Sphere of Influence: November 21, 2025

The Earth King | Illustrated by Ryota Murayama

Welcome to Sphere of Influence, a pre-FNM look at some potential movers and shakers that are worth picking up before their prices increase.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is here, and its cards are ripe to be picked for numerous Commander decks. Here are some of the better ones available for cheap:

Ba Sing Se - $1.50

Earthbending is a busted mechanic. Once a fetchland becomes earthbent, it will return to the battlefield after being sacrificed, effectively doubling as a ramp source. Earthbend also adds another creature to your ranks, which can have implications for any card counting the number of creatures you have. Plus, these particular creatures make for great targets for fight spells. The land creatures also benefit from +1/+1 counter synergy, a regular occurrence in green decks. Ba Sing Se is one of a cycle of lands in Avatar that produce colored mana and enter untapped when you control a basic land, which isn't much of an ask, and it can earthbend for not much mana during your turn. The land is a great mana sink when you have nothing better to do or want to double up on fetchlands and things like Wasteland or Cryptic Caves. These lands are all easy Commander staples, and Ba Sing Se is one of the best.

The Unagi of Kyoshi Island - $1.50

Consecrated Sphinx is a ridiculously strong card and has rightfully been labeled a game changer in the Commander format. This Unagi isn't quite at Consecrated power level, but it isn't that far off. It contains flash, unlike Consecrated, offers significant ward protection, and still stands to draw you a few cards per turn cycle. Like Faerie Mastermind before it, I have a feeling this card is going to start creeping up in price very soon.

Elemental Teachings - $0.75

Realms Uncharted this is not. At its core, Elemental Teachings is a ramp source and land tutor in one, especially if your deck contains redundant land effects or lands you wouldn't mind placing in the graveyard. Plus, unlike Realms, Teachings puts the lands directly onto the battlefield rather than your hand. Teachings is five mana, but that's a small price to pay for as strong of an effect at instant speed.

The Earth King - $0.50

Four mana gets you six power's worth of creatures and at least one ramp source, though, knowing green, it won't be your only one. The Earth King ramps you so effortlessly and so hard, it's a marvel it's priced as a bulk rare for now. This card has nothing but upside.

The Last Agni Kai - $1

Even if you produce zero additional mana from The Last Agni Kai, it still remains a decent source of instant-speed creature removal with a mana-saving clause tacked on. However, once your creature fights an opponent's 1/1, you'll enjoy a windfall of mana that sticks around. This card has the potential to produce far more than the three additional mana something like Desperate Ritual would provide.

Bend, Not Break

Which Avatar cards do you have your eye on? Any cheap cards you think are new Commander staples?