Magic the Gathering Card Review - Silumgar's Command from Dragons of Tarkir

by Richard Rowell, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

The four modes of Silumgar's Command are really solid. The question is are they good enough for five mana. They are:

• Counter target noncreature spell.
  
• Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
  
• Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
  
• Destroy target planeswalker.
  
  

Believe it or not, the ability to counter non-creature spells is almost always better than only being able to counter creature spells. This is because you're usually stopping removal, a planeswalker, or some other bomb spell that could make your life miserable. So that's a good mode. Return target permanent is fun since you can hit lands with it. Boomerang was always fun or not fun depending on what side of it you were on.

Giving a target creature -3/-3 is good, although it doesn't deal with more annoying creatures like Courser of Kruphix and Siege Rhino. But it hits a lot of things and as only half of a whole it's very strong.

The last option to destroy target planeswalker is plenty good. Save your Hero's Downfall for rhino or something else bigger than 3 toughness.

Control decks can definitely main deck a copy of this Command. While 5 mana feels like a lot, this card can do the work of two cards at once, and that's an awesome thing. I see this being very Constructed playable and even good for Commander control suites.

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