<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys, the Evermore" href="#" target="_blank">Rhys, the Evermore</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CKai+Carpenter%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kai Carpenter</a>
They say that "patience is a virtue." Personally, I'm a bigger fan of persistence. As is the first commander I'm writing about in 2026. We're returning to Lorwyn, and thanks to that return, we've been greeted with fan-favorite creature types and characters.
This new year brings me back to my Commander-format roots with a brand-new take on a classic thanks to <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/ecl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lorwyn Eclipsed</a>: <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys, the Evermore" href="#" target="_blank">Rhys, the Evermore</a>.
<h2>New Rhys, Who Dis?</h2>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys the Exiled" href="#" target="_blank">Exiled</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys the Redeemed" href="#" target="_blank">redeemed</a>, and now evermore, one of my favorite strategies is now led by one of my favorite former commanders.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhys, the Evermore"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys, the Evermore" href="#" target="_blank">Rhys, the Evermore</a> is a very different card than either of their previous forms. The original Rhys cared about playing Elves, and the second cared about making tokens. But this one cares about death.
At face value, Rhys, the Evermore is a 2/2 for that can be cast at instant speed thanks to flash. When they enter, another target creature we control gains persist till the end of the turn. So if the creature would die this turn, it'll come back with a -1/-1 counter on it (provided it didn't have any already).
Rhys also has the ability to remove any number of counters from a creature we control at sorcery speed. So Rhys has a built-in engine for themselves, provided creatures can still get detrimental counters placed upon them.
This is the biggest trick when constructing the deck. How do we balance mono-white persist and mono-white counter strategies? We blink them, of course.
<h2>Blink and You'll Miss It</h2>
So why's <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys, the Evermore" href="#" target="_blank">Rhys, the Evermore</a>, my preferred commander for a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/blink/mono-white" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mono-White Blink</a> strategy? The ability for Rhys to remove counters from a creature isn't the greatest. Being able to get counters off only one creature at a time, at sorcery speed, means the process is slow going. Blinking creatures in and out of the battlefield resets the counters for us. Not to mention, there are plenty of instant-speed ways to do it.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ephemerate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eerie Interlude"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lae&#039;zel&#039;s Acrobatics"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ephemerate" href="#" target="_blank">Ephemerate</a> is one of the best single-target blink spells ever printed into the game. A true two-for-one thanks to the rebound ability, allowing us to get back-to-back blinks across turns. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eerie Interlude" href="#" target="_blank">Eerie Interlude</a> functions as a protection spell and a massive value engine when we have a large board of creatures with enter the battlefield abilities.
One of my personal favorite blink spells is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lae&#039;zel&#039;s Acrobatics" href="#" target="_blank">Lae&#039;zel&#039;s Acrobatics</a>. At , it's at the top end of blink spells run in the deck, but it's well worth the mana. Coming from Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate means the card includes dice rolling. The split on this card gives us a bonus blink as long as we roll a 10-20 on a classic dodecahedron. Worst-case scenario, we hit the 1-9, and it works just like a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostway" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostway</a>.
Blinking creatures in and out while removing the detrimental counters might sound fine, but what is the reason for Rhys when breaking it all down? Persistence.
<h2>Persistence</h2>
The persist ability doesn't draw from a large <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3Apersist&amp;order=color&amp;as=grid&amp;unique=cards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">card pool</a>. The pool is even smaller when looking at cards for a <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=oracle%3Apersist+commander%3AW+%28game%3Apaper%29+prefer%3Abest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nono-white deck</a>. Even worse, most of the cards available to us are bad. One card stands above the rest and should see a lot more play in the format. That card is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a>.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cauldron of Souls"></div></div>
A colorless card that can save an entire board from getting hit by the likes of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a>, single-target removal spells like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Blade</a>, or help to combo with one of our win condition cards, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasting Station" href="#" target="_blank">Blasting Station</a>. This better than cards that protect your board, such as <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flare of Fortitude" href="#" target="_blank">Flare of Fortitude</a>, because creatures dying is something we want to have happen.
Every creature that dies and comes back means another hit of their ETBs (enter the battlefield abilities). But Rhys can't take all the counters off every creature on the board. How do I decide? I hear you screaming this at me across the table. For that decision, let me remind you about two cards that once struck fear into the hearts of 60-card players.
<h2>No Negatives</h2>
The goal of this deck is to combo-kill the table. With that knowledge in hand, two cards help to achieve this task.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vizier of Remedies"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Solemnity"></div></div>
If you played 60-card competitive Magic around the release of Amonkhet, these two cards may be giving you heart palpitations right now. For that, I do apologize. While they aren't combo-ing with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Devoted Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Devoted Druid</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kitchen Finks" href="#" target="_blank">Kitchen Finks</a>, or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murderous Redcap" href="#" target="_blank">Murderous Redcap</a>, they are still pivotal to the main way this deck will win. 
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vizier of Remedies" href="#" target="_blank">Vizier of Remedies</a> takes every -1/-1 counter that would be put on a creature and tells us to add one fewer. Every time a creature comes back due to the effect of persist, it will now have no counters placed on it.
