The Complete Guide to Planeswalkers in Magic: the Gathering - Draftsim (2024)

Last updated on February 28, 2024

Nicol Bolas, the Arisen | Illustration by Svetlin Velinov

Planeswalkers. You’ve probably heard the word before, but what exactly are they? Who are planeswalkers? How many are there? What do they do? If you’re wondering any of these questions, then you’re in luck! We’ve got the answers for you with all there is to know about planeswalkers.

The first thing to know is the origin of the word, because it’s been around since the very beginning. In the first set of MTG, Alpha, the word referred to Magic players—that’s right, you! Players took on the roles of a planeswalker to do battle.

There are also planeswalker cards within the game, though this was introduced much later. They represent powerful beings that can move from plane to plane (think of planes as different universes). If you want more info, we’ve got a crash-course on the multiverse in our Ob Nixilis tell-all.

Because each new set usually takes place on a different plane, being able to travel between them is crucial for MTG’s main characters (i.e., planeswalkers) to be able to come back again and again. Throughout Magic’s history, we’ve followed different planeswalkers, but we’ll get to them later on. First, let’s break down how these cards actually work because they can be pretty confusing if you’re new to the game. Let’s start this journey!

Planeswalker Rules: How They Work

Elspeth, Sun's Champion | Illustration by Eric Deschamps

So, you’ve opened a planeswalker and are now wondering how they work, because they look so cool and so different and they must be great to have in play, right? You’re not wrong, for the most part.

Whether you’re new or an old school player coming back after having been gone since before planeswalkers were introduced, here’s what you need to know:

Planeswalkers are a unique type of permanent spell in Magic with some very special rules.

Just like any other Magic card, planeswalkers have a name, mana cost, and type, but there are some extra pieces that you need to know that are unique to them: loyalty counter, static abilities, plus abilities, minus abilities, and ultimates.

1. Loyalty counter. All planeswalkers have a number of loyalty counters that they enter the battlefield with upon being cast called “starting loyalty.” Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears enters the battlefield with 4 loyalty counters. If a planeswalker's loyalty is ever reduced to zero (or less), it dies and goes to the graveyard.

2. Static abilities. Some planeswalkers have a static ability that applies as long as they’re on the battlefield. Take Ugin, the Ineffable as an example: “Colorless spells you cast cost less to cast.” As long as Ugin is on the battlefield, your colorless spells will be two mana cheaper. Sometimes this is called a “passive.”

3. Plus abilities. These abilities add loyalty counters to the planeswalker’s loyalty equal to its number. Our Ashiok's plus ability is +2, which means two loyalty counter would be added to its total loyalty when the ability is used.

4. Minus abilities. Using these abilities removes loyalty counters from your planeswalker’s loyalty. Our Ugin's minus ability is -3, which means three loyalty counters would be removed from his total loyalty when the ability is used. You can't put your planeswalker into negative loyalty using their abilities, so they need to have loyalty counters equal to the minus ability you want to use.

5. Ultimates. The ultimate is the ultimate pay-off for your planeswalker. It will always be a minus ability and can cost anywhere from -X to -14. Our Ashiok’s ultimate is -11 and will remove 11 loyalty counters from its total loyalty when used. Just like minus abilities, Ashiok would need to have at least 11 loyalty counters to use its ultimate. Ultimates frequently have very splashy abilities that often equate to “you win the game.”

6. You can only activate the loyalty abilities of planeswalkers as a sorcery. This means you can only activate it on your turn and, unless you have something like The Chain Veil or Teferi, Temporal Archmage’s emblem in play, you can only activate one ability per turn. You can, however, use a loyalty ability the turn your planeswalker enters the battlefield.

7. You can attack planeswalkers with creatures. If your opponent has a planeswalker and you want to get rid of it, you can attack it directly instead of attacking your opponent. They can then block with their creatures as they normally would. The planeswalker loses a number of loyalty counters equal to the damage done by each unblocked creature attacking it. You can also target planeswalkers with instants and sorceries if “any target” or “planeswalker” is the potential target of the spell.

8. All planeswalkers that can become a creature—think Gideon of the Trials—have summoning sickness the turn they enter the battlefield like any normal creature, meaning they can’t attack that turn. Unless you have a card that gives creatures haste, like Fires of Yavimaya, of course.

9. Creatures and spells that are attacking/targeting planeswalkers don’t do damage to the player, just the planeswalker they’re attacking/targeting.

10. You can have a maximum of four planeswalkers with the same card name in your deck, just like any other MTG card. You can have more than one of the same type of planeswalker in your deck, however. For example, you can have four Ashiok, Nightmare Muses and four Ashiok, Dream Renders in your deck (depending on the format and legality of the cards, of course).

The Legendary Rule: All Planeswalkers Are Legendary

Elspeth, Knight-Errant | Illustration by Zack Stella

With the release of Ixalan, all past and present planeswalkers gained the “Legendary” supertype. This means that Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver’s card type officially reads as “Legendary Planeswalker – Ashiok” even though it doesn’t have the word “Legendary” actually printed on the card. This also means that the legendary rule now applies to planeswalkers.

The legendary rule states that you can’t have two legendary permanents with the same name under your control. For example, if you have a Nissa, Steward of Elements in play and you cast a second one, you have to pick one that you keep in play and the other will go to the graveyard. This would really only make sense if your Nissa had less than her starting loyalty, but you may as well wait until she’s actually died and then cast the new one.

