<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Namor the Sub-Mariner" href="#" target="_blank">Namor the Sub-Mariner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.rallisart.com/magic-the-gathering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Rallis</a></span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ahh yes, Merfolk. "Wet Elves," if you will. One of <em>Magic</em>'s most beloved creature types, and one of their most powerful, just got a brand new commander that's coming out in 2026. I might not know much about Marvel's Namor, but I can say for certain that <em>Magic</em>'s Namor is one of the best Merfolk commanders we've seen since <em>The Lost Caverns of Ixalan</em>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Namor the Sub-Mariner"></div></div></p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Namor the Sub-Mariner" href="#" target="_blank">Namor the Sub-Mariner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Namor is a flying */4, and his power is equal to the number of Merfolk we've got on board. And whenever we cast a noncreature spell, we make a 1/1 Merfolk creature token for each <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> in that spell's mana cost. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Namor may seem relatively tame on the surface, but he's a Voltron threat all on his own. When combined with his ability to clog the board with tricksy Merfolk, this commander sure makes a splash.</span></p>
<p>Although Namor is a strong, evasive creature that can end combats in just a few turns, he's not the focus of our game plan. We'll control the board, and then buff up our Merfolk to swing in for victory. Namor makes more 1/1s than most of our opponents will be able to deal with, and those creature tokens will be how we aim to win the game.</p>
<p>I've built a strong <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bracket 3</a> list, and a cheap version of this list is possible if you cut just two or three pricey cards.</p>
<p>Let's get brewing, and see what Namor can do!</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Namor</h2>
<p>Merfolk have been a part of <em>Magic</em> since 1993, so there's a long history of powerful synergies to draw upon. Anthem effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord of Atlantis" href="#" target="_blank">Lord of Atlantis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Master of the Pearl Trident" href="#" target="_blank">Master of the Pearl Trident</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are classics, and they work even better alongside newer releases like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vodalian Hexcatcher" href="#" target="_blank">Vodalian Hexcatcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Attuma, Atlantean Warlord" href="#" target="_blank">Attuma, Atlantean Warlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>I'm particularly excited about Attuma, who makes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seafloor Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Seafloor Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seem like a relic. My favorite anthem effect, though, is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindspring Merfolk" href="#" target="_blank">Mindspring Merfolk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Although it can only be used once, it's a fantastic finisher that we can make use of when it's time to close out the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lord of Atlantis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Attuma, Atlantean Warlord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindspring Merfolk"></div></div>
<p>We've also got a small collection of what I'll call "mean" creatures that provide repeatable interaction for our opponents' game plans. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silvergill Douser" href="#" target="_blank">Silvergill Douser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can shrink our opponents' best attackers over and over again, ensuring that they can't connect with their most powerful creatures. We'll usually have enough Merfolk to reduce an opposing creature's power to zero, which is a pretty sweet ability for this two-drop.</p>
<p>Then there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harbinger of the Seas" href="#" target="_blank">Harbinger of the Seas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will pose a serious issue to our opponents who chose to play multicolored decks against us. It'll likely get removed pretty quickly, as most Commander decks run a bevy of nonbasic lands, but it can slow everyone else at the table down by a turn or two.</p>
<p>Finally, the meanest of the bunch: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lullmage Mentor" href="#" target="_blank">Lullmage Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I almost feel bad for including this card in the list, as this Wizard can lock down the game easily. Paired with Namor, we'll usually have enough Merfolk on the board to counter at least one spell per turn rotation. The threat of activation can prevent opponents from even attempting to cast their scariest spell, meaning Lullmage Mentor is even stronger than it appears at first blush.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Silvergill Douser"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harbinger of the Seas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lullmage Mentor"></div></div>
<p>To find these powerful creatures more consistently, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merrow Harbinger" href="#" target="_blank">Merrow Harbinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seahunter" href="#" target="_blank">Seahunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have found their way into the 99. Seahunter is actually part of a cycle of cards that tutor creatures of a specific type to the battlefield, and I've not seen any of these cards in person.</p>
<p>We'll be making a lot of tokens, often in bunches of three or four, so <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonlit Meditation" href="#" target="_blank">Moonlit Meditation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be extremely powerful. If we manage to enchant a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merfolk Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Merfolk Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with this Aura, we can generate a whole bunch of anthems to power up our board. Moonlit Meditation is a recent release, and I've been trying to find the perfect home for this unique card since it was first spoiled. I think this may be one of the best fits I've found yet.</p>
<p>We can use all the tokens we make to convoke out a huge <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Transcendent Message" href="#" target="_blank">Transcendent Message</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, creating four 1/1 Merfolk and drawing a ton of cards. This spell can even be cast for "free" if we've got enough creatures on the battlefield, letting us spend our mana on interaction before tapping down our Merfolk to draw a whole bunch of cards.</p>
<p>Similarly, we can tap our creatures for another powerful noncreature spell: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Secret of Bloodbending" href="#" target="_blank">Secret of Bloodbending</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This new sorcery does a very good <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindslaver" href="#" target="_blank">Mindslaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> impression while also making four Merfolk if Namor is on the battlefield when we cast it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moonlit Meditation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Transcendent Message"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Secret of Bloodbending"></div></div>
<p>To ensure that our commander works as well as possible we've got some spells in our list specifically for their high <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> pip count.</p>
