The 34 Best Control Commanders in Magic Ranked

Last updated on March 3, 2025

Tasigur, the Golden Fang | Illustration by Igor Kieryluk

Do you love to take control of the game and dictate the pace? Then you're in luck, because today I'm diving into the world of control commanders! These are the master manipulators of the battlefield, the ones who can shut down opponents' strategies and turn the tide of the game in your favor.

But with so many options to choose from, it can be tough to figure out which control commander are truly the cream of the crop. That's where I come in. I'm running down the best control commanders, analyzing what makes them so powerful, and giving you some tips and tricks for how to make the most of them.

Intrigued? Let’s get started!

What Are Control Commanders in MTG?

Baral, Chief of Compliance | Illustration by Wesley Burt

Control commanders are legends designed to stop your opponents' gameplans, often through removal, stack interaction, and lockdown pieces. They come in a variety of colors, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Blue is the color of counterspells and card draw, making it a popular choice for control players. Black, on the other hand, specializes in removal and discard, while white is all about board wipes and defensive spells.

No matter which colors you choose, the goal of a control commander is always the same: dominate the pace of the game, enable unique interactions, and create board states that are difficult for your opponents to overcome.

#34. Nicol Bolas, the Ravager / Nicol Bolas, the Arisen

The thing that’s most appealing about Nicol Bolas, the Ravager isn’t that it's an overpriced Burglar Rat, but rather that it can transform from one of the best dragons in Magic into a planeswalker that’s ready to take over the board if left unchecked.

#33. Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis

Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis is a 4-color commander deck focused on group hug and politics. Cards like Ghostly Prison or Xyris, the Writhing Storm let you control the board state. In addition, the deck can take over games with cards like Approach of the Second Sun as an alternate wincon.

#32. Hanna, Ship's Navigator

Hanna, Ship's Navigator may not be as powerful as other commanders. Still, its ability is outstanding, especially paired with artifacts or enchantments like Seal of Cleansing or Aura of Silence that are sacrificed to activate their effects.

#31. Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign

A Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign deck is a unique take on control that focuses on using the top of the library to gain advantage and manipulate the game. Yennett's ability to cast spells from the top of the library rewards careful manipulation of the top cards and allows for powerful, unexpected plays.

Some of the key cards in the deck include spells that manipulate the top of the library, like Brainstorm and Sensei's Divining Top to cheat out high-cost spells like Blatant Thievery and Temporal Mastery. On top of that, Vampiric Tutor, Imperial Seal, and Mystical Tutor exceed in this deck for obvious reasons.

#30. Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage

Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage is a fun Commander deck that enjoys flashing in historic spells. Pretty straightforward, but playing at instant speed is a hallmark of a good control deck.

#29. Sydri, Galvanic Genius

Sydri, Galvanic Genius‘s niche is to turn artifacts into creatures. With cards like Bolas's Citadel and Aetherflux Reservoir, you can gain tons of life and blast your opponents out of the game. Indestructible artifacts are also great targets to turn into annoying creatures for your opponents to deal with.

#28. Athreos, God of Passage

An Athreos, God of Passage Commander deck is all about playing with your graveyard and making your creatures hard to get rid of. Its ability makes it hard for your opponents to keep your creatures down by sending them back to the hand without paying the toll. You can recycle strong ETB effects like the ones on Gray Merchant of Asphodel and Solemn Simulacrum because you can sacrifice them with cards like Ashnod's Altar to return them to your hand and replay them again.

#27. Kambal, Consul of Allocation

Decks that use Kambal, Consul of Allocation usually run other tax effects like Blind Obedience or Authority of the Consuls to gain life and outvalue their opponents in that regard. Additionally, you can run other prison effects like Sphere of Safety and Ghostly Prison and cards that reward you for gaining life like Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose.

#26. Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper

A Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper Commander deck focuses on controlling the board through instants and sorceries while building up a mighty army of land creatures. Its ability to turn lands into creatures provides a unique win condition and allows for unexpected attacks. Key cards in the deck include Terra Eternal  and Planar Outburst, among others.

#25. Aminatou, the Fateshifter

This planeswalker allows you to control the game by flickering permanents. It has a solid ability to manipulate the top card of your library, allowing you to set up powerful plays involving miracle cards like Terminus. They often run a wide density of creatures with powerful enter-the-battlefield abilities, like Archaeomancer and Mulldrifter, to take advantage of Aminatou, the Fateshifter’s flicker ability and control spells like Dovin's Veto and Vindicate.

