Commander themes · Aristocrats

Best Aristocrats commanders

Aristocrats decks sacrifice their own creatures on purpose, and every death drains the table, draws a card or makes something new. Here are ten commanders that turn dying into an engine, and what each one needs to work.

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The 10 best Aristocrats commanders

We started from commanders that players build often for this theme on EDHREC. The order is our own: how well the commander fits the theme, how consistently the deck does its thing, how hard it is to stop, and how it holds up at a four-player table. It is not a popularity ranking, and no win rates are involved.

Beginner-friendly A clear plan with few decisions per turn
Budget-friendly The commander is inexpensive and the deck works without pricey staples
High power Among the strongest versions of the theme

Teysa Karlov

Complexity: MediumBudget-friendlyHigh power

Teysa doubles the core of the strategy: if a creature dying causes a triggered ability of a permanent you control to trigger, it triggers an additional time. Blood Artist drains for 2, Zulaport Cutthroat drains each opponent for 2, and every death payoff in the deck counts double. Her tokens also get vigilance and lifelink. Orzhov has the best sacrifice outlets and payoffs in the game.

Strengths

Doubles every death trigger in the deck
Tokens with lifelink and vigilance
Orzhov: the core Aristocrats colors

Watch out for

Does nothing on her own
A 2/4 for four, easy to remove

Best for: Players who want the purest version of the strategy.

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Yawgmoth, Thran Physician

Complexity: HighHigh power

Pay 1 life and sacrifice another creature: Yawgmoth puts a -1/-1 counter on up to one target creature and draws you a card. A free sacrifice outlet that draws is the best tool an Aristocrats deck can have, and the -1/-1 counters kill small creatures across the table. With creatures that come back from the graveyard, it becomes a combo engine. Mono-black, but strong enough for fast tables.

Strengths

Sacrifice and draw at no mana cost
Removal for small creatures
Combo potential with recursive creatures

Watch out for

Costs life every time
One of the more expensive commanders here

Best for: Experienced players at stronger tables.

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Meren of Clan Nel Toth

Complexity: MediumBudget-friendlyHigh power

Whenever another creature you control dies, Meren gives you an experience counter. At the beginning of your end step she returns a creature card from your graveyard — to the battlefield if its mana value is at most your experience, otherwise to your hand. Every turn you get a creature back, so sacrificing is never a loss. Golgari brings self-mill, ramp and sacrifice outlets.

Strengths

Card advantage every turn
Rewards sacrificing with permanent experience
Golgari ramp and self-mill

Watch out for

Graveyard hate stops her cold
Needs a few deaths before she returns big creatures

Best for: Players who enjoy grindy, value-driven games.

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Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER

Complexity: MediumHigh power

Whenever Sephiroth enters or attacks, you may sacrifice another creature to draw a card, and whenever another creature dies, an opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1. The fourth drain in one turn transforms him into One-Winged Angel, and you get an emblem that keeps draining whenever a creature dies — even if Sephiroth is removed later. Mono-black with every payoff it needs.

Strengths

Sacrifice outlet, card draw and drain in one card
The emblem can’t be removed
Three mana

Watch out for

Needs four deaths in one turn to transform
One of the priciest commanders on this page

Best for: Players who like a commander that does a bit of everything.

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Chatterfang, Squirrel General

Complexity: Medium

Whenever tokens would be created under your control, Chatterfang adds that many 1/1 Squirrels — Treasures, Food and Clues included. That is a steady supply of bodies to sacrifice. His own ability turns them into removal: {B} and sacrifice X Squirrels gives a creature +X/-X. With Blood Artist or Pitiless Plunderer every token becomes two triggers. Golgari colors. He fits the deck at every power level.

Strengths

Doubles the bodies from every token maker
Built-in removal from Squirrels
Three mana

Watch out for

Needs token makers to do anything
Board wipes take the whole engine

Best for: Players who like big boards they can cash in.

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Edgar Markov

Complexity: LowBeginner-friendly

Edgar’s eminence works from the command zone: whenever you cast another Vampire spell, you get a 1/1 Vampire token. In an Aristocrats deck those tokens are free fodder, and Vampires like Falkenrath Noble drain whenever any creature dies. Edgar himself has first strike and haste and pumps every Vampire when he attacks, so the deck can also win by attacking. Mardu colors.

Strengths

Tokens before he is even cast
Vampires bring their own drain effects
Attacks as a second plan

Watch out for

Vampire spells only
One of the most expensive commanders in the format

Best for: Players who want Aristocrats with an aggressive edge.

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Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver

Complexity: Medium

Whenever another Zombie you control dies without decayed, Wilhelt creates a 2/2 Zombie with decayed — so every Zombie dies twice. At your end step you may sacrifice a Zombie to draw a card, which gives the deck a built-in outlet. Decayed Zombies can’t block and are sacrificed after attacking, which triggers your death payoffs once more. Dimir colors. A sacrifice outlet doubles the value of every Zombie.

Strengths

Every Zombie dies twice
Built-in sacrifice and card draw
Dimir counterspells and removal

Watch out for

Zombies only
Decayed tokens can’t block

Best for: Players who like Zombies and steady value.

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Zurgo Stormrender

Complexity: LowBeginner-friendlyBudget-friendly

Whenever a creature token you control leaves the battlefield, Zurgo draws you a card if it was attacking; otherwise each opponent loses 1 life. Mobilize 1 gives him an attacking Warrior token each attack, sacrificed at end of turn — that is a free drain or card every turn. Every token you sacrifice to an outlet drains the whole table. Mardu colors, three mana.