Note that you and your opponent can both have Nissa, Steward of Elements in play, but you and your opponent cannot have more than one of them on your respective sides of the battlefield. You can’t control more than one legendary permanent, but there can be more than one that exists on the battlefield if they’re controlled by different players. If you were to steal your opponent’s Nissa, you would again have to pick which one to keep and the other would go to the graveyard. This move would actually make some kind of sense since you're taking away their planeswalker and, potentially, boosting your Nissa's loyalty.

As we mentioned, even though you can’t have two planeswalkers with the same name in play, you can have more than one of the same type of planeswalker in play as long as they have different names. You can have Elspeth, Sun's Champion, Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis, and Elspeth, Knight-Errant all in play at the same time under your control because none of them shares an identical name with the other even though they all have the “Legendary Planeswalker – Elspeth” type.

That’s pretty much everything you need to know about the rules of planeswalkers and how they work. They can be pretty daunting when you first start to play with them, but they’re well worth the effort. They bring so many interesting and powerful plays to the game that even if you don’t play with them, you’ll come across them for sure and it’s good to know how to deal with them.

A Deeper Dive: The Exact Rules

Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas | Illustration by Aleksi Briclot

For those of you who like to read the exact rulings concerning, here’s what the Comprehensive Rules say about planeswalkers:

306. Planeswalkers

• 306.1. A player who has priority may cast a planeswalker card from their hand during a main phase of their turn when the stack is empty. Casting a planeswalker as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 601, “Casting Spells.”)
• 306.2. When a planeswalker spell resolves, its controller puts it onto the battlefield under their control.
• 306.3. Planeswalker subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Planeswalker — Jace.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Planeswalker subtypes are also called planeswalker types. Planeswalkers may have multiple subtypes. See rule 205.3j for the complete list of planeswalker types.
• 306.4. Previously, planeswalkers were subject to a “planeswalker uniqueness rule” that stopped a player from controlling two planeswalkers of the same planeswalker type. This rule has been removed and planeswalker cards printed before this change have received errata in the Oracle card reference to have the legendary supertype. Like other legendary permanents, they are subject to the “legend rule” (see rule 704.5j).
• 306.5. Loyalty is a characteristic only planeswalkers have.
  • 306.5a The loyalty of a planeswalker card not on the battlefield is equal to the number printed in its lower right corner.
  • 306.5b A planeswalker has the intrinsic ability “This permanent enters the battlefield with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its printed loyalty number.” This ability creates a replacement effect (see rule 614.1c).
  • 306.5c The loyalty of a planeswalker on the battlefield is equal to the number of loyalty counters on it.
  • 306.5d Each planeswalker has a number of loyalty abilities, which are activated abilities with loyalty symbols in their costs. Loyalty abilities follow special rules: A player may activate a loyalty ability of a permanent they control any time they have priority and the stack is empty during a main phase of their turn, but only if none of that permanent’s loyalty abilities have been activated that turn. See rule 606, “Loyalty Abilities.”
• 306.6. Planeswalkers can be attacked. (See rule 508, “Declare Attackers Step.”)
• 306.7. Previously, planeswalkers were subject to a redirection effect that allowed a player to have noncombat damage that would be dealt to an opponent be dealt to a planeswalker under that opponent’s control instead. This rule has been removed and certain cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference to deal damage directly to planeswalkers.
• 306.8. Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that many loyalty counters being removed from it.
• 306.9. If a planeswalker’s loyalty is 0, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)

This should help you find all the solutions to the interactions you can encounter when dealing with this bunch! And now that you know that we, as players, are all planeswalkers and that there are also cards that are planeswalkers, let’s find out where it all started for the latter. They weren’t always present as physical cards even though the word “planeswalker” already existed and there was lore out there that dealt with them.

Are Planeswalkers Creatures?

Vraska, Relic Seeker | Illustration by Chris Rahn

This should be clear after reading the comprehensive rules, but no, planeswalkers are not creatures. They are a distinctly different type of permanent that have very different rules. Some planeswalkers can become creatures like Gideon of the Trials or Sarkhan the Masterless, but this is the exception, not the rule.

This also means that the vast majority of planeswalkers cannot “attack” in the traditional sense. Unless it's animated into a creature via a spell or ability, it can only “be attacked” and not do the attacking itself. Planeswalkers often have the ability to do damage (like Chandra), so they sometimes could indirectly “attack” other planeswalkers by targeting them with damage abilities.

How Many Planeswalkers Can You Have Out?

There's no limit to the number of planeswalker permanents you can have in play! It may hurt your head trying to manage 100 passive and loyalty abilities, but that's completely fair game. The only restriction is that you can't have two copies of the exact same planeswalker card in play.

How Many Planeswalkers Can You Have in Your Commander Deck?

Again, there is no limit. Just make sure you abide by the singleton and color identity rules of the format.

History of Planeswalkers in MTG

The First Planeswalkers

Even though planeswalkers have always existed in some form in the game, they haven’t always existed as actual, physical, printed cards. Their inception came about to give the game a physical representation of one of the two biggest pillars of Magic: the color wheel and wizards fighting with magic. The color wheel was already well represented, but the “wizards fighting magic” aspect proved more difficult to realize. At the time, we, the players, fighting each other in a game of Magic, were the best representation as the physical planeswalkers of the game.

Matt Cavotta, a member of the design team for Future Sight, came up with the idea to create actual planeswalker cards for a new set. Believe it or not, it took some convincing. But, eventually, Mark Rosewater realized that this could be the perfect way to finally represent “wizards fighting with magic” in the actual game. The idea proved too big for Future Sight, already a time-consuming set to create, so this bold new move was pushed forward to Lorwyn and the rest is history.

