My choice for best commander goes to Chainer, Dementia Master. He buffs your nightmare creatures by +1/+1. He can reanimate creatures at instant speed from anyones graveyard, not just your own, and even turns it into a nightmare so he can then buff it by +1/+1. For his drawback however, all you have to do is reanimate what you want at the same time and then sacrifice Chainer himself in response to that, as when his trigger goes off your new nightmare creatures will be safe as they come in after the effect.
Part of what lends him to being a best designed commander is not only is he a reanimator commander, but the fact I mentioned earlier that he can steal from other peoples graveyards at instant speed in addition to your own creatures. That is not even something that Meren of Clan Nel Toth or Karador, Ghost Chieftain can do. As he allows you to use your opponent's strength against them when it comes to creatures.
For example you could use Contamination with Gray Merchant of Asphodel and Chainer, Dementia Master. As you lock anyone not using black mana into black mana, you steal (5 x Number of Opponents) for Life, and you can just bring back the merchant for just 3 life. Which means you are always ahead in life when using Chainer's ability by 2 life at minimum if its just you and one opponent. That with this excess life, you can use it to steal other opponents creatures that you either sent there or put into the graveyard because of them not being able to cast it because of the contamination in play when it is convenient for you.
Love them or hate them, the partner commanders, both from Commander 2016 and Battlebond, have provided amazing mileage.
Rather than 15 "four color" in Commander 2016 we got in essence 225 new commanders in one hit, and it filled a massive void of color fixing our 99.
Are partner commanders used too much to fix colors and not designed around their abilities enough? It does happen. But it was better than presenting a set number of four color commanders, that you know would have been limited in design around.
Agreed totally. Even some of the ones that seemed meh can randomly shine, like Tana, Ludevic, and Sidar.
I find a lot of times, the partner deck is built around one of the partners, with the other providing extra color identities to take it to 3 or 4 colors and open up a lot more cards for the deck. That's perfectly fine. So maybe you want to do a weird 2 power hard to block deck with Sidar and you add vial smasher to unlock red and black, cool. Other times, you'll smash Tana and Ravos together for a tokens plus anthems deck, and the two commanders have wonderful synergy on that front.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Plenty of people don't like them because they're too enabling, but I like how they accelerate the table but break parity for you if you build your deck right. They're basically grease in my favorite colors and there are so many options for building with them.
(emphasis added)
This is 100% my answer. They're hands down the best designed group hug commander and kraus highlights why: hug's biggest problem is making political trades that they come out ahead on while still not attracting hate and the Kings do that by themselves every turn. From a design perspective they do exactly what the archetype needs most and it's impressive how cleanly the designers stuck the landing.
Speaking of hug commanders, Phelddagrif. The fact that you target the player that you aid makes Phelddagrif one of the best designed cards imaginable for a social game.
It's a shame its reputation is ruined by people trying to be cute.
Speaking of hug commanders, Phelddagrif. The fact that you target the player that you aid makes Phelddagrif one of the best designed cards imaginable for a social game.
It's a shame its reputation is ruined by people trying to be cute.
I was staggered to see no Phelddagrif in Dominaria. I mean, seriously? A set dedicated to old time and a creature made with the name of creator, didn't show up.
I was staggered to see no Phelddagrif in Dominaria. I mean, seriously? A set dedicated to old time and a creature made with the name of creator, didn't show up.
Wow, Phelddagrif is an anagram of Garfield Phd. I didn't realize.
Edit: Sorry to encroach. I have no insight on this topic.
Zada was made to be the star of deck, and since M25 downshifted Zada to uncommon, it has made Zada super budget and super easy to make a Sligh style commander deck (I thought Firesong and Sunspeaker would allow for commander burn decks a la Boros noncombat, but it starts working at turn 6...) Cracking open a Zada made me go through my red commons and uncommons and I can count the number of rares/mythics in that deck on one hand. It works better that the F&S deck hands down which has...a much higher rarity average. A commander that works well on a budget is a good commander indeed in my book.
Hope of Ghirapur/HoG is the perfect commander for deckbuilders to test their skills at building a NON-ELDRAZI/NON-BLIGHTSTEEL COLOSSUS deck. HoG can come out turn 1 and has built in evasion. Not only does it have flying but you can send it back to your command zone at a whim, dodging Pacifism/Claustrophobia/Control Magic effects that would keep it on the field but useless. Sure my deck is one Vandalblastaway from losing the game until Darksteel Forge comes out, but that's why this deck goes after red decks first.
