Chainer, Nightmare Adept

Chainer, Nightmare Adept was originally printed in the Commander 2019 expansion, designed by Wizards of the Coast to anchor the Merciless Rage deck. The character of Chainer, a tragic figure from Magic: The Gathering's Odyssey block, is a dementia caster from the city of Otaria who masterfully manipulates nightmare entities. This specific version, featured in The List—a curated collection of reprints included in Set Boosters—retains the card's original mechanical identity, which emphasizes graveyard synergy and aggressive creature deployment.

The card's artwork, created by Chase Stone, depicts Chainer in his iconic, tortured aesthetic, emphasizing his role as an architect of madness. The design intent was to capture the high-risk, high-reward nature of black-red strategy, allowing players to discard cards to create card advantage while resurrecting creatures from the graveyard. It has been well-received by the Commander community for its strategic depth and ability to enable complex interactions, cementing its place as a staple for players who favor graveyard-based tactics.