#24. Kess, Dissident Mage

One of Commander's limitations is that you can only run one copy of a given card. Kess, Dissident Mage is a commander that attempts to bypass that rule, and happens to be one of Magic's strongest wizards and among the best Grixis commanders. You can cast a second copy of your instant and sorceries during your turn, which helps set up powerful combinations; recurring a tutor spell like Demonic Tutor is a big deal.

#23. Damia, Sage of Stone

Damia, Sage of Stone is a powerful commander that provides raw card advantage thanks to its static ability that lets you draw multiple cards per turn. One card that works particularly great with this commander is Sheoldred, the Apocalypse because it can bolster your life total every time Damia’s ability triggers.

#22. Jhoira of the Ghitu

Jhoira of the Ghitu is an explosive Commander deck that loves to cheat big spells for free. With cards like Omniscience or Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, one of the best Eldrazi titans, you can quickly take over games and leave your opponents in the dust. Plus, with cards like Cyclonic Rift and Blasphemous Act, you can clear the board and pave the way for your giant creatures to swing in for the win. If you need some extra protection, you can always counter your opponents' spells with cards like Counterspell and Swan Song.

#21. Mizzix of the Izmagnus

Mizzix of the Izmagnus reduces the cost of your spells based on the number of experience counters you have, allowing you to cast spells almost for free with enough counters.

Proliferate cards like Experimental Augury or Tezzeret's Gambit work exceptionally well along with this commander.

#20. Queen Marchesa

Monarch is an excellent ability that usually gives you a card, and as one of the strongest monarch commanders Queen Marchesa will crown you as it enters the battlefield.

If you manage to protect the monarch, it can become a one-sided Howling Mine. But even if you can't, you can keep amassing creatures thanks to Queen Marchesa’s second ability.

#19. Niv-Mizzet, Visionary

Burn effects typically aren’t at their best in Commander. Creatures are bigger, and burning your opponent’s face with cards like Lava Spike isn’t at all a viable strategy. Enter Niv-Mizzet, Visionary, a card that turns Lava Spikes into Ancestral Recalls. Just having a Guttersnipe around means you’ll draw a huge chunk of your deck. With this commander on the field, Boltwave is the cheapest way to draw nine cards ever printed.

#18. Keranos, God of Storms

Keranos, God of Storms is a very oppressive Izzet commander that provides a ton of value on each of your turns. This is one of the best enchantments in Izzet colors: Whether a free Lightning Bolt or an extra card, its ability is outstanding.

#17. Hylda of the Icy Crown

Hylda of the Icy Crown “taps” into a design space that WotC’s been exploring for a while: Azorius () tempo-tap creatures matter, with stun counters and the like. It’s incredibly easy to tap creatures in these colors, be it with white tappers or with artifacts, or with blue creature spells that enter and tap/freeze other creatures. Or just plain old Sleep or Opposition. Either way, Hylda’s doing some work while you're tapping your opponents’ creatures, and just making a 4/4 Elemental creature each time already goes a long way. You can get some added benefits with cards like Verity Circle and Sharae of Numbing Depths.

#16. Yarok, the Desecrated

This elemental commander is all about getting maximum value from your creatures, lands, and spells. With Yarok, the Desecrated on the battlefield, cards like Mulldrifter and Solemn Simulacrum become even more powerful, drawing extra cards and fetching extra lands.

With cards like Risen Reef and Woodland Bellower, you can ramp up your board presence and trigger even more ETB effects. And if you want to get spicy, you can use cards like Agent of Treachery and Meteor Golem to steal or kill your opponents' permanents and trigger even more of this horror commander‘s shenanigans.

#15. Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir

Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir has to be one of the most annoying commanders to play against. It prevents opponents from casting spells at instant speed, making it difficult for them to respond to your plays. When paired with cards like Counterspell and Cryptic Command, you’ll soon be the target of your table.

#14. Shorikai, Genesis Engine

Shorikai, Genesis Engine is a very interesting stax commander. You can use its activated ability to filter your hand and make a Pilot token. That’s already card advantage, and your commander just stays on the table if your opponents don’t have artifact removal. While you’re looting, you can set up a reanimator engine, or you can defend yourself with enchantments. Your commander isn’t a creature unless you crew it, so feel free to sweep the board. Also, look out for cards that care about drawing and discard so you can build your engine around that, like Ominous Seas.

