Last updated on September 8, 2026
Witherbloom Command | Illustration by Dmitry Burmak
Commander, also unofficially known as Elder Dragon Highlander or EDH for short, has been around as a fan-made format almost since the beginning of MTG itself. However, it is more than a dozen years since Wizards of the Coast officially started selling retail products specifically for the Commander play style.
In 2011 the first set of Commander preconstructed decks hit the shelves. It consisted of five 3-colored decks with one main commander and another two optional commanders that fit the color combination.
Since 2011, WotC has released about 50 Commander precon sets (many with 2-4 decks each), plus entire sets dedicated to Commander staples and new cards for the format. So, with this huge history of products, thereโs one simple question that would plague anyone: Which of these precons is worth buying?
This is the question that I answer today. I take into consideration the needs of different types of players. The decks listed here came to the top, but that doesn't mean a 4th or 5th option outside of what's listed in these categories won't bring a huge smile to your face, or come out on top of your pod. Don't underestimate the value of self-expression through your Commander deck.
Best Precons for New Commander Players
Overwhelmed Apprentice | Illustration by Jason Rainville
In my opinion, this is where the vast majority of EDH products shine the brightest. Most if not all of these decks are great to pull out of the box, sit down and play with friends or at your local game store.
Some of these decks are a bit more complicated to get the hang of. Commander is a format that is open to many different strategies and understanding how to play is a beast compared to some other formats. That being said, here are decks that any player with a basic understanding of how to play MTG can get into without too many complications.
#4. Avengers Assemble
Avengers Assemble throws your heroic deeds against the rest of the table with Captain America, Team Leader at the head of the fray. It's all about heroes, with a variety of powerful and iconic characters from Marvel contributing to your quick win.
This is a great product for new players because the gameplan is straightforward: Play heroes and attack. A straightforward gameplan lets you focus on learning the nuances of the game and its ruleset without going too deep in complex interactions. Heroes are a fairly scant archetype, but that just makes the deck easier to upgrade since you only really need to buy packs of Spider-Man and Marvel Super Heroes. There's also plenty of typal support to draw on, so I really like Avengers Assemble as a starter precon.
- ASSEMBLE EARTHโS MIGHTIEST HEROESโBring the might of the Marvel Universe to the battlefield as you combat your friends with a ready-to-play deck featuring your favorite Marvel super heroes
- ALWAYS COUNT ON CAPโRally the Avengers with Captain America, boosting your power and abilities for each Hero you add to the team. Attach Equipment and stack counters to ensure your ranks are suited up to save the world!
- 30 NEW COMMANDER CARDSโEach ready-to-play deck includes 30 Commander cards entirely new to Magic: The Gathering
- FOIL BORDERLESS COMMANDERโCommand your deck in style with 1 Legendary Creature card featuring Borderless art and a shiny Traditional Foil treatment
- EPIC MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโMagicโs most popular multiplayer play format, Commander is an action-packed, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue (best with 3โ5 players)
#3. Counter Blitz
Counter Blitz puts you deep into the action right away with lots of different counters and ways to increase their number. The ability to move counters and manipulate them give new players a lot to track, but the creativity and relatively straightforward play are still suitable for young or returning Magic players.
The goal is to get a few counters in play, then proliferate them and increase them. In Tidus, Yuna's Guardian and Yuna, Grand Summoner you get either card draw capability or ramp and counter generation. Then the fun commences with summons that are both sagas and creatures and offer a wealth of effects when you can add or remove counters each turn.
The outlook on Counter Blitz is great because counters show up in every new set and will only increase the power here.
