EDH Optimizer
Alistair, the Brigadier
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier · 1GWU
Color identity: Green · Blue · White · Bant
Alistair, the Brigadier is Bant (green, blue and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Whenever you cast a historic spell, create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)
Whenever Alistair attacks, you may pay {8}. If you do, creatures you control get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of historic permanents you control.
Reference price of the card: €0.12
Average lands in decks for Alistair, the Brigadier: 35
HistoricTokensLegendsArtifactsSoldiersVehiclesHumans+1/+1 Counters
Build your Alistair, the Brigadier deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Alistair, the Brigadier 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Alistair, the Brigadier deck starts over 4,000 games
The list people actually play (the 99 most-included cards, with its average land count), simulated with the EDH Optimizer engine: hands, mulligans, lands, curve and commander. It does not model opponents; it measures whether the plan gets going.
Deck health of the average list: B (71/100)
- Consistency51
- Speed62
- Interaction74
- Resilience73
- Closing90
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 35 lands (25 nonbasic, 4 Plains, 3 Island, 3 Forest)
Arcane Signet · Sol Ring · Swords to Plowshares · Queen Allenal of Ruadach · Path to Exile · Harbin, Vanguard Aviator · Talisman of Unity · Talisman of Progress · Idol of Oblivion · Skullclamp · Talisman of Curiosity · Gold-Forged Thopteryx · Adrix and Nev, Twincasters · Heroic Intervention · Jhoira's Familiar · Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle · Myrel, Shield of Argive · Counterspell · Flowering of the White Tree · The Sixth Doctor · Beast Within · King Darien XLVIII · Inga and Esika · Azorius Signet · Jaheira, Friend of the Forest · Sarah Jane Smith · Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass · Cultivate · Peregrin Took · Farseek · Fellwar Stone · K-9, Mark I · Simic Signet · Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage · Skystrike Officer · Selesnya Signet · Thought Vessel · Bess, Soul Nourisher · Kellan Joins Up · The Fourth Doctor · Bident of Thassa · Boromir, Warden of the Tower · Lightning Greaves · Esper Sentinel · Generous Gift · Mondrak, Glory Dominus · Samwise Gamgee · Mister Fantastic, Reed Richards · Pippin, Guard of the Citadel · Relic of Legends · Swiftfoot Boots · Torens, Fist of the Angels · Desynchronization · Growing Rites of Itlimoc // Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun · Three Visits · Combine Chrysalis · Nature's Lore · Rampant Growth · Elspeth, Sun's Champion · Faramir, Prince of Ithilien · Inspiring Leader · Mind Stone · Odric, Master Tactician · Dovin's Veto · Command Tower · Exotic Orchard · Seaside Citadel · Seat of the Synod · Ancient Den · Dreamroot Cascade · Prairie Stream · Canopy Vista · Hallowed Fountain · Spara's Headquarters · Tree of Tales · Temple Garden · Breeding Pool · Glacial Fortress · Overgrown Farmland · Deserted Beach · Minas Tirith · Path of Ancestry · Bountiful Promenade · Rejuvenating Springs · Sea of Clouds · Rivendell · Hinterland Harbor · Razortide Bridge · The Shire
🃏 Recommended cards for Alistair, the Brigadier
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Alistair, the Brigadier, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Allenal of Ruadach | 53% | +52% |
| Harbin, Vanguard Aviator | 50% | +50% |
| Skullclamp | 48% | +46% |
| Idol of Oblivion | 48% | +44% |
| Gold-Forged Thopteryx | 43% | +42% |
| Seat of the Synod | 43% | +41% |
| Talisman of Unity | 50% | +41% |
| Talisman of Progress | 49% | +39% |
| Ancient Den | 41% | +39% |
| Jhoira's Familiar | 40% | +39% |
| Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle | 40% | +39% |
| Myrel, Shield of Argive | 39% | +38% |
| Tree of Tales | 39% | +38% |
| King Darien XLVIII | 37% | +37% |
| The Sixth Doctor | 38% | +36% |
| Flowering of the White Tree | 38% | +36% |
| Adrix and Nev, Twincasters | 42% | +36% |
| Talisman of Curiosity | 45% | +35% |
| Sarah Jane Smith | 35% | +34% |
| Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass | 34% | +33% |
| Skystrike Officer | 32% | +32% |
| Jaheira, Friend of the Forest | 35% | +32% |
| Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage | 32% | +31% |
| K-9, Mark I | 33% | +31% |
💰 The best cards for your Alistair, the Brigadier deck, by budget
Three tiers based on the maximum price PER CARD you are willing to pay. Paste your list and hit Optimize: you pick that cap and the AI only suggests swaps that fit under it.
Tier 1 · Budget up to €2/card
The most value for almost nothing. Coming from a precon? Start here.
- Queen Allenal of Ruadach
- Harbin, Vanguard Aviator
- Idol of Oblivion
- Gold-Forged Thopteryx
- Seat of the Synod
- Talisman of Unity
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Skullclamp
- Flowering of the White Tree
- Adrix and Nev, Twincasters
- Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass
- Jaheira, Friend of the Forest
- Minas Tirith
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Myrel, Shield of Argive
- Mondrak, Glory Dominus
- Elspeth, Storm Slayer
- Galadriel, Light of Valinor
- Esper Sentinel
- Anointed Procession
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Alistair, the Brigadier
- Hullbreaker Horror + Sol Ring → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite storm count
- Dramatic Reversal + Isochron Scepter → Infinite magecraft triggers, Infinite mana nonland permanents you control can produce, Infinite storm count, Infinite untap of nonland permanents you control
- Hullbreaker Horror + Mana Vault → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite storm count
- Hullbreaker Horror + Mox Amber → Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite colored mana, Infinite storm count
- Peregrin Took + Nuka-Cola Vending Machine → Infinite card draw, Infinite draw triggers, Near-infinite tapped Treasure tokens
- Sensei's Divining Top + Foundry Inspector + Mystic Forge → Infinite card draw, Near-infinite storm count, Infinite draw triggers
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Alistair, the Brigadier's color identity?
Alistair, the Brigadier is Bant (green, blue and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones. Color identity comes from every mana symbol on the card, including those in the rules text, not just the casting cost.
What turn does Alistair, the Brigadier come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Alistair, the Brigadier deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 35 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 3.7 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 99 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 27 % of the time and floods 13 %. Deck health: B (71/100).
How many lands should a Alistair, the Brigadier deck run?
Real Alistair, the Brigadier decks run 35 lands on average. That is a starting point, not a rule: a lower curve can shave one or two, big-mana builds want more. The EDH Optimizer simulator tells you, over 10,000 games, how often you get mana screwed or flooded with your exact count.
What are the best cards for Alistair, the Brigadier?
The three highest-synergy cards are Queen Allenal of Ruadach, Harbin, Vanguard Aviator, Skullclamp. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Alistair, the Brigadier decks.
What combos does Alistair, the Brigadier have?
Alistair, the Brigadier has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Hullbreaker Horror + Sol Ring. Note that two-card combos raise your deck's bracket, so it is worth knowing which ones you are running before you sit down.
How much does a Alistair, the Brigadier deck cost?
You can start cheap: Queen Allenal of Ruadach, Harbin, Vanguard Aviator, Idol of Oblivion are under €2 each. The "Level up" section on this page splits the best cards into three price caps PER CARD (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.