Over the course of Magic: The Gathering history, cards with enter the battlefield triggers seem to be printed more and more. When the game was originally created, there was only a handful of creatures that existed who caused something to happen when they entered the battlefield. Nowadays, it's almost expected for your best creatures to come with an enter the battlefield trigger.
In a world where cards entering the battlefield matters more though, flicker or blink effects, which make a card leave the battlefield momentarily only for it to enter the battlefield again, become much better. As we'll see though, not all flicker cards are created equal.
8 Eerie Interlude
Eerie Interlude has a couple of downsides to be sure, but the ability to flicker all of your creatures at instant speed against a wrath effect alone earns it a spot on this list. This is a very niche flicker card in this regard, but it doesn't have to be if included in the right deck.
After all, you can use Eerie Interlude to save all of your creatures from imminent destruction, but you can also simply include this card in a deck that's chock-full of creatures with enter the battlefield effects. This way, Eerie Interlude provides value regardless if your opponent has a wrath or removal spell. Don't forget, though, that any tokens you flicker sadly won't be returning to the battlefield.
7 Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
Thassa is a flicker card that trades all the flexibility that cards like Eerie Interlude provide for reliability instead. At the beginning of each end step, you get to flicker one creature you control as long as Thassa remains on the battlefield. Seeing that she is an indestructible enchantment, chances are, Thassa won't ever be removed.
Besides a reliable flicker effect, Thassa also makes for a well-sized attacking creature as long as you can get enough blue permanents in play. Lastly, her ability to tap creatures for mana gives you a mana sink in case you run out of gas.
6 Essence Flux
Here's one of the most reliable cards out there when it comes to protecting your creatures from removal. Not only that, but Spirits that are targeted by this card also return to the battlefield with an additional counter on them.
Ideally, you'll want to play Essence Flux on a Spirit you control that comes with an enter the battlefield trigger. Rattlechains is one such good example, though there are certainly others. Even if you fail to use Essence Flux in this exact circumstance, one mana to save a creature from removal is a great cost that's sure to provide you with a mana advantage in most situations.
5 Ephemerate
Essentially Essence Flux's big brother, Ephemerate works in much the same manner but costs a white instead of a blue and doesn't provide any opportunity for counters. Furthermore, Ephemerate also comes with the rebound mechanic: meaning it can be cast again at the beginning of your next upkeep for no cost at all.
In other words, Ephemerate provides you with two flicker effects for the price of one. It is notable that the rebound flicker happens at the beginning of your turn and this will make the creature you target unable to attack for the rest of the turn, however, creatures with good enter the battlefield effects, like Reflector Mage and Cloudblazer, won't leave you feeling too bad about it.
4 Restoration Angel
Restoration Angel is one of the older flicker cards in Magic, and it's especially well-known by veteran players. Restoration Angel is an especially devastating flicker card because it enters the battlefield as an inherent two-for-one.
The card itself is a sizable flying threat that can surprise opponents by being flashed in at the end of their turn, and its flicker effect can trigger another one of your enter the battlefield effects, save a creature from removal, or both. While you might think the target non-Angel creature phrasing on this card never comes up, you would sadly be wrong. However, it is a rare enough occasion.
3 Yorion, Sky Nomad
Printed alongside the other Companion cards released in Ikoria, Yorion, Sky Nomad is arguably the second best Companion printed so far. The creature itself is a good flying threat to put onto the battlefield, but its real power comes from its ability to flicker all non-land permanents you control.
The most important thing here is that Yorion, unlike every other card on this list so far, can target all non-lands permanents instead of simply creatures. As a result, enchantments, artifacts, and other card types beyond creatures that come with enter the battlefield effects, can be taken advantage of using Yorion. Beyond all that, it's also just awesome to watch every enter the battlefield effect on your side of the table trigger simultaneously.
2 Brago, King Eternal
Brago provides the same advantages as Yorion, but requires a bit more work in order to trigger. Whereas Yorion triggers as soon as it enters the battlefield, Brago must first successfully deal combat damage to a player before you get your big payoff.
This makes Brago slightly less reliable compared to Yorion, but it also gives him a higher value ceiling since you can trigger Brago turn after turn by dealing combat damage. Brago is also notably a Spirit which means he benefits from Essence Flux and other Spirit tribal cards, many of which have powerful enter the battlefield effects. Both Yorion and Brago serve as great flicker deck Commanders, so it really comes down to a matter of preference.
1 Displacer Kitten
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This flicker kitten made waves when it was first revealed in Commander Legends: Battle For Baldur's Gate, and it still commands an impressive over $10 price tag. Displacer Kitten also gives you the ability to target non-land permanents like Brago and Yorion, but its flicker clause only triggers when you cast a non-creature spell.
While this might seem like a bad thing at first glance, Displace Kitten actually provides you with more flexibility regarding when to flicker your creatures than any other card on this list. Not only that, but it can trigger multiple times per turn just by casting non-creature spells. While it may only be a cute little 2/2 Kitten, this Displacer beast potentially packs the biggest flicker punch of any card ever printed. Oh, and it's also got the Cat creature type which seems to be a more and more relevant type with every set released. Meownificent!