- FINAL FANTASY X-THEMED DECKโBattle your friends with FINAL FANTASY Xโs iconic heroes, villains, and spells with the strategic gameplay of the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game
- WHEN YOU GOT THE BALL, YOU GOTTA SCORE.โEmbark on a journey to Zanarkand alongside Tidus, Yunaโs Guardian as you buff your creatures with counters and pass them around to boost team spirit
- 25 NEW CARDS plus ALL NEW ARTโAll 100 cards in this ready-to-play deck feature new FINAL FANTASY-themed art, including 25 Commander cards entirely new to Magic: The Gathering
- 2 FOIL LEGENDARY CARDSโEach deck includes 2 Legendary Creature cards with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment that can be played as your commander
- COLLECT SPECIAL ALT-BORDER CARDSโEach deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 alternate-border cards of rarity Rare or higher
#2. Silverquill Influence
Beginning Commander players do well with fewer permanents to worry about and the power of auras exhibit this nicely in Silverquill Influence. The color combination and Killian let you focus on one key attacker and gives you lots of options for combat. This is a balanced deck that is easy to use with plenty of card draw.
- FACE YOUR GREATEST TEST YETโThe hallowed halls of Strixhaven welcome you back to school! Choose your college of magical study and expand your education in the greater world of Arcavios as you stand against mysterious threats plaguing the plane
- INSTIGATE A WAR OF WORDSโWeaponize your words with Silverquill standout Killian, who encourages the rest of the table to attack targets that arenโt you. Tap, goad, and control creatures with every enchantment you cast while you sit back, draw cards, and savor the mayhem
- 2 FOIL BORDERLESS COMMANDERSโEvery Secrets of Strixhaven Commander Deck includes 2 Traditional Foil Mythic Rare Legendary Creature cards featuring Borderless art that can be played as your commander
- INTRODUCES 12 COMMANDER CARDSโEach deck introduces 12 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
#1. Riders of Rohan
In the kingdoms of men, the Riders of Rohan are outstanding. The humans rally bring in a steady stream of reinforcements with the upside of drawing extra cards thanks to leaders, รowyn, Shieldmaiden and Aragorn, King of Gondor.
This is a deck that's direct and fun to play, and thatโs really the key, to get our friends excited to play Magic!
- MAGIC MEETS THE LORD OF THE RINGSโExperience the beloved story of The Lord of the Rings with the strategic gameplay of Magic: The Gathering, facing off against opponents in thrilling magical battles
- EPIC MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
- RIDERS OF ROHANโJoin the riders of Rohan with a 100-card Blue-Red-White deck containing 2 Foil Legendary Creature cards and 98 nonfoil cards
- INTRODUCES 20 COMMANDER CARDSโThis deck introduces 20 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDSโEach deck comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 special treatment cards from The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth set, including 1 Rare or Mythic Rare and at least 1 Traditional Foil
Best Precon Found In Stores (Recent Precons)
#3. Turtle Power! โ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Turtles in a half shell, Turtle Power! uses all five colors of Magic to create the world most fearsome fighting team. The cards work really well together and the mana base is above average for a precon with this many colors. It's got lots of options for card draw and combat prowess and is consistently one of the more fun decks at the table.
- TAP INTO TURTLE POWERโMagic gets a quadruple dose of mutagenic mayhem as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles make their debut on the battlefield!
- PARTNER WITH ALLIES AND BUFF YOUR TEAMโUnleash mutagenic mayhem and battle your friends in Commander, Magicโs most popular multiplayer format.
- INCLUDES 43 NEW CARDSโThis 100-card ready-to-play Commander deck introduces 43 never-before-seen cards to Magic: The Gathering
- CONTENTSโ100-card deck with 43 new cards, 1 deck box, 10 double-sided token cards, 1 strategy insert, 1 reference card
#2. Lorehold Spirit โ Secrets of Strixhaven
The red and white colors that fly behind Lorehold Spirit often show the way for solid beginner strategies. The quirk here is that this precon leans on cards leaving the graveyard. It goes wide with spirits and has the capacity to reach opponent's life totals in multiple ways.
