EDH Optimizer
Stax Commander decks
Stax wins by breaking everyone else’s game: mana taxes, spell-per-turn limits and untap punishment. It needs its own win plan that still works under its own restrictions.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Abolisher | 25 | 43% | +47 pts |
| Ghostly Prison | 26 | 53% | +43 pts |
| Smothering Tithe | 24 | 41% | +42 pts |
| Blind Obedience | 22 | 40% | +41 pts |
| Esper Sentinel | 28 | 43% | +38 pts |
| Aven Mindcensor | 18 | 45% | +34 pts |
| Thalia, Heretic Cathar | 16 | 42% | +30 pts |
| Windborn Muse | 16 | 45% | +29 pts |
| Authority of the Consuls | 18 | 42% | +29 pts |
| Land Tax | 16 | 41% | +22 pts |
| Drannith Magistrate | 11 | 44% | +22 pts |
| Mother of Runes | 13 | 41% | +20 pts |
| Archon of Emeria | 10 | 48% | +20 pts |
| Enlightened Tutor | 12 | 39% | +19 pts |
| Aura of Silence | 10 | 37% | +19 pts |
| Hushbringer | 9 | 43% | +18 pts |
| Deafening Silence | 8 | 44% | +16 pts |
| Thalia, Guardian of Thraben | 8 | 46% | +16 pts |
| Containment Priest | 8 | 43% | +16 pts |
| Approach of the Second Sun | 9 | 42% | +15 pts |
| Propaganda | 11 | 55% | +15 pts |
| Rhystic Study | 9 | 46% | +14 pts |
| Eidolon of Rhetoric | 7 | 40% | +14 pts |
| Supreme Verdict | 8 | 41% | +14 pts |
| Farewell | 8 | 31% | +13 pts |
| Spirit of the Labyrinth | 6 | 45% | +12 pts |
| Mangara, the Diplomat | 10 | 41% | +12 pts |
| Grand Arbiter Augustin IV | 6 | 39% | +12 pts |
| Reprieve | 9 | 35% | +11 pts |
| Mana Drain | 6 | 40% | +10 pts |
Commanders for Stax
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 · Blue Best cards by color →
Blue Best cards by color →
White · Green Best cards by color →
Red Best cards by color →
Black 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 Stax deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, Lavinia, Azorius Renegade, Braids, Cabal Minion. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 292 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Stax is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Stax deck?
The three most characteristic are Grand Abolisher, Ghostly Prison, Smothering Tithe. 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 Stax played in?
The most common color identities are White, White · Blue, Blue. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Stax 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.