Winter, Cursed Rider

In Commander, Winter, Cursed Rider does real work: the drain hits all three opponents at once, so you're looking at 3 life lost across the table and 3 gained on entry before the lifelink body even swings. That makes it a natural fit in lifegain-matters builds, aristocrats shells that loop creatures, and any black deck that wants incidental pressure without paying a premium. In 1v1 formats like Pioneer, Modern, and Legacy, the drain shrinks to one opponent and the three-mana slot is crowded — it's playable but not prioritized over faster threats. Standard gives it the most room to breathe in those formats, where the power ceiling is lower and a 3/3 lifelink with an ETB is genuinely above-rate.