Arcane Foundry › Commanders › Aya of Alexandria
Aya of Alexandria
Legendary Creature — Human Assassin · {2}{R}{W} · Red/White commander
Menace, lifelink
Whenever a historic creature you control deals combat damage to a player, create a 1/1 black Assassin creature token with menace. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)
Build an Aya of Alexandria deck →
What Aya of Alexandria actually does
Read off the card by the same engine the Forge and Analyzer use — this is the mechanical classification, not a summary.
- Triggered ability · deals_damageWhenever a historic creature you control deals combat damage to a player, create a 1/1 black Assassin creature token with menace.
- Keyword · lifelinklifelink
- Keyword · menacemenace
What an Aya of Alexandria deck wants
The plan the Forge derives for this commander: the roles it fills and how many of each.
- 12× Make the commander connect — a body that never deals combat damage never triggers
- 8× A team pump that actually pumps tokens
- 21× Make creature tokens — a static anthem or a go-wide commander needs a board to be wide
- 5× Actually remove one problem permanent — preventing its damage is not removing it
- 1× Answer a whole board at once
- 9× Find the exact card the plan needs
- 7× Refill your hand
- 2× Keep a permanent you control alive through removal
- 11× Get ahead on mana
Best cards for Aya of Alexandria
Ranked by an engine that reads what each card does — its real cost, its delay and how reliably it works — rather than counting how often other people play it.
Make the commander connect — a body that never deals combat damage never triggers
- Delney, Streetwise Lookout3 mana
- Archetype of Aggression3 mana
- Iroas, God of Victory4 mana
- Elspeth, Sun's Champion6 mana
- Cloudshredder Sliver2 mana
- Eldrazi Monument5 mana
- Colossus Hammer1 mana
- Shadowspear1 mana
A team pump that actually pumps tokens
- Intangible Virtue2 mana
- Caretaker's Talent3 mana
- Inspiring Leader3 mana
- Prava of the Steel Legion3 mana
- Mite Overseer4 mana
- Phantom General4 mana
- Nesting Grounds0 mana
- Boros Charm2 mana
Make creature tokens — a static anthem or a go-wide commander needs a board to be wide
- Dalkovan Encampment0 mana
- Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon3 mana
- Elenda's Hierophant3 mana
- Pashalik Mons3 mana
- Hero of Bladehold4 mana
- Myrel, Shield of Argive4 mana
- Siege-Gang Lieutenant4 mana
- Parhelion II // Parhelion II0 mana
Actually remove one problem permanent — preventing its damage is not removing it
- Path to Exile1 mana
- Swords to Plowshares1 mana
- Wild Magic Surge2 mana
- March of Otherworldly Light1 mana
- Flicker of Fate2 mana
- Generous Gift3 mana
- Erode1 mana
- Getaway Glamer1 mana
Answer a whole board at once
- Final Showdown1 mana
- Vanquish the Horde8 mana
- Martyr's Cry2 mana
- Split Up3 mana
- Blasphemous Act9 mana
- Cathedral Membrane2 mana
- Citywide Bust3 mana
- Harsh Mercy3 mana
Find the exact card the plan needs
- Open the Armory2 mana
- Enlightened Tutor1 mana
- Goblin Recruiter2 mana
- Templar Knight2 mana
- Idyllic Tutor3 mana
- Imperial Recruiter3 mana
- Dragon's Approach3 mana
- Ranger-Captain of Eos3 mana
Refill your hand
- Esper Sentinel1 mana
- Skullclamp1 mana
- Archivist of Oghma2 mana
- Smothering Tithe4 mana
- The One Ring4 mana
- Pip-Boy 30001 mana
- Sticky Fingers1 mana
- Vexing Bauble1 mana
Keep a permanent you control alive through removal
- Flowering of the White Tree2 mana
- Hexing Squelcher2 mana
- Bastion Protector3 mana
- Greater Auramancy2 mana
- Codsworth, Handy Helper3 mana
- Cryptothrall4 mana
- Avacyn, Angel of Hope8 mana
- Coppercoat Vanguard2 mana
Get ahead on mana
- Chrome Mox0 mana
- Everflowing Chalice0 mana
- Mox Amber0 mana
- Mox Diamond0 mana
- Mox Opal0 mana
- Mana Vault1 mana
- Sol Ring1 mana
- Wayfarer's Bauble1 mana