Gonti, Canny AcquisitorGonti, Canny Acquisitor | by Anna Podedworna

Five-mana commanders sit at a great spot on the mana curve. They're often cast late enough in the game to allow us a few setup turns, but aren't so expensive that they're impossible to cast. They exist at an interesting in-between, not quite reaching the early game effectiveness of cheaper commanders but still having an impact on the game regardless.

Some of Commander's most iconic legendary creatures cost five mana, and a few interesting new designs have made our list too. Let's jump right into it, and check the vibe with five!

#40. Dr. EggmanDr. Eggman

Decks: 10,303 | Rank: 200

I'm somewhat surprised that a commander exclusively available from Secret Lair has been able to eclipse 10,000 decks on EDHREC. Dr. Eggman is a fantastic commander, though.

He provides card advantage, and lets us either get some cards out of our opponents' hands or place powerful cards onto our board.

Our opponents will often choose to simply discard a card on our end step, rather than allowing us to slam powerful creatures like Coalstoke GearhulkCoalstoke Gearhulk or Metalwork ColossusMetalwork Colossus onto the board.

Still, though, Dr. Eggman is a fun design and brings some power to Grixis () artifact pilots.

#39. Cosmic Spider-ManCosmic Spider-Man

Decks: 10,322 | Rank: 199

Cosmic Spider-Man is the latest in a string of somewhat generic five-color commanders. This five-mana 5/5 has a long string of combat-oriented keywords, and provides those same keywords to all of our Spiders at the beginning of combat on our turn.

There's no denying the power level of this commander. For Commander players that want to play Spider typal decks, Cosmic Spider-Man is by far the best option available.

But, is it fun to play with a commander that just hands out keywords? I don't think so, but 10,322 deckbuilders disagree with me.

#38. Arahbo, Roar of the WorldArahbo, Roar of the World

Decks: 10,472 | Rank: 191

Arahbo is one of the more popular Cat typal commanders, largely because of his eminence ability. Giving +3/+3 to a Cat of our choice for free on each of our turns is quite powerful, and can help us whittle down opponents' life totals with ease.

Arahbo's abilities also work extremely well with other Cats, like Sovereign Okinec AhauSovereign Okinec Ahau and Skyhunter SkirmisherSkyhunter Skirmisher, which has kept this Selesnya () leader in the top 200 on EDHREC.

#37. Thrasios, Triton HeroThrasios, Triton Hero & Tymna the WeaverTymna the Weaver

Decks: 10,580 | Rank: 189

This partner pairing primarily sees play in Bracket 5. Thrasios provides an outlet for excess mana (or infinite mana), encouraging us to hold up mana for interaction while giving us a way to generate advantage if we don't need to counter any spells.

Tymna provides extra card advantage, keeping our hand full of valuable spells and ensuring we don't miss any land drops.

The Witch-Maw () color identity that these commanders have is also beloved by cEDH players. We get access to 's ramp, 's SilenceSilence effects, 's card advantage and counterspells, and 's tutors.

We are missing the combo potential of 's Underworld BreachUnderworld Breach, but this combination of commanders is powerful enough to make up for that fact.

#36. Alania, Divergent StormAlania, Divergent Storm

Decks: 10,821 | Rank: 184

This Izzet () Otter is a fantastic spellslinger commander. Whether we're chaining extra turn spells together or just copying Crackle with PowerCrackle with Power to wipe out our opponents, Alania is a great pick. She also lets our opponents draw some cards, making her less of a prime target for removal.

It's also neat that there's so many otters that synergize with instants and sorceries. From Frolicking FamiliarFrolicking Familiar to Kindlespark DuoKindlespark Duo, there's some great Otters we can copy with Alania on the field.

#35. Gonti, Canny AcquisitorGonti, Canny Acquisitor

Decks: 11,374 | Rank: 176

Gonti proves that stealing things can be fun, contrary to what many local police departments would like you to think. Having led the Grand Larceny preconstructed deck from Outlaws of Thunder Junction, this Aetherborn's popularity isn't too shocking.

Gonti provides us with both card advantage and mana advantage, as long as we're playing our opponents' cards instead of our own.

The steady stream of value they provide is not to be underestimated, and their Sultai () color identity gives us access to a ton of evasive creatures too!

#34. Judith, Carnage ConnoisseurJudith, Carnage Connoisseur

Decks: 11,677 | Rank: 171

This Human Shaman can turn simple, one-mana spells like End the FestivitiesEnd the Festivities into board wipes that gain us life. She also lets us make creature tokens that our opponents won't want to block, letting us build up a small army with ease.

