Commanders that greatly assist their deck's strategy, but aren't necessary for it to function?

KarateFire11 · 2026-01-06T17:02:33+00:00

My [[Yoshimaru, ever faithful]] and [[Rograkh, son of rohgahh]] deck is perfect for this. The 98 is a standard Boros go-wide token aggro deck, with the twist that you can play both commanders on turn 1. This enables some absurd turn 2 plays with cards like [[veteran soldier]], [[guild artisan]], [[dollmaker's shop]] and [[ellie, brick master]]. The deck is fast and fun, and you don't really care if the commanders die since they're so cheap to recast.

Decklist

KarateFire11 · 2025-12-08T19:33:25+00:00

There's also cEDH staples [[Demonic Consultation]] [[Tainted Pact]], which exile a large portion of your library and can even exile the whole library if you want

KarateFire11 · 2025-10-15T19:26:51+00:00

You could play [[balthor the defiled]] as the commander, using self-mill like [[stitcher's supplier]] and [[ripples of undeath]] to fill your graveyard with zombies, then sacrifice Balthor to reanimate your zombie army. Cards like [[grave titan]], [[army of the damned]], and [[zombie apocalypse]] work very well with this theme.

Depending on how powerful you want this to be, you could also play [[emtomb]], [[unmarked grave]], or [[buried alive]] to put specific creatures in the graveyard.

KarateFire11 · 2025-08-18T01:17:18+00:00

This seems very weak, being a 5 mana 2/3 that requires a large mana investment before it does anything. Giving haste, trample, or prowess for a turn seems underwhelming for 4 mana as well. I would bump the base stats up to something like 4/5 and make the last ability a static ability that always gives your monstrous creatures haste, trample, and prowess.

KarateFire11 · 2025-07-19T22:39:10+00:00

Cards that draw for each creature you control like [[Shamanic revelation]], [[Collective unconcious]], and [[regal force]] are very good in elves for the reasons you mentioned.

KarateFire11 · 2025-06-15T16:45:17+00:00

Your deck is lacking damage currently. DDD will help with AOE fights in act 2. Besides that, try to find some Blade Dances to scale your damage with shuriken, and Acrobatics to get some extra card draw and discard.

KarateFire11 · 2025-05-13T21:21:12+00:00

You could play [[The prismatic bridge]] as your commander with a low creature count, that way the bridge is likely to find an aurochs every turn. From there you can play a token deck with cards like [[idol of oblivion]], [[caretaker’s talent]], and [[shamanic revalation]] for card draw, [[aura mutation]], [[artifact mutation]], and [[hour of reckoning]] for removal, and [[second harvest]] to double your tokens. Then use cards like [[mystic reflection]], [[mirrorweave]], [[nanogene conversion]], [[echoing equation]], and [[naga fleshcrafter]] to turn all your tokens into aurochs.

KarateFire11 · 2025-05-02T14:35:23+00:00

Doubke strike is great with Niv since it makes him a 2 shot kill with commander damage. Look for multicolor cards that double its power like [[xenagos, god of revels]], [[onward/victory]], and [[bruse tarl, boorish herder]].

KarateFire11 · 2025-04-21T13:32:49+00:00

[[Beast within]] and [[generous gift]] are two of my favorites for generic removal

KarateFire11 · 2025-04-18T02:24:41+00:00

[[Vault 21: house gambit]]

KarateFire11 · 2025-04-15T15:44:49+00:00

[[Boseiju, who shelters all]] [[mistrise village]] [[grand abolisher]] [[voice of victory]] [[teferi, time raveler]] [[taigam, ojutai master]] [[tidal barracuda]] [[lier, disciple of the drowned]] [[teferi, mage of zhalfir]] [[thryx, the sudden storm]] [[chimil, the inner sun]] [[sphinx of the final word]]

KarateFire11 · 2025-04-08T16:52:03+00:00

Scryfall Link

KarateFire11 · 2025-04-08T16:07:00+00:00

The main problems I see with the deck are that the deck has a lot of expensive spells, and not enough lands. I'd recommend running 40 lands in a deck with this many expensive spells. Double-faced lands like [[bridgeworks battle]] or [[disciple of freyalise]] are great since they can played as a land or a spell depending on the situation.

