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Commander Nexus
  1. Commander Nexus
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  3. Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

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Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

Legendary Creature — Beholder

Xanathar wants a deck that steals its opponents' creatures and spells. It also suits a deck that slows the whole table down with rules everyone must follow.

  • Mana cost4 genericblueblack
  • Blue, Black ()
  • Power / toughness5 / 6
  • RarityMythic

At the beginning of your upkeep, choose target opponent. Until end of turn, that player can't cast spells, you may look at the top card of their library any time, you may play the top card of their library, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast spells this way.

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Archetypes

Cards That Fit Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

Picked for what they do in Xanathar's deck. When two cards do the same job, the one with the lower comes first. All of them fit Xanathar's color identity.Mana ValueThe total amount of mana a card costs, all added up. A card costing two generic and one green has a mana value of three. Wizards renamed this from "converted mana cost" in 2021, so older cards and articles may still use the old name.Sol RingOpen the full glossary

plan6

The 6 Cards

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The 6 Cards

plan6

The 6 Cards

Rulings for Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

explain how Xanathar works in tricky situations. They come from Wizards of the Coast, the company that makes Magic.RulingThe official answer to how a card works in a tricky situation. Most rulings are written by Wizards of the Coast, the company that makes Magic, and a few are notes from Scryfall, the card database Magic players use. A ruling explains a card. It does not change what the card says.Open the full glossary

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

During your turn, you can look at the top card of the chosen opponent's library whenever you want (with one restriction; see below), even if you don't have priority. This action doesn't use the stack. Knowing what that card is becomes part of the information you have access to, just like you can look at the cards in your hand.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

If the top card of that library changes while you're casting a spell, playing a land, or activating an ability, you can't look at the new top card until you finish doing so. This means that if you cast a spell from the top of that library, you can't look at the next card until you're done paying for that spell.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

The target opponent may still cast spells in response to Xanathar, Guild Kingpin's ability in your upkeep. If that player has somehow become an illegal target for the ability as it tries to resolve, the ability does nothing. They may cast spells and you cannot look at or play the top card of their library.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

Xanathar doesn't change when you can cast spells or play lands. You must still follow all normal timing rules and land play limits.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

You'll still pay all costs for spells cast this way, including additional costs. You may also pay alternative costs if any are available.

5 rulings, all written by Wizards of the Coast. Read the originals on Gatherer ↗

Similar Commanders

Commanders that share the most with Xanathar, and what they share.

Color identityEvery color of mana symbol on a card, in its cost and in its rules text. Your commander's color identity sets the limit for your whole deck: every other card has to fit inside it. A deck led by a green and white commander cannot play a card with any blue in its color identity.Open the full glossaryUBPlayers write colors as letters: U for blue, B for black. Blue is U because B was already taken by black.TheftTheft decks take control of opponents' creatures and other cards, or cast spells from their decks, and use them against them. Some steals last one turn so you can attack with the borrowed creature; others are permanent.Open the Theft pageTheftTakes something that belongs to an opponent: a creature, another permanent, or even a spell cast straight off the top of their deck. Act of Treason, Hellkite TyrantOpen the Theft pageStax/TaxMakes the game more expensive or more restrictive for everyone: taxing spells and attacks, or stopping permanents from untapping. Propaganda, Ghostly Prison. Many groups dislike playing against it, so check what your table expects first.Open the Stax/Tax pageCard SelectionImproves what you draw rather than how much: you look at the top few cards of your library and decide what stays on top. Ponder lets you rearrange the top three, Serum Visions lets you scry, and Consider lets you surveil. It makes your draws more reliable without giving you extra cards.Open the Card Selection pageStaxStax decks slow the whole game down with cards that make spells cost more, stop lands from untapping, or limit what players can do each turn. The deck is built so those limits hurt it least. Many groups dislike playing against it, so check with your table first.Open the Stax pageLibrary ManipulationCards that let you look at, rearrange or play from the top of your deck, so you control what you draw next.Open the Library Manipulation page