Also, Prossh, Skyraider of Kherwill always be a favorite of mine, but I understand Food Chainruins the experience for most opponents (which is why I don't use it in mine). Infinite combos aside, the commander has so much utility. Token buffing, ETBs, Saccing, Graveyard triggers, dragon tribal, devour theme. Imagine having Essence Warden out before Prossh hits the field, that nets you an at least 7 life.
Meletis has praise and I agree with it. Zada builds a deck easily and on a budget. HoG dusts off all those artifacts. Prossh (once Food chain is shunned) opens up for variety.
Hope of Ghirapur/HoG is the perfect commander for deckbuilders to test their skills at building a NON-ELDRAZI/NON-BLIGHTSTEEL COLOSSUS deck. HoG can come out turn 1 and has built in evasion. Not only does it have flying but you can send it back to your command zone at a whim, dodging Pacifism/Claustrophobia/Control Magic effects that would keep it on the field but useless. Sure my deck is one Vandalblastaway from losing the game until Darksteel Forge comes out, but that's why this deck goes after red decks first.
Also, Prossh, Skyraider of Kherwill always be a favorite of mine, but I understand Food Chainruins the experience for most opponents (which is why I don't use it in mine). Infinite combos aside, the commander has so much utility. Token buffing, ETBs, Saccing, Graveyard triggers, dragon tribal, devour theme. Imagine having Essence Warden out before Prossh hits the field, that nets you an at least 7 life.
Hope is great, makes me with I could use Telepathy.
Prossh though, there are just too many ways to win with him, I suppose we could call that great design also, if he wasn't so brutal. Aside from Food Chain, he got plenty of life drain with Blood Artist and co, direct damage with Purphoros and co, win with combat via Coat of Arms and Beastmaster Ascension , holding the whole board hostage with Grave Pact and co, I'm not even half way on the list yet. I've never seen so many wincons under a single commander, all because he's a token generator, sac engine, and a beat stick in one. The deck would function far less effectively without him, like using Nevermore to block entrance, but fat chance keeping enchantments like that onboard.
Sure my deck is one Vandalblastaway from losing the game until Darksteel Forge comes out, but that's why this deck goes after red decks first.
Zada, Hedron Grinder certainly is one of the ingenious commanders i gladly ran into. It doesn't matter how often you saw the deck go nuts, it'll always be a glorious thing.
I wouldn't go as far as calling her one of the greatest as in "best" commanders ever, due to the sole fact there are virtually two reasonable ways to build her, Arcane stuff like the popular thread or just good stuff pseudo draws and buffs.
Traxos, Scourge of Kroog did the same thing Hope of Ghirapur apparently did for you. I wasn't interested in Eldrazi or the silver boy at all. Which was a shame since i always wanted to have a C deck. Just durdling and swinging without fast mana and combo crap was just what i was looking for. Instead of Darksteel Forge which is rather easy to play around i love me some Warping Wail.
She's in Bant colors,arguably one of the best if not the best color combinations in all of EDH.
Uncounterable, Flash, skips Commander Tax, grants every creature in her deck with a very relevant ability.
Extreme versatility, can head either Control, Goodstuff, Voltron, Stax, or degenerate Combo decks with ease.
Truly outstanding in multiplayer games, and so effective/abusive that she was banned in 1v1.
She's even scary good when heading Voltron or Combo decks comprised of nothing but commons...
If anything though,... she was a bit "over designed"...
I totally agree with you on Derevi. She is definetely one of the best designed commanders compared to many other options. The resason why I think so is the fact that she perfectly encapsules the color identity of Bant in one card, better than any other Bant general. Uncounterable is a Bant thing, Flash is a Bant thing, always ready to be there for your troops, no matter what, Tapping/Untapping things is Bant and also garanting that ability to other creatures you control is perfectly in the spirit of Bant. As you said, if anything else she might be designed to well as we don't have commanders in other identities which are the same, iconic and fitting representant for their shard/wedge.
Even from a powerlevel standpoint she is fine these days, at least for multiplayer. Just a very well rounded and competetive commander
Speaking of hug commanders, Phelddagrif. The fact that you target the player that you aid makes Phelddagrif one of the best designed cards imaginable for a social game.
It's a shame its reputation is ruined by people trying to be cute.
I mean, I agree obviously. Although I don't consider Phelddagrif a hug commander (but I'll concede it depends on how you define "hug").
