What to expect from the new Magic The Gathering Commander Masters draft format, including five deck lists for Day 1 of the competition.
Looking for the Magic: The Gathering Commander Masters Day 1 decks? We’re now in the midst of Magic’s newest format, a twist on the Commander draft. Instead of picking a single legendary creature, you can now pair two monocolored commanders or choose a legendary creature with no color.
This new rule adds an exciting twist to deck construction, but it also increases your chances of winning the draft, especially if you’re lucky enough to be passed a pair of strong commanders. On Day 1, players are only allowed to pair one legendary creature with a monocolored commander, but those deck lists will give you an idea of how things will play out.
Here are the Magic The Gathering Commander Masters Day 1 decks, including pairings and strategies.
Azami, Lady of Scrolls and Talrand, Sky Summoner
This deck focuses on drawing cards and generating an army of flying creatures. Azami, Lady of Scrolls allows you to draw a card each turn, and Talrand, Sky Summoner can ensure you have a steady stream of creatures.
Godo, Bandit Warlord and Kemba, Kha Regent
This deck is all about creating an army of equipment and using Godo, Bandit Warlord to steal other people’s stuff. Kemba, Kha Regent makes sure you always have an equipped creature to steal, and the rest of the deck is made up of equipment and free spells to keep the engine running.
Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma and Ghalta, Primal Hunger
This duo focuses on playing big creatures and dealing massive damage. Use Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma to ensure you always have a way to cast Ghalta, Primal Hunger, and then get rid of any blockers with Goreclaw’s ability.
Anax, Hardened in the Forge and Neheb, the Eternal
This red deck is all about generating tokens and using them to play powerful spells. Anax, Hardened in the Forge ensures you always have an army of goblins at your disposal, and Neheb, the Eternal lets you generate mana by sacrificing your tokens.
Rishkar, Peema Renegade and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
This mono-green deck uses Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger’s indestructible ability to remove threats from the battlefield. Rishkar, Peema Renegade gives you the ability to cast more expensive spells sooner by generating mana, while Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger clears the board at the end of each player’s turn.
Sun Quan, Lord of Wu and Krenko, Mob Boss
This deck is all about horsemanship, making it difficult for opponents to block your creatures. Sun Quan, Lord of Wu can keep your small creatures safe, while Krenko, Mob Boss provides an army of Goblin token that can easily be converted into damage.
Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder and Erebos, Bleak-Hearted
This pair focuses on generating tokens and sacrificing them for powerful effects. Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder is a token generator that doubles as a way to draw more cards, while Erebos, Bleak-Hearted keeps your hand full of options at all times.
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds and Avacyn, Angel of Hope
There aren’t many green-white legendary creatures, so this pair was difficult to put together, but Selvala, Heart of the Wilds and Avacyn, Angel of Hope make for a powerful duo. Selvala, Heart of the Wilds can generate tons of mana, while Avacyn, Angel of Hope locks down the board and protects your creatures.
Gonti, Lord of Luxury and Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
It’s hard to go wrong with a mono-black deck, and this card-stealing combo is no exception. Mikaeus, the Unhallowed turns your creatures into zombies, which is great for Gonti, Lord of Luxury, who allows you to draw cards equal to the converted mana cost of a card in your graveyard.
Urza, Lord High Artificer and Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter
This blue-green engine will keep you generating artifacts and casting free spells. Urza, Lord High Artificer is the lynchpin of the deck, ensuring you always have a steady supply of mana. Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter is perfect for the deck because it generates artifact tokens, which Urza, Lord High Artificer turns into mana.
That’s all of the Magic The Gathering Commander Masters Day 1 decks, but don’t expect to see all of these pairs in the draft.
