UL's Favorites: Top 25 Guild-Colored Generals

Okay, Johnny B. Goode's. Today we're talking about the double-colored guys, which to me, are some of the best Commanders to play. They provide you with sizeable card bases without compromising on mana problems, which are the worst kind of problems.

Again, I did a big divisional playoff, and spent the last week and a half composing and adjusting my ranks.

I know this way seems unpopular and strange, but I'm not really looking to rank every general against each other cause that would take a lot of time I don't really have. And believe me- I've tried.

However, since there are a lot more legends in this pool to pick from, I decided that I needed to provide and account for that.

So the scale got bigger. For each division, if the guild colors had more than 12 legends, I took the top 3. Less than 12, I took the top 2.

And I finished with a nice, round top 25. So I knew my random methods would pan out.

Oh yeah- and I added the Gatecrash spoiled ones too. Aurelia and Borborygmos II. Premature, maybe- but I think it's pretty calculable here.

Before we count that down though, let's look at the division rankings. Cards that went into the top 25 are in BOLD.

Azorius

1. Geist of Saint Traft
2. Ith, High Arcanist
3. Bruna, Light of Alabaster
4. Grand Arbiter Agustin IV
5. Isperia the Inscrutable
6. Isperia, Supreme Judge
7. Hanna, Ship's Navigator
8. Rasputin, Dream Weaver
9. Kangee, Aerie Keeper
10. Sygg, River Guide
11. Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
12. Gosta Dirk
13. Hunding Gjornersen
14. Tobias Andrion
15. Kasimir the Lone Wolf
16. Jedit Ojanen
17. Ayesha Tanaka

I'm not sure if this list comes as a surprise or not, but I have a distant love affair with Geist of Saint Traft. I say distant cause I haven't gotten to play him yet, but it totally seems fun, abusive, and gifted with infinite style possibilities.

Overall, I thought the top 8 Azorius generals were pretty playable across the board. Kangee and UW Sygg seemed like a stretch, because you have to go tribal, which isn't a problem if you like tribal, I guess.

Maybe it's a surprise that I put Ith ahead of Bruna, but I really like Ith, and he's much more a mystery than Bruna, who's just a little too 1-dimensional for my palate.

As for Arbiter, just thought he was annoying, and he makes you a target. The Isperias, though fun, are also fairly linear and tend to durdle in goofy fashion, making the cards in your deck wayy too focused on who she is rather than winning. 

Hanna's good, but I found in playing that deck that it becomes a Slaver-lock combo deck, which eventually just gets old.

I did like Rasputin too, but I'm just too scared to play that card because of who the man was in real life. Just bad vibes, if you ask me.


Boros

1. Brion Stoutarm
2. Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer
3. Aurelia, the Warleader
4. Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
5. Razia, Boros Archangel
6. Basandra, Battle Seraph
7. Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran

Amongst warmongers, the best basher survives. For me, that was Brion Stoutarm, because from a flavor perspective, he deals damage using other dudes.

From a real perspective, entering and leaving the battlefield triggers are half of EDH now, and I think that this guy just leverages more value than his inter-league opponents. Jor Kadeen, the "JorK," as I call him, placed second because he suits up, and good artifacts are always your friends in these colors. New Leader Aurelia beat out Gisela because she edges her in mana cost and gives you more battlez. I think the bottom 3 looks are pretty self-explanatory. Razia's too expensive, Basandra hurts you more than your opponents, and Agrus Kos is just painful to look at.

Dimir

1. Wrexial, the Risen Deep
2. Vela the Night-Clad
3. Oona, Queen of the Fae
4. Sygg, River Guide
5. Szadek, Lord of Secrets
6. Wydwen, the Biting Gale
7. Skeleton Ship
8. Circu, Dimir Lobotomist
9. Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
10. Ramses Overdark
11. Dralnu, Lich Lord
12. Nebuchadnezzar
13. Ur-Drago
14. Riven Turnbull
15. Princess Lucrezia
16. Ramirez DePietro
17. Sivitri Scarzam

Wrexial wins this group because he's just super cool. He attacks unblocked the majority of the time, and he enables several different strategies in Dimir colors: Discard, Control, even Mill.

Vela beats out Oona, mostly because everyone knows what Oona does by now: Combos out and sullies games.

