Captain Howler Commands the High Seas
Captain Howler, Sea Scourge is making waves in Commander as the leader of the Keelhaulers, a ragtag crew of corsairs from different planes, all fighting to claim victory at the second Ghirapur Grand Prix. Covered in tattoos and fueled by an unnatural affinity for Aether, Howler is both a fierce warrior and an expert pilot.
But why is he racing? What’s Kari Zev’s connection? No one knows for sure, and that only makes this legendary Shark Pirate even more intriguing.
A Game-Changing Ability
Captain Howler, Sea Scourge is a four-mana blue and red 5/4 with Ward – 2, pay two life, making him tough to remove. But the real power comes in his ability:
“Whenever you discard one or more cards, target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn for each card discarded this way. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player this turn, you draw a card.”
Every discard fuels your creatures, making them even deadlier, while simultaneously drawing you more gas to keep up the pressure. Unlike many aggressive commanders, he doesn’t need to attack to be effective, meaning you can focus on protecting him while letting your buffed-up threats take over the game.
Ideal Deck Build
If you love high-speed, aggressive playstyles with plenty of synergy, Captain Howler is your guy. Lean into:
- Looting & Wheel Effects – Faithless Looting, Frantic Search, and Windfall keep the engine running.
- Madness & Discard Payoffs – Cards like Blazing Rootwalla and Archfiend of Ifnir thrive in this strategy.
- Evasion & Protection – Give your creatures Trample, Menace, or Hexproof to ensure your buffs pay off.
Captain Howler isn’t just another discard-based commander—he’s a storm of aggression, synergy, and raw power. Are you ready to take the helm?
