NOTE: I wanted to start by briefly following up on last week's article [[link here]]. Since its publication, Wizards of the Coast has taken a few steps to address the intense backlash it's been facing. Banning a number of cards - and eliminating them from Gatherer - with either problematic overtones (I.e. Pradesh Gypsies), elements potentially perceived to be racially and ethnically problematic (I.e. Jihad) or outright racist on multiple levels (Invoke Prejudice). The company has also announced an intention to hire BIPOC writers for freelance work. These are well-intentioned steps in the right direction - though notably, both steps that could have been taken years ago and without being prompted by intense scrutiny - but the company has yet to address in any specific way the many allegations of systemic issues with the hiring and treatment of BIPOC at Wizards. Something is better than nothing, but make no mistake; Wizards of the Coast still has a *lot* of work to do. We'll keep watching.

As I sit down to write this, the entirety of Core Set 2021 has just been spoiled. Coming on the heels of the Double Masters set announcement, and the revelation that the average Magic player would need to take out a second mortgage and possibly sell a kidney in order to buy a box, expectations for Core 2021 weren't terribly high. Speaking only for myself, I'm pleasantly surprised to have been wrong. Core 2021 is, as the kids say, a BOP.

It remains to be seen what will happen with Constructed formats, but for Commander players Core 2021 appears to be filled with big wins. Let's look at a few.

Winners: Budget Players

Since core sets returned in 2018 (with, still confusingly, Core Set 2019) they haven't exactly been bursting at the seams with high-dollar reprints; indeed, with a few exceptions like the Leyline cycle in Core 2020, the vast majority of the most valuable cards from Core 2019 and Core 2020 have been new cards in those sets.

What a drastic change, then, that these old friends are coming home in Core 2021:

We've missed you all so much.

Grim Tutor. In a Standard set. $4 draft booster packs. In the year of our God-Pharaoh 2020. A $200+ card. Reprinted into Standard.

What shocks me most about this is the awareness by Wizards of the Coast that Grim Tutor wasn't a card that was expensive because it was particularly good - it's not Liliana of the Veil or Force of Will - it was expensive because it had only been printed once in a supplemental product. Like Imperial Recruiter when it was reprinted in Masters 25, Grim Tutor was pricey only because it was scarce (though I think players will give it a hard look now that it's affordable; paying 3 life in Commander is eminently doable). This is precisely the kind of reprint Wizards can and should do as often as possible.

As for the others, we're never mad at seeing the prices of Ugin, the Spirit Dragon, Azusa, Lost but Seeking and Massacre Wurm come down. They're Commander all-stars and the more reprints they get, the better for the huge percentage of the Commander player base that couldn't afford them before. Though they weren't nearly as expensive as the others, we're also happy to see Fabled Passage, Heroic Intervention, Scavenging Ooze, and Solemn Simulacrum back again.

Speaking of Scooze and Sad Robot...

Winners: Old Favorites with New Looks

You've never looked better, my forlorn friends.

I have my qualms with the existence of Showcase and alternate/extended art cards at all, especially when they come with new art that tends to make them more expensive than the regular versions of the cards. I have even more problems with printing four very slightly different versions of Teferi, Master of Time. But a great many Commander players care very deeply about the art on their cards, and for my money, Joseph Meehan's new version of Solemn Simulacrum is the most visually striking one yet. At the same time, Scavenging Ooze hadn't received new art in over half a decade and Sam Rowan knocked this version all the way out of the park.

Big Winners: Animal Lovers

FRIENDS!!!!!

With Core Set 2021, Wizards finally did the thing. Hounds are now officially Dogs. I'm a dog person, and Mowu is my favorite Magic character of all time (sorry, Hot Daxos). This is very exciting.

In addition to changing the creature type, we're getting some very interesting new Dogs, along with a handful of Cats for people who prefer kitties. Rin and Seri, Inseparable appeals to both, giving players access to all of the many newly-retyped Dogs from Magic's history in Naya colors, along with the Cats.

I know everyone and their sibling will be making Rin and Seri decks for Commander. I definitely am. Let's take Mowu to the Multiversal Dog Park!