If we manage to build up a bunch of those 2/2 Imps before wiping the board with a PyroclasmPyroclasm, we can end the game on the spot.

Judith can be considered a bit mean, but she's a super powerful commander. If you don't mind getting a few dirty looks from opponents, she's a great choice.

#33. Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright

Decks: 11,841 | Rank: 165

Speaking of dirty looks... Tergrid is one of the most hated cards in all of Commander. With a Salt Score of 2.80, and a deck full of ways to ruin opposing players' days, Tergrid has certainly earned her reputation.

But, that aside, she is a genuinely powerful commander. Tergrid deck deny their opponents any on-board advantage while generating advantage for themselves.

She is a kill-on-sight commander, but lets her pilot win the game with ease if she sticks on the board.

#32. Rendmaw, Creaking NestRendmaw, Creaking Nest

Decks: 11,872 | Rank: 164

This Scarecrow encourages us to play cards with more than one card type. We could play artifact lands like Vault of WhispersVault of Whispers or enchantment creatures like Enduring VitalityEnduring Vitality to trigger its ability, which creates goaded 2/2 Bird tokens for our opponents.

It seems odd to give our opponents creatures when we take game actions, but these Birds are forced to attack our other opponents. Plus, we can use cards like Massacre WurmMassacre Wurm to turn the tables!

#31. Liesa, Shroud of DuskLiesa, Shroud of Dusk

Decks: 12,127 | Rank: 159

Liesa drains everyone's life total as they cast spells, and has lifelink to negate some of the life that we'll be losing. When everyone's life total is dwindling, and we're the only player with a deck built to endure, we can cruise to victory.

It's also neat that Liesa pilots don't have to pay an extra every time they want to recast their commander. She'll frequently be a target for opposing interaction, so it's great that Liesa doesn't get more expensive each time she dies.

#30. Temmet, Naktamun's WillTemmet, Naktamun's Will

Decks: 12,316 | Rank: 155

I didn't expect to see Temmet this high on our list. Yes, he did lead the Eternal Might preconstructed deck from Aetherdrift, but I felt that Hashaton was the cooler legendary creature from that list.

Temmet does provide a small anthem to our Zombies, giving them all at least +2/+2 when we attack with them. He also incentivizes us to draw extra cards, which Commander players will always love.

But, this commander seems caught between two distinct themes. I would be a much bigger fan if Temmet leaned harder into either drawing cards or buffing up Zombies.

#29. Yarok, the DesecratedYarok, the Desecrated

Decks: 12,579 | Rank: 151

Yarok is like a PanharmoniconPanharmonicon in the command zone. This Elemental Horror lets us double the ETBs of Peregrine DrakePeregrine Drake, Uro, Titan of Nature's WrathUro, Titan of Nature's Wrath, and more! We've also got access to some great blink effects like Thassa, Deep-DwellingThassa, Deep-Dwelling to keep the value flowing.

Yarok has long been a popular commander, and pilots have only gotten more tools recently. Starfield VocalistStarfield Vocalist, for example, is a fantastic new card to include. If I were to rewrite this article in a year, I'd expect to see Yarok even higher on our list.

#28. Anikthea, Hand of ErebosAnikthea, Hand of Erebos

Decks: 12,909 | Rank: 146

Anikthea turns enchantments in our graveyard into enchantment creatures on the battlefield. With the self-mill and discard that provides access to, we'll usually have a graveyard full of juicy targets for her ability. This color combination is good at sacrificing enchantments, too, which can allow for some interesting loops.

and also provide some super cool enchantment synergy pieces, like Ondu SpiritdancerOndu Spiritdancer and Setessan ChampionSetessan Champion, that allow us to construct some potent value engines.

#27. Inalla, Archmage RitualistInalla, Archmage Ritualist

Decks: 12,913 | Rank: 145

Inalla is a great commander for players that want to focus on Wizards. She lets us make temporary copies of our creatures, and even lets us tap our Wizards to make other players lose life.

We can copy Wizards like Bloodline NecromancerBloodline Necromancer and ArchaeomancerArchaeomancer to double up on their powerful ETB abilities. Inalla even sees a bit of cEDH play, centering combo lines around SpellseekerSpellseeker

#26. Edward KenwayEdward Kenway

Decks: 13,214 | Rank: 140

Edward Kenway may cost a lot of mana to cast, but he provides us with tons of TreasureTreasure tokens if he can stick around for a few turns.

Most decks with this commander at the helm focus on Pirates, not Vehicles, making his second ability a bit less effective. But, vehicles like JackdawJackdaw, The IndomitableThe Indomitable, and The BelligerentThe Belligerent are still seeing play in most decks and can let us steal a few cards from our opponents.

