Planeswalkers are among the most integral characters within Magic: The Gathering's story. Powerful beings capable of traversing the countless planes of the multiverse, Planeswalker cards are splashy and impactful cards that become more and more dangerous the longer they stick around in a game of Magic.
These cards are characterized by the numerous activatable abilities that provide them with a defining layer of flexibility, allowing a given Planeswalker to serve numerous roles in a strategy. As nearly every set of Magic comes along with two or more Planeswalkers, the numbers have grown quite large over time, with over 200 Planeswalkers currently available for players to use in their decks. So today, we're going to examine the Planeswalker cards of Magic and see which are the most consistently useful and worth your time.
Updated on January 3, 2022, by Paul DiSalvo: With a litany of new cards released every year as new sets are launched, the roster of available Planeswalkers that players can include in their decks is ever-expanding. While some Planeswalkers can function as game-winning finishers for a deck, others are capable of providing efficient and worthwhile value to a player over the course of a game through access to things like mana ramp, card advantage, or token generation. Regardless of the colors of one's deck, Planeswalkers are a varied card type that can function in a wide range of decks.
20 Ashiok, Dream Render
An uncommon card, Ashiok, Dream Render may not seem like much at first glance, but this Dimir Planeswalker offers great effects that can be a silver bullet against certain decks. For only three mana, Ashiok is a five-loyalty Planeswalker that offers a static ability that states that spells and abilities controlled by one’s opponents can cause them to search their library, shutting off anything from tutors to fetch lands.
Additionally, Ashiok totes a -1 ability that causes an opponent to mill the top four cards of their library before exiling that player’s graveyard, causing major damage to any graveyard-focused deck. As strategies that utilize the graveyard are rampant in the Commander format, Ashiok, Dream Render can be a great utility card in that format.
19 Liliana, The Last Hope
Printed in Eldritch Moon, Liliana, the Last Hope is a three-mana black Planeswalker that can offer removal, card advantage, and tribal benefits for zombie decks. Entering the battlefield with three loyalty, Liliana's +1 provides a creature with -2/-2, allowing this Planeswalker to potentially remove several smaller utility creatures.
Additionally, Liliana's -2 mills two cards, returning a creature from its controller's graveyard to their hand, while its ultimate -7 ability provides an emblem that creates a number of zombie tokens on each of its controller's turns equal to two plus the number of zombies that player controls.
18 Tezzeret, The Seeker
Artifact synergies are incredible in a myriad of formats, including Modern, Legacy, and Commander. Tezzeret, the Seeker, is a mono blue Planeswalker that for five mana can provide artifact decks with absurd amounts of value.
With a +1 ability that can untap up to two artifacts, Tezzeret can provide mana ramp by untapping mana rocks. Additionally, Tezzeret’s incredible -X ability can tutor its controller’s library for a key artifact with a mana value equal to X and put it into play, serving as a repeatable tutor effect.
17 Tamiyo, The Moon Sage
Few mono blue Planeswalkers are capable of providing as much flexible value in the Commander format as Tamiyo, the Moon Sage. Costing five mana like Tezzeret, Tamiyo’s +1 can function as removal, tapping any permanent and preventing it from untapping during its controller’s next untap step.
When it comes to card advantage, Timiyo’s -2 is capable of drawing its controller massive sums of cards in the right situation, allowing them to draw a card for each tapped creature the target opponent controls. While Planeswalkers shouldn’t be rated based on their ultimate abilities, it should be noted that the emblem provided by Tamiyo’s ultimate ability states that whenever a card would be put in its controller’s graveyard, it is instead returned to its owner’s hand. This allows instants and sorceries to be repeatedly cast.
16 Chandra, Torch Of Defiance
While the majority of Planeswalkers only have three activated abilities, Chandra, Torch of Defiance, is one of the rare few that boast four. One of the best red Planeswalkers to ever see print, Chandra has access to two +1 abilities, one that can impulsively draw, exiling the top card of its controller's library and allowing that card to be cast until the end of the turn. The second adds two red mana to its controller’s mana pool.
