Creating an impactful Commander deck in Magic: The Gathering requires adherence to proven strategies that dominate competitive play. The Commander format, popularly known as Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH), made its debut on June 17, 2011, evolving from gameplay mechanics introduced by Adam Staley in the 1990s and further refined by Sheldon Menery in the 2000s.
This format mandates players to construct 100-card decks, where each card, excluding basic lands, can only appear once. Each player selects a legendary creature or Planeswalker to serve as their Commander, entering the battlefield from the Command Zone.
In 2011, five initial Preconstructed Commander decks were released, each themed around a specific Commander and mechanical synergy. While these decks serve as introduction points for beginners, they often lack optimal construction and may require considerable adjustment. Alternatively, players can bypass the Precon decks and dive into the most prevalent and effective strategies that the format offers, with data primarily sourced from EDHREC.com. Many of these options are also budget-friendly!
20 Nekusar, The Mindrazer ($1.02 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Reinventing The Wheel
Nekusar, The Mindrazer is a cornerstone of the “Wheel”strategy, inspired by the classic Wheel of Fortune card. Wheel decks are crafted to force opponents to discard their hand and redraw, thwarting their game plan. While Nekusar may not seem formidable individually, his ability inflicts damage on each opponent whenever they draw cards, further exacerbated by the fact he compels them to draw an extra card during their draw phase, resulting in additional damage per turn.
This mechanics continuously pressures opponents to discard critical cards during cleanup phases, severely disrupting their strategies. Note that Nekusar can evoke mixed reactions at the table—his power can lead to frustration among opponents, so be prepared for some pushback.
Popular choices to enhance a Nekusar deck include:
- Underworld Dreams
- Fate Unraveler
- Jace’s Archivist
- Teferi’s Puzzle Box
- Magus of the Wheel
19 Esika, God of the Tree // The Prismatic Bridge ($16.77 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Two Commanders In One, With A Powerful Effect On Each
Esika, God of the Tree boasts a front-side casting cost of 1GG and transforms into The Prismatic Bridge on the flip side, showcasing a rare 5-color Commander identity. As a vigilant 1/4, it offers a mana-dork benefit to other Legendary creatures in play.
When flipped, Esika becomes The Prismatic Bridge, allowing its controller to reveal cards from the library’s top until a creature or planeswalker is found, putting it onto the battlefield without paying its mana cost.
The most popular deck strategy revolves around 5-color planeswalkers filled with mana acceleration and manipulation. Utilizing planeswalkers amplifies political dynamics at the table while providing solutions to a plethora of threats, allowing Esika players to potentially dominate the game if left unchallenged.
Notable cards frequently included in an Esika, God of the Tree // The Prismatic Bridge deck are:
- Oath of Teferi
- Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God
- Commodore Guff
- Carth the Lion
- Ripples of Potential
18 Shorikai, Genesis Engine ($4.64 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Crew Gigantic Vehicles While Refilling Your Hand
Shorikai, Genesis Engine stands out as the leading Commander for vehicle strategies, where decks are designed to utilize robust artifacts, providing cheap creatures to “crew”these vehicles while integrating effective removal and disruption. Although Shorikai is an 8/8 creature for just 2WU, it requires an 8-power crew, which occasionally limits its offensive capability.
Nonetheless, its ability permits players to spend just 1 mana to draw 2 cards while creating a 1/1 Pilot token, which contributes as if it had 3 power, expediting Shorikai’s attack potential.
Shorikai is predominantly deployed in U/W control/combo decks, offering diverse strategies to enhance the mana curve while including vehicles. This deck typically incorporates counter magic alongside reanimation effects that specifically target artifacts, leading to dynamic gameplay and unexpected victories.
Common card selections for a Shorikai, Genesis Engine deck are:
- Kotori, Pilot Prodigy
- Emry, Lurker of the Loch
- Katsumasa, the Animator
- Sai, Master Thopterist
- Padeem, Consul of Innovation
17 Sauron, The Dark Lord ($14.55 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Building An Army Worthy Of Mordor
From the Universes Beyond: The Lord of the Rings expansion, Sauron, The Dark Lord is a top-tier Commander choice. It features an affordable casting cost and boasts a formidable 7/6 statline. His critical ability, Ward, protects him from being targeted by opponents unless they sacrifice a legendary artifact or creature, substantially increasing his odds of remaining on the battlefield.
Most notably, whenever an opponent casts a spell, Sauron can rally his forces by creating an army of Orcs—over time, these forces can become overwhelming. Additionally, Sauron can manipulate his hand by discarding and drawing whenever the Ring tempts him, especially after inflicting damage.
