Cloud, Ex-SOLDIERCloud, Ex-SOLDIER | Art by Justyna Dura | Teval, the Balanced ScaleTeval, the Balanced Scale | Art by Chris Rahn | Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind | Art by Tuan Duong Chu

Hey nerds! In 2025, Wizards of the Coast released an astounding 484 new commanders for us to get our hands on. Fun fact: this is 161 more commanders than we got in 2024. And given the release cadence, it can be hard to keep up. That's where I come in!

In this article we're going over my picks for the ten most fun commanders of 2025. These are commanders I've either played with or against. If a commander is not mentioned, I probably didn't see it in the wild.

And if you want my opinion on commanders from specific sets, check out my fun ranking series.

Okay, without further ado, let's get into it!

#10 - Hope EstheimHope Estheim

I played against Hope Estheim for the first time at MagicCon Atlanta a few months back. When the card was first spoiled, I honestly didn’t think much of it. A straight-up mill commander didn’t really grab me, and I figured it would mostly show up in Lifegain or Equipment shells. But actually seeing it in action changed my mind.

The deck I faced stuck to a Final Fantasy theme, using mostly cards from the main set and the commander decks. Sticking to a theme made the deck feel like death by a thousand cuts instead of getting combo'd in a single turn. Plus, since Hope’s ability only triggers on its controller’s turn, you really have to stay on top of your lifegain instead of just letting it happen passively.

It ended up being a lot more interesting than I expected.

#9 - Garnet, Princess of AlexandriaGarnet, Princess of Alexandria

I've wanted to build a Saga commander for years now, but I couldn't settle on any existing options. After a few Final Fantasy drafts and some surprisingly strong runs featuring Garnet, I knew what I had to do.

The deck was just a hodgepodge of Sagas I already owned and what I could get from friends. I didn't feel the need to spend extra money on the deck as I had a feeling she'd be plenty powerful with what I had. My biggest issue with the deck was keeping up with all the triggers and the number of dice. I already have another dice-heavy deck, and didn't want two of them in my rotation.

I sadly took her apart after a few weeks, but she was an absolute blast to play with.

#8 - Peter ParkerPeter Parker

After seeing Spider-Man, I was skeptical about the power level and flavor of the set. Most of the cards are disappointing, which is a shame for such a beloved IP. However, there are a few standouts.

Peter ParkerPeter Parker in particular was incredibly fun to play against. There is one card in particular I want to shout out: MoonmistMoonmist. Aside from being a Fog effect, which I love, it also transforms all Humans. The web-slinging cost wasn't so restrictive that he couldn't cast spells, but it turned out to be a more interesting build around in practice.

Even if you hate Spider-Man, I'd suggest giving Peter Parker a try, at least once.

#7 - Cloud, Ex-SOLDIERCloud, Ex-SOLDIER

For years, I've struggled with building Equipment decks. While I love the flavor of suiting up one creature with four different swords, I like having redundancy if my one threat is removed. And Cloud, Ex-SOLIDER is a great option for a go-wide Equipment deck. He wants you spread out the Equipment instead of giving it all to him.

Of course, there isn't anything wrong with doing that, but you can draw more cards the other way.

I'm playing a mostly stock precon, with an added Tifa LockhartTifa Lockhart and Firion, Wild Rose WarriorFirion, Wild Rose Warrior. I'd love to add Buster SwordBuster Sword to the list, but it's a bit out of my price range at the moment. If you're looking for a fun go-wide Equipment deck, I'd highly recommend the Final Fantasy VII precon.

#6 - Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge

This Shark Pirate is formidable, consistent, and has a fun play pattern. Aside from the novelty of his creature type, Captain Howler has a lot going for him.

His ability can stack, allowing you to draw a ton of cards with the right setup. And on top of that, you can trigger his ability at instant speed. So if you can give a creature unblockable, or go wide enough, there isn't much your opponent will be able to do.

I haven't had the pleasure of piloting him much, but I've gotten my head kicked in several times by him. Still, despite getting crushed, he's easily one of my favorite commanders this year.

#5 - Gogo, Master of MimicryGogo, Master of Mimicry

I've only had the privilege of playing against Gogo once, and it still broke into my top five. Much like Hope, I wasn't too high on this commander. I could see the vision, but thought it was going to be either busted or boring. Well, after a single game, I've changed my mind.

The list I played against was a budget brew from a new player. She'd copy Evolving WildsEvolving Wilds triggers to ramp, and eventually won using Mechanized ProductionMechanized Production and Solemn SimulacrumSolemn Simulacrum. I'm working on brewing a binder chaff list and can't wait to give it a whirl.

#4 - Shiko and Narset, UnifiedShiko and Narset, Unified

Over the years, Commander precons have improved quite a bit. It wasn't that long ago that precons would need several swaps to function, and that doesn't even include the mana base. Thankfully, Shiko and Narset are no exception, as this precon was a blast to play with and against right out of the box.

Now, I don't own a copy of this deck; I used my friend's Aura build. Turns out stacking copies of Combat ResearchCombat Research and All That GlittersAll That Glitters can end games. The deck has some complexity since it copies permanents.

Overall, it's an easy-to-grasp deck. The biggest issue is counting all your buffs correctly, but dice help with that.

#3 - Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind

Kilo was one of my most anticipated commanders when it was spoiled. Unlike Peter ParkerPeter Parker, Kilo reads better than they felt as a commander. Part of this feeling was my unwillingness to add staples like Clock of OmensClock of Omens and Intruder AlarmIntruder Alarm to my deck. But even without those cards, I still have a wonderful time with Kilo.

I was hoping to put them higher on my year-end list, but number three isn't bad. I've been tempted to build a Kilo Voltron deck that takes advantage of the proliferation.

#2 - Inspirit, Flagship VesselInspirit, Flagship Vessel

Maybe it's cheating having two commanders from the same precon in the top three, but it's my article. I didn't have high hopes for Inspirit, but I was happy to be proven wrong. After a few games with Kilo, I gave Inspirit a run and fell in love.

The Spacecraft's ability in practice introduces numerous decision points to a game. The main reason it's relegated to the number two spot is the number of dice. It's one of the decks I play early in the evening, so I save myself and the playgroup from half-hour turns just moving dice around.

#1 - Teval, the Balanced ScaleTeval, the Balanced Scale

For several years, I've been tuning a Kamahl, Heart of KrosaKamahl, Heart of Krosa // Tormod, the DesecratorTormod, the Desecrator deck. Then this Dragon gets spoiled and powercreeps my favorite deck of all time.

I picked up the last copy of the precon at my LGS, fully ready to gut it. But I wanted to get one stock game in. The deck has stayed a stock precon, including the mana base, to this day. The only changes I'd consider making are more untapped lands, and Insidious RootsInsidious Roots. But even as a stock list, I don't feel the need to make any changes.

Wrap Up

When we saw the release schedule for 2025, I'll admit I was a bit skeptical. But this year felt like a great balance of main sets and UB. Final Fantasy had several commanders on this list. Which isn't surprising given that of the 484 new commanders, 177 of them came from Final Fantasy. Overall, this was the toughest year to pick my top ten fun commanders. There were tons of great options across the board, and I'd love to hear which commander was your favorite this year.

If you want more written content, make sure to check out our Lorwyn Eclipsed deck techs and be on the lookout for my fun ranking coming soon. You can also find me over on YouTube if you're looking for even more Magic content. Alrighty, nerds, I'll see you in the next one!