WotC said they were introducing a new card type to the game in 2007. This hadn’t happened yet up to that point, so needless to say, this was a historic moment for Magic. Planeswalkers hit center stage in a big way with the first five planeswalkers created for the game:

• Ajani Goldmane
• Jace Beleren
• Liliana Vess
• Chandra Nalaar
• Garruk Wildspeaker

Now

If you were paying attention to the first planeswalker cards, you’ll have noticed that they were printed as rares. The simple reason for this is that mythic rare hadn’t been introduced yet and wouldn’t come up until late 2008 with Shards of Alara. After that, all planeswalkers have been printed or reprinted at mythic rare, even the original five. Well, I say all, but you know that there’s one set that changed all this. We’ll come back to that in a bit.

Wizards decided to print planeswalkers as mythic rares because, within the lore of the game, someone finding their “spark” and ascending to planeswalker-hood is a very rare occurrence—mythically rare, if you will. So, it’s only natural that the chances of opening them mirror the lore of the game. Then, when you do open one, it feels like something special, a feeling that invokes opening something powerful and exciting. Mythic rare makes all that possible. It deepens the bond between real life and mythos, something that Magic has always been very good at intertwining.

Future

Nicol Bolas, the Ravager | Illustration by Svetlin Velinov

Before War of the Spark, all planeswalkers had been set at mythic rare, but this set changed all of that. Not only did they print a whole slew at rare, but uncommon planeswalkers were popping out of packs left, right, and center. This changed a fundamental rule that Wizards had set for themselves: that they would print planeswalkers only at mythic rare going forward from the Alara block.

However, with the original inception ofthe Nicol Bolas story arc, a big war was always going to happen. Planeswalkerswere always going to be part of this equation and there are only so many slotsfor each rarity when building a set. This means they had to revisit their ownrule.

Mark Rosewater said it best:

The main protagonists and antagonists got to be mythic rare. The rest of the Gatewatch was rare. The other planeswalkers' rarity placement was based on their design. If it could be hybrid, it was uncommon, and if it wanted to be a traditional two-color gold card, it had to be rare. Color dictated some slots (Vraska, for example, was the only black-green planeswalker in the set and thus had to be hybrid) as did slot placement (ten cards had to be monocolor uncommons), but mostly it was based on what rarity the best design for each planeswalker felt most suited.

But are we going to keep seeing planeswalkers being printed at lower rarities all the time now? Mark Rosewater also answers that question:

It's a tool in our toolbox available to future design teams. The plan is for planeswalkers to be mythic rare by default, but if a design team feels that a rare (or uncommon) planeswalker would serve the set, they have access to it.

So, there’s no need to worry that WotC is going to start throwing planeswalkers around willy-nilly just yet. Core Set 2020 saw Chandra, Acolyte of Flame and Chandra, Novice Pyromancer, which shows the evolution of Chandra in a flavorful way. But neither Throne of Eldraine or Theros: Beyond Death featured any rare or uncommon planeswalkers.

Personally, I think they should keep the appearances of rare and uncommon planeswalkers at a bare minimum. From the flavor point of view that becoming a planeswalker is a very rare occurrence and coming across one is as well. They've become the most popular card type in Magic and have even changed the face of advertising for Wizards, all because they are the perfect vehicle for storytelling.

Keeping them mostly at mythic rare makes their stories feel that much more special and important. It made sense for War of the Spark, but we probably won’t see quite such a dramatic story arc like that for a while.

Role in Storytelling

Gideon, Battle-Forged | Illustration by Willian Murai

Before Planeswalkers

I already mentioned that planeswalkers have become the most popular card type. In fact, they have become the face of MTG. But this wasn’t always the case. Magic was promoted differently before planeswalkers. In promotional material, they mostly focused on the set, the creatures within the set, and the mechanics. Of course, this is still done today, but not without a face and that face was missing back in the day. Here are some examples:

Back then, it was the elements that made up the game that Wizards used to promote it. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it can be a little bit hard to connect with what they’re trying to promote. Even when Lorwyn, the set planeswalkers were introduced in, came out, it took a long time for WotC to realize how they could harness the power of characters that we, the audience, could identify with, care about, follow, and learn from. But once they did, they never turned back.

After Planeswalkers

As you can see from the above posters and products, planeswalkers have changed promotional material significantly. They became the people you can walk alongside through the multiverse, discovering amazing new worlds, creatures, people, and civilizations. They became guides and even friends with familiar faces and features we can identify with.

You care about what happens to them whereasthere weren’t any characters that you could apply that same feeling to before.It’s one of the smartest things Wizards has done over the years and has madethe game better for veterans and new players alike. It has given MTG a globallyrecognizable identity.

Find Your Spark

In the beginning, Wizards consciously didn’t put planeswalkers in every set because they wanted them to feel like a rare occurrence, just like the spark that enabled the person to start planeswalking. This gradually changed over time with more and more planeswalkers coming into storylines until we got to the present day when there is a new planeswalker “born” almost every set. To name a few:

• Calix, Destiny's Hand
• Huatli, Warrior Poet
• Samut, the Tested

All this beckons the question of how you actually get your spark? MTG Wiki says it best:

When that being is put through a period of extreme stress—in many cases death—the spark can trigger, causing the individual to ascend and become a planeswalker.

This is often paired with the being planeswalking for the first time, which is how they discover their new-found ability.

Now that I’ve covered the importance of planeswalkers in storytelling and how sparks ignite, let’s take a look at some of the most famous planeswalkers in the game.