They really haven't created anything even close to Phelddagrif's abilities, politically. Kind of amazing how long and how securely he's held that crown.
Speaking of hug commanders, Phelddagrif. The fact that you target the player that you aid makes Phelddagrif one of the best designed cards imaginable for a social game.
It's a shame its reputation is ruined by people trying to be cute.
I mean, I agree obviously. Although I don't consider Phelddagrif a hug commander (but I'll concede it depends on how you define "hug").
They really haven't created anything even close to Phelddagrif's abilities, politically. Kind of amazing how long and how securely he's held that crown.
Now that Feather, the Redeemed is a thing, she twists regular Boros mentality and allow all those less-than-optima cards inEDH suddenly usable, gotta love it.
Now that Feather, the Redeemed is a thing, she twists regular Boros mentality and allow all those less-than-optima cards inEDH suddenly usable, gotta love it.
Yes, it is nice to see something outside of the ordinary for Boros. She gets points just for that, although to be fair there's only so many things you could do with her at the helm. Baby steps, though, she's definitely a watershed moment for a colour combination that desperately needed some variety.
I propose Feather too even if she isn't out yet. The fact that she works with radiance and also doesn't suck is simply too amazing
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How i feel about competitive players and casual players in EDH: The competitive are german tourists, the casual are italian tourists, both in a italian beach. The italians asking themselves "why are the germans here?" make a legitimate question, the answer is because the beach is beautiful, no matter the country you came from. The italians wanting to ban the germans are dumb, because if the germans pay for their stay and follow the rules like everyone else, they have the right to be in the beach. Hovewer, if the germans started to ask themselves "why are the italians here?"... they would be dumb as hell.
Now that Feather, the Redeemed is a thing, she twists regular Boros mentality and allow all those less-than-optima cards inEDH suddenly usable, gotta love it.
Yes, it is nice to see something outside of the ordinary for Boros. She gets points just for that, although to be fair there's only so many things you could do with her at the helm. Baby steps, though, she's definitely a watershed moment for a colour combination that desperately needed some variety.
Feather is doing what Boros was doing in Ravnica #1 though; an army of soldiers as well as powerful mages.
Now that Feather, the Redeemed is a thing, she twists regular Boros mentality and allow all those less-than-optima cards inEDH suddenly usable, gotta love it.
Yes, it is nice to see something outside of the ordinary for Boros. She gets points just for that, although to be fair there's only so many things you could do with her at the helm. Baby steps, though, she's definitely a watershed moment for a colour combination that desperately needed some variety.
Feather is doing what Boros was doing in Ravnica #1 though; an army of soldiers as well as powerful mages.
It would be cool if they keep the theow back to OG train running and give other guilds old mechanics. Like maybe Rakdos could get a Hellbent Commander
Part of what lends him to being a best designed commander is not only is he a reanimator commander, but the fact I mentioned earlier that he can steal from other peoples graveyards at instant speed in addition to your own creatures. That is not even something that Meren of Clan Nel Toth or Karador, Ghost Chieftain can do. As he allows you to use your opponent's strength against them when it comes to creatures.
For example you could use Contamination with Gray Merchant of Asphodel and Chainer, Dementia Master. As you lock anyone not using black mana into black mana, you steal (5 x Number of Opponents) for Life, and you can just bring back the merchant for just 3 life. Which means you are always ahead in life when using Chainer's ability by 2 life at minimum if its just you and one opponent. That with this excess life, you can use it to steal other opponents creatures that you either sent there or put into the graveyard because of them not being able to cast it because of the contamination in play when it is convenient for you.
Agreed totally. Even some of the ones that seemed meh can randomly shine, like Tana, Ludevic, and Sidar.
I find a lot of times, the partner deck is built around one of the partners, with the other providing extra color identities to take it to 3 or 4 colors and open up a lot more cards for the deck. That's perfectly fine. So maybe you want to do a weird 2 power hard to block deck with Sidar and you add vial smasher to unlock red and black, cool. Other times, you'll smash Tana and Ravos together for a tokens plus anthems deck, and the two commanders have wonderful synergy on that front.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
(emphasis added)
This is 100% my answer. They're hands down the best designed group hug commander and kraus highlights why: hug's biggest problem is making political trades that they come out ahead on while still not attracting hate and the Kings do that by themselves every turn. From a design perspective they do exactly what the archetype needs most and it's impressive how cleanly the designers stuck the landing.
