best voltron commander?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Feb. 1, 2015, 5:48 p.m. by Fistfulvengence
Who's your favorite voltron commander?
February 1, 2015 5:52 p.m.
KillDatBUG says... #4
Zur the Enchanter. It may not seem like it is a voltron commander, but trust me. It is.
February 1, 2015 5:59 p.m.
Voltron is a personal favorite play style of mine. All the ones mentioned already are good. I'm partial to Uril, the Miststalker.
February 1, 2015 6:09 p.m.
My buddy runs a pretty scary Thrun, the Last Troll voltron deck. Ramp up, equip the heck out of him, stomp face, repeat.
February 1, 2015 6:38 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #10
Derevi, Empyrial Tactician is my favorite because the usual way to stop a voltron deck is to kill their commander enough to make it uncastable. You simply can't do that to Derevi because that player can just flash it in at an end step, suit her back up, and swing on a clear board.
The fact that she has another ability to untap or tap is stupidly good as well because she can untap dudes like Stoneforge Mystic or Stonehewer Giant or rocks like Gilded Lotus or tap down blockers.
February 1, 2015 7:07 p.m.
I've also witnessed voltron'd Skullbriar, the Walking Grave take down the table.
February 1, 2015 8:15 p.m.
But if we're talking favourite, I'll second Uril, the Miststalker. Such a powerhouse, very difficult to deal with once he gets rolling.
February 1, 2015 9:37 p.m.
I've seen a couple really mean Olivia Voldaren voltron decks.
February 1, 2015 9:43 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #18
Here are all the good voltrons:
Sigarda, Host of Herons
Uril, the Miststalker
Tajic, Blade of the Legion
Sliver Hivelord
Sapling of Colfenor
Thrun, the Last Troll
Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
Geist of Saint Traft
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
Zur the Enchanter (if people let you get the first search)
Voltrons I would not recommend (list not comprehensive):
Rafiq of the Many
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Narset, Enlightened Master
Ruhan of the Fomori
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Commander Eesha
Sygg, River Guide
Kemba, Kha Regent
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
Cromat
Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
Krond the Dawn-Clad
Ayumi, the Last Visitor
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Lu Xun, Scholar General
Wydwen, the Biting Gale
Rorix Bladewing
February 1, 2015 10:15 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #20
Cause it doesn't have any way to prevent dying during any turn. Sure you can bring it back, but then you have to reuse all that mana/cards to bring her back up to a scary amount of commander damage. I still wait for the day when a good bant voltron commander will be made. Hopefully with indestructible and hexproof, even if that's all it had and it was a 0/1 for 5 mana.
With the exception of Zur, that's what is the real difference between good and bad (also except Sygg, River Guide, Korlash, Heir to Blackblade, and Cromat, because Geist of Saint Traft, Sapling of Colfenor for mono-black, and Sliver Hivelord are more mana efficient, respectively).
I still have yet to make a decision about Lord of Tresserhorn because of his etb requiring creatures, which a voltron deck doesn't usually have too many of...
February 2, 2015 3:15 a.m.
HeroInMyOwnMind says... #21
Sigarda, Host of Herons and Uril, the Miststalker are really good.
I am surprised no one has mentioned Jenara, Asura of War. It has an interesting tool that most voltron commanders do not.
February 3, 2015 12:26 p.m.
What do you think about Doran, the Siege Tower as a voltron commander? I think he does pretty good in that line, as well as messing with the opponent's strategy.
February 3, 2015 4:55 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #23
Some more commanders I'd advise against using as a voltron (continuing from my previous post):
- Zurgo Helmsmasher
- Anax and Cymede
- Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
- Skullbriar, the Walking Grave
- Olivia Voldaren
- Ashling the Pilgrim
- Jenara, Asura of War
- Doran, the Siege Tower
While I know this seems like I'm disagreeing with people on this post for no reason, I very much believe that in order to rely on a commander to carry your auras, equipments, etc., it needs to have a reliable way to prevent "dying to removal" on every turn, all while being able to cast reasonably early (looking at you Narset, Enlightened Master).
And yes, the best Voltrons hit for 21 all at once. :P
February 3, 2015 5:52 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #24
MagicalHacker I kinda have to disagree with Derevi. I have an artifact voltron deck with her at the helm and I have never lost with it. I usually play in 6-10 man pods so the ability to win is incredible.
The reason she is good is the exact reason you give for a commander to be good, but not in the typical "I don't die" situation. Derevi instead, has the ability to pay 
: Ignore all removal, unattach all equipments and auras attached to Derevi.
Bant also gives you Finest Hour. Combine that with Fireshrieker or True Conviction and that gives you 14 damage with just derevi with no other equipments. Add a single sword of x&y and that gets you to 22 damage.
Flying evasion naturally, "flash", and the ability to Icy Blast/Refocus something whenever ANYTHING you control hits a player is huge.
February 3, 2015 6:20 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #25
I'm sure in lots of metagames, the commanders I advise against can do well, but a Murder every other turn or so should be enough to slow down a deck based around Derevi by letting him use resources in hand to pile up the power and then drain him of tempo over the long run.
So while yes it can be done, I think that some kind of built in protection from destroying spells is necessary if you want to put your opponents in a difficult situation.
I really do wish that there would be a Bant voltron with Hexproof or indestructible or even some kind of neat protection from colors abilities (would be better with equipments at that point).
February 3, 2015 7:01 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #26
Privileged Position, Asceticism, and tons of others say hi....I really think you are just writing her off too quickly.
February 3, 2015 7:05 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #27
How many? Even with 5 blanket hexproof effects in the deck, there's still no guarantee that you will have it every game. Granted, it's the only commander that has no tax (Tasigur and Karador sorta), but I just see it as too easily disruptable unfortunately. :/
February 3, 2015 7:31 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #28
Not that disruptable seeing as you can't counter her outside of a Stifle effect. Only dies to kill spells and in an artifact voltron deck Hexproof is SO easy to get.
I have a feeling you've never really played against a Derevi voltron deck. (Most people build her with combo in mind).
February 3, 2015 7:55 p.m.
Isamaru, Hound of Konda is one of the best, though everyone seems to not correctly build around him.
Idk if most people realize this or not, but in terms of bang for your buck - sorceries are better than instants (you can get +2/- for cmc 3 on an instant, but +3/- for cmc on a sorcery in white [though sorceries have a higher average cmc b/c of this]) and auras are better than equipments (you are restricted to a certain color so you get better stats as a reward).
With that in mind, I built an Isamaru deck with a cmc of 1.71 using mostly instants and auras and literally every game I've played with him had my one or more of my opponents conceding on turn 3.
I say all this to get the point across that speed is what Voltron is all about and Isamaru is the fastest commander I've ever played.
Incidentally, given that Tiny Leaders is supposed to be a 1v1 format, Isamaru, Hound of Konda is probably the best commander in it.
February 5, 2015 2:39 p.m.
scopesightzx says... #30
With Anax and Cymede I took a different route for voltron. Instead of being all equipment and auras, I built it with cheap instant and sorceries (Brute Force is an example). I can win by turn 6-8 fairly consistently in 1v1 with it. It doesn't fair as well in multiplayer because the effects last until end of turn, but at the same time, it means I'm not a huge target all the time. Also, Sunforger is a real workhorse in this deck.
klone13 says... #2
Narset, Enlightened Master Rafiq of the Many and Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
February 1, 2015 5:51 p.m.