Most Famous Planeswalkers

Alive

The most well-known planeswalkers that are still alive and kickin’ are some that we’ve been following for a long time and know very well. Let’s look at a few famous names and pair them with the most famous card they have:

Nicol Bolas

A real big bad we’ve followed for a long time. Maybe there are worse out there, but we haven’t met them yet, so we’re content to say that Bolas is probably Magic’s ultimate bad guy. You may recognize him from the new player experience in MTG Arena as the “boss” you face—and ultimately defeat, go us—at the end of the tutorial. He's also the face of our MTGA tracker, Arena Tutor.

Liliana Vess

A self-centered yet charming woman who continually switches sides. In War of the Spark’s story, she started off serving Nicol Bolas but inevitably had a change of heart and was ready to sacrifice herself to help save Ravnica (and probably the multiverse, let’s face it).

Jace Beleren

A powerful mind mage. He’s not exactly a… fan favorite. But he’s… well, we know who he is. For better of for worse.

Chandra Nalaar

A fly-off-the-handle-quickly but good-at-heart pyromancer. Her iconic flaming locks and Pyromancer Goggles are pretty in-line with her personality.

Nissa Revane

Always attune with nature and its preservation. The self-appointed protector of Zendikar with a straight-line connection and badass elemental sidekicks.

Dead

Where there is life, there is death, and the same goes for planeswalkers. A lot of planeswalkers have died over the history of Magic, but let’s light a candle for the ones that died during War of the Spark:

• Gideon Jura
• Dack Fayden
• Domri Rade
• Dovin Baan

New Recruits

Jaya, Venerated Firemage | Illustration by Yongjae Choi

Because of the passing or desparking ofsome dominant storyline characters, Wizards has been pushing a couple ofcharacters to the forefront. You’ll be able to follow these returningcharacters on their no-doubt exciting adventures going forward. Who to follow? Takeyour pick:

• Ajani Goldmane
• Elspeth Tirel
• Garruk Wildspeaker
• Karn Liberated
• Teferi, Temporal Archmage
• Tezzeret the Seeker

These are a bunch of great characters that have been getting a push over recent years as well. We might be seeing them team up, or go head to head with, a couple of other planeswalkers that have been getting a decent amount of attention as well:

• Arlinn Kord
• Ashiok
• Kaya, Ghost Assassin
• Narset Transcendent
• Ral Zarek
• Saheeli Rai
• Sarkhan Vol
• Tamiyo
• Tezzeret

With so many great characters to choose from, together with the main characters, this leaves a lot of room to weave some very interesting stories. I don’t know about you, but personally I’m rooting for a more diversified focus on multiple characters and less of the “let’s follow these five characters to eternity and back” type of setting that we’ve had to endure in the past.

Switching between characters creates tension and excitement to what will happen to our favorites when we see them again. Will we be going to Phyrexia? Kamigawa? An amazing new plane? I’m as charged up as you to find out!

Commander Planeswalkers

Which Ones Can Be Used

I mentioned before that there are a handful of planeswalkers that you can use as your commander. This is a sweet alternative to choosing a legendary creature that makes for different deck building and themes to build around. Here’s a list of all 13 you can currently choose to lead you in battle:

• Aminatou, the Fateshifter
• Daretti, Scrap Savant
• Elminster
• Estrid, the Masked
• Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
• Jeska, Thrice Reborn
• Lord Windgrace
• Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes
• Nahiri, the Lithomancer
• Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
• Rowan Kenrith
• Saheeli, the Gifted
• Tasha, the Witch Queen
• Teferi, Temporal Archmage
• Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
• Will Kenrith

How Do They Work?

A commander planeswalker works exactly like a legendary creature as your general would, except that it can be attacked by creatures. Just in case you have any doubts:

• The card sits in the command zone
• It can be cast from the command zone
• You can choose to return it to the command zone any time the card changes zones (i.e., battlefield, deck, hand, graveyard, or exile)
• Every time it’s returned to the command zone it costs an additional two mana to cast
• The card’s color identity are the colors allowed in your deck

So far two Commander products (Commander 2014 and Commander 2018) and Battlebond have contributed to this list of great commander options. I’ve got a feeling that you haven’t seen the last of these yet and that Wizards will add some more interesting characters to this list. Great news for those of you who like to have many different faces for their commander decks!

Double-Sided Planeswalkers

The Royal Scions | Illustration by Scott Canavan

Double-faced cards (or DFCs for short) feature a secondary card on the other side of the card instead of the typical card back. In most cases, these cards are played with their front side up and transform whenever certain conditions are met (as specified on the card). In other cases, namely concerning modal double-faced cards, a card can be played either face-up or face-down, depending on the player's choice. As far as planeswalkers go, we've seen planeswalkers that gain new abilities when transformed and even creatures that transform into planeswalkers. Here's a list of all 11 double-faced planeswalker cards:

• Arlinn Kord / Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon
• Arlinn, the Pack's Hope / Arlinn, the Moon's Fury
• Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh / Chandra, Roaring Flame
• Garruk Relentless / Garruk, the Veil-Cursed
• Jace, Vryn's Prodigy / Jace, Telepath Unbound
• Kytheon, Hero of Akros / Gideon, Battle-Forged
• Liliana, Heretical Healer / Liliana, Defiant Necromancer
• Nicol Bolas, the Ravager / Nicol Bolas, the Arisen
• Nissa, Vastwood Seer / Nissa, Sage Animist
• Rowan, Scholar of Sparks / Will, Scholar of Frost
• Valki, God of Lies / Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor

The Best and Worst Planeswalkers

Saheeli Rai | Illustration by Willian Murai

Defining which are the best and worst planeswalkers highly depends on what format you’re looking at. We’ve taken the impact a planeswalker has on the game when entering the battlefield into account as the main factor. In general, I’d like to think that an amazing planeswalker should be able to be great in more than one format. So much so that they’ve become staples or cards that you cannot imagine not putting in your deck.