- FACE YOUR GREATEST TEST YETโThe hallowed halls of Strixhaven welcome you back to school! Choose your college of magical study and expand your education in the greater world of Arcavios as you stand against mysterious threats plaguing the plane
- HARNESS THE GHOSTS OF THE PASTโSet out on a Lorehold expedition with Quintorius and planeswalk a lethal path across the table. Create Spirits when cards leave your graveyard, then pile on typal Spirit bonuses and buffs to bury your opponents six feet deep!
- 2 FOIL BORDERLESS COMMANDERSโEvery Secrets of Strixhaven Commander Deck includes 2 Traditional Foil Mythic Rare Legendary Creature cards featuring Borderless art that can be played as your commander
- INTRODUCES 12 COMMANDER CARDSโEach deck introduces 12 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
#1. Multiverse Reforged โ Reality Fracture
Multiverse Reforged is a green-less precon with emphasis on tokens. Cards that say things like โcreate those tokens plus an additionalโฆโ and mechanics like populate, mobillize or fabricate are well supported in these colors and that doesn't account for the Reality Fracture addition of empower Jace.
- JACEโS SOLUTION. EVERYONEโS PROBLEMโMastermind mage Jace Beleren has pushed reality to its breaking point. An alternate Multiverse of his own creation threatens to overtake the current one, and just one team of heroes stands in the path of oblivion
- SCULPT THE GREATEST THREATS IN ANY REALITYโReimagine a new Multiverse with Jace at the helm as you make tokens and warp reality to power up
- 2 FOIL BORDERLESS COMMANDERSโEvery Reality Fracture Commander Deck includes 2 Mythic Legendary cards that can be played as your commander, each featuring Borderless art and a shiny Traditional Foil treatment
- INTRODUCES 18 COMMANDER CARDSโEach deck introduces 18 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโBattle your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells in Commander, Magicโs most popular multiplayer format
Best Budget Precon Decks
Commander precon decks have a very wide range of prices, going from considerably cheap decks to very expensive depending on the set and the cards they include. Here are some of the more affordable ones so you can try out new Commander decks and not dip too much into your savings.
#3. Quandrix Unlimited
Quandrix Unlimited puts math at the forefront in a good middle school math game way. It accelerates +1/+1 counters and if you get it going exponential, you overwhelm the board like only a deck can. Beware of bounce effects, otherwise, the +1/+1 counter theme is full of options when you want to swap out cards, and the versatility and โwowโ factor of X spells remains brilliant.
The highlight cards are:
- Benevolent Hydra
- Expansion Algorithm
- Guardian Augmenter
- Nature's Claim
- Ozolith, the Shattered Spire
- Three Visits
- Unbound Flourishing
- FACE YOUR GREATEST TEST YETโThe hallowed halls of Strixhaven welcome you back to school! Choose your college of magical study and expand your education in the greater world of Arcavios as you stand against mysterious threats plaguing the plane
- RUN THE NUMBERSโFormulate the equation for victory with Zimone as your constant variable. Cast X-spells for +1/+1 counters and ever-increasing discounts, supercharging your brainy brawling to towering new tiers!
- 2 FOIL BORDERLESS COMMANDERSโEvery Secrets of Strixhaven Commander Deck includes 2 Traditional Foil Mythic Rare Legendary Creature cards featuring Borderless art that can be played as your commander
- INTRODUCES 12 COMMANDER CARDSโEach deck introduces 12 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
#2. Blight Curse
Put the Blight Curse on opponents with some nasty -1/-1 counter play. It makes removal part of your game plan and that alone is powerful. Wither returns on Necroskitter and it's absolutely filthy when you pull it off. You never feel out of the game with the versatility and options this deck affords you.
Blight Curseโs highlight cards are:
- Blowfly Infestation
- Fire Covenant
- Hoarder's Greed
- Ignoble Hierarch
- Massacre Girl, Known Killer
- Tree of Perdition
- Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
- RETURN TO THE LAND OF LIGHT AND SHADOWโLorwyn returns, not as it once was, but a world split in two. Explore this dual-aspect plane filled with enchanting creatures and embrace the powers of order and chaos.
