Samut, Voice of DissentSamut, Voice of Dissent | Art by Aleksi Briclot
Welcome back to Wombo Combo, the article series where we explore EDH's most prolific combo cards with the assistance of EDHREC and Commander Spellbook. In this edition, we examine the Warriors that fight wars and win you games along the way.
Warrior is generally a creature type that is added alongside a standalone type, such as Human or Cat. Warrior thus acts more as an occupation instead of a race, putting it alongside similar types like Noble or Soldier.
Unsurprisingly, Warriors tend to have a focus around combat and/or increasing power or toughness, making them a good inclusion for creature-heavy decks.
Let's scout the battlefield and see which Warriors can fight the good wars for us.
#10: Krenko, Mob Boss
Deck Inclusions: 30,749 as commander (#4); 61,520 as card (1.89%)
Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss is one of EDH's most frequently used commanders and a popular choice to helm Goblin decks. It's also a prolific token engine that scales each time you use it - perfect for infinite token combos.
If Krenko's your commander, the scaling nature will go infinite with Skirk ProspectorSkirk Prospector and a haste enabler. You can also use cards like Staff of DominationStaff of Domination, Intruder AlarmIntruder Alarm, or Thornbite StaffThornbite Staff as alternative methods to untap Krenko.
Krenko decks can quickly spiral out of control. so it's quite possible to stumble across a combo unintentionally just by including a ton of Goblins.
#9: Lae'zel, Vlaakith's Champion
Deck Inclusions: 4,118 as commander; 79,461 as card (2.59%)
Lae'zel, Vlaakith's ChampionLae'zel, Vlaakith's Champion increases counters that are put onto creatures and planeswalkers you control, as well as yourself. Increasing counters on planeswalkers synergizes well with Jace, Cunning CastawayJace, Cunning Castaway to easier make new Jace tokens. For creatures, you can use Walking BallistaWalking Ballista and Gatta and LuzzuGatta and Luzzu to put infinite counters on Walking Ballista, which can then be removed for infinite damage.
Lae'zel also works for energy-focused decks, turning Decoction ModuleDecoction Module and Aethergeode MinerAethergeode Miner into a simple infinite combo.
#8: Najeela, the Blade-Blossom
Deck Inclusions: 11,995 as commander (#96); 9,992 as card (2.38%)
Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom is another popular commander that centers around combats, both giving you additional combat phases and 1/1 Warrior creature tokens. Comboing with Najeela simply involves covering the cost each combat, which can be easily achieved with several cards.
Jegantha, the WellspringJegantha, the Wellspring, Faeburrow ElderFaeburrow Elder, and Druids' RepositoryDruids' Repository can easily make the mana without needing to filter the mana into other colors. Savage VentmawSavage Ventmaw and Grand Warlord RadhaGrand Warlord Radha can make mana that can be converted by Chromatic OrreryChromatic Orrery to work with Najeela.
#7: Reassembling Skeleton
Deck Inclusions: 123,209 decks (3.68%)
Reassembling SkeletonReassembling Skeleton is a great inclusion for recursion decks and an easy card to utilize for an infinite combo. All you need is a sacrifice outlet and two mana each iteration, both of which can be achieved by cards like Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar and Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer.
There's also a plethora of alternatives, such as using Zahur, Glory's PastZahur, Glory's Past to create an additional token that can also be sacrificed for mana. Another is to reduce Reassembling Skeleton's ability cost by using Zirda, the DawnwakerZirda, the Dawnwaker or Embalmer's ToolsEmbalmer's Tools.
Reassembling Skeleton also has two other Warrior cards that can be functional reprints for infinite combos: Cult ConscriptCult Conscript and Bloodsoaked ChampionBloodsoaked Champion. While both have an additional restriction, they're generally easy to achieve during normal gameplay, and serve as good redundancy for Reassembling Skeleton.
#6: Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
Deck Inclusions: 26,879 as commander; 32,124 as card (0.99%)
Who doesn't love Rograkh, Son of RohgahhRograkh, Son of Rohgahh? A partner commander with no cost certainly sets up many unique EDH builds. Having a mana cost of is also extremely rare for a creature, as currently only seven other cards share this property, with Rograkh being the only legendary one.
Zero-cost creatures are very good candidates for infinite storm combos using Cloudstone CurioCloudstone Curio or Enduring RenewalEnduring Renewal due to the lack of mana needed each loop. Cloudstone Curio can use another zero-cost Kobold to bounce Rograkh, or can use Genesis ChamberGenesis Chamber or a similar token generator.
Rograkh is also a perfect combo piece for another Warrior on this list, which we'll get to later.
#5: Samut, Voice of Dissent / Garna, the Bloodflame
Number of Combos: 184 (Samut); 158 (Garna)
Deck Inclusions (Samut): 1,957 as commander (#869); 19,652 as card (2.55%)
Samut, Voice of DissentSamut, Voice of Dissent and Garna, the BloodflameGarna, the Bloodflame both serve as haste enablers, perfect for tapping creatures to facilitate combos and for infinite combat combos.
