Commanders by Power Level [EDH Tier List]

Commander / EDH* thegigibeast

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Ohthenoises says... #1

It may sound strange but I feel like Yisan is the strongest. (Yes, biased)

There are so many different ways to win and the deck is INCREDIBLY flexible, the core is like literally 10-20 cards, most of the rest is up to your meta. Also, Yisan is usually the one that people look to for responses at a table.

However, that flexibility doesn't negate the consistency of the deck, because the deck is so toolboxey. Always having the answer to any given situation always 3 mana and a tap away is really strong.

Yisan Stax is also silly, cradle + winter orb = lawl

September 7, 2016 10:29 a.m.

Ohthenoises says... #2

Uhhh I think Grixis storm and Oloro just broke everything

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September 7, 2016 10:54 a.m.

@Ohthenoises what the fuck is that.

this is insane. wat.

MMMMMMMMM......

September 7, 2016 10:55 a.m.

Ohthenoises says... #4

Wat indeed, Oloro players usually have some lifegain strategies so they just have to get up to 50, double it a few times and then they get to instantly off the table.

September 7, 2016 10:59 a.m.

i mean, it can only hit one person at a time, however infinite life combos now have purpose,but it makes slorolo even harder to kill (it would be funny if it was banned in french)

September 7, 2016 11:01 a.m.

Leinahtan says... #6

As a Yisan player, Yisan isn't the best. Zur is the best. Yisan's biggest weakness, fast combo, is pretty big right now. Zur has very few weaknesses, and in my opinion, is the undeniable best. Lots of commanders are passed off with a casual "Well, he's no Zur." This should say something about the definitive best deck in the format.

September 7, 2016 11:02 a.m.

Leinahtan says... #7

As a Yisan player, Yisan isn't the best. Zur is the best. Yisan's biggest weakness, fast combo, is pretty big right now. Zur has very few weaknesses, and in my opinion, is the undeniable best. Lots of commanders are passed off with a casual "Well, he's no Zur." This should say something about the definitive best deck in the format.

September 7, 2016 11:02 a.m.

the black gearhulk is le garbage. not even tragic arrogance, not even roidcaster mage, not even 8/8 for 5. not at all syrup. also, how many more legends are going to be spoiled? like is energy counters going to get a legendary bro to pilot energy proliferate?

September 7, 2016 11:16 a.m.

Ohthenoises says... #9

Have you played with ShaperSavant's list Leinahtan?

He's got stax elements to slow combo down and it works wonders.

September 7, 2016 11:27 a.m.

Ohthenoises says... #10

Also, someone just figured out the combo with the reservoir; Sydri, Galvanic Genius.

Make it a creature, give it lifelink, table is dead

Maximum T5 kill there disregarding ramp if you swing to gain 4 first.

September 7, 2016 11:34 a.m. Edited.

sonnet666 says... #11

Ohthenoises, You have to be at 50 life first to do that, which is tricky to do by turn 5 if you spend turns 3 & 4 casting your commander and reservoir (disregarding opening with Serra Ascendant of course). Definitely still a solid wincon, but I don't think it's going to create too many turn 5 wins. (Unless you're saying run Sydri and Reservoir in the 99 of Oloro?)

Also, Reservoir is like, best friends with Rings of Brighthearth. And I really want to see someone get Stifled while trying to combo with this.

Hotcake_Gotsyrup, Noxious Gearhulk is not garbage. I play Shadowborn Demon in ETB oriented lists for a creature kill without much targeting restrictions. Noxious is a one more mana Shadowborn with fewer drawbacks that can also play with artifact synergies. It's sub optimal, but there are places for it in this format.

September 7, 2016 12:52 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #12

sonnet666 Yeah disregarding ramp, playing Oloro as commander, T3 Sydri, T4 Reservoir, T5 animate Reservoir and swing, go to 54 life, off the table before leaving combat.

September 7, 2016 1:07 p.m.