Overall, I thought this was a pretty easy guild to examine. Most of the other Legends either want to supplement these Commanders, or they just don't want to be good at all, like Sivitri Scarzam and Riven Turnbull. Basically, anything south of Grimgrin does little-to-nothing in the realm of EDH.

Golgari

1. Glissa, the Traitor
2. Rhys the Exiled
3. Skullbriar, the Walking Grave
4. Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
5. Sapling of Colfenor
6. Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
7. Vhati il-Dal
8. Sisters of Stone Death
9. Savra, Queen of the Golgari
10. Thelon of Havenwood
11. Iname as One

The Golgari battles were exciting for me, not only because I love these two colors, but also because I realized halfway through that I'd forgotten Rhys the Exiled and Thelon of Havenwood, who get grandfathered in due
                                                                            to the rules change a year or so ago.

That said Glissa, the Traitor is still the undisputed number one.

However, this one felt a lot closer than some of the other guild rankings, in terms of who was going to get the 2nd spot.

Ranks 2-5, in my mind, were all pretty competitive. However, what gave Rhys the Exiled an edge here is his unpredictability. 

The Skullbriar deck, though decent, is painfully obvious, and Jarad seems to scare a lot of people for fear of Hermit Druid and graveyard power, which left Sapling of Colfenor the most comparable on that axis.

However, without adequate game winners, and having played Sapling myself, the results bumped him down and put Rhys here because his Elf buddies and the access to normally awkward spells like Living Death and Patriarch's Bidding felt wayy more fun than the latter.

Gruul

1. Radha, Heir to Keld
2. Thromok the Insatiable
3. Rosheen Meanderer
4. Stangg
5. Livonya Silone
6. Wort, the Raidmother
7. Borborygmos Enraged
8. Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
9. Borborygmos
10. Ulasht, the Hate Seed
11. Marhault Elsdragon
12. Sunastian Falconer
13. Tuknir Deathlock
14. Jerrard of the Closed Fist
15. Lady of the Mountain


As far as Gruul goes, I thought the top 6 were perhaps the most EDH-relevant and competitive. Unfortunately, that leaves even new Borborygmos uneventful, but that's on Wizards.

Radha wins here, mostly because she only has to beat out a fun Giant and a Hellion who eats every creature you have when it comes into play.

There isn't really much else to say about this, considering that these colors are gonna have to play better creatures in the decks than their actual General, which is why Radha's ramp ability is better than all of these hacks.

Izzet

1. Nin, the Pain Artist
2. Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
3. Jhoira of the Ghitu
4. Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
5. Tibor and Lumia

Izzet has only 5 commanders, but jeez are they powerful.

So why didn't I choose Niv-Mizzet the Firemind? And why is he FOURTH?

If you're playing this guy, it's fairly obvious that you're going to try hard and combo off. If you aren't, then you're just trolling, and that's cool, but you'll probably get Niv the First hated off the table every time.

And in all honesty, Jhoira is better. I know it sounds blasphemous, but it's true. If any of Jhoira's Eldrazi or Boardsweep spells resolve, it's game over. This can also be controlled and timed.

The top 2 here though are perhaps the most interesting choices I made, and I made them because of everything I've just said about the other 2 big-time Izzet generals.

We Know What You're Doing With The Firemind And Jhoira. It Isn't Fun. It Isn't Original.
And Most Importantly, It Isn't Creative.

The newer guys, however, have much better poker faces, and if the Izzet guild believes knowledge is power, than, you're winning the minute you reveal who your general is. They don't know what dangers lurk in your library, and that has always seemed more relevant than playing something that comes with precedence.

Orzhov

1. Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter
2. Selenia, Dark Angel
3. Ghost Council of Orzhova
4. Teysa, Orzhov Scion

The Black-White colors are still an Oligarchy, but victory goes to the newcomer, Vish Kal.

He does what Ghost and Teysa did, but better.

Selenia also beats them, cause she doesn't do any of those things, and she protects herself. Pretty simple. No bureaucracy. Decisions were weighed, then made here. 

