EDH Optimizer
The best red cards for Commander
Red is the best color for explosive mana, extra combats and artifact removal, and in Commander it has fixed its card-advantage problem with impulse draw. Its direct damage only pays off when it hits all three opponents at once.
Most played
Percentage of decks in this color identity that run them, according to EDHREC, with their reference price.
| Card | Played in | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blasphemous Act | 34% | €1.09 | Sorcery |
| Chaos Warp | 29% | €0.37 | Instant |
| Deflecting Swat | 18% | €57.58 | Instant |
| Faithless Looting | 16% | €0.37 | Sorcery |
| Vandalblast | 15% | €1.18 | Sorcery |
| Jeska's Will | 15% | €27.94 | Sorcery |
| Abrade | 12% | €0.03 | Instant |
| Big Score | 12% | €0.59 | Instant |
| Lightning Bolt | 11% | €1.17 | Instant |
| Impact Tremors | 10% | €2.02 | Enchantment |
| Gamble | 9% | €13.41 | Sorcery |
| Hexing Squelcher | 9% | €18.17 | Creature |
| Storm-Kiln Artist | 9% | €1.13 | Creature |
| Thrill of Possibility | 9% | €0.03 | Instant |
| Professional Face-Breaker | 9% | €4.06 | Creature |
| Etali, Primal Storm | 8% | €0.39 | Creature |
| Unexpected Windfall | 8% | €2.13 | Instant |
| Untimely Malfunction | 8% | €5.54 | Instant |
| Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer | 8% | €28.98 | Creature |
| Anger | 7% | €0.65 | Creature |
| Mana Geyser | 7% | €0.99 | Sorcery |
| Seething Song | 7% | €1.83 | Instant |
| Redirect Lightning | 7% | €10.14 | Instant |
| Guttersnipe | 6% | €0.14 | Creature |
| Cursed Mirror | 6% | €0.40 | Artifact |
| Great Furnace | 6% | €1.88 | Land |
| Arena of Glory | 6% | €10.39 | Land |
| Demand Answers | 6% | €0.46 | Instant |
| Goldspan Dragon | 6% | €5.16 | Creature |
| Underworld Breach | 6% | €6.36 | Enchantment |
| Red Elemental Blast | 6% | €5.70 | Instant |
| Simian Spirit Guide | 6% | €1.08 | Creature |
| Bolt Bend | 5% | €2.40 | Instant |
| Flashback | 5% | €4.34 | Instant |
| Pyroblast | 5% | €3.53 | Instant |
| Pinnacle Monk | 5% | — | |
| Wheel of Fortune | 5% | €0.02 | Sorcery |
| Tibalt's Trickery | 5% | €8.73 | Instant |
| Valakut Awakening | 5% | — | |
| Chandra's Ignition | 5% | €4.67 | Sorcery |
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
By role in the deck
The same list, split by what each card actually does. That is the order to build in: cover the roles first, tune afterwards.
