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Sauron, the Dark Lord
USD $103.74
USD foil $174.79
EUR €78.76
MTGO 0.02 tix

Sauron, the Dark Lord

{3}{U}{B}{R}

Legendary Creature — Avatar Horror

Ward—Sacrifice a legendary artifact or legendary creature.

Whenever an opponent casts a spell, amass Orcs 1.

Whenever an Army you control deals combat damage to a player, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever the Ring tempts you, you may discard your hand. If you do, draw four cards.

7 / 6

AmassWard
Set
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR #675)
Rarity
Mythic
Mana value
6
Released
2023-11-03
Artist
Kieran Yanner
EDHREC rank
#3,214
Colour identity
{B}{R}{U}
Finishes
Nonfoil, Foil
Served from
Local database

Commander bracket

1 +
Fits any bracket
No Game Changer, land denial, extra turns or two-card combos.

Derived from card traits, not a ruling — bracket rules turn on how a deck intends to use a card. Bracket rules

EDHREC

Salt Score 1.15
How much players resent seeing this card. The scale tops out around 3.1.
Can be your commander

Combos

Not part of any combo on Commander Spellbook.

Commander recommendations

Top synergy 50

Played far more in this commander's decks than elsewhere.

  1. Call of the Ring 78 %+70.1 %
  2. Saruman, the White Hand 68 %+61.5 %
  3. Barad-dûr 67 %+59.1 %
  4. Relic of Sauron 74 %+55.2 %
  5. Witch-king of Angmar 59 %+53.6 %
  6. The Black Gate 62 %+53.6 %
  7. Nazgûl 59 %+53.3 %
  8. Ringsight 59 %+51.3 %
  9. In the Darkness Bind Them 56 %+50.2 %
  10. Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain 55 %+48.9 %
  11. Sauron, Lord of the Rings 53 %+47.7 %
  12. Orcish Siegemaster 53 %+46.4 %
  13. Orcish Bowmasters 62 %+44.1 %
  14. Lord of the Nazgûl 49 %+43.4 %
  15. Mount Doom 49 %+42.3 %
  16. The One Ring 54 %+41.6 %
  17. Reanimate 67 %+40.9 %
  18. March from the Black Gate 43 %+37.8 %
  19. Saruman's Trickery 43 %+37.8 %
  20. Anger 47 %+35.7 %
  21. Corsairs of Umbar 40 %+35.2 %
  22. Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant 39 %+35.1 %
  23. One Ring to Rule Them All 39 %+34.8 %
  24. Grishnákh, Brash Instigator 39 %+34.7 %
  25. Claim the Precious 37 %+33.4 %
  26. Moria Scavenger 38 %+33.3 %
  27. The Mouth of Sauron 37 %+32.8 %
  28. Living Death 39 %+32.8 %
  29. The Great Goblin 38 %+32.0 %
  30. Orcish Medicine 36 %+31.6 %
  31. Sauron's Ransom 35 %+31.4 %
  32. Warg Rider 35 %+31.1 %
  33. Summons of Saruman 36 %+30.7 %
  34. Minas Morgul, Dark Fortress 35 %+30.4 %
  35. The Balrog of Moria 35 %+30.1 %
  36. Treason of Isengard 34 %+29.6 %
  37. Rogue's Passage 52 %+29.6 %
  38. Sauron, the Necromancer 32 %+29.0 %
  39. Foray of Orcs 32 %+28.2 %
  40. Inherited Envelope 29 %+26.3 %
  41. Palantír of Orthanc 30 %+25.9 %
  42. Soothing of Sméagol 28 %+25.1 %
  43. Bilbo, Retired Burglar 27 %+25.0 %
  44. Arcane Denial 53 %+24.5 %
  45. Cavern-Hoard Dragon 27 %+23.9 %
  46. Birthday Escape 26 %+23.5 %
  47. Dreadhorde Invasion 27 %+22.6 %
  48. Sulfurous Springs 51 %+22.5 %
  49. Underground River 51 %+22.3 %
  50. Too Greedily, Too Deep 26 %+22.1 %

Most included 50

Highest share of decks running them, distinctive or not.

