Ian Malcolm, Chaotician
Color Identity
Details
Mana Value
3
Special Set
Universes Beyond
Popularity
#1,939
of 3,381 commanders · via EDHREC
Card Text
Legendary Creature — Human Scientist
Whenever a player draws their second card each turn, that player exiles the top card of their library.
During each player's turn, that player may cast a spell from among the cards they don't own exiled with Ian Malcolm, and mana of any type can be spent to cast it.
2/2
Playstyle
Midrange · Steady · Group influence · Wins by engines
- Aggression
- 1 of 5
- Speed
- 2 of 5
- Interaction
- 4 of 5
- Combat
- 2 of 5
- Engine
- 4 of 5
- Complexity
- 4 of 5
Card Price
Strategy Guides
Group Hug Strategy Guide
Group Hug decks are for players who want table politics to matter as much as board position. This strategy wants to give everyone extra cards, lands, or mana, using group hug commanders and symmetrical resource effects, to win through political leverage, hidden payoffs, or a carefully timed finish. Unlike Lifegain, it does not make your own life total the engine; it gives resources away and tries to profit from who uses them. The best political decks EDH players remember are frank about the risk: your gifts can help the wrong player first.
Learn more about group hug strategies
Card Draw Strategy Guide
Card Draw decks are for players who want a full hand to be the engine, the protection, and eventually the win condition. This strategy wants to draw extra cards every turn, using card draw commanders, repeatable engines, wheels, and draw payoffs, to win through card advantage EDH plans such as damage triggers, stocked interaction, or superior late-game resources. Unlike Control, it is not only answering threats, and unlike Spellslinger it cares about the draw event more than the spell cast. The best card draw commanders either refill you directly or convert each extra card into pressure.
Learn more about card draw strategies
Control Strategy Guide
Control decks are for players who enjoy deciding which threats matter, spending answers carefully, and winning after the table has slowed down. This strategy wants to stabilize the game, using control commanders, counterspells, removal, sweepers, and card-draw engines, to win through a protected finisher, planeswalker, combo finish, or long-term card advantage. Unlike Stax, Control answers threats on the stack or battlefield instead of locking everyone out of resources. The best control decks EDH players build accept that multiplayer control cannot counter everything, so they lean on sweepers and engines that trade across several opponents.
Learn more about control strategies
Spellslinger Strategy Guide
Spellslinger decks are for players who want each instant and sorcery to advance the board, refill the hand, or pressure life totals. This strategy wants to cast cheap spells across every turn cycle, using spellslinger commanders, magecraft payoffs, and copy effects, to win through accumulated damage, spell-made tokens, or card advantage. Unlike Storm, it does not need one huge chain turn, and unlike Combo it is not waiting for specific pieces to end the game at once. The best instants and sorceries decks reward steady sequencing and careful use of interaction.
Learn more about spellslinger strategies
Appears in These Collections
Similar Commanders
Popular Commanders
| # | Commander | Identity | Strategy | Price | Price Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 |  Syr Konrad, the Grim |  | Mill | $1.08 | ▲ 80.0% |
| 02 |  Etali, Primal Storm | | Extra Combats | $0.49 | ▲ 2.1% |
| 03 |  Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer | | Treasure | $42.33 | ▼ 0.5% |
| 04 |  Braids, Arisen Nightmare | | Aristocrats | $4.76 | ▲ 6.2% |
| 05 |  Azusa, Lost but Seeking |  | Lands Matter | $12.84 | ▼ 0.7% |
| 06 |  Loran of the Third Path |  | Group Hug | $5.63 | ▲ 110.1% |
| 07 |  Toski, Bearer of Secrets | | Equipment | $7.99 | ▲ 238.6% |
| 08 |  Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar | | +1/+1 Counters | $3.94 | ▼ 3.7% |
SHOWING 8 · RANK: EDHREC · PRICES: TCGPLAYER MARKET · REFRESHED NIGHTLYBROWSE FULL INDEX →