Art: Jason Rainville · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast

Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist

Legendary Creature — Kor Scout · from $2.97

At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may attach any number of Auras and Equipment you control to target permanent or player. Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)

Build with this commander Start with a starter shell Card details, printings & prices

A typical Commander deck

A starting template, not a rule — counts to fill in around the commander.

Lands3736–38 for most decks; fewer with cheap curves
Ramp10mana rocks, dorks, land ramp — mostly 2–3 mana
Card draw10repeatable engines beat one-shot cantrips
Targeted removal6answers for creatures AND artifacts/enchantments
Board wipes3sweepers reset boards you've lost
Synergy & win conditions33the deck's actual plan

Staples in these colors

The 100 cards that fit this color identity in the most EDHREC decklists (EDHREC rank via Scryfall).

Budget

49 of 100 at $5 or less · 32 at $1 or less

#	Card	Type	MV	Price
1	Sol Ring	Artifact	1	$1.07
2	Command Tower	Land	0	$0.26
3	Arcane Signet	Artifact	2	$0.34
4	Exotic Orchard	Land	0	$0.19
5	Reliquary Tower	Land	0	$4.28
6	Swords to Plowshares	Instant	1	$0.98
7	Swiftfoot Boots	Artifact	2	$1.43
8	Lightning Greaves	Artifact	2	$3.86
9	Path of Ancestry	Land	0	$0.16
10	Path to Exile	Instant	1	$0.71
11	Fellwar Stone	Artifact	2	$0.47
12	Rogue's Passage	Land	0	$0.31
13	Evolving Wilds	Land	0	$0.09
14	Thought Vessel	Artifact	2	$2.23
15	Terramorphic Expanse	Land	0	$0.10
16	Myriad Landscape	Land	0	$0.25
17	Mind Stone	Artifact	2	$0.21
18	Polluted Delta	Land	0	$19.85
19	Flooded Strand	Land	0	$12.78
20	Skullclamp	Artifact	1	$4.85
21	Solemn Simulacrum	Creature	4	$0.27
22	Misty Rainforest	Land	0	$35.98
23	Bloodstained Mire	Land	0	$14.54
24	Fabled Passage	Land	0	$0.65
25	Windswept Heath	Land	0	$11.19
26	Wooded Foothills	Land	0	$17.96
27	Verdant Catacombs	Land	0	$29.16
28	Scalding Tarn	Land	0	$36.86
29	Marsh Flats	Land	0	$32.04
30	Commander's Sphere	Artifact	3	$0.19
31	Arid Mesa	Land	0	$31.40
32	Generous Gift	Instant	3	$0.93
33	Smothering Tithe	Enchantment	4	$56.09
34	Ancient Tomb	Land	0	$56.94
35	Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth	Land	0	$56.13
36	Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth	Land	0	$16.76
37	Esper Sentinel	Creature	1	$58.03
38	Temple of the False God	Land	0	$0.19
39	Chromatic Lantern	Artifact	3	$0.38
40	City of Brass	Land	0	$9.17
41	The One Ring	Artifact	4	$109.88
42	Teferi's Protection	Instant	3	$34.90
43	Cavern of Souls	Land	0	$47.72
44	Mana Confluence	Land	0	$34.75
45	Urza's Saga	Enchantment	0	$34.67
46	Lotus Petal	Artifact	0	$35.11
47	Enlightened Tutor	Instant	1	$21.99
48	Wayfarer's Bauble	Artifact	1	$0.31
49	Roaming Throne	Creature	4	$47.06
50	Ashnod's Altar	Artifact	3	$8.15
51	War Room	Land	0	$0.79
52	Herald's Horn	Artifact	3	$2.88
53	Mana Vault	Artifact	1	$91.59
54	Chrome Mox	Artifact	0	$51.19
55	Ghostly Prison	Enchantment	3	$5.72
56	Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx	Land	0	$45.68
57	Reflecting Pool	Land	0	$5.50
58	Austere Command	Sorcery	6	$0.33
59	Flawless Maneuver	Instant	3	$9.24
60	Farewell	Sorcery	6	$4.44
61	Three Tree City	Land	0	$29.09
62	Gemstone Caverns	Land	0	$62.05
63	Command Beacon	Land	0	$7.99
64	Akroma's Will	Instant	4	$16.21
65	Idol of Oblivion	Artifact	2	$2.40
66	Prismatic Vista	Land	0	$28.10
67	Buried Ruin	Land	0	$0.38
68	Thran Dynamo	Artifact	4	$1.94
69	Stroke of Midnight	Instant	3	$0.20
70	Patchwork Banner	Artifact	3	$1.52
71	Mox Amber	Artifact	0	$86.45
72	Karn's Bastion	Land	0	$2.51
73	Ash Barrens	Land	0	$0.15
74	Secluded Courtyard	Land	0	$0.31
75	Ornithopter of Paradise	Creature	2	$0.35
76	Sensei's Divining Top	Artifact	1	$36.48
77	Sword of the Animist	Artifact	2	$2.79
78	Mithril Coat	Artifact	3	$27.09
79	Mox Opal	Artifact	0	$229.58
80	Unclaimed Territory	Land	0	$0.30
81	Mox Diamond	Artifact	0	$1108.66
82	Foundry Inspector	Creature	3	$0.28
83	Everflowing Chalice	Artifact	0	$0.28
84	Grand Abolisher	Creature	2	$17.97
85	Basilisk Collar	Artifact	1	$2.73
86	Academy Manufactor	Creature	3	$8.00
87	Inventors' Fair	Land	0	$15.74
88	Panharmonicon	Artifact	4	$4.98
89	Jet Medallion	Artifact	2	$13.02
90	Darksteel Citadel	Artifact	0	$0.45
91	Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow	Creature	4	$6.26
92	Ruby Medallion	Artifact	2	$14.04
93	Scavenger Grounds	Land	0	$0.23
94	The Ozolith	Artifact	1	$60.88
95	Shadowspear	Artifact	1	$21.06
96	Phyrexian Altar	Artifact	3	$54.22
97	Urza's Incubator	Artifact	3	$19.87
98	Sun Titan	Creature	6	$0.20
99	Authority of the Consuls	Enchantment	1	$3.64
100	Decanter of Endless Water	Artifact	3	$3.00