Rakdos

1. Olivia Voldaren
2. Lyzolda the Blood Witch
3. Rakdos, Lord of Riots
4. Kaervek the Merciless
5. Tsabo Tavoc
6. Boris Devilboon
7. Wort, Boggart Auntie
8. Bladewing the Risen
9. Tor Wauki
10. Rohganh of Kher Keep
11. Axelrod Gunnarson
12. Malfegor
13. Pavel Maliki
14. Rakdos the Defiled
15. Lady Orca
16. Barktooth Warbeard

Again, we have about 6 reasonably playable generals, so it should be no surprise that Olivia wins for having more versatility, while Lyzolda and Rakdos taking place and show.

I originally had Kaervek snagging up the third spot, but realized Lyzolda can draw cards and deal damage, which makes her a little more effective than Rakdos who'll be going into topdeck fairly quick if you get a good hand.

Still, I like Tsabo Tavoc and Boris Devilboon as Commanders, and I probably shouldn't, but they seem good and fun. Past that, I find you're going a little too deep.

Selesnya

1. Gaddock Teeg
2. Captain Sisay
3. Trostani, Selesnya's Voice
4. Sigarda, Host of Herons
5. Rhys the Redeemed
6. Chorus of the Conclave
7. Tolsimir Wolfblood
8. Lady Caleria
9. Krond the Dawn-Clad
10. Saffi Eriksdotter
11. Lord Magnus
12. Kei Takahashi
13. Asmira, Holy Avenger
14. Gabriel Angelfire
15. Daughter of Autumn
16. Sir Shandlar of Eberyn
17. Torsten von Urstus
                                                                            18. Jasmine Boreal


As far as Selesnya goes, I find Gaddock outclasses the others. Though he brings a lot of hate, he's still re-castable and totally devastating to opponents who want to play their planeswalkers and heavy spells.

Sisay and Trostani got the second and third spots here because they still contain some challenge and surprise. I know picking Trostani over Rhys is controversial, but she's a bigger body that helps you build in more ways than just token doubling. In fact, Sigarda squeezes in between them because the 5/5 Angel can still be fairly customizable.

Overall, there was only about 6 decent generals on the whole list, and that's only because I really like the way my super-fun Chorus of the Conclave deck worked out.

The others don't seem to have the leadership qualities I look for.

Simic

1. Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
2. Edric, Spymaster of Trest
3. Experiment Kraj

This one was pretty easy. Vig is clearly the best general here, and I'm not just saying that because I played him for the past 10 months.

Edric's weakness is Edric, while Vig can actually win without himself.

And though I have seen some neat Kraj decks, it's still kind of a big goofy joke to me. Still not impressed.


...And here's how the ranks panned out.

25. Rosheen Meanderer

Rosheen Meanderer perhaps made it onto this list because of the large, unplayable amount of Red-Green colored Legends, but seriously- this card isn't THAT bad. A 4/4 for four that loads up your deck with a bunch of sweet X spells like Banefire and X activation costs like Helix Pinnacle, which makes for many innovating and interesting games.






24. Selenia, Dark Angel

Currently, there are only four Black-White Commanders, Selenia wound up on this list because she's a little more sturdy. Her ability allows you to protect her from pesky enchantments and removal spells outside of split second, and best of all- she plays nice with swords and tutelage.

Pretty basic, but what's not to like here?




23. Thromok the Insatiable

I laughed the first time I saw this card, but honestly- I believe it's a thing. There's many ways to find value and create engines with Undying, Nim Deathmantle, and the haste-providers and token spells that this guy can end games in a more unique and fun set of colors than the overplayed Mimeoplasm.






22. Rakdos, Lord of Riots

Haven't got a chance to see this deck in action, but I can only imagine it'll be fun. New Rakdos gives you a way to get big, normally unplayable dudes down when mana's a big deal, and green is still casting their Kodama's Reach.

All abilities aside, you still have a 6/6 Flying Trampler for BBRR.





21. Lyzolda, the Blood Witch

 Lyzolda has some really nice synergy with cards in these colors, like black Mikaeus and Murderous Redcap- not to mention that sac outlets are pretty neat. She's perhaps the most versatile, and it seems pretty good here. 

I really like this card, and it's not because it's good, but because it can enable some fun-but-not-broken combos and has the potential to control your opponents on unlikely axes of interaction with cards like Grave Pact and Tainted Aether. 



20. Radha, Heir to Keld

Radha, if you recall, is the top rated general for her colors, mostly because she aids in powering out the big bashers a turn earlier.

She also can bring some extra mana during combat, if you have tricks in hand. I personally like having Savage Beating, but that's just me.

