Ryusei, the Falling Star
Legendary Creature — Dragon Spirit
Flying
When Ryusei dies, it deals 5 damage to each creature without flying.
- CMC
- 6
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Magic Online Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #5462
Ryusei, the Falling Star drops a 5/5 flying dragon on the board and, when it dies, deals 5 damage to every non-flying creature — a built-in board wipe stapled to a threat. The cost is six mana and the dependency on dying, which commanders like Firkraag, Cunning Instigator exploit by goading creatures into trades that trigger the wipe on demand.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Firkraag, Cunning Instigator
Firkraag, Cunning Instigator goads opponents' creatures into attacking, which means Ryusei, the Falling Star can block and die on cue — turning the death trigger into a repeatable, politically-fueled board wipe that Firkraag's Izzet shell is designed to enable.
Lathliss, Dragon Queen
Lathliss, Dragon Queen copies dragon ETBs, so Ryusei, the Falling Star entering the battlefield with Lathliss in play generates an extra dragon token — and when Ryusei dies, the sweeper hits every non-flier while all the dragons in the air survive.
Rivaz of the Claw
Rivaz of the Claw lets you cast Ryusei, the Falling Star from the graveyard, which means the death trigger isn't a one-time event — you can recur the board wipe turn after turn if you can keep engineering ways for Ryusei to die.
Atarka, World Render
Atarka, World Render gives all your attacking dragons double strike, so Ryusei, the Falling Star swings for 10 in a single combat step and threatens a lethal close-out before the death trigger ever becomes relevant.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Ryusei, the Falling Star earns its keep — six mana is acceptable in a format with consistent ramp, and a 5-damage non-flying wipe attached to a flying body is a genuine two-for-one that dragon tribal decks have built around for years. In Legacy and Vintage, Ryusei is legal but effectively unplayed; both formats move too fast for a six-mana creature whose payoff requires dying, and better standalone threats exist at every point on the curve. Modern is the same story — the format's tempo demands make a 6-drop that needs to die to do its best work a steep ask outside of very specific reanimator shells. Stick to Commander, where the death trigger is a feature, not a liability.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data for Ryusei, the Falling Star isn't available in the current feed, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for the most recent market price before buying. It has seen multiple reprints over the years, which historically keeps the ceiling low — don't pay a premium when copies are usually easy to find.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.