- READY-TO-PLAY COMMANDER DECKโPick up and play Magicโs most popular multiplayer format
- CONTENTSโ100-card Blight Curse deck with 12 new cards (including 2 foil Mythics), deck box, 10 double-sided token cards, strategy insert, reference card
#1. Counter Intelligence
The Counter Intelligence commander is a simple one and offers lots of flexibility and can proliferate the turn it is played. There is a bit to track with the wide range of counters you might use, but some colored dice do nicely to differentiate the counters.
The deck gives fresh life to charge counters which were rarely used after the Mirrodin block, but return strong with the station mechanic. This deck makes incremental jumps and has really cool artifacts, and is fun to upgrade.
Some highlights include:
- SURPASS YOUR PROGRAMMINGโBoost artifacts and proliferate counters with the aid of interstellar vessel, Inspirit, and its sentient navigational consciousness, Kilo
- 2 FOIL BORDERLESS COMMANDERSโEvery Edge of Eternities Commander Deck includes 2 Traditional Foil Legendary Creature cards featuring Borderless art
- INTRODUCES 12 COMMANDER CARDSโEach deck introduces 12 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDSโEach deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 1 Traditional Foil card and 1 alt-border Rare or Mythic Rare (foil or nonfoil)
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
What If I Have a Bigger Budget? Best Pricier Precons
Sometimes budget can be a problem, but other times you simply have no issues spending as much as you want on a fun or powerful deck, regardless of how strong your commander is. On special occasions, Wizards offers foils-out EDH decks like those in Final Fantasy or Marvel Super Heroes. Aside from the foilness in the Final Fantasy Collector's Edition Commander Decks, or the blinged out Collector's Edition Marvel Super Heroes Commander bundle, the lists of cards are the same, so let's skip their ranking here. Also noteworthy are the Universes Beyond Warhammer 40,000 Commander Decks which have immense power and a collector's fully foil edition. Letโs see decks on the more expensive side.
#3. Arcane Maelstrom
One of the decks that strays furthest from the Ikoria set mechanics is also one of its most interesting, Arcane Maelstrom. Led by Kalamax, the Stormsire, this instants-matter deck aims to cast the most instants to overwhelm your opponent.
This set of precons also brought a total of 17 unique cards for Commander with each deck, and the value of a lot of its cards is something to keep in mind when you consider cards like Deflecting Swat. All in all, the power level of this deck is pretty high, and when added up to the amazing number of unique Commander cards and the great singles, it makes the deckโs price worth it.
Some of this deckโs highlight cards are:
- Deflecting Swat
- Etali, Primal Storm
- Haldan, Avid Arcanist
- Pako, Arcane Retriever
- Xyris, the Writhing Storm
- Choose from three fierce Commanders from Ikoria Lair of Behemoths (IKO) to lead your deck to victoryโfour legendary creatures including two that share a magical bond and can command your deck together
- Commander is a Magic The Gathering (MTG) multiplayer format where alliances are formed friends are betrayed and grudges are repaid with a vengeance
- Turn the tide of any battle with the Arcane Maelstrom deckโcopy spells with Kalamax the Stormsire draw cards when you do damage with Xyris the Writhing Storm or exile your opponentsโ resources and cast them yourself with Haldan Avid Arcanist and Pako Arcane Retriever
- Arcane Maelstrom is one of five Commander Decks from Ikoria Lair of Behemoths (IKO) Each includes exclusive cards tailored to that deckโpick your favorite mechanics and dive in to battle!
- Battle your way through the plane of Ikoria with monster-themed mechanics that grow your creatures build your bond and crush your opponents
#2. Entropic Uprising
Older decks can be a little harder to find nowadays and that causes their price to shoot up, but some of them are still worth it even with the highly inflated prices. This particular 4-colored deck is an ode to some of the weirdest things you can do in MTG, which is to build a deck of chaos cards. Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder gives cascade to all the spells you play each turn after heโs dealt combat damage to your opponent, which at some point will inevitably end up in a storm of random spells to enter the battlefield all in one turn and cause a huge mess.
