mtg control cards Rules Text: Creatures you gain, 181 Control Magic (Card) | EDHREC

Since Vial Smasher does damage according to the mana cost of the spell that activates it, you'll want to play high-cost cards as often as possible

The increased emphasis on combat naturally brings the value of combat tricks up with it

Turning all your creatures into mana dorks sets up some explosive turns, especially paired with greens big card draw spells like Last March of the Ents and Rishkar's Expertise

Zaxara may be a modest 2/3, but it's not meant to be a beater

We're ignoring cards that only double their own counters, like Primordial Hydra or The Millennium Calendar

Even a body of this size might not be a game-ending threat at the Commander table, but it does offer green decks a backdoor way to convert lifegain into cards and other resources something it struggles to do compared to black