I’ve been playing Magic for over a decade, and half of that has been mostly playing Commander (or EDH). It’s an awesome format with a huge variety of decks to be played. It doesn’t rotate like Standard or Modern, so it’s much easier for returning players with old cards to start playing. It’s somewhat unique in that you can only have one copy of each card in your deck, aside from basic land, and the standard deck size is 100 cards. You can also buy prebuilt Commander decks from your local games store and jump right in with your friends!
12. Giada, Font of Hope Angels
Gianda is cheap and a crazy catalyst for the rest of your angels
I’ve been a fan of angel decks for years, for one simple reason. Angels are all about synergy. There’s plenty more angels than you’ll need, so you can pick and choose to fit your personal playstyle. Gianda, Font of Hope is one of the best angels you can use as your commander. She’s cheap, makes your other angels beefy, and brings way more value to the board than she should for two mana. Angel decks also have some of the best single creatures out there, like Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Linvala, Keeper of Silence and Archangel of Thune.
What this deck excels in:
- Strong synergy between angels
- Powerful creatures like Avacyn, Angel of Hope
- Variety of options to control the board
- Lots of options to buff your creatures
Decklist:
- Giada, Font of Hope
- Serra the Benevolent
- Angel of Finality
- Inspiring Overseer
- Segovian Angel
- Speaker of the Heavens
- Herald of War
- Emeria Shepherd
- Sanctuary Warden
- Angel of Vitality
- Baneslayer Angel
- Starnheim Aspirant
- Serra's Emissary
- Sephara, Sky's Blade
- Valkyrie Harbinger
- Bruna, the Fading Light
- Angel of Destiny
- Mother of Runes
- Righteous Valkyrie
- Bishop of Wings
- Youthful Valkyrie
- Angel of Jubilation
- Weathered Wayfarer
- Linvala, Keeper of Silence
- Angelic Field Marshal
- Archangel of Tithes
- Lyra Dawnbringer
- Avacyn, Angel of Hope
- Gisela, the Broken Blade
- Esper Sentinel
- Archangel of Thune
- Serra Ascendant
- Resplendent Angel
- Swords to Plowshares
- Generous Gift
- Rebuff the Wicked
- Path to Exile
- Heliod's Intervention
- Akroma's Will
- Flawless Maneuver
- Teferi's Protection
- Austere Command
- Winds of Abandon
- Vanquish the Horde
- Emeria's Call
- Sigarda's Splendor
- Angelic Accord
- Dawn of Hope
- Court of Grace
- Luminarch Ascension
- Smuggler's Share
- Land Tax
- Smothering Tithe
- Mind Stone
- Arcane Signet
- Sol Ring
- Well of Lost Dreams
- Oketra's Monument
- Nyx Lotus
- The Book of Exalted Deeds
- Herald's Horn
- Lightning Greaves
- Sword of the Animist
- Sword of Hearth and Home
- Archaeomancer's Map
- Vanquisher's Banner
- The Ozolith
- Pearl Medallion
- Mana Crypt
- Myriad Landscape
- Seraph Sanctuary
- 21 Plains
- Bonders' Enclave
- War Room
- Emeria, the Sky Ruin
- Marsh Flats
- Prismatic Vista
- Wasteland
- Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
- Cavern of Souls
11. Sythis, Harvest’s Hand
Lifegain and card-draw from every enchantment
This is your quintessential enchantress deck. It does exactly what an enchantress deck should do, causing you to play a crazy number of cards each turn, draw even more, and ending the turn only because you’ve taken too long. This deck operates by having enchantments that allow you to continuously accumulate extra mana sources, enchantment effects, and creatures. You’ve got some solid defense with cards like Sterling Grove and Sphere of Safety to keep you safe while you do some damage with Starfield of Nyx or Sigil of the Empty Throne. If you like playing a bit of solitaire with your MTG, this deck is for you.
