EDH Optimizer
Rogues Commander decks
Rogues 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 black. Its most characteristic cards are Nighthawk Scavenger, Changeling Outcast, Thieves' Guild Enforcer: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nighthawk Scavenger | 6 | 52% | +65 pts |
| Changeling Outcast | 6 | 56% | +60 pts |
| Thieves' Guild Enforcer | 5 | 53% | +56 pts |
| Oona's Blackguard | 5 | 69% | +55 pts |
| Rogue's Passage | 7 | 57% | +50 pts |
| Frogtosser Banneret | 4 | 69% | +44 pts |
| Hoard Robber | 4 | 47% | +44 pts |
| Grim Hireling | 4 | 58% | +43 pts |
| Path of Ancestry | 5 | 40% | +43 pts |
| Slither Blade | 4 | 50% | +42 pts |
| Dauthi Voidwalker | 4 | 48% | +40 pts |
| Notion Thief | 4 | 41% | +39 pts |
| Black Market Connections | 4 | 45% | +35 pts |
| Go for the Throat | 4 | 44% | +33 pts |
| Soaring Thought-Thief | 3 | 66% | +33 pts |
| Stinkdrinker Bandit | 3 | 67% | +33 pts |
| Shadow Alley Denizen | 3 | 56% | +33 pts |
| Invisible Stalker | 3 | 50% | +32 pts |
| Ghostly Pilferer | 3 | 41% | +32 pts |
| Aetherize | 3 | 34% | +30 pts |
| Rankle, Master of Pranks | 3 | 54% | +30 pts |
| Bitterblossom | 3 | 47% | +29 pts |
| Mindcrank | 3 | 36% | +27 pts |
| Negate | 4 | 36% | +26 pts |
| Consuming Aberration | 3 | 45% | +25 pts |
| Drown in the Loch | 3 | 48% | +24 pts |
| Morbid Opportunist | 3 | 75% | +21 pts |
| Deadly Dispute | 3 | 41% | +18 pts |
Commanders for Rogues
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is.
By color identity
Blue · Black Best cards by color →
Black Best cards by color →
Red Best cards by color →
Blue · Black · 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 Rogues deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Anowon, the Ruin Thief, Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake, Zareth San, the Trickster. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 22 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Rogues is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Rogues deck?
The three most characteristic are Nighthawk Scavenger, Changeling Outcast, Thieves' Guild Enforcer. 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 Rogues played in?
The most common color identities are Blue · Black, Black, Red. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Rogues 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.