Another added value to Entropic Uprising is the two partner commanders that come with it, Vial Smasher the Fierce and Thrasios, Triton Hero. Both are long-standing, great commanders among the best in the format.
Some of this deckโs highlight cards are:
- Cruel Entertainment
- Grave Upheaval
- Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix
- Thrasios, Triton Hero
- Vial Smasher the Fierce
#1. Eldrazi Unbound
The Eldrazi Unbound deck does make you a target on the table, and that's because you rightfully have the capability to produce the biggest threats known to Magic. Zhulodok, Void Gorger is not one of the big three Eldrazi Titans, but is a ridiculously strong support card. This deck makes use out of โsmallerโ eldrazi like Oblivion Sower, and Endbringer. The restriction to the colorless identity is significant and made up for by rampant mana rocks that make high-cost spells easy to achieve. If you would rather play with colors, we do have a separate 5-color deck commanded by Ulalek you may be interested in.
This deck goes far beyond the price ceiling for most Commander precons. If it's any consolation, Zhulodok brings along some amazing and valuable singles. Eldrazi Unbound includes:
- POWERFUL RIGHT OUT OF THE BOXโTake your Commander game to the next level with a high-powered, ready-to-play deck
- PLAY WITH COMMANDERโS GREATEST HITSโTurn heads with a deck stacked with reprints of some of the greatest cards to grace Magicโs most popular format
- INTRODUCES 10 COMMANDER CARDSโEach Commander deck also introduces 10 never-before-seen Magic: The Gathering cards
- COLORLESS COMMANDER DECKโget the Eldrazi Unbound Commander Deck, a Colorless 100-card deck containing 2 Foil Legendary cards and 98 nonfoil cards, and battle your friends in epic, multiplayer games
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDSโEach deck comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 special treatment cards from the Commander Masters set, including 1 Rare or Mythic Rare
Best Precon Decks for Value
While Wizardsโ precons have become more focused and fun over the years, their value tends to fluctuate as they get older. More recent releases with unique cards or exciting alternate art are typically much more valuable than others. Letโs take a look at three of the best!
#3. Graveyard Overdrive
Graveyard Overdrive gets stronger as your opponents defeat or remove your cards. This natural graveyard theme has power that scales with card types in your graveyard and is a good old concept. Some cards here definitely feel old, and Commander is fine with that.
A sizable portion of the deck list are strong cards that are just outside the best commander cards lists, like Archon of Cruelty, Final Act, and The Reaver Cleaver. Yes, there is an increase in price for the MH3 product compared to many other Commander precons, but this is a case where the purchase price leads to great value.
More notable cards include:
- Barrowgoyf
- Bloodbraid Challenger
- Polygoyf
- Sawhorn Nemesis
- Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
- Siege-Gang Lieutenant
- POWERFUL RIGHT OUT OF THE BOXโBattle your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells with a 100-card Commander Deck thatโs ready to defeat your opponents right out of the box
- NO REST FOR THE RESTLESSโFill your graveyard, then let the fallen fuel your counterattack and watch your foes run with this relentless Black-Red-Green deck
- INTRODUCES 15 COMMANDER CARDSโThis deck introduces 15 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering, including 2 foil Legendary Creature cards
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDSโEach deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 alt-border cards from the Modern Horizons 3 set, including 1 Rare or Mythic Rare and at least 1 Traditional Foil card
- YOUR NEW FOREVER FAVORITESโIntroducing a heaping helping of exciting cards plus the return of competitive favorites, thereโs something for everyone to love in Modern Horizons 3 Commander Decks
#2. Coven Counters
Coven Counters looks to give you bonuses for controlling creatures with different powers. It's hard enough to keep three creatures out, so you might as well be rewarded for it, and green and white are the right colors for creatures. What that means though is the best green and white creatures from the current set have a decent chance of slotting in with the precon's Mikaeus, the Lunarch, Verdurous Gearhulk, or Biogenic Upgrade.