As if these abilities weren’t enough, Chandra’s -3 can serve as removal, dealing four damage to any creature. Lastly, her ultimate ability creates an emblem that causes every spell cast by its owner to deal five damage to any target.
15 Teferi, Time Raveler
Printed in War of the Spark, Teferi, Time Raveler, is an Azorius Planeswalker that is banned in the Pioner and Historic formats.
This is because of a static ability that only allows one's opponents to cast spells at sorcery speed, and Terferi's +1 which allows its controller to cast Sorcery spells at instant speed. Between these two abilities alone, Teferi allows its owner to control the flow of a game.
As if this weren't enough, Teferi can temporarily remove an artifact, creature, or enchantment with its -3, bouncing the targeted card to its owner's hand while Teferi's controller draws a card.
14 Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast
A highly underrated Rakdos Planeswalker, Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast is a great option in decks with artifact synergies. For only three mana, this Planeswalker's +1 can create a 1/1 artifact creature token with Defender while its -1 can be used to destroy target artifact or creature as long as its controller sacrifices an artifact.
While it Daretti enters the battlefield with three loyalty, its -6 ability can create three token copies of any artifact on the battlefield or in a graveyard, potentially providing incredible value for what was only an investment of three mana.
13 Wrenn And Seven
Printed in Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, Wrenn and Seven is an impressive mono-green Planeswalker that totes four activated abilities. For five mana, this Planeswalker's +1 allows its controller to look at the top four cards of their library, putting lands found this way into their hand and the rest into their graveyard and its 0 ability allows its controller to put any number of lands in their hand directly into play.
Once Wrenn and Seven's controller has ample lands in play, its -3 can create a treefolk token with power and toughness equal to the number of lands under its owner's control. As if this weren't strong enough, if a player repeatedly fill their graveyard with Wrenn and Seven's +1, its -8 ability can all permanent cards from its owner's graveyard to their hand, removing its controller's maximum hand size in the process!
12 Narset, Parter Of Veils
Like Ashiok, Narset, Parter of Veils is an uncommon Planeswalker that was printed in War of the Spark. Much stronger than one may expect at first glance, this insidiously potent Planeswalker derives much of its usefulness from its static ability that states that each of its controller’s opponents can’t draw more than one card per turn.
When paired with “wheel” effects such as that of the Windfall spell, Narset can force players to discard their entire hand without getting anything in return.
11 Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God
For years, the elder dragon Planeswalker, Nicol Bolas served as the primary antagonist of Magic: The Gathering. As one would expect from such a prominent villain, the majority of the cards that Bolas appeared on are quite potent.
The most recent printed version of the dragon, Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God, is among the most flexible Planeswalkers of all time. This is largely in part to the fact that this card has a static ability that states that it has the activated abilities of each other Planeswalker in play. Additionally, this incarnation of Bolas has access to removal, card draw, and can even cause players to lose the game if they don't control a legendary creature or Planeswalker.
10 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
A staple in numerous white Commander decks, Elspeth, Sun's Champion, is a six mana white Planeswalker with a noteworthy suite of stellar abilities. While some Planeswalkers may have lackluster plus abilities to offset their potent minus abilities and ultimates, each of Elspeth's abilities is excellent in its own right.
Elspeth's +1 ability creates three 1/1 solider tokens that can be used to defend Elspeth while she keeps producing value, while her -3 ability serves as a board wipe, destroying all creatures with four or greater power.
9 Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord
For a mere three mana, Sorin Imperious Bloodlord is a Mono-Black Planeswalker that fits perfectly within any Vampire-Tribal Deck. With four starting loyalty, two +1 abilities, and a -3 that can be used the moment Sorin comes into play, while each of these abilities only functions in vampire decks, they can offer stellar value.
While Sorin's first +1 provides a creature with deathtouch and lifelink, putting a +1/+1 counter on it if it's a vampire, its second +1 allows its controller to sacrifice a vampire. If they do, Sorin can deal three damage to any target, gaining three life. Most notably, Sorin's -3 allows a vampire to be put directly into play, potentially subverting the high mana cost of an impactful vampire.
