The deck revolves around the Super Friends and so we need to ensure that the friends we are gathering are the friends we really want to go to war with. There are three qualities that I look for in the friends that I take into a Commander battle:
The Must-haves!
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
is the top dog here. With a relevant uptick, a game swinging downtick, and the second best ultimate among the Super Friends in this collection, Ugin is the immediate first include for me.
Tamiyo, Field Researcher
is the second auto-include for me. While her uptick is not always relevant, when it is, it nets you cards. Her downtick is always a positive. Her ultimate breaks the game wide open and is basically an auto-scoop once it fires.
Ajani Steadfast
is narrower but he's the best enabler you could hope for in this deck. His uptick can be weak or strong depending on the board state and what you have going. His downtick can get another walker over the hump and his ultimate is well...
Forcefield
is a really, really good card and when you don't need to pay for it, it is even better.
Teferi, Temporal Archmage
is great for set-up. If you happen to land him while you have a doubling season on the board get his emblem. You have ways to drag him back, but getting his emblem is a massive boon. His uptick is solid. His downtick can swing a turn/game completely into your favor depending on where you are at any given time. And that ultimate. That ultimate is cray-cray.
The Good to have!
Venser, the Sojourner
is my favorite planeswalker of all time. Everything he does in my wheelhouse. He is, however, a difficult play. His uptick, in a deck like this, is clearly amazing. Being able to re-pop any of your nearly exhausted planeswalkers back to full - hachimachi! His downtick is a complete surprise to most people and when used with the other planeswalkers can be a win from nowhere. His ultimate - do I need to go on about this. The ultimate control experience. Everything you cast is a way to eradicate the board.
Sorin, Grim Nemesis
is another interesting play. His uptick is fascinating in a commander game and with such beefy spells in your deck often results in a pain fest. His downtick eliminates threats or finishes an opponent. His ultimate puts players, potentially all players on a really efficient clock.
Sorin Markov
is a beast. His uptick is not great, clearly. His ultimate, is nice, but really
Mindslaver
on an Arcane Ruins is better. Now, his downtick is just stupid in commander and ends games quickly.
Vraska the Unseen
is a great play and coupled with... say... Venser ends games. Her uptick is a way to keep you alive. Her downtick helps keep the board under control and other planeswalkers at bay. Her ultimate - again, game ending.
Nissa, Vital Force
is a newer addition. She's a good add in that she gives you a beatstick to swing when necessary. Her downtick, clearly is good in a deck like this. Her ultimate is underrated. With burgeoning and
Azusa, Lost but Seeking
you will have many extra card draws.
The Nice to have!
Jace, the Living Guildpact
is an anomaly. He's a maligned planeswalker for a good reason. However, in this deck he can be a real superstar. Uptick, card advantage and graveyard manipulation. Downtick, some defense or bounding your team. Ultimate - supreme disadvtange for your opponents - nearly always results in a scoop.
Jace, Unraveler of Secrets
is just kinda nice to have. Scry and get a card is a nice uptick. Creature control on the downtick. Ultimate is a no brainer.
Jace, Architect of Thought
is another solid performer. Uptick is weaker. MIni-
Fact or Fiction
is nice on the downtick and lastly, using
Bribery
+ on all your opponents is just demoralizing.
Narset Transcendent
can be hit or miss. When she hits - she is formidable. Getting an extra draw on uptick. Being able to recast a potent spell on rebound is always nice on a downtick. For an ultimate, you get an improved version of
Gaddock Teeg
, oppression at its finest.
Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
controls the board - or at least somewhat controls the board. In a multiplayer game, her downtick can be a massive boon. Her ultimate set up a game-ending chain of events.
Tezzeret the Seeker
mana advantage on the uptick, getting the artifact that you need on the downtick and it can be a game-ending ultimate.
Liliana Vess
upticking feels weak. Downtick is great. And her ultimate typically will end games.
Filling out the Super Friends!
Here you have the rest of the team. I won't go into their benefits and drawbacks as you can do some of that research yourselves.
Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
Ramp, control and card draw.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Attackers/defenders, board wipe, and enhancement. I take her over her two counterparts, though it can be a toss up between her and
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Ajani Unyielding
Card advantage,
Swords to Plowshares
, support.
Dovin Baan
Defense, life and card advantage,
Static Orb
effect.
Garruk, Apex Predator
Anti-planeswalker, attack/defense, board control-life gain, and game ending emblem.
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Fateseal,
Brainstorm
, bounce, and a devastating ultimate against a single-target.
Ob Nixilis Reignited
Card draw, board control, and
Phyrexian Tyranny
without the buyout.
Now, for the rest.
Here are the alternates that I often think about including and why I don't.
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
Slow, slow, slow.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
I don't typically win with creatures.
Garruk, Primal Hunter
Again, creatures are not the primary driver in the deck.
Gideon Jura
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Gideon, Champion of Justice
I like Gideon - but in commander he is very limited.
Kaya, Ghost Assassin
Newer - not really tested, but she is slow.
Liliana of the Veil
Love her in modern, here not so much.
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
Sorin, Solemn Visitor
Creature thing - thought the sac ultimate is nice.
Tezzeret the Schemer
May test him.
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
not enough artifacts to fuel the engine.