<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isshin, Two Heavens as One|NEO|328" href="#" target="_blank">Isshin, Two Heavens as One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a:%22Yamada+Rokkaku%22">Yamada Rokkaku</a></em></p>
<p><em>Ed. note: Evan Moss is a guest writer on EDHREC, here to provide us with a fresh take on one of his favorite commanders: Isshin, Two Heavens as One.</em></p>
<p>As far as <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/aggro">Aggro decks</a> go in Commander, few can compare in versatility to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isshin, Two Heavens as One" href="#" target="_blank">Isshin, Two Heavens as One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With a mere three mana, Isshin is a commander that serves as a value engine that wants you to attack, and it's really hard to compete with when every creature that attacks gives you more value on each combat step.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Isshin, Two Heavens as One"></div></div>
<p>Isshin decks tend to run pretty similarly — attack, create tokens, ramp, attack some more. So much more can be done with this commander that it's a shame most of the decks we see in the wild run nearly identically.</p>
<p>So, let's see if we can fix that.</p>
<h3>Isshin Deck Tech</h3>
<p>Firstly, we want to keep as much of the aggressive gameplan as we can. Isshin, Two Heavens as One heavily encourages it, so if we weren't playing aggressively, we would probably be better off playing another commander for the colors, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Caesar, Legion&#039;s Emperor" href="#" target="_blank">Caesar, Legion&#039;s Emperor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Marchesa" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Marchesa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Caesar, Legion&#039;s Emperor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Queen Marchesa"></div></div>
<p>Secondly, we still want to take advantage of our commander's value engine, so we will still want a lot of powerful attack triggers. It's important to note as well that despite the deck playing differently, we will still want to include <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/isshin-two-heavens-as-one">pieces that many Isshin, Two Heavens as One decks normally play</a>, for card advantage and ramp.</p>
<p>Now, how do we want to change the deck?</p>
<p>Where most Isshin, Two Heavens as One decks go for an all-out assault, let's break the mold by building one that not only uses our commander for damage, but for control as well, changing our gameplan from an aggro one to more along the lines of tempo. We can't go full control, however, or else we would probably be better off using another commander.</p>
<p>So, what is a way we can generate tempo with our attack triggers? How can we slow down our opponents while advancing our board?</p>
<p>Simple: <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/eldrazi">Eldrazi</a>.</p>
<p>One of the keywords Eldrazi make use of is known as <em>Annihilator</em>. It's an attack trigger that forces your opponents to sacrifice permanents, allowing us to steamroll the game once we get two or three triggers on board at the same time. However, there are a few issues we need to overcome.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulamog, the Defiler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Artisan of Kozilek"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breaker of Creation"></div></div>
<p>First, there are not many cards with this ability. This we can solve with some card-advantage attack triggers, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Audacious Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Audacious Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Caustic Bronco" href="#" target="_blank">Caustic Bronco</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There are a lot more we can utilize, but we'll want to focus on repeatable card draw that triggers on attack and costs three or less mana. On our later turns, we'll want to focus on playing our main threats.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Audacious Thief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Caustic Bronco"></div></div>
<p>Secondly, Eldrazi are expensive, so we'll need lots of ramp. I recommend at least 12 sources, though probably 14-15 is a safer bet. If we use cards such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain Lannery Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Captain Lannery Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can utilize our Treasure production on attack to rapidly ramp and play expensive threats very quickly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Captain Lannery Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldspan Dragon"></div></div>
<p>Lastly, Eldrazi become targets very often. So, we'll want to play lots of protection spells such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flawless Maneuver" href="#" target="_blank">Flawless Maneuver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make sure we can get our <em>Annihilator</em> triggers off.</p>
<p>Ideally, we get a big <em>Annihilator</em> trigger off and copy it, forcing our opponents to sacrifice most of their boards and maybe even a few lands, making it less and less likely for them to be able to remove our threats. Other than our Eldrazi, what else do we use as payoffs?</p>
