Commander
Taniwha
Legendary Creature — Serpent
BlueRank #14,093
The Commander
Trample
Phasing (This phases in or out before you untap during each of your untap steps. While it's phased out, it's treated as though it doesn't exist.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, all lands you control phase out. (They phase in before you untap during your next untap step.)
Guide Wyrm
Gameplan
Taniwha is a janky mono-blue commander built around its upkeep ability that phases out all your lands, then phases them back in untapped on your next untap step. You exploit this for free mana ramp, abuse enters-the-battlefield/leaves triggers on lands, dodge land destruction and stax, and use blue's tempo and control tools to grind out value before closing with a big evasive threat or a combo.
Strengths
- Effectively doubles your land mana every turn cycle since phased-out lands return untapped, fueling huge spells.
- Phasing dodges most removal, board wipes, and land destruction aimed at your mana base.
- Has built-in trample evasion and is hard to kill thanks to its own phasing.
- Mono-blue gives access to the best card draw, counterspells, and tutors in the format.
Weaknesses
- Phasing your lands away on upkeep means you have no untapped mana for instants/flash on opponents' turns unless you protect lands.
- Highly build-around and fragile; without payoffs the ability is a liability that strands you mana-light.
- Mono-blue lacks efficient creature removal and direct life-loss closers.
- Telegraphs its plan and invites being targeted before its engine assembles.
Key Cards
- Patron of the Moon — Lets you put lands into play during your turn, turning Taniwha's phasing into explosive ramp and untap shenanigans.
- Glacial Chasm — A land you can sacrifice/manage around phasing for fog-like protection while your engine grinds.
- High Tide — Doubles the mana from your re-entering Islands for a massive storm/big-spell turn.
- Thassa's Oracle — A clean mono-blue win condition once you've drawn your deck via blue's card advantage.
- Rings of Brighthearth — Doubles activated abilities and helps convert your surplus mana into game-ending engines.
- Teferi's Veil — Phases your other attackers, protecting your board alongside Taniwha's natural evasion.
Upgrade Path
Lean into mana sinks and protection: add fast mana like Sol Ring and Mana Vault, payoffs such as Patron of the Moon and High Tide, and a tight combo finish (Thassa's Oracle plus draw outlets). Include ways to use lands at instant speed (Patron, Crucible-style recursion) so phasing isn't pure downside, and tutors like Mystical Tutor and Long-Term Plans to find your win line consistently.
Blinged versions
Premium printings of this commander — wishlist a specific version or grab it.
Core Cards Mythic Graph
Played alongside this commander most often, across 5 MythicWyrm decks.
Win Conditions Wyrm
- Commander damage with a trampling, phasing-protected Taniwha carrying auras/equipment.
- Thassa's Oracle or Laboratory Maniac after emptying your library with blue draw.
- Casting a game-ending X-spell or big finisher with doubled land mana.
- Assembling a mana-fueled combo loop to take infinite turns or mill the table.
Archetypes Wyrm
- Big Mana Ramp — Untapping all lands each cycle generates surges of mana to power expensive payoffs.
- Control — Blue's counters and bounce let you stall while your land engine outpaces opponents.
- Combo — Excess mana fuels infinite or near-infinite blue combos to win in one turn.
- Voltron — Trample plus phasing makes Taniwha a resilient evasive beater you can suit up.
Build a Taniwha deck with Wyrm
Generate a complete, bracket-tuned decklist in seconds — then fork it and make it yours.
Build with Wyrm →
Decks with Taniwha
Public decks brewed around this commander.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (), by popularity.
