Commanders by Power Level [EDH Tier List]

Commander / EDH* thegigibeast

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Polar2897 says... #1

Kiyomei I mean doesn't EDHrec kinda do all that for us? You can look at a certain card to see what decks its commonly played in, popular commanders, as well as deck lists and commonly played cards for that commander. People just want to see the new commanders listed on here and what tiers they were given. Doesn't matter what their given tier is, its not actually going to affect anything.

July 7, 2018 2:41 a.m.

Soren841 says... #2

Kiyomei the problem is yes there are different versions, but I'm sure some are better than others c:

July 7, 2018 3:11 a.m.

Kiyomei says... #3

Polar2897 sure it won't affect anything because a "tier" in this format is a joke and pretty biased anyway although some data is out there it is far from enough data compared to other formats... But yeah I can understand some just want to see where it is placed at for whatever weird reason and i'm okay with that...

I just think it would be 100% better instead of adding one deck on here to just link to another list for example with multiple versions of the commanders decks and what not; like zur was one example but you can take thrasi and tymna as well and yes you have the all round fastest sigi list, but that doesn't mean it is the best list as other version might be slower but packed with more control and protection or have a completely different playstyle...

(meaning this list can take it slower and have other people working on separate lists for specific commanders that are then linked here!)

Goldfished games are one thing but a table of 4 has shown us enough that it only takes one to stop the fastest at the table.


and Soren841 how can you tell the difference between the power of any of those zur list, I don't play zur my self but I did some research here and there for myself and the list on here plays super heavy meta dependant stuff compared to the others and I even asked him the reason for those specific cards that were in that version and not the other ones and it was just meta stuff as I thought so were does the power really come from if it can play equally well with an adaptation or another version...

July 7, 2018 11:28 a.m.

merrowMania says... #4

@thegigibeast - I would be willing to help keep the list up to date, but since I don't play cEDH outside of my playgroup, I don't know how well I could help make the list reflect the "true cEDH meta".

July 7, 2018 11:49 a.m.

Polar2897 says... #5

thegigibeast I would love to help get the list going again! If you interested in working together let me know. Glad to see your back! Message me or something if theres any questions or anything.

July 7, 2018 2:54 p.m.

apoliceman says... #6

The Locust God should be 2.0 tier deck. Here is my deck for an example: https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/signs-of-the-swarm-1/

July 8, 2018 7:38 a.m.

enpc says... #7

apoliceman: your deck looks like you smooshed a competitive and a casual deck together. I'm so confused. Also, if you're going to just say a commander should be at a particular tier, it's worth posting some reasoning behind the comment.

July 8, 2018 9:58 a.m.

Kiyomei says... #8

xD, A really biased opinion and nothing more than that? but it is fine where it is placed at now so don't worry about it.

July 8, 2018 9:58 a.m.

Momir should be moved to tier 1.5 and my list should be replaced with a hackball list like this one. It is really really fast and pretty consistent at that.

July 8, 2018 11:54 a.m.

thegigibeast says... #10

Hello everyone!

I am here to announce that some important changes are coming to this list.

I know that for a lot of people (even in cEDH), tier lists should not be a thing, because we can't gather enough datas about decks, so we end up ranking commanders based on preferences and personnal experiences mostly...

Things are going to change a lot. After seeing that many people here wanted some change, I reached for help on the cEDH subreddit and some people stood out to help. Some people that also wanted to help improving a great resource that could be way better.

Without further ado, I am here to introduce the new helpers, and new mods of the list: ShaperSavant, LabManiac_Sigi, tw0handt0uch, RattleAndHum (and of course me, thegigibeast)

We all have different visions on how we should approach cEDH, and we will all try our best to make this list a better resource.

This means there will be a lot of changes, from the formatting of the list, the division of the tiers, event a change in the philosophy of what we call tiers here!

For now, we are starting to Brainstorm about how we could make the list better. Stay tuned for some more updates!