The opposite goes for the worst ones: theyshould be unplayable in generally all formats. For the best representation ofthese lists, I won’t be sticking to any banned list.

The Best

• Chandra, Torch of Defiance
• Elspeth, Sun's Champion
• Garruk Wildspeaker
• Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
• Jace, The Mind Sculptor
• Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
• Karn Liberated
• Nicol Bolas, The Ravager
• Oko, Thief of Crowns
• Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
• Teferi, Time Raveler
• Ugin, The Spirit Dragon
• Wrenn and Six

The Worst

• Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears
• Ajani Unyielding
• Chandra Ablaze
• Chandra Nalaar
• Daretti, Scrap Savant
• Gideon Jura
• Huatli, Dinosaur Knight
• Kaya, Orzhov Usurper
• Ral, Caller of Storms
• Samut, the Tested
• Tamiyo, Collector of Tales
• Tibalt, The Fiend-Blooded

These are my picks for the best and worst planeswalker cards in the game. If you’d like to share your opinion or give your own picks, leave them in the comments below. I’m interested to hear what your nominations for these lists are!

Planeswalker Decks

Tamiyo, the Moon Sage | Illustration by Lius Lasahido

We talked about great starter products in our best starter decks article, and planeswalker decks were high on that list (and on the list of decks that come with free MTGA codes). If you’re not familiar with them, these are ready-to-play 60-card decks for beginning players. They offer a fun and simple way to get better acquainted with the game using a deck that’s well-balanced against other planeswalker decks from the same set. This means that you and a friend can both get one and start battling each other right out of the gates!

On top of all this, it’s also an easy way to get into planeswalker cards. Each deck is represented by one and there’s usually a theme built around that planeswalker to show off what they can do. This is a great way to see what planeswalkers can do and what impact they can have on a game of Magic when you’re a beginning player. So, don’t be afraid to pick them up, let out your battle cry, and charge!

Power Level Debate

There have been several discussions over the years about planeswalkers being too powerful and the arguments have heated up again with the recent bannings of these two bad boys:

Oko, Thief of Crowns | Illustration by Yongjae Choi

Wrenn and Six | Illustration by Chase Stone

So, the question is, are planeswalkers too powerful? I believe the short answer is “no.” In general, planeswalkers aren’t too powerful. It’s kind of unbelievable that Oko, Thief of Crowns and Wrenn and Six in particular left Wizards’ R&D without being flagged as broken in the first place. “Why is this bad,” you ask? I’ll tell you.

Now, it’s only fair to point out that theplaytesting group withing R&D already has a tremendously difficult task inplaytesting unreleased cards and finding faults. Combine this with the numberof cards that are available in MTG and you can see how it’s hard to see every possiblecombo or interaction out there that could make an otherwise OK card completelybroken.

That said, Oko, Thief of Crowns and Wrenn and Six seem to have either been intentionally pushed or their potential to break the boundaries of power level was somehow not noticed. Upon release, this quickly caused multiple formats to feel the warping effect these cards had on the game. This meant that when they hit the battlefield the game centered around them and nothing else. You either had to remove them or steal them or copy them. If you couldn’t, the chances of you being able to win were incredibly slim.

Constructed formats specifically areaffected by cards like these because you’re able to get four copies of each,optimize your decks, and abuse them very effectively in those formats. All ofthis in a way that simply locks the opponent out when you play these cards andthey don’t have an immediate answer to them.

You might say, “But hold on, there are other cards that lock opponents out!”, and you’d be right. The difference is that those other cards need more than one card to achieve their goal. The problem with Oko, Thief of Crowns and Wrenn and Six is that just the one of them that does all that in one fell swoop. That’s why so many people are up in arms about the power level of planeswalkers.

Balancing the Game vs. the Story

Nissa, Who Shakes the World | Illustration by Chris Rallis

Both Oko and Wrenn play a significant rolein the storyline of their respective sets and it would be a shame if theywouldn’t have been printed, because they add a lot of flavor and depth to thegame. This is something we all love to see, so depriving us of the cardsentirely isn’t the answer in my opinion.

Balancing the cards out to make them morereasonable to play with, however, is the answer. Tinkeringwith mana-cost or the abilities of these cards would solve a lot of their powerproblems and, with it, their ability to warp games and formats around them.Once this balance has been established, you can enjoy both the game and thestory together.

There’s no shame in trying to push theboundaries every now and then, it’s something that keeps the game exciting andappealing. Wizards needs to find a way to pick out the bad seeds that take thegame into a realm where it stops pushing boundaries and starts breaking in away that makes it no fun to play. “Fun” is the key word here. Time has taughtus that when the game is fun it makes you want to play more, not less.

How to Get Planeswalkers on MTG Arena

Teferi, Hero of Dominaria | Illustration by Chris Rallis

Getting your hands on planeswalker cards in Arena isn’t difficult as it might seem. The first is pretty much what you’d expect: open them in packs. If you’re wondering how you get packs, there’s a bunch of ways. You can snag some free ones using promo codes, buy them in the Arena store using gold or gems, or earn them by playing the game or participating in events.

Next, you can craft planeswalker cards (any card, really) using wildcards. The last way to get a hold of them is by using codes included in official products.

These are the three simple ways you can add all the planeswalkers on MTG Arena to your digital collection!

