Cryptothrall
Artifact Creature — Construct
Protector — Other artifact creatures you control have hexproof.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Warhammer 40,000 Commander
- Price
- $19.81
- EDHREC rank
- #2892
Cryptothrall is a zero-mana 4/4 in the right deck — the ceiling on that cost-to-body ratio is almost unmatched for artifact-matters strategies. Imotekh the Stormlord decks run it as close to an auto-include as the format gets, and outside that shell it remains a respectable free threat anywhere artifacts matter.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Imotekh the Stormlord
Imotekh the Stormlord can cast Cryptothrall for free when you control enough artifacts, making it the quintessential payoff for his artifact-flooding gameplan — a zero-mana 4/4 that also triggers any artifact-enters effects is exactly what the engine wants.
Trazyn the Infinite
Trazyn the Infinite values high-power artifact creatures it can copy or steal effects from, and Cryptothrall's beefy statline at zero cost makes it one of the more efficient bodies in that pool.
Dr. Eggman
Dr. Eggman's artifact-token strategy floods the board fast enough that Cryptothrall can regularly come down for free, adding immediate pressure without spending resources the deck needs for its wider gameplan.
Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought
Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought rewards stacking the board with large artifact creatures, and Cryptothrall delivers a 4/4 at minimal cost that contributes to both the artifact count and the battlefield presence Dawnsire demands.
Karn, Legacy Reforged
Karn, Legacy Reforged inflates the power of every colorless artifact on the board, and Cryptothrall's zero-cost entry means Karn players get a free body that immediately benefits from his anthem and ramp effects.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Cryptothrall lives — the 75-card singleton format gives artifact-matters commanders enough support pieces to routinely reduce its cost to zero, and a free 4/4 in a multiplayer game is a serious threat. Legacy and Vintage allow it, but neither format's artifact shells have shown meaningful interest; free creatures need to do more than attack in those 60-card environments, and Cryptothrall doesn't break parity or generate card advantage on its own. Oathbreaker follows the same logic as Commander at a smaller scale, where the condensed game length can make its early-game body even more relevant if you're in the right artifact shell.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
If Cryptothrall is out of budget, Ornithopter and Memnite both enter for zero mana in artifact-heavy decks, though the trade-off is obvious — you're getting a 0/2 flyer or a 1/1 instead of a 4/4. Sojourner's Companion fills a closer role by also being a large free artifact creature in the right deck, and it comes in well under a dollar, making it the most direct budget substitute even if the power ceiling is a step lower.
Price Context
Current price
$19.81 mid tier
At $19.81, Cryptothrall sits in the mid tier — noticeable but not backbreaking for a Commander staple that slots into multiple archetypes. Given that its demand is tightly tied to a few specific commanders rather than broad format play, the price is more a reflection of supply than universal demand, so it's worth picking up if you're building one of those decks rather than waiting.
Explore
Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.