Toshiro UmezawaToshiro Umezawa | Art by Christopher Moeller

Fracturing the Color Pie

As Reality Fracture spoilers are released, we're getting introduced to all kinds of fun color pie breaks, like white Dark Confidantwhite Dark Confidant, red Snapcaster Magered Snapcaster Mage, and even black Ancestral Recallblack Ancestral Recall!

But what Commander landscape are these cards being released into? How many existing strategies can we find that already represent some kind of a departure from traditional color philosophies?

For this article, I'm delving into monocolored commanders with at least 1,200 built decks on the hunt for color pie breaks. Let's get started!

White

Mono-white is known for lifegain, tokens, +1/+1 counters, Angels, and Auras and Equipment. Most strategies are built around winning through combat.

Color Pie Break: Artifact-Based Combo Decks

With draw engines and rituals appearing pretty infrequently in white, it's an unlikely home for combos. It's also one of the colors that appears least alongside artifacts.

However, a few commanders, like Oswald FiddlebenderOswald Fiddlebender, Teshar, Ancestor's ApostleTeshar, Ancestor's Apostle, and Gandalf the WhiteGandalf the White, build around a blend of both strategies.

These decks largely use cards like Myr RetrieverMyr Retriever and Scrap TrawlerScrap Trawler alongside a sacrifice outlets like Ashnod's AltarAshnod's Altar and Krark-Clan IronworksKrark-Clan Ironworks to accrue tons of mana and value—even going infinite if they assemble enough combo pieces.

Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso is a variation on this theme, but uses cost reducers like Cloud KeyCloud Key or Semblance AnvilSemblance Anvil to keep airbending creatures back and forth to accrue a similar overwhelming, or even infinite, advantage.

Blue

Mono-blue is known for artifacts, control, combo, mill, and spellslinger. Many strategies don't include creatures in a prominent role, and some eschew winning through combat altogether.

Color Pie Breaks: Aggro, Big Creatures, Lands

Compared to a color like red, blue decks aren't usually very aggressive. And compared to a color like green, it's not usually putting lots of lands or massive creatures onto the battlefield.

However, these color pie rules were made to be broken!

Commanders like Vnwxt, Verbose HostVnwxt, Verbose Host, Minn, Wily IllusionistMinn, Wily Illusionist, Tetsuko Umezawa, FugitiveTetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive, and Sun Quan, Lord of WuSun Quan, Lord of Wu lead aggressive decks, backed up by more traditional blue Coastal PiracyCoastal Piracy effects.

For sneaking big creatures onto the battlefield, blue mages can turn to Braids, Conjurer AdeptBraids, Conjurer Adept and Jalira, Master PolymorphistJalira, Master Polymorphist.

Meanwhile, Patron of the MoonPatron of the Moon and Gogo, Master of MimicryGogo, Master of Mimicry (combined with fetch lands) can provide blue an unlikely land advantage.

Cosima, God of the VoyageCosima, God of the Voyage (The Omenkeel face, that is) combines multiple color pie breaks. It comes down early and starts attacking, while using this aggression to make consistent land drops.

Black

The most popular mono-black strategies are aristocrats/sacrifice, reanimator, discard, lifegain, and combo decks. Most strategies involve the graveyard in some way and denying resources for opponents through discard and removal.

Color Pie Breaks: Group "Hug", Spellslinger

While many black decks are focused on resource denial, a few lean into a twisted sort of group hug strategy.

Commanders like Gix, Yawgmoth PraetorGix, Yawgmoth Praetor and Gonti, Night MinisterGonti, Night Minister encourage opponents to attack each other to gain resources like Treasure tokens and access to extra cards.

Speaking of extra cards, Seizan, Perverter of TruthSeizan, Perverter of Truth often leads strategies where opponents do get free draws in traditional group hug fashion—but are immediately punished by cards like Underworld DreamsUnderworld Dreams and Fate UnravelerFate Unraveler.

Also, while blue and red are thought of as the natural homes for spellslinger strategies, a few black commanders in Toshiro UmezawaToshiro Umezawa and Fandaniel, Telophoroi AscianFandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian combine this archetype with a more traditionally black penchant for removing creatures.

Red

The most popular mono-red strategies are burn/aggro, goblins, treasures/tokens, artifacts, and spellslinger. It is normally thought of as the most aggressive color.

Color Pie Breaks: Control, Group Hug, Reanimator

It's hard to find that many red commanders built for an interactive, long-game strategy, but Clive, Ifrit's DominantClive, Ifrit's Dominant is one good example. This Final Fantasy protagonist draws lots of extra cards and flips into a finisher that can also remove a big threat from the board. Seems like a classic control plan to me!

For group "hug", Zurzoth, Chaos RiderZurzoth, Chaos Rider and Khârn the BetrayerKhârn the Betrayer are examples of giving opponents access to resources at a cost—similar to the black strategies mentioned above.

While red is already known for artifact reanimator, Feldon of the Third PathFeldon of the Third Path provides a more unique ability. Unlike a commander like Daretti, Scrap SavantDaretti, Scrap Savant, Feldon can cheat powerful nonartifact creatures into play many turns ahead of schedule, more along the lines of a typical black strategy.

Green

Mono-green strategies most commonly include +1/+1 counters, lands matter/ramp, aggro, tokens, and Elves. It isn't usually thought of as a color that controls the board or powers out combos that don't rely on combat.

Color Pie Breaks: Board Control, Combo

Although it's not very common, a few green commanders can actually control the board rather than just going over the top with their own creatures.

Shigeki, Jukai VisionaryShigeki, Jukai Visionary's first ability is more classically on-color, allowing for some ramp and graveyard filling. Its second ability, however, can be used to create a control "lock" by repeatedly re-buying cards like FogFog, Beast WithinBeast Within, and the rare green "mass removal" spell Ezuri's PredationEzuri's Predation.

In a similar vein, Legolas, Master ArcherLegolas, Master Archer and Gargos, Vicious WatcherGargos, Vicious Watcher use green's fight ability to control the board at instant speed and hamper other players' plans.

In terms of competitive mono-green decks containing infinite combos, The Cabbage MerchantThe Cabbage Merchant can keep up in Bracket 5 formats, accruing a steady mana advantage and board presence as other players cast their spells. It can even use FoodFood tokens as a combo piece to end the game on the spot through something like Grinding StationGrinding Station.

For a more casual setting, Yeva, Nature's HeraldYeva, Nature's Herald can hold up protection and interaction on other players turns and eventually threaten a mono-green creature-based combo at instant speed.

Conclusion

If you want to get in on some color pie-shifting brewing action before Reality Fracture releases, these commanders are for you. Is there a particular one you've already built around or are interested in exploring further? Sound off in the comments! See you next time as the Block Era series continues with Ravnica: City of Guilds and Time Spiral.