#25. Éowyn, ShieldmaidenÉowyn, Shieldmaiden

Decks: 13,294 | Rank: 137

Éowyn is a super strong commander that provides tons of value. Most of the time, she'll create two 2/2 creature tokens and let us draw a card at the beginning of each of our combat steps.

If we combine Éowyn with a few anthems like Beregond of the GuardBeregond of the Guard or extra combat spells like Waves of AggressionWaves of Aggression, we can cut our opponents' life totals down fast.

#24. Disa the RestlessDisa the Restless

Decks: 13,437 | Rank: 133

Disa makes a TarmogoyfTarmogoyf token, which is reason enough to run her as a commander. But, in all seriousness, there are a few super powerful 'Goyfs out there these days. BarrowgoyfBarrowgoyf is a force to be reckoned with, PolygoyfPolygoyf is a pain for opponents to block, and NecrogoyfNecrogoyf synergizes perfectly with Disa.

Disa also works very well with changelings, and we just got a fresh batch of them from Lorwyn Eclipsed!

#23. Marrow-GnawerMarrow-Gnawer

Decks: 13,434 | Rank: 134

This five-drop lets us double the number of Rats we control each turn. Granted, we have to sacrifice a Rat to activate Marrow-Gnawer's ability, but that's small price to pay. We can quickly flood the board with vermin using this commander!

Much like Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss, this commander has the ability to go infinite with ease. Marrow-Gnawer is one of the scariest typal commanders out there!

#22. The Scarab GodThe Scarab God

Decks: 13,481 | Rank: 132

Move over Temmet, this is a real Zombie commander! The Scarab God causes our opponents to lose life, lets us manipulate the top of our library, and even reanimates creatures as 4/4s! As the cherry on top, this commander is extremely hard to get rid of permanently.

The Scarab God does a little bit of everything, and currently sits as the second most popular Zombie leader on EDHREC.

#21. Marina VendrellMarina Vendrell

Decks: 13,482 | Rank: 131

I'm surprised to see Marina in the top 25 of this list. While some powerful Rooms do exist, most of them are quite niche. It's cool to cast the cheaper half of a Dollmaker's Shop // Porcelain GalleryDollmaker's Shop // Porcelain Gallery before using Marina's ability to unlock the more expensive half, but that's just about as good as it gets. Most Rooms aren't that strong in Commander.

Marina's a cool commander, and could certainly become a lot stronger if we return to Duskmourn in the future. But there's just 28 Rooms currently available, and only a small number of those are actually Commander playable.

#20. Lord of the NazgûlLord of the Nazgûl

Decks: 13,574 | Rank: 129

Spellslinging decks tend to sit be Izzet, so it's neat to see a bit of a change of pace. This Wraith Noble is a formidable flying threat that creates other scary evasive creatures, and can even turn those creatures into game-ending attackers if we've cast enough spells.

Decks led by this commander tend to include other Wraiths like the nine NazgûlNazgûl and the Witch-king of AngmarWitch-king of Angmar, meaning we need to cast fewer spells to turn our creatures into 9/9s.

#19. Omnath, Locus of AllOmnath, Locus of All

Decks: 13,914 | Rank: 124

Omnath has appeared on many different cards, but this is its first five-color card. This version of everyone's favorite Elemental asks us to play tons of multicolored cards, and lets us store our excess mana as .

Pilots often focus their builds around charms, which is a somewhat unique direction to take this otherwise somewhat simple commander in.

#18. Galadriel, Light of ValinorGaladriel, Light of Valinor

Decks: 14,872 | Rank: 111

Bant ( decks often want to cover the battlefield in creatures. Galadriel decks are no exception. This commander provides mana and card advantage so we can keep a steady stream of creatures flowing, while also doling out +1/+1 counters so our creatures are able to attack and block effectively.

Unfortunately, Galadriel is just a 3/3. She'll quickly get larger, but she's initially somewhat vulnerable to opposing removal spells.

#17. Betor, Ancestor's VoiceBetor, Ancestor's Voice

Decks: 15,514 | Rank: 103

Betor was first printed in the 99 of the Abzan Armor precon, but quickly gained popularity as a commander focused on lifegain and life loss. All three of Betor's colors are adept at gaining life, but is by far the best at losing life (most often through life payment).

This commander has only gotten more tools recently, especially with our recent return to Arcavios in Secrets of Strixhaven. In fact, Witherbloom College was themed around life gain!