Notable cards in Coven Counters include:
- 100-card ready-to-play Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Commander deck
- Deck includes 2 traditional foils + 98 nonfoil cards
- 1 foil-etched Display Commander
- 10 double-sided tokens + life tracker and deck box
- Introduces 15 MTG cards not found in the main set
#1. Explorers of the Deep
Explorers of the Deep is one of the foundational decks that initially clicked with players and continues to do so years after its release. Lands and +1/+1 counters are nearly always the focus when these colors meet, and if not the focus, they show up incidentally.
The Explorers of the Deep has enough value in singles to remain relevant long term.
Notable cards in Explorers of the Deep include:
- NO FISHY BUSINESSโExplore the depths for lands and buff your army of Merfolk to change the tide of battle!
- INTRODUCES 10 COMMANDER CARDSโThis deck introduces 10 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDSโEach deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 alt-border cards from the The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set, including 1 Rare or Mythic Rare and at least 1 Traditional Foil card
- EPIC MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
- JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF IXALANโExplore the cavernous depths beneath Ixalan in a race to the hidden core. Will you uncover treasure and glory, or will your adventure spell certain doom?
Best Precon Decks for Competitive EDH
Look, the simple fact is the preconstructed Commander decks arenโt built for a competitive EDH (or cEDH) environment. Theyโre designed for casual play with EDH brackets 3 and under in mind and are balanced against each other, but not much else. That said, there are a few decks that get closer to a cEDH deck, in terms of win conditions, staples and commanders. Much of what separates cEDH and traditional Commander is the access to fast mana, and game-winning cards that need few other cards. While most precons come with the necessary Sol Ring and Arcane Signet, plus a handful of slower mana rocks, they wonโt hold their own against any deck running Ancient Tomb, Grim Monolith, and many more of the game changers that infrequently come from precons.
If you were to enter a competitive Commander tournament with a precon deck, your chances of dealing with opponents sporting infinite combos as quickly and effectively as possible and winning would be extremely low. That being said, there are still a variety of decks that can hold their ground pretty well against competitive decks. Some might even become competitive themselves with upgrades and tweaks; if you'd like more ideas on how to improve these deck, check our full guide on how to upgrade Commander precons.
#3. Party Time
Party Time isnโt a super competitive deck on the face of it, but it does contain more than a couple of staples you want in a cEDH game. Commander Legends: Battle for Baldurโs Gateโs very own Black Market Connections makes it sing in EDH and makes up a large chunk of the deck's value. Itโs also got Mother of Runes, Skullclamp, and Mutavault โ each is a staple in its own right in the right deck.
Party Timeโs best value cards are not the CLB commanders but rather:
- 100-card ready-to-play Commander Legends: Battle for Baldurโs Gate Commander DeckโParty Time
- 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack
- White-Black deckโincludes 3 traditional foils + 97 nonfoil cards
- 1 foil-etched Display Commander, 10 double-sided tokens + life tracker and deck box
- Introduces 10 MTG cards not found in the main CLB set
#2. Arcane Wizardry
Arcane Wizardry benefits from a commander that influences the game from the command zone with eminence. Inside the deck is Kess, Dissident Mage who is a legit cEDH commander.
Much of the deck needs to be replaced to really operate in bracket 5, but the colors and commander are there, and flexing the right instants and sorceries is always going to be a focus in Grixis cEDH. You can do much worse than Arcane Wizardry as your starting point going into competitive Commander.
Arcane Wizardryโs best cards are:
#1. Quick Draw
Tucked into Quick Draw is one of the consistently dominant cards, Niv-Mizzet, Parun. Sorry Stella, you've got to work a bit harder to overcome some incredibly strong cards in your deck. The supporting cast is rockin' with Bloodthirsty Adversary, Chaos Warp, and Talrand, Sky Summoner. Not only do spellslinger commanders knock off opponents, you get to play some famously competitive cards like: Ponder, Treasure Cruise, and Vandalblast.