#13. Azami, Lady of Scrolls

Azami, Lady of Scrolls is a powerful wizard who can draw cards simply by tapping wizards you control (themselves included). The deck includes a variety of wizard creatures and spells to support this strategy, and counterspells and removal to keep the opponents' threats at bay. Additionally, the deck can be built around a combo with Mind Over Matter, allowing you to draw your entire deck.

#12. Niv-Mizzet, Parun

One of Magic's best spellslinger commanders, Niv-Mizzet, Parun rewards you when you draw cards and deals damage to your opponents in the process. The deck is usually filled with counterspells to protect your board state and also runs plenty of infinite combos with Niv-Mizzet, allowing you to draw your entire deck and burn your opponents out of the game. The most notable card that goes well with it is Curiosity.

#11. The Locust God

The Locust God is a crazy commander that can swarm the board with hordes of Insect tokens while drawing cards like a maniac. With cards like Skullclamp and Kindred Discovery, you can draw tons of cards and pump out an insane number of insect tokens to overwhelm your opponents. With cards like Impact Tremors and Purphoros, God of the Forge, you can burn your opponents out while flooding the board with bugs. If things start to go wrong, you can always wheel and deal with cards like Windfall and Wheel of Fortune to refill your hand and keep the pressure on.

#10. Brago, King Eternal

Brago, King Eternal is a powerful commander that likes to flicker nonland permanents, creating a ton of value each time it deals combat damage. With a mix of ETB effects and stax pieces, this deck can slow down opponents while building up its board presence.

Some players enjoy the fun interactions of bouncing creatures like Mulldrifter and Stonehorn Dignitary to lock down the board. Cards like Reality Acid and Spine of Ish Sah allow this deck to handle problematic permanents with ease.

#9. Sen Triplets

Sen Triplets‘ ability to look at opponents' hands and play their cards allows for efficient use of resources and disruption of opponents' game plans, making it both one of Magic's strongest theft commanders and one of the best stax commanders. You can pair this commander with other cards like Tasha, the Witch Queen, Xanathar, Guild Kingpin, and Elder Brain to play cards they own and use their resources instead of yours.

#8. Oloro, Ageless Ascetic

Since it was printed, Oloro, Ageless Ascetic has been considered one of the most powerful control commanders. It has the best colors for tutors, board wipes, counterspells, and even planeswalkers. What makes it terrifying is that it doesn't need to hit the battlefield to start getting value, and you can outvalue your opponents in no time when you pair it with cards like Sanguine Bond or Well of Lost Dreams.

#7. Ketramose, the New Dawn

Ketramose, the New Dawn allows you to exile your opponents’ stuff and draw cards. With a steady stream of card advantage, you’re going to be a strong player in the late game. Ironically, since you’re paying life to draw that many cards, you’ll probably be weak in the early game, so that’s a concern. A steady stream of card draw from Ketramose, the New Dawn ensures you’ll make your land drops consistently, and that helps you to stay relevant in the late game with a lot of mana at your disposal.

#6. Narset, Enlightened Master

Most Narset, Enlightened Masters follow a Voltron theme, but it actually does pretty well in a control shell, particularly if you add tons of Time Warp effects in it.

#5. Zur the Enchanter

One of the most targeted control commanders has to be Zur the Enchanter, a top-tier Esper commander. Opponents have no option but to kill it on sight. Otherwise, it can get out of hand pretty quickly by assembling combos around Stasis, Solitary Confinement, and Necropotence, among others.

#4. Tasigur, the Golden Fang

Tasigur, the Golden Fang is a strong Sultai commander that can help you return cards from your graveyard to your hand, allowing you to reuse powerful control spells. It also has a strong body and a delve ability, making it a good attacker and defender.

Some potential synergies include using graveyard recursion like Eternal Witness and Regrowth to take advantage of Tasigur's ability and removal spells like Assassin's Trophy and Abrupt Decay to control the board.

#3. Derevi, Empyrial Tactician

The big appeal of a Derevi, Empyrial Tactician Commander deck is that this amazing Bant card allows you to untap your creatures and lands, giving you more resources to control the game. It also runs lands that can produce multiple mana like Gaea's Cradle and Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx to take advantage of Derevi's untap ability, and control spells like Cyclonic Rift and Swords to Plowshares to remove threats. What’s cool about it is that you can build outstanding and competitive budget versions of this deck.