List of All Planeswalkers

White Planeswalkers

Planeswalker	Mana Cost	Rarity	First Set
Ajani Goldmane		Mythic rare	Lorwyn
Ajani Steadfast		Mythic rare	Magic 2015 Core Set
Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Ajani, Caller of the Pride		Mythic rare	Magic 2013 Core Set
Ajani, Inspiring Leader		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Ajani, Strength of the Pride		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Ajani, Wise Counselor		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Basri, Devoted Paladin		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Basri Ket		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Elspeth Tirel		Mythic rare	Mirrodin
Elspeth, Knight Errant		Mythic rare	Shards of Alara
Elspeth, Sun's Champion		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Elspeth, Undaunted Hero		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Gideon Blackblade		Mythic rare	War of the Spark
Gideon Jura		Mythic rare	Rise of the Eldrazi
Kytheon, Hero of Akros / Gideon, Battle-Forged		Mythic rare	Origins
Gideon of the Trials		Mythic rare	Amonkhet
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar		Mythic rare	Battle for Zendikar
Gideon, Champion of Justice		Mythic rare	Gatecrash
Gideon, Martial Paragon		Mythic rare	Amonkhet
Gideon, the Oathsworn		Mythic rare	War of the Spark
Nahiri, the Lithomancer		Mythic rare	Commander 2014
Serra the Benevolent		Mythic rare	Modern Horizons
Teyo, the Shieldmage		Uncommon	War of the Spark
The Wandered		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Grand Master of Flowers		Mythic rare	D&D: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
The Wandering Emperor		Mythic	Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Elspeth Resplendent		Mythic rare	Streets of New Capenna
The Eternal Wanderer		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Archangel Elspeth		Mythic Rare	March of the Machine

Blue Planeswalkers

Planeswalker	Mana Cost	Rarity	First Set
Jace Beleren		Mythic rare	Lorwyn
Jace, Arcane Strategist		Mythic rare	War of the Spark
Jace, Architect of Thought		Mythic rare	Return to Ravnica
Jace, Cunning Castaway		Mythic rare	Ixalan
Jace, Ingenious Mind-Mage		Mythic rare	Ixalan
Jace, Memory Adept		Mythic rare	Magic 2012 Core Set
Jace, Mirror Mage		Mythic rare	Zendikar Rising
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy / Jace, Telepath Unbound		Mythic rare	Origins
Jace, the Living Guildpact		Mythic rare	Magic 2015 Core Set
Jace, the Mind Sculptor		Mythic rare	Worldwake
Jace, Unraveler of Secrets		Mythic rare	Shadows Over Innistrad
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries		Rare	War of the Spark
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Mu Yanling		Mythic rare	Global Series
Mu Yanling, Celestial Wind		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Mu Yanling, Sky Dancer		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Narset, Parter of Veils		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Tamiyo, the Moon Sage		Mythic rare	Avacyn Restored
Teferi, Master of Time		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Teferi, Temporal Archmage		Mythic rare	Commander 2014
Teferi, Timeless Voyager		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Tezzeret the Seeker		Mythic rare	Shards of Alara
Tezzeret, Artifice Master		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Tezzeret, Cruel Machinist		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Will Kenrith		Mythic rare	Battlebond
Will, Scholar of Frost		Mythic rare	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mordenkainen		Mythic rare	D&D: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
Tezzeret, Betrayer of Flesh		Mythic	Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Jace, the Perfected Mind		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One

Black Planeswalkers

See our article covering the best black planeswalkers.

Planeswalker	Mana Cost	Rarity	First Set
Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Liliana of the Dark Realms		Mythic rare	Magic 2013 Core Set
Liliana of the Veil		Mythic rare	Magic 2013 Core Set
Liliana Vess		Mythic rare	Lorwyn
Liliana, Death Mage		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Liliana, Death's Majesty		Mythic rare	Amonkhet
Liliana, Death Wielder		Mythic rare	Amonkhet
Liliana, Heretical Healer / Liliana, Defiant Necromancer		Mythic rare	Origins
Liliana, Dreadhorde General		Mythic rare	War of the Spark
Liliana, the Last Hope		Mythic rare	Eldritch Moon
Liliana, the Necromancer		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Liliana, Untouched by Death		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Liliana, Waker of the Dead		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath		Mythic rare	Commander 2014
Ob Nixilis Reignited		Mythic rare	Battle for Zendikar
Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Sorin Markov		Mythic rare	Zendikar
Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Sorin, Vampire Lord		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Vraska, Scheming Gorgon		Mythic rare	Rivals of Ixalan
Professor Onyx		Mythic rare	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Lolth, Spider Queen		Mythic rare	D&D: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
Sorin, the Mirthless		Mythic	Innistrad: Crimson Vow
Vraska, Betrayal's Sting		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator		Mythic rare	Wilds of Eldraine

Red Planeswalkers

Planeswalker	Mana Cost	Rarity	First Set
Chandra Nalaar		Mythic rare	Lorwyn
Chandra Ablaze		Mythic rare	Zendikar
Chandra, Acolyte of Flame		Rare	Core Set 2020
Chandra, Awakened Inferno		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Chandra, Bold Pyromancer		Mythic rare	Dominaria
Chandra, Fire Artisan		Rare	War of the Spark
Chandra, Flamecaller		Mythic rare	Oath of the Gatewatch
Chandra, Flame's Catalyst		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Chandra, Flame's Fury		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Chandra, Novice Pyromancer		Uncommon	Core Set 2020
Chandra, Pyrogenius		Mythic rare	Kaladesh
Chandra, Pyromaster		Mythic rare	Magic 2014 Core Set
Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh / Chandra, Roaring Flame		Mythic rare	Origins
Chandra, the Firebrand		Mythic rare	Magic 2012 Core Set
Chandra, Torch of Defiance		Mythic rare	Kaladesh
Daretti, Scrap Savant		Mythic rare	Commander 2014
Jaya Ballard		Mythic rare	Dominaria
Jaya, Venerated Firemage		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Koth of the Gammer		Mythic rare	Scars of Mirrodin
Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast		Mythic rare	Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Rowan Kenrith		Mythic rare	Battlebond
Rowan, Fearless Sparkmage		Mythic rare	Throne of Eldraine
Sarkhan the Masterless		Rare	War of the Spark
Sarkhan, Dragonsoul		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Sarkhan, Fireblood		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker		Mythic rare	Khans of Tarkir
Tibalt, Rakish Instigator		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded		Mythic rare	Avacyn Restored
Lukka, Wayward Bonder		Mythic rare	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Rowan, Scholar of Sparks		Mythic rare	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Zariel, Archduke of Avernus		Mythic rare	D&D: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
Chandra, Dressed to Kill		Mythic	Innistrad: Crimson Vow
Jaya, Fiery Negotiator		Mythic rare	Dominaria United
Koth, Fire of Resistance		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Chandra, Hope's Beacon		Mythic Rare	March of the Machine