<p>Well, we still want a few token generators, mostly to create blockers and help defend us when our opponents start attacking. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> serve this purpose well enough, though a few cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prison" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs" href="#" target="_blank">Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to shut down combat wouldn't go amiss, either.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghostly Prison"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs"></div></div>
<p>Finally, we want just a couple of extra-combat attack triggers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karlach, Fury of Avernus" href="#" target="_blank">Karlach, Fury of Avernus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thundering Raiju" href="#" target="_blank">Thundering Raiju</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, among others, serve as great extra-combat triggers, with our commander doubling them on attack. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aggravated Assault" href="#" target="_blank">Aggravated Assault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are incredibly helpful for this purpose, even if our commander doesn't double the activated ability.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karlach, Fury of Avernus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thundering Raiju"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aggravated Assault"></div></div>
<h3>Game Changers</h3>
<p>Up until now, I have made a point not to discuss <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers">Game Changers</a> recommended for the deck. Personally, I think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tergrid, God of Fright" href="#" target="_blank">Tergrid, God of Fright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> serves as an incredible synergy piece for the late game, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can always serve as a near-perfect emergency button, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can find you anything you need at the moment you need it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tergrid, God of Fright"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi&#039;s Protection"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demonic Tutor"></div></div>
<h3>The Deck List</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Isshin Eldrazi" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Isshin, Two Heavens as One
[/Commander]
[Artifact]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Dreamstone Hedron
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Glimmer Lens
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Horn of the Mark
*1 Mox Tantalite
*1 Nazgûl Battle-Mace
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
*1 Thran Dynamo
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*1 Artisan of Kozilek
*1 Audacious Thief
*1 Aurelia, the Law Above
*1 Bane of Bala Ged
*1 Breaker of Armies
*1 Breaker of Creation
*1 Captain Lannery Storm
*1 Caustic Bronco
*1 Conduit of Ruin
*1 Eldrazi Ravager
*1 Flayer of Loyalties
*1 Goldspan Dragon
*1 Hideous Taskmaster
*1 It That Betrays
*1 Karlach, Fury of Avernus
*1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
*1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
*1 Moonglove Extractor
*1 Pathrazer of Ulamog
*1 Rakdos, Lord of Riots
*1 Spawnsire of Ulamog
*1 Thundering Raiju
*1 Ulamog&#039;s Crusher
*1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
*1 Ulamog, the Defiler
*1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
[/Creature]
[Sorcery]
*1 All Is Dust
*1 Austere Command
*1 Damn
[/Sorcery]
[Instant]
*1 Dawn&#039;s Truce
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Erode
*1 Flawless Maneuver
*1 Kozilek&#039;s Return
*1 Not of This World
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Unbreakable Formation
[/Instant]
[Enchantment]
*1 Aggravated Assault
*1 Echoes of Eternity
*1 Ghostly Prison
*1 Windcrag Siege
[/Enchantment]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Command Tower
*1 Eldrazi Temple
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Eye of Ugin
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Marsh Flats
*8 Mountain
*1 Nomad Outpost
*6 Plains
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Reflecting Pool
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Sanctum of Ugin
*1 Savai Triome
*1 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
*2 Swamp
*1 Ugin&#039;s Labyrinth
*3 Wastes
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Overall, I feel as if Isshin, Two Heavens as One's flexibility as a commander goes underutilized. There are so many different kinds of attack triggers, and you can build almost any type of deck with him as the commander.</p>
<p>I hope this inspired you to look at commanders in a new light, and to ask how you could do something new with them.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/magic-players-honor-tsc-global-awareness-day</p>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/magic-sparks-rare-connections-in-the-tsc-community</p>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/which-commander-themes-still-dont-have-a-precon</p>


https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/en_articles_archive_card-preview_isshin-two-heavens-one-2022-02-02-meta-image.jpeg

Evan Moss

Evan Moss

Breaking Down Tradition: Isshin, Two Heavens as One