EDH Optimizer
Dragons Commander decks
Dragons is a kindred archetype: the deck is built around one creature type and the cards that pay you for having many of them. It is mostly played in red and five colors. Its most characteristic cards are Dragon's Hoard, Dragon Tempest, Dragonspeaker Shaman: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon's Hoard | 45 | 56% | +77 pts |
| Dragon Tempest | 37 | 60% | +64 pts |
| Dragonspeaker Shaman | 34 | 58% | +58 pts |
| Dragonlord's Servant | 33 | 58% | +57 pts |
| Lathliss, Dragon Queen | 32 | 59% | +55 pts |
| Haven of the Spirit Dragon | 31 | 53% | +53 pts |
| Scourge of Valkas | 28 | 53% | +48 pts |
| Ganax, Astral Hunter | 25 | 54% | +43 pts |
| Carnelian Orb of Dragonkind | 23 | 50% | +40 pts |
| Terror of the Peaks | 23 | 49% | +38 pts |
| Drakuseth, Maw of Flames | 22 | 52% | +36 pts |
| Dragonmaster Outcast | 21 | 47% | +35 pts |
| Goldspan Dragon | 23 | 51% | +35 pts |
| Utvara Hellkite | 20 | 50% | +34 pts |
| Path of Ancestry | 27 | 52% | +32 pts |
| Atarka, World Render | 17 | 57% | +29 pts |
| Crux of Fate | 16 | 58% | +28 pts |
| Crucible of Fire | 16 | 47% | +27 pts |
| Scourge of the Throne | 16 | 47% | +27 pts |
| Dragonstorm Globe | 15 | 46% | +26 pts |
| Wrathful Red Dragon | 15 | 50% | +26 pts |
| Thunderbreak Regent | 14 | 48% | +24 pts |
| Garruk's Uprising | 18 | 57% | +22 pts |
| Savage Ventmaw | 12 | 50% | +20 pts |
| Thrakkus the Butcher | 11 | 43% | +19 pts |
| Kodama's Reach | 17 | 45% | +18 pts |
| Rivaz of the Claw | 10 | 49% | +17 pts |
| Ancient Silver Dragon | 10 | 47% | +17 pts |
| Leyline Tyrant | 10 | 45% | +15 pts |
| Atsushi, the Blazing Sky | 10 | 46% | +15 pts |
Commanders for Dragons
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is, according to EDHREC data.
By color identity
Red
White · Blue · Black · Red · Green
Red · Green
Black · Red
Black · Red · Green
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 Dragons deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are The Ur-Dragon, Tiamat, Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 133 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Dragons is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Dragons deck?
The three most characteristic are Dragon's Hoard, Dragon Tempest, Dragonspeaker Shaman. 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 Dragons played in?
The most common color identities are Red, White · Blue · Black · Red · Green, Red · Green. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Dragons 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.