8 Dack Fayden
The greatest thief in the multiverse, Dack Fayden is an Izzet Planeswalker all about theft. Capable of looting through one's own deck to set up later turns, the appeal of Dack Fayden is found within his other abilities.
While the majority of theft spells in Magic tote temporary effects, or effects that can be undone with targeted removal, Dack's -2 allows a player to steal an artifact, no strings attached. Dack's ultimate even allows its controller to gain control of any permanent that becomes the target of a spell they control.
7 Teferi, Hero Of Dominaria
Anyone familiar with Teferi, Hero of Dominaria is likely aware of the notorious hold it once had on the Standard format. A control all-star, this version of Teferi has access to repeatable removal, card draw, and can even reuse one's resources by untapping lands at the end of a turn.
This Planeswalker even has access to an absolutely terrifying ultimate, converting one's card draw into removal that can deal with anything from other Planeswalkers, to artifacts, to even lands.
6 Ugin, The Spirit Dragon
While Ugin, the Spirit Dragon, totes a steep mana cost of eight, this colorless Planeswalker is well worth the effort. It speaks volumes for a Planeswalker when its worst ability has an identical effect to the ever-excellent Lightning Bolt.
In case a player needs more than just targeted removal, Ugin can provide mini "board wipes" with its -X ability. As if this weren't enough, Ugin's ultimate can often win games in an instant, allowing its controller to draw seven cards and put up to seven permanents directly onto the battlefield.
5 Karn, Liberated
Known for its place in "Tron" decks that can quickly produce a large sum of colorless mana, Karn Liberated excels at depriving opponents of their cards. While Karn's +4 exiles a card from a player's hand, his -3 is capable of exiling any permanent.
Though it requires a hefty fourteen loyalty to activate, Karn's ultimate might as well say "you win the game," as it restarts the game, then puts all permanents exiled with Karn under its owner's control.
4 Wren and Six
While the majority of the Planeswalkers on this list cost four or more mana to play, Wren and Six is an incredibly economical Gruul Planeswalker that only costs two mana. Though its +1 of returning a land from a graveyard to its owner's hand may seem lackluster at first glance, it can be used to get repeated value out of fetch lands.
Wren and Six can also help to remove smaller threats with its -1 ability, while its ultimate allows a player to get repeated value out of their instants and sorceries. When it comes to bang for one's buck, it's hard to compete with Wren and Six.
3 Liliana Of The Veil
Liliana of the Veil is without question the most powerful incarnation of the iconic Liliana Vess. Capable of disrupting an opponent's hand as well as thinning their board presence, Liliana can be a nightmare to deal with, especially early in a game.
As she only costs three mana to cast, this card can provide black decks with a consistent, reusable source of control.
2 Oko, Thief Of Crowns
No Planeswalker in recent memory has drawn as much ire and disdain as Oko, Thief of Crowns. A Simic Planeswalker for the low cost of three mana, Oko is one of the most reliable means of depriving opponents of their strongest cards. While numerous Planeswalkers come with a removal ability, these abilities are often limited by their nature as minus abilities.
In the case of this card, Oko can notoriously render any artifact or creature useless by turning it into a 3/3 elk with no abilities as his +1 ability. As if this wasn't enough, Oko can sustain both himself and his controller with his +2 by making food tokens, or switching control of permanents with his low costed ultimate of -5.
1 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
Once banned in the Modern format, Jace, the Mindsculpter is the card that all other Planeswalkers aspire to be. A reasonable cost at four mana, Jace has four abilities rather than the usual three, making it all the more flexible. This Planeswalker can draw cards for its controller, remove creatures in the form of a bounce effect, and even filter an opponent's draws.
While Jace would be perfectly powerful without it, the card's absurd ultimate ability spells certain doom for opponents, exiling their library then shuffling their hand into it, depriving them of all hope.