosive ramp to be able to cast the large Red spells we all know and love, like Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness.

Gene Pollinator

Gene Pollinator is a Green mana dork. Gene Pollinator has to tap a permanent you control along with it to generate a mana of any color. This is a new innovation in this design space, since it allows you to color fix your lands you have in play, or allow you to tap another permanent to generate more mana. I love these types of mana dorks, especially with the new keyword Survival we received from Duskmourn. Kona, Rescue Beastie and Rip, Spawn Hunter are the first Commanders that come to mind when I think of mana dorks similar to Gene Pollinator. However, I do believe that Gene Pollinator is the best version of any of these dorks. Just be careful to remember that it is an artifact and can be removed even easier than your normal mana dork.

Divert Disaster

Divert Disaster is land ramp in Blue?! That is a little misleading, however, it is a spell that has the ability to grant you a chance to ramp. Divert Disaster counters a spell unless the caster pays an additional two. We see this type of counterspell a lot in common slots in sets, it makes for a great Limited card. The reason this card is remotely good in Commander is because it generates a Lander token if the opponent pays the two to keep their spell. This essentially becomes a two mana create a Lander token, while also causing our opponent to lose two mana. This card seems great at countering spells as well as playing it in a pinch if we are just behind on land drops.

Decode Transmissions

Decode Transmissions is a Black card draw spell that doesn't make you lose life. For two and a Black you draw two cards and lose two life unless you trigger void. Void triggers as long as a nonland permanent left the battlefield this turn. This can be triggered by sacrificing one of the new Lander tokens or cracking a treasure token. It also can be triggered by removing one of your opponents' things on the field. Decode Transmissions will drain each of your opponents for two life if you have triggered Void. Night's Whisper will continue to be a staple for a long time, but this card still might be a consideration in decks focused on draining out your opponents for the win.

Sami's Curiosity

Wayfarer's Bauble can kick asteroids. Sami's Curiosity is better in every way. For one Green mana you gain two life and create a Lander token. It doesn't take much to outdo the classic Wayfarer's Bauble anymore when it comes to ramp, but this card is just better. Is the two life worth running it over Wayfarer's Bauble? Not particularly. Green hardly has an excuse to run bauble with the amount of one mana ramp spells it has. Green Commanders like Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn and a few others will now gain more value off your ramp piece. Now Green has yet another way to put lands into play and showcase that it is still doing things better than each other color.

That wraps up this journey through the best commons from Edge of Eternities in the Commander spotlight. I hope everyone has fun opening this set and chasing after those sweet space themed lands, just don't forget to scour the leftover bulk for some of these awesome commons!

See you on the battlefield!

-Nigel