Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury | Illustration by Adam Paquette
Commander precons always fascinate me, largely due to their quality. Any given precon could be a hot pile of garbage I wouldn't play in Limited, or it could be a certified banger filled with innovative cards and powerful interactions.
Examining these precons and picking them apart to discover intriguing synergies or deckbuilding failures—learning either way—is one of my favorite things to do. Today, I'm sorting the chase precons from the bulk with mono-colored precons!
What Are Mono-Colored Precons in MTG?
Daretti, Scrap Savant | Illustration by Dan Scott
Mono-colored precons are sealed product that contain a 100-card EDH deck that includes a commander, with 99 cards within that commander's color identity. These decks only have one color, though it can be any of Magic's five. I have not included the colorless Eldrazi Unbound precon from Commander Masters.
I'm evaluating these precons on how they play out of the box, rather than upgradability. I want good, solid decks with strong fundamentals and a concise game plan that can win a game of Magic. I'll look at the themes, strengths and weaknesses, and the commanders to help judge this. I'll also keep an eye on any notable cards, which include valuable reprints and relevant cards introduced in these decks.
#7. Sworn to Darkness
Sworn to Darkness introduces your opponents to the demons of the abyss with Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath.
Deck Themes
Sworn to Darkness is a black deck, in the most generic sense. It has some sacrifice cards, other cards that reward you for having black creatures or a bunch of Swamps, removal, and a few demons. Nothing within it resembles a strategy.
Commanders
This deck has three potential commanders: Ob Nixilis, Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief, and Ghoulcaller Gisa.
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath stands out as an excellent lifegain commander since it steadily gains life each turn, and the floor is a 5-mana 5/5 flying demon token. The emblem provides nice, consistent value.
Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief profits from cards like Crypt Ghast and Crypt of Agadeem that produce huge bursts of mana to control the board or deal chunks of damage.
Ghoulcaller Gisa turns any big creature into a zombie horde, and you have plenty of big, big creatures, even without meaningful sacrifice or zombie synergies.
It doesn't matter which one you run as your commander. The deck is completely incoherent, without the support to make any of the potential commanders shine, and it's already glutted on 5-drops. Whichever commander you choose, the deck will be mostly nonfunctional, so go with your heart.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Sworn to Darkness's generic build holds it back. It has other issues, like too many 5-drops competing with the commander, and a weak ramp package to support them, but the lack of a game plan is its most critical weakness.
It might hold its own against other decks that just want to cast cool, expensive cards bound only by their color, but it crumbles against anything with a plan more cohesive than “cast a spell each turn.” Generic good-stuff decks can work, but they require much stronger cards and a better curve than what this deck has.
Notable Cards
Crypt Ghast swings games wildly in your favor as a hyper-efficient mana doubler that gives you an outlet for the extra mana with extort.
Magus of the Coffers isn't as strong as its namesake, but anything that taps for 3 or more mana has merit.
Ghoulcaller Gisa can be a great mono-black zombie commander when it receives the proper sacrifice and zombie support.
Sudden Spoiling can delay or even prevent creature-based combos, wreck all-out attacks, and foil power-based cards like Rishkar's Expertise.
#6. Peer Through Time
Peer Through Time is a big-mana ramp deck guided by Teferi, Temporal Archmage.
Deck Themes
This deck has no theme besides ramp into big threats, but battlecruiser decks are a time-honored tradition in Commander.
Commanders
Peer Through Time has three potential commanders: Teferi, Stitcher Geralf, and Lorthos, the Tidemaker.
Lorthos, the Tidemaker doesn't offer enough spice to warrant playing it in the command zone. It's a fine top-end finisher, but the deck has no shortage of top-end.
Stitcher Geralf doesn't meaningfully interact with the deck. It's fine, but I'd rather draw it with Teferi in the command zone to get multiple activations.
Teferi, Temporal Archmage seems like the best choice, despite being rather expensive. The card advantage is good, and you can squeeze a lot from the -1 ability: four pseudo-vigilant creatures or a burst of mana. Geralf is, strangely enough, the only card with a tap ability to reactivate….
Strengths and Weaknesses
I commend this deck for being unique; it adapts a typically green strategy to blue. I have nothing else to praise.
The curve's too high, you don't have enough ramp to support a deck like this, and none of the potential commanders are supported properly. Teferi needs more permanents with strong activated abilities, Geralf needs ability cost reducers and untap effects, and Lorthos… actually, you can't do anything for that.
