For the past couple of years I’ve been borrowing whatever random commander deck my friends weren’t playing. Although fun to see what they have come up with, the format has grown on me to the point where I want to invest and build my own (semi) competitive multiplayer commander list. I own many of the staples listed below, but rounding out the list will require some investment, so I would really appreciate your feedback both on my choice of commander, and on my card choices.
I think I’ve settled on Merieke Ri Berit due to my play style. I like to be reactive to my opponents, control the board, and prevent them from establishing themselves by:
Piloting a deck that has a toolbox of answers;
Preventing my opponents from executing their game plan;
Recurring / reusing creatures, spells, and artifacts from my graveyard;
Drawing cards;
Abusing creatures with powerful ETB effects; and
Winning through attrition and strategic play.
I almost always find myself in ESPER, BANT, or ANA. Knowing that, I narrowed down my list of commanders to these (if there are commanders you think I should consider, or if based on my play style you think I should reconsider one of these please let me know):
ESPER - Merieke Ri Berit (didn’t want to get into Zur or Sharumm because they seem to come with too much baggage)
In the end I wanted access to white for spot removal and equipment, and black for sweepers and the potential to abuse Rune-Scarred Demon and Bitterblossom. Not the most scientific rational, which is why I’m reaching out to you know!
I feel like you need at least a few mana rocks just because of the potential of explosive starts with turn 1 sol ring and such. If you don't want to run many, I would just pick a few you really like and use those-- for example maybe sol ring, chromatic lantern and a signet or two. I often felt way behind green decks and decks with a decent amount of artifact ramp when I ran 0 ramp cards. You need a way to keep up with those kind of decks.
Oh, and also you may want to consider cards like thousand-year elixir and variants of that card if you're running merieke. They're pretty good when you can steal, untap, kill, steal again. Not to mention being able to steal the turn you cast merieke
For the past couple of years I’ve been borrowing whatever random commander deck my friends weren’t playing. Although fun to see what they have come up with, the format has grown on me to the point where I want to invest and build my own (semi) competitive multiplayer commander list. I own many of the staples listed below, but rounding out the list will require some investment, so I would really appreciate your feedback both on my choice of commander, and on my card choices.
I think I’ve settled on Merieke Ri Berit due to my play style. I like to be reactive to my opponents, control the board, and prevent them from establishing themselves by:
I almost always find myself in ESPER, BANT, or ANA. Knowing that, I narrowed down my list of commanders to these (if there are commanders you think I should consider, or if based on my play style you think I should reconsider one of these please let me know):
In the end I wanted access to white for spot removal and equipment, and black for sweepers and the potential to abuse Rune-Scarred Demon and Bitterblossom. Not the most scientific rational, which is why I’m reaching out to you know!
1 Merieke Ri Berit (3)
CREATURES 26
1 Mother of Runes (1)
1 Stoneforge Mystic (2)
1 Phyrexian Revoker (2)
1 Phantasmal Image (2)
1 Snapcaster Mage (2)
1 Spellskite (2)
1 Trinket Mage (3)
1 Vendilion Clique (3)
1 Phyrexian Metamorph (4)
1 Archaeomancer (4)
1 Solemn Simulacrum (4)
1 Glen Elendra Archmage (4)
1 Venser, Shaper Savant (4)
1 Sower of Temptation (4)
1 Clone (4)
1 Restoration Angel (4)
1 Body Double (5)
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir (5)
1 Duplicant (6)
1 Wurmcoil Engine (6)
1 Deadeye Navigator (6)
1 Sun Titan (6)
1 Phyrexian Ingester (7)
1 Sphinx of Uthuun (7)
1 Rune-Scarred Demon (7)
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One (7)
ARTIFACTS 11
1 Engineered Explosives (0)
1 Pithing Needle (1)
1 Oblivion Stone (3)
1 Expedition Map (1)
1 Sword of Fire and Ice (3)
1 Sword of Light and Shadow (3)
1 Lightning Grieves (2)
1 Skull Clamp (1)
1 Sensei’s Divining Top (1)
1 Vedalken Shackles (3)
1 Crystal Shard (3)
1 Bitterblossom (2)
INSTANTS 15
1 Render Silent (3)
1 Muddle the Mixture (2)
1 Hinder (3)
1 Spell Crumple (3)
1 Counterspell (2)
1 Cryptic Command (4)
1 Mystical Teachings (4)
1 Cyclonic Rift (2)
1 Fact or Fiction (4)
1 Mortify (3)
1 Swords to Plowshares (1)
1 Esper Charm (3)
1 Path to Excel (1)
1 Momentary Blink (2)
1 Ghostway (3)
SORCERY 8
1 Austere Command (6)
1 Black Sun’s Zenith (3)
1 Demonic Tutor (2)
1 Damnation (4)
1 Supreme Verdict (4)
1 Steelshaper’s Gift (1)
1 Rite of Replication (4)
1 Fabricate (3)
LANDS 38
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Arid Mesa
1 Windswept Heath
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Flooded Strand
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Tundra
1 Underground Sea
1 Godless Shrine
1 Scrubland
1 Arcane Sanctum
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Vesuva
1 Rupture Spire
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Transguild Promenade
1 Wasteland
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Darkwater Catacombs
1 Tainted Isle
1 Sunken Ruins
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Snow-Covered Island
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
1 Tolaria West
1 Darkslick Shores
1 Kor Haven
1 Maze of Ith
1 Forbidden Orchard
The interactions I like in this deck:
Things I don’t know:
Oh, and also you may want to consider cards like thousand-year elixir and variants of that card if you're running merieke. They're pretty good when you can steal, untap, kill, steal again. Not to mention being able to steal the turn you cast merieke