<p>First up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fated Infatuation" href="#" target="_blank">Fated Infatuation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, an above-rate clone spell that also gives us some valuable card selection. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reenact the Crime" href="#" target="_blank">Reenact the Crime</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has also earned a spot. I like to include at least one piece of graveyard hate in each of my Commander decks, and this instant is my go-to for color combinations that don't include <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, or <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Those colors have access to more consistent, and lower-cost, anti-graveyard tech. But, Reenact the Crime is far from a bad option in this spellslinging-centric list.</p>
<p>I also wanted to shout out a pair of high-cost, high-impact sorceries: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mnemonic Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Mnemonic Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorcerous Squall" href="#" target="_blank">Sorcerous Squall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We've got a few ways to fill up graveyards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mental Note" href="#" target="_blank">Mental Note</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thought Scour" href="#" target="_blank">Thought Scour</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so these spells will usually change the game substantially when they resolve. Many of these spells likely can't see play outside of mono-<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> decks, as their restrictive mana costs make them unattractive for pilots that play with more than one color.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fated Infatuation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reenact the Crime"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mnemonic Deluge"></div></div>
<h2>How Does This Namor Deck Win?</h2>
<p>Merfolk creature tokens don't have any inherent evasion. How can we ensure that we're able to connect with our opponents? Well, one-sided wipes like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raise the Palisade" href="#" target="_blank">Raise the Palisade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can clear a path for us quite well. Outside of dedicated typal decks, Merfolk are quite rare. So, for just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, we'll be able to get rid of almost all of our opponents' creatures while ours remain untouched.</p>
<p>There's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Leviathan" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Leviathan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While this Saga creature leaves a few more of our opponents' creatures on the board, it's also a 6/6 creature that lets us draw a whole heap of cards with its second and third chapters. We can also lock down the board with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Junk Winder" href="#" target="_blank">Junk Winder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of the few cards with affinity for tokens!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raise the Palisade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Leviathan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Junk Winder"></div></div>
<p>But if our token-based game plan doesn't work out, we can always attack our opponents with Namor. He'll get up above seven power quite quickly, meaning that we'll only need three hits to knock a player out of the game entirely. Other large creatures, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="River Sneak" href="#" target="_blank">River Sneak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can serve as an alternative path to victory.</p>
<p>Plus, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wanderwine Prophets" href="#" target="_blank">Wanderwine Prophets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us chain extra turns easily. Assuming we're able to cast at least one noncreature spell with a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> pip per turn, we string together as many turns as we please.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="River Sneak"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wanderwine Prophets"></div></div>
<h2>Namor the Sub-Mariner Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Marvel&#039;s First Mutant!" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Namor the Sub-Mariner
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Attuma, Atlantean Warlord
*1 Emperor Mihail II
*1 Floodpits Drowner
*1 Forensic Researcher
*1 Harbinger of the Seas
*1 Junk Winder
*1 Kopala, Warden of Waves
*1 Lord of Atlantis
*1 Lullmage Mentor
*1 Master of the Pearl Trident
*1 Merfolk Sovereign
*1 Merrow Harbinger
*1 Merrow Reejerey
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Mindspring Merfolk
*1 River Sneak
*1 Seafloor Oracle
*1 Seahunter
*1 Silvergill Douser
*1 Stonybrook Banneret
*1 Summon: Leviathan
*1 Svyelun of Sea and Sky
*1 Talrand, Sky Summoner
*1 Thieving Skydiver
*1 Tishana&#039;s Tidebinder
*1 Titan of Littjara
*1 Triton Wavebreaker
*1 Vodalian Hexcatcher
*1 Wanderwine Prophets
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Aquitect&#039;s Will
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Mnemonic Deluge
*1 Raise the Palisade
*1 Secret of Bloodbending
*1 Sorcerous Squall
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Archmage&#039;s Charm
*1 Consider
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cryptic Command
*1 Fated Infatuation
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Filter Out
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Into the Flood Maw
*1 Mental Note
*1 Misdirection
*1 Mission Briefing
*1 Opt
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Reenact the Crime
*1 Resculpt
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Thought Scour
*1 Transcendent Message
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Combat Research
*1 Deeproot Pilgrimage
*1 Deeproot Waters
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Moonlit Meditation
[/Enchantments]
[Battles]
*1 Invasion of Segovia // Caetus, Sea Tyrant of Segovia
[/Battles]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Sapphire Medallion
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Throne of Eldraine
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Agna Qel&#039;a
*30 Island
*1 Mistrise Village
*1 Mutavault
*1 Three Tree City
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are a few more cards that I didn't get to chat about earlier that I want to acknowledge now. One of my favorite creatures, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triton Wavebreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Triton Wavebreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, just so happens to be a Merfolk! Bestow is a fantastic mechanic, both in flavor and function, and this enchantment creature can turn Namor into an even scarier Voltron threat. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next up, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be one of the best cards in this deck. It makes two Merfolk on cast, and will let us draw tons of cards as the game goes on. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The duo of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deeproot Pilgrimage" href="#" target="_blank">Deeproot Pilgrimage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deeproot Waters" href="#" target="_blank">Deeproot Waters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will give us a constant stream of 1/1 Merfolk. The tokens they make even have hexproof, making them that much stronger!</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triton Wavebreaker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kindred Discovery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deeproot Pilgrimage"></div></div>
<p>Namor is such a good commander because he provides us with a substantial reward for taking normal game actions. We already want to cast a whole bunch of spells, usually ones that have a few <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> pips in them, and our commander provides us with disposable creatures when we do so. Plus, there's lots of anthems available from this creature type's broad support over the years, meaning that we can turn those simple 1/1s into potent attackers with ease.</p>
<p>Did I miss any of the best Merfolk? Did my description of the creatures as "Wet Elves" make you uncomfortable? Let me know in the comments below!</p>


merfolk typal

A Deck Tech for Marvel's First Mutant - Namor the Sub-Mariner!