Summary
What was once an underused creature type to build decks around inMagic: The Gathering, Warlocks have slowly gained more cards that give synergy, like the outlaw mechanic, that have made them become a staple creature type in Commander. This has also allowed older Warlock cards to shine in new ways in more deck types.
Whether you want a creature to build a themed deck around, or just need a few to trigger outlaw effects, there is a Warlock for every deck type and combo. Others can serve to theme a deck just for their unique abilities and potential for effective combos that can win the game on their own.
10Agatha Of The Vile Cauldron
Free Activated Abilities For Your Creatures
Even without additional countersor perpetual effects that increase its power, Agatha of the Vile Cauldron can create powerful combos by reducing activated abilities by just one mana. In Warlock-themed decks, this can give creatures like Hylda of the Icy Crown and Novice Dissector free activated abilities.
If you get Agatha to four power, you’re able to use Spawnsire of Ulamog for infinite mana and creature tokens. Combined with Saryth, the Viper’s Fang, it becomes a free mana source on top of being able to untap other creatures for free, which could also have tapped activated abilities.
9Valentin, Dean Of The Vein
Inexpensive And Valuable
Valentine, Dean of the Vein can seem pretty underwhelming, but has surprising value by being only one black mana and doubling as Lisette, Dean of the Root. In black and green life gain decks, Valentin can enter the battlefield on turn one and start using lifelink to draw up your life total quickly.
Outside just life gain decks, you can use the activated ability to give yourself creature advantage that you can later buff with Lisette every time one of the insects dies. It also combos with a lot of Warlocks that use the crime mechanic, where almost all “destroy” effects can trigger Valentin and crimes.
8Prosper, Tome-Bound
Card Draw And Mana Ramp Combined
In mid-range black and red decks with or without Warlocks, Prosper, Tome-Bound is oozing with value, doubling both as a way to get extra cards and increase your available mana. If you are using Vihaan, Goldwaker to make a Warlock-themed deck, Prosper should be the first card you include, allowing you to potentially make 3/3 treasure tokens every turn.
Prosper also triggers Vihaan’s primary ability, giving it haste and vigilance, which doesn’t make it much of a threat with only one power, but can help you ping additional damage while keeping a deathtouch creature for defense. The only thing holding Prosper back is its four mana cost, but in multiplayer Commander it likely won’t hold you back.
7Kaervek, The Punisher
Committing Crimes On Crimes On Crimes
What Kaervek, the Punisher’s main ability allows you to do is target your opponent’s permanents and cast other crimes from your graveyard, then commit another crime, and trigger it again. This can set you up for repeated castings of cards that destroy multiple creatures, remove enchantments, or exile annoying planeswalkers.
The only downside is that you have to spend mana every casting, but this can be circumvented with combos with storm effects from cards like Tendrils of Agony. Outside of combos, in monoblack decks, you’re able to retrieve almost any card from your graveyard.
6Honest Rutstein
Graveyard Retrieval And Creature Discount
In full green and black fashion, Honest Rutstein’s first ability gives instant graveyard retrieval that combos well with sacrifice mechanics in black cards. The second ability that discounts your creature spells is perfect for Warlock-themed decks focusing on creature synergy, giving you a strong battlefield as fast as possible.
In Commander especially, Honest Rutstein can give you partial grace from the flood of board wipes running in every deck from here to the sun. you’re able to also cheat its ability with flicker effects from cards like Conjurer’s Closet, repeatably retrieving creatures from your graveyard.
5Author Of Shadows
Graveyard Removal And Card Theft
Author of Shadows belongs in almost every Warlock-themed Commander deck as a sourceof graveyard removalthat targets every other opponent, leaving yours intact for various retrieval effects like with Honest Rutstein.
Also, being in black, you may use it to steal beefy or powerful creatures from one of many graveyards after using cards like Soul Shatter to get around Hexproof and Indestructible. In Commander, most Warlock decks will have black in their color identity to make this card easily available.
4Saryth, Viper’s Fang
Commander Protection And Deadly Fight Synergy
In Commander, it’s important to have protection from the 50 or so removal cards every other deck will try to use against you. Saryth, Viper’s Fang is the best Warlock creature for this by giving your other creatures hexproof, including, and especially, your commander.
The first ability giving tapped creatures deathtouch seems out of place but can be utilized with damaging spells like Animist’s Might or Bite Down to instantly kill creatures. In multicolor decks, you can use its tap ability to correct your mana colors if you are missing a specific land type.
3Marshland Bloodcaster
All Cards Cost Two Mana
Despite being a high-cost card, Marshland Bloodcaster pays for itself by allowing you to cast any spell in your deck for just two mana at the cost of some of your life points. This is perfect for Commander as your starting life total is already pretty high.
While you will still have to pay the commander tax if you’re recasting your commander, you can use Marshland Bloodcaster to give it a base cost of two mana. Combined with Agatha of the Vile Cauldron and Saryth, the Viper’s Fang, you can cast multiple cards per turn for two mana while lowering the ability cost.
2Priest Of Fell Rites
Repeatable Graveyard Retrieval Straight To Battlefield
Priest of Fell Rites leans into black sacrifice synergy by allowing you to pay three life to retrieve a creature card from your graveyard straight to the battlefield. This can be used to save your commander if you let it enter the graveyard and get around adding commander tax.
With the Unearth ability, you’re able to retrieve Priest of Rites itself from the graveyard while giving it haste to immediately sacrifice it again for another creature. Combined with Sun Titan, you can bring it right back to the battlefield after retrieving the 6/6 Giant with vigilance and keep it out of exile.
1Gyome, Master Chef
Creature Protection With Delicious Meals
Another way to protect your commander and all of your other creatures is with Gyome, Master Chef. Bycreating Food tokensalmost every turn and having them build up over time, you can have a stocked pantry that gives any of your creatures indestructible for just one mana.
Unlike Saryth, Viper’s Fang, this can save your battlefield from board wipes as long as you have enough mana to pay for it. Combined, they can give you enough protection to build a powerful board state in almost any Commander game, while throwing in trample to allow it to swing for victory.
