Brawl has finally come to Magic Arena! After a bit of finagling and a fun preview event, Magic‘s newest Wizards-supported format has finally found its way to Magic‘s newest online platform.

If the fun I’ve had playing Standard Singleton events is any indication, I’m going to have a blast playing Brawl on Magic Arena. But first, I have to select my Throne of Eldraine season Brawl Commander – and the Legendary Creatures and Planeswalkers below are at the top of my list.

Saheeli, Sublime Artificier

Who needs creatures anyway?

Of the four pre-constructed Brawl decks that recently hit Magic Arena, Alela, Artful Provocateur was my favorite. Alela served as an easily-accessible army-in-a-can, allowing the rest of her deck to focus on controlling opponents’ battlefields. Provided an opponent didn’t kill Alela, the free faeries that she generated quickly ended most games.

The Saheeli, Sublime Artificer deck that I plan to build will operate the same way – using a cheaper Commander that’s harder to interact with (and sits squarely in my favorite colors). While Saheeli’s likely not the best Throne of Eldraine season Brawl Commander, she’s my personal favorite. So she’s the first Brawler I plan to build a deck around.

Yarok, the Desecrated

More like Yarok, the Desecrator.

Commander is an enters-the-battlefield format, so it’s likely that Brawl will be as well. With that in mind, Yarok, the Desecrated‘s ability to double all enters-the-battlefield effects (including, say, Field of the Dead) for free seems like the perfect starting point for a great Brawl deck.

In addition, Yarok’s Sultai color identity gives it access to artifact, enchantment, and creature removal, card draw, and a few of my favorite bulk rares. Yarok seems built to Brawl, and the only reason I’m not more excited about playing it is that I think most everyone else who’s playing Brawl will be building a Yarok, the Desecrated deck as well.

Chulane, Teller of Tales

Speaking of Commanders everyone will be playing …

Above, I mentioned that Commander is an enters-the-battlefield format. It’s also a ramp and card advantage format – and Chulane, Teller of Tales synergizes with and/or provides all three.

A Chulane deck will be able to cast creatures with great enters-the-battlefield effects, draw cards and ramp out lands while doing so, and then use its extra mana to re-buy its creatures (and their effects). Personally, I’m more excited to play Yarok than Chulane, but I’m willing to admit that Chulane may end up being more powerful. If I have the wildcards to spare, I’ll likely end up building both decks, to see which five-drop Commander is actually better.

(P.S. – It’s odd that a format that was initially sold as a great way to “add new dimension to your Standard-legal cards” is now led by cards that are not actually available in normal Standard booster packs, right? Right.)

Teferi, Time Raveler

“If the man comin’, make ready for the man.”

Teferi, Time Raveler might be the most powerful Planeswalker in Standard, so he’ll likely be a fantastic Brawl Commander. As the leader of a Brawl control deck, Teferi will turn the stack off for your opponents, while speeding up your sorceries and allowing you to interact at your leisure.

Teferi can also bounce your own permanents and draw you cards, allowing you to (once again) re-buy your enters-the-battlefield effects while pulling ahead in card advantage. Note, however, that playing against Teferi, Time Raveler likely won’t be any fun for your opponents – so you might not want to build a Teferi deck if you plan to play Brawl in paper.

Niv-Mizzet Reborn

“If the dragon comin’, make ready for the dragon.”

As you might already be aware, the latest version of Niv-Mizzet sparks joy in my heart. But while I’ve had a Niv-Mizzet Reborn Commander deck ready to purchase for months now, I have yet to actually cast everyone’s favorite new Living Guildpact.

I’d love to cast my first Niv-Mizzet Reborn in Brawl, but I’m not sure I have access to the amount of wildcards that a good Niv deck demands. A five-color Brawl deck will likely need to run ALL the dual lands, and I’m sure I’m missing a number of key multicolor cards that I’d have to craft as well.

Still, Niv-Mizzet Reborn is a powerful card (he’s even been putting up results in Modern) with a fun, flavorful effect. If I can make the wildcard math work out, Niv-Mizzet might join my Brawl rotation before the end of the Throne of Eldraine season.

What Throne of Eldraine Brawl decks are you excited to build? Did I miss a Commander that seems stupidly powerful? Are you going to build using cards you already own, or spend wildcards on Brawl? These are all questions I’m curious to know the answer to – so leave your thoughts on Throne of Eldraine season Brawl in the comments below! And until next time, I’ll see you in Arena‘s Brawl queues …