Give Your Opponents Thalassaphobia

Krakens — writhing, crashing, horrible terrors of the deep. The idea of mythological creatures that lurk in sunken dark have terrorized seafaring peoples for generations. In Magic: The Gathering, Krakens are large creatures that usually multiply in some way. They are firmly rooted in blue sea magic. If you’re looking to add some of these deep sea horrors to your magic deck, here are ten of the best to choose from.

10. Spawning Kraken

There's more where it came from.

First up is a Kraken that’s soon to spawn many more. Aptly named, Spawning Kraken can slowly add massive amounts of power and toughness to your board. That is, provided you can actually connect for combat damage. So it’s best when you already have other sea monsters on your battlefield, ready to swing. Spawning Kraken is a great addition to a “deep sea tribal” deck as it’s not just reliant on Kraken themselves to do the job.

Pros:

• Can output immense power and toughness
• Great in any “deep sea tribal” deck

Cons:

• Has a combat damage trigger but no evasion
• Slow

How you can get it: Commander 2021

9. Stormsurge Kraken

More sudden than a storm.

Stormsurge Kraken provides your opponents with a choice: take seven damage or let you draw two cards. Both options are terrible for them and great for you. And the fact that it has hexproof is excellent, meaning it’s hard to remove. At the same time, if you want Stormsurge Kraken to be more than a 5/5 with hexproof, it needs your commander to be on the battlefield. And while that’s not a tall order, it means that this card can be pretty weak on its own, naturally limiting its power ceiling.

Pros:

• Provides interesting dynamics and decisions into a game
• Can potentially deal solid damage and draw cards
• Protects itself

Cons:

• It’s true power is limited by relying on another card

How you can get it: Commander 2014

8. Nadir Kraken

Where there's one, there's more.

One of the best things about Nadir Kraken is that is plays to the strengths of blue magic. Blue is one of the best colors for drawing cards, but can often lack threats or ways to finish the game. Nadir Kraken rewards you for drawing cards by providing one body that grows and tons of small ones. Consequently, it also happens to pair well with Stomrsurge Kraken. It’s an excellent option if you know you’ll be drawing tons of cards and isn’t limited to deep sea tribal.

Pros:

• Good payoff for playing blue
• Grows both tall and wide on the board
• Low casting cost for a Kraken

Cons:

• Slow to ramp up in power
• Mana intensive

How you can get it: Theros Beyond Death

7. Scourge of Fleets

Sailors fear the ocean for good reason.

Scourge of Fleets may be expensive to cast, but it will definitely make a splash when it hits the battlefield. Especially good in mono-blue decks with lots of islands, the Scourge is effectively a board wipe attached to a creature. And not just a board wipe, but a one-sided board wipe. Again, it may be slow, but it rewards you for playing slow. Scourge of Fleets allows you to capitalize on any advantage you’ve built up by that point in the game.

Pros:

• One-sided board wipe on a creature
• Decent stats

Cons:

• Slow
• Requires a certain amount of lands to be effective

How you can get it: Journey Into Nyx

6. Wrexial, the Risen Deep

The stuff of nightmares.

The first multicolored card on the list, Wrexial, the Risen Deep is a Kraken that wants to get in for combat damage. Unlike Spawning Kraken, though, Wrexial has at least a bit of evasion in the form of islandwalk and swampwalk. While islands and swamps are common lands to have on the battlefield, you may need to give Wrexial a bit more help to connect. The payoff can be great, but is heavily depending on what your opponents are running in their decks and have played so far in the game. Overall, Wrexial has great potential, but that potential is too often reliant on factors outside your control.

Pros:

• Good stats for the mana cost
• Good colors for graveyard shenanigans

Cons:

• Heavily reliant on opponents to reach its potential

How you can get it: Magic: The Gathering Commander

5. Runo Stromkirk // Krothuss, Lord of the Deep

"Rise, my master, and consume this pathetic world!"

Runo Stromkirk and Krothuss, Lord of the Deep are going to ask a lot of you. Runo wants you to get large creatures in your graveyard and on top of your library. Then, Krothuss wants you to attack with one of those large creatures, and especially loves if it lukrs in the deep. There’s massive potential for huge turns — imagine attacking and connecting with multiple Spawning Krakens! What Runo and Krothuss are asking you to do is a bit hard to pull off, but incredibly rewarding if you do so.

Pros:

• Graveyard recursion
• Potential for huge swing turns

Cons:

• Lots of intricate setup
• Slow

How you can get it: Crimson Vow

4. Araxmethes, Slumbring Isle

All slumbering giants awaken eventually.

Arixmethes is an excellent card to head your commander deck. It’s both a massive body and ramp on one card. Play a land every turn and you’ll have access to seven mana on your next turn. Cast a few spells and you suddenly have a 12/12 that’s ready to attack right away. Simple, effective, and plays to the strengths of its colors: Arixmethes is a solid card. Your opponents best not wake the Slumbering Island.

Pros:

• Huge power and toughness
• Ramp on a creature

Cons:

• Takes some work to turn into a creature

How you can get it: Commander 2018

3. Gyruda, Doom of Depths

"Wait... why are there such big waves but no wind?"

Gyruda, Doom of Depths is a great card in any blink strategy. You can build an entire deck around Gyruda, focused on abusing its enter the battlefield effect. One direction is to load your deck with powerful even-cost creatures. Another is to focus on stealing them from your opponents. Gyruda’s companion ability will allow you to reliably summon this Kraken from the depths to drown your opponents in value.

Pros:

• Can reliably access it via companion ability
• Great in ETB strategies
• Can cheat mana costs of other creatures with its ability

Cons:

• Not especially powerful if its ability misses

How you can get it: Ikorai: Lair of Behemoths

2. Thing in the Ice // Awoken Horror

"Just wait 'till everyone at home sees this!"

Don’t disturb the Thing in the Ice lest you wish to unleash an unspeakable Horror. If you do, get spellslinging! Two mana and a few cheap spells is a low investment for what is effectively a board wipe and a 7/8 that can attack right away. In fact, this card is so efficient it’s currently run in some top-tier Pioneer Izzet decks. Once this Kraken Horror does awaken, it will likely spell the end for your opponent.

Pros:

• Efficient
• One-sided board wipe
• Can attack when its flipped

Cons:

• Does nothing when you cast it
• Reliant on casting other spells to do anything

How you can get it: Shadows Over Innistrad

1. Hullbreaker Horror

Once it's onslaught begins, it's almost impossible to stop.

Pure and simple, Hullbreaker Horror is a control player’s dream. Many blue control decks are able to stall to reach the late game, but struggle to finish it out. Even if they do have threat, those threat are often slow and can be removed themselves. Hullbreaker Horror allows you to provide a threat at instant speed that gives your other spells removal and counter magic. It’s hard to ask for much more.

Pros:

• Uncounterable
• Instant speed blocker
• Allows your other spells to act as removal and counter magic
• Solid attacker
• Non-legendary, so you can have multiple on the board at once (!)

Cons:

• Expensive to cast

How you can get it: Crimson Vow

Dragged Below

Krakens are large, terrifying creature cards that can take a while to get going. They often have high power and toughness balanced by a high casting cost. But once they hit the table, your opponents will have a hard time staying afloat atop the ocean of value you generate.

Also Be Sure To Read:

• [Top 15] MTG Best Counterspells Every Player Should Use
• [Top 10] MTG Best Color Combinations That Are Great
• [Top 15] MTG Best Lands for EDH That Are Powerful