It's a shame its reputation is ruined by people trying to be cute.
I was staggered to see no Phelddagrif in Dominaria. I mean, seriously? A set dedicated to old time and a creature made with the name of creator, didn't show up.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Wow, Phelddagrif is an anagram of Garfield Phd. I didn't realize.
Edit: Sorry to encroach. I have no insight on this topic.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
However I would also like to add Zada, Hedron Grinder and Hope of Ghirapur.
Zada was made to be the star of deck, and since M25 downshifted Zada to uncommon, it has made Zada super budget and super easy to make a Sligh style commander deck (I thought Firesong and Sunspeaker would allow for commander burn decks a la Boros noncombat, but it starts working at turn 6...) Cracking open a Zada made me go through my red commons and uncommons and I can count the number of rares/mythics in that deck on one hand. It works better that the F&S deck hands down which has...a much higher rarity average. A commander that works well on a budget is a good commander indeed in my book.
Hope of Ghirapur/HoG is the perfect commander for deckbuilders to test their skills at building a NON-ELDRAZI/NON-BLIGHTSTEEL COLOSSUS deck. HoG can come out turn 1 and has built in evasion. Not only does it have flying but you can send it back to your command zone at a whim, dodging Pacifism/Claustrophobia/Control Magic effects that would keep it on the field but useless. Sure my deck is one Vandalblastaway from losing the game until Darksteel Forge comes out, but that's why this deck goes after red decks first.
Also, Prossh, Skyraider of Kherwill always be a favorite of mine, but I understand Food Chainruins the experience for most opponents (which is why I don't use it in mine). Infinite combos aside, the commander has so much utility. Token buffing, ETBs, Saccing, Graveyard triggers, dragon tribal, devour theme. Imagine having Essence Warden out before Prossh hits the field, that nets you an at least 7 life.
Meletis has praise and I agree with it. Zada builds a deck easily and on a budget. HoG dusts off all those artifacts. Prossh (once Food chain is shunned) opens up for variety.
Hope is great, makes me with I could use Telepathy.
Prossh though, there are just too many ways to win with him, I suppose we could call that great design also, if he wasn't so brutal. Aside from Food Chain, he got plenty of life drain with Blood Artist and co, direct damage with Purphoros and co, win with combat via Coat of Arms and Beastmaster Ascension , holding the whole board hostage with Grave Pact and co, I'm not even half way on the list yet. I've never seen so many wincons under a single commander, all because he's a token generator, sac engine, and a beat stick in one. The deck would function far less effectively without him, like using Nevermore to block entrance, but fat chance keeping enchantments like that onboard.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
I wouldn't go as far as calling her one of the greatest as in "best" commanders ever, due to the sole fact there are virtually two reasonable ways to build her, Arcane stuff like the popular thread or just good stuff pseudo draws and buffs.
Traxos, Scourge of Kroog did the same thing Hope of Ghirapur apparently did for you. I wasn't interested in Eldrazi or the silver boy at all. Which was a shame since i always wanted to have a C deck. Just durdling and swinging without fast mana and combo crap was just what i was looking for. Instead of Darksteel Forge which is rather easy to play around i love me some Warping Wail.
I totally agree with you on Derevi. She is definetely one of the best designed commanders compared to many other options. The resason why I think so is the fact that she perfectly encapsules the color identity of Bant in one card, better than any other Bant general. Uncounterable is a Bant thing, Flash is a Bant thing, always ready to be there for your troops, no matter what, Tapping/Untapping things is Bant and also garanting that ability to other creatures you control is perfectly in the spirit of Bant. As you said, if anything else she might be designed to well as we don't have commanders in other identities which are the same, iconic and fitting representant for their shard/wedge.
Even from a powerlevel standpoint she is fine these days, at least for multiplayer. Just a very well rounded and competetive commander
They really haven't created anything even close to Phelddagrif's abilities, politically. Kind of amazing how long and how securely he's held that crown.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Would've been nice if Questing Phelddagrif was made legendary.
Now that Feather, the Redeemed is a thing, she twists regular Boros mentality and allow all those less-than-optima cards inEDH suddenly usable, gotta love it.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Yes, it is nice to see something outside of the ordinary for Boros. She gets points just for that, although to be fair there's only so many things you could do with her at the helm. Baby steps, though, she's definitely a watershed moment for a colour combination that desperately needed some variety.
Feather is doing what Boros was doing in Ravnica #1 though; an army of soldiers as well as powerful mages.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)