Tokens are one of those Commander accessories that players often think about last and end up caring about most. You sleeve your deck, you buy nice lands, you track down a promo version of your commander, and then you realise you need forty Goblins for your Krenko deck and all you have is a pile of dice and some scraps of paper.
This guide covers how to think about tokens for your Commander deck: which types to prioritise, how many to get, and how to pick a style that fits.
Step 1: Know Which Tokens Your Deck Produces
Start with your commander and your most-played cards. Look at every card that says "create a token" and note:
- What is the token type? (Goblin, Zombie, Treasure, Dragon, etc.)
- What are its stats? (1/1 Goblin, 2/2 Zombie, 5/5 Dragon, etc.)
- Does it have abilities? (Treasure tokens can be sacrificed for one mana of any colour.)
- How often does this trigger?
Make a list. The top three or four token types on your list are your priority purchases.
Step 2: Estimate How Many You Need
This is where players consistently underestimate. The rule is: buy more than you think you need for your high-volume tokens.
Krenko, Mob Boss: Creates Goblins equal to the number of Goblins you already control, which means your board can grow explosively very quickly. With haste support, it is common to end up with dozens of Goblins within a few turns. If you play Krenko, you need at least thirty Goblin tokens. More is better.
Smothering Tithe: In a four-player game where everyone draws once per turn and does not pay the additional 2, you generate 3 Treasure per round minimum. With a Rhystic Study or a bunch of draw spells around the table, it can be 10-15 per round. Have at least fifteen Treasure tokens.
Wilhelt the Rotcleaver: Creates a decayed 2/2 Zombie token whenever another non-token Zombie dies, and can turn sacrificed Zombies into card draw at your end step. In a full Zombie tribal engine, you will cycle through a lot of Zombie tokens in a game. Fifteen to twenty is a sensible floor.
For token types you produce in smaller quantities, one or two copies per token type is usually fine. You rarely need more than three Dragon tokens at once.
Step 3: Consider Readability
At a four-player table, tokens are spread across a wide playing surface and viewed from multiple angles. A token needs to be readable from across the table: the creature type and power/toughness should be immediately clear, even in a pile of thirty.
Some styles handle this better than others in specific situations:
For swarm tokens (Goblins, Zombies, Squirrels, Saprolings): Clarity is king. Our Alphabet series is designed specifically for this: one bold letter, instantly readable, no confusion in a pile of thirty. The Typographic series also reads well at distance, with strong contrast and letterform-based design.
For singleton or low-count tokens (Dragons, Angels, Constructs): You have more room for visual complexity. Our Fantasy and Medieval series shine here: detailed artwork that rewards a second look without needing to be read instantly in a stack.
For artifact tokens (Treasure, Clue, Food, Blood, Map): The token type matters more than the creature stats, so the visual treatment can be more conceptual. Our Typographic series handles artifact tokens especially well: each one has a distinct visual identity that makes it instantly distinguishable from other artifact token types.
Step 4: Match the Aesthetic of Your Deck
Commander is a format where people invest in the appearance of their decks. Premium sleeves, altered commanders, custom deckboxes: the visual identity of a Commander deck is part of the experience.
Your tokens are part of that identity. Here is how our four styles translate to common Commander aesthetics:
Medieval tokens: Great for gothic, historical, or horror-themed decks. A Medieval Zombie for Wilhelt. A Medieval Knight for a knightly tribal build. Medieval tokens have a distinctive texture and historical reference that stands out against any background.
Fantasy tokens: Bold, painterly illustration that suits high-fantasy builds. Swords-and-sorcery commanders, angel tribal, dragon decks. The Fantasy series has visual presence: tokens that look like they came from a different card game, in a good way.
Typographic tokens: Strong, design-forward, and particularly good for players who want their accessories to feel considered and modern. Good for any deck that values visual clarity alongside a design sensibility.
Alphabet tokens: Playful, clean, and deliberately simple. Works with any deck. Best for players who want studio quality without the visual complexity, or who need to build up a large pile of matching tokens for a reasonable cost.
A Note on Tournament Legality
Custom tokens are widely accepted in Commander play and sanctioned events as long as they clearly represent the token they stand in for and are easy for other players to recognise.
All our tokens are printed at standard MTG card size (63 x 88 mm) on premium black-core cardstock and fit standard sleeves.
Where to Start
If you are new to custom tokens and want a recommendation: start with the token type you produce most often from your commander, pick the style that fits your deck's aesthetic, and buy more than you think you need.
Browse our MTG token collection to explore all four styles and over 40 creature types. If the creature type you need is not there yet, commissions are open: thetagmill@gmail.com.