The 35 Best Extra Combat Commanders in Magic Ranked

Last updated on August 31, 2025

Isshin, Two Heavens as One | Illustration by Ryan Pancoast

Of the many themes a Commander deck might have, one strikes me as very curious: additional combat phases. These EDH decks are very attack-oriented, as the name implies, but isn’t attacking a bad proposition in EDH? Usually yes, because you leave yourself open to get hit by other players. but not if you already have a formidable force and you’re able to do it again and again.

Today we’re taking a look at the best commanders to have when your strategy is attacking many times in a single turn. These commanders enhance your aggression to take your opponents down in a flurry of slick combats before they know what hit them.

What Are Extra Combat Commanders in MTG?

Mishra, Claimed by Gix | Illustration by Chris Rahn

Extra combat commanders in MTG are commanders whose decks are built around getting the most out of extra combat steps. There are many card types that grant extra combat phases in the same turn: enchantments like Aggravated Assault, instants like Savage Beating, or creatures that grant this effect when they attack, like Aurelia, the Warleader. The strategy is to establish a good board presence, buff your creatures, and have effects that grant additional combat phases to hit a player multiple times, or hit every player hard enough in each combat step. After all, if you’re playing against more than one foe, it’s only fair to attack them all equally.

Regarding the color pie, red is the color of aggression, and many of the additional combat phase effects are red cards. As such, commanders covered here will be at least red. From red you can branch into Boros commanders, Rakdos commanders, and even Grixis commanders. What extra combat commanders have in common is that they usually hit hard, grant a strong bonus to attacking creatures, and most (although not all of them) even grant the extra combat themselves. With that out of the way, let’s see which are the best.

#35. Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient

Extra combats with Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient generate a bunch of mana, which can be used to cast spells like Great Train Heist to keep attacking. You can’t go infinite with Aggravated Assault since this Gruul commander only generates mana for spells.

#34. Umaro, Raging Yeti

Chaos reigns with Umaro, Raging Yeti, which delivers one of three powerful effects every time combat starts. Whether it buffs your team with +3/+0 and trample, draws you four fresh cards, or deals 5 damage to anything, you get value just by turning it sideways.

#33. Vaan, Street Thief

It feels even better to slip past defenses with scouts, pirates, or rogues when Vaan, Street Thief leads the charge. You create a strong value engine when those creatures exile your opponents’ cards and generate Treasures. Plus, you buff your whole team when you cast those stolen spells. If you get multiple combat steps, you snowball fast with the right mix of evasive threats.

#32. Far Fortune, End Boss

Because it turns every attack into a small ping to all opponents, Far Fortune, End Boss builds momentum with its start your engines ability, which escalates until all your damage gets supercharged. Once you hit max speed, every single damage source you control hits harder. Give it a few extra combats, and you'll roast your table in no time. Great with burn spells or token swarms that trigger even more damage.

#31. Lightning, Army of One

With Lightning, Army of One, every hit you land doubles down on damage dealt by your stuff next turn. Extra combats turn into nightmare scenarios for your opponents, especially if you stack first strike and trample over and over. Imagine pairing this with Combat Celebrant or Relentless Assault: You get a lifelinking, trampling powerhouse that dishes out double damage again and again.

#30. Tifa, Martial Artist

Tifa, Martial Artist was practically built for extra combat steps thanks to its ability to get a second combat step the first time a creature with 7 or more power deals combat damage to your opponents. With creatures like Etali, Primal Storm or even Questing Beast, Tifa turns one combat into a chain of beatdowns. Cards that grant haste or boost power can make sure you're getting that trigger every turn.

#29. Seifer Almasy

Seifer Almasy wants to attack solo, and it rewards you with double strike and a free spell from your graveyard when it connects. Now imagine giving this commander multiple combat phases: Each one giving you another instant or sorcery for free. Cards like World at War or Savage Beating make sure Seifer keeps getting its moment in the spotlight while your graveyard turns into a spellslinging toolbox.

#28. Amy Rose

Amy Rose loves its equipment and makes sure every swing comes with some serious power boosts. Every attack lets you auto-equip and then buff another attacker based on Amy’s power, so stacking extra combats with cards like Combat Celebrant or Scourge of the Throne makes the whole team hits harder and harder. With haste and built-in support, Amy turns gear into raw aggression.

#27. Sonic the Hedgehog

Zooming into combat, Sonic the Hedgehog powers up your entire team every time it attacks. Extra combat steps mean that you stack +1/+1 counters on all your speedy or flash creatures, which builds a snowballing board that just won’t quit. On top of that, if your creatures get hurt, you make Treasure tokens—perfect for fueling more shenanigans. Try pairing Sonic with Fury of the Horde or Hellkite Charger for nonstop action.

#26. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad

If you're into tokens and graveyard tricks, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad offers a sneaky combo engine. Every time it attacks, it creates token copies of exiled assassins from your graveyard.

#25. Knuckles the Echidna

Double strike, trample, and haste make Knuckles the Echidna a menace the moment it hits the battlefield. Every time your team connects, you’re rewarded with a Treasure, which ramps you straight into bigger plays—or even more combat steps. If you somehow hit thirty artifacts, you just win on the spot. Extra combat decks love how quickly Knuckles snowballs when left unchecked.