  1. Swamp 97 %+4.6 %
  2. Island 97 %+3.8 %
  3. Mountain 95 %+3.8 %
  4. Sol Ring 95 %+4.9 %
  5. Command Tower 93 %+1.7 %
  6. Arcane Signet 92 %+4.0 %
  7. Call of the Ring 78 %+70.1 %
  8. Relic of Sauron 74 %+55.2 %
  9. Saruman, the White Hand 68 %+61.5 %
  10. Barad-dûr 67 %+59.1 %
  11. Reanimate 67 %+40.9 %
  12. Dragonskull Summit 66 %+18.8 %
  13. Crumbling Necropolis 63 %+10.8 %
  14. Drowned Catacomb 63 %+18.4 %
  15. The Black Gate 62 %+53.6 %
  16. Orcish Bowmasters 62 %+44.1 %
  17. Sulfur Falls 61 %+12.6 %
  18. Blasphemous Act 61 %+15.9 %
  19. Witch-king of Angmar 59 %+53.6 %
  20. Nazgûl 59 %+53.3 %
  21. Ringsight 59 %+51.3 %
  22. In the Darkness Bind Them 56 %+50.2 %
  23. Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain 55 %+48.9 %
  24. The One Ring 54 %+41.6 %
  25. Smoldering Marsh 54 %+15.7 %
  26. Arcane Denial 53 %+24.5 %
  27. Sauron, Lord of the Rings 53 %+47.7 %
  28. Orcish Siegemaster 53 %+46.4 %
  29. Sunken Hollow 52 %+12.3 %
  30. Rogue's Passage 52 %+29.6 %
  31. Sulfurous Springs 51 %+22.5 %
  32. Underground River 51 %+22.3 %
  33. Lord of the Nazgûl 49 %+43.4 %
  34. Mount Doom 49 %+42.3 %
  35. Dark Ritual 49 %+10.5 %
  36. Feed the Swarm 49 %+21.3 %
  37. Anger 47 %+35.7 %
  38. Talisman of Dominance 47 %-3.5 %
  39. Exotic Orchard 45 %-12.4 %
  40. Saruman's Trickery 43 %+37.8 %
  41. March from the Black Gate 43 %+37.8 %
  42. Talisman of Indulgence 41 %-3.0 %
  43. Watery Grave 41 %-7.4 %
  44. Corsairs of Umbar 40 %+35.2 %
  45. Blood Crypt 40 %-6.7 %
  46. Counterspell 40 %-4.9 %
  47. Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant 39 %+35.1 %
  48. Grishnákh, Brash Instigator 39 %+34.7 %
  49. Living Death 39 %+32.8 %
  50. Talisman of Creativity 39 %-5.8 %

Format legality

Rulings

  • 2023-06-16

    Amass Zombies works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token if you don't control an Army. If the Army creature you chose isn't already a Zombie, it becomes a Zombie in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Zombies, you can end up with an Orc Zombie Army.

  • 2023-06-16

    Amass abilities are now written as "amass [subtype] N." Previous cards with amass have received errata to say "amass Zombies N."

  • 2023-06-16

    As the Ring tempts you, you get an emblem named The Ring if you don't have one. Then your emblem gains its next ability and you choose a creature you control to become (or remain) your Ring-bearer.

  • 2023-06-16

    Each player can have only one emblem named The Ring and only one Ring-bearer at a time.

  • 2023-06-16

    Each time the Ring tempts you, you must choose a creature if you control one.

  • 2023-06-16

    If the creature you choose as your Ring-bearer was already your Ring-bearer, that still counts as choosing that creature as your Ring-bearer for the purpose of abilities that trigger "whenever you choose a creature as your Ring-bearer" or abilities that care about which creature was chosen as your Ring-bearer.

  • 2023-06-16

    If you don't control an Army, the Orc Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters.

  • 2023-06-16

    In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you played a creature with changeling) while you amass Orcs, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types.

  • 2023-06-16

    Some spells and abilities that amass Orcs may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't amass Orcs.

  • 2023-06-16

    Some spells and abilities that cause the Ring to tempt you may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. The Ring won't tempt you.

  • 2023-06-16

    The Ring can tempt you even if you don't control a creature. In this case, abilities that trigger "whenever the Ring tempts you" will still trigger.

  • 2023-06-16

    The Ring gains its abilities in order from top to bottom. Once it gains an ability, it has that ability for the rest of the game.

  • 2023-06-16

    To amass Orcs N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types.

  • 2026-06-29

    Amass Orcs works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token if you don't control an Army. And if the Army creature you chose isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Goblins, you can end up with a Goblin Orc Army.

  • 2026-06-29

    If you don't control an Army, the Goblin Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters.

  • 2026-06-29

    In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you control a creature with changeling) while you amass Goblins, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't a Goblin, it becomes a Goblin in addition to its other types.

  • 2026-06-29

    Some cards refer to the "amassed Army." That means the Army creature you chose to receive counters, even if no counters were placed on it for some reason.

  • 2026-06-29

    Some spells and abilities that amass Goblins may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't amass Goblins.

  • 2026-06-29

    To amass Goblins N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Goblin Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already a Goblin, it becomes a Goblin in addition to its other types.

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