Playing spells in the first few turns of a game of Commander can really set you up for success. Having access to these great one drops instead of just playing a land and passing can really up your game.
THE BEST ONE-DROPS IN COMMANDER
First, we should cover a big truth when it comes to one-drops: many of the best one-drops are used universally in Commander.
It would be really easy to just say “Hey, run Sol Ring, Shadowspear or Commander’s Plate”. Add a few more universally-good one-drops, and the article would be halfway done.
Instead, we’re going to talk about one-drops that are very good in red decks specifically. Before we get going: a quick clarification.
For the purposes of this list, a one-drop is a nonland permanent that you play as you’re curving out or as filler for unspent mana in later turns. It isn’t a Lightning Bolt, a Redirect Lightning or even a Faithless Looting. That last one is the closest to a one-drop play, but it’s only good in very specific builds, so it also doesn’t make the list.
Speaking of cards that don’t make the list, Skirk Prospector. It’s an amazing one-drop in a Goblins deck, and might even be one of the best cards in the deck. Outside of Goblins, though? You don’t really want it.
With those caveats covered, let’s dig in.
10 BEST ONE-DROPS FOR RED COMMANDER DECKS
10. DRAGON’S RAGE CHANNELER
While it’s more of a staple at the cEDH end of things, Dragon’s Rage Channeler is a great source of card filtering for a single mana. Whether you’re casting instants and sorceries or artifacts and enchantments, getting to Surveil every time offers some solid advantage and sets you up for later turns. Once you get Delirium online, you end up with a 3/3 flyers that attacks each combat if able, which can help provide pressure and get you your attack and damage triggers.
9. MASS HYSTERIA
Mass Hysteria is very much a “break glass in case of emergency” kinda one-drop, because it can quickly backfire on you if you’re not the one most set up to take advantage of it. Should you be set up to take advantage of it, however, having a one-drop that gives all of your critters haste is an incredibly powerful way to open a game.
8. DIAMOND PICK-AXE / GOLDVEIN PICK
Making extra mana ahead of curve is how you get ahead in Commander. Cheap ways to do it should be on your radar. Diamond Pick-Axe gives a treasure on attack, and you get an indestructible equipment that’ll survive most wraths. While Diamond Pick-axe is slightly worse than Goldvein Pick if you have Double Strike, it doesn’t cost one mana.
7. BEAMTOWN BEATSTICK
The beep-bop-boopstick is a staple of deckbuilding for me, and it’s because of that delicious Menace keyword. Getting access to Menace and a small attack buff while also making treasure for just one mana is where it’s at. Don’t underestimate the ability to connect that a little evasion can give you.
6. GERRARD’S HOURGLASS PENDANT
Red isn’t the best color at recurring things from the graveyard, artifacts aside… and really, it’s one of the worst unless you add other colors. For that reason, you’ll take what you can get, and what you can get is Gerrard’s Hourglass Pendant. While the anti-extra turns text might rarely come up, the ability to bring back all artifact, creature, enchantment and lands that got blown up by a wrath is really good. I play this even outside mono-red, but it feels like a bit of a red staple, as it’s something red rarely gets access to.
5. CURRENCY CONVERTER
Another artifact that decks other than red can play, but yet again another most at home in a red deck, thanks to red’s propensity for wheels, looting and rummaging. Red discards a lot of cards, and being able to get extra value out of those discards with a one mana play is sweet. Whether it’s a treasure token or a 2/2 Rogue, you’re laughing all the way to the bank.
4. GOBLIN WELDER
When it comes to impactful red one-drops, Goblin Welder is up there with the best of the bunch. It’s an incredibly flexible one-drop, and here’s why. Firstly, you can use it to cheat mana costs. You sac a small artifact or token, and get your Wurmcoil Engine out of the graveyard. Secondly, you can use it to cycle artifacts in and out of the yard – those with death or enter triggers, and those that affect all players on upkeeps. Using Welder, you can bring it back after your upkeep, and make sure to get rid of it in the opponent’s end step before your turn begins.
Oh, and it also functions as removal, right? You can force an opponent to sacrifice a really strong artifact if there’s something less hot in their yard.
3. FERVENT CHAMPION
Fervent Champion might be one of the best one-drops in Commander, period. The only reason it isn’t higher on this list is because it asks you to play a good amount of equipment, which not every red deck will be doing. If you are, though? Fervent Champion on T1, and Sword of the Animist or Mask of Memory on T2. Sword of Hearth and Home on T3. There are so many good free equips here that generate value that you’d be daft not to consider running Javier Dominguez’s likeness in your red decks.
2. RAGAVAN, NIMBLE PILFERER
As it stands, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer is just that little bit more universal than Fervent Champion. It’s a one-drop that generates treasure and impulse draws off of the top of an opponent’s deck. That’s a lot of value in just a one drop, and that’s reflected in it being a spendy Mythic.
If you’re wanting to power up your early game plays, though, Ragavan is where it’s at.
1. CURSE OF OPULENCE
If you’re looking for a more budget option – and one that still provides plenty of extra value – then Curse of Opulence might be more up your street. For one mana, you get to make a Gold token whenever you attack the chosen player. It also triggers when an opponent attacks them, too – meaning you might find yourself swimming in Gold as the game goes on.
When it comes to cheap and efficient early game plays, it doesn’t get much better than this in mono-red.
END STEP
This time, we covered the best one-drops if you’re playing a red deck in Commander. Dropping one of these instead of a tapped land on Turn 1 can help you springboard to victory. Next time we’ll look at another color – let us know which you want to see next.
Kristen is Card Kingdom’s Head Writer and a member of the Commander Format Panel. Formerly a competitive Pokémon TCG grinder, she has been playing Magic since Shadows Over Innistrad, which in her opinion, was a great set to start with. When she’s not taking names with Equipment and Aggro strategies in Commander, she loves to play any form of Limited.