Lost Caverns of Ixalan includes 18 Special Guest cards, offering a unique twist. Found in Set Boosters and Collector Boosters, these cards are borderless reprints with new artwork showcasing some of the most beloved and iconic cards from MTG’s rich history.
Special Guest cards are not Standard Legal, and some aren’t even from Ixalan’s lore. Nonetheless, they are chase-worthy cards both due to their in-game value for Commander players and because of their monetary value to collectors. Seven of those 18 cards are particularly juicy for collectors and players alike.
The seven best Special Guest Cards from Lost Caverns of Ixalan
7) Pitiless Plunderer
- Mana Cost: 3B
- Type: Creature – Human Pirate
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Ability: Whenever another creature you control dies, create a Treasure token.
Four mana for a 1/4 human pirate scoundrel might not initially seem like a very impactful card. That said, Pitiless Plunderer can, with the right strategy, generate a tremendous amount of mana by creating a multitude of treasure tokens. Black decks are infamous for their complete disregard for the lives of their own creatures, often sacrificing them to gain tactical advantage in the game. With the help of this immoral ruffian, sacrifice decks get additional value from their core strategy.
6) Ghalta, Primal Hunger
- Mana Cost: 10GG
- Type: Legendary Creature – Elder Dinosaur
- Rarity: Rare
- Ability: This spell costs X less to cast, where X is the total power of creatures you control. Trample.
In Magic: The Gathering, colors represent specific themes and philosophies, and green is all about the power of nature, the strength of creatures, and the harmony among them. Ghalta, Primal Hunger is a fantastic embodiment of what the color green stands for. Besides dealing massive amounts of combat damage, Ghalta Primal Hunger can be used to draw copious amounts of cards with spells such as Life’s Legacy and Soul’s Majesty. Whether players employ her as a Commander or as part of the deck, this gargantuan dinosaur will always be a massive threat on the board.
5) Lord of Atlantis
- Mana Cost: UU
- Type: Creature – Merfolk
- Rarity: Rare
- Ability: Other Merfolk get +1/+1 and have islandwalk.
This beautiful reprint of Lord of Atlantis brings up old memories for MTG players who remember the time when Merfolk was a competitive deck in both Modern and Legacy formats. Granting +1/+1 to all other merfolk creatures in addition to giving them islandwalk, quickly becomes overwhelming for opponents once the player has two or three merfolk “lords” on the board. Lord of Atlantis is an unquestionable staple in every Merfolk deck, regardless of the format.
4) Underworld Breach
- Mana Cost: 1R
- Type: Enchantment
- Rarity: Rare
- Ability: Each nonland card in your graveyard has escape. The escape cost is equal to the card’s mana cost plus exile three other cards from your graveyard. At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice Underworld Breach.
Since its release in Theros Beyond Death, Underworld Breach has proven to be a key piece to many game-winning combos in Commander. This red enchantment allows players to play combo pieces from the graveyard by exiling three cards and paying the card’s mana cost. There are plenty of self-mill combos that finish off the game with a good old Thassa’s Oracle entering the battlefield. Underworld Breach is a strong card in many other strategies as well, even when not casting combos.
3) Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
- Mana Cost: 2U
- Type: Legendary Creature – Siren Pirate
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Ability: Flying. Whenever one or more Pirates you control deal damage to your opponents, you create a Treasure token for each opponent dealt damage. Partner.
Malcolm is a fantastic Commander partner for both cEDH and Commander formats. This gorgeous reprint of the Siren Pirate is perfect for those players looking to dip their toes into more competitive gameplay. Partnered along with Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar his Treasure token generating ability actives multiple times. Hence, it quickly creates an overwhelming mana advantage that opponents will unlikely be able to catch up to in a short time.
2) Thrasios, Triton Hero
- Mana Cost: GU
- Type: Legendary Creature – Merfolk Wizard
- Rarity: Rarity
- Ability: four: Scry one, then reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped. Otherwise, draw a card. Partner.
Before its first reprints in Commander Legends, the merfolk wizard was comfortably priced at $40. Now, with its second reprint, hopes are that the price will continue to go down, thus making this cEDH powerhouse more accessible. Thrasios’ ability to scry one and either play a land card or draw a card becomes more relevant as the game progresses. It’s the perfect mana sink in the mid-game stages of the game that fits in a wide variety of strategies. With infinite mana synergies in the deck, Thrasios can easily draw into game-ending combos.
1) Mana Crypt
- Mana Cost: 0
- Type: Artifact
- Rarity: Mythic Rare
- Ability: At the beginning of your upkeep, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, Mana Crypt deals three damage to you. TAP: Add two
Predictably, Mana Crypt sits at the No. 1 spot on this list. For the high price of zero mana, the player gets an artifact that taps for two generic mana. The only downside is the three damage that it will deal to the player, sometimes. Luckily, this side effect has barely any impact on the game, given that in Commander, players enjoy a healthy starting life of 40 points. Naturally, Mana Crypt is a staple in many cEDH decks because it allows for explosive first and second-turn plays. Also, the art on this card is just gorgeous and unique.
All 18 Special Guest cards are available in set boosters of Lost Caverns of Ixalan, though the chances of getting lucky are quite low. Collectors looking to get the foil versions of these precious alternative full-art reprints will have to crack open a collector booster. Lost Caverns of Ixalan launches on Nov. 17 with Draft Boosters, Set Boosters, Collector Boosters, and four different Commander decks.