What this deck excels in:
- Massive toolbox of enchantment utility
- Lots of card draw effects
- Great defense from cards like Sphere of Safety
- Incredible mana ramp from Burgeoning and Mana Reflection
Decklist:
- Sythis, Harvest's Hand
- Academy Rector
- Arbor Elf
- Archon of Sun's Grace
- Argothian Enchantress
- Avacyn's Pilgrim
- Celestial Ancient
- Destiny Spinner
- Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
- Eidolon of Blossoms
- Elvish Mystic
- Eternal Witness
- Fyndhorn Elves
- Jukai Naturalist
- Karametra, God of Harvests
- Llanowar Elves
- Mesa Enchantress
- Moon-Blessed Cleric
- Nylea's Colossus
- Reclamation Sage
- Sanctum Weaver
- Satyr Enchanter
- Setessan Champion
- Verduran Enchantress
- Eladamri's Call
- Enlightened Tutor
- Force of Vigor
- Nature's Claim
- Swords to Plowshares
- Green Sun's Zenith
- Idyllic Tutor
- Replenish
- Uncage the Menagerie
- Winds of Abandon
- Abundant Growth
- Aura Shards
- Aura of Silence
- Blind Obedience
- Burgeoning
- Carpet of Flowers
- Enchantress's Presence
- Exploration
- Felidar Retreat
- Fertile Ground
- Flickering Ward
- Grasp of Fate
- Greater Auramancy
- Heartbeat of Spring
- Karmic Justice
- Luminarch Ascension
- Mana Reflection
- Mirari's Wake
- Mirri's Guile
- On Thin Ice
- Opalescence
- Sigil of the Empty Throne
- Smothering Tithe
- Solitary Confinement
- Song of the Dryads
- Sphere of Safety
- Sterling Grove
- Survival of the Fittest
- Sylvan Library
- Utopia Sprawl
- Whip Silk
- Wild Growth
- Aetherflux Reservoir
- Bountiful Promenade
- Branchloft Pathway
- Brushland
- Canopy Vista
- Command Tower
- Dryad Arbor
- Flooded Strand
- Hall of Heliod's Generosity
- Marsh Flats
- Misty Rainforest
- Razorverge Thicket
- 8 Snow-Covered Forest
- 7 Snow-Covered Plains
- Sungrass Prairie
- Sunpetal Grove
- Temple Garden
- Temple of Plenty
- Wasteland
- Windswept Heath
- Wooded Bastion
10. Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
A sleeping giant of a deck
If you’re a fan of lifegain and attrition, nobody is better than Oloro, Ageless Ascetic. It’s the lifegain commander and gives you constant lifegain for triggers. You don’t even need to play it to gain life! You can use all this extra life with powerful triggers like Crested Sunmare and Sanguine Bond to put some serious pressure on your opponent. Or, you can use the classic infinite loop of Sanguine Bond and Exquisite Blood to tick your enemy to death with one hit.
What this deck excels in:
- Guaranteed lifegain at the start of every turn
- Lots of search options with Demonic Tutor, Mystical Tutor and Vampiric Tutor
- Powerful ways to use lifegain triggers, such as Sanguine Bond
- Strong control from Counterspell and Force of Will
Decklist:
- Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
- Narset, Parter of Veils
- Archivist of Oghma
- Aven Mindcensor
- Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
- Blood Artist
- Crested Sunmare
- Dark Confidant
- Dauthi Voidwalker
- Drannith Magistrate
- Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
- Esper Sentinel
- Grand Abolisher
- Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
- Kambal, Consul of Allocation
- Kunoros, Hound of Athreos
- Ledger Shredder
- Linvala, Keeper of Silence
- Opposition Agent
- Serra Ascendant
- Venser, Shaper Savant
- Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
- Ad Nauseam
- Beacon of Immortality
- Counterspell
- Cyclonic Rift
- Dovin's Veto
- Enlightened Tutor
- Force of Negation
- Force of Will
- Mana Drain
- Mystical Tutor
- Reality Shift
- Swords to Plowshares
- Teferi's Protection
- Trickbind
- Vampiric Tutor
- Damn
- Demonic Tutor
- Exsanguinate
- Farewell
- Grim Tutor
- Toxic Deluge
- Vindicate
- Windfall
- Authority of the Consuls
- Black Market Connections
- Blind Obedience
- Bloodchief Ascension
- Celestial Mantle
- Darksteel Mutation
- Exquisite Blood
- Necropotence
- Rhystic Study
- Sanguine Bond
- Smothering Tithe
- The Meathook Massacre
- Wound Reflection
- Aetherflux Reservoir
- Alhammarret's Archive
- Arcane Signet
- Bolas's Citadel
- Chrome Mox
- Mana Crypt
- Sol Ring
- Uba Mask
- Well of Lost Dreams
- Ancient Tomb
- Arid Mesa
- Bloodstained Mire
- Bojuka Bog
- Cabal Coffers
- City of Brass
- Command Tower
- Exotic Orchard
- Fabled Passage
- Flooded Strand
- Gemstone Caverns
- Godless Shrine
- Hall of Heliod's Generosity
- Hallowed Fountain
- 2 Island
- Marsh Flats
- Misty Rainforest
- 3 Plains
- Polluted Delta
- Prismatic Vista
- Reliquary Tower
- Scalding Tarn
- Strip Mine
- 2 Swamp
- Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
- Urza's Saga
- Verdant Catacombs
- Watery Grave
- Windswept Heath
9. Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Quake in fear, mortals
An entirely colorless deck, lovingly known as mono-brown, this deck brings some serious threat to the table. With cards like Platinum Angel, It That Betrays and the big three Eldrazi: Kozilek, Emrakul, and Ulamog, this deck is a force to be reckoned with. Playing a mono-brown Eldrazi deck like this is fairly straightforward: you use all of that extra colorless mana your artifacts can give you to drop bombs like Blightsteel Colossus, Artisan of Kozilek, or any of your big Eldrazi. Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger is a personal favorite, as each time he attacks, the defending players exiles the top twenty cards of their deck. That means Ulamog is a guaranteed 5-turn kill.
