EDH Optimizer
Donate Commander decks
Donate shows up as a main archetype for 40 Commander commanders. It is mostly played in white and Rakdos. Its most characteristic cards are Homeward Path, Humble Defector, Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeward Path | 7 | 51% | +50 pts |
| Humble Defector | 6 | 69% | +42 pts |
| Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos | 6 | 43% | +41 pts |
| Steel Golem | 5 | 60% | +36 pts |
| Rust Elemental | 5 | 54% | +36 pts |
| Akroan Horse | 5 | 52% | +35 pts |
| Grid Monitor | 4 | 49% | +29 pts |
| Harmless Offering | 4 | 58% | +29 pts |
| Bazaar Trader | 4 | 56% | +29 pts |
| Khârn the Betrayer | 4 | 47% | +29 pts |
| Ghostly Prison | 4 | 55% | +24 pts |
| Reliquary Tower | 6 | 53% | +23 pts |
| Thought Vessel | 5 | 48% | +22 pts |
| Archfiend of the Dross | 3 | 57% | +21 pts |
| Abyssal Persecutor | 3 | 56% | +21 pts |
| Aggressive Mining | 3 | 51% | +21 pts |
| Nine Lives | 3 | 72% | +21 pts |
| Wrong Turn | 3 | 46% | +21 pts |
| Hithlain Rope | 3 | 56% | +21 pts |
| Pendant of Prosperity | 3 | 61% | +21 pts |
| Bucknard's Everfull Purse | 3 | 48% | +21 pts |
| Yes Man, Personal Securitron | 3 | 63% | +21 pts |
| Xantcha, Sleeper Agent | 3 | 58% | +21 pts |
| Curse of Opulence | 3 | 40% | +20 pts |
| Propaganda | 3 | 57% | +16 pts |
| Thrill of Possibility | 3 | 47% | +13 pts |
| Big Score | 3 | 53% | +11 pts |
Commanders for Donate
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 →
Black · Red Best cards by color →
Blue Best cards by color →
Black Best cards by color →
Red Best cards by color →
Blue · Black 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 Donate deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Jon Irenicus, Shattered One, Zedruu the Greathearted, Blim, Comedic Genius. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 40 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Donate is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Donate deck?
The three most characteristic are Homeward Path, Humble Defector, Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos. 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 Donate played in?
The most common color identities are White, Black · Red, Blue. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Donate 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.