Olag and Miau, New FriendsOlag and Miau, New Friends | Art by Steve Argyle

There are a lot of Mystery Booster Commander Edition commanders to check out, but the one that caught my eye today is Olag and Miau, New FriendsOlag and Miau, New Friends. It's not a very good card, but it's a Cat making friends with a Zombie! That's adorable in the most Magic way possible. Plus, while the commander isn't strong, it does force us to build a really interesting deck, and that got me wondering: what other commanders ask us to put two unrelated creature types together?

Rin and Seri, InseparableRin and Seri, Inseparable, Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast, and Maralen, Fae AscendantMaralen, Fae Ascendant are all awesome commanders that do the same thing, and if those commanders exist, there must be plenty of other great ones. Let's find them!

However, if I just search up every single commander that mentions more than one creature type, I get a lot of cards that aren't quite what I'm talking about. There are a good number of commanders that put a bunch of small creature types together, just to give them a home. While Homer, the HermitHomer, the Hermit is a cool card, it's not quite the vibe I'm going for, so I'm going to remove all of those commanders.

There are also a lot of generals that throw in one extra creature type just for flavor, like the numerous Hobbit/Lord of the Rings commanders who care about Goblins and Orcs, or Raiyuu, Storm's EdgeRaiyuu, Storm's Edge, who cares about Samurai as well as Warriors. While I appreciate the flavoring, those decks run almost exclusively Warriors. Really, I'm just looking for commanders that put two creature types together in an interesting way. That leaves us with 33 commanders. More than I expected, and I'll cover the highlights below!

One last note, I'm ranking these cards not just by how good they are, but by how much the creature types synergize/how much fun they are together. I'm here to do more than just win; I want to build a deck with a story, just like Olag and Miau.

The Archimandrite

Advisors, Artificers, and Monks. I don't know if these creatures really go together, because I generally think Monks are a lot more spiritual than the other two. Their Magic cards certainly fit nicely though. All three types care about drawing cards and casting spells, and they do synergize quite well.

To my surprise, Monks make up the majority of this deck. They seem to be the ones who work best with The Archimandrite, while the majority of Artificers care about artifacts and Advisors like to mess with people. Still, Duelist of the MindDuelist of the Mind and Loran of the Third PathLoran of the Third Path are excellent inclusions in this deck. I'd give this deck a 7/10 for strength, a 8/10 for synergy, and a 5/10 for flavor, putting it solidly in the A Tier.

Tier: A

Cid, Timeless Artificer

This commander asks a lot of deckbuilding questions. Do we run more Artificers, or more copies of Cid? How many Heroes do we need? Should we focus on milling ourselves, or just play Artificers onto the board? There are a lot of options, and that makes this commander a lot of fun.

I like that while Heroes are great for the payoff, we don't need to fill the entire deck with them, because there aren't too many of them. Instead, we can focus on playing Artificers and milling them, and get the huge bonus when a Hero does come around. Or, we can just play artifact creatures, because frankly they're way better and actually synergize with the Artificers. I almost wish Cid didn't say artifact creatures because he isn't really a dual-type commander. It's still a cool deck though!

Tier: A

Dr. Eggman

Dr. Eggman would be a fantastic commander for Robots and Constructs if it wasn't for the fact that we'll literally never use that ability. We're giving our opponents the choice between (a) discarding a card, or (b) cheating any Robot, Construct or Vehicle onto the field. You know what's a Construct? Myr BattlesphereMyr Battlesphere. Metalwork ColossusMetalwork Colossus. Cityscape LevelerCityscape Leveler. Why would our opponents ever do anything but discard?

And no, if they have no cards in hand, they're not forced to choose the other option; they can still choose to discard nothing! Dr. Eggman might as well read: "each opponent discards."

I honestly think this card is seeing the play that it does because new players don't realize that it's so much better to just lose a card. I guess we could run cards like Liliana's CaressLiliana's Caress and Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright to try and make it a difficult choice, but any experienced player is just going to take the hit.

