<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://instagram.com/magali_villeneuve/?hl=en">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has officially overtaken <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a longtime Commander mainstay, to enter the fabled <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top 5 circle of popular commanders</a>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed"></div></div>
<p>With over 34 thousand decks at Y'shtola's disposal, all crafted in the course of under one year, this is an amazing feat. This is especially true as each of the four commanders ahead of the Cat Warlock has had at <em>least</em> eight years to cultivate a following.</p>
<p>What awaits this beloved <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em> character in the trials to come? Read on, and we'll discuss!</p>
<h2>On the Overthrow of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
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<p>Before today, Kaalia of the Vast held the #5 spot. Due to the way the zeitgeist tends to work, Kaalia's velocity in growing ranks has inevitably decreased compared to Y'shtola. Because Y'shtola is <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a newer commander (released in 2025, compared to Kaalia's 2011 release in <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/heavenly-inferno" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Heavenly Inferno</em></a>, one of the first five official Commander precons), she will</span> accrue numbers much faster.</p>
<p>So, now that we've touched upon this important event, let's look at what further trials await, and if they seem at all surmountable for this legendary <em>FFXIV</em> creature!</p>
<h2>On <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div></div>
<p>Released in 2012 with the <em>Magic 2013</em> Core set, Krenko, Mob Boss is the #4 most popular commander around. A Goblin with a serious <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/goblins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Goblin-typing theme</a> going for him, he commands over 36 thousand decks. This is in part due to extreme combo potential blended with wave after wave of Goblin token generation.</p>
<p>This is an oddly versatile means of getting stuff done, as it stands. The tokens can be used to attack other players, or be used as sacrificial fodder for value plays, or as mass damage on entry with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Versatility in the Top 4, you'll see, plays a recurring role in our analyses. Those rooting for Y'shtola to rise in the ranks should hope for the same out of her.</p>
<p>With just over two thousand decks needed for Y'shtola to actually surpass Krenko, it might take a little while for her to achieve this. But it appears more possible as days pass!</p>
<h2>On <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of extreme cases of versatility, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has that in spades. Let's face facts here: There are <em>so</em> many cards and mechanics that care about counters on permanents and players. Atraxa appeals to nearly <em>all</em> of them. Y'shtola is going to have a lot of trouble overtaking this powerhouse of all trades. Right now Atraxa has over 39,000 decks built, about five thousand more than the hero of this article currently has.</p>
<p>So, for purposes of figuring out whether Ms. Rhul can overtake Atraxa or the current Top 2 most popular commanders, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (#2) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (#1), we need to wait for her to get past the Goblin Warrior in the room. Even so, things look positive for the Cat Warlock in that regard, and doubtless, we'll cover this shift when it happens - if it happens.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edgar Markov"></div></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>In the end, this interesting vying for popularity is a fun thing to track. And, beyond this, these are all stellar commanders. It's just so <em>neat</em>, though, that a commander released this past year could rise in the ranks so quickly!</p>
<p>So now, let's open the floor to you, dear readers! Do you have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander deck, or decks of any of the commanders in the Top 4? Are you hoping to see any more shifts in popularity down the line? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Is Now the 5th Most Popular Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast|mh3|343" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CLivia+Prima%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Livia Prima</a></em></p>
<p>There's been a massive surge in popularity for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> since her release last year. She currently holds an esteemed ranking as the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#6 most popular commander</a>. The question on the table: Will she breach into the Top 5? And, perhaps just as importantly, if so, <em>when</em>?</p>
<p>However, an obstacle stands in Y'shtola's way. She is an obstacle as old as Wizards of the Coast's support of the format. She's a major tour de force of the format at large. Her name? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prizefight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaalia of the Vast"></div></div>
<p>Ladies, gentlemen, neither, both, and everyone besides, the fight to claim the #5 spot on EDHREC's Most Popular Commanders list is just getting warmed up. Will this bout end up in Y'shtola, the challenger's, favor? Or will a mainstay of foundational Commander bring her to her knees? Let's look at some details.</p>
<h2>The Reigning #5 Commander: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been around since the summer of 2011. At that time, the format was young and had just gained product support from Wizards of the Coast. Kaalia was one of the initial five "face commanders" for the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon#commander2011" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Commander 2011</em> precon products</a>. She led the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/heavenly-inferno" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Heavenly Inferno</em> precon</a>, a relative hodgepodge of cards within the themes of Angels, Demons, and Dragons.</p>
<p>The current reigning #5 commander was the glue that held that deck together; without Kaalia, the deck would be a shambles altogether. Since her release, she's even had a retrain in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia, Zenith Seeker" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia, Zenith Seeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, though that iteration of the character hasn't had nearly as much success.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaalia, Zenith Seeker"></div></div>
<p>Nowadays, Kaalia of the Vast commands <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/kaalia-of-the-vast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">32,449 decks on EDHREC</a>, and, as mentioned, is the #5 most popular commander on the site right now.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for the powerhouse, that may soon change.</p>
<h2>The Challenger: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>Notably, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only came out last summer, with the highly-acclaimed <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/fin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Final Fantasy</em></a> set. <em>Final Fantasy</em> and its four preconstructed Commander decks were a testament to the growth and appeal of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> on the whole, as well as the Commander format, to boot.</p>
<p>While Y'shtola led the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/scions-spellcraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Scions &amp; Spellcraft</em> Commander deck</a> representing <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>, she, too, had an additional iteration in print, albeit in the main set. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is not nearly as popular as Night's Blessed, much like how Zenith Chronicler lacks in that department as well, where Kaalia is concerned.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola Rhul"></div></div>
<p>As of the time of writing, Y'shtola, Night's Blessed has <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/yshtola-nights-blessed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30,214 decks on EDHREC</a>, and is soon to contest the rank of #5 Most Popular Commander on EDHREC.</p>
<h2>Some Insights</h2>
<p>The developers over here at EDHREC have come to an interesting insight. With the current trajectory and trending numbers, it seems that, indeed, Y'shtola, Night's Blessed <em>will overtake Kaalia</em>! In about 28 days, give or take a few, we can expect to see Y'shtola claim the #5 spot on our <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top Commanders</a> page.</p>
<p>Now, that's not a perfect estimation, and predictions have a chance of faltering. After all, it took a good many days for Sephiroth to <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/sephiroth-fabled-soldier-now-the-top-mono-black-commander" target="_blank" rel="noopener">take the mantle as the most popular mono-black commander</a> after I preemptively wrote about that happening. Time is funky, friends. But all that to say, it'll probably happen in about that span of time. When it does, I can't wait to cover any further ascension of the Night's Blessed.</p>
<p>And now, I'd like to open the floor to you, dear readers! I know we've been doting over Y'shtola and waxing poetic about how cool the commander is in various articles lately.</p>
<p>What I want to know from you is, where do you see <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/yshtola-nights-blessed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Y'shtola, Night's Blessed</a> ending up on the Most Popular Commanders list by the end of, say, June? How about the end of December 2026? Place your predictions in the comments below!</p>


kaalia

Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Is Now the 5th Most Popular Commander

Will Y'shtola Break Into the Top 5 Most Popular Commanders?

Heavenly Inferno - Kaalia Precon Upgrade