Winota, Joiner of ForcesWinota, Joiner of Forces | Eriette of the Charmed AppleEriette of the Charmed Apple | Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov | Art by Magali Villeneuve

While Commander is often known as a haven for rainbow-colored mana bases replete with fetch lands, Triomes, myriad mana rocks and Mana ConfluenceMana Confluence clones aplenty, this list pares those three-, four-, and five-color commanders down to the best options available that are only two colors.

These commanders boost typal strategies, foreground underutilized mechanics, and lead entertaining decks that are enjoyable to build and (more importantly) eminently fun to play with. Let's dive right in!

Note: All figures are accurate at time of writing, and subject to change.

#40. The MycotyrantThe Mycotyrant

Decks: 9,949 | Rank: 132

Saproling typal decks deserve more love, and that's exactly what this Golgari () Elder Fungus delivers. Also, an added bonus: Fungus typal!

#39. Liesa, Shroud of DuskLiesa, Shroud of Dusk

Decks: 10,371 | Rank: 123

That pesky ascending extra for the commander tax is no bueno. This Orzhov () Angel figures why not make it two life per commander death instead? Yeah, that's better.

#38. Etali, Primal ConquerorEtali, Primal Conqueror

Decks: 10,378 | Rank: 122

A backbreaking play in any format, especially if it can be cheated out earlier than expected via ramp or reanimation, this Gruul () Elder Dinosaur is also a Blightsteel ColossusBlightsteel Colossus on the flip side.

#37. Omo, Queen of VesuvaOmo, Queen of Vesuva

Decks: 10,557 | Rank: 120

A typal dynamo for both creatures and lands, this Modern Horizons 3 Commander Shapeshifter Noble for is the only card in Magic to employ "everything" counters.

#36. Deadpool, Trading CardDeadpool, Trading Card

Decks: 10,579 | Rank: 119

The master of meta commentary, Marvel's Deadpool is a fun and zany commander option in a Harmless OfferingHarmless Offering-style deck that is sure to have the whole table beaming bemusedly.

#35. Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal

Decks: 10,616 | Rank: 118

An amazing commander for Blink strategies (alongside Yorion, Sky NomadYorion, Sky Nomad, Aminatou, the FateshifterAminatou, the Fateshifter and others), this Azorius () Spirit Noble originally debuted in 2014's Conspiracy.

#34. Kibo, Uktabi PrinceKibo, Uktabi Prince

Decks: 10,767 | Rank: 116

Amusing, adorable, effective, and a clever reference to Uktabi OrangutanUktabi Orangutan all rolled into one. Also a terrific Ape or Monkey typal commander plus an artifact hate card. This goes bananas!

#33. Rowan, Scion of WarRowan, Scion of War

Decks: 10,819 | Rank: 115

This intriguing Rakdos () Human Wizard reduces the cost of your black and/or red spells by the amount of life you've lost, so keep your "pay one life" permanents and ExsanguinateExsanguinates handy.

#32. Winota, Joiner of ForcesWinota, Joiner of Forces

Decks: 10,832 | Rank: 114

An extremely aggressive Human Warrior 4/4 that gifts you as many Human creatures from your library as creatures you attack with. Nerfed in MTG Arena's Brawl format, Winota is still a powerhouse Boros () commander in paper Magic.

#31. Judith, Carnage ConnoisseurJudith, Carnage Connoisseur

Decks: 10,944 | Rank: 111

An intriguing and unusual Rakdos Spellslinger commander, this Murders at Karlov Manor version of Judith pairs beautifully with burn spells.

#30. Feather, the RedeemedFeather, the Redeemed

Decks: 11,293 | Rank: 105

One of only three Boros cards found herein, the War of the Spark version of Feather is the perfect commander to pair with weird Equipment SunforgerSunforger.

#29. Lord of the NazgûlLord of the Nazgûl

Decks: 11,790 | Rank: 101

Only 12 Wraith creatures have been printed in Magic history, but Universes Beyond: The Lord of the Rings brought on board many playable options. Combine with a control shell, and this Dimir () bomb can end games on the spot.

#28. The Scarab GodThe Scarab God

Decks: 11,797 | Rank: 100

One of the best Zombie cards for Commander is a dynamite Dimir option that reanimates creatures (either from your graveyard or your foe's) as 4/4 Zombies and is hard to kill. Awesome art, too.