Tier: D

Edward Kenway

I really thought that Assassins and Pirates were pretty underplayed creature types, but they actually have 12,000 combined decks on EDHREC and come with some great options. Pirates have staples like Pitiless PlundererPitiless Plunderer, for example, and Assassins unsurprisingly got a ton of support from Assassins's Creed. Given how much longer Pirate typal has been around, the majority of the deck is buccaneers, but the coolest card is absolutely the Assassin ThraximundarThraximundar. Never has there been a more metal Magic card than ThraxThrax's Secret Lair printing. The Vehicles are an awesome part of the deck too, giving our creatures an easy way to tap while being perfectly on theme!

The cards here all synergize with each other and a strong commander, while also being a huge flavor win.

Tier: S

Kaalia of the Vast

I think Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast is the commander that defines this article. She just takes the three coolest creature types in Magic and slams them right onto the battlefield. It's insanely epic, not to mention a bit overpowered.

Well, to be fair, Kaalia is pretty balanced out by her reputation. Generally the experience when playing this deck is that Kaalia gets removed the second she hits the table. It's a pretty fair reaction, because cheating out those monsters is ridiculous, but it makes her pretty frustrating to play. To build this deck, we have to commit a significant amount of space to protection and haste instead of the actually cool stuff, but if we do manage to attack with her, it's the best feeling ever.

Tier: A

Kaalia, Zenith Seeker

And then on the other hand, we've got the Core Set 2020 printing of Kaalia, who is unbelievably underwhelming. She can maybe draw us three cards, but then we've got three 6+ drops in our hand after casting a three-drop, so what's the point? I don't know if the idea was to make a support piece for the original Kaalia, or just to nerf her character, but this card is basically unplayable as a commander. There's really no reason to ever build around it.

Tier: D

Kirri, Talented Sprout

I'll be honest, I thought the only Plants in Magic were those 0/1s that Avenger of ZendikarAvenger of Zendikar and Nissa, Voice of ZendikarNissa, Voice of Zendikar make. Turns out though, there are a ton of great Plant cards that see loads of play!

Ilysian CaryatidIlysian Caryatid is a great mana dork, Cultivator ColossusCultivator Colossus is huge and terrifying, and Bristly Bill, Spine SowerBristly Bill, Spine Sower goes crazy in any +1/+1 counter deck. Then we've got some awesome Treefolk in Faeburrow ElderFaeburrow Elder and SixSix.

But Kirri is a little underwhelming, unfortunately. +2/+0 is awkward on creatures that were meant to have zero power, and returning creatures and lands to hand is helpful but far from exciting. Kirri's main use is just sparking the idea to put the two types together. But Plants and Treefolk barely have any synergy with themselves, much less each other, and since Kirri doesn't really help, the deck doesn't do much of anything. I just can't imagine myself being excited to build this.

Tier: C

Magda, Brazen Outlaw

While Magda is from Kaldheim, she almost perfectly fits the lore of The Hobbit, and I'm genuinely surprised that they didn't give her card a reskin for the set. Dwarves summoning Dragons? She's the perfect commander to run Fili, KiliFili, Kili, and Smaug the MagnificentSmaug the Magnificent. Magda is such an awesome commander, giving genuine incentive to run Dwarves, even when there are other busted ways to make Treasure tokens. A Treasure token every time we tap a creature that loves to attack is really strong, and the ability to cheat out Dragons isn't just powerful, it's crazy cool.

Tier: S

Maralen, Fae Ascendant

Now this is the kind of commander I'm talking about. Elves and Faeries are two huge creature types with very established strategies, but they've got some awesome synergies with each other that have never been explored. There are some nice pairings, like Scryb RangerScryb Ranger with any mana dork, but the way they work best together is when the Faeries draw cards and the Elves make mana. The two of them together make a perfect engine. Then Maralen ties it all together with a fun theft payoff the Faeries can fuel and the Elves can pay for. This deck is already perfect, but the cherry on top is that we can make it with only cards from Lorwyn, the best plane ever.

I will say though, if we're running cards like Leaf-Crowned VisionaryLeaf-Crowned Visionary, we're doing it wrong. That card is amazing when we're casting nothing but Elves, but here they make up only half the deck, and therefore Leaf-Crowned VisionaryLeaf-Crowned Visionary is half as good. Let the Faeries do the drawing with cards like Faerie MastermindFaerie Mastermind and Likeness LooterLikeness Looter. That's what they're here for!