I like her in low-curve decks where it's all about powering out mostly 4 and 5 cost dudes so that when you blow up lands, your opponents can't recover quick enough to avoid all the damage. Mostly an enabler general, not a sword swinger and head scalper, as
                                   advertised.  

19. Olivia Voldaren

Last I heard, Olivia Voldaren was still pretty sweet, whether you go tribal or not.

The obvious thing here is that Olivia will pretty much always lose to good ramp decks, so make sure you're packing Land Destruction.

Either way, your opponents won't really know what you're up to, be it Voltron, Control, or the aforementioned tribal. She's kind of a blank face because this card has options, considering how obvious the Lord of Riots when he brings his party of big bodies. 


18. Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer

I know. The art makes him look like a total "Jork." However, here's another guy who seems relatively underappreciated and underpowered due to his colors, but really shouldn't be. With access to all the artifact power and recursion you want, this deck will almost always bring the beats and the Metalcraft.

If done right, this deck can do a lot of damage.




17. Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius

Seems like blasphemy that I would pick Niv the Second over his previous combo-centric incarnation, but let's be real.

The decks that would play this card would be sooo much more interesting and fun.

There's a nice little pinging control deck, a Trojan Horse pseudo-combo deck, and of course the awesome and unpopular UR aggro deck I've been waiting to see. Like Niv, I seem to be the only one to have all the ideas here with this one though, and I accept that.

16. Oona, Queen of the Fae

Oona, to me, is kind of a dirty little faerie whore when it comes to EDH, because we all know the infamous mill combos she likes with Ashnod's Altar and the like.

That aside, Oona's still cool- you've just got to find your way back to the ground with her. She can make a bunch of tokens, get rid of your opponent's library, and beat down with 5 power and evasion. Control loves her, UB token/sacrifice decks like her, and she can go the distance without grossly misusing her.

15. Brion Stoutarm

This poor lonely Giant unfortunately can never get a date and a game because he's more into flings, but hey- sometimes I don't make bad puns.

Seriously though, I like this card. With some imagination, Stoutarm can find ways to get you value with Reveillark and evoke creatures that you might've never thought possible.

Plus, Mimic Vat gives him a whole bucket of targets to chuck.


14. Bruna, Light of Alabaster

I really like Bruna, and how she enables the outdated and under-hyped enchantment Voltron aspect of Commander we so desperately needed.

She inhibits everything I didn't want to do with Auras, which is pay their mana-cost, and it's virtually instant speed because I get to do put them in when I really need to do so.

Grandpa Growth's Bruna deck was pretty good. If he ever gets his stuff up on online, maybe he'll share it with us.

13. Vela the Night-Clad

The stuff that can be done with Vela seems both fun and ludicrous, ranging from Relentless Rat battles to artfiact-aggro and control beats, thanks to Vela's insane ability to get her stuff unblocked.

Overall, I find that it's very hard to see what's behind Vela when people play her, mostly because she farts galaxies, but also because bounce and Ninjitsu mechanics could be around as well. Really like this card overall. Her art's great, cause she's poised and ready to get dudes Trapped in the [Conjurer's] Closet.



12. Trostani, Selesnya's Voice

Trostani beat out Rhys the Redeemed because she's bigger, comes with new Return to Ravnica goodies like Grove of the Guardian, and can make good cards better, like Phyrexian Processor and Ajani Goldmane.

I like that she's got a thicker P and T also, because Rhys always felt so vulnerable.

To me, this card's the premier GW token maker, especially if you're a Quality over Quantity guy, like me. We've upgraded.

11. Edric, Spymaster of Trest

Though really obvious, Edric makes multiplayer games much more interesting because he keeps opponents from attacking you out of sheer interest in value.

Everyone wants to draw cards, particularly in decks where that's not common, and so Edric changes the game that way.

For me, I like Edric because I think that his 1-drop aggro decks are about the most hilarious thing for EDH. No one plays 1-drops.

Clearly, there are wayy more facets to playing Green-Blue- control,
                                   beatdown, super-clone- but I wouldn't want to spoil all the fun. Just
                                   keep Edric safe.

10. Nin, the Pain Artist

I know most people find that the Firemind is the best Izzet leader, but I think that's pretty boring.

