We got a lot of previews for Marvel Super Heroes this week, and of note is that we’re getting four Commander decks, each one coming in regular and Collector flavors. 

The decks have themes as printed on the box, and while we don’t know any of the contained cards, we made good money off of Elementals and -1/-1 counters as themes, so let’s see what we can figure out ahead of time. That way when the decklists are revealed, we are ready to dive in.

Fantastic Four: Noncreature Spells and Protection Fields

This is going to be hard to figure out in terms of specs, because there’s so many good noncreature spells to cast. The four of them are good, and any can be the focus. I think Mister Fantastic is the strongest, because we love drawing cards and there are a LOT of triggered abilities worth copying twice. He can even target his own ability, if you’d like to draw three cards.

I’m interested in the Human Torch, too, but you’ve got to cast a noncreature spell and then cast him, which is a lot of your mana used up and blessed little for protection. 

It might be that the best route is mana rocks, but we’ll see what this set of commanders leads to. 

Wakanda Forever: Power Up With Artifacts, Reign as the Monarch

T’Challa is clearly telling you to play artifacts and keep playing them, and let’s go over a few things that look possible:

Peregrin Took wants to add some food to your Vibranium. Queen Allenal of Ruadach means that your Vibranium can get you token Soldiers too. Stridehangar Automaton on the field delivers bonus Thopters if that’s more your speed.

The packaging also mentions being the monarch, which is a space that’s been lightly explored, so if it’s only half the theme, we’ll see what kinds of reprints we’ll get for white and green cards. Courts of Garenbring and Ardenvale seem likely to get reprinted, but there’s pretty limited space so they won’t all get a new hit. 

I admit that when I saw the packaging (and before we knew that there would be Collector decks) I ran out and bought stacks of FEA Archon of Coronation and the Scrolls foil Champions of Minas Tirith. Looking back, I wish I’d waited just a little bit longer, because if they are reprinted, these purchases won’t go up much. I feel more confident about the Champions, because LOTR reprints are few and far between, but these might languish forever, depending on the quality of the Monarch-themed commander that comes in the deck. 

Avengers Assemble: Grow your ranks, Equipment and Counters

First of all, you’ve got to look at the heroes in these three colors. Hero is a creature type that hasn’t been used, not since Benalish Hero was errata’d into being a Human Soldier instead of its printed type of Hero. The only other Hero that predates the Spider-Man set is the Unhinged Legend himself, Fraction Jackson. I’m all for memes, and cheap memes at that, but I have trouble imagining that it would be worth the effort of buying these up. 

Changelings would be fun here, and everything that adds bonus counters is on the table. I expect that this is a glorious place to reprint basic copies of Panharmonicon or Roaming Throne for extra triggers, and I’ve lost count of the sweet Equipment bonuses present in RW. My favorites for the Equipment-heavy decks would easily be the ‘affinity for Equipment’ cards Goldwardens’ Gambit and Nahiri, Forged in Fire, but we’ll have to see what Equipment enablers are about to get released.

Doom Prevails: Connive for power, drain life

I want to thank the ProTrader Discord for confirming some of my ideas and giving me others. If you’re not a ProTrader, you’re missing out on some glorious card combos.

Doctor Doom rewards you for discarding lands, either for conniving or for any reason, so my favorite pick here is easily Tectonic Reformation. If you can start chaining the lands into more lands, this combo is immediately reduced to ‘R: Each opponent loses 2 life’ and that is some big game.Trade Routes can do something similar. Decaying Time Loop is also glorious, because you can get a trigger from the retrace and a trigger from the lands you chuck. Land’s Edge is pretty hilarious, giving everyone the ability to Shock players, but only yours comes with bonus life loss for them. Molten Vortex and Seismic Assault do the same thing. Battle of Kaldheim too, but that needs you to attack the Battle for four damage, and I’m not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze there. 

Glint-Horn Buccaneer should see a bump, as we love playing effects that are redundant with Commanders. This also includes Hazoret the Fervent

I have to point out that this is a deck where Mind Over Matter plus some form of “tap: draw a card” means you’ll win, and if you want a backup, Trickster Mage does nearly the same thing.Trade Routes can do something similar. I also like Surly Badgersaur as an engine piece, giving you a Treasure every time you chuck a land. Waste Not and Bone Miser are likely includes in the deck, but if they somehow leave those out, buy them immediately.

All of the Grixis lands with cycling are likely good here too, but there are some awesome cards that ask you to discard cards as part of the cost. Favorites include Dreamscape Artist, Diplomatic Escort, Jaya Ballard, Psychic Frog, Skirge Familiar to add mana, Stronghold Biologist and Machinist to counter creature/noncreature spells, but my two all-stars would be Chamber of Manipulation and Overtaker, turning your land cards into creature-stealing effects for fun and profit.

Cliff (@WordOfCommander at Twitter and BlueSky) has been writing for MTGPrice since 2013, and is an eager Commander player, Draft enthusiast, and Cube fanatic. A high school science teacher by day, he’s also the co-host of the MTG Fast Finance podcast. If you’re ever at an event and you see a giant flashing ‘CUBE DRAFT’ sign, go over, say hi, and be ready to draft.