What this deck excels at:
- Massive, overpowered Eldrazi (Seriously, one of the Emrakuls is banned)
- Lots of mana cheats with cards like Sol Ring, Thran Dynamo, and Worn Powerstone
- Board Control from All Is Dust and Scour from Existence
- Powerful toolbox of planeswalkers
Decklist:
- Kozilek, the Great Distortion
- Karn Liberated
- Karn, Scion of Urza
- Karn, the Great Creator
- Ugin, the Ineffable
- Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
- Artisan of Kozilek
- Bane of Bala Ged
- Blightsteel Colossus
- Burnished Hart
- Conduit of Ruin
- Duplicant
- Emrakul, the Promised End
- Endbringer
- Foundry Inspector
- Geode Golem
- It That Betrays
- Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
- Meteor Golem
- Oblivion Sower
- Palladium Myr
- Platinum Angel
- Solemn Simulacrum
- Soul of New Phyrexia
- Steel Hellkite
- Thought-Knot Seer
- Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
- Void Winnower
- Wandering Archaic
- Wurmcoil Engine
- Scour from Existence
- Titan's Presence
- All Is Dust
- Introduction to Annihilation
- Eldrazi Conscription
- Basalt Monolith
- Commander's Plate
- Darksteel Forge
- Dreamstone Hedron
- Everflowing Chalice
- Expedition Map
- Forsaken Monument
- Gilded Lotus
- Grafdigger's Cage
- Hedron Archive
- Lightning Greaves
- Mana Crypt
- Mana Vault
- Manifold Key
- Mind Stone
- Mirage Mirror
- Moonsilver Key
- Mycosynth Lattice
- Mystic Forge
- Nevinyrral's Disk
- Planar Bridge
- Quicksilver Amulet
- Rings of Brighthearth
- Sensei's Divining Top
- Shadowspear
- Sol Ring
- Sol Talisman
- Staff of Domination
- Thought Vessel
- Thran Dynamo
- Unstable Obelisk
- Worn Powerstone
- Blast Zone
- Darksteel Citadel
- Eldrazi Temple
- Eye of Ugin
- Ghost Quarter
- Homeward Path
- Myriad Landscape
- Reliquary Tower
- Sanctum of Ugin
- Scavenger Grounds
- Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
- Temple of the False God
- Urza's Mine
- Urza's Power Plant
- Urza's Saga
- Urza's Tower
- Wasteland
- 15 Wastes
8. Scarab God Zombies
Scarabs for the Scarab god, Carapaces for the Carapace Throne
This deck, much like video games in the early 2010s, is all about zombies. The Scarab God is a hulking powerhouse of a commander that can take over games when it comes out. It’s a significantly larger threat if you’ve got some zombies out, and what luck, this deck has them in droves. Between lifedrain, scrying and scavenging the graveyards, this commander really makes this deck move fast. Despite its power level, this deck is simple to play. You make zombies and you use Lord effects to make them beefy. Then, you can go ahead and hit them hard with Gray Merchant of Asphodel, The Scarab God, or Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver. This deck also gets great control from its blue side with cards like Counterspell and Cyclonic Rift. Black brings some great tutor options with Demonic and Vampiric Tutor, and strong removal with cards like Feed the Swarm
What this deck excels in:
- Overwhelm the board with Zombie tokens
- Powerful direct damage from The Scarab God
- Good control from Counterspell and Mana Drain
- Fast ramp from Dark Ritual
Decklist:
- The Scarab God
- Narset, Parter of Veils
- Cemetery Reaper
- Champion of the Perished
- Consecrated Sphinx
- Cryptbreaker
- Dauthi Voidwalker
- Death Baron
- Diregraf Captain
- Diregraf Colossus
- Fleshbag Marauder
- Ghoulcaller Gisa
- Gisa and Geralf
- Grave Titan
- Graveborn Muse
- Gravecrawler
- Gray Merchant of Asphodel
- Lich Lord of Unx
- Lord of the Accursed
- Lord of the Undead
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
- Murderous Rider
- Opposition Agent
- Plague Belcher
