EDH: Top 10 Commanders of March of the Machine

The new expansion, March of the Machine, has been fully revealed to the public, and now in it remains to wait for the prerelease event and then the long-awaited release! But even before they launch, the cards are already creating quite a stir in the Magic: the Gathering community, in a variety of formats. And the Commander is no exception.

Continuing in the same line of Top 10 as the past release, the pros and cons of each creature and their respective deck will be presented, also showing cards that have synergy with the commander. In addition, the podium will have the decklist to go with it.

MOM handed us 30 new legendary creatures on a platter, each more interesting and fun than the last. Several unlikely duos from across the multiverse defending against Phyrexia included, along with a new Praetor cycle.

P.s.: We had the addition of Battle in ths set. If you want to check details about it, just click here.

Occupying the tenth position, one of the five Praetors. Not only as one of the 99, but a great commander, Elesh Norn. Her triggered ability allows you to punish the damage your opponents deal to you, thus making them really think about whether they want to mess with you or not.

New cards like Essence of Orthodoxy, Norn's Inquisitor and Sunfall are very welcome: the Incubate mechanic in this deck manages to be exploited in an interesting way. Token doublers like Mondrak, Glory Dominus and Anointed Procession can further enhance the potential of Elesh Norn's other face, The Argent Etchings.

This deck is an Aggro that, when well-matched, can deal lethal damage when you least expect it. The second phase of The Argent Etchings is capable of doing a lot of damage, apart from the first part that guarantees at least 5 blockers until they can hit. Token creators are needed to transform Elesh Norn: Adeline, Resplendent Cathar. Defiler of Faith, Secure the Wastes and although controversial in terms of lore, Elspeth, Sun's Champion.

It's a deck that needs a little time to gear up, and because it's Aggro, if it doesn't keep up with the rhythm of the table, it can be easily controlled, even more so by its single color. You need to know the right time to use your resources, and that's why Elesh Norn is in tenth position.

At number nine, the community's much-loved elemental is finally compleat with a fifth color: Omnath, Locus of All. Of its five versions, it is one of two that lacks the Landfall ability.

Focused this time on a deck with creatures of three or more colors and high-cost spells, Omnath, Locus of All features Omnath, Locus of Creation, Atraxa, Grand Unifier, Maelstrom Archangel and other multicolored cards, as their allies.

Its ability to "hold" mana like a Kruphix, God of Horizons makes X-cost spells have great potential uses: Torment of Hailfire, Villainous Wealth and Exsanguinate fit greatly with his theme.

Overwhelming mana sources, like Nyxbloom Ancient or Ramos, Dragon Engine help pool mana to cast spells on your turn, or even on opponents with Vedalken Orrery. Because it has five colors, the possibilities are endless. And it's worth noting that this is yet another deck in which Seedborn Muse shines.

Its flaw is the old five-color problem: The mana base. Thanks to the latest releases of gates like Gond Gate and Baldur's Gate, it ends up being a bit more accessible, but at the same time you have to be careful to tap correctly and look for the right colors at the right time.

In eighth place, another Praetor: Urabrask. Here, its untransformed version turns out to be more interesting than the transformed one. Not that The Great Work face isn't good, but for a spellslinger storm build, Urabrask is a machine.

Paired with Birgi, God of Storytelling, low-cost spells that offer draws and rituals are the foundation of the deck: Crimson Wisps, Expedite, Overmaster, Ancestral Anger and derivatives to recycle your hand, while Seething Song and Desperate Ritual fulfill their role of providing mana.

A classic red storm deck: cast a streak of spells to have more draws and then finish with some combo or even burn, like with the commander himself, Guttersnipe, Kessig Flamebreather and even Torbran, Thane of Red Fell to boost damage.

A piece can vary for several combos: Grinning Ignus and Birgi, God of Storytelling guarantee infinite life, and with Grinning Ignus, combined with Runaway Steam-Kin, guarantees entering the field of Infinite ETB along with infinite storm counters, ending with Impact Tremors or Grapeshot.

Draws and recursion are also necessary, such as respectively Vindictive Flamestoker and Bonus Round, or Past in Flames. As stated earlier, it's basically a Birgi, God of Storytelling build with another commander. The same problems are identified, such as limitations of spells per turn, especially if in enchantment form.

In a visual upgrade and from uncommon to rare, Quintorius, Loremaster ranks seventh, including having synergy with its previous version, Quintorius, Field Historian. His ability has something unprecedented for Boros colors in a commander, to return spells from exile back to the deck, thus opening up several possibilities for deck building.

The famous lootings are extremely nice here, like Faithless Looting, Thrill of Possibility, Thrilling Discovery, and especially the ones that generate value: Seize the Spoils, Big Score and Unexpected Windfall.

You need to balance this deck: draws and discards to use the commander's ability, with spirits and/or spirit token makers, along with good discards to be cast. It looks like countless steps, and it really is, but nothing that interferes with its mechanics. Gamble, for example, is a big highlight in whatever line is followed.