Notable cards in Quick Draw are rounded out by:
- HERE COMES A SHOWDOWN THROWDOWNโBecome the quickest draw in Thunder Junction, casting multiple spells per turn, and duel your friends with a Blue-Red deck thatโs ready-to-play right out of the box
- EPIC MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
- INTRODUCES 10 COMMANDER CARDSโThis deck introduces 10 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering, including 2 foil Legendary Creature cards (one of which is Borderless!)
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDSโEach deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 alt-border cards from the Outlaws of Thunder Junction set, including 1 Rare or Mythic Rare and at least 1 Traditional Foil card
- CONTENTSโ1 ready-to-play Quick Draw Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander Deck, a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack, 10 double-sided tokens, 1 life tracker, and 1 deck box
The More the Merrier: The Best Bundled Decks
Maybe you want to expand your MTG Commander collection, you have a friend whoโs really into Commander and you want to buy them a big gift, or you want to grab a single purchase that allows you to play a full game of EDH with your friends. Well, thatโs what these bundles are for.
You can order one of them for yourself and keep all the decks or share the cost with friends and get into a match right away.
#3. Commander Anthology: Volume 2
With the first Commander Anthology pretty well-liked by players, Volume 2 was definitely another step in the right direction.
The Commander Anthology 2 bundle includes four decks from four different years, and both the power levels and the single-card values of these decks make the pack completely worth it.
This anthology includes:
- Devour for Power, from the Commander 2011 set. One of the most sought-after decks from the original Commander precon set, The Mimeoplasmโs deck is an all-time fan favorite of the format.
- Built From Scratch, from the Commander 2014 set. Daretti, Scrap Savant by itself makes this deck worth it. The planeswalker commander is an amazing card for artifact decks both from the command zone and as part of the 99.
- Wade Into Battle, from the Commander 2015 set. I mention that Kalemne, Disciple of Iroasโ deck has good high-value cards, so itโs a great addition to the bundle.
- Breed Lethality, from the Commander 2016 set is a deck I keenly considered for the more competitive options. The presence of Atraxa, Praetors' Voice itself in the bundle is already a huge point in favor of it.
- Commander Anthology Volume II collects four sought-after and long-out-of-print Commander series decks in one deluxe package!
- Each anthology set contains four 100-card decks, including 13 foil commanders!!
- The four decks coming back are "Devour for Power" (helmed by The Mimeoplasm), "Built from Scratch" (the Daretti, Scrap Savant deck), "Wade into Battle" (with Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas leading the charge), and "Breed Lethality" (with everyone's favorite proliferator, Atraxa, Praetors' Voice).
- Includes Atraxa!! This set is hot!
- Release Date: June 08, 2018
#2. Bloomburrow's Commander Decks
Gather friends and family for fun cards and play with the Bloomburrow Commander decks. The theme lands nicely like an apple not far from its tree. The balance of deck styles makes Bloomburrow Commander 4-Deck Bundle a fun collection of decks for a playgroup that can appreciate flavor as well as great gameplay.
The exciting reprints in these decks include planeswalkers, reimagined as animals. There is certainly room for upgrades within each deck, and you don't need to forage too far to really beef them up.
- Animated Army turns artifacts and enchantments into 4/4 indestructible springs of card advantage. It's simply devastating.
- Family Matters is trickier to navigate, like any parent with several littles, you want to use your 1/1s to your advantage and fill the board with creatures.
- Peace Offering, requires a different pace of play with group hug. Convince your opponents that you are not a threat and you stand a great chance to win and make sure everyone has fun.
- Squirreled Away is primarily a token deck, and so goes wide to overwhelm opponents.
- TINY TAILS, BIG ADVENTUREโPut your best paw forward and enter the world of Bloomburrow. Fight beside adorable critters and prove that bravery comes in all sizes.
