Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Analyzing Nightsquad Commando on the Secondary Market
When you dip into Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths and flip through the uncommon and common creatures, Nightsquad Commando stands out not for its punchy rarity but for its practical, on-theme floor value in casual play and its whisper of synergy with aggressive black decks. This is the kind of card that shows how market data can sound boring on a spreadsheet but sing on a kitchen-table, five-lands-in-the-mner moments 🧙♂️🔥. Its core is simple: a 2/3 for three mana in black that, on entry, can generate a 1/1 white Human Soldier if you attacked that turn. The result is a tiny, repeatable payoff that fits nicely into the Ikoria era’s creature-centric vibe and into a broader black-red or black-green attack tempo shell in many formats.
Card at a glance
- Name: Nightsquad Commando
- Mana Cost: {2}{B}
- Type: Creature — Human Soldier
- Rarity: Common
- Set: Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
- Power/Toughness: 2/3
- Oracle Text: When this creature enters, if you attacked this turn, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.
- Artist: Evyn Fong
In the wild of the battlefield, you’re not guaranteed to hit that condition every time Nightsquad Commando lands, but the possibility of a free token—especially in creature-heavy tribal or token agendas—gives this common a little extra bite in cube-ready drafts and casual formats. The black mana cost and the 2/3 body also keep it relevant for midrange boards, and the token synergy nudges it into the broader conversation about token-matter and human synergies that pop up across sets 🎨⚔️.
Market snapshot: what the data says
In the secondary market, Nightsquad Commando exists in two practical currencies: nonfoil and foil. Current data shows it hovering around a few cents in USD for nonfoil copies and around a quarter to a nickel for foils, with foil prints occasionally spiking during limited play environments or when collectors chase specific foil variants. Card prices reflect its status as a common—low individual impact, steady demand from budget-focused players, and a reliable but modest foil market. As of the latest figures, you’ll typically see USD prices around 0.03 for nonfoil printing and around 0.21 for the foil version; European prices trend similarly, with EUR around 0.06 for nonfoil and a touch higher for foil variants. Tix (MTG components used in Arena economy) sit near ~0.03 as a practical marker for casual players who track digital-only markets 🧙♂️💎.
“A common can still surprise you when it’s printing into a thoughtful draft strategy. Nightsquad Commando reminds players that not every card needs to shout for attention to contribute meaningful value.”
Why so little fluctuation? Ikoria’s on-theme creatures, mutate mechanics, and the broader deck-building ecosystem keep many commons in steady rotation. The card’s availability is another variable: it’s foil-intensive enough to satisfy casual collectors and players who enjoy showing off a little shine, but common enough that bulk lots and reprints don’t push prices into frenzy. For collectors, the art by Evyn Fong—paired with Ikoria’s monster-movie flair—gives Nightsquad Commando a lasting presence in player memories, contributing to a resilient but modest price floor ⚔️.
Gameplay angles and strategic considerations
- Attack tempo synergy: If you attack and Nightsquad Commando arrives that turn, you immediately generate a 1/1 white Human Soldier. That token can help you push further pressure, particularly in decks leaning on swarm tactics or on a quick reach to a critical board presence. The token also acts as a chump blocker or a synergy piece for deck themes that value human tokens 🎲.
- Black tempo value: The black mana cost keeps it accessible in midrange and sacrifice-themed shells, letting you chain small-values plays that compound over a single turn or two. It’s the sort of card that plays well with hand disruption and graveyard recursion in longer-form games 🎨.
- Token tribal potential: In casual or budget decks that lean into Human or Soldier tokens, Nightsquad Commando can be a small cog that improves the tempo of the board without overcommitting resources. It’s not a breakthrough card, but it’s a reliable piece of the puzzle for emergent synergies ⚔️.
- Format realities: The card remains legal in many formats (Historic, Modern, Legacy, Commander) and is a reminder of Ikoria’s creature-forward design ethos. Its influence is subtle in Standard, where rotating sets limit long-term impact, but its collectible aura persists in older formats and Commander tables 🧙♂️.
Design, rarity, and long-term value
As a common in Ikoria, Nightsquad Commando exemplifies a design philosophy: create value through splashy effects that are conditional enough to feel earned, not guaranteed. The entry-triggered token is a classic example of a design space where a relatively modest body can become meaningful via a triggered ability. The common slot ensures broad access for players and a steady supply in the market, while the foil variant satisfies collectors and players aiming for a bit of aesthetic shine. Ikoria’s visual palette—baroque beasts, heroic humans, and mutating landscapes—amplifies the card’s appeal beyond raw numbers, making Nightsquad Commando a memorable “background hero” in many casual decks 🧙♂️🔥.
Collector sentiment often weighs the art and set context as much as the card’s immediate playability. Evyn Fong’s illustration brings a touch of rugged practicality to a world of larger-than-life monsters, which helps explain why this particular card remains a staple in many budget-conscious collections. Even with a relatively modest price footprint, the card’s place in the Ikoria narrative—the era’s emphasis on mutation and creature density—affords it a durable cultural footprint that fans appreciate when revisiting the set’s lore and aesthetics ⚔️.
What to watch in the secondary market
Foils remain the more optics-driven variant, so watch for changes in foil demand around local prereleases or casual tournaments. A short-term spike isn’t unusual if a player is chasing a complete foil suite for Ikoria-era decks 🔥. As Ikoria-era cards drift through rotations in Standard, Nightsquad Commando’s price tends to stabilize in non-rotating formats like Modern and Commander, yet the card’s accessibility tends to keep it affordable for broader playhouses. While Nightsquad Commando is a common, a new printing or a thematic reprint in a modern Masters set could nudge its market trajectory in interesting ways. Keep an eye on the collector’s market for movement in the foil tier 🎨.
For players who relish practical value and for collectors who savor Ikoria’s colorful lore, Nightsquad Commando sits at an enjoyable crossroads. It’s not the loudest voice in the room, but it speaks with dependable rhythm, especially when your strategy rewards attacking and token generation. If you’re cataloging your collection or organizing your shelves between games, a sturdy storage solution can make a world of difference in preserving those little investments—like the Neon Card Holder Phone Case that keeps your cards safe on the go. It’s the kind of cross-promo that feels natural: you’re buying into the game’s culture, and you’re also picking up gear that supports your hobby in the real world 🧙♂️💎.