My deck is kind of a warrior tribal deck as you guys can see, and I do have some combos in the deck (And I do change the combination or even take all of them out from time to time), but the idea here is to play, have fun, and enjoy EDH with the others. Even if I can, I rather not combo or kill anyone early in the game. If you're looking into my deck, you have to know that I chose to optimize this deck in some way, but still not to tune it so my opponents always see me as an archenemy (This still can happen). It is a thin line that is hard to reach, being optimize and not too opressive, while you also consider budget on the equation. So here are some points and comments about some creatures that I use (or used) and creatures that other Najeela's decks uses. I will not comment about all of them, but I will talk about cards that I would like to shown my opinion. Also, I will not talk about every staple card in commander, or cards that are not interesting for me just because I might never want to pay for one (If you have a
Dockside Extortionist good, but I will not comment on a card that I don't see myself purchasing one day), so here we go:
Creatures I use/used
Mindblade Render Rushblade Commander are the basic kit for me. They're cheap, strong and at least for me are the one cards that you can consider mandatory on every Najeela deck.
Aven Wind Guide - If you're on a more go wide/token build this is your guy. Gives evasion while also have evasion, and the Embalm might look like it doesn't matter until it does. Nobody sees this comming back after a while and is a creature recursion on itself. Since my decks don't run more than 25 creatures he is pretty solid.
Blood-Chin Rager - If you running on a budget this is a must have for me. Gives evasion to your team. The only reason why I wouldn't run him is if all of my warriors, in some way, have evasion.
Bramblewood Paragon - Green is one of the most important colors in a 5 color deck, specially if you're working on some kind of low budget. Having a green warrior is a big plus, and since it gives +1/+1 counters to every warrior it's better than an anthem in najeela, but giving trample to those with +1/+1 counters is just bonkers. For me is one of the best warriors to run.
Civic Wayfinder - At least for me this card is better than almost all of the "partner with" cards of BBD. He is a warrior that will help you to get the mana fix that you'll need. If you do not have shocklands/fetchlands this card is a must have. I've always used about 10 or less basic lands(Right now I'm using only 5 basic lands, 1 of each), and even in this case he is really good.
Decorated Champion and Devilish Valet- For real, why would you run Decorated Champion? I ran him for a while cause I have a foil one, but most of the time he will just be big, without evasion and without any payoff. Since Devilish Valet was released I think there is no reason at all to run Champion. I also don't think Vallet is good in this deck. Sure you might run him once in a while and sometimes even oneshot an opponent since Najeela creates some many warriors, but for me is a case of "winning more", in the end of the day you are already winning.
Den Protector - This card in the deck works like an Eternal Witness. You'll have to flip her to get this effect, but can be worth it, and in the early game you can use her just as another warrior to get advantage by attacking or creating tokens. In my playgroup there is a mill deck, so you guys can imagine how this card pay off, and specially since najeela pieces are always drawing attention and ending up in the graveyard somehow. If you run just this morph card you lose the element of surprise, but still I think this card deserve some chance.
Sosuke, Son of Seshiro - He is a warrior that gives a "delayed deathtouch" to your warriors. Since you're warriors are always attacking this okay, specially since our attacks are made with tokens most of the time with najeela on the battlefield. There's also a fact that he's abillity does not care about attacking, only about dealing combat damage, which means he gave to our warriors a defensive capacity too. Also, he is green, and since for me green is a primary color on any 5 color deck this may not be that hard to cast, even with double green. I don't recommend purchase him or using him on any combination of warriors, but if you have one, is pretty okay. I already saw some decks running Bow of Nylea and I think sosuke is better in this case.
Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist - I don't think I have to defend Mirri. She is one of the most powerfull warriors in the 99 of a Najeela deck. 3 cmc and first strike, makes her quick and hard to deal with in the early game. When she attacks she opens the window to all of the other attacking warriors making them unblockable and while tapped she makes harder to your opponents to attack you. In case you didn't notice if you can't have target removal, there's always the player removal option, and your opponents will team up against you at some point if you get so strong. That's why making their life difficult to dealing damage to you is that important. There is no midterm when you use Mirri in the 99, you will use her and become the archenemy.
