Sphere of Influence: May 1, 2026

Goldspan Dragon | Art by Andrew Mar

Now that Secrets of Strixhaven is in the rear-view mirror, we've seen it cause some ripple effects in the Commander format. Several popular archetypes have gotten brand new tech pieces, which has breathed new life into people's favorite decks.

So, now that the set has officially been out for a week, let's dive into the Sphere of Influence and take a look at a few cards that are on the rise for their playability.

South Wind Avatar - $1

Kicking off this week, we have a rare from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. South Wind Avatar gains you life whenever your creatures die, which is a nice trade-off, but the real star of the show is the last line of text. Draining the table whenever you pad your life total is great, especially with all the new life gain support that we got in Secrets of Strixhaven.

Goldspan Dragon - $9

Hidden in the Prismari Artistry Commander precon is none other than the fan favorite Goldspan Dragon. This creature's value was on the rise before it caught that reprint, meaning that now might be the right time to pick up a copy. If you have a deck that builds up a stash of Treasure tokens, then this is the Dragon for you.

Essence Warden - $3

Since there's been an influx of Lifegain decks hitting the Commander format recently, Essence Warden's popularity has been on the rise. This Shaman gains you life whenever any creature hits the board, and not just on your side of the field, so, as early as turn one, you could be building your lead against the rest of the table, all while triggering your value engines.

Greater Auramancy - $23

Here's a card that's building value fast at the time I'm writing this. Greater Auramancy gives shroud to enchantments you control, as well as your enchanted creatures. A big reason for this ascent is the Silverquill Influence precon, which is centered around putting Auras on both your board as well as your opponents'. Time will tell if this value continues to grow, but if you picked up that new deck built around Killian, Decisive Mentor, then this card could be of some use.

Until Next Time

There you have it, my picks for a few cards that have gotten a lot more desirable this week. Are you interested in picking up any of these singles? Let me know in the comments below!