July 9, 2018 4:59 p.m.

HezTheGod says... #11

I am willing to put in some effort to update the cEDH tier list if you need any more help.

July 10, 2018 8:04 p.m.

toonew2two says... #12

I couldn't find any of the three Elspeth. At least you haven't finished the update! Have you?

Thank you for assembling this list and keeping on top of it!

July 11, 2018 6:33 p.m.

toonew2two planeswalkers aren't legal in commander

July 11, 2018 7:50 p.m.

Soren841 says... #14

As commanders*

July 11, 2018 9:03 p.m.

trisket says... #15

"tier lists should not be a thing, because we can't gather enough datas(sic) about decks"

That's quite the understatement as the only data that exists is rather useless MTGO 1v1 tournament results, which in that meta has Zurgo Bellstriker as one of the highest ranked decks; but is listed here as tier 5. Tier listing by commander is rather pointless as there are multiple high power decks that never bother to cast their commander. The only viable breakdown of EDH tiers is by color(s); with U, U/X and U/X/Y decks filling out the top spots.

July 11, 2018 11:37 p.m.

Soren841 says... #16

Many decks use their commanders as a backup, good examples being Yidris and Sidisi, so it's not irrelevant. Besides many lower tiers lend themselves to a more commander-centric game plan (after all its the only real reason to play less than 3 colors). Mostly only the top tier decks can fully function at a competitive level without touching their commander.

July 12, 2018 1:48 a.m.

ArcanicFlame says... #17

to whom it may concern: i seek to have Teeg's mid-range aggro army added to the deck lists, and encourage you to give gaddock teeg a higher tier once you revise your system and such

July 12, 2018 6:39 a.m.

SynergyBuild says... #18

Just worked up a list, wondering exactly how this whole tier thing works, CEDH Tier 5 (Just a flash-hulk hermit druid deck) is the list, but the question is, if I can make a competitive deck with any commander, is every commander competitive? is it that a commander like Uril, the Miststalker is bad, because voltron is bad, and he looks voltron, even though I could make a wicked boonweaver list with him as the commander, that could whoops tons of Tier 2.5 lists?

And if the list is really a list based around commanders that not only have the colors required to make a good deck, yet are also supportive of that list, then why is Karona, the False God in Tier 5? Her ability supports an Oath of Druids lists, being able to stack the triggers on your upkeep in a way that you get your Oath of Druids trigger before you get your commander back. With no creatures in your library, Oath of Druids decks yourself. This doesn't win on the spot due to a lack of Narcomoeba and Fatestitcher and Bloodghast, also, this is on upkeep, so you must draw. Memory's Journey to shuffle a Yawgmoth's Will back into the deck, drawing it, and being able to win the game with storming off. In comparison to Hermit Druid combo, it is equally fast (You don't need Karona, the False God if any opponent has a creature, or if you find a Forbidden Orchard), and can be removed with less ease with it being an enchantment. I mean, it is less consistent (no Flash-Hulk or any other support creatures like dorks, and also no Worldly Tutor/Green Sun's Zenith effects), but that is okay, given its power.

So what is this list all about?

July 12, 2018 6:50 p.m.

tw0handt0uch says... #19

This is one of the main problems with the list in its current incarnation and something we intend to address.

July 12, 2018 7:52 p.m.

SynergyBuild says... #20

That is great. I actually quite like seeing some of the competitive decklists linked here, and so use this for that, but otherwise it is a tad strange.

July 12, 2018 7:58 p.m.

enpc says... #21

SynergyBuild: The original intent of this list was to look at the optimum build for a commander than actually incorporates that commadner into the build somewhat. So for a Sidisi, Brood Tyrant list for example, one ofhte main strategies the list can employ is to get Food Chain + Eternal Scourge and then use SBT as you main self mill piece. So while the deck does not revolve around her, sha adds much more value than if the deck was piloted by Tasigur, the Golden Fang for example due the the workings of that particular combo package.

