MTG: By Fang and Claw – Top Beast Commanders
Sometimes, when you hear thunder in the MTG universe, it isn’t a storm; it’s an approaching stampede led by one of these Commanders.
Welcome Planeswalkers and Praetors to our ongoing series about the best casual experience in Magic: Commander.
Beasts are exactly what it says on the tin: the wild creatures of the woods that don’t quite fit into the usual archetypes (Bears, Ox, etc.). They’re big, tough, and usually come with add-ons like trample or a fight trigger. Plus, they’re a fun gift to give your friends with a Beast Within.
As might be expected for creatures of the wilds, Gruul is where you’ll find a large majority of the Beast creatures. They occasionally sidestep into Simic or Naya, but they’re never far from Green. If you want the stompiest deck around, one of these five Commanders might be the pick for you.
Tawnos, the Toymaker
Urza’s apprentice wasn’t always a warrior: he began his life as a tinkerer. By observing nature’s design, he created fantastic war machines for Urza’s fight against his brother. This version lets you build replicants of all your favorite Beasts as they hit the field, doubling up on all the ETBs and netting you an army. Pack this deck with big, powerful monsters like Thunderfoot Baloth or Axebane Ferrox, and watch the fur fly.
Radagast, Wizard of the Wilds
Another doubler, though not quite as spicy, Radagast doesn’t just want you to have lots of creatures; he wants the creatures safe. He hands out ward to all your Birds and Beasts, and whenever you cast a powerful enough spell, gives you an extra. While he isn’t as prolific as Tawnos, he can still generate a decently powerful army in a very short time.
Gahiji, Honored One
A fabulous group slug Commander, Gahiji doesn’t care who attacks as long as someone is attacking his enemies. He buffs every creature on the board, so long as it’s pointed in the opposite direction. Fill your deck with goad creatures and effects and let your opponents kill each other, then clean up the scraps.
Questing Beast
This critter is an absolute monster, and the most hands-on of the Commanders in this list. Questing Beast doesn’t want to sit back and let his herd do the work. Rather, he wants to get his paws dirty right away, and there’s really nothing your opponent can do to stop him. What he hits, he kills.
Marath, Will of the Wild
Marath is an interesting Commander, and he’s honestly better after he’s died a few times. The more times he’s recast, the bigger he gets, and the better his X ability becomes. Just make sure you have the mana to keep casting him.
What do you think of these Commanders?
What is Commander?
For the uninitiated, Commander is a semi-casual format for Magic: the Gathering. You use a deck of 100 cards led by a legendary creature, your Commander.
Aside from basic lands, you are only allowed one copy of each card in the deck. Moreover, you can only include cards in your Commander’s “color identity” or artifacts. Each color and color combo has a unique playstyle and a wealth of mighty generals to lead your deck to victory. EDHRec.com is an excellent source for Commander info and can give you ideas on how to build your next Commander deck or tune an existing one.
