Commanders by Power Level [EDH Tier List]

Commander / EDH* thegigibeast

SCORE: 2474 | 9371 COMMENTS | 3297711 VIEWS | IN 1098 FOLDERS


Massive update!!! —Feb. 3, 2016

I finished modifying the list to work with a 6 tiers system. I am still going through a lot of updates, I cleaned the comments but will continue to read them here to be able to make the list even better. Thanks for the support guyz, and sorry for the time it took me. You are awesome!

PlattBonnay says... #1

I definitely think that Yisan, the Wanderer Bard should be higher than tier 4. I'm not certain that he is tier 2 material, but tier 3 for sure. He very quickly gets out of hand, and can chain up into massive threats very quickly. If he is not answered right away, he is liable to take over a game.

December 9, 2015 2:10 a.m.

MTWEmperor says... #2

How exactly is Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter tier 2? I realize there are some combos with him but I don't see it as Tier 2. He's got a massive cost and no green to support it.

NarejED: Blightsteel Colossus shuffles into library...

December 9, 2015 2:59 a.m.

MTWEmperor says... #3

PlattBonnay: I'll second Yisan, the Wanderer Bard for tier 3. I think it's got some game against tier 1/2. I'd definitely say no to tier 2 though.

December 9, 2015 3:02 a.m.

NarejED says... #4

It's a potential example to demonstrate what Daretti is capable of, not an actual occurrence.

And Vish Kal isn't tier 2. He needs to be moved down. He's still there as a remnant from the original tier list created by Pmonk. I actually just recommended he be bumped to tier 3 earlier this evening.

December 9, 2015 3:04 a.m.

egyptcraze says... #5

Rafiq absolutely needs to be higher than tier 3. I don't know a single person that doesn't immediately groan/freak out when Rafiq hits the command zone. Having access to bant gives him explosive starts that he can carry through with all the removal and card he needs. Get any kind of equipment on him and it's game over, pretty much immediately. Of the voltron commanders, he's probably the one that hits the hardest and most consistently outside of voltron Zur builds

December 9, 2015 3:18 a.m.

MTWEmperor says... #6

Alright, I'd just feel more comfortable putting out accurate information is all shrugs

I do agree with tier 2 for Daretti but I have the deck which makes me a bit more bias.

December 9, 2015 3:21 a.m.

egyptcraze says... #7

And there are actually quite a few in tier 4 that I'm very confused about: , Anowan the Ruin Sage, Eladamri, Wort the Raidmother, Ulasht, and Vorel should all move up to tier 3 imo. Angus McKenzie needs to go even higher, honestly. A truly tuned Angus McKenzie deck is a piece of work.

As a point of order, the only one of these generals I play is Ulasht. I just happen to have seen these decks operate at levels much above level 4.

December 9, 2015 3:38 a.m.

egyptcraze says... #8

MTWEmperor: As a fellow Daretti player, I can confirm the power level. Mono-red stax with Daretti is crazy, and you can really control the board with all the wheel effects you get double use out of. Honestly, Daretti's the only red deck where the rummaging mechanic is actually net gain in card advantage. Considering it can hold its own at a table with Rafiq, Derevi, and Captain Sisay (which I have done) as either an aggressive beatdown OR control deck (which is still weird to me) is great because it gives the deck a lot of play. It allows it to attack on different axes beyond just combat, something red otherwise is sorely missing.

December 9, 2015 3:48 a.m.

jackanukealty says... #9

Anowon, the Ruin Sage is Tier 3 IMO. Mono Black Vamps FTW

December 9, 2015 4:33 a.m.

Gitaxias86 says... #10

love this list. No real objections except that a good ruric-thar deck can absolutely rise above tier 5...tier 4, maybe even tier 3. My old ruric-thar drew a lot of hate and attention. He was certainly relevant to the table, was never played simply for his colors, and absolutely couldn't afford to just be left alone.

December 9, 2015 8:02 a.m.

thegigibeast says... #11

Updates are done! Please continue to feed the list!

