B/UEDHREC #6440

Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

Legendary Creature — Beholder

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.

5 / 6

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“Steal from opponents' decks while locking them out—dimir theft and disruption.”

PlaystyleControl

DifficultyIntermediate

Wins viaCommander damage, Combat damage

ThemesControl, Spellslinger

Strategy

How this commander wants to play

Xanathar is a political powerhouse that locks down one opponent while letting you steal their resources. Each turn, you choose someone to silence—they can't cast spells while you peek at and play their top cards essentially for free. This creates a unique dynamic where you're not just attacking with a 5/6 flyer; you're disrupting their game plan while generating card advantage and mana fixing from their own deck. The key is that Xanathar forces the table to deal with you, but the ability is so splashy that it often draws hate. You win through commander damage and the value engine, turning stolen cards into a tempo advantage.

Strategy generated by Tapped Decks AI. Not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.

Key Synergies

Cards that especially shine here

Budget Build

Same gameplan, less money

Skip expensive tutors and mana rocks; use cheaper card draw like Opt and Ponder, and ramp via Wayfarer's Bauble or Cultivate to reach Xanathar faster.