Big spells like Portal to Phyrexia, Storm Herd or even the wincondition Approach of the Second Sun work here. But if you want to do nasty things, Armageddon is also an option.

Spirit token creators like Twilight Drover or Quintorius, Field Historian need to exist in the deck, to lighten the commander's work a bit. A great addition and spirit is also Drumbellower, functioning as a pseudo Seedborn Muse here.

The deck has several paths: great spells, planeswalkers, artifacts: here the limit is your imagination. Its flaw is relying too heavily on the commander, so make sure you defend it well with features like Teferi's Protection or even Avacyn's Memorial.

In sixth place, Baral and Kari Zev. The duo of Aetherborn and Pirate makes way for another spellslinger that can bypass the well-known zero-cost cards. It is possible to use cards such as Ancestral Vision, Wheel of Fate and Inevitable Betrayal in this deck.

Furthermore, cards like Submerge and Mogg Salvage, despite being situational, show how the deck's potential can be harnessed. Protection spells like Counterspell or Negate followed by an Opt or Mystical Tutor is a dream come true for control players. Definitely a deck aimed at combo players.

The deck is a famous Izzet Combo, focusing on dealing with what will interfere with your play, and drawing cards quickly to then win, either from Niv-Mizzet, Parun with Curiosity or Dualcaster Mage with Twinflame for infinite copies with haste, or the same creature with Sublime Epiphany.

The difference is that with this specific commander, it is possible to further accelerate the deck's draw engine, which also offers a blocker in parallel. Not to mention their body: a 2/4 with first trike is a great blocker, especially in the early game.

It is in sixth position because it is just "another" Izzet commander, who will use the same cards that another deck of the color would use. Consequently, facing the same problems: dealing with enchantments and the like, and not being able to fully control the table, making your decisions crucial.

Phyrexia's newest acquisition, Etali, Primal Conqueror is in fifth place in our Top 10. The addition of the green color takes away the chains of its high cost, with mechanics similar to its previous version, Etali, Primal Storm. And as if that weren't enough, it turns into Etali, Primal Sickness, being a huge problem for your opponents.

Blink or clone effects like Conjurer's Closet, Twinflame, Heat Shimmer or Mirage Phalanx help unlock the potential of ETB trigger, and along with cards that interact with exile, like Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald or Wild-Magic Sorcerer, make this deck very interactive and fun.

We have the possibility of a Gruul deck with several mechanics, focused on cloning and making the commander's ability as much as possible. Plus, an indestructible 11/11 that deals applies the same amount of poison counters equal to the damage dealt. Whispersilk Cloak or Rogue's Passage can guarantee to take out a player.

Taking advantage of the clone theme, a Mirror Box creates the possibility of an army of Etalis. If you choose to add the blink theme, Golden Argosy, Sword of Hearth and Home and Voyager Staff are great options. In the line of spells coming from exile, Nalfeshnee can wreak havoc on the board, even more so alongside Wild-Magic Sorcerer.

However, it is an extremely commander-dependent deck. It is possible to add other cards so that it isn't totally dependent, as each counterspell or removal makes a steep commander even more costly. Not that it's a problem for green, but it delays our plans. Options like Rhythm of the Wild help in this regard.

A duo that has its decklist focused on creatures, with the ability to explode quickly. Intruder Alarm and Concordant Crossroads are a highlight here, even more so along with cards like Somberwald Sage or Beast Whisperer.

Like the vast majority of green and blue decks, it is a "good stuff" that can finish the game both with combo and with combat damage, and can even go to the single spell line with Primal Surge, later revealing a Craterhoof Behemoth apart from the variety of other cards that would guarantee victory.

Green guarantees the acceleration and blue the defense necessary to maintain the constancy of the deck. Thousand-Year Elixir has the same function as Concordant Crossroads, allowing the immediate use of mana from creatures. In addition to the commander's card draw source, Beast Whisperer is essential in a green-based deck that has creatures at its core.

Still within this combination, Leyline of Anticipation or Vedalken Orrery along with Seedborn Muse or Murkfiend Liege manage to simulate the power of the banned Prophet of Kruphix. With a little more investment, Aluren can secure a quick win with some of the aforementioned cards, or even a Temur Sabertooth.

Again, a deck that needs the commander to gear up. However, its low-cost considering the use of the green color makes it more consistent.

Taking third place on the podium with a bronze medal, the last Praetor in our Top 10, Sheoldred. A classic black control deck that manages to extract maximum value from Sheoldred's transformed face The True Scriptures: its three Saga chapters manage to be strong in almost every possible situation.

Here we will look at classic cards from a black deck like Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Cabal Coffers and Expedition Map to seek this acceleration as soon as possible. Famous legends like Braids, Arisen Nightmare and Tergrid, God of Fright easily manage to join the party.

With a mix of Reanimator and a light discard touch, the deck consists of killing, grinding, and discarding opponents' cards to fill up the graveyard and provide access to the commander's transformation. The deck as a whole gives recursion to cast creatures in the hard cast or simply reanimate them with Animate Dead, Victimize, Reanimate and derivatives, such as Sheoldred, Whispering One or Portal to Phyrexia.