Green Planeswalkers

See our article covering the best green planeswalkers.

Planeswalker	Mana Cost	Rarity	First Set
Arlinn, Voice of the Pack		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury		Mythic rare	Commander 2014
Garruk Relentless / Garruk, the Veil-Cursed		Mythic rare	Innistrad
Garruk Wildspeaker		Mythic rare	Lorwyn
Garruk, Caller of Beasts		Mythic rare	Magic 2014 Core Set
Garruk, Primal Hunter		Mythic rare	Magic 2012 Core Set
Garruk, Savage Herald		Mythic rare	Core Set 2021
Jiang Yanggu		Mythic rare	Global Series
Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Nissa Revane		Mythic rare	Zendikar
Nissa, Genesis Mage		Mythic rare	Hour of Devastation
Nissa, Nature's Artisan		Mythic rare	Kaladesh
Nissa, Vastwood Seer / Nissa, Sage Animist		Mythic rare	Origins
Nissa, Vital Force		Mythic rare	Kaladesh
Nissa, Voice of Zendikar		Mythic rare	Oath of the Gatewatch
Nissa, Who Shakes the World		Rare	War of the Spark
Nissa, Worldwaker		Mythic rare	Magic 2015 Core Set
Tyvar Kell		Mythic rare	Kaldheim
Vivien, Arkbow Ranger		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Vivien, Champion of the Wilds		Rare	War of the Spark
Vivien, Monster's Advocate		Mythic rare	Ikoria, Lair of Behemoths
Vivien, Nature's Avenger		Mythic rare	Core Set 2020
Vivien of the Arkbow		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Vivien Reid		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Ellywick Tumblestrum		Mythic rare	D&D: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
Wrenn and Seven		Mythic rare	Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
Vivien on the Hunt		Mythic rare	Streets of New Capenna
Nissa, Ascended Animist		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Wrenn and Realmbreaker		Mythic Rare	March of the Machine