Species Specialist - This card is played currently in 40% of the decks (July 2022), and I think It should be way more, but considering the price and the prefference for Najeela in cEDH I get it. Speciallist was printed in Ikoria to work as a hunter, as monster hunter. But he's not here to claim the prize for your opponents creatures. He's here for your own. Our lettle specialist is a warrior that can draw you card for each warrior that dies if you choose warrior as the tribe. Not only your opponents but also yours, and specially yours. Your opponents will have the trade off of blocking a token and drawing you a card or taking damage, and we're fine with either. I don't think I have to say anything but one word: Skullclamp
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death - Alesha is great card and a great commander. She can be a key card in a Najeela deck since a lot of warriors have power 2 or less and you can run Karmic Guide Reveillark. But as you can see in my deck that is not the case. Her power of reanimate things is not that present. Most of the times my deck run's about half of creatures with low power, but still she's here. Wanna know why? Here's why (Hey WhatCulture)! She still a warrior with first strike, which make her dificult to deal with at the early game, and in my playgroup there is a mill player, so graveyard recursion is good. And since Derevi, Empyrial Tactician have power 2 he can be really sneaky to win the game. With every set release you have more reasons to retire her from this deck, specially since 2022 gave us more warriors with evasion and that can captilize resource in a easier way.
Shalai, Voice of Plenty - "Wait, thats not even a warrior!" Oh my, you found out sherlock. Here is the thing, Shalai is one the cards that I believe is worth it to run cause what she brings to the table is beyond that downside. Shalai will not only protect your creatures, but also you, and planeswalkers if you choose to run any. Her activated ability gives us something to use our mana if we already have an army and we don't want to risk playing any card, but yet we want to impact the board making our warrios become bigger. Also, with something like lightning grives to protect her will make so that your opponents probably will have to wipe the board to deal with her. Also, let me remind you that only one of Najeela's abilitys cares about warriors. The second ability only cares about being in combat and having an attacking creature, and gues what? This one alsocan flies.
Clever Impersonator - I love this card. It's versatile, and level itself on the table. Since you can copy a permanent you can choose anything your opponents have or even something you have that you want redundance. Shalai is a good example, cause with 2 Shalai's your opponents will have to wipe the board. The problem here is the double blue on the cost and the fact that you have to have something on the field to use it. It's a pretty solid option for a casual table.
Adaptive Automaton and Metallic Mimic - So, those 2 are here because of the anthem / +1/+1 counters, that's kind of obvious, but the point that I want to make with them is that they are colorless warriors with the plus of good effects. Different from cards like Chief of the Edge and Chief of the Scale they may be cast without thinking or trying to filter mana to do it. If you don't have fetch lands or you don't want to limit the spells and your the color pie of your Najeela they are great.
Edric, Spymaster of Trest - If you check on EDHREC you'll see that about 24% of the najeela decks(Updated in July 2022). Yes, card draw is good, but you have to know 2 things about using Edric. First one is that one of the reason he is this popular with the deck is because of the 1v1. When you're playing 1v1 you only have one opponent, so you're the only one that will be able to draw cards. That's just my interpretation, maybe for others I'm wrong and he pays off even in multiplayer. The second thing is that with 4 players there's a chance that you're not the first one to get the advantage. If your opponents each draw 2 cards and you draw only 2 as well, thats not the same cause you'll have to deal with the total 6 cards now. With Najeela at the battlefield you'll be more likely to draw a large ammount of cards attacking and creating tokens, but just like I said before, Najeela is a GIGANTIC target for the table, so you better not count that you'll have both of them. If you choose to run him you have to captilize on the same turn and possibly win on that turn. On 2021 this card for me lost its spot for Toski, Bearer of Secrets
Stonehoof Chieftain - This one is only present in 16% of the decks on EDHREC(october 2019). We're playing a creature base deck, so a creature that is indestructable and have synergy with the commander and still is good on it's own is amazing. The downside of this card is that he is an 8 cmc card. He takes the role of the late game heavybeater that you may need to end the game or just kill a player. If you have one and you run around 30 creatures I can see someroom for him.
Brutal Hordechief - At first you'll look at this card and it is just amazing. I mean, he is a warrior, he can define how target opponent blocks and can drain our opponents, isn't sweet? Well, for my bad surprise this card doesn't worked so well. The ability to "drain" for each creature is good, but is not so different from an anthem with najeela activated ability giving lifelink, and just as she I need an army to create value and the Hordechief does not give an army. In reality now I see this card as a 9 mana "TRY to win the game", cause the second ability my opponents will try to avoid that I untap with this on the field, so I have to create value as soon as possible, but 9 mana is a lot and not an easy thing to do. I rather try something that compensate the weakness of the deck than try to reassure something the deck does pretty good, which is combat damage. Obviously between protectiong this or Najeela I rather have Najeela.