Possibly the greatest sin of the deck is its mediocre top-end. Steel Hellkite, Deep-Sea Kraken, and Sphinx of Jwar Isle are just a few examples of expensive cards better suited to Limited sideboards than an EDH deck. This deck might win games when it overloads Cyclonic Rift.
Notable Cards
Nothing eclipses Cyclonic Rift. It's the most valuable and strongest card in the deck, and one of the best in the format—so much so that it's a Game Changer.
Stormsurge Kraken puts in work as an obnoxiously large hexproof threat that punishes your opponents for blocking it. The only profitable way to remove it is a board wipe.
Breaching Leviathan is a neat non-blue hate card. If you pair it with a card that returns it to your hand each turn like Crystal Shard, you can establish a soft lock that keeps opposing board states tapped.
#5. Forged in Stone
Forged in Stone is a token deck whose armies are led and outfitted by the infamous Nahiri, the Lithomancer.
Deck Themes
This deck has two themes: tokens and equipment. In true precon fashion, these themes lead to rather sloppy deckbuilding since they don't interact particularly well; most cards that make tokens don't work well with equipment, and vice versa.
Commanders
You have three choices for commander: Nahiri, Kemba, Kha Regent, and Jazal Goldmane.
This deck doesn't have enough protection to make me want to invest a ton of mana into suiting Kemba, Kha Regent up as a Voltron commander.
Jazal Goldmane isn't impressive by modern standards, but the mass pump gives you a strong finisher.
I still prefer Nahiri, the Lithomancer, however. Messy as the themes are, Nahiri combines them and makes the deck less awkward, and the recursion on the -2 is basically the only way to recur strong equipment like Skullclamp and Argentum Armor.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Those conflicting themes are the big weakness. Tokens and equipment aren't terrible; Bonehoard, for example, makes a card that produces three tokens substantially more threatening since they become more significant threats, but you can have awkward draws where you hit a bunch of equipment and token payoffs like Cathars' Crusade or end up with Kemba and nothing but token producers.
The deck's age also shows. Many of the best equipment and equipment payoffs simply weren't in print at the time, like Colossus Hammer or Sigarda's Aid, and ones that were in print (Stoneforge Mystic, Puresteel Paladin) weren't included because… that's how precons roll, I guess? A lack of good card advantage due to the time also holds you back.
Still, the deck has decent power. Nahiri makes the equipment significantly stronger since you always have a creature to equip, and the tokens provide plenty of board presence to protect the planeswalker.
Notable Cards
Skullclamp is one of the best equipment ever printed, and it excels in any EDH deck whose commander creates X/1 tokens.
Masterwork of Ingenuity is a great equipment support piece, especially with living weapons and other equipment with strong enters abilities.
Grand Abolisher is the priciest card in the deck: It's one of white's best disruptive creatures. EDH decks across the Bracket system run it to protect themselves against countermagic and other forms of instant-speed interaction for a mere 2 mana.
#4. Angels: They're Just Like Us but Cooler and with Wings
This Secret Lair Commander Deck brings the heavens to your LGS under the guidance of Bruna, the Fading Light.
Deck Themes
As the name suggests, this is an angel typal deck with a lifegain subtheme. The themes aren't messy because angels and lifegain often cross paths.
Commanders
Angels: They're Just Like Us but Cooler and with Wings has four potential commanders: Bruna, Gisela, the Broken Blade, Giada, Font of Hope, and Sephara, Sky's Blade.
Gisela offers nothing without Bruna to meld into Brisela, Voice of Nightmares. Bruna is similarly underwhelming without its partner, and it isn’t worth the commander slot.
Sephara, Sky's Blade works better in more aggressive decks. Angels are expensive and don't flood that board as quickly as this legend wants.
Giada, Font of Hope is really the only choice. It is the angel commander for a reason: Access to a typal mana dork is invaluable in a color with subpar ramp, especially for a creature type so expensive as angels.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This deck is a vanilla angel deck with a heavenly host of large flying creatures and plenty of ramp to support them. It could use more card advantage, but I have no major complaints, nor any great virtues to exalt. The word “mid” was invented to describe this deck.
Notable Cards
Five cards in this deck plus a bonus card (Sigarda's Aid) were foiled and printed with unique art for the Secret Lair drops, and all are more valuable than the base versions.