#27. Satoru UmezawaSatoru Umezawa

Decks: 11,844 | Rank: 99

As you'll see later, Dimir Human Ninja commanders that deal in the ninjutsu keyword are highly rated, and this three-mana option from Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is a big reason why.

#26. Shelob, Child of UngoliantShelob, Child of Ungoliant

Decks: 12,051 | Rank: 93

The second and final Lord of the Rings card on this list, this Golgari Spider Demon is a strong Spider typal commander and also pairs well with Food tokens (yummy).

#25. Sythis, Harvest's HandSythis, Harvest's Hand

Decks: 12,094 | Rank: 92

The only Selesnya () card on this list is also, arguably, the best Enchantress commander. Go Gladecover ScoutGladecover Scout, Sythis, then turn-three Ethereal ArmorEthereal Armor and All That GlittersAll That Glitters for big fun.

#24. Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre StraitAesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait

Decks: 12,772 | Rank: 87

A simple yet effective Simic () Serpent commander that enables Landfall strategies with ease. Plus, a 5/5 body means that a Shrapnel BlastShrapnel Blast-level burn spell is required to kill it.

#23. Tovolar, Dire OverlordTovolar, Dire Overlord

Decks: 12,793 | Rank: 86

A dynamo in Wolf and Werewolf typal decks, this 3/3 Gruul commander for delivers a ton of card draw if you ever connect on an attack with a pack of Wolves or Werewolves.

#22. Stella Lee, Wild CardStella Lee, Wild Card

Decks: 12,943 | Rank: 82

Not to be confused with famous frozen pie brand Sara Lee, Stella Lee is an Izzet () Human Rogue that can copy any of your instants or sorceries so long as you've cast three spells.

#21. Prosper, Tome-BoundProsper, Tome-Bound

Decks: 12,992 | Rank: 81

This Rakdos Tiefling Warlock for is a card advantage machine due to his automatic impulse draw at end of turn plus creating a Treasure whenever you play said impulse-drawn card.

#20. Hylda of the Icy CrownHylda of the Icy Crown

Decks: 13,017 | Rank: 80

A commander that's focused on tapping down your foes' creatures? Sign me up! This Azorius Human Warlock does it all (creating creature tokens, drawing cards, boosting your team), so long as you pay an extra upon tapping an opposing creature.

#19. Arabella, Abandoned DollArabella, Abandoned Doll

Decks: 13,123 | Rank: 79

A clear riff on the notorious Anabelle doll of Conjuring franchise fame, this is the highest-rated Boros card herein, and it serves as a lethal finisher in "go-wide" creature token-based decks.

#18. Ygra, Eater of AllYgra, Eater of All

Decks: 13,852 | Rank: 74

A Golgari Elemental Cat from the adorably popular Bloomburrow set, Ygra represents a terrific Food-based combo enabler thanks to turning all other creatures into Food tokens. Peep some of those spicy brews:

#17. Captain N'ghathrodCaptain N'ghathrod

Decks: 14,412 | Rank: 70

This Illithid Pirate from the Dungeons & Dragons franchise is a Horror Pirate in Magic nomenclature, and it serves a useful function as a Horror typal enabler - one of the few in the game's history.

#16. Alela, Cunning ConquerorAlela, Cunning Conqueror

Decks: 14,877 | Rank: 66

While the three-color Alela, Artful ProvocateurAlela, Artful Provocateur came first, it's the newer Dimir Alela that makes the top 20 of this list thanks to an interesting flash payoff and the ability to goad opposing creatures.

#15. Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier

Decks: 14,987 | Rank: 64

As has been stated on numerous occasions, this legendary Izzet Wizard is the runaway star of the Final Fantasy set, and he has made a name for himself in the Commander format, too, thanks to his eminently abusable zero-cost activated ability.

#14. Kinnan, Bonder ProdigyKinnan, Bonder Prodigy

Decks: 15,101 | Rank: 63

The #1 Simic commander in Magic is Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy, which was first unveiled in 2020's Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths. This two-mana Human Druid is the "lord" of mana dorks, as he doubles up any mana that is created by creatures... and nonland permanents, meaning your TreasureTreasures, GoldGolds and PowerstonePowerstones all make two mana instead of one. Sweet!

