We love a good nostalgic countdown here at Card Kingdom, so here’s our run through of the most iconic Dragons. Each Dragons on this list is chosen for its power, popularity, impact in competitive formats, and enduring appeal. Did we get all of your favorites?
20. THUNDERMAW HELLKITE
Limited all-star Thundermaw Hellkite reminds us how big a tempo swing Dragons can be. It taps down all flyers – those that survive, at any rate. It’s also five damage with Haste, which might not seem like a big deal in 2025, but was a huge swing back when it released in Magic 2013.
It featured in GP winning lists at GP Warsaw 2013 (Gruul Aggro) and GP Prague 2014 (UWr Midrange) doing what Dragons do best: topping curves and commanding the battlefield.
19. ARCADES, THE STRATEGIST
Core 2019 brought with it the return of the classic Elder Dragon cycle from Legends, with a new lick of paint – and a new toy for Commander players in Arcades, the Strategist. Arcades stormed onto the scene as the premier option for a Bant Walls/Defender deck, offering unparalleled utility and card draw on an aggressively costed body.
Arcades went on to be a very popular toughness-matters Commander, and it took seven years and a return to Tarkir to gives us Felothar, a similarly strong Abzan version of this iconic Commander.
18. SILUMGAR, DRIFTING DEATH
Silumgar saw extensive play in Tarkir’s first Standard outing, with its peak of popularity at the 2015 World Championships, where it saw extensive play in Esper Dragons. Although it couldn’t hope to do much against Abzan Midrange – which went on to win – it was an important tool against the Thopters and Goblins of Jeskai Midrange and the tokens of White Weenie decks.
17. STORMBREATH DRAGON
Speaking of Jeskai Midrange, enter Stormbreath Dragon. Stormbreath Dragon also featured at that very same World Championship, where it was used as a powerful finisher and a way to push through damage.
Its best outings were arguably in the Rakdos version of the deck, with Black-Red Dragons taking GP Prague 2015. It played a full playset of Stormbreath Dragon.
16. DRAGONLORD OJUTAI
Before we leave that Dragon-heavy period in Standard, let’s hear from Dragonlord Ojutai, perhaps the most iconic Dragon from that period of competitive Magic. Not only did Ojutai feature in the Esper Dragons lists with Silumgar, but it had lasting appeal beyond the heyday of those decks.
It ported over to the UW Humans and Bant Company decks of Shadows over Innistrad Standard, and even broke into Modern for a time (back when Celestial Collonade and Vendilion Clique were the bread and butter of the deck).
15. MURKTIDE REGENT
Murktide Regent is an absurdly strong Magic card. Gurmag Angler was already a good delve finisher, but now you’re telling me there’s a Flyer that gets bigger for Instant or Sorcery you exile to pay for it, and then gets bigger the more spells you cast? That’s a Modern Horizons 2 card for ya.
Murkride Regent immediately took names, flooding Top 8s in Modern and Legacy, and remains a mainstay of both formats four years later. Design mistake? Or exactly what people want? Two sides of the same coin, perhaps.
14. NIV-MIZZET (IZZET MIZZET)
Niv-Mizzet is to Ravnica as Thalia is to Innistrad, as Teferi is to Dominaria. He’s the symbol for the Izzet Guild, on the watermark for Izzet cards. Truly Iconic. The casting cost, the flavor text, the mechanics… they all riff off of Niv’s endless Curiosity (which to be clear synergizes incredibly with the first two versions of Niv, and is a straight up combo with Niv-Mizzet, Parun).
Dragon Wizards are cool, just as Dragons are. I’m not actually sure what Wizards bring to the table there, though.
13. SKITHIRYX, THE BLIGHT DRAGON
It’s time to break out the Skittles. Rather than tasting the rainbow, though, you’ll be tasting the metallic bitterness of blood in your mouth as Infect takes hold. Skithiryx is revered as one of the strongest Infect cards, and for good reason – you can have it come in with Haste.
While it never did much in Standard – with only some SCG Open Top 4 finishes – it has become infamous in Commander, striking terror into the hearts of all.
12. OLD GNAWBONE
Old Gnawbone is infamous for causing a lot of discourse. Is it fair for green to make treasures? Should treasures be in green’s slice of the color pie? Why is treasure moving out of white, and into green? Green is eating the whole pie, NOM NOM NOM NOM NOMMMMM.
Because making mana is a very green thing to do, it’s arguably fine for green to do some stuff with treasures, even if they don’t necessarily feel green at first.
That aside, let’s look at Old Gnawbone. It’s leagues stronger than Ancient Copper Dragon for a start. You can slam it down pre-combat and connect with what you already have in play. And it goes in so. many. decks.
11. NIV-MIZZET REBORN
Okay, now hear me out. Hear me out. This isn’t Niv-Mizzet. Certainly not the same one as our #14 pick. Niv-Mizzet Reborn literally resurrects as the manifestation of the Guildpact during the War of the Spark. He’s a WUBRG dragon now, and he means business.
Far from this being an iconic moment in the story, this is also a powerful card. It draws up to ten cards when it comes into play (though the average is usually 4-6), and is the perfect role-player in a control deck – or at the head of it. Back when Brawl was first getting going on Arena, Niv-Mizzet Reborn was what you least wanted to face in the queues.
Nowadays, he ages like a fine win in Commander, providing a nice build condition for five color decks.
