Price of Progress and Descent into Avernus are some very powerful Red burn spells in Magic: The Gathering. Being able to deal damage to players outside of combat is a win-condition against many Commander Decks and no color does it as well as Red. What do I play if my commander isn't in Red, though? I have some ideas.

Top Non-Red Burn Cards in Commander

Black

How do I burn in Black? Shard of the Nightbringer is a great late game big burn spell, though it only hits one player and it's on cast, even though it's on a creature. If it was an enter trigger, I could really abuse this on each player. Alas. It gains you life, though. Peer into the Abyss is similar, but it's one mana less and draws half their deck. This is so versatile because it can make an opponent lose half their life or it can double as a great draw spell for you.

What are the Top Black Burn spells in Commander? My pet card is Exsanguinate. I love a little mana dump into drain. I like it because in a four-person-pod you might potentially knock out the table or just put yourself so far ahead on life that you can use it into resources. The TOP Black burn spell in Commander has to be Torment of Hailfire. Being able to repeat the effect X times is baffling on a card. It is a huge mana sink, but with infinite mana or a large amount of it, you mostly guarantee a loss of life enough to kill the table after they run out of permanents.

White

How do I burn in White? Cleansing allows damage to be paid by the whole table to mitigate land destruction. It's almost mandatory damage because it's tough to sacrifice lands. It's just a shame that it happens to your lands as well. Mirror Strike is a great example of a burn spell that is reactionary. It only targets one creature to prevent the damage and deals it back though. For the mana cost it can really hit hard or not.

What are the Top White Burn spells in Commander? White is very reactionary. It waits to see how something is resolving before interacting. Phyrexian Vindicator is a weird sort of burn spell. It is a creature that functions as a burn blocker. If someone is trying to get to you, you can reasonably block with it and deal that damage back. It just is weak to removal of any kind and has four devotion to White to cast.

The TOP White burn spell in Commander has to be Comeuppance. For the mana cost, it's a little rough to hold the mana up for but it's completely worth it. This spell can be a creature destruction spell or if a direct damage spell is sent to you a reverse burn effect. It's very versatile. It does nothing for loss of life sadly, though.

Colorless

How do I burn in Colorless? Goblin Cannon is an interesting way to do it. If you have a reasonable amount of mana or a way to produce infinite mana that can go for a good amount of damage to game ending. It's important to stack the triggers so that the Goblin Cannon doesn't sacrifice until you have pumped enough damage into it. Stuffy Doll functions in a similar way, in that it can be game ending if you can find a way to deal enough damage to it. That's the rub though. In Colorless, aside from incidental damage from blocking, there isn't a ton if way to deal damage with this on its own.

What are the Top Colorless Burn spells in Commander? Ankh of Mishra is perfect for that continuous, small amount of burn damage. It burns for any land entering, which means a lands matter deck will have to think twice and the average deck that ramps reasonably will have to be careful. It also burns for a good reason, making players think about playing a land or taking damage, potentially leaving them behind on mana.

The TOP Colorless burn spell in Commander has to be Aetherflux Reservoir. This card is very versatile. With five spells you can gain 15 life. If you can get a reasonably high storm count going, you can eventually deal 50 to someone. The rub here is you have to pay that life, so you'd need a way to keep the storm going to protect yourself.

Green

How do I burn in Green and what are the Top Green Burn spells in Commander? We always get a bit shaky towards the end of the list, but I had to find something worthwhile to give you. Squall Line and Borrowing the East Wind are both cards that are board wipes that deal X damage. It's a shame that it hits you as well, but for about 10 mana, you can hit someone for 8 damage. It could be game-ending potentially. The TOP Green burn spell in Commander has to be Hurricane. It's very similar to Squall Line but it only costs one Green. It hits each player so you have to be very careful when you play it.

Blue

How do I burn in Blue? Backfire is an interesting choice. It's burn or consequences. When they attack with this creature it pings them for the damage dealt to you. It's not as versatile because it would require you to not block. Additionally, it doesn't penalize them for attacking other opponents. Energy Vortex is another choice. It is five mana and chooses a single player. You can pay into a cost to increase a tax they have to pay to avoid 3 damage. What you pay into it, it goes away though. If it didn't disappear at the upkeep, it would be something you could dump extra mana into to keep it advantageous to pay into.

What are the Top Blue Burn spells in Commander? Mind Bomb has a similar burn or consequences, allowing people to make the opponent discard cards to mitigate damage or take it. For one Blue to function as a discard effect or a Lightning Bolt to each player is pretty good. The TOP Blue burn spell in Commander has to be Soul Barrier punishes players for every spell they cast. It's kind of a burn version of Rhystic Study. Soul Barrier deals two for every spell they cast unless they pay two. This small ping will add up similar to how it adds up with something like Ankh of Mishra.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope this helps in your next deck building session!@cashinds on X