How to Play Pantlaza, Sun-Favored in Commander

Bracket 3 · Our Pantlaza decklist · Dinosaur Tribal

Our Pantlaza list is Naya Dinosaurs. Once each turn, when Pantlaza or another Dinosaur enters, you discover X, where X is that Dinosaur's toughness: you cast a free spell from your library with mana value X or less.

The deck ramps hard into big-toughness Dinosaurs, cuts costs with Urza's Incubator and Otepec Huntmaster, flickers with Ephemerate for extra discover triggers, and closes with trampling Elder Dinosaurs like Ghalta, Zacama and Etali.

Strategy
Dinosaur Tribal
Bracket
3
Avg. mana value
4.37
Lands
37
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01The Commander

Pantlaza, Sun-Favored is a five-mana 4/4. Whenever Pantlaza or another Dinosaur you control enters, you may discover X, where X is that creature's toughness. This only happens once each turn.

Discover exiles cards from the top until a nonland card with mana value X or less, which you cast free or put into your hand. A 6-toughness Dinosaur discovers 6.

High toughness matters more than power. Zetalpa, Primal Dawn with 8 toughness, Runic Armasaur with 5 and Curious Altisaur with 5 all discover well for their cost.

02How This Deck Wins

  1. 1

    Ramp into Dinosaurs

    Ixalli's Lorekeeper, Topiary Stomper, Hulking Raptor and land ramp get you to big Dinosaurs fast.

  2. 2

    Discover every turn

    Each turn, the first Dinosaur that enters discovers a free spell. Ephemerate and Etali, Primal Conqueror add more value.

  3. 3

    Stomp

    Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant, Zacama, Primal Calamity and Gishath, Sun's Avatar end the game with trample.

03Deck at a Glance

Bracket 3 · Dinosaur Tribal · 100 cards

Composition

  • Commander1
  • Creatures35
  • Instants & sorceries15
  • Artifacts & enchantments12
  • Planeswalkers0
  • Lands37
  • Tokens7

Mana Curve

00
51
82
163
74
85
66
127+

Color Split

97colored
symbols
  • White 21%
  • Red 20%
  • Green 60%

By the Numbers

4.37avg. mana value
37lands (16 basic)
0Game Changers
7token types included

Cards by Role

Elder Dinosaurs and Finishers19
Value Dinosaurs12
Ramp and Cost Reduction21
Card Draw4
Interaction and Protection7

04Elder Dinosaurs and Finishers

The biggest threats in the deck.

Ghalta, Stampede TyrantA 12/12 trampler that puts every creature in your hand onto the battlefield.
Zacama, Primal CalamityUntaps your lands when cast, then removes threats with its abilities.
Etali, Primal ConquerorCasts the top nonland card of every library free, then transforms into an indestructible poisoner.
Gishath, Sun's AvatarPuts a Dinosaur onto the battlefield for each point of damage it deals.
Zetalpa, Primal DawnFlying, double strike, trample and indestructible, with 8 toughness for a big discover.

Also in this role

Etali, Primal Sickness
Ghalta and Mavren
Ghalta, Primal Hunger
Etali, Primal Storm
Wakening Sun's Avatar
Apex Altisaur
Rampaging Brontodon
Trumpeting Carnosaur
Scion of Calamity
Bonehoard Dracosaur
Quartzwood Crasher
Regisaur Alpha
Earthshaker Dreadmaw
Verdant Sun's Avatar

05Value Dinosaurs

Mid-sized Dinosaurs with high toughness for discover.

Curious AltisaurDraws whenever a Dinosaur hits a player. 5 toughness.
Runic ArmasaurDraws when opponents use abilities. 5 toughness for three.
Bronzebeak ForagersExiles a permanent from each opponent.
Kinjalli's SunwingOpponents' creatures enter tapped.
Temple AltisaurPrevents most damage to your other Dinosaurs.

Also in this role

Ripjaw Raptor
Wrathful Raptors
Marauding Raptor
Sunfrill Imitator
Thrashing Brontodon
Regal Behemoth
Wayward Swordtooth

06Ramp and Cost Reduction

Dinosaurs are expensive. These get you there.

Urza's IncubatorDinosaurs cost two less.
Otepec HuntmasterDinosaurs cost one less, and it gives haste.
Hulking RaptorAdds GG every turn.
Topiary StomperA land on entry, and its toughness discovers well for three mana.
Ixalli's LorekeeperTaps for any color for Dinosaurs.

Also in this role

Atzocan Seer
Progenitor's Icon
Sol Ring
Arcane Signet
Rampant Growth
Farseek
Nature's Lore
Cultivate
Thunderherd Migration
Rhythm of the Wild
Descendants' Path
Savage Order
Monster Manual
Welcome to . . .
The Skullspore Nexus
From the Rubble

07Card Draw

Big creatures draw big cards.

Rishkar's ExpertiseDraws cards equal to your biggest power and casts a free spell.
Return of the WildspeakerDraws for your biggest non-Human, or pumps your team.
Elemental BondDraws a card for every 3-power creature.
Garruk's UprisingTrample for your team and a card.

08Interaction and Protection

Naya answers and protection.

EphemerateFlicker a Dinosaur for another enter trigger, then rebound.
Akroma's WillDouble strike, flying, indestructible and protection for the team.
Chandra's IgnitionOne Dinosaur deals its power to every other creature and each opponent.
Swords to PlowsharesOne-mana removal.
Heroic InterventionSaves your board from a wipe.

Also in this role

Path to Exile
Generous Gift

09Combos and Key Interactions

Pantlaza, Sun-Favored+

Pantlaza, Sun-Favored + Zetalpa, Primal Dawn

Zetalpa's 8 toughness discovers 8, casting almost any spell in the deck free.

