Throughout the course of Magic: The Gathering there have been lots of new tribes that are introduced to players. Some of them stick and some of them don't. As cool as werewolves were while they were in the format, they didn't really work out as a viable option for commander. But dinosaurs definitely did; big time. They're not just powerful individually, but as a tribe, they can totally dominate the battlefield.
If you're willing to drop some money on a new commander deck and are on the fence about what to make, we suggest dinosaurs. The Naya coloring is full of huge creatures and destructive abilities. If you're a fan of creature-based decks that overwhelm opponents with raw power, dinosaurs are the right choice for you.
10 REGISAUR ALPHA
Kicking things off is Regisaur Alpha, a 4/4 dinosaur that makes sure your dinosaurs can have an immediate impact when they enter the battlefield. First of all, when Regisaur Alpha enters the battlefield you create a 3/3 green dinosaur creature token with trample, so it's like getting two creatures for the price of one.
Regisaur Alpha also gives all other dinosaurs you control haste, so they can start dealing damage the turn they come into play. This ability is especially useful in the late game as you start casting some of your bigger creatures, like the elder dinosaurs.
9 WAKENING SUN'S AVATAR
Wakening Sun's Avatar is the white dinosaur avatar and the only mono-colored avatar to make this list. Eight mana isn't cheap, but the ability is worth it. When Wakening Sun's Avatar enters the battlefield, if you cast it from your hand, destroy all non-dinosuar creatures.
Given that this is a dinosaur tribal deck, your creatures will be safe while you wipe out your opponents' creatures. On top of a powerful board wipe card, this creature is also a 7/7. Paired with any tribal-based boosts, it would be a threat to deal with even without its ability.
8 TEMPLE ALTISAUR
For five mana, Temple Altisaur provides incredible protection for all of your other dinosaurs. While its in play, if a source would deal damage to another dinosaur you control, prevent all but one of that damage. This card gives you the freedom to both attack and block without having to worry about your creatures being destroyed by combat damage.
You can use your smaller creatures to block and during your combat phase, use your high power tramplers to deal massive damage to your opponent. You'll still need to find a way around removal, but Temple Altisaur will take care of combat damage.
7 OTEPEC HUNTMASTER
One of the two non-dinosaur cards on this list, Otepec Huntmaster helps you get them onto the battlefield faster. While Otepec Huntmaster is in play, dinosaur spells you cast cost one less to cast. Considering you're going to be playing a lot of cards with five mana cost and above in this deck, every mana you can save counts.
You're not going to be attacking with Otepec Huntmaster either, so you can utilize its tap ability to give a target dinosaur haste until the end of the turn. This is a great way to speed up the damage you can deal and can be a stand-in for Regisaur Alpha if you don't have it in play.
6 ALTA PALANI, NEST TENDER
Alta Palani, Nest Tender is one of the potential commanders you can use for a dinosaur tribal deck, although more often than not she'll be one of your 99. By tapping and paying two mana, you can create a 0/1 green egg creature token with defender. Whenever an egg you control dies, you then reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature card, then put that card onto the battlefield.
It's similar in ways to the Naya commander Mayael the Anima, but its much more consistent as its ability to play a creature is not dependent on the creature's power. Using her ability, you can hatch your eggs into powerful dinosaurs for a fraction of their total converted mana cost.
5 WAYWARD SWORDTOOTH
Wayward Swordtooth is a three mana 5/5. If that alone doesn't entice you, it's ability definitely will. First and foremost, this is a mana ramp card. While under your control, it allows you to play an additional land on each of your turns. If you can play Wayward Swordtooth on turn three, you'll be able to build a huge mana pool in no time and start casting your most powerful dinosaurs.
Its second ability is actually a limitation in terms of it being a creature. If you control ten or more permanents, you get the city's blessing for the rest of the game and Wayward Swordtooth can't attack or block until you have that. That being said, this card is mainly played because of its awesome ramping power,
4 GHALTA, PRIMAL HUNGER
There aren't many cards that epitomize green quite like Ghalta, Primal Hunger does. Green is great at casting huge creatures and minimizing the cost of those creatures. Ghalta does both as a 12/12 trampler costing two forest and 10 generic mana to cast. Ghalta costs X less mana to cast, where X is the total power of creatures you control.
If you are playing with one of the bigger dinosaur commanders, having that and one other creature on the field will be enough to cast Ghalta for just two forests. Ghalta is also a great commander for first-time players due to the simplicity and power of its design.
3 MOROPHON, THE BOUNDLESS
Morophon, The Boundless wasn't initially released with the other dinosaur cards but is a powerful addition to any dinosaur tribal deck as either the commander or as one of the cards in the deck. Since Morophon is a changeling it is automatically a dinosaur type. When it enters the battlefield you can chose a creature type and spells of that type cost one of each mana color less to cast.
On top of that, other creatures you control of the chosen type get +1/+1. So, if you are playing any multicolored dinosaurs they can potentially cost up to three less mana to cast. That's the difference between casting for eight and five mana, which will free up space in your mana pool to play multiple large creatures each turn.
2 ZACAMA, PRIMAL CALAMITY
Zacama, Primal Calamity is the most expensive card on this list but with good reason. If you are not using Gishath, Sun's Avatar as your commander, chances are you'll be using Zacama. It is a 9/9 with vigilance, reach, and trample that allows you to untap all lands you control when it enters the battlefield. So after you cast it for the first time you can immediately use its three abilities.
For one mountain and two generic mana Zacama deals three damage to a target creature. For one forest and two generic mana you can destroy the target artifact or enchantment. Or, for one plains and two generic you can gain three life. Pair Zacama with instants like Acrobatic Maneuver to exile a creature you control then return it to the battlefield to give yourself lots of extra mana.
1 GISHATH, SUN'S AVATAR
Gishath, Sun's Avatar is by far the most popular commander for dinosaur travel decks. It is a 7/6 dinosaur avatar with trample, vigilance, and haste. It does what Naya decks do best which is get huge creatures on to the battlefield without paying their mana cost. Whenever Gishath deals damage to a player you get to reveal that many cards from the top of the deck and put any dinosaurs among them onto the battlefield.
Given that this deck will be very creature heavy you should have no trouble finding dinosaurs to play for free. On top of that, since Gishath has seven power and trample you're likely to deal damage no matter who is blocking it.