Who is the most UNDERRATED commander
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Oct. 12, 2015, 3:26 a.m. by griffstick
I look at commanders, not only for what they can do for you, your hand, your lands, your creatures, ext, ext... But most importantly can they win with commander damage! Im excluding any commander set created cards. Besides they are not underated. Also, don't confuse underplayed, for underrated. Examples, of what I think is underrated, under used, neither, just plan bad.
Under used: Iname, Death Aspect, this is a good choice for building around. Not Underated
Underrated: Multani, Maro-Sorcerer, your in mono green. One color puts you at a disadvantage, but with some good mana ramp, this comes out quick. Four or more players are at the table, he is huge!
Neither: Ur-Drago, this card just overall sucks! Another one, just not as terrible, Xira Arien. Here's my reason. This commander isn't killing anybody at all, unless you play something like Hatred. He is also drawing only one card.
You see there is some argument here. One is bad, the other is better, but they are both bad. The only reason Xira Arien could be good, is its colors. Just because the rest of your deck is awesome, and just about every card in it is crazy good, doesn't mean its a good commander. It means your cards are good, and your commander sucks.
So who is your most "underrated" commander? I think its Multani, Maro-Sorcerer. Let me know if you agree, and let me know who is more underrated.
P.S. if you have a commander deck with Xira Arien as the commander take no offense to what i said. Its just my opinion.
griffstick says... #3
yea she has to be right? zada a female name. my bad
October 21, 2015 4:12 a.m. Edited.
t321livewire says... #5
Mishra, Artificer Prodigy in a grixis artifact edh.... hands down.... no one thinks he is good but there are many cards that make him good.... possibility storm is one example.
October 21, 2015 7:38 p.m.
ComradeJim270 says... #6
Mishra is one of those cards where Timmy will go "what a piece of crap!", Spike will go "too much work", and Johnny will go "Oh, hell yes."
There's a fine example of what happens when you go for it on the site: Jank Primers: Mishra. You can very easily abuse his ability.
October 22, 2015 12:16 a.m.
griffstick says... #7
them im not a johnny. i still think he sucks because of his extensive requirements to make him work like what a johnny is trying to accomplish.
October 22, 2015 12:32 a.m.
ComradeJim270 says... #8
Considering he's in black, tutoring up the pieces to make him work isn't a huge amount of work.
October 22, 2015 12:48 a.m.
griffstick says... #9
meh, okay he has upgraded from sucks to ok. looks like fun though. what im not okay with is that price tag $$$
October 22, 2015 1:52 a.m.
Fleetwood-Mat says... #10
I think Oona, Queen of the Fae is quite underrated. She fits nicely into the colour scheme, and she is very good as a backup win con if you fail to win with just the deck alone.
October 24, 2015 12:27 a.m.
ComradeJim270 says... #11
Oona? The commander everyone expects to exile your entire library at once, in colors that can tutor for the things that let her do it and disrupt attempts to stop it?
Or is that just me? Different metas have different thoughts on this. In my experience Oona is in the "Oh god, kill it now!" category for a great many players. A well-built Oona deck will combo off very fast. If you get up and go to the bathroom you'll come back to everyone waiting for your draw step so you can deck out and the next game can start.
October 24, 2015 3:45 a.m.
griffstick says... #12
Yea she is really good no doubt about that. Not underrated
October 24, 2015 4:13 a.m.
SolarianNinja says... #13
Isao, the Enlighted Bushi! I built a Voltron deck with him.
October 25, 2015 4:35 p.m.
griffstick says... #14
Isao, Enlightened Bushi idk man that one seem peems pretty bad. Put your deck up I'd like to see it
October 26, 2015 4:41 a.m. Edited.
SolarianNinja says... #15
For casaual reasons he would be fun to play, I obviously wouldnt expect him to win a tournament l. I dont try to be competitive.Himura Kenshin/Battosai (Green Wanderer)
October 26, 2015 6:57 a.m.
For Zada, Hedron Grinder the best way to make use of him as a commander would be to use the storm mechanic, imagine Grapeshot and having atleast 10 tokens, try calculating how many times the storm grows and how much damage you can target at your opponents.
October 27, 2015 3:57 a.m.
griffstick says... #17
storm doesn't work like that, i did think about that already. the best way to use him is to find those certain spells that where never meant to be copied several times like Balduvian Rage
October 27, 2015 4:13 a.m.
Kami of the Crescent Moon Most people just ignore him and think he is extra draw, but with the deck I have built around him he can swing in pretty nasty.
November 1, 2015 9:55 p.m.
griffstick says... #19
Yea that's a different and unexpected voltron type commander. I like that deck
November 2, 2015 12:23 p.m.
Studies have show only 2000 people died due to the Spanish Inquisition; over the course of 400 years that is 5/year. I think I will try my hand with the Inquisition over a turn 1 Zurgo Helmsmasher.
November 3, 2015 7:33 a.m.
Draglord_Sim says... #24
It is a Monty Python reference. "no one expects the Spanish inquisition."
November 3, 2015 7:40 p.m.
griffstick says... #25
You show me a turn 1 zurgo I'll show you a spanish inquisition.
November 3, 2015 7:42 p.m.
Draglord_Sim says... #26
Back to the actual subject of this forum, and I know the gods have been said all ready, but I should like to point out Athreos, God of Passage. With some sac effects and Dictate of Erebos, perfect!
