Order of the Golden Cricket: Commander Multiplayer Tactics

Order of the Golden Cricket: Commander Multiplayer Tactics

In TCG ·

Order of the Golden Cricket card art

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Commander multiplayer tactics with a tiny white knight

In the grand ballroom of multiplayer Magic, where diplomacy, ally-temptations, and sudden tent-pole swings all collide, a seemingly modest creature can become the spark that changes the tempo of the game. Order of the Golden Cricket—a frugal two-mana drop from Morningtide—embodies that nimble, tempo-forward ethos. This Kithkin Knight sports a humble body at 2/2 for {1}{W}, but it carries a sting in its wings: whenever it attacks, you may pay {W}, and if you do, it gains flying until end of turn. That optional extra bit of evasion can tilt the balance in a three-, four-, or more player match, where blockers multiply and sudden punts of life totals are common 🧙‍♂️🔥.

White’s aggression in multiplayer games often hinges on getting the damage through while denying opponents the chance to combo or stabilize. This little knight fits neatly into that role. On the surface, a 2/2 flyer for two is nothing to write home about. Yet the ability to grant flying the moment you go to the attack step means you can convert humble pressure into meaningful impact, especially when you’ve built a board that makes evasive threats scarce. In Commander, where swings across tables are the norm rather than the exception, delivering a handful of flying attackers can force awkward blocks or force other players to overreact with removal that opens doors for your next-echelon threat 🧙‍♂️🎲.

Why flying matters in multiplayer frame-ups

Flying matters more in multiplayer than in duels because you’re never facing just one blocker—or, often, any single blocker you can predict. The decision to pay for flying, if timed well, can bypass creatures that would otherwise stall a single-player race. The card’s flavor text hints at a broader truth: there are easier ways to ride the sky than to risk your skull—an implicit wink to the delicate balance of risk and reward when you press for a punch at a crowded table ⚔️. In practice, you might deploy Order of the Golden Cricket behind a broader line of attackers, using your opponents’ reluctance to overcommit as cover to push through decisive chips of damage before a potential mass removal spell or sweep.

“Should you take it in mind to ride a springjack, remember: there are easier ways to fly, and harder ways to break your skull.” —Lann of Cloverdell

Multiplayer-friendly deck ideas and angles

Even with its simple stats, this card can anchor a white tempo or aggro shell in Commander. Consider how you pair it with incremental value and protection to maximize its impact. Some practical angles include:

  • Evasion on demand: Pair Order with effects that grant temporary evasion or grant a tap-down a further boost—think pump spells or protection that keeps your board intact long enough to push a lethal attack through multiple players. The optional pay-for-flying mechanic scales nicely when you have a stabilizing commander and a broad board presence.
  • Tempo beats with early pressure: In a white-heavy deck, you lean on cheap, efficient threats that threaten multiple opponents. The Cricket can thread through at least one opponent each combat, while your bigger beacons draw attention and removal, setting up your late-game plan.
  • Token support and anthem synergy: While the Cricket itself doesn’t care about token swarms, it thrives in a board that includes a few small, aggressive creatures as a lead-in to a broader Commander strategy. A couple of low-cost anthem effects can make its 2/2 body feel sturdier and more likely to swing in for value when you choose to grant flight.

Reality check: power level, legality, and value

From a collector’s lens, Order of the Golden Cricket sits as a common rarity in Morningtide. Its foil variant offers a modest premium, echoing the set’s era and the card’s place in casual, not competitive, collection value. The card’s steady, accessible price point—around a few dimes to a couple of quarters in USD at times—means it’s affordable to slot into a breezy, nostalgia-forward white commander list that emphasizes tempo and creativity rather than grinding long-form combos. The official text is crisp and friendly for new players, making it a nice bridge between flavor and function. Mark Zug’s art captures the whimsy of a tiny knight with a springy dare in its eyes, which translates nicely to the feel of multiplayer sessions where humor and valor mingle on the battlefield 🧙‍♂️💎.

Practical play against a crowded table

In multiplayer, the Cricket’s true utility emerges when you read the room. If you’re the target of a concerted effort to stall, attack early with a couple of non-flyers and bait removal while keeping Order in reserve to surprise with a flying alpha strike that punctures a vulnerable player’s life total. The decision to pay for flying is a micro-decision with macro consequences: you reveal whether you’re willing to invest a mana to swing a single combat in your favor, potentially triggering a ripple effect across the table as others recalibrate their plans. It’s not about a single knockout—it’s about shaping the combat math across multiple opponents, turning a small creature into a catalyst for momentum 🔥.

Flavor, art, and the set’s legacy

Morningtide introduced lively wavefronts of white creatures that felt nimble and common-sense powerful in the hands of patient pilots. The Cricket’s flavor text lands with a smile: riding a springjack is not always the best route to flight, but sometimes it’s the quickest. Mark Zug’s illustration captures the whimsy and the danger of a knight who might leap into the air at a moment’s notice, a reminder that even the smallest creature can flip the board in the right moment. The card’s status as a non-foil but well-loved staple for some casual circles keeps it accessible for modern‑era players who like a dash of retro flavor in their Commander tables 🎨⚔️.

For folks tracing the lineage of white’s speed-and-stakes archetypes, this card is a neat footnote in the broader tapestry of multiplayer strategy. It’s not the loudest hammer in the toolbox, but when used with timing and a hint of mischief, it helps you keep the pace honest and the lobby engaged. If your local group leans toward convivial chaos—where every swing prompts a chorus of “nice attack”—the Order ships in with a wink and a ready-to-fly moment 🧙‍♂️🎲.

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Order of the Golden Cricket

Order of the Golden Cricket

{1}{W}
Creature — Kithkin Knight

Whenever this creature attacks, you may pay {W}. If you do, it gains flying until end of turn.

"Should you take it in mind to ride a springjack, remember: there are easier ways to fly, and harder ways to break your skull." —Lann of Cloverdell

ID: 5d1c2f16-5661-4c17-8265-f4b88ff1e833

Oracle ID: 02abe85a-c603-4963-aba4-524cc80847ea

Multiverse IDs: 153463

TCGPlayer ID: 18033

Cardmarket ID: 18848

Colors: W

Color Identity: W

Keywords:

Rarity: Common

Released: 2008-02-01

Artist: Mark Zug

Frame: 2003

Border: black

EDHRec Rank: 25216

Penny Rank: 14953

Set: Morningtide (mor)

Collector #: 19

Legalities

  • Standard — not_legal
  • Future — not_legal
  • Historic — not_legal
  • Timeless — not_legal
  • Gladiator — not_legal
  • Pioneer — not_legal
  • Modern — legal
  • Legacy — legal
  • Pauper — legal
  • Vintage — legal
  • Penny — legal
  • Commander — legal
  • Oathbreaker — legal
  • Standardbrawl — not_legal
  • Brawl — not_legal
  • Alchemy — not_legal
  • Paupercommander — legal
  • Duel — legal
  • Oldschool — not_legal
  • Premodern — not_legal
  • Predh — legal

Prices

  • USD: 0.11
  • USD_FOIL: 0.42
  • EUR: 0.04
  • EUR_FOIL: 0.23
  • TIX: 0.03
Last updated: 2025-11-17