GrixisLegendary Creature — Elemental DemonSol'Kanar the Tainted
Mana value5Rank#20,195
The Commander
At the beginning of your end step, choose one that hasn't been chosen —
• Draw a card.
• Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
• Sol'Kanar deals 3 damage to up to one other target creature or planeswalker.
• Exile Sol'Kanar, then return it to the battlefield under an opponent's control.
Guide
Gameplan
Sol'Kanar is a value engine that triggers every end step, cycling through draw, drain, and removal modes—but you must use every mode before repeating, including handing him to an opponent. Build around blink, sacrifice, and instant-speed protection so you control which mode triggers and can recur the body, grinding incremental advantage until a payoff finishes the table. Treat the 'give to opponent' mode as a free recursion trigger you reset.
Strengths
- Grixis colors give access to the best removal, card draw, and counterspells in the format
- Built-in card advantage and life drain every turn with no extra mana investment
- The give-away mode can be turned into a positive with flicker, sacrifice, or steal-back effects
- Flexible: he supports value, drain, and control shells equally well
Weaknesses
- Forced to eventually choose the give-away mode, which can hand a 5/5 to an opponent if mismanaged
- Five mana and no immediate board impact when he enters
- No evasion or built-in protection, vulnerable to spot removal before triggers accrue
- Modes are slow drip value, not explosive—can fall behind faster combo decks
Key Cards
- Conjurer's Closet — Flickers Sol'Kanar each end step to reset chosen modes and dodge the give-away clause.
- Deadeye Navigator — Repeatable blink lets you re-trigger value and never be forced into the give-away mode.
- Phyrexian Reclamation — Cheaply recurs Sol'Kanar if he dies or gets stuck on an opponent's side.
- Homeward Path — Reclaims Sol'Kanar (or any creature) if the give-away mode resolves on an opponent.
- Sneak Attack — Cheats him in repeatedly while sacrifice effects reclaim the body for protected value.
Upgrade Path
Add flicker and sacrifice outlets (Conjurer's Closet, Deadeye Navigator, Viscera Seer) so you never give him away, plus Homeward Path and reclamation effects as insurance. Lean into extra end steps (Seedborn Muse, additional-turn or end-step doublers) to multiply triggers, and round out with Grixis staples—counterspells, fast mana like Mana Crypt, and tutors—to assemble a drain or Torment of Hailfire finish reliably.
Core Cards
The most-played cards for this commander, built from aggregated deck data (the Mythic Graph). Build public decks to seed it.
Win Conditions
- ▸Incremental life drain from his second mode plus other aristocrat/drain effects
- ▸Out-card-advantage the table with repeated draw triggers and close with big spells
- ▸Extra end-step shenanigans (e.g. Seedborn-style) doubling drain into lethal
- ▸Direct damage finishers like Torment of Hailfire or a fattened board
Archetypes
- Value/Control — Grixis control uses his end-step draw and removal modes to grind while countering threats.
- Blink — Flicker effects reset his mode selection and sidestep the forced give-away clause.
- Aristocrats — Sacrifice outlets let you reclaim or reset Sol'Kanar while draining the table.
- Lifedrain — His drain mode plus damage triggers pair with extra-end-step and life-loss payoffs.
Combos
No combos found for this commander on Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (BRU), by popularity.