Tier: S

Rin and Seri, Inseparable

Rin and Seri are pretty much the flagship commander for both Cats and Dogs, eclipsing even Arahbo, Roar of the WorldArahbo, Roar of the World. Aside from just being cute, they do a great job of putting the types together by giving us a strong payoff in the form of tokens, damage, and life gain. I really like the way they count the number of Cats and Dogs we have, allowing us to prioritize one type over another if we need more life or damage, and it means that Mirror EntityMirror Entity is really strong. There's even a combo with them involving EarthcraftEarthcraft and Whitemane LionWhitemane Lion that creates infinite Dog tokens!

But while there are a lot of cool things going on with this commander, flavor isn't one of them. Literally all we know is that they wander together, hunting as a dynamic duo. There's no story, no connections...we don't even know what plane they're from. That's pretty disappointing to me, and it gives me the impression that their whole design is just a bid for new players, similar to Universes Beyond. That's a minor gripe, not even enough to bring them down a tier, but I think it highlights a declining aspect of the game.

Tier: S

Olag and Miau, New Friends

This one's out of alphabetical order, but it's because Olag and Miau are the perfect counterpoint to what I said about Rin and Seri. The lore behind them is awesome! Olag is essentially Frankenstein's Monster, and was imprisoned by his creator Ludevic because of his pacifist nature. Its only solace is the cat Miau, who comes to visit every day. Absolutely adorable, right?

But in a Midnight Hunt Character Exposition, Wizards mentions that "They have been receiving visits from a mysterious figure who has promised them their freedom very, very soon." And remember the cat from Harmless OfferingHarmless Offering? Something really interesting is happening here, and we haven't even gotten the full story.

This is the kind of lore I want, and this card is an absolutely amazing reference. I have to give credit where credit is due, because Olag and Miau have a spectacular bit of flavor, and they certainly prove that the story aspect of Magic is still there, even when it's buried underneath Universes Beyond.

The card itself is pretty neat too, although it's not super powerful. The worst part is that neither Cats nor Zombies really benefit from +1/+1 counters, so it's a somewhat meaningless buff. Still, I think it'll be a fun commander to build, just due to the challenge of playing those two creature types together. Plus, it's the perfect home for the small number of Zombie Cats!

Tier: B

Rohgahh, Kher Keep Overlord

Now here's a deck that's perfectly on theme, but really struggles in the deckbuilding department. Do we play the 14 terrible Kobolds that exist, in exchange for a terrible payoff; the many good Dragons that exist, in exchange for an equally bad payoff; or nothing but changelings, a strategy that's terribly boring but gives us a decent payoff?

Yeah, every option is bad here. An extra 0/1 is worthless when we're paying upwards of five mana for a Dragon, and even if paying two mana for a 4/4 flyer was a good rate, the Kobolds are almost completely useless. The only creatures that make Rohgahh even kind of good are Shapeshifters, but what's the point of playing this deck if we're just gonna use changelings?

Let's be fair though, because leading Kobolds is hard, so maybe I should give Rohgahh a bit more credit. Because half this deck can be genuinely good Dragons, this is actually a playable Kobold deck, a first in Magic! So even though the commander is pretty bad, he's exactly what was needed, or at least, the bare minimum. Good for him!

Tier: B

Sachi, Daughter of Seshiro

Sachi is here because she puts Snakes and Shamans together, but she really just highlights the fact that Shamans don't have a good commander. Despite being over 20 years old, Sachi is still the #1 Shaman general and the only legendary creature that even mentions them. There are so many great Shamans, from staples like Sakura-Tribe ElderSakura-Tribe Elder to typal support in Bosk BanneretBosk Banneret, and yet they don't even have a commander who cares about just them. Sachi also wants to play Snakes!

In a similar vein, Druids also only have one commander, Seton, Krosan ProtectorSeton, Krosan Protector. He's decent like Sachi, but not super exciting, and his mono-green color identity doesn't leave any space for awesome Druids like Tana, the BloodsowerTana, the Bloodsower. I would absolutely love to see a dual-type commander for Shamans and Druids, something that gives them all an awesome home.

But until then, I do respect Sachi for holding it down and being a functional Shaman commander. Shamans + Snakes is just never gonna be a thing, however.