Nin here has far more interesting implications. Though in the past I've used her to dig for combo pieces, Nin can used far more creatively, like mill, standard control, even aggro and Voltron, with sweet cards like Magebane Armor and Diviner's Wand to draw a bunch of cards and swing for a bunch. Blue-Red Wizard-Tribal Aggro anyone?



9. Ith, High Arcanist

Ith is perhaps unexpected here. Having a cheaper, less stable version of Maze is still pretty good. And he's creepy lookin'.

The best part is that Suspend helps him get in play a little quicker, and then any combination of equipment or counter magic will help him stay.

Vigilance here seems also useful, and played a big part in this decision. To me, he's much better defensively than Isperia, Supreme Judge, because he doesn't deter the attack. You still get to make that
choice.

8. Rhys the Exiled

Versus his Redeemed version, Rhys the Exiled has a much better chance of being an unknown at the table. With black in its activated ability cost, the Exiled Rhys is in a cool and unique position at the head of a Green-Black Elf tribal deck. Unlike Ezuri, Eladamri, and the like, Rhys the Exiled can do full team reanimates with cards like Patriarch's Bidding and Living Death.

This Rhys also has access to tutelage, so the deck stays consistent, making pretty much everything relatively playable, including Voltron and Green-Black creature-sac control.

7. Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter

Vish, though expensive, just pants-down outclasses Teysa and Ghost Council. No one can deny that beating down with Vish should be a victory.

And though it may suck if your opponent has removal in your hand, you can respond by killing or sacrificing Vish to himself.

If you have to do one of those things, I imagine that you've designed the deck to be great late game anyway.


6. Wrexial, the Risen Deep

Wrexial is pretty popular as a general, I imagine. Either that, or people believe it will be so popular that they won't play it.

But if you are, there's plenty of value. Wrexial goes with a bunch of great themes, like discard, mill, even Voltron, which should put your opponents on the clock because the people with the best stuff in their bin will be playing Islands and Swamps.




5. Captain Sisay

Sisay is awesome. She inhibits a great set of limited but good card types, and building the deck with these strategies seems really great.

Obviously, you've got to plan around Sisay dying- but look out if she's on the battlefield and untapped.






4. Momir Vig, Simic Visionary

Vig is up here on the list because like Sisay, he's a great tutor in a deck where you get to play an aggregate of awesome cards.

I played this deck, and I didn't even have to play blue and green creatures. In fact, most of the time, you don't really have to play Vig.

He's great because building around him is cool, and the deck will still work without playing him. The Ultimate Troll.



3. Gaddock Teeg

Gaddock is great because it helps you to shut down big, goofy spells that people want to use in EDH, enabling you to play a bunch of little beater guys that can win you the game. 

I'm really up on this card, even though he's awful when he's not on your team.

Currently, I'm playing him maindeck in Chorus of the Conclave, which I think is a little better for surprise. Even so, most players can't stop him if they know he's there and castable.

2. Glissa, the Traitor

The Glissa Artifact engine is awesome, and an incredible deck if you're playing the right artifacts. 

Even playing this deck on a budget like Dollar General produces great results.

Because of first strike and deathtouch, she's the ultimate chump that can be recasted as many times as you want.

Basically, she can't be stopped.

1. Geist of Saint Traft


Overall, I believe he's the best dual-colored Commander because he's really easy to form multiple strategies around, and he can abuse all the card advantage, removal, and control you can ever want.

He's got hexproof, adds battling 4/4 Angels, and can match up very well along any game's curve- control for the long game, aggro equipment/enchantments for the early.

Currently, he's pretty expensive- but if you can get your hands on one, he's a force to be reckoned with.


Now, I know people are probably gonna be challenging my lists, and that's okay.

I would like to know your thoughts, and I welcome the criticism with thoughts on how you'd rank them. So feel free to comment below and ask questions if you can be constructive. I'm pretty good about answering back.

The main goal here isn't the be-all list for EDH Tryhards. I've been one of those people, and I can tell you it's a fucking pitiful life.

All I'm trying to do is to create a balance between what is good and what I like to establish how we can both effectively inspire ourselves to build a deck with cards we like and cards we can win with.

Ranking these guys is also pretty fun for me, cause I do this a lot anyway.

Mono-colored Next Week! 


Alright. Talk it up. Pass Turn.

-UL