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solemnity" href="#" target="_blank">Solemnity</a> takes this idea and multiplies it out to the point that no type of counter can be placed on any creature we have, good or bad. We aren't even allowed to get counters placed on us.
Bonus points for the infect decks having an extra hard time killing us during a game. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solemnity" href="#" target="_blank">Solemnity</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a> are significant enough that this deck is even bumped up to a <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bracket 3 (Upgraded)</a> so that we can play <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Enlightened Tutor</a> as a <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changer</a>.
<h2>So No Spice Then?</h2>
Anyone who has read my articles knows that I always find some card(s) I've never seen before when building a deck. Or some forgotten piece of tech that finds a perfect home in the 99. Just because this deck is boring old mono-white and has a strategy as well established as Blink doesn't mean I forgot.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meadowboon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triskelion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dross Scorpion"></div></div>
First up and surprisingly fitting is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meadowboon" href="#" target="_blank">Meadowboon</a>. From Morningtide, part of the original Lorwyn block, this 3/3 comes with a board pump when it leaves play. Every game might not come with a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solemnity" href="#" target="_blank">Solemnity</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vizier of Remedies" href="#" target="_blank">Vizier of Remedies</a>, so a few backup ways to clear out pesky -1/-1 counters are wanted.
If you didn't know, every +1/+1 counter cancels out an equal amount of -1/-1 counters. So if we blink <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meadowboon" href="#" target="_blank">Meadowboon</a> or it leaves play from an opponent or due to its evoke ability, causing it to come in and sacrifice, our creatures go back to their base state.
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triskelion" href="#" target="_blank">Triskelion</a> might not be the spiciest card ever, but the popularity of this creature isn't what it used to be. Spice aside, this card is a relatively efficient way to go infinite and take out a table. Clearly repeatable and fast after you do it a few times, Triskelion can take out a table one point of damage at a time.
Lastly, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dross Scorpion" href="#" target="_blank">Dross Scorpion</a>, when brought back thanks to persist, can allow our board to go infinite by untapping <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a> over and over. The best part is the Scorpion can be used to combo with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triskelion" href="#" target="_blank">Triskelion</a> even if <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solemnity" href="#" target="_blank">Solemnity</a> gets taken out.
<div id="1365-1495-4853" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /> 
<script id="1365-1495-4853" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Dross%20Scorpion%22%2C%22Triskelion%22%2C%22Cauldron%20of%20Souls%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20damage%22%2C%22Infinite%20death%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinite%20LTB%22%5D&id=1365-1495-4853&color=C&extraRequirementCount=0"></script></div>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
It's safe to say that I'm a big fan of the upcoming set, Lorwyn Eclipsed. I'm a big fan of <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhys, the Evermore" href="#" target="_blank">Rhys, the Evermore</a>, as well. So much so that once the card was spoiled, I built this as one of my personal decks. Fun, engaging, and powerful, with the smallest amount of deceptiveness mixed in. These're the traits I see in Rhys that make me want to get my hands on a copy ASAP.
I hope that the start to 2026 will be full of great Magic: The Gathering memories thanks to Lorwyn Eclipsed. Go out to a prerelease, build a new deck, or play with your friends at the kitchen table. Make sure you also check out all the other great articles around the set from everyone here on EDHREC.
As it was last year and will be again this year, my name is Nick. Find me online over at Bluesky at <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/nicnax96.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nicnax96</a>, and tell me what your favorite blink spell is and what creature you'll be using with it.
<h2>Rhys, the Evermore Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Careless Rhysper" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rhys, the Evermore
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Abdel Adrian, Gorion&#039;s Ward
*1 Anticausal Vestige
*1 Appa, Steadfast Guardian
*1 Canoptek Scarab Swarm
*1 Charming Prince
*1 Curious Colossus
*1 Dross Scorpion
*1 Eldrazi Displacer
*1 Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Exemplar of Light
*1 Fiend Hunter
*1 Flickerwisp
*1 Guide of Souls
*1 Haliya, Guided by Light
*1 Heliod, Sun-Crowned
*1 Inspiring Overseer
*1 Karmic Guide
*1 Loran of the Third Path
*1 Luminous Broodmoth
*1 Meadowboon
*1 Palace Jailer
*1 Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd
*1 Restoration Angel
*1 Reveillark
*1 Sanctuary Warden
*1 Scholar of New Horizons
*1 Soul Warden
*1 Soul&#039;s Attendant
*1 Spirited Companion
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Sunblast Angel
*1 Suture Priest
*1 Triskelion
*1 Vizier of Remedies
*1 Walking Ballista
*1 Whitemane Lion
*1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Altar of the Brood
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Blasting Station
*1 Cauldron of Souls
*1 Conjurer&#039;s Closet
*1 Culling Dais
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 Pearl Medallion
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strionic Resonator
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Cloudshift
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Ephemerate
*1 Ghostway
*1 Lae&#039;zel&#039;s Acrobatics
*1 Parting Gust
*1 Personify
*1 Reprieve
*1 Scapegoat
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Land Tax
*1 Solemnity
*1 Teleportation Circle
*1 Tocasia&#039;s Welcome
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Morningtide&#039;s Light
*1 Requisition Raid
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Abandoned Air Temple
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Arid Archway
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
*1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
*1 Endless Sands
*1 Field of Ruin
*1 Guildless Commons
*1 High Market
*1 Idyllic Grange
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Mistveil Plains
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Nesting Grounds
*15 Plains
*1 Secluded Steppe
*1 Windswept Heath
[/Lands]"></div>

persist combos

Persistant Combos in Commander, With Rhys, the Evermore

The Top 10 Most Played Persist Cards in Commander