Commander Intelligence
Sauron, the Dark Lord - Synergies
Support packages and cards that fit this commander's plan.
Synergy Summary
Support packages to check
Sauron, the Dark Lord has 20 connected cards across Ward and opponent-spell rules, Amass and Army combat, Ring temptation and hand conversion support packages. Start with the role on each card, then use the support package to decide whether it fits the commander plan.
Support Package Map
Cards that fit this commander
Cards are grouped from existing roles, support-package notes, and attached market context. These are cards to check, not a full decklist.
Ward and opponent-spell rules1 cards
Ward is a triggered ability. The targeting opponent pays by sacrificing a legendary artifact or legendary creature as the ward trigger resolves; failure to pay counters the targeting spell or ability. Ward does not accept an arbitrary legendary permanent and does not stop untargeted sweepers, edicts, sacrifice effects, or non-targeted exile.
Amass and Army combat2 cards
Sauron triggers when an opponent casts a spell; a spell copy placed directly on the stack is normally not cast, and each opponent spell creates a separate Amass trigger. Amass does not necessarily create a new Army if one already exists, and Amass Orcs may add the Orc subtype to an existing Army.
Ring temptation and hand conversion2 cards
The Army must deal combat damage to a player for Sauron's combat trigger. Noncombat damage does not qualify, any Army controlled by the player can qualify, and the hand-discard effect triggers whenever the Ring tempts you regardless of temptation source.
Wraith and Nazgul typal2 cards
Sauron is an Avatar Horror, not a Wraith or Orc lord. Nazgul has a special deck-construction permission for multiple copies; do not treat other same-name cards as having that permission.
Hosts of Mordor conversion2 cards
Hosts of Mordor context should treat Sauron, Lord of the Rings as the face commander and Sauron, the Dark Lord as an alternative-commander conversion, not the original face commander.
Discard and reanimator value4 cards
Discarding the hand is optional. The player may choose it with an empty hand and still draw four. The whole current hand is discarded before drawing four, and a multi-card discard is one event that may also generate per-card or per-event triggers.
Army connection and finishers4 cards
Becoming the Ring-bearer does not grant haste. Army tokens normally have mana value zero, commander tax changes cost paid but not mana value, and token doublers are separate from counter doublers.
Combo evidence and market watch3 cards
Fall of Cair Andros plus Blasphemous Act, Hullbreaker Horror mana-loop families, and Underworld Breach packages require exact approved combo records before publishing steps, two-card labels, or deterministic-result claims.