#24. Aisha of Sparks and Smoke

Aisha of Sparks and Smoke is capable of great deeds but it also requires some setup, whether with equipment or cantrips to raise their power. A 4/2 prowess that can get first strike on the cheap is a very interesting beater; it’s hard to block and gets bigger and bigger as you cast spells. The greatest limitation is what you have in your hand when this Boros human warrior hits, as you’ll want a healthy mix of cheap cantrips and expensive stuff, and sometimes you’ll need one and have the other.

#23. Rionya, Fire Dancer

Rionya, Fire Dancer is an interesting red commander and a bit different from other members on this list. It’s a spellslinger commander that creates extra copies of a creature based on the number of instants and sorceries you cast in a turn. You’ll get the most out of your tokens with extra combat steps since they leave the battlefield at the end step. Rionya synergizes naturally with extra combats, especially with cards like Great Train Heist or Savage Beating, which make you more tokens each additional combat.

#22. Wulfgar of Icewind Dale

Wulfgar of Icewind Dale is a more expensive and restrictive Isshin, Two Heavens as One, given its Gruul color identity. It hits like a truck if you go wide and attack all your opponents.

#21. Goro-Goro and Satoru

Goro-Goro and Satoru is the only Grixis () entry in this list, and this commander benefits from hitting with haste creatures. You can quickly snowball with additional combat steps by hitting with a haste creature, making a dragon, then hitting with that dragon during the extra combats. You can have a huge turn by giving creatures haste, making dragons, and playing an extra combat effect with all these dragons at your disposal.

#20. Karlach, Fury of Avernus

One of the biggest strengths of Karlach, Fury of Avernus is being able to use different backgrounds. Sword Coast Sailor, Raised by Giants, or Flaming Fist are all interesting backgrounds for an extra combat commander, while also expanding the color identity. Karlach also gets some points for having a good body as a 5/4 and the native extra combat ability granting first strike.

#19. Mishra, Claimed by Gix

The best thing about having Mishra, Claimed by Gix as your extra combat commander is that you’ll hit everyone while gaining life. So, you have a huge incentive to go wide, and here you’re just organizing your big army while waiting to draw a creature or spell that grants an extra combat step, and boom – massive life swing attacks.

#18. Ilharg, the Raze-Boar

Creatures with good attack triggers are prime candidates for extra combat phases. Ilharg, the Raze-Boar gives you a free Sneak Attack effect each time you get in with Illharg. This red boar god doesn’t do much when you’re empty-handed though.

#17. The Master, Multiplied

The Master, Multiplied has myriad, and, due to its own abilities, you can realistically attack three players, generate two tokens that are copies of the master, and keep the tokens on the battlefield. One extra combat step means that your three masters will become nine, and so on.

#16. Anzrag, the Quake-Mole

Anzrag, the Quake-Mole packs a big punch by itself as an 8/4 (8, seriously…) for only 4 mana. If Anzrag’s blocked, you’ll get an additional combat phase, and if it isn’t, it’s 8 to the face. You can easily create a “damned if you block, damned if you don’t block” situation, and there are tools like double strike and flings to maximize the damage dealt.

#15. Etali, Primal Storm

Etali, Primal Storm is very restrictive as a mono-red commander, but the power is there. By attacking once, you get to cast free spells from the top of everyone’s library, and creatures you cast this way feed your extra attack steps, making a huge snowball. Note that there are no restrictions like “when Etali attacks for the first time” each turn, so you can keep doing this. Bonus points if you’re going off with this card and cast a spell with storm, which has the potential to generate many copies.

#14. Velomachus Lorehold

Each time you attack with Velomachus Lorehold, you get a chance to cast a spell from your library that costs 5 or less. The value is totally dependent on what you find, of course, but it’s a nice incentive to get extra attacks with this dragon.

#13. Otharri, Suns' Glory

Each time you attack with Otharri, Suns' Glory, you make an attacking 2/2 token for each experience counters you have, and that adds up fast. Otharri also dodges commander tax if you cast it directly from your graveyard. So picture this: By itself, an attack from Otharri is 3+2, an extra attack is 3+2+4, and so on. That’s not counting the extra creatures you have laying around. The best part is, you can recast Otharri after a sweeper by just playing another rebel.

#12. Kefka, Court Mage // Kefka, Ruler of Ruin

Kefka, Court Mage is chaos in motion. Every attack forces discards and rewards you with card draw based on the card types of discarded cards. Flip it into Kefka, Ruler of Ruin and suddenly every point of life loss your opponents suffer means more cards for you. Extra combat steps here aren’t just aggressive, they’re fuel for massive card advantage.

#11. Ureni of the Unwritten

Ureni of the Unwritten is a dragon-lover’s dream. Every time it enters or attacks, you get to dig eight cards deep and possibly drop a dragon straight onto the battlefield. More combat steps equal more massive dragons hit the field for free. What's not to love?