- GET ALL 4 BLOOMBURROW COMMANDER DECKSโMake trash and smash with Animated Army, make offspring and go wide with Family Matters, make friends and then end them with Peace Offering, or hoard tokens to defeat your enemies with an army of squirrels with Squirreled Away
- EPIC MULTIPLAYER BATTLESโCommander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
- INTRODUCING 40 COMMANDER CARDSโEach deck introduces 10 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering, including 3 foil cards (one of which is Borderless.)
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDSโEach deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 cards from the Bloomburrow set, including 1 alt-border Rare or Mythic Rare and at least 1 Traditional Foil card
#1. Final Fantasy Commander Decks
The Final Fantasy series of games have incredible depth, so that makes it hard for players to get through them all. If you played Final Fantasy 6, Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 10, or Final Fantasy 14, you are in for a treat. The Final Fantasy commander decks are based out of their single games, plus each gets a sizable 25 cards designed for the specific deck.
Experience reprints from Magic's history in the art and story of Final Fantasy Commander Decks.
- Counter Blitz wants to move your counters from creature to creature. The use of +1/+1 counters shows up in pretty much every color, every set, so the range of upgrades and seasoning to taste is huge with this precon.
- Limit Break combines themes of equipment and power matters in a deck set on dominating the combat phase.
- Revival Trance, does reanimation and basically punishes opponents for spending cards to kill its creatures. This deck extends your hand to the graveyard and has some artifact synergy too.
- Scions & Spellcraft trades the typical color that cares about instants and sorceries in for and sits in an interesting space among spells-matter decks with slightly fewer creatures. Focus on draining the life from opponents with big sorceries and instants and win the long game with this Esper commander deck.
- FINAL FANTASY XIV-THEMED DECKโBattle your friends with FINAL FANTASY XIVโs iconic heroes, villains, and spells with the strategic gameplay of the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game
- ALWAYS SEEK OUT NEW KNOWLEDGEโBe a master caster and gain control with card advantage as you band together with Yโshtola, Nightโs Blessed to aid Eorzea in its time of need
- 25 NEW CARDS plus ALL NEW ARTโAll 100 cards in this ready-to-play deck feature new FINAL FANTASY-themed art, including 25 Commander cards entirely new to Magic: The Gathering
- 2 FOIL LEGENDARY CARDSโEach deck includes 2 Legendary Creature cards with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment that can be played as your commander
- COLLECT SPECIAL ALT-BORDER CARDSโEach deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 alternate-border cards of rarity Rare or higher
I've always found those precon boxes to be unreliable, and if you lug around your bundle of decks in a reusable bag or backpack and want a better way to store your Commander decks, read up about some of the best ways to store your Commander decks.
Wrap Up
Tale's End | Illustration by Randy Vargas
When all is said and done, I think there are a lot of things to consider when you buy a Commander precon. Which deck you choose depends on what you look for, and I encourage you to follow these tips and build your own deck around your favorite Commander from scratch.
What are your favorite Commander precons? Feel free to comment with your favorite non-precon commanders, too! Hopefully, someday we get an online Commander video game, or add EDH to Arena, so be sure to familiarize yourself with Arena Tutor for when that day comes!
Thatโs all from me for today, so see you next time!
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4 Comments
Hi, I see that this was updated on 11/23/21, but I don’t see listed any of the Precons released after Kaldheim (Comannder 2021/Strixhaven, Adventures in Forgotten Realms, Innistrad:Midnight Hunt, and Innistrad:Crimson Vow).
Were those considered but just didn’t make the cut for this list, or are those still to-be-evaluated/added? Thanks so much!
We review these articles periodically to make sure they’re still relevant. I believe the last couple precons haven’t been considered, but the others have. We’ll update the publish date when we do a full re-review.
Commander masters are still the best pre-cons today?
They are some pretty unique and excellent decks.
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