November 3, 2015 7:51 p.m.
People don't give Alesha, Who Smiles at Death the respect she deserves. She's better than Kaliaa in the respect that if Kaliaa dies before putting something into play, the deck is done. Alesha on the other hand, with any of Sword + X and Y, is able to easily get lethal commander damage in. Kaliaa's evasion means very little when you consider that she costs 1 more and that the swords give you whatever evasion you need. Meanwhile unlike Kaliaa you don't have to dedicate a bunch of slots to expensive fatties that you'll rarely get to hard cast. In short it's hard to hate Alesha out of the game since you can play her as a simple beater. With 
you're playing a deck that consists of kill spells, partial land destruction (meaning blow up X lands, not all lands) and card advantage artifacts to draw more kill spells.
I've beaten a T3 Zurgo swing for lethal deck, a Rafiq of the Many voltron deck, and an Oloro Permission deck all at the same table, all the same game. You just play smart and play traditional control within your colors and you can't go wrong.
November 4, 2015 4:55 a.m.
Recipe for turn one Zurgo Helmsmasher: Swamp Dark Ritual Simian Spirit Guide Lotus Petal
November 4, 2015 9:16 a.m. Edited.
And if you want to attack add Mox Opal Ornithopter and Burst of Speed. MAY THE LUCKY HAND AND DRAW BE WITH YOU
November 4, 2015 7:29 p.m.
griffstick says... #35
@ kengiczar, Alesha, Who Smiles at Death I think is underraded you also don't see much deck built around her. She is perfect for ant standard players trying commander out since most of the deck will have a low cmc
November 4, 2015 9:36 p.m.
griffstick says... #36
I just discovered this guy and looks sweet! 
underrated? Maraxus of Keld
November 5, 2015 12:35 a.m.
That guy is clearly on steroids. And possibly some other stuff.
November 5, 2015 1:33 a.m.
Draglord_Sim says... #40
more like bane on steroids (i know bane is already on steroid things btw)
November 5, 2015 1:24 p.m.
jandrobard says... #41
griffstick I've found my next theme deck commander...
Is there a "back break" card?
November 6, 2015 12:30 a.m.
discipleoftalrand says... #43
I myself use Talrand, Sky Summoner for EDH. I feel that his under-usage is one of the reasons I win with him. I remember a game I played where I countered everything my opponent did, and then brought out Stormtide Leviathan. Because of this, my opponent brought out Avacyn, Angel of Hope. To make a long story short, I took control of his now 68/68 Avacyn and, due to Stormtide's ability, allowed my to swing for the kill. I believe Talrand is an under-used commander, but if he's played right, he can slap your opponents silly.
November 6, 2015 10:24 p.m.
poorpinkus says... #47
Experiment Kraj I have barely ever seen play, and he makes some really cool decks, for example Infinite Combos in EDH - Experiment Kraj Budget uses some weird infinite combos, but he can also be made into a really fun non-infinite deck
Rosheen Meanderer is another card that I'd love to see more play, hydras and X spells galore! Now this might not be considered underrated but I thought I should bring it up (X Cost Control in EDH - Rosheen Budget)
Hua Tuo, Honored Physician is extremely underrated for mono-green bigstuff decks, if you run him as a general with any sort of Call of the Wild effects it is very difficult to completely remove your creatures, plus recursion! (Mono-Green Advantage - Hua Tuo Recursion)
I barely ever see Patron of the Moon as a general, seriously this guy is boss. If you get out Amulet of Vigor he goes infinite real quick, and without it he is a really fun general to play as and against, especially if you try to go Moonfolk tribal (because EVERYBODY underestimates moonfolk tribal - Moonfolk Tribal for ~$50 - Moon Men in EDH)
I'd like to mention that you can play Phelddagrif without all of the cheesy Suture Priest effects and still do well, as you can threaten your opponents to give all other players huge buffs if you are attacked. (How to Have Fun in EDH - Phelddagrif Surprise)
While Dralnu, Lich Lord is pretty risky to play, he is a very cool general, and you can run self-sacrificing effects if he is going to get killed, plus, people usually won't make you sacrifice your stuff as they don't want to be a dangus. Dictate of Erebos effects also help (Zambie Control - Dralnu Flashback in EDH)
I also made a Skeleton Ship deck but there are no redeeming qualities to that card other than that it is a skeleton, as I use it in my skeleton tribal deck cuz it's 3spooki5me
November 8, 2015 3:39 a.m.
Draglord_Sim he basically listed all the under used commanders(and there are many of them) and each and every one had a deck example that M a g i c a l H a c k e r had built. Furthermore! Each one had a beautiful little intro that I played in my head like a goofy car commercial. It was an amazing moment. Little ways down the comment stream, but worth a read for sure.
November 14, 2015 3:22 a.m.
griffstick says... #49
Big shout out to Draglord_Sim and Magical Hacker for building a great list of underrated and underused commanders with great detail.
November 14, 2015 1:25 p.m. Edited.
I've never played EDH/Commander because my play-group really isn't interested in that format yet. But I've always wondered how Shauku, Endbringer would fare as a commander....
griffstick says... #1
they would make a cool wither and infect deck. too bad they are in the wrong colors for that
October 20, 2015 8:24 p.m.