Goro-Goro and SatoruGoro-Goro and Satoru | Art by Johannes Voss

Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow has been the default commander for Ninja decks ever since her release in 2018, but in recent years there's been quite a few contenders, from Satoru UmezawaSatoru Umezawa to Goro-Goro and SatoruGoro-Goro and Satoru, to... also Satoru, the InfiltratorSatoru, the Infiltrator.

Well actually it seems like the only competition was from Satoru. But now there's a lot more, thanks to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) set. There are Ninjas aplenty there, as well as a new, modified version of the ninjutsu mechanic called sneak.

Will any of these new legendary creatures topple Yuriko's throne? Let's rank them and find out!

First though, it's worth noting that I only counted commanders whose primary purpose is to support Ninjas. While it's true that Felix Five-BootsFelix Five-Boots supports ninjutsu pretty well, only 5% of it's decks are actually Ninjutsu themed, and therefore it's excluded from the list.

Dark Leo & Shredder

We're starting off really strong here with Dark Leo & ShredderDark Leo & Shredder. White and black is a strange color pair for Ninjas, but it's not as limiting as you'd think. In these colors we've got access to 50 Ninjas, only 23 fewer than blue and black, so it shouldn't be a serious issue. But even if it is, we can dip into Shapeshifters like Changeling OutcastChangeling Outcast.

Then, once we've got all those Ninjas, they can get in with ease thanks to deathtouch. Finally, with some good evasion on our commander, plus a full board, we can start reducing our opponents' life totals by half. That can get lethal fast, and I think it makes the deck quite strong.

Dark Leo & ShredderDark Leo & Shredder is fun, well balanced, and one of a kind. Absolutely a great commander.

Tier: S

Deck tech here

Goro-Goro and Satoru

The team-ups from March of the Machines are still some of my favorite cards ever, and Goro-Goro and SatoruGoro-Goro and Satoru is no exception. Ninjas plus Dragons? How cool is that?!

This card is a ton of fun to play, giving us the chance to be sneaky and bold in the same deck. The Satoru side incentivizes us to play slick combat tricks and Ninjas, while the Goro-Goro side begs for extra attack phase cards. Now that's a killer combo if I've ever seen one.

Tier: A

Heroes in a Half Shell

Unfortunately, our third commander isn't nearly as well designed, despite being the flagship legend of the set. Heroes in a Half ShellHeroes in a Half Shell is such a lazy design, doing nothing more than supporting Mutants, Ninjas, Turtles, (but not Teenagers) with +1/+1 counters and card draw.

Wizards, please tell me how +1/+1 counters and card draw showcase the special traits of the Ninja Turtles, and their strength together? I barely even watched the TMNT shows, and I still know that this card is lame.

But even if it wasn't a complete flavor fail, the card is also disappointing mechanically. Barring the cards from this set, Mutants, Ninjas, and Turtles have basically no synergy with each other. This commander leads to nothing but a hodge podge of a deck held together by some basic goodstuff.

Tier: F

Deck tech here

Higure, the Still Wind

I wasn't around back when Higure, the Still WindHigure, the Still Wind might've been the strongest Ninja commander, but I like to imagine him as an old master out of his prime, with a few tricks still up his sleeve.

Despite his age, he's a potent general, easily tutoring for the best Ninja in your deck. Then, he can make said Ninja and himself unblockable! Yes, he's held back by his mono-blue color identity, but don't be fooled: this geezer can still kick ass.

Tier: A

Satoru, the Infiltrator

Satoru, the InfiltratorSatoru, the Infiltrator bores me a lot. It seems to be implied that the deck should be built around Ninjas, but the wording of the card rewards blink spells too, and well, blink spells are just easier to build around.

But whichever route we go, the reward is just some card draw. Wow. So exciting. It's definitely strong, but it's not stronger than other Ninja commanders, so I can't really see why this card has so many decks. Severely overrated.

Tier: C

Satoru Umezawa

Now here's a Satoru that's actually cool. You've got to be scared when you see Satoru UmezawaSatoru Umezawa across the board from you, because literally any hit could be lethal, thanks to Blightsteel ColossusBlightsteel Colossus.

Giving any creature ninjutsu is honestly more terrifying than Sneak AttackSneak Attack, because by the time the creature is revealed, it's usually too late. But while Satoru Umezawa might be a little bit overpowered, I still like him, because he does allow for some very unique play patterns, and makes space for wild cards like Mindleech MassMindleech Mass.

However, I do have to acknowledge that Satoru's not really a Ninja typal commander, and he's only really in here because he's ninjutsu themed. A cool general for sure, but not really a Ninja one.

Tier: B

Splinter, Hamato Yoshi

I'll admit, Splinter, Hamato YoshiSplinter, Hamato Yoshi is a bit of a pity inclusion, because yeah, it's not a good card, even in the 99. Honestly, it's pretty sad that this card even exists, and that's what I'm really here to talk about.

There are literally four other cards for Splinter, and the only reason that Wizards designed a fifth one was because there was literally nothing else in the TMNT franchise to pull from.

But this isn't just about Universes Beyond. I simply think it's lame that they would print such a bad card for such a cool character. This card inspires none of the awe that should come with a character like Splinter, and I think that Wizards continuous printing of mediocre cards like this seriously dilutes the "legend" status of legendary cards.

Tier: D

Splinter, Radical Rat

But hey, credit where credit is due, this Splinter is pretty awesome. I'd guess that Splinter, Radical RatSplinter, Radical Rat is meant to pay homage to Higure, the Still WindHigure, the Still Wind, as it literally has a copy-paste of the "Target Ninja can't be blocked this turn" ability.

On top of that, it doubles our Ninja triggers, which could be nuts with Dark Leo & ShredderDark Leo & Shredder. Yes, doubling triggers isn't ground breaking, but it is powerful and fun. Plus, the Esper () color identity means we get to play with almost every Ninja!

Honestly, this might just be the new strongest Ninja commander, if not the most unique.

Tier: A

Deck tech here

Taeko, the Patient Avalanche

Taeko, the Patient AvalancheTaeko, the Patient Avalanche has a lot of text, but not a lot to say. The ability to make creatures unblockable can be strong, but there are a million other cards that do that. Caring about creatures leaving the battlefield without dying is neat, but the reward is just a +1/+1 counter and a scry.

Honestly the most interesting thing about Taeko is that it's a Ninja Turtle outside of the TMNT set.

Tier: C

Deck tech here

Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

Thanks to alphabetical order, we get to evaluate the current queen of Ninjas in the wake of all these new cards. The conclusion? Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow is still the best. The ability to flip the top card of your deck is genuinely so much fun, whether you're manipulating it or just gambling. I've seen so many games come down to one final Yuriko flip, and it's a thrill every single time.

Then, there's also the commander ninjutsu mechanic, which has only ever been printed on Yuriko. So many other Ninja legends suffer because they can't be ninjutsued out of the command zone. Yuriko is strong, unique, and an absolute blast.

Whether she's at the helm of a Ninjas, Top-deck, or cEDH deck, it's easy to see why Yuriko is still such a popular commander after nearly a decade.

Tier: S

Tier ranking of every Ninja Typal commander

Well, there's my ranking of every Ninjutsu/Ninja Typal commander. Do you agree with my rankings? Or do you think my evaluations are flawed?

I could be persuaded to change my ranking of Splinter, Radical RatSplinter, Radical Rat, but definitely not Heroes in a Half ShellHeroes in a Half Shell. That card sucks! Still, let me know what you think down in the comments!