Phases and Steps: 15 legendaries that interact with them in Commander!

Do you know all the steps that make up your turn in a game of Magic?

This is the kind of thing that generally comes with practice. And the more you play, the more you take advantage of each of those phases and steps.

For example: the enchantment Black Market Connections says that “at the beginning of your precombat main phase, choose one or more”. But what is this “precombat main phase”?

This is a wording that describes the first main phase, the one that comes right after the "untap, upkeep, and draw". In fact, in Scryfall, we have the "errata'd" text:

Casting a Black Market Connections in the first main phase will hardly make a big difference on your turn, as the moment to trigger the enchantment's ability has already passed. If you wait until the second main phase, after combat, to cast this card, in the worst-case scenario you'll at least have mana up in combat to respond something (even if it's just a bluff).

Although Commander is casual, bluffing well makes a lot of difference.

In this article, we've selected 15 legendary creatures that interact with phases and steps, making cards like Black Market Connections even stronger. These creatures are interesting, whether as a Commander or within the deck itself.

Cyclonus, the Saboteur // Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter

Every time a card from the Transformers set appears, we notice something new.

Cyclonus is probably one of the hardest cards to trigger in the list. However, it's still a fun option to play in Commander games. From personal experience, it's really fun to see it in the Dr. Eggman deck.

The main face is Cyclonus, Cybertronian Fighter, a 2/5 flying robot. When it deals combat damage to a player, it connives 5, and when its power reaches 5 or more, it's converted to its vehicle side.

As a vehicle, it becomes a 5/5 with flying and Living Metal (on your turn, it's a creature). When it deals combat damage to an opponent, you convert it back to its main face and have an additional beginning phase after that.

Thus, when your combat ends, you can untap your permanents, have an upkeep, and draw a card. Fun, right? Even though it's more complicated to deploy, Cyclonus is a robot you won't be sad to use.

Easier to trigger than Cyclonus, these legendary creatures demonstrate the power of having an extra upkeep.

To illustrate how valuable this upkeep is, let's start by showing cards that interact with a very "Commander" mechanic: Initiative and venturing into the Undercity.

The Initiative works when you have it (either by playing one of the cards above or by dealing damage to the player who has it) and at the start of your upkeep, you venture into the Undercity.

Obeka, Splitter of Seconds and The Ninth Doctor

With the additional upkeep from The Ninth Doctor, you will visit one more room of the Undercity each turn. But, with the additional upkeeps from Obeka, Splitter of Seconds, you have the potential to finish the Undercity in the same turn you started it.

Every time Obeka deals combat damage to a player, you receive that amount of additional upkeeps after this phase. So, if she deals 2 damage, you will have two more upkeeps.

Example of a list with this commander:

In addition to Undercity cards, other effects that benefit are the Monarch with courts, such as Court of Cunning, shrines like Honden of Seeing Winds, and cards like Bitterblossom.

Even though these cards don't grant additional draw steps, they are extra draws for each player during their turn.

Kami of the Crescent Moon and Nekusar, the Mindrazer

These legendary cards can be your opponents' best friends or worst enemies, it all depends on how the deck is built.

In addition to forcing the opponent to draw an extra card, Nekusar, the Mindrazer punishes them with damage for each card they draw. It's worth noting that this effect triggers with any card draw by your opponent.

You've probably already seen creatures that can create an additional combat.

We've selected some legendary creatures that help with additional combats and can be used either as commanders or within your deck.

You probably noticed that each of these creatures has its own particularities to provide additional combat.

[Raiyuu, Storm's Edge]] works when a Samurai or Warrior attacks alone, Anzrag, the Quake-Mole needs to be blocked, Balthier and Fran require you to pay 3 mana, Éomer, Marshal of Rohan sees when an attacking legendary creature dies, and so on.

Aurelia, the Warleader e Moraug, Fury of Akoum

Of all these, we chose to highlight two: Aurelia, the Warleader and Moraug, Fury of Akoum.

Moraug, Fury of Akoum interacts with lands entering on your battlefield, the famous Landfall ability. It's worth noting that it sees how many lands entered during your main phase.

One of the most popular commanders for extra combats, Aurelia, the Warleader is an angel with flying, vigilance, and haste that, when it attacks, untaps creatures you control and provides an extra combat if it's the first time it attacks each turn.

A very popular interaction in decks with this commander is the use of the Helm of the Host equipment to create infinite copies of her and trigger infinite combats.

Example of a deck with this commander:

There are cards with powerful effects that interact with the end step, such as Braids, Arisen Nightmare, Conjurer's Closet, Chimil, the Inner Sun, Thassa, Deep-Dwelling, Atraxa, Praetors' Voice and Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur.

Y’shtola Rhul

At the start of your end step, you can exile a creature you control and return it to the battlefield so that Y’shtola Rhul triggers its ability and grants you an additional end step after this step.

With this, Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur would make you draw seven more cards and Chimil, the Inner Sun would have one more Discover 5 to make.

"Ending the turn" in a Magic: the Gathering game means that all spells and abilities on the stack are exiled. The active player discards until they reach their maximum hand. Damage is removed, and effects that occur "this turn" and "until the end of the turn" expire.

This effect is present in cards like Time Stop and Discontinuity and, of course, in the first version of Obeka.

Obeka, Brute Chronologist

Yes, another Obeka on the list!

In this version, you can tap Obeka, Brute Chronologist so that the current turn controller can choose whether to end their turn.

Your opponents will rarely say "yes" to this mage's offer, but this creates an opportunity to build a deck that steals creatures and doesn't return them at the start of the end step, since you can end your turn before they resolve.

Even though she doesn't grant an additional phase or step, the commander shows her value for decks that steal creatures.

If you want to build a different deck, a commander that interacts with phases or stages is a welcoming fresh start.

As we've shown with these 15 legendary creatures, there are options for all tastes, and for all stages of the game.

Have you ever had any of the creatures on this list in your decks? Tell us in the comments, and also how it helped you gain an advantage in the game. See you in the next article!