MTG Commander 2019 spoilers: Populate, Primal Genesis full deck reveal

Token power has arrived in Commander 2019 with the MTG preconstructed Naya Populate deck.

Populate is a mechanic first introduced in the Return to Ravnica set, specifically for Selesnya token themed decks. Its primary function is to create copies of existing tokens on the battlefield. Within Commander 2019, Populate is expanding to include Red, along with Green and White, creating a more powerful presence with decent removal and card draw (Naya). 

Primal Genesis: Populate

The Primal Genesis deck is the fastest of the four Commander 2019 preconstructed decks, especially early in the game. Board wipes will slow Primal Genesis down, along with card draws that are only Populate and removal—there are no tokens to copy after a board wipe takes place. These are big weaknesses within the Naya Populate deck, but its speed and power balance it out. 

There are 17 new cards and 68 reprints within the preconstructed Primal Genesis deck.

• Eight ramp
• Eight card draw cards
• Two board wipes
• Eight target removal cards
• 24 cards create tokens
• 14 Populate synergy cards

The Commander of Primal Genesis is Ghired, Conclave Exile, and of all the commanders revealed so far, it’s the best concerning how it functions within the preconstructed deck. The planeswalker reprint, Garruk, Primal Hunter is included in Primal Genesis. Garruk works well with Ghired and the Populate mechanic by creating a three/three token with his plus-one loyalty counter. 

Two other commanders are also included in the Commander 2019 preconstructed deck: Atla Palani, Nest Tender and Marisi, Breaker of the Coil. Palani works with the Populate theme best by creating a zero/one token egg for a small cost.

When that egg dies, Atla Palani, Nest Tender’s static ability allows a player to reveal cards off the top of their library until they find a creature card. That creature immediately enters the battlefield while the rest of the cards go to the bottom of that player’s library. Marisi, Breaker of the Coil works with Primal Genesis but would likely be a better fit in commanding its own deck. 

Other cards within Primal Genesis that’ll have a major impact are Momentous Fall, which allows for a player to sacrifice tokens for card draw and life gain. Then there’s Dragonmaster Outcast, a powerful single Red mana creature card that creates a five/five flying dragon token at the beginning of upkeep if that player controls six or more lands. Exiling an opponent’s permanent is included in the copy, and when Poupulate is used on the token, multiple permanents can be exiled. 

In addition, there’s Beast Within, a removal that destroys a target permanent and then creates a three/three token. It’s a necessary card in any Green deck, along with Angel of Sanctions, which exiles a target permanent while on the battlefield and uses the Embalm mechanic. This allows it to be exiled from the graveyard while creating a copy token of itself.

The ultimate win-con in Primal Genesis, however, is Second Harvest. It’s an instant that creates a copy of a tokens permanent for each token a player controls. And if Second Harvest isn’t drawn, perhaps Song of the Worldsoul will get the job done. Every time a player casts a spell, they can Populate.  

Planeswalker 

• Garruk, Primal Hunter

Creatures

• Angel of Sanctions
• Wingmate Roc
• Dragonmaster Outcast
• Feldon of the Third Path
• Giant Adephage
• Soul of Zendikar
• Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice
• Desolation Twin
• Flamerush Rider
• Heart-Piercer Manticore
• Rampaging Baloths
• Thragtusk
• Emmara Tandris
• Wayfaring Temple
• Roc Egg
• Garruk’s Packleader
• Sakura-Tribe Elder
• Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage

Sorcery 

• Hour of Reckoning
• Phyrexian Rebirth
• Shamanic Revelation
• Cultivate
• Explore
• Farseek
• Harmonize

Instants

• Fresh Meat
• Momentous Fall
• Second Harvest
• Rootborn Defenses
• Trostani’s Judgment
• Beast Within
• Druid’s Deliverance
• Slice in Twain
• Naya Charm
• Sundering Growth

Artifact 

• Mimic Vat
• Soul Foundry
• Lightning Greaves
• Sol Ring

Enchantment

• Growing Ranks
• Intangible Virtue
• Colossal Majesty
• Elemental Bond

Other/Filler

• Ghired, Conclave Exile
• Atla Palani, Nest Tender
• Marisi, Breaker of the Coil
• Commander’s Insignia
• Doomed Artisan
• Song of the Worldsoul
• Ghired’s Belligerence
• Tectonic Hellion
• Full Flowering
• Ohran Frostfang
• Selesnya Eulogist
• Tahngarth, First Mate
• Idol of Oblivion
• Cliffside Rescuer
• Hate Mirage
• Voice of Many
• Scaretiller

Lands

• Cinder Glade
• Exotic Orchard
• Gargoyle Castle
• Sungrass Prairie
• Ash Barrens
• Blossoming Sands
• Boros Garrison
• Command Tower
• Evolving Wilds
• Graypelt Refuge
• Gruul Turf
• Jungle Shrine
• Kazandu Refuge
• Krosan Verge
• Myriad Landscape
• Naya Panorama
• Rogue’s Passage
• Rugged Highlands
• Selesnya Sanctuary
• Terramorphic Expanse
• Seven Plains
• Four Mountain
• Eight Forest

The other three Commander 2019 preconstructed decks

• Morph: MTG Commander 2019 spoilers: Morph, Faceless Menace deck
• Flashback: MTG Commander 2019 spoilers: Flashback, Mystic Intellect full deck reveal
• Madness: MTG Commander 2019 spoilers: Rakdos Madness, Merciless Rage full deck reveal

Primal Genesis is one of four preconstructed decks available with Commander 2019. The new MTG Commander set will be released on Aug. 19