#10. Arabella, Abandoned Doll

The rewards you get for going wide with small creatures make Arabella, Abandoned Doll an adorable but deadly commander. Every time it attacks, Arabella drains your opponents and gains you life equal to your army of 2-power-or-less critters. Add extra combat steps into the mix, and that life drain gets out of hand quickly.

#9. Gilgamesh, Master-at-Arms

Every time Gilgamesh, Master-at-Arms attacks, it digs through your deck and slams equipment directly onto the battlefield, often already attached. Extra combats mean more chances to cheat out gear like Colossus Hammer or Sword of Fire and Ice, which quickly makes your battlefield explode with power. Cards like Aurelia, the Warleader or Waves of Aggression turn Gilgamesh into a one-man armory.

#8. Pako, Arcane Retriever

Pako, Arcane Retriever is a fun and aggressive commander that rewards you every time it attacks. Each swing lets you exile the top card of every player’s deck and grow stronger if you hit noncreature cards. The more combat phases you get thanks to cards like Aggravated Assault or Seize the Day, the faster Pako snowballs into a massive threat. Pair it with its partner Haldan, Avid Arcanist for full value, but even solo, this doggo goes wild with extra attacks.

#7. Aurelia, the Warleader

For 6 mana, you get an extra combat step and a 3/4 flying angel. Aurelia, the Warleader benefits the most from an already stacked battlefield before they arrive. Depending on your board, it can very well be a 6 mana GG.

#6. Najeela, the Blade-Blossom

Najeela, the Blade-Blossom is the go-to commander for 5-color warriors, an excellent token generator, a great aggro commander, and one of the most interesting 5-color commanders overall. If you attack with warriors, you’ll make more warriors, so there’s definitely the go-wide warrior typal component involved. What’s more, by paying , you’ll grant your team a buffed extra combat step.

#5. Moraug, Fury of Akoum

Moraug, Fury of Akoum has its own way to trigger extra attacks via landfall, so this legend benefits you for attacking during extra combat phases. This makes Moraug a staple in these kinds of decks, and it can be a worthy leader too. And yes, a single fetch land produces two landfall triggers and two extra combat steps!

#4. Kaalia of the Vast

One of the best Mardu commanders and strongest Mardu cards overall, Kaalia of the Vast excels as a dragon commander, angel commander, demon commander… or all of them combined! Its powerful attack trigger lets you to put an angel, demon, or dragon creature into play attacking, and Kaalia even has some evasion to make attacking easier. Even if they die, you’ve added a big creature to the battlefield. More attack steps, more angels, demons, and dragons; you get the basic idea.

#3. Xenagos, God of Revels

Xenagos, God of Revels doesn’t give you additional combat phases, but it’s a beater. Transforming a 5/5 into a 10/10 haste is a big deal, and when you’re making these ultra-powered creatures, an extra combat means certain doom for someone at the table. Xenagod works very well with flying dragons, trample, or double strike creatures, so be on the lookout for those.

#2. Isshin, Two Heavens as One

Isshin, Two Heavens as One is one of the most popular commanders out there, and it’s built with attacking in mind, which fits an extra combat step strategy perfectly. Isshin doubles your attack triggers. Another interesting way to build Isshin is to play all the Kamigawa samurai that give a benefit when you’re attacking alone and build a Voltron samurai deck with lots of different attack triggers.           

#1. Godo, Bandit Warlord

I’ve put Godo, Bandit Warlord at the top of the list simply because it’s a one-card combo coming from the command zone. Tutor up Helm of the Host, equip it to Godo, and bam! Before each attack you’ll create a copy of Godo with haste, attacking and getting another combat step, which will in turn create another copy of your commander and so on.

Best Extra Combat Commander Payoffs

Extra combat phases are your ticket to ending games fast. The more times you attack, the more pressure you apply—especially with keywords like trample, double strike, or unblockable. Cards like Overrun and Trumpet Blast make each swing hit harder, and when you stack multiple combats, that damage multiplies fast. Want to go big? Slot in finishers like Pathbreaker Ibex or Craterhoof Behemoth to turn a regular attack into a game-ender.

But extra combats are useless if your creatures don’t survive. You can keep your board alive for the next round if you grant your creatures evasion or protection with effects like Roar of Challenge or Dolmen Gate. And if you want to go full devastation mode, try dropping eldrazi like Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre or Kozilek, Butcher of Truth. Annihilator triggers every combat will shred your opponents’ boards.

Throw in Bedlam to remove blockers completely, and just make sure you’re ready to end the game before your creatures come back tapped and angry.

Wrap-Up

Xenagos, God of Revels | Illustration by Jason Chan

Extra combat phases are very supported by the red color pie, much like ramp in green, or aristocrats in black. It channels red’s aggression, with the idea of dishing the most damage you can in a single turn without thinking about the next turns. It’s also a very popular EDH deck theme, with thousands of lists posted online across many commanders.

What are your favorite builds for extra combat commanders? Let me know in the comments section below, or let’s discuss it over in the Draftsim Discord. Thanks for reading guys, and be sure to check out our blog for more dedicated EDH content.