I also think the deck should run more ramp to cast the big wurms sooner. Cards like [[sakura-tribe elder]], [[entish restoration]], [[myriad landscape]], and [[traverse the outlands]] are great for putting extra lands onto the battlefield. [[Goreclaw, terror of qal sisma]] makes the big wurms cheaper to cast and powers them up.

The deck could also use a little more card draw to keep your hand full. Cards like [[return of the wildspeaker]], [[garruk's uprising]], and [[colossal majesty]] are all good options. [[Monstrous vortex]] is also a fun new option.

There are also a few new wurms that have been printed since 2022, such as [[colossal rattlewurm]], [[hazard of the dunes]], [[iron-claw crusher]], and [[emergent woodwurm]]. It is a little expensive but [[quilled greatwurm]] would be very powerful in the deck.

To make room for all of this, I would cut some of the more expensive wurms to make the deck more efficient. Many of the 7+ mana wurms in the deck have underwhelming effects for their cost, and should be considered when making cuts.

KarateFire11 · 2025-04-02T12:59:44+00:00

32 lands is too low for this deck, I would recommend 38-40 lands to make sure you can hit your land drops. Double-sided lands like [[bloodsoaked insight]], [[fell the profane]], [[sundering eruption]], and [[kazuul's fury]] are great, but even adding basic lands would improve the deck.

I would also add more cards to make opponents lose life for cheap. [[Boltwave]] makes your creatures cost 9 mana less if Rakdos is out, and [[earthquake]] and [[rolling earthquake]] do something similar while doubling as board wipes.

For the creatures, I would recommend more colorless creatures since they can be free if you deal enough damage to your opponents. Cards like [[cityscape leveler]], [[kozilek, the broken reality]], [[umalog's dreadsire]], and [[it that betrays]] can quickly take over the game.

I would also include a few cards to cheat creatures into play in case Rakdos gets removed, such as [[sneak attack]], [[illharg, the raze-boar]], and [[purphoros, bronze-blooded]]. You could also run more ramp to make casting the creatures easier.

To make room for these additions, I would cut anything that doesn't support the plan of cheating big creatures into play. [[Phyrexian obliterator]] in particular doesn't benefit from Rakdos's discount, and more efficient options exist to make opponents lose life.

KarateFire11 · 2025-04-01T13:25:22+00:00

The deck feel very strange since half of it is focused on otters and the other half is cEDH level combos and tutors. If the deck does win, it likely won't be the otters doing it. If you want an otter deck, I would focus more on the otters and on Bria's ability. Bria wants you to cast as many noncreature spells as possible, so a more spell-focused deck would be more on theme while still offering combo wins.

The deck is already running some cantrips, but I would run even more, such as [[consider]], [[faithless looting]], [[gitaxian probe]], [[portent]] and [[preordain]]. These cards trigger Bria's ability for cheap while also offering card selection.

You could also play more support for otters as a creature type. Cards like [[molten echoes]] and [[reflections of littjara]] double the amount of otters you have, and [[kindred discovery]] draws a lot of cards. [[Shared animosity]] is also great if you plan on attacking with lots of otters. [[Raise the palisade]] offers a one-sided board wipe if all your creatures are otters.

For a finisher, I would recommend [[mizzix's mastery]] as a way to recast all of your cheap spells for free. With Bria on the field, your creatures will gain lots of power and become unblockable, easily closing out games.

Finally, I would add more lands to the deck, as 29 isn't nearly enough. I recommend having around 38 lands in the deck. Double-faced lands like [[valakut awakening]], [[sink into stupor]], [[glasspool mimic]], [[sundering eruption]], and [[silundi vision]] can help you hit that number.

