EDH Optimizer
Anthems Commander decks
An anthem pumps your whole team at once, so its value grows with every creature you add. It is the natural finisher for tokens and kindred: it turns a wide board into lethal damage without needing one more card.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honor of the Pure | 5 | 59% | +48 pts |
| Mass Calcify | 5 | 44% | +47 pts |
| Heraldic Banner | 5 | 38% | +46 pts |
| Glorious Anthem | 4 | 44% | +39 pts |
| Divine Sacrament | 3 | 38% | +30 pts |
| Paragon of New Dawns | 3 | 42% | +30 pts |
| Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon" | 3 | 39% | +30 pts |
| Celestial Crusader | 3 | 41% | +30 pts |
| Evangel of Heliod | 3 | 32% | +30 pts |
| Paladin Class | 3 | 41% | +29 pts |
| Benalish Marshal | 3 | 54% | +28 pts |
| Brave the Elements | 3 | 36% | +28 pts |
| Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite | 3 | 36% | +27 pts |
| Unbreakable Formation | 3 | 35% | +27 pts |
| Herald's Horn | 3 | 53% | +25 pts |
| Flowering of the White Tree | 3 | 40% | +24 pts |
| Adeline, Resplendent Cathar | 3 | 34% | +19 pts |
| Castle Ardenvale | 3 | 37% | +19 pts |
Commanders for Anthems
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is, according to EDHREC data.
By color identity
White
White · Green
Green
White · Red
White · Blue
Red
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 Anthems deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Crovax, Ascendant Hero, Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon", Pianna, Nomad Captain. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 144 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Anthems is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Anthems deck?
The three most characteristic are Honor of the Pure, Mass Calcify, Heraldic Banner. 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 Anthems played in?
The most common color identities are White, White · Green, Green. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Anthems 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.