- Relentless Dead
- Sidisi, Undead Vizier
- Tainted Adversary
- Undead Augur
- Undead Warchief
- Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
- Arcane Denial
- Chain of Vapor
- Counterspell
- Cyclonic Rift
- Dark Ritual
- Fact or Fiction
- Frantic Search
- Infernal Grasp
- Mana Drain
- Pongify
- Swan Song
- Tragic Slip
- Vampiric Tutor
- Demonic Tutor
- Diabolic Intent
- Feed the Swarm
- Living Death
- Reanimate
- Toxic Deluge
- Windfall
- Animate Dead
- Endless Ranks of the Dead
- Mystic Remora
- Phyrexian Arena
- Rhystic Study
- Rooftop Storm
- Training Grounds
- Arcane Signet
- Bolas's Citadel
- Dimir Signet
- Fellwar Stone
- Mana Vault
- Mesmeric Orb
- Mindcrank
- Phyrexian Altar
- Sol Ring
- Talisman of Dominance
- Choked Estuary
- Clearwater Pathway
- Command Tower
- Drowned Catacomb
- Exotic Orchard
- 9 Island
- Morphic Pool
- Polluted Delta
- Sunken Hollow
- Sunken Ruins
- 12 Swamp
- Temple of Deceit
- Underground River
- Watery Grave
7. Sliver Overlord
And you thought the Sliver Hivelord was dangerous
It’s a Sliver deck! Slivers are all about buffing each other, usually with keywords or counters. One sliver gives trample, another gives haste, one gives flying, and they all add up to create huge threats. This deck looks to combo cards like Sliver Queen, Training Grounds and Cloudshredder Sliver to create tons of cheap 1/1 sliver tokens, then buff them and destroy everything. It’s a creature deck at heart though, and can easily overrun opponents with a board full of 5/5 flying, haste, etc slivers. These decks are always fun to play, and this one is no exception.
What this deck excels in:
- Powerful synergy between Slivers
- Overflowing toolbox of keywords and activated effects
- Great card advantage from Sliver Overlord
Decklist:
- Sliver Overlord
- Homing Sliver
- Necrotic Sliver
- Lavabelly Sliver
- Basal Sliver
- Gemhide Sliver
- Sentinel Sliver
- Amoeboid Changeling
- Sedge Sliver
- Harmonic Sliver
- Crypt Sliver
- Heart Sliver
- Diffusion Sliver
- Cloudshredder Sliver
- Manaweft Sliver
- Ignoble Hierarch
- Hibernation Sliver
- Emiel the Blessed
- Shifting Sliver
- Root Sliver
- Crystalline Sliver
- Bonescythe Sliver
- Galerider Sliver
- Bloom Tender
- Birds of Paradise
- Sliver Hivelord
- The First Sliver
- Morophon, the Boundless
- Sliver Legion
- Dockside Extortionist
- Sliver Queen
- Brainstorm
- Nature's Claim
- Delay
- Swords to Plowshares
- Assassin's Trophy
- Veil of Summer
- Eladamri's Call
- Flusterstorm
- Cyclonic Rift
- Worldly Tutor
- Mana Drain
- Vampiric Tutor
- Deflecting Swat
- Enlightened Tutor
- Fierce Guardianship
- Kodama's Reach
- Farseek
- Wheel of Misfortune
- Eldritch Evolution
- Demonic Tutor
- Rhythm of the Wild
- Utopia Sprawl
- Cryptolith Rite
- Carpet of Flowers
- Mana Echoes
- Training Grounds
- Rhystic Study
- Sylvan Library
- Arcane Signet
- Sol Ring
- Fellwar Stone
- Chromatic Lantern
- Door of Destinies
- Coat of Arms
- Urza's Incubator
- Chrome Mox
- Mana Crypt
- Island
- Mountain
- Swamp
- Plains
- Forest
- Command Tower
- Unclaimed Territory
- Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
- Stomping Ground
- Marsh Flats
- Hallowed Fountain
- Godless Shrine
- Temple Garden
- Overgrown Tomb
- Arid Mesa
- Watery Grave
- Verdant Catacombs
- Steam Vents
- Sacred Foundry
- City of Brass
- Blood Crypt
- Misty Rainforest
- Breeding Pool
- Windswept Heath
- Scalding Tarn
- Mana Confluence
- Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
- Wooded Foothills
- Flooded Strand
- Bloodstained Mire
- Polluted Delta
- Cavern of Souls
6. Tasigur, the Golden Fang
We're digging in the graveyard. I hope your brought some gloves.