Key cards to include in a Sauron, The Dark Lord deck are:
- Saruman, the White Hand
- Barad-dur
- Nazgul
- Ringsight
- Call of the Ring
16 Kaalia of the Vast ($13.81 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Demons, Dragons, Angels & More Unite Under One Commander
Kaalia of the Vast excels due to her ability to bridge a diverse array of powerful creature types. As a 1RWB Human Cleric with a 2/2 statline and the Flying keyword, she can bring formidable threats swiftly into play.
Kaalia’s key ability allows her controller to place an Angel, Demon, or Dragon from hand directly onto the battlefield when she attacks, effectively bypassing traditional mana costs for some of the most game-altering creatures in the game.
This capability enables Kaalia to cheat in high-cost threats as early as Turn 4, especially with supportive cards like Sol Ring and Haste providers like Lightning Greaves.
When building a Kaalia deck, consider incorporating:
- Lightning Greaves
- Swiftfoot Boots
- Angel of Despair
- Rakdos, Patron of Chaos
- Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
15 Gishath, Sun’s Avatar ($4.90 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Swarm The Field With Dinosaur Creatures
Gishath, Sun’s Avatar is a Commander representing Naya colors and the Dinosaur Avatar subtype. It possesses a strong 7/6 statline with Trample, Haste, and Vigilance, although it needs a modest mana investment of 5RGW.
The key to Gishath’s strategy lies in its ability, which allows its controller to reveal cards from the top of their library whenever Gishath deals combat damage, thus bringing Dinosaur creatures into play. This can lead to impactful plays that overwhelm opponents with high-powered creatures.
Best strategies for a Gishath deck include removal spells that assist in delivering damage, combined with a suite of aggressive Dinosaurs that do not require blockers to land hits.
Common cards for a Gishath, Sun’s Avatar deck might consist of:
- Regisaur Alpha
- Ghalta, Primal Hunger
- Temple Altisaur
- Zetalpa, Primal Dawn
- Etali, Primal Storm
14 Jodah, the Unifier ($2.40 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Cascade Into An Endless Flow of Legendary Permanents
Jodah, the Unifier is a versatile 5/5 creature for 5 mana, which quickly becomes less significant due to its unique rules. Jodah’s effect grants all Legendary creatures controlled by the player a bonus based on their quantity, while its ability to “cascade”enhances gameplay by allowing free casting of additional Legendary spells as they become available.
Legendary permanents carry unique power in Magic: The Gathering—they thrive in having singular presence on the battlefield. Jodah’s ability enables rapid deployment of powerful Legendary cards, quickly swarming opponents with effective creatures, spells, and permanents alike.
Consider incorporating the following cards in a Jodah, the Unifier deck:
- Urza’s Ruinous Blast
- Shanid, Sleepers’ Scourge
- Primevals’ Glorious Rebirth
- Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
- Reki, the History of Kamigawa
13 Krenko, Mob Boss ($1.22 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Swarm the Battlefield With One of MTG’s Most Endearing Typals
Krenko, Mob Boss is celebrated as the go-to Commander for fans of Goblin creatures, a quintessential typal strategy in Magic: The Gathering. As a 2RR Goblin creature with a 3/3 statline, Krenko utilizes a powerful ability, allowing players to produce X 1/1 red Goblin tokens, where X equals the number of Goblins they control.
This straightforward tactic provides immense battlefield pressure while maintaining potential threats that can quickly overwhelm opposing players, often leading to the necessity of sweepers. Protecting Krenko is crucial for the deck’s success, alongside building the deck with inexpensive Goblin cards that make the most of creating and utilizing Goblin tokens.
Some effective cards in a Krenko, Mob Boss deck might be:
- Goblin Warchief
- Goblin Chieftain
- Skirk Prospector
- Goblin Matron
- Goblin Trashmaster
12 Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver ($14.66 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Swarm the Battlefield With An Undead Menace
Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver serves as a powerful Zombie-themed Commander, boasting a 2UB cost with a 3/3 statline. This Commander shines with abilities that generate a steady flow of Zombie tokens whenever one of Wilhelt’s underlings perishes.
Wilhelt’s additional ability permits card draw through sacrificing Zombies, making him self-sustaining while deploying more Zombies onto the battlefield. The key strategy for Zombies is in their numbers; thus, alongside efficient card draw, players must focus on maintaining cheap Zombie threats to amass significant board presence.
