Card Spotlight
Aerid Konstrari
A four-mana 5/4 flying Elder Sphinx that makes a Heartwood token when it enters and when it dies. For {6}, it makes another Heartwood and gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of artifacts you control.
Commander Spotlight
Aerid Konstrari ↗
A four-mana 5/4 flying Elder Sphinx that makes a Heartwood token when it enters and when it dies. For {6}, it makes another Heartwood and gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of artifacts you control.
See Aerid Konstrari's full stats and printings →
Strategies it goes well with
- Heartwood ramp. Aerid comes with its own mana: one Heartwood on entry, another on death, and one per activation. Woodwork Prodigy adds one each upkeep it is prepared.
- Artifact count matters. Heartwoods, Treasures and mana rocks all count toward the {6} pump, and Craterclaw Colossus gives the whole team +X/+0 and trample off the same number.
- Token doubling. Parallel Lives doubles each Heartwood, which doubles the ramp and the artifact count for the pump.
How it does in Commander
As the commander
As the commander, it leads a red-green artifact ramp deck. Four mana for a 5/4 flier that leaves a mana rock behind when it enters and again when it dies is a good rate, and removal on it still gives you value. The {6} activation is the late-game mana sink, so the deck wants a lot of mana and enough artifacts to make the pump lethal.
In the 99
In another red-green deck it's a strong four-drop for any artifact or ramp plan. Without other artifacts it's still a 5/4 flier that ramps, which is a fair card on its own.
Formats it's strong in
- Red-green artifact and ramp decks. The Heartwoods ramp and raise the artifact count, so the {6} pump gets bigger the longer the game goes.
- Brawl and Standard Brawl. It's a main-set card and legal in Standard, so it can lead a Brawl deck as well as a Commander deck.
Formats it's weak in
- Tables with heavy artifact removal. A board wipe that hits artifacts takes the Heartwoods and the pump with it.
- Mana-light decks. The {6} ability is the late-game plan. A deck that can't reach seven or more mana gets a 5/4 flier and two Heartwoods.
Synergistic cards
Woodwork Prodigy ↗
The set's Konstrari school card. Its prepared spell makes a Heartwood token, and it becomes prepared again at the beginning of your upkeep.
Parallel Lives ↗
Doubles every token you create, so each Heartwood trigger and activation makes two.
Reckless Fireweaver ↗
Deals 1 damage to each opponent whenever an artifact enters under your control, including every Heartwood.
Craterclaw Colossus ↗
A seven-mana haste creature that gives your team trample and +X/+0 when it enters, where X is your artifact count.
Is it worth the price?
Aerid is a mythic from the Reality Fracture main set, released October 2, 2026, and early prices are still settling with no reprints yet. It's a fair buy if you want the deck. Wait for prices to settle if you only want it for the 99.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Heartwood token?
A red and green artifact token with "{T}: Add {R} or {G}." It is a mana rock, and because it is an artifact, it counts toward Aerid's pump and anything else that counts artifacts.
Does Aerid Konstrari make a Heartwood when it dies as a commander?
Yes. Under the current Commander rules, a commander goes to the graveyard first and you then choose whether to move it to the command zone, so the dies trigger still happens.
How big does Aerid Konstrari get?
The {6} ability gives +X/+0 where X is the number of artifacts you control, counted as it resolves after the new Heartwood is created. With five artifacts after the activation, it attacks as a 10/4 flier.