Extraplanar Lens are used alongside snow-covered swamps, whic also interact with Blood on the Snow. Classic sweepers include: Damnation, Toxic Deluge and Death Cloud for a dash of evil.

The decklist is pretty self-explanatory: generating value while taking resources away from opponents with cards that seem to hinder you while actually benefiting you. Mind Rake, Mindslicer, Fraying Omnipotence or Smallpox and a series of creatures like Merciless Executioner, Plaguecrafter, Demon's Disciple and Fleshbag Marauder to annoy opponents and control the battlefield can be interesting.

Gray Merchant of Asphodel is essential to offset the life loss that the deck provides with cards like Bolas's Citadel. Exsanguinate also fits in this regard, in addition to working as a finisher. And to make up for the flaw of the black color with enchantments, we have removals like Feed the Swarm, Mire in Misery and Meteor Golem.

But like every deck that messes with the graveyard, it's completely expected and normal for them to exile your graveyard to disrupt your game, so watch out for Rest in Peace and derivatives. This decklist is a consistent baseline that can be changed to suit its pilot.

Silver medal for Thalia and The Gitrog Monster. A very unexpected team, and like any duo joining two concepts from the cards of previous creatures, but this one in particular has certain unique aspects.

Four mana for a 4/4 creature, with first strike and deathtouch, which has the advantage in the game, and delays the progress of your opponents' strategy almost always. That's not counting the card draw source when attacking. Definitely a value bomb, which is why it ranks second in the Top 10: what's the best thing to do with value? Extract as much as possible from it.

A deck with landfall interactions mixed with a bit of stax to mess up opponents' lives. Some mana dorks to make the commander as soon as possible: Birds of Paradise, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Elves of Deep Shadow and Bloom Tender for when we already have the commander in play.

To take advantage of the land theme, cards like The Gitrog Monster, World Shaper, Oracle of Mul Daya and Azusa, Lost but Seeking helps, especially in the graveyard interaction field, with Ramunap Excavator or Crucible of Worlds.

In addition to the commander, much to the misfortune of our opponents, Drannith Magistrate, Opposition Agent, Drana and Linvala, Grand Abolisher, Dauthi Voidwalker, Collector Ouphe and Aven Mindcensor are present in the decklist.

In addition to the large number of ramps - Farseek, Nature's Lore, Cultivate and derivatives, we have the evil that can guarantee victory: Armageddon used alongside the previously mentioned cards that play lands from the graveyard, or simply used with a Teferi's Protection in response, or before a Splendid Reclamation.

It's a deck that has plenty of resources to accumulate and is also very responsive, with several occasional removals to deal with what gets in your way: Beast Within, Generous Gift, Mythos of Nethroi, Anguished Unmaking among many others present in the decklist. Thalia and The Gitrog Monster is a goodstuff that tends to only grow during the game.

However, opponents who pay attention to your strategy can interrupt your sequencing: so be aware of possible threats at the board and know what to withdraw if necessary. Limiters applied to you also hinder, or interactions against your graveyard, making it fragile in this regard. But overall, a great deck that guarantees the pilot a good game.

In first place, Zimone and Dina. The unusual combination of two uncommon cards resulted in a great mythic card, with great potential in Commander. A deck focused on interactions with lands and drawing cards, which is not at all difficult to build nowadays.

Lotus Cobra, Tireless Provisioner, Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait and Tatyova, Benthic Druid shine at interacting with lands, aside from those that offer card draws. Alandra, Sky Dreamer and Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse have found a home on Commander where they can work together, let alone Minn, Wily Illusionist.

The deck has several interactions with both the commander and each other, and some combos as well. Azusa, Lost but Seeking along with Crucible of Worlds and Strip Mine guarantee to break three lands per turn.

The commander's interaction with Bloodghast and Retreat to Coralhelm will make you draw cards while you have lands in hand, and with the bounce lands Simic Growth Chamber, Golgari Rot Farm or Dimir Aqueduct to make this possible. Zulaport Cutthroat. Retreat to Hagra and Ob Nixilis, the Fallen are possible finishers for this strategy, or one of the duo's members, Dina, Soul Steeper.

Cultivator Colossus and Abundance also allow all lands in the deck to enter the battlefield, triggering any landfall abilities of any permanents in play. Or as a finisher option, we also have Torment of Hailfire and Exsanguinate, and some counterspells to ensure that the combo will be executed: Counterspell, Negate, Arcane Denial, An Offer You Can't Refuse and Fierce Guardianship are included in the decklist.

Due to the wide variety of synergies and mainly because they are not lost within the strategy and the amount of combos and resources that this deck accumulates quickly, Zimone and Dina earn the title of top 1 of our top 10!

It was very difficult to analyze the 30 Legends in this set, and even more difficult to choose the top 10. Of course, within Commander, it is possible to extract the maximum potential from almost any legend, so it may be that many of the cards not mentioned here have several interesting lists around the world.

And do you agree with the 10 legends chosen here? Would you choose others? What's your top 10? Share with us!