How this list is organized: mono-color sections keep up to ten leaders and each matching multicolor identity keeps up to two. EDHREC deck counts order each exact identity.
Mono-Black — picks 1–6
Mono-Black commanders
6 eligible new commanders exist in this exact printed identity; 6 are included under the series rules.
Mono-Black commander
The Master of Lake-town
Repeatable card flow is the engine; the best builds maximize the trigger while protecting the commander that keeps the hand moving.
What the card does: Deathtouch Whenever a player loses life, that player mills that many cards. (Damage causes loss of life.) When The Master of Lake-town dies, draw a card for each graveyard with seven or more cards in it.
Why it ranks: Within the Mono-Black identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the complete mono-color field up to ten. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 443 decks for this commander.
Mono-Black commander
Gollum, Riddle Master
Repeatable card flow is the engine; the best builds maximize the trigger while protecting the commander that keeps the hand moving.
What the card does: As Gollum enters, choose odd or even. (Zero is even.) Whenever an opponent casts a spell with mana value of the chosen quality, choose one that hasn't been chosen — • Put a +1/+1 counter on Gollum. • Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. • Draw a card.
Why it ranks: Within the Mono-Black identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the complete mono-color field up to ten. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 150 decks for this commander.
Mono-Black commander
The Sackville-Bagginses
Repeatable card flow is the engine; the best builds maximize the trigger while protecting the commander that keeps the hand moving.
What the card does: When The Sackville-Bagginses enter, you may sacrifice another creature or artifact. If you do, draw a card and create a Treasure token. Whenever you sacrifice a token, target opponent loses 1 life.
Why it ranks: Within the Mono-Black identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the complete mono-color field up to ten. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 49 decks for this commander.
Mono-Black commander
Azog, Moria's Ruin
Repeatable card flow is the engine; the best builds maximize the trigger while protecting the commander that keeps the hand moving.
What the card does: When Azog enters, destroy up to one other target creature. Its controller amasses Goblins X, where X is that creature's power. If you controlled that creature, draw a card. (To amass Goblins X, that player puts X +1/+1 counters on an Army they control. It's also a Goblin. If they don't control an Army, they create a 0/0 black Goblin Army creature token first.)
Why it ranks: Within the Mono-Black identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the complete mono-color field up to ten. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 29 decks for this commander.
Mono-Black commander
Gollum the Abandoned
The graveyard is an active resource, so self-mill, recursion targets, and protection from graveyard hate matter more than generic value cards.
What the card does: Gollum can't block. When Gollum enters, exile up to one target card from an opponent's graveyard. Each opponent loses 2 life. {2}, Sacrifice an artifact or creature: Return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate only as a sorcery.
Why it ranks: Within the Mono-Black identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the complete mono-color field up to ten. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 28 decks for this commander.
Mono-Black commander
Gollum, Silent Slinker // Meager Meal
The rules text gives the deck a concrete build-around, while the remaining slots must supply interaction, card flow, and a reliable way to close.
What the card does: Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.) // Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature. Target player gains 2 life. (Then exile this card. You may cast the creature later from exile.)
Why it ranks: Within the Mono-Black identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the complete mono-color field up to ten. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 7 decks for this commander.
Golgari — picks 7–8
Golgari commanders
3 eligible new commanders exist in this exact printed identity; 2 are included under the series rules.
Golgari commander
Chief of the Wilds
Wolves grow the commander while Wolf and battle triggers happen twice.
What the card does: Menace Whenever another Wolf you control enters, put two +1/+1 counters on Chief of the Wilds. If a triggered ability of another Wolf or battle you control triggers, that ability triggers an additional time.
Chief supports a Wolf deck with more than a large body. The trigger multiplier applies to other Wolves and battles you control, which rewards selecting permanents with worthwhile triggered abilities instead of only efficient stats. Wolf tokens grow Chief too, but Chief's own counter trigger is not doubled by its second ability.
Why it ranks: Within the Golgari identity, 3 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the two highest-adoption multicolor leaders. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 1,732 decks for this commander.
Golgari commander
Tom, Bert, and William
Turn a large expendable creature into a new hand, then survive death as an artifact.
What the card does: {1}, Sacrifice another creature: Draw cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power, then discard a card. When Tom, Bert, and William die, if they were a creature, return them to the battlefield. They're an artifact. (They're no longer a creature.)
The sacrifice ability rewards power rather than mana value, so large tokens and temporarily enlarged creatures can draw many cards. When the Trolls die as a creature, their return as an artifact preserves the engine without preserving a creature body. Letting that return happen can be more useful than moving the commander back to the command zone.
Why it ranks: Within the Golgari identity, 3 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the two highest-adoption multicolor leaders. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 1,043 decks for this commander.
Rakdos — picks 9–10
Rakdos commanders
6 eligible new commanders exist in this exact printed identity; 2 are included under the series rules.
Rakdos commander
Smaug the Impenetrable
Noncombat damage becomes Treasure on an indestructible Dragon.
What the card does: Flying, indestructible, haste Whenever Smaug is dealt noncombat damage, create that many Treasure tokens.
This Smaug rewards damage spells that can hit your own commander. Indestructible lets him survive ordinary lethal damage while the trigger produces Treasure equal to the damage actually dealt. Seven mana is a substantial starting cost, so the list needs ramp and useful damage effects even when Smaug is unavailable. His haste also gives the deck a straightforward combat plan.
Why it ranks: Within the Rakdos identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the two highest-adoption multicolor leaders. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 4,248 decks for this commander.
Rakdos commander
The Great Goblin
Counters deal damage while creature deaths keep cards available to play.
What the card does: Whenever you put one or more counters on a Goblin, Orc, or Army you control, The Great Goblin deals 2 damage to target opponent. Whenever another Goblin, Orc, or Army you control dies, exile the top card of your library. You may play it until the end of your next turn.
The Great Goblin connects two plans that already fit Rakdos: growing Goblins or Armies and sacrificing creatures for value. Adding several counters to one creature at once is one trigger, not one trigger per counter. The death ability gives a generous play window through your next turn, but you still need mana and normal timing permission to use those exiled cards.
Why it ranks: Within the Rakdos identity, 6 eligible new options exist; this guide keeps the two highest-adoption multicolor leaders. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 3,719 decks for this commander.
Sultai — pick 11
Sultai commanders
1 eligible new commander exists in this exact printed identity; 1 is included under the series rules.
Sultai commander
Thranduil, the Elvenking
Sultai Elves gain a command-zone toolbox built from the graveyard.
What the card does: Thranduil has all activated abilities of all Elf cards in your graveyard. Whenever another legendary Elf you control enters, draw two cards, then discard a card.
Thranduil turns discarded or milled Elves into activated abilities, so the graveyard doubles as a menu of tools. The legendary-Elf trigger supplies the draw and discard needed to keep that menu growing. Start with abilities you actually want to activate and enough legendary Elves to sustain the hand; an ordinary Elf pile will not exploit both halves equally well.
Why it ranks: Within the Sultai identity, 1 eligible new option exists; this guide keeps the two highest-adoption multicolor leaders. The saved EDHREC snapshot reports 6,062 decks for this commander.