- Bruna, the Fading Light
- Gisela, the Broken Blade
- Archangel of Thune
- Commander's Plate
- Court of Grace
- Sigarda's Aid
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is among the best lands in the format, especially for mono-colored decks. Emeria, the Sky Ruin only works in mono-white, but it’s just as valuable.
Every typal deck wants Urza's Incubator, so it demands a high price.
Sword of the Animist sees wide-spread Commander play as a colorless ramp spell that even green decks prize.
Serra Ascendant maximizes Commander's high life totals to become a deadly threat from turn 1; it's among the best aggressive threats in the format.
Despite being an uncommon, Starnheim Aspirant demands a high price as a significant cost reducer for one of the game's most popular creature types.
#3. Necron Dynasties
Necron Dynasties brings the undead majesty of Warhammer 40,000 to Magic under the watchful gaze of Szarekh, the Silent King
Deck Themes
This deck cares about artifacts, primarily in the context of the graveyard: sacrificing them, milling them, reanimating them. It feels like a typal deck, despite few cards that reward you for controlling necrons.
Commanders
Necron Dynasty has a host of potential commanders: Szarekh, Illuminor Szeras, Imotekh the Stormlord, Anrakyr the Traveller, and Trazyn the Infinite.
Trazyn has insane combo potential, but this deck lacks the necessary support; it's more of a brewer's commander.
This deck has plenty of expensive cards, so Illuminor Szeras has abundant cards to ramp into, though a lack of sacrifice outlets make me hesitate to run it as the commander.
I wouldn't fault you for running Imotekh the Stormlord to swarm the battlefield and upgrade your artifact creatures, but the deck has stronger options.
Szarekh, the Silent King leads the deck admirably as a self-fueling engine that works with virtually all your synergies, but it's fundamentally too fair.
Anrakyr the Traveller is the strongest commander in the deck because paying life instead of mana has never and will never be fair. The deck has abundant cards to cheat into play, and it doesn't need any enabling since you can cast cards from your graveyard or hand.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The deck's curve can trip over itself from time to time. It has an astronomical ceiling and can dominate games with its powerful cards, but just… doesn't in others. Its lack of consistency docks points, but it has enough cool cards to play a few games then disassemble it for parts.
Notable Cards
Sceptre of Eternal Glory might be the best mono-colored payoff Wizards has printed in recent years, though Endless Atlas isn't far behind.
Self-mill decks adore Out of the Tombs as a highly efficient card that mills more cards than almost any permanent besides Mesmeric Orb.
Artifacts are Magic's strongest card type and among the easiest to break, so Biotransference opens the door to wild plays.
Their Name Is Death rewards your dedication to a mechanical future, and any artifact creature deck in Commander probably wants it.
Necron Deathmark super-charges Ravenous Chupacabra with graveyard and artifact synergies that makes it worth running in many more lists than the Ixalan horror.
Canoptek Spyder and Cryptothrall are the most notable of the many artifact creature synergies printed in the deck.
Significant reprints include Living Death, Defile, Mystic Forge, Gilded Lotus, Caged Sun, and Vault of Whispers.
- 100-card ready-to-play Warhammer 40,000 Commander Deck— Necron Dynasties
- Black Deck—contains 2 legendary traditional foil cards plus 98 nonfoil cards
- Every card features Warhammer-themed art—including 42 cards that are new to Magic
- 1 foil-etched Display Commander
- 10 double-sided tokens, 1 life tracker, and 1 deck box
#2. Built From Scratch
Built From Scratch is an artifact-focused deck with Daretti, Scrap Savant lending a stroke of genius to the artifice within.
Deck Themes
Built From Scratch mostly cares about big artifacts, with a strong ramp package and a significant number of artifacts that cost 5 or more mana, with a secondary theme of dragons. This falls into the Big Red archetype, which uses red as a midrange deck rather than aggro, as mono-colored red decks traditionally are.
Commanders
This deck has three potential commanders: Daretti, Feldon of the Third Path, and Bosh, Iron Golem.
The deck doesn't focus enough on artifacts to use Bosh effectively; while it's a fine support piece with potential alongside Daretti and artifacts like Wurmcoil Engine or Spine of Ish Sah, the ideal situation doesn't come up often enough.
Feldon might be the strongest commander in a vacuum, but the 99 doesn't have enough discard outlets or self-mill cards to get creatures in the graveyard for it to work.
