Legendary creatures are among the most popular and flashy cards in Magic: The Gathering outside of the iconic Planeswalkers. Cards that depict specific-named characters from the game's story, Legendary creatures are a key element of one of Magic's most popular formats, Commander.
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Unlike normal creatures, Legendary creatures have a unique rule that states that a player can't control more than one of a given legendary creature at a time. This allows for cards to be given particularly powerful abilities that may be overpowered if duplicated. However, not all legendary creatures are created equally, with some toting absurd amounts of power that can sway a game in a player's favor if left unchecked. These particular cards are some of the most pushed and powerful legendary creature's from the game's history.
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
Jn-Gitaxias, Core Augur is the blue representative of the Praetors of New Phyrexia. While this blue card may cost eight mana, it can immediately turn a game into a one-sided affair through its manipulation of card advantage. A 5/4, Jin-Gitaxias causes its controller to draw seven cards at the beginning of their end step while reducing each opponent's maximum hand size by seven, essentially denying other players the ability to keep cards in their hand.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
A mono-red legendary goblin for five mana, Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker is a card synonymous with infinite combos. Kiki-Jiki's appeal comes in the form of its ability to be tapped to create a token copy of another creature, exiling the token at the end of the turn.
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When paired with a creature like Zealous Conscripts, Kiki-Jiki is able to be repeatedly untapped by the creatures it creates, all of which have haste. As Kiki-Jiki has haste itself, a game can potentially end as soon as a Kiki-Jiki is cast.
Emrakul, The Aeons Torn
Eldrazi are a creature type that are synonymous with splashy, game-ending effects and this is epitomized by Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. A staggering 15/15 for fifteen mana, upon being cast, Emrakul's controller takes an extra turn. Emrakul is nigh impossible to answer and deal with, as it cannot be countered and it has protection from all colored spells. As if this weren't bad enough, Emrakul's massive body is complimented by flying and the ever-devastating annihilator 6.
Edgar Markov
Edgar Markov is the premier commander used for those looking to play Vampire Tribal in the Commander format. A six-mana mardu creature, the primary appeal of Edgar Markov comes in the form of his eminence ability. Eminence is an incredible type of ability that can be used regardless of if the commander has been cast or if they remain in the Command Zone. in the case of Edgar, his eminence ability states that whenever this card's owner casts a vampire spell, they create a 1/1 vampire token, allowing them to amass a vampire army quite quickly.
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As if this weren't enough, Edgar has first strike and haste, even putting +1/+1 counters on each of its controller's vampires whenever it attacks.
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Like Jin-Gitaxias, Gran Arbiter Arbiter Augustin IV is a card that greatly benefits its controller while hindering each other player. A four mana Azorius creature, Grand Arbiter reduces the cost of white and blue spells respectively that are cast by its owner by one mana, while taxing each other player, forcing them to pay an additional one mana for each of their spells. This greatly affects the tempo of a game through discounted spells for the Grand Arbiter player and inflated casting costs for their opponents.
Selvala, Heart Of The Wilds
First printed in Conspiracy: Take The Crown, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds is a stellar green legendary elf that is capable of both generating massive sums of mana and drawing cards. A 2/3 for three mana, Selvala allows players to draw a card when a creature enters the battlefield under their control as long as that creature possesses the highest power on the board. Most importantly, by paying one green mana, Selvala can be tapped to produce an amount of mana of any combination of colors equal to the greatest power of creatures its owner controls. When paired with cards like Freed from the Real and Staff of Domination, Selvala can produce an infinite amount of mana with ease.
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
While Selvala is capable of producing high quantities of mana for a minimal investment, Rofellos is a card that does this so effortlessly that it was banned in Commander. For the low cost of two mana, Rofellos can be tapped to produce an amount of green mana equal to the number of forests its owner controls. Able to be cast early into a game, Rofellos essentially doubles the mana output of green decks for a minimal mana investment.
Urza, Lord High Artificer
First printed in Modern Horizons, Urza, Lord High Artificer is easily one of the most powerful blue creatures to ever see print. A 1/4 for four mana, upon entering the battlefield, Urza creates an artifact creature token with power and toughness equal to the number of artifacts its owner controls. Most importantly, Urza allows its owner to tap any of their artifacts to produce a blue mana, allowing Urza to easily replicate the power of Mox Sapphire with any zero-mana artifacts. As if this weren't enough, Urza even comes with a place to put than mana, allowing its controller to play the top card of their library at the cost of five mana.
Thrasios, Triton Hero
While it may not seem like much at first glance, Thrasios, Triton Hero is a two-mana Simic creature that is easily one of the most powerful legendary creatures ever printed. A 1/3 with partner, Thrasios has an activated ability for four mana that allows its controller to scry 1, revealing the top card of their library, putting it into play if it's a land, or drawing that card if it isn't. As this ability doesn't require a player to tap Thrasios, when paired with a substantial or infinite amount of mana, Thrasios can allow a player to draw and play the majority of a player's deck in a single turn.
Leovold, Emissary of Trest
A Sultai elf for three mana, few legendary creatures are as notorious as Leovold, Emissary of Trest. Preventing opponents from drawing more than one card each turn, Leovold can easily lock players out of games when paired with cards like Teferi's Puzzle Box, while making every wheel effect horribly one-sided. As if this effect weren't powerful enough, Leovold allows its controller to draw cards whenever a permanent its owner controls is targeted by an opponent's spell or ability.