This deck runs low to the ground and fast. Ad Nauseam and Tasigur form a powerful graveyard combo,and also allows for an infinite mana outlet in the command zone. This deck includes a good number of mana artifacts and some solid board control from its Blue stripe. Thassa’s Oracle and Toxrill, the Corrosive are both great ways to take the game if they go unanswered. It also has plenty of options to tutor or draw for cards you need. Cards like Ad Nauseum, Demonic Tutor, and Mystical Tutor make sure you can always get the combo card you need.
What this deck excels in:
- Graveyard control from Tasigur, the Golden fang and Ad Nauseum
- Dangerous creatures like Toxrill, the Corrosive
- Fast, cheap cards
Decklist:
- Tasigur, the Golden Fang
- Narset, Parter of Veils
- Teferi, Master of Time
- Birds of Paradise
- Deathrite Shaman
- Elvish Spirit Guide
- Gilded Drake
- Hullbreaker Horror
- Ledger Shredder
- Opposition Agent
- Spellseeker
- Thassa's Oracle
- Toxrill, the Corrosive
- Abrupt Decay
- Ad Nauseam
- Assassin's Trophy
- Brainstorm
- Chain of Vapor
- Crop Rotation
- Cyclonic Rift
- Dark Ritual
- Delay
- Demonic Consultation
- Dramatic Reversal
- Fierce Guardianship
- Flusterstorm
- Force of Will
- Mana Drain
- March of Swirling Mist
- Mental Misstep
- Muddle the Mixture
- Mystical Tutor
- Nature's Claim
- Pact of Negation
- Sacrifice
- Swan Song
- Tainted Pact
- Vampiric Tutor
- Veil of Summer
- Culling Ritual
- Demonic Tutor
- Diabolic Intent
- Eldritch Evolution
- Gitaxian Probe
- Mnemonic Betrayal
- Neoform
- Peer into the Abyss
- Praetor's Grasp
- Timetwister
- Windfall
- Yawgmoth's Will
- Carpet of Flowers
- Mystic Remora
- Necropotence
- Rhystic Study
- Sylvan Library
- Arcane Signet
- Chrome Mox
- Dimir Signet
- Fellwar Stone
- Isochron Scepter
- Jeweled Lotus
- Lion's Eye Diamond
- Lotus Petal
- Mana Crypt
- Mana Vault
- Mox Diamond
- Mox Opal
- Simic Signet
- Sol Ring
- Talisman of Dominance
- Wishclaw Talisman
- Ancient Tomb
- Bayou
- Bloodstained Mire
- Boseiju, Who Endures
- Breeding Pool
- City of Brass
- Command Tower
- Exotic Orchard
- Flooded Strand
- Gemstone Caverns
- Mana Confluence
- Marsh Flats
- Misty Rainforest
- Morphic Pool
- Overgrown Tomb
- Polluted Delta
- Rejuvenating Springs
- Scalding Tarn
- Spire of Industry
- Swamp
- Tropical Island
- Underground Sea
- Undergrowth Stadium
- Verdant Catacombs
- Waterlogged Grove
- Watery Grave
- Windswept Heath
- Wooded Foothills
5. Tymna the Weaver/Kodama of the East Tree
There's two things that are certain in life: Death and Taxes
This deck is a tax classic. It gives you access to black, white, and green, which enables all the good old graveyard strategies. There’s plenty of early mana dorks to help you ramp into your more punishing creatures like Linvala, Keeper of Silence. Tax decks are built around making your opponent have to think very hard before casting a spell. Sometimes that means dealing them damage, making their spells cost more, or simply shutting down counterplay (looking at you, Grand Abolisher).
