EDH Optimizer
Hatebears Commander decks
Hatebears spreads stax effects across cheap creatures: each one is a small tax and also a body. It is the version of stax that actually has a clock, which is why it works at tables where pure lock-down gets away from you.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esper Sentinel | 15 | 41% | +41 pts |
| Grand Abolisher | 11 | 46% | +40 pts |
| Aven Mindcensor | 10 | 54% | +38 pts |
| Ghostly Prison | 12 | 47% | +37 pts |
| Blind Obedience | 10 | 45% | +36 pts |
| Thalia, Heretic Cathar | 9 | 46% | +33 pts |
| Drannith Magistrate | 8 | 46% | +31 pts |
| Deafening Silence | 7 | 45% | +27 pts |
| Archon of Emeria | 7 | 53% | +27 pts |
| Eidolon of Rhetoric | 6 | 40% | +24 pts |
| Hushbringer | 6 | 46% | +24 pts |
| Thalia, Guardian of Thraben | 6 | 52% | +23 pts |
| Containment Priest | 6 | 45% | +23 pts |
| Mother of Runes | 7 | 44% | +21 pts |
| Smothering Tithe | 7 | 45% | +20 pts |
| Boromir, Warden of the Tower | 6 | 44% | +20 pts |
| Spirit of the Labyrinth | 5 | 45% | +20 pts |
| Linvala, Keeper of Silence | 5 | 36% | +19 pts |
| Shalai, Voice of Plenty | 5 | 42% | +18 pts |
| Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite | 5 | 38% | +18 pts |
| Windborn Muse | 5 | 48% | +16 pts |
| Birds of Paradise | 6 | 41% | +16 pts |
| Authority of the Consuls | 6 | 45% | +15 pts |
| Cathar Commando | 5 | 46% | +15 pts |
| Aura of Silence | 4 | 45% | +15 pts |
| Mana Tithe | 4 | 44% | +15 pts |
| Sun Titan | 7 | 39% | +15 pts |
| Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar | 6 | 43% | +14 pts |
| Selfless Spirit | 5 | 44% | +14 pts |
| Supreme Verdict | 4 | 41% | +13 pts |
Commanders for Hatebears
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 · Green Best cards by color →
White · Black Best cards by color →
Black Best cards by color →
White · Blue Best cards by color →
White · Red 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 Hatebears deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Yasharn, Implacable Earth, Gaddock Teeg, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 119 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Hatebears is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Hatebears deck?
The three most characteristic are Esper Sentinel, Grand Abolisher, Aven Mindcensor. 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 Hatebears played in?
The most common color identities are White, White · Green, White · Black. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Hatebears 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.