EDH Optimizer
Samurai Commander decks
Samurai 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 white and red. Its most characteristic cards are Selfless Samurai, Oathkeeper, Takeno's Daisho, Devoted Retainer: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selfless Samurai | 7 | 72% | +76 pts |
| Oathkeeper, Takeno's Daisho | 6 | 58% | +67 pts |
| Devoted Retainer | 5 | 72% | +56 pts |
| Konda's Hatamoto | 5 | 79% | +56 pts |
| Hand of Honor | 5 | 72% | +56 pts |
| Araba Mothrider | 5 | 70% | +56 pts |
| Inner-Chamber Guard | 5 | 65% | +56 pts |
| Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | 5 | 63% | +56 pts |
| Kitsune Blademaster | 5 | 71% | +56 pts |
| Indebted Samurai | 5 | 69% | +56 pts |
| Samurai of the Pale Curtain | 5 | 62% | +56 pts |
| Vanquisher's Banner | 5 | 50% | +53 pts |
| Sensei Golden-Tail | 4 | 77% | +44 pts |
| Nagao, Bound by Honor | 4 | 72% | +44 pts |
| Takeno, Samurai General | 4 | 79% | +44 pts |
| Konda, Lord of Eiganjo | 4 | 70% | +44 pts |
| Mothrider Samurai | 4 | 63% | +44 pts |
| Call to Glory | 4 | 66% | +44 pts |
| Bushi Tenderfoot | 4 | 55% | +44 pts |
| Norika Yamazaki, the Poet | 4 | 59% | +44 pts |
| Konda's Banner | 4 | 58% | +44 pts |
| Ironsoul Enforcer | 4 | 50% | +44 pts |
| Imperial Subduer | 4 | 60% | +44 pts |
| Eiganjo Exemplar | 4 | 59% | +44 pts |
| Ethereal Haze | 4 | 49% | +44 pts |
| Kusari-Gama | 3 | 43% | +33 pts |
| Hold the Line | 3 | 51% | +33 pts |
| Kentaro, the Smiling Cat | 3 | 55% | +33 pts |
| Peerless Samurai | 3 | 77% | +33 pts |
| Akki Ronin | 3 | 69% | +33 pts |
Commanders for Samurai
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is.
By color identity
White Best cards by color →
Red 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 Samurai deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Konda, Lord of Eiganjo, Sensei Golden-Tail, Takeno, Samurai General. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 19 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Samurai is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Samurai deck?
The three most characteristic are Selfless Samurai, Oathkeeper, Takeno's Daisho, Devoted Retainer. 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 Samurai played in?
The most common color identities are White, Red, White · Red. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Samurai 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.