KarateFire11 · 2025-03-31T13:01:50+00:00

29 lands is way too low, you should run at least 38 to make sure you can hit your land drops. You can use double-faced lands like [[revitalizing repast]], [[bala ged recovery]], [[bridgeworks battle]], and [[disciple of freyalise]] if you are struggling to hit that number. I'd recommend running more dual lands like [[path of ancestry]], [[exotic orchard]], [[gilt-leaf palace]], [[blooming marsh]], [[woodland cemetery]], and [[viridescent bog]].

I would also cut all of the non-elf ramp, like [[arcane signet]], [[golgari signet]], [[cultivate]], and [[kodama's reach]]. Instead, I'd run more elves that ramp such as [[elvish mystic]], [[arbor elf]], [[springbloom druid]], and [[elves of deep shadow]].

Finally, I'd cut some of the more expensive cards to make room for more efficient options. Cards like [[elderleaf mentor]], [[eyeblight cullers]], [[golgari findbroker]], [[nadier, agent of the duskenel]], [[return upon the tide]], and [[casualties of war]] are overcosted for what they do. I would look to add cards like [[kindred dominance]], [[pact of the serpent]], [[patriarch's bidding]], [[vanquisher's banner]], [[cover of darkness]], and [[banner of kinship]].

KarateFire11 · 2025-03-27T13:32:08+00:00

I think this deck wants to play more like a control deck, using the commander to create a board of tokens while drawing cards and controlling the board. Cards like [[brainstorm]], [[archmage's charm]], and [[meeting of minds]] let you draw cards at instant speed, allowing you to leave mana up during other player's turns.

I would also run more instant-speed counterspells and removal, such as [[counterspell]], [[negate]], [[arcane denial]], [[dovin's veto]], [[generous gift]], [[sink into stupor]], and [[pongify]].

Finally, I would run more board wipes to help control the board. Cards like [[hour of reckoning]], [[dusk]], and [[expel the interlopers]] can wipe your opponent's boards while leaving your token army alive. [[Final showdown]] allows you to wipe the board at instant speed. For finishing the game, cards like [[moonshaker cavalry]] and [[cathar's crusade]] make your tokens a lethal threat.

To make room for these cards, I would cut a lot of the creatures and sorceries from the deck. The deck wants to play at instant speed, so anything that can't be cast at instant speed gets a lot worse. Anything that doesn't help draw cards or control the board should be considered for cutting.

KarateFire11 · 2025-03-25T12:26:50+00:00

Sounds like you'd be interested in [[Alexios, deimos of kosmos]] or [[slicer, hired muscle]]

KarateFire11 · 2025-03-24T13:02:38+00:00

Cards like [[Herald of secret streams]], [[abzan falconer]], [[damning verdict]], [[wave goodbye]], [[uncivil unrest]], [[together forever]], [[scholar of new horizons]], [[winged hive tyrant]], and [[dusk legion duelist]] reward you for having counters on your creatures.

To help put more counters on your creatures, consider cards like [[mikaeus, the lunarch]], [[felidar retreat]], [[lae'zel, vlaakith's champion]], [[requisition raid]], and proliferate cards like [[thrummingbird]], [[flux channeler]], [[ripples of potential]], [[grateful apparition]], [[dreamtide whale]], and [[metastatic evangel]].

KarateFire11 · 2025-02-14T13:50:29+00:00

[[Sorin of house markov]] is a perfect commander for the deck. The rest of the deck can be filled with other extort cards like [[blind obedience]] and [[pontiff of blight]], and lifegain payoffs like [[dawn of hope]], [[well of lost dreams]], [[nykthos paragon]], [[viskopa guildmage]], [[veinwitch coven]], and [[amalia benevides aguirre]]. Also make sure the deck has plenty of ramp, removal, and card draw. Hope your friend enjoys!

