Aetherdrift leans into a high-concept fusion of steampunk and temporal rifts—think time loops, strange tech, and alternate realities. Each of the four precon decks explores unique mechanics that riff off this theme:
Commander: Kallix, the Chrono-Savant
This deck plays with time like a cat with string. Suspend, extra turns, and blink effects make this one a headache for your opponents—and maybe for yourself, if you’re not careful. Kallix lets you manipulate time counters and essentially “fast forward” key spells.
✅ Pros: Explosive turns, cool interactions
⚠️ Cons: High learning curve, might annoy your table
Commander: Maelgra, Skyhorn Alpha
If ramp and stomp are your thing, this is your pick. Maelgra rewards you for casting spells with alternate costs (hello, evoke and emerge), and you get wild synergy with large creature drops and energy counters.
✅ Pros: Big creatures, fast mana
⚠️ Cons: Less interaction, can run out of gas late game
Commander: Virella, Mindlock Engineer
This is your classic “control and corrupt” deck. Mill, reanimation, and mind games abound. Virella lets you manipulate your opponents’ libraries and steal from their decks when the timing is right.
✅ Pros: Disruption-heavy, card advantage for days
⚠️ Cons: Slower playstyle, may paint a target on you
Commander: Ezrion, Multiphase Mirror
Welcome to Clone City. Ezrion thrives on copying spells, creatures, and even entire board states. You’ll double your value every turn if you play it right.
✅ Pros: Flexible, lots of tricks
⚠️ Cons: Can be fragile without protection
If you’re looking for precons that can hold their own without immediate upgrades, Aetherdrift delivers. All four decks feel reasonably tuned—definitely stronger than older sets like Commander 2017 but not as polished as Commander Masters.
That said, there’s still room for improvement. Swapping in a few staples like Swords to Plowshares, Rhystic Study, or even just faster mana rocks can push these decks into the semi-competitive tier quickly.
Each precon sits at the usual $40–$50 MSRP range, and this time, Wizards included some solid reprints—like Mystic Remora, Command Beacon, and Cyclonic Rift in some builds. That alone adds weight to the price tag.
You’re also getting brand-new cards with strong Commander potential (some of which are already climbing in price), and the synergy is there right out of the box.
Each deck has solid bones for upgrades. Some quick ideas:
Temporal Tinkerers: Add Teferi, Master of Time, and Time Warp.
Aetherwild Stampede: Slot in Selvala, Heart of the Wilds and more efficient ramp.
Clockspire Conspiracy: Lean into Ashiok planeswalkers or more graveyard hate.
Refracted Realities: Run Spark Double, Sakashima, and Panharmonicon.
