EDH Optimizer
Defenders Commander decks
Defenders shows up as a main archetype for 34 Commander commanders. It is mostly played in white and Abzan. Its most characteristic cards are Assault Formation, The Walls of Ba Sing Se, Crystal Barricade: not the most-played cards in the format, but the ones that appear in these decks far above what is normal for the same colors.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Formation | 7 | 64% | +50 pts |
| The Walls of Ba Sing Se | 7 | 52% | +50 pts |
| Crystal Barricade | 7 | 54% | +50 pts |
| Crashing Drawbridge | 7 | 63% | +50 pts |
| Axebane Guardian | 6 | 59% | +43 pts |
| Tower Defense | 6 | 61% | +43 pts |
| Indomitable Ancients | 6 | 62% | +43 pts |
| Overgrown Battlement | 6 | 65% | +42 pts |
| Brave the Sands | 6 | 45% | +42 pts |
| Wall of Omens | 6 | 64% | +40 pts |
| Wall of Blossoms | 5 | 63% | +36 pts |
| Tree of Redemption | 5 | 57% | +36 pts |
| Bedrock Tortoise | 5 | 54% | +36 pts |
| Slaughter the Strong | 5 | 59% | +36 pts |
| Weathered Sentinels | 5 | 61% | +36 pts |
| Baldin, Century Herdmaster | 5 | 55% | +36 pts |
| Sylvan Caryatid | 5 | 60% | +34 pts |
| Arbor Adherent | 4 | 63% | +29 pts |
| Tree of Perdition | 4 | 58% | +29 pts |
| Jaws of Defeat | 4 | 60% | +29 pts |
| Fell the Mighty | 4 | 57% | +28 pts |
| Access Tunnel | 4 | 54% | +28 pts |
| Wall of Denial | 3 | 57% | +21 pts |
| High Alert | 3 | 50% | +21 pts |
| Wall of Frost | 3 | 52% | +21 pts |
| Shield-Wall Sentinel | 3 | 46% | +21 pts |
| Vine Trellis | 3 | 44% | +21 pts |
| Felothar the Steadfast | 3 | 56% | +21 pts |
| Fecund Greenshell | 3 | 55% | +21 pts |
| Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper | 3 | 54% | +21 pts |
Commanders for Defenders
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 Best cards by color →
White · Black · Green Best cards by color →
White · Blue · Green Best cards by color →
Blue · Green Best cards by color →
White · Blue · Red · Green
Blue 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 Defenders deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Betor, Kin to All, Felothar the Steadfast, Super-Skrull. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 34 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Defenders is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Defenders deck?
The three most characteristic are Assault Formation, The Walls of Ba Sing Se, Crystal Barricade. 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 Defenders played in?
The most common color identities are White, White · Black · Green, White · Blue · Green. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Defenders 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.