Can You Play Eldrazi in Commander? A Comprehensive Guide
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The short answer is a resounding yes, you absolutely can play Eldrazi in Commander! These colossal, reality-warping beings make for some of the most powerful and unique strategies in the format. Eldrazi, with their massive stats and devastating abilities, can dominate the battlefield and provide an exciting and challenging play experience. Let’s delve deeper into how you can bring these titans to your Commander table.
Unleashing the Eldrazi in Commander
Eldrazi’s unique characteristics make them a compelling choice for Commander decks. Their often colorless nature opens up interesting deck-building avenues, and their raw power can overwhelm opponents. Let’s break down some key aspects:
Commander Options
Selecting your Eldrazi commander is the first and most crucial step. Here are some of the most popular choices:
- Kozilek, the Great Distortion: A powerful card advantage engine and counterspell threat, Kozilek is a force to be reckoned with, particularly against control-heavy decks. He’s often considered one of the best colorless Eldrazi commanders.
- Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger: One of the most devastating Eldrazi, Ulamog’s ability to exile two permanents on attack often translates into crushing board control. Ulamog is a favorite for those seeking to quickly dismantle their opponents’ strategies.
- Emrakul, the Promised End: While not as straightforward as the other two, Emrakul’s ability to take control of another player’s turn can lead to some truly game-winning plays. It’s a more challenging commander, but one with high payoff.
- Zhulodok, Void Gorger: This commander allows for some unique build around potential with his ability to reduce the cost of activated abilities and cascade into other huge threats.
- Morophon, the Boundless: Although colorless, Morophon’s five-color identity allows it to lead an Eldrazi deck that includes all the colors.
The choice of your commander will heavily influence the direction of your deck, and each brings a distinct playstyle to the table.
Deck Building Considerations
When building an Eldrazi Commander deck, there are several important factors to consider:
- Ramp: Eldrazi are expensive, so consistent and explosive mana ramp is crucial. Cards like Eldrazi Temple, Eye of Ugin, Shrine of the Forsaken Gods, and even Cloudpost and Glimmerpost become all-stars, generating significant amounts of colorless mana. The classic Tron lands can also be very effective in Eldrazi strategies.
- Colorless Support: Since many Eldrazi commanders have a colorless identity, you’ll primarily be using colorless cards in the deck. This allows for the use of cards that would normally not fit in other decks. Be sure to include strong colorless support spells, mana rocks, and other utility cards.
- Powerful Eldrazi Creatures: Of course, filling your deck with a variety of Eldrazi creatures is vital. Cards like Oblivion Sower, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, and Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre offer devastating effects and board presence.
- Board Wipes: Eldrazi decks often rely on getting into the mid to late game, so board wipes like All is Dust are extremely important for controlling the board before you drop your biggest threats.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Eldrazi Commander decks have several strengths:
- Overwhelming Power: They wield some of the most powerful creatures in the game.
- Unique Strategies: Colorless mana and unique ramp options create a playstyle unlike many others.
- Threatening Presence: The sheer size and devastating abilities of Eldrazi make them incredibly intimidating opponents.
However, there are also weaknesses to be aware of:
- High Mana Cost: They are expensive, making them vulnerable to early aggression if the deck does not ramp sufficiently.
- Color Restrictions: If using a colorless commander, you are limited in color selection.
- Vulnerability to Specific Removal: Eldrazi are not invincible. Certain control strategies, or well-timed removal, can disrupt their game plan.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Let’s address some common questions about playing Eldrazi in Commander:
1. Can I include colored cards in an Eldrazi deck?
It depends on your commander. If your commander is truly colorless (like Kozilek, the Great Distortion or Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger), you can only use colorless cards in the deck. However, a commander like Morophon, the Boundless allows you to include any colors, even though it is a colorless card itself. Color Identity is king.
2. What is the best Eldrazi commander?
While it depends on personal preference, Kozilek, the Great Distortion is often considered the best due to its ability to both draw cards and act as a counterspell. Other strong options include Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, Emrakul, the Promised End, and Zhulodok, Void Gorger.
3. Are Eldrazi decks competitive in Commander?
Eldrazi decks can be competitive, but they require careful deckbuilding and strong piloting skills. They are highly mana-intensive and rely on ramping into their powerful threats. A well-tuned Eldrazi deck can dominate games, but they are not always consistent.
4. Is Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, legal in Commander?
No, Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is banned in Commander. This powerful Eldrazi titan is deemed too powerful for the format and is not allowed.
5. What are the best ramp cards for Eldrazi?
Eldrazi Temple and Eye of Ugin are staples. Other great options include Shrine of the Forsaken Gods, the Tron lands (Urza’s Mine, Urza’s Power Plant, Urza’s Tower), Cloudpost, and Glimmerpost. Mana rocks that produce colorless mana are also crucial.
6. Can I use devoid cards in a colorless Eldrazi deck?
No. While devoid cards are technically “colorless” on the card itself, they have a color identity derived from the mana symbols in their casting cost. Therefore, they cannot be used in a truly colorless Eldrazi deck.
7. What are some must-have Eldrazi creatures?
Besides the mentioned commanders, consider cards like Oblivion Sower, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, and a variety of the smaller, but still powerful, Eldrazi creatures.
8. Why are some cards banned in Commander?
Cards are banned to prevent strategies that are deemed unfair or unfun for the overall play experience. These cards often enable overwhelmingly powerful combos or strategies that skew the playing environment heavily.
9. Is white a weak color in Commander?
White is often considered the weakest color in Commander due to its limitations in card draw, mana acceleration, and overall power. This makes it harder to compete with the big plays and huge threats commonly found in the format.
10. Is Morophon, the Boundless a five-color commander?
Yes, while Morophon, the Boundless is a colorless creature, it has a color identity of WUBRG (all five colors). This allows you to use it as a commander in a five-color deck, including various Eldrazi of different colors
11. Are Eldrazi stronger than Phyrexians?
This is a debated topic. Eldrazi threaten the fabric of reality itself by consuming the very essence of planes. Phyrexians, while incredibly dangerous and adept at corruption, are more focused on domination and assimilation. The general consensus is that Eldrazi’s destructive power is more potent than Phyrexians.
12. What happened to the Eldrazi?
Ulamog and Kozilek were seemingly killed by the Gatewatch on Zendikar, while Emrakul was imprisoned in the moon of Innistrad. However, as these are extradimensional cosmic horrors, this may not be the end of their story.
13. How does colorless work in Commander?
If your commander has a colorless color identity, you can only use cards that do not have color mana symbols in their cost or rules text. Cards with a colored mana cost (WUBRG) are not colorless.
14. What cards cannot be used in Commander?
Cards with a color identity that is not present in your Commander’s identity cannot be in your deck. Additionally, there is a banned list of powerful cards that cannot be used in the format. Some of the most powerful banned cards include Primeval Titan, Sylvan Primordial, and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn.
15. Can a commander deck have 101 cards?
No, a Commander deck must contain exactly 100 cards, including the commander. This is a firm rule of the format.
Conclusion
Eldrazi can be incredibly powerful and fun to play in Commander. While they require careful planning and deck-building, they offer a unique play experience and bring some of the most massive and devastating creatures to the format. So, if you’re looking to smash your opponents with titans of the blind eternities, an Eldrazi Commander deck might be the perfect choice for you.