Saruman, the White Hand
Legendary Creature — Avatar Wizard
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, amass Orcs X, where X is that spell's mana value. (Put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Goblins and Orcs you control have ward 
.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BRU
- Rarity
- mythic
- Set
- Tales of Middle-earth Commander
- Price
- $0.37
- EDHREC rank
- #3831
Saruman, the White Hand turns every amassed token into a copy of a spell you've cast, snowballing board states that most blue-black decks can only dream of. The five-mana investment is steep, but engines like Phyrexian Altar keep the token production churning, and Sauron, the Dark Lord gives the whole package a lethal ceiling.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Sauron, the Dark Lord
Sauron, the Dark Lord amasses on every spell you copy, meaning Saruman, the White Hand doesn't just make tokens — it feeds Sauron's own trigger repeatedly, turning a single copied spell into a cascade of Army growth and card advantage.
Sauron, Lord of the Rings
Sauron, Lord of the Rings wants the biggest Army token possible, and Saruman, the White Hand stacks counters onto that token every time you copy a spell, compressing what would take many turns into a lethal threat in two or three.
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 Saruman, the White Hand actually gets to breathe — long games, spell-heavy strategies, and sacrifice outlets like Phyrexian Altar create the conditions where copying spells every turn compounds into something opponents can't ignore. In Legacy and Vintage, the five-mana cost is a dealbreaker; those formats kill you before Saruman resolves, and the payoff doesn't justify the slot when faster engines exist. Oathbreaker is a reasonable middle ground if your planeswalker spells are worth copying, though the smaller pod count limits the window to abuse it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Saruman, the White HandPhyrexian AltarChthonian NightmareOrcish Bowmasters
Infinite LTB; Infinite ETB; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite death triggers; Infinite damage; Infinite storm count; Infinite energy counters
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.37 bulk tier
At $0.37, Saruman, the White Hand is firmly bulk — pick up as many copies as your Tolkien-themed decks need without a second thought. Bulk rares with narrow legendary synergies rarely climb unless a new commander breaks them wide open, so don't expect appreciation, but the floor is already the floor.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.