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Game Changer · Stax / Lock

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

WhiteBlueLegendary Creature — Human Advisor{2}{W}{U} Buy on TCGplayer

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Is Grand Arbiter Augustin IV a Game Changer?

Yes. Grand Arbiter Augustin IV is on the official Wizards of the Coast Commander Game Changers list. Your spells cost less, everyone else's cost more — a tax that compounds every turn.

Why is Grand Arbiter Augustin IV a Game Changer?

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV bends the mana economy in two directions at once: your spells get cheaper while every opponent's gets more expensive. A single point of tax in each direction sounds mild and is not — across three opponents and a full turn cycle, it is an enormous swing, and it stacks with any other tax effect. Decks built around him lean into that asymmetry until opponents are functionally a turn behind on every spell. Grinding an entire table out of a game through cost manipulation is a distinctive, and often unwelcome, experience.

What bracket can I play Grand Arbiter Augustin IV in?

  • Bracket 1 & 2 — not allowed. A single copy of Grand Arbiter Augustin IV puts your deck above Core.
  • Bracket 3 (Upgraded) — allowed, and it counts as one of your three permitted Game Changers.
  • Bracket 4 & 5 — no limit, so it costs you nothing here.

This applies whether Grand Arbiter Augustin IV is in your 99 or in the command zone. Not sure how many you are running in total? Run your decklist through the analyzer — it flags every Game Changer it finds and shows the resulting bracket.

Other Stax / Lock Game Changers

Aura Shards

Turns every creature you play into unconditional artifact and enchantment removal, permanently.

Braids, Cabal Minion

Forces every opponent to sacrifice a permanent every turn — three sacrifices per round to your one.

Drannith Magistrate

Stops opponents casting from anywhere but hand — including their commanders.

Glacial Chasm

Prevents all damage dealt to you, indefinitely, from a land slot.

← Glacial ChasmGrim Monolith →

One of 53 Game Changers · list last updated by Wizards on 9 February 2026