About Merieke Ri Berit, she is currently tier 4. Another similar commander, Empress Galina, is also tier 4, and I think none of them belongs to this tier. The two have upsides/downsides. Merieke Ri Berit can steal any creature, but she doesn't untap so you can only steal one creature at the time, while with Empress Galina you can steal many commanders. But Merieke Ri Berit has a better color identity and access to a lot of cool cards, while the Empress Galina is mono-blue... I think they both allow for really political play, and stealing the best/one of the best creature on the table at the right time could win the game... Not tier one nor two, cause I don't see them going for an explosive win on turn 4-5, but definitely tier 3 cause they can easily be built around and go for political plays.

For Yisan, the Wanderer Bard, I definitely like him. I already moved him up to tier 3, but I think it would be possible to move him up to tier 2. I have seen some pretty cool list of Elfball with him at the helm on mtgtop8... Momir Vig, Simic Visionary is already tier 1 for elfball, Yisan, the Wanderer Bard could be tier 2?

What do you guyz think about this???

December 9, 2015 10:35 a.m.

clayperce says... #12

This is a really amazing effort. Kudos to everyone who's been a part of it so far, and a big +1!

My only request: Could you change the "Commander" please ... not sure about the rest of the world, but I'm pretty well sick of the whole Storm Crow thing. Maybe a Command Tower or Command Beacon instead?

December 9, 2015 11:12 a.m.

EpicFreddi says... #13

Only two T1 Commander are not blue.10/10 seems like a proper list.

December 9, 2015 11:18 a.m.

hizari says... #14

I believe Sliver overlord is strictly better than Sliver Queen. He sets you up for controlling others boards and allows you to tutor for the answer to any problem. While, sliver queen is just kind of a awkward combo piece chilling in the command zone.

December 9, 2015 11:30 a.m.

Didgeridooda says... #15

About Merieke Ri Berit, and not untapping. Many people use untap engines to increase her effectiveness. With that she is a continuous board-wipe by herself if she is able to stick. Thousand-Year Elixir, Minamo, School at Water's Edge, Pemmin's Aura are just a couple.

December 9, 2015 12:11 p.m.

Didgeridooda says... #16

hizari high powered sliver queen decks are not sliver decks. They are good stuff decks that use her to combo.

Edit, how about 1996 World Champion for the commander of this deck?

December 9, 2015 12:12 p.m. Edited.

I would say that Gisela, Blade of Goldnight should be T2 instead of T3. In a multiplayer Commander match, she's going to cause your opponents to be doing double damage to each other. I've seen it cause mass rage and panic as the other players are struggling to defend themselves against Double Damage from everyone. Combine that with the fact that you take half damage, it gives you a lot of breathing room.

Anyways, this is just my opinion :)

December 9, 2015 12:19 p.m.

Didgeridooda says... #18

JerichoDarkstar honestly, that is sort of how tier 3 works. She is def not used just for her colors, and has big impact if she gets going. It can take a little while though. She is not very speedy.

December 9, 2015 12:21 p.m.

Great list,

Just one thing. I have never met a Sigarda, Host of Herons deck I haven't hated playing against. She comes down quick thanks to green and voltrons up with all of Whites enchantmenty goodness too quick for me 90% of the time. Hexproof is what I think keeps her as a tier 2 beater but thats just me.

December 9, 2015 12:26 p.m.

CuteSnail says... #20

How is Isperia, Supreme Judge tier 5? That seems cruel. She's powerful, either tier 4 or 3.

Also I think that it may be worth mentioning that tier 5 generals do work, but they tend to be jank or gimmick decks. I know Chisei, Heart of Oceans is one such general. You can build a really weird and fun deck with it without it just being a colour placeholder.

December 9, 2015 12:26 p.m.

Didgeridooda says... #21

Mystic Remora would be nice in Chisei. Is that the sort of stuff it uses?

December 9, 2015 12:39 p.m.

CuteSnail says... #22

December 9, 2015 12:44 p.m.

NarejED says... #23

@ NecroPony: Tier 4 and 5 haven't been looked into yet. We're still trying to sort through Tier 1 through 3, so there are still a large number of misplaced commanders in 4 and 5 from Pmonk's original list.

December 9, 2015 2:37 p.m.

thegigibeast says... #24

I am bumping Isperia, Supreme Judge and Angus Mackenzie to tier 3.

Any thoughts on this?

December 9, 2015 2:37 p.m.

CuteSnail says... #25

I still think Angus should be higher up.

December 9, 2015 2:46 p.m.