The Best Commander From Every Year of the 2000s

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir" href="#" target="_blank">Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/simondominic">Simon Dominic</a>)</span></h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello friends, and welcome back to EDHREC for another Precon Primer from your friends in the Scrap Trawlers. </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">March of the Machine</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is bringing the Phyrexian storyline to its climax, and with it comes five Commander decks covering many different strategies and playstyles, while also giving us plenty of new tasty nuggets to chew on. And what’s more, the decks are bringing back Planechase! Let’s prepare for battle with today’s deck, Cavalry Charge, the white/blue/black deck led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir" href="#" target="_blank">Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<h2><b>Bringing Eminence Back</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If overwhelming your opponents with charging battalions of Knights that just won’t stay dead sounds like a good time, then this is definitely the deck for you. Cavalry Charge is led by Sidar Jabari, a 4/3 Human Knight with flying and first strike for four mana. And when he deals combat damage to a player, you can return a Knight from your graveyard to the battlefield.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oh, you want more? How about freaking Eminence? That’s right, this commander is bringing the divisive mechanic back, with style. The Eminence ability lets you loot (draw then discard) a card whenever you attack with one or more Knights, whether your commander is on the field <em>or</em> in the zone. So you’re getting some incredible card advantage, and potentially filling your grave with Knights for Sidar to bring back.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elenda and Azor"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The backup commander for this deck is the teamup of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elenda and Azor" href="#" target="_blank">Elenda and Azor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a six mana 6/6 Vampire Knight Sphinx with flying and ward 2. Whenever they attack, you can pay XWUB to draw X cards. And then at your end step you can pay four life to create a number of 1/1 Vampire Knight tokens equal to the number of cards you drew that turn.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the full list for Cavalry Charge:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Cavalry Charge Precon" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Acclaimed Contender
*1 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
*1 Arvad the Cursed
*1 Aryel, Knight of Windgrace
*1 Corpse Knight
*1 Elenda and Azor
*1 Ethersworn Adjudicator
*1 Exsanguinator Cavalry
*1 Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight
*1 Haakon, Stromgald Scourge
*1 Herald of Hoofbeats
*1 Hero of Bladehold
*1 Josu Vess, Lich Knight
*1 Knight Exemplar
*1 Knight of the Last Breath
*1 Knight of the White Orchid
*1 Knights of the Black Rose
*1 Liliana&#039;s Standard Bearer
*1 Locthwain Lancer
*1 Midnight Reaper
*1 Murderous Rider // Swift End
*1 Order of Midnight // Alter Fate
*1 Silverwing Squadron
*1 Smitten Swordmaster // Curry Favor
*1 Syr Elenora, the Discerning
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Valiant Knight
*1 Vodalian Wave-Knight
*1 Vona, Butcher of Magan
*1 Wintermoor Commander
*1 Worthy Knight
*1 Xerex Strobe-Knight
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Conjurer&#039;s Mantle
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Fractured Powerstone
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Ichor Elixir
*1 Maul of the Skyclaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Sigiled Sword of Valeron
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Chivalric Alliance
*1 Knights&#039; Charge
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Despark
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Pull from Tomorrow
*1 Return to Dust
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Unbreakable Formation
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Fell the Mighty
*1 Painful Truths
*1 Path of the Enigma
*1 Promise of Loyalty
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Time Wipe
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Sanctum
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*6 Island
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Path of Ancestry
*8 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Shineshadow Snarl
*1 Sunken Hollow
*5 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Temple of Enlightenment
*1 Temple of Silence
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Thriving Heath
*1 Thriving Isle
*1 Thriving Moor
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<h2><b>Knightmare</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So what does this deck do? It punches and kicks, and never lets up. The average mana value of the deck sits at a nice 3.34, and you really feel the energy in the early game. Not to mention, the Eminence is in effect as soon as you can start attacking. So if you can get a turn one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Foulmire Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Foulmire Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even a turn two <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wintermoor Commander" href="#" target="_blank">Wintermoor Commander</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you’re off to a fantastic start with a significant card advantage engine from Sidar’s Eminence.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haakon, Stromgald Scourge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hero of Bladehold"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Syr Konrad, the Grim"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now usually an all-out aggro deck in Commander falls apart very easily with a board wipe or two. But Sidar comes in clutch there as well with his damage trigger, not to mention other recursion cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haakon, Stromgald Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Haakon, Stromgald Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knights’ Charge" href="#" target="_blank">Knights’ Charge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite having 32 creatures in the deck, and some powerful recursion tools, the deck still wants to supply you with ample ammunition in the form of tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adeline, Resplendent Cathar" href="#" target="_blank">Adeline, Resplendent Cathar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xerex Strobe-Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Xerex Strobe-Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aryel, Knight of Windgrace" href="#" target="_blank">Aryel, Knight of Windgrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero of Bladehold" href="#" target="_blank">Hero of Bladehold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and more are all here to give you a burgeoning, unstoppable army.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before you go thinking aggro is all this deck does, let me tell you about the other ways we’re hurting our opponents. How about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Konrad, the Grim" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Konrad, the Grim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of the best uncommon legends ever printed? Old Konnie hits your opponents whenever a creature card goes to your graveyard, which is exactly what’s gonna happen with Sidar’s looting ability. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpse Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Corpse Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits them whenever a creature enters our battlefield, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knights’ Charge" href="#" target="_blank">Knights’ Charge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings the hurt whenever we attack. </span></p>