While that activated ability looks prohibitive, playing a Kinnan deck is all about producing beaucoup mana, so you'll zoom to seven mana with relative ease.

#13. Bello, Bard of the BramblesBello, Bard of the Brambles

Decks: 15,651 | Rank: 54

The top-rated Gruul commander is this 3/3 Bloomburrow Raccoon Bard that animates all of your above-four-mana non-Aura and non-Equipment enchantments and artifacts, respectively, into 4/4 creatures with indestructible and haste that draw you a card when they connect with a foe.

Beyond that, this card can go infinite in a variety of scintillating combos, though most of them involve mana rocks that cost at least , such as Gilded LotusGilded Lotus, Thran DynamoThran Dynamo and even Sisay's RingSisay's Ring:

#12. Niv-Mizzet, ParunNiv-Mizzet, Parun

Decks: 16,002 | Rank: 50

This Guilds of Ravnica Dragon Wizard costs a colored-pip-dominated , but the payoff is that you get a powerhouse Izzet commander that goes beautifully in a Spellslinger build, and also goes infinite in a variety of ways - including with another Niv-Mizzet card!

Of course, the most common combo with this big Parun is slapping a simple CuriosityCuriosity on him and then dealing a single point of damage to an opponent, allowing you to draw your entire deck and deal (close to) infinite damage.

#11. Valgavoth, Harrower of SoulsValgavoth, Harrower of Souls

Decks: 16,560 | Rank: 45

As the "big bad" of the Duskmourn: House of Horror set, Valgavoth was always going to have some pretty powerful cards. While the monoblack Valgavoth, Terror EaterValgavoth, Terror Eater is surely a terrifying card to face off against, it's the Rakdos Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls from Duskmourn's Commander precons that makes this list.

This 4/4 Elder Demon punishes foes for losing life, paying life, or being damaged during their own turns, which means any shock lands, fetch lands, or other life-paying strategies beef up your Valgavoth and provide you card advantage.

#10. Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov

Decks: 17,467 | Rank: 38

The sixth-most popular Commander theme is Aristocrats. That archetype's most popular commander? Why, it's this Human Advisor originally found in Ravnica Allegiance.

Being able to double up any sacrifice or dying trigger of your permanents is an immense boon for Aristocratic strategies, and it also helps her go infinite with Commander stalwart Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer in a number of ways:

#9. Ghyrson Starn, KelermorphGhyrson Starn, Kelermorph

Decks: 17,662 | Rank: 35

Surprisingly, the top Izzet commander in Magic is this extremely rare Tyranid Human from the Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks. With foil copies of this going for nearly $100, seeing this in the top 10 is something of a surprise... but the power level necessitates its inclusion and popularity.

There are myriad ways in which to deal a single point of damage to an opponent (pinging with Stinging BarrierStinging Barrier, attacking with a Raging GoblinRaging Goblin, singeing them with a Lava DartLava Dart, etc.), and Ghyrson Starn helps turn that tiny sliver of damage into a Lightning BoltLightning Bolt every time.

#8. Meren of Clan Nel TothMeren of Clan Nel Toth

Decks: 17,866 | Rank: 33

A dynamite Golgari reanimation commander, Meren of Clan Nel Toth originally released in Commander 2015, and she's retained her cachet and mythic rarity in the intervening 10 years due to her utility and power.

The fact that she returns a creature card to your hand every single turn is amazing, and then, if you hit a certain number of experience counters as your creatures perish, you can put that card straight onto the battlefield.

#7. Eriette of the Charmed AppleEriette of the Charmed Apple

Decks: 19,142 | Rank: 30

Seeing as Auras are in the top 15 of Commander themes, it's no surprise to see one of the best (if not the best) Aura-based commanders at #7 herein.

Eriette of the Charmed Apple from Wilds of Eldraine is a powerhouse Orzhov Aura enabler, and she pairs beautifully with more controlling Auras (such as PacifismPacifism or Faith's FettersFaith's Fetters) as well as with a more Aggro strategy alongside something like Light-Paws, Emperor's VoiceLight-Paws, Emperor's Voice (one of the 40 best monocolored commanders of all time, by the way).

#6. Shorikai, Genesis EngineShorikai, Genesis Engine

Decks: 19,454 | Rank: 26

With the release of Edge of Eternities, Wizards of the Coast announced that all legendary Vehicles could now be your commander. Before that, though, one of the only options for such strategies was this Azorius vehicle from Neon Dynasty Commander.