What this deck excels in:
- Slowing the opponent’s strategy
- Manaramp options from artifacts and creatures
- Lots of card advantage with Tutors and cards like Ranger-Captain of Eos
Decklist:
- Tymna the Weaver
- Kodama of the East Tree
- Arbor Elf
- Avacyn's Pilgrim
- Birds of Paradise
- Deathrite Shaman
- Elves of Deep Shadow
- Elvish Mystic
- Esper Sentinel
- Fyndhorn Elves
- Serra Ascendant
- Collector Ouphe
- Corpse Knight
- Dark Confidant
- Dauthi Voidwalker
- Destiny Spinner
- Drannith Magistrate
- Grand Abolisher
- Leonin Relic-Warder
- Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
- Archon of Emeria
- Aven Mindcensor
- Elvish Spirit Guide
- Lurrus of the Dream-Den
- Opposition Agent
- Ranger-Captain of Eos
- Linvala, Keeper of Silence
- Toski, Bearer of Secrets
- Archon of Valor's Reach
- Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
- Razaketh, the Foulblooded
- Culling the Weak
- Enlightened Tutor
- Entomb
- Nature's Claim
- Silence
- Swords to Plowshares
- Vampiric Tutor
- Veil of Summer
- Worldly Tutor
- Abrupt Decay
- Assassin's Trophy
- Chord of Calling
- Dismember
- Force of Vigor
- Imperial Seal
- Reanimate
- Demonic Tutor
- Diabolic Intent
- Eldritch Evolution
- Life / Death
- Culling Ritual
- Carpet of Flowers
- Deafening Silence
- Utopia Sprawl
- Wild Growth
- Animate Dead
- Survival of the Fittest
- Sylvan Library
- Necromancy
- Rule of Law
- Chrome Mox
- Jeweled Lotus
- Lion's Eye Diamond
- Lotus Petal
- Mana Crypt
- Sol Ring
- Arid Mesa
- Bayou
- Bloodstained Mire
- Bountiful Promenade
- Branchloft Pathway
- Brightclimb Pathway
- City of Brass
- Command Tower
- Darkbore Pathway
- Emergence Zone
- Exotic Orchard
- Flooded Strand
- Godless Shrine
- Mana Confluence
- Marsh Flats
- Misty Rainforest
- Nurturing Peatland
- Overgrown Tomb
- Phyrexian Tower
- Polluted Delta
- Savannah
- Scrubland
- 2 Snow-Covered Forest
- 2 Snow-Covered Plains
- Snow-Covered Swamp
- Temple Garden
- Undergrowth Stadium
- Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
- Verdant Catacombs
- Windswept Heath
- Wooded Foothills
4. Urza, Lord High Artificer
The man, the myth, the Lord High Artificer himself. This guy inspired a couple of early MTG sets.
This is a quick and dirty combo deck that uses Hullbreaker Horror to pop off and generate infinite mana and instant interactions. It relies heavily on Urza, Lord High Artificer for fast artifact mana. That mana is used to rush out tax pieces and eventually create dangerous combos. Being mono-blue, this deck also boasts great control. Whether it be with counters like Dispel and Mana Drain, search spells like Merchant Scroll and Fabricate, or bounce spells like Cyclonic Rift, you have all the tools you need to disrupt your opponent.
What this deck excels in:
- Board control with counter and bounce spells
- Powerful combos using Urza and Hullbreaker Horror
- Lots of artifact options to cheat mana
Decklist:
- Urza, Lord High Artificer
- Narset, Parter of Veils
- Tezzeret the Seeker
- Hullbreaker Horror
- Brainstorm
- Counterspell
- Cyclonic Rift
- Delay
- Dig Through Time
- Dispel
- Dramatic Reversal
- Flusterstorm
- Force of Will
- Mana Drain
- Mental Misstep
- Muddle the Mixture
- Mystical Tutor
- Narset's Reversal
- Negate
- Pact of Negation
- Rapid Hybridization
- Swan Song
- Whir of Invention
- Fabricate
- Gitaxian Probe
- Merchant Scroll
- Personal Tutor
- Polymorph
- Ponder
- Recurring Insight
- Solve the Equation
- Time Spiral
- Timetwister
- Transmute Artifact
- Back to Basics
- Copy Artifact
- Counterbalance
- Mystic Remora
- Power Artifact
- Rhystic Study
- Aether Spellbomb
- Basalt Monolith
- Codex Shredder
- Everflowing Chalice