Tier: B

Sigarda, Font of Blessings

I'm really surprised that there's only one other Human/Angel commander, Bruna, the Fading LightBruna, the Fading Light. It seems like a great combo, especially with Sigarda, Heron's GraceSigarda, Heron's Grace, who loves Humans, and Starnheim AspirantStarnheim Aspirant, who loves Angels. They've got an incredible amount of synergy with each other, so I think this space is super underexplored. Sigarda does offer a very solid home for these cards though, simply providing great card advantage. This commander does exactly what it needs to.

Tier: A

Tawnos, the Toymaker

Very simple, very strong. We get double the Beasts and Birds. It's not the most exciting combo of creature types in my opinion, so the majority of decks are just going to run whatever Beasts and Birds are generically good, but that doesn't stop Tawnos from being a fun commander. He's just not what I was looking for with this article.

Tier: B

Torgal, A Fine Hound

Aww, this is a cute one. It's the deck to prove that Dogs really are a Human's best friend, and that together, we can beat the crap out of our opponents. While I suspect most players are building this deck for the flavor, Torgal is a genuinely strong commander, especially with cards like Heronblade EliteHeronblade Elite and Hollowhenge OverlordHollowhenge Overlord. It's not even that restricted by the mono-green color identity either, because there are a surprising numbers of great green Humans, from Eternal WitnessEternal Witness to Tireless TrackerTireless Tracker to the Hulk. Well, not the Hulk's Magic card, but he is green!

It's too bad Werewolves don't transform into Wolves though, because they'd be fantastic here if they did. I'm curious what the proper ratio of Humans to Dogs is though. If I had to guess, I'd build it with two Dogs/Wolves for every Human, but if you've played this deck, let me know what you think the best mix is!

Tier: A

Umbris, Fear Manifest

For once, we have a commander who combines types that genuinely go well together. Nightmares and Horrors both love milling, and then the graveyard can be exiled to make Umbris unbelievably massive. Horrors kind of dominate the deck just because there are way more of them, but the few Nightmares that show up really shine, like The MindskinnerThe Mindskinner and Doom WhispererDoom Whisperer. Overall, this commander makes a fun and strong, if slightly repetitive, deck.

Tier: A

Voja, Jaws of the Conclave

Voja's power took me by surprise when it first came out, because I thought there was no way Elves and Wolves could be that strong. I got trounced as punishment for underestimating the deck, but I don't think I was entirely wrong about the creature types. Voja is just a really good card.

Even with just a few Elves on the board Voja gives a huge buff, and as a 5/5 with ward 3 attacking isn't a problem at all, even without Whispersilk CloakWhispersilk Cloak. On top of that, the Elves handle basically all the mana production that's needed, while just a smattering of Wolves will refill a hand. It's kind of a crazy package for a five-mana commander.

The main thing I dislike about this deck is that it tends to be more of an Elf deck, because Elves are a lot better than Wolves as a creature type. But they are a cool combination, and creatures like Tolsimir, Friend to WolvesTolsimir, Friend to Wolves really tie the deck together. It's a fun commander to run, but remember to keep some removal up if you're playing against it.

Tier: A

Winota, Joiner of Forces

While Winota doesn't explicitly mention two different creature types, she absolutely fits the theme of this article by incentivizing us to run Humans and anything that's not. I absolutely love that Winota rewards a difficult deckbuilding challenge with a great payoff, and how her card really brings together the entirety of Ikoria. It's also pretty crazy that she was a legit cEDH commander for a while, yet she can still be built casually. Despite the restrictions, there's a ton of freedom and diversity with Winota's decks, and that makes her a great commander.

Tier: S

Wow, there are a lot of S-Tier commanders in this list, more than we've ever had on this series. I just can't help ranking them that high, because they're all so unique and awesome. Am I overrating any of them? Or are there even more that I missed? Let me know if you think Winota, Joiner of ForcesWinota, Joiner of Forces is overpowered, or just right, and if Kirri, Talented SproutKirri, Talented Sprout is way stronger than I thought. Also, you might've noticed that I didn't include any of the party commanders. They absolutely fit here, but they're interesting enough that I think it's worth doing a whole other article on them, so look forward to that!

Finally, huge shout out to Julia Maddalena and Cooper Gottfried for a ton of help writing programs and using Scryfall queries to find this set of cards. Here's the full set of commanders that mention two or more creature types if you're interested.