Grand Warlord Radha - At the beginning I bought this card thinking it would be a must have and it would really shine in this deck, but the truth is this card can really pay off or even do nothing at all. She ends up being a card that will depend if your building is "go wide" tokens or not. If you can establish a board presence with or without Najeela, and with multiple kinds and sizes of tokens she's a interesting card, specially if you have Aggravated Assault cause it will be an alternative wincon. I think it's a fine and can be easily replaced.
Champion of Lambholt - Now here's something that surprised me in a good way. This card Scream "GO WIDE", but even without this kind of building you It can win you the game. The only downside for me right now is the double green on the cost, but regardless of the moment of my deck, before I got my hands on Shocklands or after, this card still worth it for me.
Zurgo Helmsmasher - I really don't recommend anyone to use Zurgo if you like value. He is big and indestructible. Ok, but that's kind of irrelevant for me. He is big haste creature and that's it. For 5 mana, having in the mana cost, I rather use something that can impact the board more. And since we got Shakedown Heavy in Cappenna I think there's no reason to run zurgo nowadays unless you have some attachment to him or if you like collossaw dreadmaw.
Surrak Dragonclaw - On the counterside of Zurgo, we have Surrak. For me Surrak is pretty average. He is a big creature, yeah, but the strong part is that he is a strong warrior with flash and that still do something on the board. Giving trample is ok. Most of the time our warriors will not be big, but still like bramblewood paragon is interesting. But being able to make our creatures uncounterable make them can help us combo, and he will work as a second(ish) Rhythm of the Wild. I think Surrak is interesting on more creature heavy decks, with 28+ maybe, so in that way you can guarantee that your opponents in fact are not countering almost 30% of your deck.
Marisi, Breaker of the Coil - So here is the thing: I'm a sucker for goad. Is one of my favourite mechanics ever. There's nothing to argue here, if you enjoy this mechanic, go for it! Go nuts! If you don't like this mechanic or the dinamic in your playgroup make this mechanic not a fun experience, just cut it. He is a big warrior with no evasion, e e colors in his cost. The ability to make your opponents can't spells during combat is okay, but is not good enough to make deffend his case. If you looking for this part I think you rather use Conqueror's Flail.
Chameleon Colossus - Imagine the scenario where we have a WARRIOR with a good body, hexproof And some sort of evasion. That's right, this card doesn't exist (yet(october 2019)). But we have this "little" Guy here. Protection from the one of the colors with strong removals is interesting, at least Will help you to protect him And Will give you some level of evasion. The activated ability can make this card a finisher on his own, and since my playgroup uses a Lot of Black I'm looking foward for what this card Will do. Also, fun fact: Once I used Kindred Dominance but my opponents also ran some warriors, so I chose "cephalid" as the creature type so after the wipe I still had some presence on the board.
Brightheart Banneret - Warriors have a low cmc. So, there's no really a need of running cards like this. It's funny to use him as a combat trick tho
God-Eternal Oketra - She's not a warrior but she can create them and the ability to go back on the deck instead of dying or being exiled is just ridiculously good. Since Najeela is a big target, sometimes is hard to play without her, or at least without her army. Oketra can create an army for us, and with the plus of being hard to remove. The big problem with this card is that she has a "cast trigger", so you'll need run a lot of creatures to get more creatures. I assume that she might be interesting in a deck that run around 28+,30+ creatures, but since I don't run that many I think she is kind of specific.
Oakhame Adversary - Its funny when you see potential in a card before everyone. This card was the case, just like I said on bramblewood paragon, I saw a green warrior and instantly gave my attention to this guy. It has deathtouch so probably nobody will want to block him or being blocked by him, and it draws you a card when connects. I don't think wotc will make other warriors that gives you card adventage like Mindblade Render, but at least is something. I think I almost never casted for the real cost cause is pretty rare to find a table where no one is playing green, specially nowadays (July 2022, green is the most powerfull color by far)
Radha, Heart of Keld - I quite enjoy this kind of warrior. A warrior that gives you some kind of advantage without attacking is always something interesting. Radha gives you the option of playing lands from the top, which can help you to eliminate dead draws at some point of the game and the first strike on your turn actually makes her a nice and clean replacemnt for Alesha, since I'm not using so much low power warriors most of the time. Her activated ability of pumping up is not that relevant as a 99 but can be sneaky good. It's average, but not sensational.
Jared Carthalion, True Heir - Loading...
Maja, Bretagard Protecto -
Ognis, the Dragon's Lash -
Professional Face-Breaker - Loading...
Shakedown Heavy - Loading...
Chatterfang, Squirrel General - Loading...