Visiting the Multiversal Dog Park | Commander | Dave Kosin

• Commander (1)
• 1 Rin and Seri, Inseparable

• Creatures (34)
• 1 Adorned Pouncer
• 1 Ajani's Pridemate
• 1 Alms Collector
• 1 Alpine Houndmaster
• 1 Alpine Watchdog
• 1 Arahbo, Roar of the World
• 1 Basri's Acolyte
• 1 Bolt Hound
• 1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
• 1 Canopy Stalker
• 1 Chandra's Magmutt
• 1 Cubwarden
• 1 Feline Sovereign
• 1 Guard Dogs
• 1 Igneous Cur
• 1 Jazal Goldmane
• 1 Kaheera, the Orphanguard
• 1 King of the Pride
• 1 Leonin Warleader
• 1 Loam Lion
• 1 Mangara, the Diplomat
• 1 Marisi, Breaker of the Coil
• 1 Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist
• 1 Mowu, Loyal Companion
• 1 Pack Leader
• 1 Pridemalkin
• 1 Pride Sovereign
• 1 Prowling Serpopard
• 1 Qasali Slingers
• 1 Rambunctious Mutt
• 1 Regal Caracal
• 1 Sacred Cat
• 1 Selfless Savior
• 1 Wild Dogs

• Planeswalkers (5)
• 1 Ajani, Strength of the Pride
• 1 Garruk, Unleashed
• 1 Jiang Yanggu
• 1 Vivien, Champion of the Wilds
• 1 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate

• Instants (4)
• 1 Beast Within
• 1 Heroic Intervention
• 1 Once Upon a Time
• 1 Path to Exile

• Sorceries (5)
• 1 Explosive Vegetation
• 1 Farseek
• 1 Harmless Offering
• 1 Primal Might
• 1 Winds of Abandon

• Enchantments (7)
• 1 Fiery Emancipation
• 1 Garruk's Uprising
• 1 Glorious Anthem
• 1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
• 1 Nine Lives
• 1 Shared Triumph
• 1 Smothering Tithe

• Artifacts (7)
• 1 Coat of Arms
• 1 Door of Destinies
• 1 Herald's Horn
• 1 Icon of Ancestry
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Urza's Incubator
• 1 Vanquisher's Banner

• Lands (37)
• 4 Mountain
• 5 Forest
• 6 Plains
• 1 Ancient Ziggurat
• 1 Animal Sanctuary
• 1 Bant Panorama
• 1 Boros Garrison
• 1 Bountiful Promenade
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Fabled Passage
• 1 Fertile Thicket
• 1 Fire-Lit Thicket
• 1 Gavony Township
• 1 Gruul Turf
• 1 Mosswort Bridge
• 1 Naya Panorama
• 1 Path of Ancestry
• 1 Rugged Prairie
• 1 Selesnya Sanctuary
• 1 Spire Garden
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 1 Temple Garden
• 1 Temple of Abandon
• 1 Temple of Plenty
• 1 Temple of Triumph

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As soon as I saw Nine Lives spoiled, I imagined casting a Harmless Offering to give it to an opponent when it's down to one or two counters. It's just so perfect.

We do need to talk about one card that appears in my list:

Let me be very clear. To quote my guy Nathan, Selfless Savior is a 1/1 for 1 with no other abilities. NO. OTHER. ABILITIES. Do not even attempt to sacrifice this precious dingus in my presence. I promise you we will have very abrupt words.

Big Winners: Goblin Lovers

I know quite a few Commander enthusiasts who are diehard Goblin loyalists. Their joy could not be contained when Conspicuous Snoop and Brash Taunter were spoiled. The Snoop is a match made in heaven for Goblin decks; the only thing that could have made it better would have been making it a legendary creature. Brash Taunter, meanwhile, is a stuffy doll but in Goblin form (and the flavor text is *chef kiss*) and could make things very interesting for Goblin players in Commander. Especially when you pair it with another spicy new card for Goblins (and, well, anyone playing Red I suppose) in Fiery Emancipation. Picture it: Brash Taunter, Fiery Emancipation, Conspicuous Snoop and Gratuitous Violence (and/or any other damage doublers). Slap an Umbral Mantle on the Taunter and you could potentially kill the rest of the table in one fell swoop.

Goblins have always been and likely will always be one of Magic's most popular tribes. It's good to see them getting some exciting new toys.

Biggest Winner

Never didn't have it.

Dave is a Commander player currently residing in Reno, NV. When he's not badly misplaying his decks, he works as a personal trainer. You can bother him on Twitter and check out his Twitch channel.