Magic: The Gathering - Commander Deck Overview 5

A deck doesn't need to focus on a race or class tribal affinity to take advantage of synergy. While this deck has a lot of soldier-class creatures, it benefits most from bonuses granted by other members of the plains family.

Odric, Lunarch Marshal takes any abilities individual creatures have, and gives them to all other creatures during any combat phase, whether as an attacker or defender. Thus, this deck is designed to cram in as many creatures with the listed abilities of first strike, flying, deathtouch, double strike, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, skulk, trample, and vigilance as possible. Artifacts and enchantments also bestow several of these abilities. He makes good creatures better. He's an ideal support commander for an aggressive play style.

Thalia, Heretic Cathar has first strike, meaning she's an effective combat creature on her own, and if Odric is on the table, he grants her ability to everyone else in combat, too. She also adds a level of control to the game by slowing down the opponent's creatures. She's a potent alternative commander on her own against an opponent like Krenko who spams lots of creatures, and she is, of course, a great general if this deck is cut down to a Tiny Leaders deck.

The rest of the deck is a reasonably solid mix of different cost-efficient creatures that have useful abilities for Odric to exploit. I do like the aesthetics including many different creature types in contrast to the more tribal decks I have featured in most of my posts thus far. All told, this is a solid deck on its own, and it's improved by the presence of either potential general.

There are a few cards I would like to add. Veteran Armorer, for one, since he is more useful to the deck as a whole than is Veteran Armorsmith. Other artifacts or artifact creatures would offer more opportunities for deathtouch. And I haven't dabbled particularly in using creatures with menace or skulk abilities.