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Phyrexian Dreadnought

Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Dreadnought

Trample
When this creature enters, sacrifice it unless you sacrifice any number of creatures with total power 12 or greater.

CMC
1
Mana cost
{1}
Color identity
C
Rarity
rare
Set
Judge Gift Cards 2010
Price
—
EDHREC rank
#9681
Buy on TCGplayer
Phyrexian Dreadnought card art
Phyrexian Dreadnought puts a 12/12 trample on the board for one mana — the catch is sacrificing creatures with total power 12 or more, or sacrificing it entirely. Commanders like Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist and Ratadrabik of Urborg exploit that enter-the-battlefield trigger rather than pay it, making Phyrexian Dreadnought one of the most efficient bodies in Commander when paired with the right shell.

Best Commanders

Commanders with the highest synergy

01
Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist

Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist

27.8% of decks · synergy 0.27

Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist's ability to copy enter-the-battlefield triggers turns Phyrexian Dreadnought into a repeatable engine — triggering the sacrifice clause becomes a feature rather than a cost when you're generating value off it each iteration.

02
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds

Selvala, Heart of the Wilds

22.8% of decks · synergy 0.22

Selvala, Heart of the Wilds generates mana whenever a creature with the highest power enters, and a 12/12 for one mana is the most explosive power-to-cost ratio in the format — Phyrexian Dreadnought essentially converts one mana into a massive green mana burst on the spot.

03
Venom, Deadly Devourer

Venom, Deadly Devourer

19.0% of decks · synergy 0.19

Venom, Deadly Devourer cares about sacrificing creatures and accumulating -1/-1 counters, so Phyrexian Dreadnought's mandatory sacrifice clause feeds that engine directly rather than working against it.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander legal
legacy legal
modern not legal
pioneer not legal
standard not legal
vintage legal
pauper not legal
oathbreaker legal

In Commander, Phyrexian Dreadnought is a build-around piece — the sacrifice trigger is a liability in a vacuum but a combo enabler in decks that flicker it, copy its ETB, or circumvent the cost entirely with Stifle effects. Legacy is the format where it earned its notoriety: Stifle plus Phyrexian Dreadnought is a two-card combo that puts a free 12/12 into play as early as turn one, and that shell remains a real deck. Vintage legality means it's accessible there too, though the format's power ceiling renders it a niche choice. Modern, Pioneer, Standard, and Pauper don't have access to it, so competitive discussion lives entirely in Legacy and Commander.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Price Context

Current price

unknown tier

Current pricing data for Phyrexian Dreadnought isn't available in this context — check Scryfall or your preferred vendor for the live number. Given its Legacy combo pedigree and narrow but devoted Commander audience, it has historically commanded a meaningful price tag; verify before buying.

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Sources

Mentioned

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Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.