#16. Marneus CalgarMarneus Calgar

Decks: 16,088 | Rank: 96

Marneus is a super strong commander. Tokens have become a bigger part of Commander-centric design recently, and he's particularly well positioned to take advantage of that trend. is admittedly a lot to pay for a card advantage engine, but we'll be drawing enough to make up for it!

Marneus even sees a bit of cEDH play! It's not the strongest deck in the format, but I've seen some interesting builds. He works particularly well when paired with Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe and/or Amphibian DownpourAmphibian Downpour.

#15. Captain N'ghathrodCaptain N'ghathrod

Decks: 17,237 | Rank: 82

Having led a super cool precon from Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, N'ghathrod was always destined to be somewhat popular. But this Pirate is truly popular because he gave Horrors their a very strong typal commander. Yes, Umbris, Fear ManifestUmbris, Fear Manifest was around before this Horror Pirate, but Umbris doesn't compare well to N'ghathrod.

As a note, those Baldur's Gate precons were fantastic. All four decks (including the others led by Faldorn, Dread Wolf HeraldFaldorn, Dread Wolf Herald, Firkraag, Cunning InstigatorFirkraag, Cunning Instigator, and Nalia de'ArniseNalia de'Arnise) were strong right out of the box and introduced new players to Magic very well.

#14. Maralen, Fae AscendantMaralen, Fae Ascendant

Decks: 17,390 | Rank: 79

Maralen shot up this list very quickly. She was first printed just a few months ago in Lorwyn Eclipsed, but is already firmly in EDHREC's top 100. Maralen combines a few different popular creature types and allows pilots to cast spells for free. That's a recipe for a popular commander!

Both Elves and Faeries got some great new cards recently too, like Formidable SpeakerFormidable Speaker and Bitterbloom BearerBitterbloom Bearer. Maralen is a great, flashy commander and should get even more popular as we inevitably see more powerful cards that synergize with her specified creature types.

#13. Voja, Jaws of the ConclaveVoja, Jaws of the Conclave

Decks: 18,030 | Rank: 71

Just like Maralen, Voja pairs Elves with another creature type! But, instead of stealing our opponents cards and casting them for free, Voja lets us stack +1/+1 counters on our creatures and draw tons of cards.

When this card was spoiled during the lead up to Murders at Karlov Manor's release, I remember hearing a few calls for it to be banned! While I don't think Voja merits a ban, this Wolf is certainly one of the more powerful Naya () commanders out there. He provides massive amounts of power to our creatures while keeping our hand full of gas!

#12. The First SliverThe First Sliver

Decks: 18,154 | Rank: 70

The First Sliver is a fantastic card. It'll usually nab another Sliver from its cascade ability, which can then grab another Sliver, which can grab another...

The point is that this five-mana commander is insanely powerful. Slivers are already one of Magic's strongest creature types, and The First Sliver lets each one of those weird little worms pair with an extra spell. Don't let this card's short rules text fool you: The First Sliver will end games quickly.

#11. Xyris, the Writhing StormXyris, the Writhing Storm

Decks: 18,777 | Rank: 66

This commander looks like so much fun! Xyris is just a big Snake that lets everyone draw cards, how bad could it possibly be?

That's a question that many players who sit across the table from a Xyris pilot have asked themselves, before promptly getting annihilated by an army of hundreds of 1/1 Snake tokens. Xyris pilots are often great politicians, and talk other players into allowing their commander through for combat damage. But it's a trap! This Snake Leviathan is not as innocent as it seems, and Xyris players will often generate an insurmountable board state before you can say "the Writhing Storm" ten times fast.

#10. Tom BombadilTom Bombadil

Decks: 19,306 | Rank: 62

Sagas are a lot of fun. Tom lets our expired Sagas turn into more Sagas, which is even more fun! While this enchantment subtype does require a lot of bookkeeping, they do provide us with strong triggered abilities turn after turn.

Tom's ability will let us get extra cards from both Ashiok's ReaperAshiok's Reaper- and Eidolon of BlossomsEidolon of Blossoms-style effects, keeping our hand filled to the brim.

It's also neat that Tom Bombadil often has both indestructible and hexproof, meaning he's protected from most removal spells. He's quite a powerful creature, so it's great that he's able to stick on the board more easily.

#9. Korvold, Fae-Cursed KingKorvold, Fae-Cursed King

Decks: 19,712 | Rank: 57

Jund () decks are great at creating and then sacrificing lots of permanents, which turns Korvold into a card draw engine and huge flying attacker.

Korvold isn't quite as fearsome as he used to be now that Dockside ExtortionistDockside Extortionist is out of the format, but he's still an unbelievably potent commander.