Best ramp cards in red
Jeska's Will · €27.94 Storm-Kiln Artist · €1.13 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer · €28.98 Mana Geyser · €0.99 Seething Song · €1.83 Cursed Mirror · €0.40 Goldspan Dragon · €5.16 Simian Spirit Guide · €1.08 The Reaver Cleaver · €10.39 Fire Diamond · €0.15 Rite of Flame · €2.71 Pyretic Ritual · €4.23
Best card draw in red
Faithless Looting · €0.37 Big Score · €0.59 Thrill of Possibility · €0.03 Etali, Primal Storm · €0.39 Unexpected Windfall · €2.13 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer · €28.98 Demand Answers · €0.46 Wheel of Fortune · €0.02 Seize the Spoils · €0.12 Expedite · €0.25 Cathartic Reunion · €0.07 Light Up the Stage · €0.19
Best removal spells in red
Chaos Warp · €0.37 Vandalblast · €1.18 Abrade · €0.03 Lightning Bolt · €1.17 Red Elemental Blast · €5.70 Pyroblast · €3.53 The Last Agni Kai · €1.44 Crackle with Power · €5.71 Drakuseth, Maw of Flames · €0.42 Mjölnir, Hammer of Thor · €15.55 Comet Storm · €1.00 Pain for All · €0.50
Best board wipes in red
Blasphemous Act · €1.09 Chandra's Ignition · €4.67 Chain Reaction · €0.15 Balefire Dragon · €12.09 Call Forth the Tempest · €17.68 Pyrohemia · €5.00 Spiteful Banditry · €6.21
Best counterspells in red
Red Elemental Blast · €5.70 Pyroblast · €3.53 Tibalt's Trickery · €8.73 Dualcaster Mage · €3.03 Return the Favor · €0.28 Reverberate · €1.89
Best tutors in red
Gamble · €13.41 Imperial Recruiter · €9.62 Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast · €0.70
Best recursion cards in red
Underworld Breach · €6.36 Flashback · €4.34 Mizzix's Mastery · €4.38 Past in Flames · €0.80 Daretti, Scrap Savant · €0.71 Getaway Barrel · €0.06
Best protection cards in red
Deflecting Swat · €57.58 Hexing Squelcher · €18.17 Redirect Lightning · €10.14 Bolt Bend · €2.40 Dualcaster Mage · €3.03 Return the Favor · €0.28 Reverberate · €1.89 Wyll's Reversal · €2.56
Best lands in red
Great Furnace · €1.88 Arena of Glory · €10.39 Spinerock Knoll · €0.60 Forgotten Cave · €0.09 Mines of Moria · €1.23 Thriving Bluff · €0.07 Castle Embereth · €0.11 Fire Nation Palace · €1.32 Moraug, Fury of Akoum · €2.42 Kher Keep · €0.21 Cliffgate · €0.48 Barbarian Ring · €0.16
Great and cheap
Heavily played cards under €2. Coming from a precon, this is the best value per euro you will find.
| Card | Played in | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blasphemous Act | 34% | €1.09 | Sorcery |
| Chaos Warp | 29% | €0.37 | Instant |
| Faithless Looting | 16% | €0.37 | Sorcery |
| Vandalblast | 15% | €1.18 | Sorcery |
| Abrade | 12% | €0.03 | Instant |
| Big Score | 12% | €0.59 | Instant |
| Lightning Bolt | 11% | €1.17 | Instant |
| Storm-Kiln Artist | 9% | €1.13 | Creature |
| Thrill of Possibility | 9% | €0.03 | Instant |
| Etali, Primal Storm | 8% | €0.39 | Creature |
| Anger | 7% | €0.65 | Creature |
| Mana Geyser | 7% | €0.99 | Sorcery |
| Seething Song | 7% | €1.83 | Instant |
| Guttersnipe | 6% | €0.14 | Creature |
| Cursed Mirror | 6% | €0.40 | Artifact |
Commanders in this identity
Each one with its recommended cards and known combos.
Paste your list and we tell you what is missing: ramp, draw, interaction and a 10,000-game simulation to see whether the deck actually gets going.
📥 Analyze my deck for free 🛠️ Build a deckFrequently asked questions
What are the best red cards for Commander?
The three most played right now are Blasphemous Act, Chaos Warp, Deflecting Swat. This page lists the top 40 with their real inclusion rate and price, plus the breakdown by role.
How much ramp does a red deck need?
The most common picks are Jeska's Will, Storm-Kiln Artist, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer. As a reference, a balanced Commander deck runs 8 to 12 ramp sources on top of its 36-38 lands; paste your list into EDH Optimizer and we tell you how many you have and whether that fits your curve.
Which cheap red cards are worth it?
Under €2, Blasphemous Act, Chaos Warp, Faithless Looting stand out. The "Great and cheap" section on this page has the full list, ranked by how much they are played.
Can I play any red card in my deck?
Only if its color identity fits inside your commander's: in Commander both mana cost symbols and rules text symbols count. EDH Optimizer automatically flags cards that fall outside your commander's identity.