That leaves Daretti, Scrap Savant as the best choice out of the box. You have plenty of strong artifacts to reanimate, and a fair number of cheap ones to sacrifice; the lack of discard outlets doesn't affect Daretti since it’s a discard outlet itself.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The deck lacks focus, for one; the amalgamation of dragons and artifacts leads to awkward draws when your commander only reanimates artifacts. Some of these dragons, like Hoard-Smelter Dragon and Bogardan Hellkite, aren't even that exciting.
It also suffers from being an old red deck. There was a period in Commander's history when red was the weakest color, due partially to a lack of card advantage, and this 2014 deck was printed right in the middle of it. You have lots of rummages and loots, but nothing to really draw cards until you can sink ungodly amounts of mana into Dreamstone Hedron and Loreseeker's Stone. The deck just has dud draws that don't pan out because you draw a few too many lands or big threats.
That said, it has a respectable game plan. Spending mana on big, impactful threats is rarely bad, even when they aren't ideal threats, and Daretti is a powerful commander. You have a solid curve with a reasonable amount of ramp to support the game plan, which is more than you can say for some modern precons (looking at you, Undead Unleashed). It has problems, and potential.
Notable Cards
Daretti, Scrap Savant stands out as an artifact reanimation card that holds up today. Lots of modern red cards synergize with discard effects, and power creep ensures artifacts are better than ever, so a generic engine like this has held up well.
Myr Retriever and Dualcaster Mage aren't super expensive, but both are foundational cards many combos rely on and fine value pieces on their own, so they're worth adding to your collection.
I have a soft spot for Tyrant's Familiar as a super-solid threat that generally acts as a two-for-one, killing an opposing creature and eating a kill spell. If your opponents don't answer it or you can take extra combats, it threatens to control the game.
Wurmcoil Engine is one of the best artifact creatures in the game and commands a decent price despite multiple reprints.
Caged Sun and Ruby Medallion are exceptional rewards for playing a mono-colored deck.
#1. Guided by Nature
Guided by Nature musters the forces of Llanowar under the fierce leadership of Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury.
Deck Themes
This is an elf deck, and as typal precons often are, it's quite consistent. It powers out elves, creates elf tokens, and buffs them with elf lords and mass pump effects. A handful of non-elf cards muddy the waters, but they still make tokens to support the overall game plan.
Commanders
Guided by Nature has three potential commanders: Freyalise, Ezuri, Renegade Leader, and Titania, Protector of Argoth.
Titania isn't really a choice; the deck doesn't interact with it at all besides Sylvan Safekeeper. It seems more like a flavorful choice than a good one.
Ezuri offers plenty of power, but you have enough Overrun effects that it isn't necessary, plus enough non-elf token generators to weaken it.
Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury is the clear choice. The handful of cards that deviate from the elf game plan are still expensive, so the Llanowar Elves tokens are great. Besides, any commander that offers card advantage and mana production isn't that bad.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This deck is very concise, with a clear win condition and a powerful commander. It could use a greater focus on elves, with cards like Rampaging Baloths and Wolfbriar Elemental that don't quite work as well as more elves would.
Precons often struggle with closing out the game, but this many mass pump effects ensure that any board blasts through opposing defenses to close things out. You have plenty of card draw to reach that point between your commander and draw spells like Skullclamp and Collective Unconscious.
The curve is rather high, and the deck has some rough edges, but I trust it to play well.
Notable Cards
Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury is just a solid planeswalker, and it has aged best out of the five planeswalkers printed in Commander 2014.
Song of the Dryads is one of Commander's better removal spells because it concisely deals with opposing commanders. Since it handles the commander without making it leave play, it doesn't go back to the command zone, which forces your opponent to destroy the land or the enchantment to get it back.
Beastmaster Ascension sees plenty of play in token decks as one of Magic's biggest anthems.
Skullclamp and the on-color Medallion (Emerald Medallion) are as exceptional as in any other deck as key reprints.
Wave of Vitriol punishes greedy mana bases and decks that rely on artifacts and enchantments. Though narrow, it's one of the best cards for the situations that warrant it.
Commanding Conclusion
Szarekh, the Silent King | Illustration by Anton Solovianchyk
Precons are always a mixed bag, and some of the mono-colored ones are real duds—but at least they introduced interesting planeswalkers and other new cards to the format! Mono-colored decks are inherently weaker in Commander, and the precon faults of incoherent themes and bad curves don't help, but at least we can learn from their failures!
Do you enjoy stripping precons apart? Which of these would you pick up to play? Let me know in the comments below or on the Draftsim Discord!
Stay safe, and thanks for reading!
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