10. TERROR OF THE PEAKS
Where should I start with Terror of the Peaks? Well, maybe that since its printing, it’s become an anchor in all sorts of red decks in Commander. It provides a real clock on a body, which is one cheaper than Warstorm Surge, and is much more copyable/recurrable.
While it was a mainstay in Temur decks during its time in Standard, it’s the enduring popularity Terror has earned by giving extra reach in Commander that earns it a spot on this list. It doesn’t even have to be in Dragon typal decks. It’s just a monster of a card.
Oh and it’s seeing some fringe play in Vintage? Hilarious.
9. GLORYBRINGER
Amonkhet limited all-star Glorybringer comes into play tapped and attacking and slapping. It comes into play so hastey that it needs a little break for some choccy milk the next turn.
This card feels like an all-timer for Cube, and I’ve drafted it in formats from HOU-HOU-AKH to Chaos Draft, and every time, it wins me the draft. I still think about that Chaos Draft with this and Ravenous Chupacabra. Such value.
Glorybringer has a storied record in Standard, with its premier outing being in Javier Dominguez’s Worlds 2018 Winning decklist.
Oh, and that promo art is unparalleled. It’s gorgeous.
8. NICOL BOLAS, THE RAVAGER // NICOL BOLAS, THE ARISEN
Arcades Sabboth wasn’t the only Elder Dragon to get a facelift in Core 2019. The whole cycle saw new printings, but none can dispute that Nicol Bolas took the most iconic reimagining as a Flipwalker.
Grixis Control was the deck to beat in 2019 Standard, and although other archetypes put up better results, if they couldn’t beat Magic’s greatest villain, they weren’t making the Top 8.
Bolas was also the first Flipwalker we’d seen in a hot minute, getting an origin story the same way Jace, Chandra, Liliana, Gideon and Nissa did, which felt very satisfying indeed.
7. THE ELDER DRAGONS WHO BEQUEATHED US HIGHLANDER
Although not as powerful or flashy as their modern brethren, no list of iconic Dragons would be complete without the Dragons who birthed the Commander format, or as it was called back then – Elder Dragon Highlander. The format was named after these Dragons, who were the main three color Commanders during the inception of the format.
6. MIIRYM, SENTINEL WYRM
Fast forward to 2022, and the Dragon taking over Casual Commander is Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm. Miirym is a Dragon fan’s dream – it copies your Dragons, giving you some really fun and strong lines in your Dragon Typal decks.
You could bust this one right open by playing a deck with clones and cards like Double Major, and it quickly rocketed to the top of the power rankings for Dragon Commanders in Magic’s most popular format. With the release of Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Miirym has rocketed in popularity thanks to the new Temur precon and main set versions of Uriel.
5. KORVOLD, FAE-CURSED KING
Commander is rife with powerful Dragons, and they aren’t all about typal decks. Korvold is infamous as being one of the strongest Commanders in the format. Getting to draw cards and put counters on an evasive Commander every time you so much as crack a Fetchland is really, really good.
Of the Brawl Commanders – a set of Commanders that were quite far ahead of the curve, power wise, back in 2019 – Korvold has stood the test of time, being a popular Commander in every power level of Commander. Some argue he’s even enough of a Game Changer to go on that list alongside Kinnan and Grand Arbiter. What do you think?
4. PROSSH, SKYRAIDER OF KHER
No list of Dragons would disrespect our lord of the mountain, Prossh, by putting another Jund dragon higher. Prossh is the original Jund combo Commander, using Food Chain to go infinite. It’s a really scary Commander, even without the Food Chain combo piece.
Prossh has been rocking tables since Commander 2013, and has a soft spot in everyone’s hearts. He may be busted, but he’s Prossh. He’s allowed to be.
3. KOKUSHO, THE EVENING STAR
Kokusho to this day is an iconic finisher in Commander, but his legacy in the game includes multiple bannings and unbannings in Commander. Yes, he is that powerful.
First banned in 2008, Kokusho was then unbanned in 2012 – but only in the 99. It was banned as Commander.
Eventually, it would be unbanned as Commander a few years later when the Banned as Commander section of the banlist was abolished. What a wild ride for Kokusho fans.
2. SHIVAN DRAGON
Shivan Dragon is the OG Dragon. It’s the Charizard of Alpha, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. While it doesn’t have the enduring popularity or appeal of these two franchise-carrying Dragons, it was still the iconic Dragon from the first set of Magic, and it’s entirely possible that it laid the foundations for Dragons in TCGs to be popular and powerful and desirable.
It’s had some highly collectable and beautiful art treatments since the 90s, and chances are there’s a Shivan Dragon for you if you look through what’s on offer.
I quite like this rather traditional looking Japanese promo.
THE UR-DRAGON
While Shivan Dragon might be the first Dragon in the same sense that Bulbasaur was the first Pokemon, The Ur-Dragon is the first in the same way Mew is: it’s the progenitor of Dragons across the multiverse.
And it’s incidentally the most popular typal Commander in the format (and the most popular in the last few months by far!).
If you’re building Dragons in Commander, chances are you’ve looked at this one as an option, if not built it. It lets you play all the favorites. It has a powerful Attack trigger. It can helm a Changeling deck and make Universal Automaton free to cast.
It also has stunning Justine Jones Secret Lair art, which I own, even though I don’t have the deck built up. It’s just breathtaking.
END STEP
The Ur-Dragon tops this list as the most Iconic Dragon in Magic. Agree? Disagree? Like Elves more? Sound off to us on socials.
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.