<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toshiro Umezawa" href="#" target="_blank">Toshiro Umezawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://moellerillustrations.com/">Christopher Moeller</a></em></span></p>
<h2>Fracturing the Color Pie</h2>
<p>As <em>Reality Fracture</em> spoilers are released, we're getting introduced to all kinds of fun color pie breaks, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Confidant" href="#" target="_blank">white Dark Confidant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stingcaster Mage" href="#" target="_blank">red Snapcaster Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodline Recollector" href="#" target="_blank">black Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p>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?</p>
<p>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!</p>
<h2>White</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oswald Fiddlebender"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monk Gyatso"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gandalf the White"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/mono-white">Mono-white</a> is known for lifegain, tokens, +1/+1 counters, Angels, and Auras and Equipment. Most strategies are built around winning through combat.</p>
<h3>Color Pie Break: Artifact-Based Combo Decks</h3>
<p>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.</p>
<p>However, a few commanders, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oswald Fiddlebender" href="#" target="_blank">Oswald Fiddlebender</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teshar, Ancestor&#039;s Apostle" href="#" target="_blank">Teshar, Ancestor&#039;s Apostle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gandalf the White" href="#" target="_blank">Gandalf the White</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, build around a blend of both strategies.</p>
<p>These decks largely use cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myr Retriever" href="#" target="_blank">Myr Retriever</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Trawler" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Trawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> alongside a sacrifice outlets like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krark-Clan Ironworks" href="#" target="_blank">Krark-Clan Ironworks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to accrue tons of mana and value—even going infinite if they assemble enough combo pieces.</p>
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<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Monk Gyatso" href="#" target="_blank">Monk Gyatso</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a variation on this theme, but uses cost reducers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud Key" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud Key</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Semblance Anvil" href="#" target="_blank">Semblance Anvil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to keep airbending creatures back and forth to accrue a similar overwhelming, or even infinite, advantage.</p>
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<h2>Blue</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vnwxt, Verbose Host"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braids, Conjurer Adept"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patron of the Moon"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/mono-blue">Mono-blue</a> 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.</p>
<h3 class="p1">Color Pie Breaks: Aggro, Big Creatures, Lands</h3>
<p>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.</p>
<p>However, these color pie rules were made to be broken!</p>
<p>Commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vnwxt, Verbose Host" href="#" target="_blank">Vnwxt, Verbose Host</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minn, Wily Illusionist" href="#" target="_blank">Minn, Wily Illusionist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive" href="#" target="_blank">Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sun Quan, Lord of Wu" href="#" target="_blank">Sun Quan, Lord of Wu</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lead aggressive decks, backed up by more traditional blue <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coastal Piracy" href="#" target="_blank">Coastal Piracy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects.</p>
<p>For sneaking big creatures onto the battlefield, blue mages can turn to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braids, Conjurer Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Braids, Conjurer Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jalira, Master Polymorphist" href="#" target="_blank">Jalira, Master Polymorphist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Patron of the Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Patron of the Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gogo, Master of Mimicry" href="#" target="_blank">Gogo, Master of Mimicry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (combined with fetch lands) can provide blue an unlikely land advantage.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cosima, God of the Voyage" href="#" target="_blank">Cosima, God of the Voyage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (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.</p>
<h2>Black</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gonti, Night Minister"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seizan, Perverter of Truth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian"></div></div>
<p>The most popular <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/mono-black">mono-black</a> 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.</p>
<h3 class="p1">Color Pie Breaks: Group "Hug", Spellslinger</h3>
<p>While many black decks are focused on resource denial, a few lean into a twisted sort of group hug strategy.</p>
<p>Commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor" href="#" target="_blank">Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gonti, Night Minister" href="#" target="_blank">Gonti, Night Minister</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> encourage opponents to attack each other to gain resources like Treasure tokens and access to extra cards.</p>
<p>Speaking of extra cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seizan, Perverter of Truth" href="#" target="_blank">Seizan, Perverter of Truth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> often leads strategies where opponents do get free draws in traditional group hug fashion—but are immediately punished by cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fate Unraveler" href="#" target="_blank">Fate Unraveler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Also, while blue and red are thought of as the natural homes for spellslinger strategies, a few black commanders in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toshiro Umezawa" href="#" target="_blank">Toshiro Umezawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian" href="#" target="_blank">Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combine this archetype with a more traditionally black penchant for removing creatures.</p>
<h2>Red</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Khârn the Betrayer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feldon of the Third Path"></div></div>
<p>The most popular <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/mono-red">mono-red</a> strategies are burn/aggro, goblins, treasures/tokens, artifacts, and spellslinger. It is normally thought of as the most aggressive color.</p>
<h3 class="p1">Color Pie Breaks: Control, Group Hug, Reanimator</h3>
<p>It's hard to find that many red commanders built for an interactive, long-game strategy, but <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one good example. This <em>Final Fantasy </em>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!</p>
<p>For group "hug", <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zurzoth, Chaos Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Zurzoth, Chaos Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Khârn the Betrayer" href="#" target="_blank">Khârn the Betrayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are examples of giving opponents access to resources at a cost—similar to the black strategies mentioned above.</p>
<p>While red is already known for artifact reanimator, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feldon of the Third Path" href="#" target="_blank">Feldon of the Third Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides a more unique ability. Unlike a commander like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Feldon can cheat powerful <em>nonartifact</em> creatures into play many turns ahead of schedule, more along the lines of a typical black strategy.</p>
<h2>Green</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shigeki, Jukai Visionary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Legolas, Master Archer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/mono-green">Mono-green</a> 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.</p>
<h3 class="p1">Color Pie Breaks: Board Control, Combo</h3>
<p>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.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shigeki, Jukai Visionary" href="#" target="_blank">Shigeki, Jukai Visionary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beast Within" href="#" target="_blank">Beast Within</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the rare green "mass removal" spell <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri&#039;s Predation" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri&#039;s Predation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Legolas, Master Archer" href="#" target="_blank">Legolas, Master Archer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gargos, Vicious Watcher" href="#" target="_blank">Gargos, Vicious Watcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> use green's fight ability to control the board at instant speed and hamper other players' plans.</p>
<p>In terms of competitive mono-green decks containing infinite combos, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Cabbage Merchant" href="#" target="_blank">The Cabbage Merchant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can keep up in <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets#commander-brackets-what-are-the-five-brackets">Bracket 5</a> formats, accruing a steady mana advantage and board presence as other players cast their spells. It can even use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Food" href="#" target="_blank">Food</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> tokens as a combo piece to end the game on the spot through something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grinding Station" href="#" target="_blank">Grinding Station</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>For a more casual setting, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald" href="#" target="_blank">Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can hold up protection and interaction on other players turns and eventually threaten a mono-green creature-based combo at instant speed.</p>
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<h2><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>
<p>If you want to get in on some color pie-shifting brewing action before <em>Reality Fracture</em> 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 <em>Ravnica: City of Guilds </em>and <em>Time Spiral.</em></p>


monocolor combos

Commanders that Break the Color Pie