Popular cards to include in a Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver deck are:
- Diregraf Captain
- Rooftop Storm
- Death Baron
- Gravecrawler
- Lord of the Accursed
11 Edgar Markov ($40.79 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
A Powerful Vampire Lord Who Doesn’t Even Need To Be In Play
Edgar Markov is synonymous with Vampire decks, leveraging an Eminence ability that generates board pressure whether he is on the battlefield or merely in the Command Zone. This 3RWB Vampire Knight features Eminence, which creates a 1/1 black Vampire token upon casting any other Vampire spell.
Complementing his toolkit, Edgar Markov possesses First Strike and Haste, and his attacking ability grants +1/+1 counters to all Vampires. His design provides players with flexibility, allowing for an easy path to build board presence without always needing to protect him directly.
Key cards for an Edgar Markov deck are:
- Stormkirk Captain
- Captivating Vampire
- Legion Lieutenant
- Blood Artist
- Welcoming Vampire
10 Kenrith, the Returned King ($1.54 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
A Flexible Commander That Complements Nearly Any Strategy
Once a menace in Standard for its ramp potential, Kenrith the Returned King is a versatile 5/5 Human Noble across multiple 5-color strategies. Kenrith employs a range of powerful abilities, including granting Trample and Haste to all creatures for R or allowing players to gain life, draw cards, increase creature stats, or even reanimate creatures.
The diverse options available make Kenrith a popular choice for Pod-style decks that sacrifice lesser creatures to summon stronger threats with minimal costs. His broad mana identity provides further opportunities to enhance multiple strategies without being locked into any one archetype.
Consider adding these cards to a Kenrith, the Returned King deck:
- Neoform
- Eldritch Evolution
- Noble Hierarch
- Deathrite Shaman
- Orcish Bowmasters
9 Isshin, Two Heavens As One ($4.34 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Channel the Strength of the Samurai Typal or Stack Powerful Equipment Triggers
Isshin, Two Heavens as One thrives in both samurai and equipment themes, functioning as a RWB Human Samurai with a 3/4 statline. Its unique ability triggers any attacking creature that causes a permanent ability to activate an additional time, allowing for special strategies that maximize both effectiveness and versatility.
Stacking triggers is vital in Commander, and Isshin rewards aggressive play with panic-inducing situations. He adeptly combines Samurai synergies with landmark equipment to create powerful effects, wherein either helps create advantageous combat scenarios with multiplied counters and triggers.
In building an Isshin deck, consider including:
- Asari Captain
- Selfless Samurai
- Heiko Yamazaki, the General
- Raiyuu, Storm’s Edge
- Peerless Samurai
8 Yuriko, The Tiger’s Shadow ($2.61 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Use Sneaky Unblockable Combat Steps To Manipulate The Battlefield With Ninjutsu
Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow embodies the fascinating Ninjutsu mechanic. As a 1/3 Human Ninja creature with a low-cost of 1UB, Yuriko’s real utility emerges from her Commander ability that enables deployment in place of an unblocked attacker. When a Ninja connects with a player, Yuriko triggers a draw and inflicts life loss equivalent to that card’s mana value.
This loss of life adds up quickly, making it critical to load a deck with small-costing creatures while including high-cost threats for impactful plays. Combining Yuriko’s abilities with effects like Brainstorm can set the stage for a game-ending moment.
Common cards chosen for a Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow deck may include:
- Ingenious Infiltrator
- Thousand-Faced Shadow
- Mistblade Shinobi
- Ninja of the Deep Hours
- Silver-Fur Master
7 Lathril, Blade of the Elves ($2.15 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Another Popular Typal Deck Enabled By Its Powerful Commander
Lathril, Blade of the Elves serves as a potent Commander revitalizing Elf strategies. She possesses a 2/3 Elf Noble statline for 2BG, equipped with Menace. Every time Lathril inflicts combat damage, its controller produces an equivalent number of 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature tokens, amplifying her power.
Moreover, tapping Lathril with ten untapped Elf tokens grants life gain and forces opponents to lose life, reinforcing the need for fast-paced aggressive gameplay and synergies to overcome board wipes.
When constructing a Lathril deck, consider these cards:
- Elvish Archdruid
- Marwyn, the Nurturer
- Beast Whisperer
- Elvish Promenade
- Shaman of the Pack
6 Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm ($11.45 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Make Opponents See Double Of Your Most Powerful Dragon Spells
Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm ranks among the top choices for Commander dragon strategies. With a casting cost of 3GUR and a 6/6 statline, it allows for incredible synergy by creating non-legendary copies of any non-token Dragon that enters the battlefield, amplifying their impactful triggered abilities.