Chandrian says... #13

I'm pretty certain it's possible to make a very competitive Sydri, Galvanic Genius deck with that new artifact. Yes, you need to gain life, but in those colors you have options for a stax deck that protects your life while tutoring for the combo-kill. You also have access to counterspells (if needed). Finally, the colors are full of lifegain. A kind of best-case scenario would be Serra Avatar into Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim on turn 2 and then you could quite easily get a turn4 or 5 kill.

Obviously a list needs to be made, but there's a good chance for Sydri to move up a tier.

September 7, 2016 1:09 p.m.

Chandrian says... #14

I meant Serra Ascendant of course

September 7, 2016 1:11 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #15

All you technically need is to get to 51, after that the kill takes care of itself. And since we wouldn't be playing the artifact and going off the same turn it's likely that we could attack with it just to gain 4 so that puts the total at 47.

7 life over 5 turns max is doable, mainly because people in cEDH don't typically attack until they have lethal (or not at all)

Chances are this strategy might land sydri in T2, her speed is on par with Azami given best case scenarios of having the combo pieces in hand. (Azami at 5 and MoM at 6 with ramp) The total mana cost is less with Sydri as well, 10 compared to Azami's 14 for MoM and Lab Man.

September 7, 2016 1:25 p.m. Edited.

Ohthenoises says... #16

Another deck up for consideration with Reservoir is Trostani.

I've seen a few Serra Avatar flicker builds that are LOL inducing, Flickerform on avatar or Blade of Selves with the reservoir in play is very lethal.

September 7, 2016 1:31 p.m.

sonnet666 says... #17

"people in cEDH don't typically attack until they have lethal (or not at all)"

Relying on people's bad habits is not a good plan. If you have a creature and someone's open, it's usually best to swing.

But yes, I think a combo deck for Syrdi is doable. The main hurdle is probably going to be finding enough sources of lifegain that either do something else worthwhile, or are eficeintly costed enough that you don't care that they're not advancing your boardstate. Serra Ascendant is one, but you're not going to have enough to sac with Ayli for her to get you there on her own, so what else is there? Sangromancer? You don't have any wheels...

I'm just super hesitant to get behind lifegain as a deck's main strategy. It's never as good as people think it is.

September 7, 2016 1:45 p.m.

sonnet666 says... #18

Ohthenoises, did you also mean Serra Ascendant?

September 7, 2016 1:47 p.m.

sonnet666 says... #19

Nevermind, I forgot how Trostani worked for a second.

September 7, 2016 1:48 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #20

Yeah it's the whole "flicker Avatar and double my life total" thing.

Super silly with Blade of Selves.

September 7, 2016 2:22 p.m.

kyuuri117 says... #21

There are plenty of ways to abuse Aetherflux Reservoir outside of esper. Any infinite life combo works. Kitchen Finks makes it especially easy.

Edit: In fact, palinchron and high tide also breaks it. Lot's of ways to bust this thing open.

September 7, 2016 2:23 p.m. Edited.

sonnet666 says... #22

Ohthenoises, Not to mention that putting Blade of Selves on Trostani gets you 20 life in a four player game even without the avatar. 45 life in 5 player.

kyuuri117, Hmm, I usually avoid infinite lifegain combos as a competitive wincon, but it might be worthwhile with this turning it into infinite damage...

September 7, 2016 2:32 p.m.

Ohthenoises says... #23

On Trostani you have the problem of the legend rule but I suppose

September 7, 2016 2:48 p.m.

Lilbrudder says... #24

The new paradoxical outcome could do some stupid powerful things in the right shell especially with that etb doubler. Bounce stax pieces and mana rocks on your end step or in response to removal and reuse them the following turn to lock down the board again

September 7, 2016 2:59 p.m. Edited.

Ohthenoises says... #25

The really fun thing about the avatar + blade thing is the scaling.

40 starting, play avatar go to 80, swing with avatar, go to 240, populate go to 480.

Alternatively Rhox Faithmender is almost worse.

40 starting, play mender go to 50, swing with faithmender and populate in response to trostani's trigger to go to 290 and have a 4x multiplier for anything played that turn.

(lmk if my math checks out)

September 7, 2016 3:04 p.m. Edited.

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