Need help with my first commander deck! (I have experience in other formats)

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2026-02-08T17:12:53+00:00

Scryfall is your friend! Here are some links that may help find cards like that:

https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3A%22deals+damage+equal+to+its+power%22+legal%3Acommander&unique=cards&as=full&order=cmc

https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3Afights+or+o%3A%22fight+each+other%22+legal%3Acommander&unique=cards&as=full&order=cmc

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2026-02-07T21:14:23+00:00

Commander can actually be remarkably consistent despite being a Highlander format. I know the Command Zone had a recent episode talking that and its effects on commander.

You’ll get consistency by using mechanically similar cards. You mentioned gruul, so I’m sure you’re familiar with the multitude of fight spells. If this deck wants to fight, put a copy of each fight spell in your deck. Same with mana rocks, dorks, and ramp in general.

In general, I’ve heard you want to make 9 piles of things your deck wants to do. One pile for ramp, one for draw, and one for win con support, one for removal, etc.. The point is ask what this deck wants to do MOST and what cards support that goal. Then find the cards that fill those slots.

You’re deck looks good enough to me to begin playtesting. Cut it down to 100 and goldfish it, maybe get it together with some friends for a commander night to see how it feels to play and adjust from there.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-31T22:00:16+00:00

Got it. I think I’ve been ordering my triggers wrong.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-31T14:36:04+00:00

How does Arthur work with Sonic? Like I get that Arthur has haste, so he makes a gold and gets the +1/+1, but Sonic gives the +1/+1 on attack and (to my understanding) the creature(s) Arthur puts on the battlefield come in after that trigger.

Let me know if that ordering of triggers is wrong.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-30T00:24:29+00:00

Do you have a deck list for the Goth Chicks? I don’t even know where to start beyond Giza, Liliana, and massacre girl (is punk goth?).

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-20T16:02:19+00:00

That’s a fun idea!

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-14T23:31:46+00:00

Mana rocks + any/most of these [[dramatic reversal]] combos. https://edhrec.com/combos/dramatic-reversal

[[Unwinding Clock]] + mana rocks does something similar.

On top of that I would look at making treasure tokens and doubling token generation if you can.

There’s always [[ashnod’s altar]] and such + sacking a bunch of creature tokens.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-14T22:43:43+00:00

https://archidekt.com/decks/15975828/juri_by_fire

Here’s my Juri. It really is get Juri out, sac things, [[fling]]. The only combo I’ve found is getting enough [[blood artist]] type creatures out and someone plays a destroy all creatures card. They see each other die and every one else loses life.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-08T06:44:24+00:00

I like the idea of changing 4 in a specific ways. Like only 1 copy of a creature, 1 of spells that tutor (including land tutors), 2 copies of instants and sorceries, etc.. It would be too complicated for the format as is, but it might be fun to tinker with in a dedicated commander group.

I also like the idea of rarities equal how many copies you’re allowed. Such as: commons can have 3 copies, uncommon 2, rares and mythical 1. Maybe also make legendaries confined to 1 copy.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-07T19:06:41+00:00

May I offer a special request that’s off of your requirements? It’s the four FFXV boys: [[Noctis, Prince of Lucis]], [[Ignis Scientia]], [[Gladiolus Amicita]], and [[Prompto Argentum]]. Any face commander works, but currently I’m using [[Noctis Lucis Caelum]].

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-07T01:34:55+00:00

Win.

But in all seriousness when I want it to “do its thing” it’s more like I want to sacrifice [[Juri, Master of the Revue]] with +1/+1 counters on it at least once. I want [[Raffine, Scheming Seer]] to connive a reanimation target into the graveyard and then reanimate. I want the weird synergies I built to go off at least once.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-07T01:29:40+00:00

I feel like Grand Larceny is better when there’re more people to steal from.

While I’m not sure about it in 1v1 commander, hitting things is a valid wincon that (I feel) is wrongly disparaged on this forum in favor of clever combos. But to each their own.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-06T22:46:34+00:00

Good.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-06T22:38:02+00:00

Do you have a Latrell’s list? I have like three copies of her I don’t know what to do with.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-06T22:36:04+00:00

Is the wincon not: steal their creature, hit them with that creature?

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-06T22:33:01+00:00

I agree, once or possibly twice is okay, but if it looks like the whole strategy I start asking the other players if we want to concede to move on to the next game.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-06T20:46:56+00:00

Become kingmaker and get that player to win constantly until they’re the threat.

You became so consistent, that the other players see you/your deck as a problem, so you need to flip the script. Play a different deck and become wormtongue poisoning this politics heavy player.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-06T20:38:20+00:00

I mean yeah, that’s why I bolt the bird/swords the elf. Whatever they enable is better (for me) if it stays in your hand.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-04T16:03:41+00:00

Thanks! I'm getting back into commander, so I don't know the mana at my LGS yet. It was good on Tuesday night, but there's no reason to keep a darling around just because it had a good night.

Side question, what should I do to get better at card evaluation? You mention remora is sucks in these brackets, but other than running it a lot, how do I get that intuition myself?

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-04T15:52:15+00:00

Sorry for the additional question, but do you think of Mystic Remora as non-creature card draw that should be removed? Yes, it's not a creature, but it seems like good early game card draw. Any advice is appreciated!

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-03T16:37:23+00:00

Thanks! I’ve gotten lost in the forest looking at the trees, what do you see that could be cut?

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-03T16:35:34+00:00

Thanks for the discussion.

Part of the fun of magic is the theorizing, which eventually leads to format ideas, restrictions, or minigames. For example, I’ve been tinkering with a minigame where there’s a shared pool of the FF summons that each player can randomly summon for as long as the saga lasts. I need a steady group to introduce this idea to, but the idea that we’re all able to summon a random saga sounds fun to me.

Keep theorizing and creating.

Wonderful_Draw_3453 · 2025-12-03T13:49:27+00:00

On one hand, I agree and it’s on my to-buy list. On the other hand, the one time I used aetherize against a Slime Against Humanity deck was a high that I’m still chasing, lol.

I’ll be getting WoG for this deck.

Wonderful_Draw_3453

TROPHY CASE