Though the 6-mana cost might seem high, the need for acceleration remains prevalent in dragon decks. Consequently, Miirym fits nicely into Teemu strategies focused on ramping mana to unleash formidable threats.
Cards that support a Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm deck include:
- Ganax, Astral Hunter
- Thrakkus the Butcher
- Dragonspeaker Shaman
- Atarka, World Render
- Korlessa, Scale Singer
5 Pantlaza, Sun-Favored ($1.86 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Dino Destruction
Pantlaza, Sun-Favored, a 4/4 Dinosaur Commander, calls for a blend of red, green, and white mana to create explosive dino decks that can trample any opposition. This Commander’s unique ability offers card discovery opportunities, allowing its owner to cycle through the top of their deck when a Dinosaur enters play, often enabling further plays.
Players can either cast discovered cards immediately or keep them in hand, enhancing the tempo and adaptability of their Dinosaur attacks.
Key cards for a Pantlaza, Sun-Favored deck include:
- Gishath, Sun’s Avatar
- Zacama, Primal Calamity
- Topiary Stomper
- Regisaur Alpha
- Curious Altisaur
4 The Ur-Dragon ($63.06 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
The Lord of Dragons Reduces All Of Their Costs
The Ur-Dragon excels as a 5-color Commander featuring the powerful Eminence ability that reduces all Dragon spells’ costs by 1. With a strong 10/10 Flying statline, The Ur-Dragon further enhances attack dynamics by replenishing the controller’s hand upon attacking, enabling free plays from the hand.
As a 5-color option, The Ur-Dragon can access every Dragon in Magic: The Gathering, providing myriad deck customization. Cost reduction paired with triggered bonuses empowers the deck architecture, helping cheat massive Dragons into play and promising lofty plays.
Notable inclusions for a The Ur-Dragon deck are:
- Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm
- Dragon Tempest
- Crux of Fate
- Tiamat
- Lathliss, Dragon Queen
3 Giada, Font Of Hope ($3.08 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
On Angels’ Wings
Angels in Magic: The Gathering embody both healing and formidable power, and Giada, Font of Hope serves as an excellent conductor for Angel-themed decks. While modest in statline, she can amplify the considerably enhanced potential of each angel drawn, increasing their strength with each successive summon.
Giada’s flying and vigilance provide both offensive and defensive capabilities, striking balance while allowing for further mana generation specifically for angel spells. This card creates a scalable army of Angels with time and synergy.
Common cards for a Giada, Font of Hope deck might include:
- Lyra Dawnbringer
- Righteous Valkyrie
- Starnheim Aspirant
- Herald of War
- Sephara, Sky’s Blade
2 Chatterfang, Squirrel General ($3.47 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
Scores Of Squirrels
While dominating the battlefield with mighty dinosaurs or celestial angels is thrilling, Chatterfang, Squirrel General introduces a quirky yet effective method of overwhelming adversaries with legions of adorable squirrels. This 3/3 Squirrel Warrior comes at a modest cost of three mana (two green, and one of any color).
With Forestwalk as a strategic ability, Chatterfang becomes formidable against decks using forests, ensuring those cards generate additional value. Each time tokens are created, players generate more Squirrel tokens, enhancing offense and defense capabilities.
In a Chatterfang, Squirrel General deck, consider adding:
- Chitterspitter
- Toski, Bearer of Secrets
- Deep Forest Hermit
- Squirrel Nest
- Hazel of the Rootbloom
1 Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice ($19.13 Market Price on TCGPlayer)
The Best of The Best, Atraxa Enables Multiple Game-Winning Strategies
Atraxa stands as one of the most dominant Commanders in Magic: The Gathering, particularly effective outside of hyper-competitive environments. As a GWUB Angel Horror creature featuring Flying, Vigilance, Deathtouch, and Lifelink, Atraxa’s stature is impressive.
At the start of each end step, Atraxa can proliferate, a powerful mechanic that amplifies counters on the battlefield, whether on planeswalker loyalty or toxic counters, swiftly changing the game’s outcome.
Key cards to add to an Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice deck could include:
- Ichor Rats
- Blighted Agent
- Venerated Rotpriest
- Bloated Contaminator
- Prologue to Phyresis
Notably, the poison mechanic can provoke divisive opinions among playgroups, so it’s essential to confirm player comfort with that gameplay style. In a format where life totals are typically high, such as Commander, the efficiency of poison counters can drastically flip games.
For a considerable duration, Atraxa has maintained a commanding presence in Magic: The Gathering and is likely to continue its reign.
Source: EDHREC.com, TCGPlayer.com