<h2><b>Knights’ Dawn</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Time for the best part of precons: new cards! And we’re starting off by looking at the coolest throwback in the history of throwbacks (throwbacks, as everyone knows, were invented in 1997). It’s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald of Hoofbeats" href="#" target="_blank">Herald of Hoofbeats</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which gives your Knights none other than Horsemanship. We haven’t seen this keyword, outside of reprints and Un-sets, since </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Portal Three Kingdoms</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> almost 25 years ago. And what a welcome return it is. This card is fantastic not only for Knight decks, but also for those decks running around that like anthem effects for all creature types.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Herald of Hoofbeats"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vodalian Wave-Knight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Locthwain Lancer"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vodalian Wave-Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Vodalian Wave-Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be popular in those very same decks. It’ll certainly be an auto-include in white/blue Merfolk decks (with apologies to all you <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca" href="#" target="_blank">Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> players). </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’ve got a couple of new black Knights in this list as well, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Locthwain Lancer" href="#" target="_blank">Locthwain Lancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinator Cavalry" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinator Cavalry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both are getting through for beats with that menace, and providing, albeit in a roundabout way, some card advantage.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A couple of duds in the deck, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Path of the Enigma" href="#" target="_blank">Path of the Enigma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ichor Elixir" href="#" target="_blank">Ichor Elixir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both are really only playable if you’re running Planechase.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conjurer’s Mantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chivalric Alliance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Path of the Enigma"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conjurer’s Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Conjurer’s Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a new all-star for creature-type decks, especially in white, which, after a long drought, is finally seeing powerful card advantage effects regularly. Speaking of which, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chivalric Alliance" href="#" target="_blank">Chivalric Alliance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to be every go-wide white deck’s best friend for the foreseeable future. Card is <em>very</em> good.</span></p>
<h2><b>Planechase</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But those aren’t the only new cards! Each of the precons from </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">March of the Machine</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> features 10 Planechase cards, five of which are brand new planes. So let’s take a gander at those.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inys Haen" href="#" target="_blank">Inys Haen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, from the Cridhe plane (??) works really well with our reanimator theme, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Littjara</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> nestles in nicely with all the tokens we’re making.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inys Haen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paliano"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Caldaia"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paliano" href="#" target="_blank">Paliano</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> loves that our commander is looking to connect with opponents’ faces. And <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unyaro" href="#" target="_blank">Unyaro</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes Knights tokens when chaos ensues.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And last is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Caldaia" href="#" target="_blank">The Caldaia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which gives our creatures Blitz, allowing them to get sacrificed at the end step. And that’s just fine with Sidar.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dang, it’s almost like these planes were designed specifically for this deck.</span></p>
<h2><b>Knights’ Charge</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So how does the deck play?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fast and smooth. I tested the deck multiple times and each time I had an engine going by turn three, four at the latest. The low average mana value really works in the deck’s favor, as you can just chip away at life totals immediately. And Sidar is a phenomenal commander in this deck. The card advantage, while also filling the grave with Knights you can recur later, is flawless.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because of how efficient the deck is, you barely feel the typical slowness caused by the precon manabase. In fact, the lands package might be my only complaint about this deck. 12 out of the 39 lands won’t give you mana on the turn they come in. But like I said, this is typical of a precon, and I’m just nitpicking at this point.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Honestly, the deck is strong enough that it makes a case for why they abandoned Eminence for so long. Not having to have your commander on the field to get its abilities at times feels like playing on easy mode. So, if you’re looking to slow the deck down a tad to play with more casual friends, swap the commander for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elenda and Azor" href="#" target="_blank">Elenda and Azor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While this commander is no slouch, it’s going to be a </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">much</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> slower time due to its higher cost and more finicky abilities. Granted, free tokens at every end step is great, but I think you’d have to build more of a card-draw deck to really get a lot of benefit.</span></p>
<h2><b>Conclusion</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m so on board with this deck.</span></p>
<p><b>Verdict: Buy it</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is an emphatic “Yes” for me. And not just because of how well the deck functions. The reprint value is phenomenal as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adeline, Resplendent Cathar" href="#" target="_blank">Adeline, Resplendent Cathar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Knight Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero of Bladehold" href="#" target="_blank">Hero of Bladehold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald’s Horn" href="#" target="_blank">Herald’s Horn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all serious money reprints. And they make the deck an easy Buy.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adeline, Resplendent Cathar["></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knight Exemplar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanquisher’s Banner"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s it for the primer! So what am I gonna do to improve this already strong deck? I’d honestly start with the lands, but that would make for a very boring upgrade article. I’m sure we’ll find a few tasty things to add for just a few dollars. So stay tuned for that!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Until next time, remember to budget…before you buy it.</span></p>


eminence

The Best Commander From Every Year of the 2000s

Cavalry Charge - Precon Primer