Aetherling
Creature — Shapeshifter
: Exile this creature. Return it to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.: This creature can't be blocked this turn.
: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn.: This creature gets -1/+1 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 6
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Pioneer Masters
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #15533
Aetherling is a nearly unkillable finisher — exile itself at instant speed, control its own power and toughness, and return swinging the moment you're ready. The six-mana entry cost is real, but Mairsil, the Pretender breaks the deal wide open by caging those abilities and accessing them without ever paying the base cost again.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Mairsil, the Pretender
Mairsil, the Pretender cages Aetherling to steal its exile-and-return plus pump abilities, giving Mairsil a permanent shield against removal that few creatures in the format can match — it's the single best reason to sleeve up Aetherling in Commander.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Aetherling earns its slot almost exclusively in Mairsil, the Pretender decks, where its cage-able abilities are the point. In fair blue control shells outside that synergy, six mana for a finisher that can't be answered is reasonable but competes with a crowded field of cheaper threats. In Legacy and Vintage, the format is too fast for a six-mana creature with no immediate board impact to matter. Modern and Pioneer are similarly unkind — Aetherling asks for too many resources in formats that punish that kind of investment.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Mairsil, the PretenderAetherlingAngerNevinyrral's Disk
Destroy all creatures, artifacts, and enchantments on each player's turn; Lock
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Price data for Aetherling isn't currently available in the system, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for a live number. Given its narrow competitive home and concentrated Commander demand, copies tend to sit in bulk-rare territory — worth picking up cheap if you're building Mairsil, the Pretender.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.