Multicolored Planeswalkers

Planeswalker	Mana Cost	Rarity	First Set
Ajani Unyielding		Mythic rare	Aether Revolt
Ajani Vengeant		Mythic rare	Shards of Alara
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes		Mythic rare	Journey Into Nyx
Ajani, the Greathearted		Rare	War of the Spark
Ajani, Valiant Protector		Mythic rare	Aether Revolt
Aminatou, the Fateshifter		Mythic rare	Commander 2018
Angrath, Captain of Chaos		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Angrath, Minotaur Pirate		Mythic rare	Rivals of Ixalan
Angrath, the Flame-Chained		Mythic rare	Rivals of Ixalan
Arlinn Kord / Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon		Mythic rare	Shadows Over Innistrad
Arlinn, the Pack's Hope / Arlinn, the Moon's Fury		Mythic rare	Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
Ashiok, Dream Render		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Ashiok, Nightmare Muse		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Calix, Destiny's Hand		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Dack Fayden		Mythic rare	Conspiracy
Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast		Mythic rare	Conspiracy: Take the Crown
Domri Rade		Mythic rare	Gatecrash
Domri, Anarch of Bolas		Rare	War of the Spark
Domri, Chaos Bringer		Mythic rare	Ravnica Allegiance
Domri, City Smasher		Mythic rare	Ravnica Allegiance
Dovin Baan		Mythic rare	Kaladesh
Dovin, Architect of Law		Mythic rare	Ravnica Allegiance
Dovin, Grand Arbiter		Mythic rare	Ravnica Allegiance
Dovin, Hand of Control		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Estrid, the Masked		Mythic rare	Commander 2018
Garruk, Apex Predator		Mythic rare	Magic 2015 Core Set
Garruk, Cursed Huntsman		Mythic rare	Throne of Eldraine
Huatli, Dinosaur Knight		Mythic rare	Ixalan
Huatli, Radiant Champion		Mythic rare	Rivals of Ixalan
Huatli, the Sun's Heart		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Huatli, Warrior Poet		Mythic rare	Ixalan
Kaya, Bane of the Dead		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Kaya, Ghost Assassin		Mythic rare	Conspiracy: Take the Crown
Kaya, Orzhov Usurper		Mythic rare	Ravnica Allegiance
Kaya the Inexorable		Mythic rare	Kaldheim
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Kiora, Master of the Depths		Mythic rare	Battle for Zendikar
Kiora, the Crashing Wave		Mythic rare	Born of the Gods
Lord Windgrace		Mythic rare	Commander 2018
Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients		Mythic rare	Zendikar Rising
Nahiri, Storm of Stone		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Nahiri, the Harbinger		Mythic rare	Shadows Over Innistrad
Narset of the Ancient Way		Mythic rare	Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Narset Transcendent		Mythic rare	Dragons of Tarkir
Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God		Mythic rare	War of the Spark
Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh		Mythic rare	Hour of Devastation
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker		Mythic rare	Conflux
Nicol Bolas, the Ravager / Nicol Bolas, the Arisen		Mythic rare	Core Set 2019
Nicol Bolas, the Deceiver		Mythic rare	Hour of Devastation
Niko Aris		Mythic rare	Kaldheim
Nissa, of Shadowed Boughs		Mythic rare	Zendikar Rising
Nissa, Steward of Elements		Mythic rare	Amonkhet
Oko, the Trickster		Mythic rare	Throne of Eldraine
Oko, Thief of Crowns		Mythic rare	Throne of Eldraine
Ral Zarek		Mythic rare	Dragon's Maze
Ral, Caller of Storms		Mythic rare	Guilds of Ravnica
Ral, Izzet Viceroy		Mythic rare	Guilds of Ravnica
Ral, Storm Conduit		Rare	War of the Spark
Saheeli Rai		Mythic rare	Kaladesh
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Saheeli, the Gifted		Mythic rare	Commander 2018
Samut, the Tested		Mythic rare	Hour of Devastation
Samut, Tyrant Smasher		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Sarkhan the Mad		Mythic rare	Worldwake
Sarkhan Unbroken		Mythic rare	Dragons of Tarkir
Sarkhan Vol		Mythic rare	Shards of Alara
Sorin, Grim Nemesis		Mythic rare	Shadows Over Innistrad
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad		Mythic rare	Dark Ascension
Sorin, Solemn Visitor		Mythic rare	Khans of Tarkir
Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord		Rare	War of the Spark
Tamiyo, Collector of Tales		Rare	War of the Spark
Tamiyo, Field Researcher		Mythic rare	Eldritch Moon
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria		Mythic rare	Dominaria
Teferi, Time Raveler		Rare	War of the Spark
Teferi, Timbender		Mythic rare	Dominaria
Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset		Mythic rare	Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
Tezzeret the Schemer		Mythic rare	Aether Revolt
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas		Mythic rare	Mirrodin Besieged
Tezzeret, Master of Metal		Mythic rare	Aether Revolt
Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge		Mythic rare	War of the Spark
Tibalt, Cosmic Imposter		Mythic rare	Kaldheim
The Royal Scions		Mythic rare	Throne of Eldraine
Venser, the Sojourner		Mythic rare	Scars of Mirrodin
Vraska the Unseen		Mythic rare	Return to Ravnica
Vraska, Regal Gorgon		Mythic rare	Guilds of Ravnica
Vraska, Golgari Queen		Mythic rare	Guilds of Ravnica
Vraska, Relic Seeker		Mythic rare	Ixalan
Vraska, Swarm's Eminence		Uncommon	War of the Spark
Wrenn and Six		Mythic rare	Modern Horizons
Xenagos, the Reveler		Mythic rare	Theros: Beyond Death
Kasmina, Enigma Sage		Mythic rare	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Grist, the Hunger Tide		Mythic	Modern Horizons 2
Geyadrone Dihada		Mythic	Modern Horizons 2
Dakkon, Shadow Slayer		Mythic	Modern Horizons 2
Kaya, Geist Hunter		Mythic	Innistrad: Crimson Vow
Kaito Shizuki		Mythic	Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Tamiyo, Compleated Sage		Mythic	Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Ob Nixilis, the Adversary		Mythic rare	Streets of New Capenna
Tasha, the Witch Queen		Mythic rare	Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate
Elminster		Mythic rare	Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate
Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes		Mythic rare	Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate
Ajani, Sleeper Agent		Mythic Rare	Dominaria United
Sivitri, Dragon Master		Mythic Rare	Dominaria United Commander
Jared Carthalion		Mythic rare	Dominaria United Commander
Dihada, Binder of Wills		Mythic rare	Dominaria United Commander
Space Beleren		Mythic Rare	Unfinity
Comet, Stellar Pup		Mythic Rare	Unfinity
Urza, Planeswalker		Meld Card	Brother's War
Nahiri, the Unforgiving		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Lukka, Bound to Ruin		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Kaito, Dancing Shadow		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Kaya, Intangible Slayer		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler		Mythic rare	Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Quintorius Kand		Mythic rare	The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Kaya, Spirits' Justice		Mythic rare	Murders at Karlov Manor

Colorless Planeswalkers

Planeswalker	Mana Cost	Rarity	First Set
Karn Liberated		Mythic rare	New Phyrexia
Karn, Scion of Urza		Mythic rare	Dominaria
Karn, the Great Creator		Rare	War of the Spark
Ugin, the Ineffable		Rare	War of the Spark
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon		Mythic rare	Fate Reforged
Karn, Living Legacy		Mythic Rare	Dominaria United

Time to Planeswalk Away

Would you have believed that there are already 200 different planeswalker cards before seeing this list? Me neither! Now you can view them all neatly in the tables up there and wonder at all the work that has gone into them all the way from creating this new card type 13 years ago to the present day.

With that, we’ve come at the end of this article. Hopefully you find it helpful as I’ve had fun writing it. See you again soon, planeswalker!

Niels van der Vlugt

Niels has been playing Magic: the Gathering since 2012 and is a writer for Draftsim. He can often be found trying out new ideas for limited and standard on MTG Arena, or tinkering around with one of his many EDH decks. Most of his EDH decks are influenced by the Legacy and Vintage formats, of which he is also a huge fan. Follow Niels on Twitter @sneackerattack.

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