#2. Baral, Chief of Compliance

Baral, Chief of Compliance shares some similarities to Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir control decks in the sense that the same cards can be run in both of them. However, you can set up faster combos with Baral, Chief of Compliance‘s static ability.

Once the game has been sufficiently controlled, the deck can win through various routes like with Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal or through a more traditional win condition like Talrand, Sky Summoner and a host of counterspells to protect it.

#1. Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV is one of the best control commanders around, if not the best. Its ability reduces the cost of your spells and increases the cost of your opponent's spells, making it difficult for them to cast anything. If you pair it with other stax elements like Propaganda, Aura of Silence, or Rhystic Study, you’ll take over the board in no time because white and blue Commanders allow you the best control elements.

Best Control Commanders Payoffs

There are several payoff cards that can work well with control commanders. These reward you for taking control of the game, often by giving you some sort of advantage or benefit, and in some cases the win.

One popular control commander payoff card is Approach of the Second Sun. This card’s alternative win condition allows you to claim victory if you cast it twice and it at least resolves the second time. It’s a great way to close out a long, drawn-out game you've been controlling.

Another payoff card is Torment of Hailfire. This spell deals loads of damage to each opponent and makes them either discard cards or sacrifice creatures to stay alive. This can be a devastating finisher in a control deck, especially if you've been using your control commander to limit your opponent's resources and expand your own.

Several creatures can act as payoff cards for a control strategy. Nezahal, Primal Tide is a powerful blue creature that can draw you cards and protect itself. Pair it with your own protection spells and board wipes, and you’ll take control of the board in seconds, often leading you to win the game.

Cards like Archmage Emeritus and Archmage of Runes are at their best in blue control or spells-matter decks. Baral, Chief of Compliance is a similar one, making your instants and sorceries cheap and allowing you to loot when you counter your opponents’ spells, which is what you should be doing anyway.

Does Control Work in Commander?

Control can be a very effective strategy in Commander, allowing you to disrupt your opponents' plans and control the game's pace. In fact, many of the top Commander decks are built around a control strategy.

How Many Creatures Should You Put in a Control Commander Deck?

This depends on your commander. Take Derevi, Empyrial Tactician as an example. This one likes having a bunch of little and elusive creatures in play to control the game, while Narset, Enlightened Master ends games by itself in a deck with no creatures. There's no real number, but control decks generally run fewer creatures than other archetypes. Around 10 creatures is probably what I’d call normal for them.

How Many Lands Should Be in a Commander Control Deck?

In a control deck, you'll typically want to be able to play a land every turn to hit your land drops and ensure you have enough mana to cast your spells. This is especially important in Commander, where games tend to last longer and you need plenty of resources to stay in the game. Of course, the number of lands in a control deck can vary depending on the specific commander and its mana curve, but a good rule of thumb is to include around 38 to 40 lands.

What Are Some Budget Ways to Play Control in Commander?

Control decks are usually more on the budget side since you can play a bunch of removal, card draw, and counterspells, and these cards are usually commons and uncommons. You don’t need to run a bunch of expensive rares and mythics at every point of the curve. Plus, the fewer colors you play, the cheaper your mana base is, so something like mono-black control, mono-blue control, or good old Azorius control are among the cheapest you can get in this department. What’s more, control decks are less punished for slow lands that enter tapped.

If I’m building an Azami, Lady of Scrolls deck, I’ll need some mana rocks to cast my commander reliably, and after that, I can immediately tap each wizard I cast to draw a card. I’ll probably need a bunch of counterspells in hand to dictate the flow of the game, as well as some instant speed blue card draw, usually common and uncommon cards.

Ketramose, the New Dawn is another interesting one, as casting cards like Path to Exile, Swords to Plowshares, or Vraska's Contempt with an extra “draw a card” rider on them helps you immensely, and these spells are usually cheap as well.

How Does a Control Deck Win?

These decks often win by resolving big spells, like the ones I mentioned in the payoff section, or pulling off specific combos only available while their commander is out or as a product of controlling the game for the most part.

Commanding Conclusion

Narset, Enlightened Master | Illustration by Magali Villeneuve

Control commanders are a powerful and effective strategy in Commander games because they allow you to set the rules of the table and impact how the game plays out. Try these out if you enjoy outsmarting your opponents and pulling the strings over the game!

What do you think? Are these the best you’ve heard of, or are there any that you wish were on the list? Let me know in the comments below, or over on the official Draftsim Twitter.

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