- Grafdigger's Cage
- Grim Monolith
- Isochron Scepter
- Jeweled Amulet
- Jeweled Lotus
- Lotus Petal
- Mana Crypt
- Mana Vault
- Manifold Key
- Mishra's Bauble
- Moonsilver Key
- Mox Diamond
- Mox Opal
- Pithing Needle
- Proteus Staff
- Rings of Brighthearth
- Sapphire Medallion
- Sensei's Divining Top
- Sol Ring
- Static Orb
- Tormod's Crypt
- Torpor Orb
- Trinisphere
- Voltaic Key
- Winter Orb
- Blast Zone
- Inventors' Fair
- 23 Island
- Misty Rainforest
- Mystic Sanctuary
- Scalding Tarn
- Seat of the Synod
- The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
- Urza's Saga
3. Rakdos, Lord of Riots
Rakdos resembles but is legally distinct from the Balrog
As usual for Rakdos, this is a big burn deck that causes plenty of chaos. Its playstyle is simple: deal lots of direct damage early on to get huge discounts from your commander. If you can manage to get Rakdos down early, this deck makes for some crazy games. The strategy only needs a few pieces to get going: a way to damage your opponents, and Rakdos. If you can manage to survive the first few turns, there’s trouble on the horizon. Typically in the form of 4 massive Eldrazi for half their price from Rakdos’ discount
What this deck excels in:
- Massive creatures at heavy mana discounts
- Lots of direct damage spells and abilities
- Control in the form of creature destruction
Decklist:
- Rakdos, Lord of Riots
- Spear Spewer
- Dauthi Voidwalker
- Harsh Mentor
- Keen Duelist
- Stormfist Crusader
- Thermo-Alchemist
- Burnished Hart
- Florian, Voldaren Scion
- Lobber Crew
- Nettle Drone
- Plague Spitter
- Ancestral Statue
- Anger
- Chainer, Nightmare Adept
- Crypt Ghast
- Kardur, Doomscourge
- Orcus, Prince of Undeath
- Purphoros, God of the Forge
- Solemn Simulacrum
- Spawn of Mayhem
- Tectonic Giant
- Frenzied Saddlebrute
- Neheb, the Eternal
- Terror of the Peaks
- Wandering Archaic
- Conduit of Ruin
- Kaervek the Merciless
- Meteor Golem
- Rune-Scarred Demon
- Sandstone Oracle
- Vilis, Broker of Blood
- Artisan of Kozilek
- Void Winnower
- Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
- Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
- Blightsteel Colossus
- Red Elemental Blast
- Go for the Throat
- Heartless Act
- Infernal Grasp
- Rakdos Charm
- Terminate
- Thrill of Possibility
- Bedevil
- Chaos Warp
- Dismember
- Faithless Looting
- Vandalblast
- Feed the Swarm
- Night's Whisper
- Sign in Blood
- Jeska's Will
- Read the Bones
- Wheel of Misfortune
- Chandra's Ignition
- Sanctum of Stone Fangs
- Necropotence
- Theater of Horrors
- Sol Ring
- Arcane Signet
- Fellwar Stone
- Lightning Greaves
- Rakdos Signet
- Talisman of Indulgence
- Cryptolith Fragment
- Whip of Erebos
- Blightstep Pathway
- Blood Crypt
- Bloodfell Caves
- Cabal Coffers
- Command Tower
- Dragonskull Summit
- Exotic Orchard
- Eye of Ugin
- Foreboding Ruins
- Graven Cairns
- Haunted Ridge
- 6 Mountain
- Piranha Marsh
- Rakdos Carnarium
- Shadowblood Ridge
- Smoldering Marsh
- 9 Swamp
- Temple of Malice
- Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2. Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow
Take control of the sacred jutsu
This deck uses a fun and competitive strategy unlike any other. It revolves around the commander’s ability to flip the top card of your library and turn its mana value into direct damage. There are plenty of deck manipulation cards like Sensei’s Divining Top to make sure you get those beefy high-cost cards to really pump out damage every turn. It can also work with split cards like Commit / Memory, combining the value for the damage output. It’s a simple strategy, but great for someone who wants something different.
