- Top Creatures: Smaug and Radagast offer incredible value for the 99.
- Token Synergy: Bard, King of Dale and Belladonna Took are essential for token strategies.
- Graveyard Value: Inside Information and Riddles in the Dark provide powerful graveyard interaction.
- Equipment: Wizard's Staff doubles triggers and fits various archetypes.
- Utility: Bilbo, Thief in the Night acts as a potent cost reducer.
Top Creature Picks
The Magic the Gathering The Hobbit set introduces a variety of creatures that seamlessly slot into the "99" of existing Commander decks. Whether you are building around specific themes or looking for generically strong value, these creatures offer high power levels and unique mechanics.
Video Highlights:
- Smaug acts as a "mini Dockside" for treasure generation.
- Radagast of Rosgavel allows casting creatures at flash speed with a cost reduction.
- Bard, King of Dale doubles tokens and provides card draw.
- Belladonna Took offers escalating value for token strategies.
- Gollum, Riddle Master provides versatile modes based on mana value.
Smaug, the Wicked Worm
- Treasure Generator: Creates X tapped treasures upon entering.
- Card Draw: Draws a card (with life loss) when casting spells using treasure.
- Archetype: Perfect for Rakdos artifacts or Grixis value.
Radagast of Rosgavel
- Flash & Cost Reduction: First spell each turn costs 2 less and has flash.
- Combat Tricks: Enables instant-speed threats like Ulamog or Terror of Mount Velus.
- Archetype: Excellent for Temur big mana or creature-heavy decks.
Bard, King of Dale
- Token Doubler: Doubles tokens created under your control.
- Card Advantage: Draws extra cards beyond the first each turn.
- Archetype: Essential for Azorius or Bant token strategies.
Pair Bard, King of Dale with Belladonna Took. Bard doubles the tokens created by your other effects, while Belladonna turns those token entries into life, cards, and counters.
| Creature | Cost | Type | Key Ability | Best Deck Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smaug | 5BR | Dragon | Creates X treasures; draws on treasure spend | Rakdos Artifacts |
| Radagast | 2GG | Wizard | First spell has flash; costs 2 less | Temur Big Mana |
| Bard | 4WU | Noble | Doubles tokens; extra draw | Azorius Tokens |
| Belladonna | 1W | Hobbit | Value on token entry (Life/Draw/Counters) | Bant Tokens |
| Gollum | 1B | Horror | Modes based on Odd/Even mana value | Blink Control |
| Bilbo, Thief | 1U | Hobbit | Spells from non-hand cost 1 less | Adventure / Graveyard |
Powerful Instants & Sorceries
Beyond creatures, the set offers non-stop action with spells that disrupt opponents or fuel your own game plan. These spells are designed to swing the momentum in your favor, offering both utility and raw power.
Inside Information is a powerful mill and theft tool. Be careful paying life; ensure you have a clear path to victory or a life-gain engine before exiling an opponent's entire library.
Bilbo's Gambit stands out as a premier control spell. For three mana, you return a target spell to its owner's hand and gift them a treasure. If the gift is promised, no player can cast spells for the rest of the turn. This is effectively a Silence with a bounce attached, allowing you to push through lethal damage or stop a combo player in their tracks.
| Riddles in the Dark | Inside Information | Bilbo's Gambit |
|---|---|---|
| Mana Cost: 2U | Mana Cost: X2B | Mana Cost: 1UU |
| Effect: Impulse draw with graveyard filling | Effect: Exile top X cards, play them this turn | Effect: Return spell, Silence if gifted |
| Rating: ★★★★☆ | Rating: ★★★★★ | Rating: ★★★★☆ |
| Use Case: Card selection / GY fuel | Use Case: Stealing win conditions | Use Case: Combo protection |
The Eagles Are Coming provides unmatched flexibility against board wipes. For six mana (kicked), you can return any number of your creatures to your hand and create a 4/4 flying token for each at the beginning of the next upkeep. This ensures you maintain a board presence even after a devastating Farewell or Wrath of God.
Artifacts & Enchantments
The equipment and enchantments in The Hobbit set are not just flavor wins; they are potent engines that can define your strategy. From mana fixing to trigger doubling, these cards offer high ceilings for dedicated builds.
Wizard's Staff is a standout equipment, giving the equipped creature prowess and doubling triggered abilities. For just two mana to equip a Wizard, this turns commanders like Niv-Mizzet or Kefnet into absolute engines. Even non-wizard decks can utilize the prowess trigger effectively.
