For enthusiasts of Magic: The Gathering’s Commander format, the most arduous hurdle in deck construction is often the mana base. In a 100-card singleton environment, the competition for deck space is relentless; players frequently find themselves struggling to balance high-impact spells with the essential lands required to cast them. To make matters worse, the most efficient utility lands often command exorbitant prices on the secondary market.
It appears that the designers at Wizards of the Coast are finally addressing this frustration. Historically, even official preconstructed decks have been notorious for “skimping” on land quality. A notable example is the five-color Lorwyn Eclipsed deck, Dance of the Elements. Despite its flavor, savvy players immediately found themselves needing to overhaul the mana base to purge the numerous “enters-the-battlefield-tapped” lands that consistently put them a turn behind the rest of the table.
Consequently, the community has been pleasantly surprised by the latest crossover release. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “Turtle Power!” precon is a departure from tradition, arriving fully loaded with high-value, high-performance lands that won’t compromise your tempo.
Image: Wizards of the Coast
This five-color deck, officially titled “Turtle Power!,” delivers an impressive amount of raw value in its mana sources. Perhaps the most significant inclusions are a pair of “bond lands” from the popular Battlebond cycle. These dual lands enter untapped as long as you are facing two or more opponents—a condition met in virtually every standard game of Commander. Specifically, the deck features Spire Garden (Gruul colors) and Undergrowth Stadium (Golgari colors). While traditional versions of these cards hover around the $10 mark, the TMNT-themed variants are currently tracking as more accessible options for budget-conscious collectors.
However, the financial heavyweight of the “Turtle Power!” mana base is City of Brass, a format staple that typically retails for approximately $15. Other notable highlights within the 100-card list include Fabled Passage, alongside essential fixing such as Dragonskull Summit, Rootbound Crag, Cinder Glade, and Sunken Hollow.
It is worth noting that several of these inclusions—particularly the “check lands” and “tango lands”—require specific basic land types to be present on your battlefield to enter untapped. In a five-color deck that includes only a handful of basics, triggering these conditions can occasionally be tricky. Regardless, these cards remain premium staples that will perform excellently if harvested for use in other two- or three-color Commander builds.
Ultimately, while the land suite isn’t flawlessly optimized—one might wonder why Wizards didn’t simply reprint the entire cycle of ten bond lands—it represents a monumental upgrade over previous five-color precons. By significantly reducing the number of mandatory tapped lands, the “Turtle Power!” deck provides a competitive edge straight out of the box. Whether you keep the deck intact or disassemble it for parts, it stands as a significant win for Commander players everywhere.
Source: Polygon
