Commander 2020 Highlander Set Review

Greetings from my bedroom!

Just a quick set review of Commander 2020. It kind of snuck in through the turnstile behind Ikoria. Like casting a Cheatyface but it's a Magic set.

The set symbol looks way too much like Theros: Beyond Death, considering how close together the sets are.

Wow, I am so glad I am not an avid Commander player, some of the cards in this set are totally broken (in Commander only). Nothing to worry about for Highlander though. Sky Whale is the only impressive card. Yeah, gargle those clouds!

Have you got some bucket islands and a graveyard bro? I need to get wet ASAP.
You normally want your best Instants and Sorceries in the graveyard for later but Whale wants them now. If it dies you lose them forever. I like that tension.
This is powerful and has flown under the radar like the rest of the set, despite being a gigantic whale.

Only two mana. As always I'll mention the horrific Wrenn and Six / Liliana of the Last Hope situation, but the risk seems worth it.
Against control you might hit a Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, which is awkward, but you might hit Tasigur. Either way you'll see about half their deck.
Imagine versing Reanimator, oh baby.
Most decks run no 0/0's and the average CMC of their creatures is >2, so this is good and super fun.

If I was already a Mardu deck and my meta had a couple green players then I'd run this guy. Probably the best pinger ever, at least amongst Magic cards.


I don't mind these two in Hardened Scales or persist decks. They grind pretty well.
Nikara's outfit doesn't seem practical for scavenging around in caves and that hair makes her too easy to spot. By the looks of her she doesn't give a fuck what I think though.
Yannik could lose the horns.
The Partner mechanic only searches libraries, not graveyards. Interestingly the reminder text doesn't say "search". I wonder if that's a new templating and whether it gets around Aven Mindcensor et al, I doubt it.

Stomping Ground....Nesting Groundsss. Confusing.
More love for Hardened Scales.
This land could break one day. I can imagine a mechanic where the cards go insane if you remove a 'shackle' counter or something, for a high cost.

The times where he one-shots a Planeswalker can make up for the times he trades with a 1/1.
He will almost always trade down but that indestructible counter on the right creature can win the game. He's not great but he is playable.

Good in a Human or Warrior tribal deck. Side it out against combo though, too slow.

This is awesome in the Lukka/Sneak Attack/Reality Scramble/Shifting Shadow deck, i.e. You have no cheap creature cards, but plenty of non-creatures that make tokens. Then you have a bunch of huge fatties to swap them into. It's reaching critical mass, I think it's time I build.

Infinite with Felidar Guardian and generally very fun. Kaheera Cat deck anyone? Or perhaps a Bird deck with Yorion; ETB triggers each end step for whatever you want until you choose to stop the chain. Not good, but cool.
More powerful with Gyruda. Not sure how many other Demons are worthwhile for that deck though. Worth a look!
I also like it in the Goblin ETB deck, i.e. all the ones I listed for Offspring's Revenge:
Goblin Rabblemaster
Legion Warboss
Goblin Matron
Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
Goblin Ringleader
Goblin Settler
Sling-Gang Lieutenant
Beetleback Chief
Siege-Gang Commander
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker

More like Tlosing Staff. Might actually be good in a Lutri deck. Run the most broken Instants and Sorceries you can; Copy them with the best Forks, of which there are plenty. Other on-theme cards include Finale of Promise, Chandra, the Firebrand and Ral, Storm Conduit.

Annnd that's all the cards. These precon set reviews are much quicker. The regular expansions have been really long the past couple years. Once again, hit me up for Highlander webcam games if you're keen.

Luke Mulcahy