Bag End Banquet acts as a mana rock that scales. In dedicated Food decks (like Samwise or Frodo), this can tap for massive amounts of mana, fueling huge X-spells or infinite combos.
| Artifact/Enchantment | Cost | Type | Primary Function | Deck Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wizard's Staff | 2 | Equipment | Doubles triggered abilities | Wizard Combo |
| Arkenstone | 5 | Artifact | Anthem + Card Draw / Tutor | Dwarf Tribal |
| Orcish Cleaver | 3 | Equipment | +2/+2, Trample, Treasure gen | Goblin / Dwarf Aggro |
| Dancing from Dark to Dawn | 3GG | Enchantment | Counters on cast + Landfall bears | Landfall / Stompy |
| Fateful Discovery | 3UU | Enchantment | Draw on artifact enter | Artifact Combo |
Fateful Discovery is particularly noteworthy. It draws a card whenever any artifact you control enters, including treasures and food tokens. In an Urza or artifact storm deck, this can easily draw you 10+ cards in a single turn cycle, though you must be careful not to deck yourself.
Deck Building Steps
Integrating these new cards into your Commander decks requires a strategic approach. Follow these steps to maximize the value of The Hobbit cards in your 99.
Identify Archetype Synergies
Analyze your deck's core strategy. If you are playing a token deck, prioritize Bard, King of Dale and Belladonna Took. For artifact strategies, Smaug and Fateful Discovery are auto-includes.
Evaluate Mana Value
Consider the mana curve. Radagast of Rosgavel helps cheat high-cost creatures, while Bilbo, Thief in the Night reduces costs for spells cast from outside your hand. Ensure you have the mana rocks to support these costs early on.
Optimize Removal & Protection
Swap generic removal for Bilbo's Gambit or Head of the Hunt. These provide additional value (treasures or exile effects) that traditional removal lacks.
Test Trigger Interactions
If using Wizard's Staff or Gollum, test your triggers. Ensure you have ways to blink Gollum to reset his choice or enough wizards to make the Staff worthwhile.
Review Treasure/Food Synergy
Count your treasure and food producers. Cards like Smaug and Bag End Banquet scale with the number of artifacts you control, so ensure a critical mass of token generators.
When using The Eagles Are Coming, remember the tokens are created at the beginning of the next upkeep. Use this to dodge sorcery-speed removal while keeping your creatures safe in hand during the turn cycle.
Checklist & Goals
Use this checklist to ensure you have covered all bases when upgrading your decks with cards from the Magic the Gathering The Hobbit set.
Deck Upgrade Checklist:
- Add Smaug to artifact or treasure-focused decks
- Include Radagast for big mana creature decks
- Slot Bilbo's Gambit in control/primer decks
- Test Wizard's Staff in Izzet or Jeskai spell decks
- Consider The Eagles Are Coming for board wipe insurance
| Goal | Recommended Card | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite Mana | Radagast of Rosgavel | Cast big creatures for free at flash speed |
| Card Advantage | Fateful Discovery | Draw cards off every artifact token |
| Voltron Win | Orcish Cleaver | Trample + Treasure generation for hits |
| Graveyard Hate | Head of the Hunt | Flash in to exile threats permanently |
| Storm Count | Dragon's Desire | Burst of red mana for storm turns |
FAQ
Q: Is Smaug a good replacement for Dockside Extortionist?
While Dockside is generally stronger due to its lower mana cost and instant speed, Smaug is a powerful alternative. He creates more treasures over time if you have artifact opponents and provides card advantage, making him a great addition to the 99 if Dockside is too expensive or banned in your playgroup.
Q: Which commanders work best with Wizard's Staff?
Any commander with strong triggered abilities benefits immensely. Niv-Mizzet, Parun draws cards and deals damage. Kefnet the Careful can double his draw triggers. Even non-wizard commanders with prowess can benefit, though the reduced equip cost is optimized for Wizard tribal.
Q: How does Inside Information compare to Villainous Wealth?
Inside Information is strictly black and focuses on playing cards immediately using life rather than mana. It is excellent in decks that can generate infinite mana or life, acting as a more flexible, instant-speed theft effect compared to the sorcery-speed Villainous Wealth.
Q: Can I use The Hobbit cards in Standard formats?
No, *The Hobbit* is a Universes Beyond set designed primarily for Commander, Legacy, and Vintage. It is not legal in Standard unless your specific playgroup allows it as a 'House Rule' or if it is later reprinted in a Standard-legal set.