Syrix, Carrier of the Flame

Commander is where Syrix, Carrier of the Flame actually gets to breathe — a 100-card singleton environment gives you enough Phoenix density to make the drain triggers stack up, and three opponents means the damage pressure multiplies. In Legacy and Vintage it's technically legal but has no competitive role; Phoenix strategies in those formats want speed and redundancy that a five-mana legendary creature can't deliver. Oathbreaker is the one fringe format worth mentioning: Syrix as a planeswalker's signature spell is a stretch, but as the oathbreaker itself in a Phoenix-themed build the drain plan functions at a smaller table.