Curve of these staples

Most played with Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist

The 25 most-played cards in 5 settled top-16 lists running Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist (any pairing) at 16+ player events since Apr 23, 2026, ranked by lists played — top-4 counts shown for context. Results from Topdeck.gg.

#	Card	Played in
1	Arid Mesa	100% · 5 of 5
2	Command Tower	100% · 5 of 5
3	Enlightened Tutor	100% · 5 of 5
4	Flooded Strand	100% · 5 of 5
5	Marsh Flats	100% · 5 of 5
6	Sol Ring	100% · 5 of 5
7	Windswept Heath	100% · 5 of 5
8	Ancient Tomb	80% · 4 of 5
9	Arcane Signet	80% · 4 of 5
10	Bloodstained Mire	80% · 4 of 5
11	Chrome Mox	80% · 4 of 5
12	Deflecting Swat	80% · 4 of 5
13	Esper Sentinel	80% · 4 of 5
14	Gemstone Caverns	80% · 4 of 5
15	Ranger-Captain of Eos	80% · 4 of 5
16	Sacred Foundry	80% · 4 of 5
17	Skullclamp	80% · 4 of 5
18	Steelshaper's Gift	80% · 4 of 5
19	Stoneforge Mystic	80% · 4 of 5
20	Swords to Plowshares	80% · 4 of 5
21	Voice of Victory	80% · 4 of 5
22	Wooded Foothills	80% · 4 of 5
23	City of Brass	60% · 3 of 5
24	City of Traitors	60% · 3 of 5
25	Colossus Hammer	60% · 3 of 5

Top finishes

5 finishes placing top 16 at 16+ player events with this commander. Results from Topdeck.gg.

15th of 21 — Eternal Mania II - cEDH Friday on Topdeck.ggJul 10, 2026 · 0–2–2 · with Silas Renn, Seeker Adept · by Tanya Krumm [SNAP]
13th of 19 — Lega Commander - Bracket 3 - Tappa 4 on Topdeck.ggJun 14, 2026 · 0–3–0 · with Akiri, Line-Slinger · by Stefano Gavina
11th of 25 — Wheelin’ into Summer on Topdeck.ggMay 16, 2026 · 1–2–1 · with Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh · by Pablo Andres Martinez Castro
14th of 53 — Blast Off Gaming cEDH Tournament! on Topdeck.ggApr 25, 2026 · 1–1–2 · with Tana, the Bloodsower · by Blake Willoughby (Casting Cost cEDH)
10th of 16 — VG+ Cedh Melee LIX Single Elimination on Topdeck.ggApr 23, 2026 · 0–1–0 · with Tana, the Bloodsower · by Matthew Ledbetter

All 5 finishes →

Card data and images courtesy of Scryfall; popularity ranking from EDHREC decklist data included in Scryfall bulk. Tournament results courtesy of Topdeck.gg. Deckwarden is unofficial Fan Content and is not endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.

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