Strengths

A free trigger every attack
Drains every opponent at once
Three mana

Watch out for

Only tokens count
Mardu mana in three colors

Best for: Newcomers who want Aristocrats without complex combos.

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Caesar, Legion's Emperor

Complexity: Medium

Whenever you attack, you may sacrifice another creature. When you do, choose two: two hasty 1/1 Soldier tokens that enter tapped and attacking, draw a card and lose 1 life, or damage to an opponent equal to the number of creature tokens you control. One token in, two tokens out, plus a card or damage — every attack feeds the engine. Mardu colors.

Strengths

More tokens than it sacrifices
Card draw or direct damage each turn
Works with any creature as fodder

Watch out for

Needs a creature to sacrifice before each attack
Only triggers on your attacks

Best for: Players who like attacking and sacrificing at once.

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Ygra, Eater of All

Complexity: High

Ygra makes every other creature a Food artifact. Whenever a Food goes to a graveyard from the battlefield, she gets two +1/+1 counters — and that includes every creature dying on either side of the table. Sacrifice outlets that use artifacts now take creatures too, and every death in the game makes Ygra bigger. Her ward asks for a Food sacrifice, which opponents can pay with a creature. Golgari colors.

Strengths

Grows from every creature death, including opponents’
Artifact synergies work on creatures
A 6/6 that gets out of hand

Watch out for

Her own growth is the main payoff
Opponents can pay her ward with their own creatures

Best for: Experienced players who like unusual interactions.

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Aristocrats commanders compared

All ten at a glance. Complexity and budget are our judgement; see each commander above for the reasons.

#	Commander	Plan	Complexity	Budget-friendly	Build
1	Teysa Karlov	Death triggers happen twice	Medium	Yes	Build
2	Yawgmoth, Thran Physician	A free sacrifice outlet that draws	High	—	Build
3	Meren of Clan Nel Toth	A creature back every end step	Medium	Yes	Build
4	Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER	Sacrifice, draw, drain — then transform	Medium	—	Build
5	Chatterfang, Squirrel General	Extra Squirrels as sacrifice fodder	Medium	—	Build
6	Edgar Markov	Vampire tokens to sacrifice	Low	—	Build
7	Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver	Zombies that die twice	Medium	—	Build
8	Zurgo Stormrender	Tokens leaving drain or draw	Low	Yes	Build
9	Caesar, Legion's Emperor	Sacrifice on attack, choose two	Medium	—	Build
10	Ygra, Eater of All	Every death grows her	High	—	Build

How do Aristocrats work in Commander?

An Aristocrats deck treats its creatures as a resource. It makes cheap bodies, sacrifices them, and profits from every death: life drained from each opponent, cards drawn, creatures returned. The name comes from Falkenrath Aristocrat and Cartel Aristocrat, two sacrifice creatures in an early version of the deck.

The three parts of the engine

Fodder: tokens and creatures that come back — Bitterblossom, Reassembling Skeleton, anything that makes bodies.
Sacrifice outlets: Viscera Seer, Ashnod’s Altar and Goblin Bombardment, ideally free to use.
Payoffs: Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat and Midnight Reaper turn each death into damage or cards.

How an Aristocrats deck wins

Drain. Ten deaths with two drain payoffs is 20 life from every opponent. Teysa doubles it.
Loops. A creature that comes back plus a free outlet and a payoff can drain the table in one turn.
Attrition. Grave Pact makes opponents sacrifice too, and you keep refilling while they run out.

Strengths and weaknesses

Aristocrats decks are resilient: removal on your creatures often just triggers your payoffs, and board wipes hurt less when you can sacrifice in response. Their weak spots are graveyard hate, cards that exile instead of letting creatures die, and decks that win before the engine is set up.

Common mistakes

All payoffs, no outlets. Without a sacrifice outlet the deck is a pile of small creatures.
Sacrificing too early. Wait until a payoff is on the battlefield, or until the creature would die anyway.
Forgetting card draw. Midnight Reaper and Skullclamp keep the engine fed.

Who enjoys Aristocrats?

Players who like engines, careful sequencing and turning the opponents’ removal against them. It rewards knowing exactly which trigger goes on the stack when.

Key cards and synergies for Aristocrats

Cards that show up in many Aristocrats decks, by the job they do. Which ones fit depends on your commander’s colors.

Sacrifice outlets

Free or cheap ways to sacrifice at any time.

Viscera Seer — Sacrifice a creature: scry 1.
Ashnod's Altar — Sacrifice a creature for two colorless mana.
Phyrexian Altar — Sacrifice a creature for one mana of any color.
Goblin Bombardment — Sacrifice a creature: 1 damage to any target.

Death payoffs

Each death drains or draws.

Blood Artist — Whenever a creature dies, a player loses 1 life and you gain 1.
Zulaport Cutthroat — Whenever a creature of yours dies, each opponent loses 1 life.
Cruel Celebrant — The same drain for creatures and planeswalkers.
Midnight Reaper — Draw a card whenever a nontoken creature of yours dies.
Pitiless Plunderer — A Treasure whenever another creature of yours dies.
Grave Pact — Whenever a creature of yours dies, each other player sacrifices one.

Fodder

Bodies to sacrifice, again and again.

Bitterblossom — A 1/1 flyer every upkeep.
Reassembling Skeleton — Comes back from the graveyard for two mana.
Skullclamp — Each equipped creature that dies draws two cards.

Best budget Aristocrats commanders

Aristocrats is one of the most budget-friendly strategies: the payoffs and outlets are mostly cheap commons and uncommons. These three commanders don’t need expensive pieces.