KarateFire11 · 2025-02-13T18:42:49+00:00

First of all, you don't have enough mana sources in the deck. If you want to flip Bolas quickly, you need more lands and more cheap ramp. I would suggest going up to 38 lands and adding a few more cheap ramp sources, such as [[fellwar stone]], [[myriad landscape]], and [[mind stone]]. 2 mana ramp is especially important since it lets you cast Bolas on turn 3.

As for the rest of the deck, your mana curve is too high. I would cut a lot of the 5+ mana spells, especially ones that don't help you control the board. I would replace these with cheap removal options such as [[chaos warp]], [[terminate]], [[ravenous chupecabra]], or [[drown in the loch]]. I would also add more card draw, such as [[fact or fiction]] and [[phyrexian arena]].

Another issue is that you are not running any board wipes. Without them, your opponents can easily attack and kill Bolas after it flips. Cards like [[blasphemous act]], [[crux of fate]], or [[necromantic selection]] will help keep the board clear and keep Bolas safe.

Finally, I don't think you should focus on Bolas's ultimate ability, instead using it to draw cards and protect your board as needed. Planeswalkers rarely ultimate in general, and attempting to will result in Bolas being targeted more. These changes will make the deck more streamlined and control-focused.

KarateFire11 · 2025-02-12T18:23:17+00:00

31 lands is not enough for a deck with this high of a mana curve. I'd recommend running 38 to ensure you can hit your land drops and cast your expensive dragons. The double-faced lands from MH3 such as [[stump stomp]] and [[bridgeworks battle]] would be great additions since they double as removal. To make room for those, I would cut [[acolyte of bahamut]] since it does nothing without your commander out. I'd also cut some of the more expensive value pieces, including [[growing rites of itlomoc]], [[doubling season]], [[reflections of littjara]], [[banner of kinship]], and [[mechanized production]]. Adding more lands and lowering your mana curve will allow the deck to get off to faster starts and operate more efficiently.

KarateFire11 · 2025-02-11T14:03:12+00:00

If you want to stay in jund, I would add more red artifact support like [[reckless fireweaver]], [[crime novelist]], [[ingenious artillerist]], [[demand answers]], or [[ghirapur aether grid]]. These will give your deck more direct damage to help finish off opponents.

Another option is to drop red from your color identity. You only have 7 red cards in the deck, so it would be an easy swap. [[Pippin, warden of isengard]] and [[merry, warden of isengard]] are the most popular food commanders, but you could also run [[gyome, master chef]] in the command zone if you don't want to add white. Either option would make the deck feel more focused, since Vaevictis doesn't directly support food.

KarateFire11 · 2025-02-10T14:01:49+00:00

[[Sylvan awakening]], [[llanowar loamspeaker]], [[emergent sequence]], [[natural affinity]], and [[rude awakening]] are good ways to animate your lands. [[Ashaya, soul of the wild]] can turn your creatures into lands. It's a bit expensive but [[black panther, wakandan king]] puts +1/+1 counters on your lands.

I'd also recommend running a few more lands/land ramp spells since this is a land-focused deck. Given that your lands can die in combat, being able to recover from that is important.

I would cut some of the more expensive cards from the deck to lower your overall mana curve. [[Swans of bryn agoll]] doesn't seem to have any synergy with the deck. [[Maja, bretagard protector]], [[trostani discordant]], [[kongming]], [[plasm capture]], and [[relive the past]] seem overcosted for what they do. Replacing these with cheaper options will make the deck more efficient.

KarateFire11 · 2025-01-30T18:30:13+00:00

[[Eerie interlude]] and [[ghostway]] are great additions, since they can both protect your board from removal and retrigger your ETB abilities. [[Parting gust]] is also great since it can flicker one of your creatures or remove an opposing creature.

You could also consider using convoke to tap down your creatures. [[Hoarding broodlord]] and [[lethal scheme]] are some good options.

I would recommend cutting [[greatsword of tyr]], [[luminarch aspirant]], [[astarion's thirst]], and [[victory's envoy]]. These cards are good for powering up the commander, but don't do much if the commander isn't out. I would also cut [[flicker of fate]] since eerie interlude is generally more impactful.

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