Isshin, Two Heavens as One - Loading...
Wulfgar of Icewind Dale - Loading...
Toski, Bearer of Secrets - Loading...
Wilson, Refined Grizzly - Loading...
Wilson, Refined Grizzly - Loading...
Maja, Bretagard Protector - Loading...
Heronblade Elite - Loading...
Jared Carthalion, True Heir - Loading...
Creatures I do NOT use:
Mana dorks - The ones I considerer are Birds of Paradise and Faeburrow Elder. Birdy is the best mana dork and also have flying and warriors have some disavantage against that, but I do not have one, and, for now, Is not that needed. Faeburrow is fine, but I don't like the Idea of a mana dork that works better after a while. I rather have mana early, like on turn 1 or 2, and his cost drag him doww a little for me.
Battlebond Warriors - I bought all of those when they released, but the truth is that they are just too slow, and the reward for running them is not that good actually, even being warrios that "draw you a card" with the partner with mechanic.
---> Blaring Captain + Blaring Recruiter = They are fine. I really do not see why they are played in so many decks, but at least for me they are just fine. The captain gives them an +1/+1 until the end of the turn, and for me thats really no good since he still needs to attack to triggers. The recruiter is better, just because he is a good mana sink that creates warriors if you do not have najeela at some point of the game.
---> Soulblade Renewer + Soulblade Corrupter = I'm sad that they didn't made the cut, but the truth is that they do not bring impact to the deck. Corrupter is the only one that can do some difference but is too much work to make them worth it. If you want deathtouch on legs for your deck sosuke is a better choice.
Azra Oddsmaker - I once used this card but then I realized that when I declare the warrior that have to connect my opponents will decide to trade off taking damage from other creatures but blocking the one that allows me to draw. That makes this card just underwhelming.
Herald of Dromoka - It's a okay card, if you're working on a budget or you're going to focus on tokens with Najeela this card is really good, but in my deck is really just another warrior in the army.
Chief of the Edge, Chief of the Scale, Kargan Warleader, Ogre Battledriver, Thrasher Brute - All of those for me fit in the same category, of creatures that are fine on a budget, but I alse rather use another source of anthem/impact on the board for N reasons. I really do not like the chiefs, since they are just one half of an anthem and that's it. At least for me, the effort to run the chief is not worth it and I would rather run Raiders' Spoilsthat it's an half anthem and draw engine. If you're working on a budget, you'll might have problems with having the colors on turn 2, and if you're not on a low budget you have more interesting cards to run. And if you choose to run them just to run ALL of the anthem warriors that seems like a overkill. If you don't have Lovisa Coldeyes or easier anthems to achieve I can see a chance of running the Warleader and Battledriver.Thrasher Brute draining is pretty disapointing, I would only use him if you don't have the consistent mana base to activate najeela when you want, cause the lifelink will be better than this.
Shanna, Sisay's Legacy - Oh Shanna, If you at least had hexproof...Warriors are easy targets, shanna can be big, but she's still an easy target, not that easy, but still an easy target. If you're running a more token based deck she still looks bad for me, so she didn't make the cut, which is pretty sad cause I love this art of her card.
Combat Celebrant - I mean, if I wanted to have another combat phase without my commander I rather use Aggravated Assault
Khenra Charioteer - Trample is good if you have big creatures. Warriors are small you'll have to run many anthems to make this worth it. By itself its just disappointing.
Winota, Joiner of Forces - Winota is really strong as a commander, but for you to use her you have to build the deck considering her trigger so you don't fail. And that adds more variables to the equation at a point I don't think it will be worth it. Sure you may find some combination to make it work, but even if you do it, I don't believe it would pay off.
Yasova Dragonclaw - I don't like Yasova. The Idea of cleaning the way by stealing someone elses creature it's not appealing to me at all. Normally you'll prefer to use your mana to activate or to protect Najeela instead of using this one's.
Moraug, Fury of Akoum - I get it "more combat steps", but for that much mana I don't think this card can get a spot. Sure just like Devilish Valet it will be fun once in a while, but for me this card is pretty mediocre.
Ruric Thar, the Unbowed - I don't have a problem with Ruric Thar, but he has a problem with me. As you can see my style of deck building is more focused on interactions, and by that I try to have a lot of instant instances. If you build a version with 30+ creatures I think you will be fine, but he just not for me.
Iroas, God of Victory and Frontier Warmonger - They are mediocre. Sure, giving evasion and/or being indestructible is good, but I don't want to count that I will have his devotion, If you want evasion I think you can have in other ways.
