EDH Optimizer
+1/+1 Counters Commander decks
Plus-one counters are genuinely permanent: they survive a blink, they stay when the creature loses its abilities, and they pile up turn after turn. The archetype doubles them, proliferates them and converts size into card draw or trample damage; its weakness is still that the creatures have to stick.
Cards that define the archetype
Ranked by how much MORE they are played inside the archetype than in the rest of Commander. Generic staples (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet…) fall out for exactly that reason: they are played everywhere equally.
| Card | Commanders | Avg. inclusion | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardened Scales | 204 | 55% | +27 pts |
| Inspiring Call | 158 | 53% | +21 pts |
| Branching Evolution | 124 | 48% | +16 pts |
| Forgotten Ancient | 120 | 51% | +15 pts |
| Kami of Whispered Hopes | 115 | 49% | +15 pts |
| The Earth Crystal | 80 | 46% | +11 pts |
| Karn's Bastion | 94 | 48% | +10 pts |
| Evolution Sage | 81 | 47% | +10 pts |
| Terrasymbiosis | 68 | 45% | +9 pts |
| Ozolith, the Shattered Spire | 68 | 45% | +9 pts |
| The Ozolith | 65 | 42% | +9 pts |
| Champion of Lambholt | 77 | 46% | +8 pts |
Commanders for +1/+1 Counters
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is.
By color identity
Green Best cards by color →
White Best cards by color →
White · Green Best cards by color →
Black Best cards by color →
Blue · Green Best cards by color →
Black · Green Best cards by color →
Paste your list and we tell you whether the deck actually does what it wants to do: curve, ramp, interaction and a 10,000-game simulation.
🛠️ Build a deck like this 📥 Analyze my deckFrequently asked questions
What is the best commander for a +1/+1 Counters deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Ramos, Dragon Engine, Marchesa, the Black Rose, Ms. Bumbleflower. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 1552 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central +1/+1 Counters is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a +1/+1 Counters deck?
The three most characteristic are Hardened Scales, Inspiring Call, Branching Evolution. They are not the most-played cards in the format, but the ones that appear far more inside this archetype than in the rest of Commander — which is what actually makes them essential here.
What colors is +1/+1 Counters played in?
The most common color identities are Green, White, White · Green. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a +1/+1 Counters deck cost?
It depends on the price cap PER CARD you set. Each commander page lists the best cards in three tiers (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.