+Pantlaza, Sun-Favored

Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant + Pantlaza, Sun-Favored

Ghalta dumps your hand onto the battlefield and discovers 12 from its toughness.

+

Marauding Raptor + Wrathful Raptors

Marauding Raptor damages each Dinosaur that enters, and Wrathful Raptors redirects that damage at opponents.

10How to Play

Opening hand

Keep hands with three lands, ramp and a mid-sized Dinosaur. Pantlaza costs five, so ramp is key.

1

Early gameturns 1-3

Ramp with Ixalli's Lorekeeper, Rampant Growth or Topiary Stomper.

2

Mid gameturns 4-7

Cast Pantlaza, then a Dinosaur each turn to discover. Add cost reducers like Urza's Incubator.

3

Late gameturn 8+

Land Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant or Zacama, Primal Calamity and trample over with Akroma's Will.

Tips

  • Pantlaza discovers off toughness, not power.
  • Only one discover each turn, so play your highest-toughness Dinosaur first.
  • Discover works on opponents' turns too, such as when a flash Dinosaur enters.
  • Ephemerate's rebound flickers again next turn for another discover.

Common mistakes

  • Casting a low-toughness Dinosaur first and wasting the discover.
  • Overextending into a wipe without Heroic Intervention.
  • Forgetting Wakening Sun's Avatar only wipes when cast from hand.
  • Discovering into a wipe that hits your own board.

Watch out for

  • Board wipes.
  • Removal on Pantlaza.
  • Counterspells on your big Dinosaurs.
  • Fliers your ground Dinosaurs can't block.

11Bracket and Rule 0

1Exhibition
2Core
3Upgraded
4Optimized
5cEDH
Bracket3

Our list runs no Game Changers.

The deck wins with big creatures and discover value, with no two-card infinite combos.

12Full Decklist

Every card in our Pantlaza proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.

Commander

  • 1Pantlaza, Sun-Favored2RGW

Creatures (35)

  • 1Ixalli's LorekeeperG
  • 1Marauding Raptor1R
  • 1Otepec Huntmaster1R
  • 1Atzocan Seer1GW
  • 1Kinjalli's Sunwing2W
  • 1Runic Armasaur1GG
  • 1Sunfrill Imitator2G
  • 1Thrashing Brontodon1GG
  • 1Topiary Stomper1GG
  • 1Wayward Swordtooth2G
  • 1Bronzebeak Foragers3W
  • 1Curious Altisaur3G
  • 1Hulking Raptor2GG
  • 1Ripjaw Raptor2GG
  • 1Bonehoard Dracosaur3RR
  • 1Quartzwood Crasher2RRG
  • 1Regisaur Alpha3RG
  • 1Scion of Calamity3GG
  • 1Temple Altisaur4W
  • 1Wrathful Raptors4R
  • 1Earthshaker Dreadmaw4GG
  • 1Etali, Primal Storm4RR
  • 1Regal Behemoth4GG
  • 1Trumpeting Carnosaur4RR
  • 1Etali, Primal Conqueror5RR
  • 1Ghalta and Mavren3GGWW
  • 1Rampaging Brontodon5GG
  • 1Verdant Sun's Avatar5GG
  • 1Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant5GGG
  • 1Gishath, Sun's Avatar5RGW
  • 1Wakening Sun's Avatar5WWW
  • 1Zetalpa, Primal Dawn6WW
  • 1Apex Altisaur7GG
  • 1Zacama, Primal Calamity6RGW
  • 1Ghalta, Primal Hunger10GG

Instants (7)

  • 1EphemerateW
  • 1Path to ExileW
  • 1Swords to PlowsharesW
  • 1Heroic Intervention1G
  • 1Generous Gift2W
  • 1Akroma's Will3W
  • 1Return of the Wildspeaker4G

Sorceries (8)

  • 1Farseek1G
  • 1Nature's Lore1G
  • 1Rampant Growth1G
  • 1Thunderherd Migration1G
  • 1Cultivate2G
  • 1Savage Order2GG
  • 1Chandra's Ignition3RR
  • 1Rishkar's Expertise4GG

Artifacts (6)

  • 1Sol Ring1
  • 1Arcane Signet2
  • 1Progenitor's Icon3
  • 1Urza's Incubator3
  • 1Monster Manual3G
  • 1The Skullspore Nexus6GG

Enchantments (6)

  • 1Descendants' Path2G
  • 1Elemental Bond2G
  • 1Garruk's Uprising2G
  • 1Rhythm of the Wild1RG
  • 1Welcome to . . .1GG
  • 1From the Rubble4WW

Lands (37)

  • 1Canopy Vista
  • 1Cavern of Souls
  • 1Cinder Glade
  • 1Clifftop Retreat
  • 1Command Tower
  • 1Evolving Wilds
  • 1Exotic Orchard
  • 7Forest
  • 1Fortified Village
  • 1Furycalm Snarl
  • 1Game Trail
  • 1Jetmir's Garden
  • 1Jungle Shrine
  • 1Kessig Wolf Run
  • 1Mosswort Bridge
  • 5Mountain
  • 1Path of Ancestry
  • 4Plains
  • 1Rogue's Passage
  • 1Sacred Foundry
  • 1Secluded Courtyard
  • 1Stomping Ground
  • 1Temple Garden
  • 1Unclaimed Territory
Pantlaza proxy deck cover

Get the deck

Pantlaza Dinosaur Tribal proxy deck

Pantlaza turns every Dinosaur into a free spell. Ramp, discover, and stomp.

Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.

Shop the deck · $45

Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.