What this deck excels in:
- Strong direct damage
- Board control with cards like Counterspell and Cyclonic Rift
- Lots of Ninjutsu cards to use with Ornithopter
- No max hand size with Sea Gate Restoration
Decklist:
- Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
- Baleful Strix
- Changeling Outcast
- Dauthi Voidwalker
- Dimir Infiltrator
- Faerie Seer
- Fallen Shinobi
- Gingerbrute
- Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar
- Gudul Lurker
- Higure, the Still Wind
- Ingenious Infiltrator
- Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
- Mist-Cloaked Herald
- Mist-Syndicate Naga
- Mistblade Shinobi
- Moonblade Shinobi
- Mothdust Changeling
- Ninja of the Deep Hours
- Okiba-Gang Shinobi
- Ornithopter
- Sakashima's Student
- Silent-Blade Oni
- Skullsnatcher
- Slither Blade
- Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
- Throat Slitter
- Tormented Soul
- Triton Shorestalker
- Walker of Secret Ways
- Brainstorm
- Commit / Memory
- Counterspell
- Cyclonic Rift
- Deadly Rollick
- Dig Through Time
- Familiar's Ruse
- Fierce Guardianship
- Lim-Dûl's Vault
- Misdirection
- Murderous Cut
- Mystical Tutor
- Negate
- Otherworldly Gaze
- Swan Song
- Vampiric Tutor
- Demonic Tutor
- Devastation Tide
- Karn's Temporal Sundering
- Ponder
- Scheming Symmetry
- Sea Gate Restoration
- Temporal Mastery
- Temporal Trespass
- Treasure Cruise
- Aqueous Form
- Arcane Adaptation
- Cunning Evasion
- Smoke Shroud
- Arcane Signet
- Dimir Signet
- Lightning Greaves
- Maskwood Nexus
- Scroll Rack
- Sensei's Divining Top
- Sol Ring
- Talisman of Dominance
- Access Tunnel
- Clearwater Pathway
- Command Tower
- Dimir Aqueduct
- Drowned Catacomb
- Halimar Depths
- 8 Island
- Morphic Pool
- Mystic Sanctuary
- Polluted Delta
- Reliquary Tower
- Rogue's Passage
- Shipwreck Marsh
- Sunken Hollow
- 9 Swamp
- Temple of Deceit
- Underground River
- Watery Grave
1. Blood Pod
Combos and Tutors, what's not to like?
This deck is a seriously major threat. It has a perfect mix of control, ramps, and combo potential. The main combo revolves around Pod effects like the ones on Vivien on the Hunt and Birthing Pod. You use these to create infinite combos with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker. It can pop off from almost nothing if you know how to play it, so there’s never a boardstate that isn’t a threat. It’s good against removal and functions well from the graveyard due to cards like Karmic Guide, and works even with most tax effects. This results in the perfect blend of defensive abilities, brutal Tax effects, and consistent combos thanks to the plethora of Tutors in the deck.
What this deck excels in:
- Powerful combo potential
- Cards on demand from a variety of Tutors
- Plenty of mana dorks and artifacts to get going fast
- Graveyard control from Karmic Guide and Rest in Peace
Decklist:
- Tana, the Bloodsower
- Tymna the Weaver
- Vivien on the Hunt
- Archon of Emeria
- Archon of Valor's Reach
- Avacyn's Pilgrim
- Aven Mindcensor
- Birds of Paradise
- Collector Ouphe
- Dauthi Voidwalker
- Deathrite Shaman
- Dockside Extortionist
- Drannith Magistrate
- Eidolon of Rhetoric
- Elves of Deep Shadow
- Elvish Mystic
- Elvish Spirit Guide
- Endurance
- Esper Sentinel
- Felidar Guardian
- Fyndhorn Elves
- Goblin Sharpshooter
- Grand Abolisher
- Grim Hireling
- Ignoble Hierarch
- Karmic Guide
- Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
- Linvala, Keeper of Silence
- Llanowar Elves
- Loyal Apprentice
- Mayhem Devil
- Opposition Agent
- Ranger-Captain of Eos
- Serra Ascendant
- Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
- Village Bell-Ringer
- Abrupt Decay
- Assassin's Trophy
- Deflecting Swat
- Eladamri's Call
- Enlightened Tutor
- Noxious Revival
- Pyroblast
- Red Elemental Blast
- Silence
- Swords to Plowshares
- Vampiric Tutor
- Veil of Summer
- Worldly Tutor
- Demonic Tutor
- Diabolic Intent
- Eldritch Evolution
- Finale of Devastation
- Imperial Seal
- Meltdown
- Carpet of Flowers
- Deafening Silence
- Rest in Peace
- Rule of Law
- Splinter Twin
- Survival of the Fittest
- Sylvan Library
- Birthing Pod
- Chalice of the Void
- Chrome Mox
- Lotus Petal
- Mana Crypt
- Null Rod
- Sol Ring
- Trinisphere
- Arid Mesa
- Badlands
- Bayou
- Bloodstained Mire
- Boseiju, Who Endures
- Bountiful Promenade
- City of Brass
- Command Tower
- Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
- Flooded Strand
- Gaea's Cradle
- Gemstone Caverns
- Mana Confluence
- Marsh Flats
- Misty Rainforest
- Nurturing Peatland
- Overgrown Tomb
- Plateau
- Polluted Delta
- Savannah
- Scalding Tarn
- Scrubland
- Spire Garden
- Stomping Ground
- Taiga
- Temple Garden
- Undergrowth Stadium
- Verdant Catacombs
- Windswept Heath
- Wooded Foothills
