EDH Optimizer
Villains Commander decks
Villains 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 black and Dimir. Its most characteristic cards are Villainous Hideout, Tombstone, Career Criminal, Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villainous Hideout | 12 | 57% | +74 pts |
| Tombstone, Career Criminal | 12 | 72% | +74 pts |
| Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord | 12 | 76% | +74 pts |
| M.O.D.O.K. | 10 | 53% | +62 pts |
| The Masters of Evil | 9 | 60% | +56 pts |
| Iron Monger, Sadistic Tycoon | 9 | 62% | +55 pts |
| Doom Reigns Supreme | 8 | 56% | +49 pts |
| Madame Masque | 8 | 64% | +49 pts |
| Visions of Villainy | 7 | 61% | +43 pts |
| Doctor Doom | 7 | 48% | +43 pts |
| Moonstone, Harsh Mistress | 7 | 55% | +43 pts |
| Crossbones, Malicious Mercenary | 7 | 69% | +43 pts |
| Baron Helmut Zemo | 7 | 53% | +43 pts |
| Construct a Cosmic Cube | 7 | 57% | +43 pts |
| Prowler, Clawed Thief | 6 | 63% | +37 pts |
| Thunderbolts Conspiracy | 6 | 54% | +37 pts |
| Yellowjacket, Heartless Marauder | 6 | 67% | +37 pts |
| Leader, Super-Genius | 6 | 55% | +37 pts |
| Citizen V, Helmut Zemo | 6 | 56% | +37 pts |
| Swarm, Being of Bees | 6 | 60% | +37 pts |
| Lethal Scheme | 6 | 52% | +37 pts |
| Red Room Recruit | 5 | 48% | +31 pts |
| Grim Reaper, Lethal Legionnaire | 5 | 55% | +31 pts |
| Minotaur, Roxxon CEO | 5 | 49% | +31 pts |
| Elektra, Daughter of the Hand | 5 | 52% | +31 pts |
| Arnim Zola, Bio-Fanatic | 5 | 59% | +31 pts |
| Kang, Temporal Tyrant | 5 | 49% | +31 pts |
| Agents of HYDRA | 5 | 63% | +31 pts |
| The Frightful Four | 5 | 46% | +31 pts |
| Venom, Eddie Brock | 5 | 49% | +31 pts |
Commanders for Villains
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is, according to EDHREC data.
By color identity
Black Best cards by color →
Blue · Black Best cards by color →
Blue · Black · Red Best cards by color →
Blue Best cards by color →
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 Villains deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Thanos, the Mad Titan, Doctor Octopus, Master Planner, Loki, the Deceiver. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 33 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Villains is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Villains deck?
The three most characteristic are Villainous Hideout, Tombstone, Career Criminal, Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord. 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 Villains played in?
The most common color identities are Black, Blue · Black, Blue · Black · Red. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Villains 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.