I've built about 10 different versions of Korvold on my own time, with themes like Sagas and lands featuring prominently. Korvold pairs best with Treasure tokens, but I've found him to be equally as fun when built in less traditonal ways.

#8. Ygra, Eater of AllYgra, Eater of All

Decks: 21,892 | Rank: 42

Ygra turns everything on the board, both our creatures and our opponents' creatures, into FoodFood. That turns Nature's ClaimNature's Claim into a one-mana kill spell, allows for easy infinite combos with Cauldron FamiliarCauldron Familiar, and supercharges Viridian RevelViridian Revel.

Ygra also gets progressively larger as more Foods leave the battlefield, but doesn't have any evasion built in. We'll need to give our commander a way to punch through or just sacrifice it to something like Jarad, Golgari Lich LordJarad, Golgari Lich Lord to win the game.

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

Decks: 24,466 | Rank: 31

Final Fantasy was one of the most popular Magic sets ever, bringing in some huge sale numbers. It's no surprise, then, that one of the commanders of the set's preconstructed decks has become so popular!

Boros () is typically the best color combination for Equipment decks, but Cloud adds in to give us access to some fun cards like Power FistPower Fist and Mage SlayerMage Slayer.

Plus, Cloud is a fantastic commander himself, giving us a way to attach Equipment for free, draw cards, and make extra mana.

#6. Kefka, Court MageKefka, Court Mage

Decks: 25,004 | Rank: 27

Much like Cloud, some of Kefka's popularity comes from the IP that he's attatched to. But Kefka is a super strong commander in his own right, and has even seen a bit of Bracket 5 play!

Kefka, Court Mage is a nice value engine that drains our opponents' hands and fills our hand up, but Kefka, Ruler of Ruin is where the real party is. He's part of a few infinite combos, and lets us draw more cards than we'll know what to do with!

#5. Ulalek, Fused AtrocityUlalek, Fused Atrocity

Decks: 28,911 | Rank: 20

Before Ulalek, Eldrazi commanders were mostly confined to being colorless. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it does limit access to efficient removal, ramp, and card advantage. Ulalek brings all five colors to the table, while also letting us spend to copy spells and abilities.

There are some very convoluted combos that this card enables, too, but most of Ulalek's popularity comes from the fact that it enables Eldrazi pilots to access all of Magic's best supporting cards.

#4. Nekusar, the MindrazerNekusar, the Mindrazer

Decks: 29,448 | Rank: 19

This lich king is a great group slug commander. The only way to find answers for Nekusar and any other powerful permanents that we put on the board is by drawing cards. This commander punishes opponents who do so, and Nekusar decks are often built to force all players to draw even more cards.

Janky permanents like Teferi's Puzzle BoxTeferi's Puzzle Box and Forced FruitionForced Fruition become all-stars in Nekusar's 99, which is the mark of a fun commander in my eyes. But I suppose that it's less fun when you're facing off against Nekusar...

#3. Jodah, the UnifierJodah, the Unifier

Decks: 29,941 | Rank: 17

Legendary creatures are everywhere in Commander, and are only becoming more popular in Universes Beyond products. Jodah gives our legendary spells pseudo-Cascade, and provides a massive anthem to all of our legendary creatures.

We can't ask for much more out of five mana. Each of our legendary spells comes with a buddy, and legendary creatures we control will often get +5/+5 or more. Jodah will let us cruise to a star-studded win if we cast a few spells with them on the board.

#2. Kenrith, the Returned KingKenrith, the Returned King

Decks: 29,967 | Rank: 16

Kenrith does it all, and does it all well. Each one of his five abilities will likely be relevant at some point during a Commander game, and each of them can be built around to maximize effectiveness. It's also important to note that these abilities can be activated at instant speed, letting us talk politics with our opponents effectively.

Kenrith can be played in any one of the five Commander brackets, and his broad reaching utility has found him at the helm of nearly 30,000 decks.

#1. Pantlaza, Sun-FavoredPantlaza, Sun-Favored

Decks: 32,787 | Rank: 9

Pantlaza is the only commander on this list that's eclipsed the 30,000 deck mark! As a leader of one of Commander's most popular creature types, and the face commander of a popular preconstructed deck, Pantlaza was likely to be a hit. But, she's eclipsed all expectations and landed as EDHREC's 9th most popular commander!

Just like some of the other commanders on this list, Pantlaza gives us an extra spell when we cast spells that meet specific requirements.

She lets the first Dinosaur that hits the board each turn discover X (where X is its toughness). If we flicker Dinos on opponents' turns, or just flash Dinos in on their turns, we can get even more value!