EDH Optimizer
Ninjas Commander decks
Ninjas 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 Dimir and Esper. Its most characteristic cards are Changeling Outcast, Thousand-Faced Shadow, Prosperous Thief: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Changeling Outcast | 7 | 67% | +74 pts |
| Thousand-Faced Shadow | 6 | 75% | +67 pts |
| Prosperous Thief | 6 | 72% | +65 pts |
| Slither Blade | 6 | 58% | +65 pts |
| Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni | 5 | 50% | +56 pts |
| Ninja of the Deep Hours | 5 | 70% | +56 pts |
| Moon-Circuit Hacker | 5 | 65% | +55 pts |
| Mistblade Shinobi | 5 | 68% | +55 pts |
| Silver-Fur Master | 5 | 76% | +55 pts |
| Silent-Blade Oni | 5 | 57% | +55 pts |
| Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion | 5 | 53% | +55 pts |
| Fallen Shinobi | 5 | 63% | +54 pts |
| Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow | 4 | 57% | +44 pts |
| Ingenious Infiltrator | 4 | 73% | +44 pts |
| Mist-Syndicate Naga | 4 | 60% | +44 pts |
| Turtle Lair | 4 | 67% | +44 pts |
| Triton Shorestalker | 4 | 55% | +43 pts |
| Rogue's Passage | 5 | 58% | +34 pts |
| Splinter, Hamato Yoshi | 3 | 64% | +33 pts |
| Shredder, Shadow Master | 3 | 62% | +33 pts |
| Endless Foot Assault | 3 | 60% | +33 pts |
| Prehistoric Pet | 3 | 62% | +33 pts |
| Turncoat Kunoichi | 3 | 63% | +33 pts |
| Splinter's Technique | 3 | 54% | +33 pts |
| Throat Slitter | 3 | 58% | +33 pts |
| Gingerbrute | 3 | 41% | +33 pts |
| Satoru, the Infiltrator | 3 | 56% | +33 pts |
| Kaito, Bane of Nightmares | 3 | 57% | +33 pts |
| Ninja Teen | 3 | 67% | +33 pts |
| Shark Shredder, Killer Clone | 3 | 69% | +33 pts |
Commanders for Ninjas
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is, according to EDHREC data.
By color identity
Blue · Black
White · Blue · Black
White · Black
White · Blue · Black · Red · Green
Blue · Black · Red
Blue · Black · Green
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 Ninjas deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Splinter, Radical Rat, Dark Leo & Shredder, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 22 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Ninjas is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Ninjas deck?
The three most characteristic are Changeling Outcast, Thousand-Faced Shadow, Prosperous Thief. 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 Ninjas played in?
The most common color identities are Blue · Black, White · Blue · Black, White · Black. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Ninjas 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.