Tyrant's Familiar is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Flying, haste Lieutenant — As long as you control your commander, this creature gets +2/+2 and has "Whenever this creature attacks, it deals 7 damage to target creature defending player controls."
Complete guide
Tyrant's Familiar is a powerful Dragon that thrives in the Commander format by rewarding you for keeping your leader on the battlefield. With its Lieutenant ability, it transforms from a standard threat into a massive engine of destruction. Understanding how the Lieutenant mechanic functions is key to maximizing this creature's potential on the board.
What it Does
Tyrant's Familiar is a 5/5 creature with flying and haste. However, its true power lies in the Lieutenant keyword, which grants it a significant boost as long as you control your commander. While your commander is on the battlefield under your control, the Familiar gains +2/+2, making it a 7/7, and gains a triggered ability that deals 7 damage to a creature the defending player controls whenever the Dragon attacks.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, you must have both Tyrant's Familiar and your commander on the battlefield for the Lieutenant bonus to be active. When you declare Tyrant's Familiar as an attacking creature, its Lieutenant-granted ability triggers immediately. You choose a target creature controlled by the player you are attacking. This ability resolves before blockers are declared, meaning you can often remove a potential flying blocker before it has a chance to step in front of the Dragon's path.
Common Pitfalls
A common mistake is assuming the Lieutenant ability stays active if your commander leaves the battlefield. The +2/+2 and the attack trigger are static and conditional; if your commander is removed in response to you declaring an attack, the Dragon instantly loses the +2/+2 and the triggered ability. However, if the ability has already triggered and is on the stack, it will still resolve even if your commander is destroyed before the 7 damage is dealt.
When to Play It
You should play Tyrant's Familiar when you have a reliable way to keep your commander safe or when you can cast them both in the same turn thanks to its haste. Because the damage trigger targets a creature the 'defending player' controls, this is particularly effective in multiplayer games for picking off utility creatures or troublesome blockers belonging to the specific opponent you are currently pressuring.
Interaction examples
Etali, Primal StormIf Etali, Primal Storm is your commander and is on the battlefield, Tyrant's Familiar becomes a 7/7. When you attack an opponent with Tyrant's Familiar, its ability triggers, allowing you to deal 7 damage to one of that opponent's creatures. Simultaneously, Etali's own attack trigger will exile the top cards of libraries. Both triggers happen during the declare attackers step.
Ancient Copper DragonWith your commander in play, Tyrant's Familiar and Ancient Copper Dragon can dominate the skies. If Tyrant's Familiar attacks, it can deal 7 damage to a creature that might otherwise block Ancient Copper Dragon. This clears the way for Ancient Copper Dragon to connect with the player's life total, triggering its d20 roll to generate Treasure tokens.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Tyrant's Familiar
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Lieutenant abilities apply only if your commander is on the battlefield and under your control.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Lieutenant abilities refer only to whether you control your commander, not any other player’s commander.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you gain control of a creature with a lieutenant ability owned by another player, that ability will check to see if you control your commander and will apply if you do. It won’t check whether its owner controls their commander.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If you lose control of your commander, lieutenant abilities of creatures you control will immediately stop applying. If this causes a creature’s toughness to become less than or equal to the amount of damage marked on it, the creature will be destroyed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If a triggered ability granted by a lieutenant ability triggers, and in response to that trigger you lose control of your commander (causing the lieutenant to lose that ability), that triggered ability will still resolve.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Tyrant's Familiar
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