Seeing as Shorikai just misses placing in the top five of this list, it's still the best option for Vehicle-focused strategies, thanks to its card-advantage-bestowing activated ability that also delivers a 1/1 Pilot that crews Vehicles exceptionally well.

#5. Wilhelt, the RotcleaverWilhelt, the Rotcleaver

Decks: 19,950 | Rank: 23

Another one of the best Zombie cards for commander (alongside The Scarab God, #28), Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver pays you off for having your other Zombies die by replacing them with 2/2 Zombie tokens with the decayed keyword (meaning they can't block and die after attacking).

This Zombie Warrior also gives you an extra card at the cost of sacrificing one of your Zombies during your end step, which you can simply replace with a 2/2 decayed Zombie thanks to Wilhelt's triggered ability. Synergy built right into a card is always nice.

#4. Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General

Decks: 20,234 | Rank: 21

Any cards that create additional tokens when you're already creating a token are hot commodities, and this legendary Squirrel Warrior from Modern Horizons 2 certainly fits that bill.

As one of the only legendary Squirrels in the game (five at last count, not counting silver-bordered cards or ones with changeling), Chatterfang is a top-tier token generator with plenty of utility across a variety of decks.

Of course, being able to both create extra Squirrels and sacrifice Squirrels for additional benefit means that Chatterfang is a terrific combo enabler as well, especially alongside everyone's favorite Treasure combo engine Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer:

#3. Hakbal of the Surging SoulHakbal of the Surging Soul

Decks: 20,324 | Rank: 20

The top card for Merfolk decks in Commander also happens to be in the top three of the best two-colored commanders of all time. Furthermore, Hakbal is one of only three cards in the top 10 that do not feature the color black. Intriguing!

The explore mechanic is a generally overpowered one, as it allows you to draw through your deck, filter your library, and boost your creatures in one fell swoop. So imagine an entire board filled with Merfolk, each one exploring once before combat begins. With Hakbal, that hypothetical becomes a reality.

He even ramps your mana and delivers card draw, too; what can't this Scout do?!

#2. Lathril, Blade of the ElvesLathril, Blade of the Elves

Decks: 26,886 | Rank: 8

Elves are always a hot commodity in Commander pods, as even the most dedicated combo decks (boasting green) likely enjoy the merits of an Elven mana dork or two before getting the ball rolling on their strategies. Originally released in Kaldheim Commander in 2021, Lathril immediately became one of the best Elf cards for Commander, as her triggered and activated abilities are both bangers.

First off, suit her up with an Aura or Equipment to boost her power then connect on an attack, which, in turn, nets you more 1/1 Elf bodies. Then, once you hit that easy-to-establish threshold of 10 untapped Elves, simply pop that activated ability and drain the entire table for 30 damage, while gaining yourself 10 life in the process.

With tons of ways to reach a critical mass of Elves, it's no wonder that Lathril is among the most popular two-colored commanders, right after...

#1. Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

Decks: 27,726 | Rank: 6

As you might expect, the words "commander ninjutsu" are fairly valuable and popular in the world of Commander. While Satoru Umezawa (#27) gives all of your creatures the capability to ninjutsu from your hand, there is a limit to how many creatures you're going to have in hand at one time. So what if one of your creatures with ninjutsu was in the command zone?

With Yuriko, that is your reality. Even if Yuriko dies a million times and her commander tax skyrockets, all you'll ever have to pay to get her back onto the battlefield is a measly . Combine with a number of other intriguing and powerful ninjutsu-abusing creatures (such as the aforementioned Satoru) and you can quickly go infinite.

Even beyond the combo potential, Yuriko works wonders in a Ninja typal build, as she lets you drain each of your opponents every time a Ninja connects with an opponent (based on the mana value of what's on top of your library).

An utterly busted commander, it's no wonder Yuriko tips the scales as the #1 two-colored commander of all time.

Stats

Color Breakdown

Color Me Intrigued

These 40 ultra-enjoyable two-color commanders provide plenty of juice for building around, and some even provide unique avenues of deckbuilding that you might not have thought about beforehand (Bello and Hylda spring to mind). So when you ponder brewing your next two-color Commander deck, give these 40 legends a whirl.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more top 40 commanders lists.