Though I think we all hear what you're saying. Techincally you can cram a combo package in almost any deck and the lines become quite murky about the amount the commander adds to the deck. For some lists it is obvious but for others the Ambiguity level is high.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the list overhaul.

ArcanicFlame: Your list is missing quite a few staple pieces that cEDH decks would expect to see, stuff like Mox Diamond, Gaea's Cradle, Swords to Plowshares, Nature's Claim, Mana dorks, etc. I'm also surprised that te deck is not running a land destruction package.

Also, having ~25 categories for your deck breakdown makes it harder, not easier to review your list.

July 12, 2018 11:02 p.m.

Schmidty_ says... #22

Can you add slimefoot to the list?

July 12, 2018 11:03 p.m.

SynergyBuild says... #23

Yes, but I can make any deck with green have a food chain combo, and if it also has blue I can make it a hermit druid list.

Isochron combo can be run in any blue list, I can put lab man combo in any list with access to black and blue.

I can make every single commander with green, black, and blue competitive to some degree. White and green and any third color can be run for boonweaver. Green and black can be run for a protean hulk hermit druid list, the point is that if you have any of 18 out of the 32 combinations your deck can be competitive.

July 13, 2018 8:15 a.m.

DruneGrey says... #24

So I see it as two separate discussions. One is based on power of color(s) and the other is based on how commanders help with their individual strat. I always saw this as we know color pair X is powerful because of combo Y, which commander supports that itself vs ones that can just run the colors. Like you can plan on running labman in Grixis, but Marasil actually supports a specific build of that combo, and then where does that version of the combo fit?

July 13, 2018 10:18 a.m.

SynergyBuild says... #25

Well, these discussions matter a lot.

Cromat may be a better commander than Mairsil, the Pretender at a Laboratory Maniac combo if the addition of green and white with support cards like Grand Abolisher, Silence, Abrupt Decay, Autumn's Veil, Nature's Claim, and Swords to Plowshares are good enough that you don't need a commander with minor benefits.

In that way, I think every 5 color commander should be Tier 2, as I can make any of them a decent list (or a hundred decent lists). No, they don't have to support a combo if their colors are powerful enough on their own.

On the other hand. I could run any random grixis commander, and build a list that though might be slightly worse than Kess, Dissident Mage, could make a very good deck using the shell of Grixis Twin. That deck might even be more powerful than Azami, Lady of Scrolls. Think about that. The fact that Karona, False God, with the list of Grixis Twin might be better than many tier 2 lists, yet is tier 5?

A Tier 5 list that is better than a tier 2 list, isn't a tier 5 list, yet at that point, the best decks should be the best decks, not the commanders at the helm of them. Think about stax decks, you can build a mono-red stax list that works (albeit not the best, but not bad or anything) and even use the commander of Zirilan of the Claw for a bit of removal if you cheat out one of the dragons that deals damage on ETB. That deck sure might whoop a Tier 3 list every time, with a mix of fast-paced stax, using Winter Orbs and Static Orbs, along with Sphere of Resistance and Thorn of Amethysts and some removal like Blasphemous Act, all the while setting up a Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker combo for the win. That deck doesn't sound bad, right? Well Zirilan of the Claw is tier 4, apparently they can't even compete against tier 1 lists, but against them, it can work, red has Gamble, Pyroblast/Red Elemental Blast, and all of the colorless stax options, along with more card draw than Hokori, Dust Drinker has, no, it isn't as powerful a commander if you don't include color, but if the color has more power, than the deck can, and the commander's deck is what the commander's power is derived from.

I understand this list will be making changes in the near future, I am excited for that, but until then, I still think most commanders (like 80% or so of them) can be made into a list that is competitive (Tier 1-2).

To be honest, I could probably write up a playable list for most commanders. I am probably going to do that soon.

July 13, 2018 10:48 a.m.

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