Partnering them with Breath of FuryBreath of Fury makes it easier to get infinite combats with generators like Adeline, Resplendent CatharAdeline, Resplendent Cathar or General Kreat, the BoltbringerGeneral Kreat, the Boltbringer. Tap abilities like that of Selvala, Heart of the WildsSelvala, Heart of the Wilds can be activated immediately upon entering, which creates an infinite combo alongside Kogla, the Titan ApeKogla, the Titan Ape.
Samut has some added functionality that can untap another creature, which can be used to untap Ioreth of the Healing HouseIoreth of the Healing House.
#4: Combat Celebrant
Deck Inclusions: 100,486 decks (3.08%)
Combat CelebrantCombat Celebrant is a staple card in combat-heavy decks, allowing you to exert it to get an additional combat phase. Since exerting can be done repeatedly, all you need is a method of triggering Combat Celebrant each combat phase...or a Combat Celebrant each phase.
Many cards exist that can copy Combat Celebrant, allowing you to exert the copy and get the trigger each combat phase. Helm of the HostHelm of the Host, Rionya, Fire DancerRionya, Fire Dancer and Saheeli, Radiant CreatorSaheeli, Radiant Creator are all great options to achieve this, but there are dozens more that'll do the trick.
#3: Chatterfang, Squirrel General
Deck Inclusions: 20,366 as commander (#20); 74,887 as card (5.41%)
Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General serves as a token doubler in many cases, creating a number of 1/1 Squirrel creature tokens whenever you make tokens. While the tokens aren't exact copies of the original token, they can still facilitate infinite combos in many circumstances.
Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer, Warren SoultraderWarren Soultrader, and Shilgengar, Sire of FamineShilgengar, Sire of Famine all readily take advantage of Chatterfang for simple infinite combos. Chatterfang not making exact copies works to your advantage with Requiem AngelRequiem Angel to make non-Spirit tokens and Eloise, Nephalia SleuthEloise, Nephalia Sleuth to make additional creatures that can be easily sacrificed.
#2: Koll, the Forgemaster
Deck Inclusions: 1,270 as commander (#1,133); 15,901 as card (1.05%)
Koll, the ForgemasterKoll, the Forgemaster allows you to return equipped or enchanted creatures that die to your hand. This effect works perfectly with Rograkh, whom we discussed earlier, since Rograkh can cast itself for free.
There are several Equipments that have no cost, or that can attach themselves to a creature. No-cost Equipments include ShukoShuko and Umbral MantleUmbral Mantle, while self-attaching Equipments include Sai of the ShinobiSai of the Shinobi and Stormrider RigStormrider Rig. Koll can also work with mana sacrifice outlets whose mana can be used to recast the creature.
Other options include mana-neutral creatures like Priest of UrabraskPriest of Urabrask or CathodionCathodion.
#1: Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward
Deck Inclusions: 6,468 as commander; 33,019 as card (1.08%)
The most used Warrior combo card is none other than Abdel Adrian, Gorion's WardAbdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward, a staple card for blink decks that makes creature tokens to boot.
Funnily enough, cards like Abdel Adrian work best when paired with similar cards to itself, such as Felidar GuardianFelidar Guardian or Yannik, Scavenging SentinelYannik, Scavenging Sentinel. Abdel Adrian also pairs well with Animate DeadAnimate Dead or NecromancyNecromancy, who can help you sacrifice Abdel Adrian to return them to the battlefield.
Since Abdel Adrian can exile nonland permanents, you can exile Sol RingSol Ring or other mana-producing permanents to make mana each loop, which can easily pay for Eldrazi DisplacerEldrazi Displacer or whatever payoff your heart desires.
Honorable Mentions
If you're still looking for more carnage on the battlefield, take a look at some other Warriors who will gladly oblige.
1. Stonework PackbeastStonework Packbeast: An easy way to mana fix, and also helps to enable combos by converting colored or colorless mana into a desired color.
2. Golgari ThugGolgari Thug: A dredge card that can recur itself when it dies to the top of your library, and eventually to your hand.
3. Hamza, Guardian of ArashinHamza, Guardian of Arashin: The +1/+1 counters perfectly counter persist abilities, and can make the most out of Boss's ChauffeurBoss's Chauffeur or other cards caring about counters.
4. Zealous ConscriptsZealous Conscripts: An easy way to untap creatures like Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker or gain control of opponents' permanents.
Thank you very much for reading this edition of Wombo Combo, and don't forget to check out Commander Spellbook for more EDH combos and visit the Commander Spellbook Discord to vote on the next edition of Wombo Combo and to submit your own EDH combos.
Until next time, happy comboing!
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Ethan Coover
Ethan has been an avid EDH player since 2014 with the release of Core Set 2015. In 2021, he joined the Commander Spellbook project as an editor, and later a head-editor and moderator, and has assisted in the curation, updating and/or uploading of over 40,000 unique EDH combos and over 40 articles covering EDH's best combos.
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