Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed | Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov | Art by Magali Villeneuve

I can only count to four! I can only count to four! I can only count to.... FOUR!!

If you don't know what comes after four, this article is for you. Today, we'll be going over EDHREC's top 40 four-mana commanders, and seeing what makes each of them so popular. This list is full of strong, efficient commanders that are sure to change the game once they hit the board.

Let's get to ranking!

#40. Satya, Aetherflux GeniusSatya, Aetherflux Genius

Decks: 14,407 | Rank: 101

It used to be quite difficult to build energy-centric decks in Commander. There wasn't a ton of support available for the 99, and there weren't many purpose-built commanders. Recent releases, like Fallout and Modern Horizons 3, have breathed new life into the strategy.

Satya is a fantastic commander that lets us leverage our best enter the battlefield (ETB) and attack triggers, while also letting us keep token copies of our creatures around if we've got extra energy. Most of the time, though, we're comfortable creating and almost immediately sacrificing a creature token.

It's also great that this Human Artificer has both menace and haste, allowing us to swing in the turn he hits the battlefield without too much hesitation.

#39. Zur the EnchanterZur the Enchanter

Decks: 14,516 | Rank: 97

Zur has been one of Commander's scariest creatures for well over a decade. He can keep his pilot's hand full by grabbing a copy of Rhystic StudyRhystic Study, remove opposing threats by grabbing a copy of Grasp of FateGrasp of Fate, or even grab combo pieces like SolemnitySolemnity.

Zur provides an immense amount of value as a toolbox commander, and has solidified his place in Commander players' hearts.

#38. Choco, Seeker of ParadiseChoco, Seeker of Paradise

Decks: 15,019 | Rank: 95

When Kastral, the WindcrestedKastral, the Windcrested was printed in Bloomburrow, I didn't think that we'd see a better Bird typal commander for a long time. I was wrong.

Choco encourages pilots to lean into land synergies, while providing an absurd amount of ramp and self-mill. This avian commander also provides access to , which lets us access important creatures like Birds of ParadiseBirds of Paradise and Sazh's ChocoboSazh's Chocobo, alongside the best mana ramp in Commander.

#37. Aminatou, Veil PiercerAminatou, Veil Piercer

Decks: 15,064 | Rank: 93

Miracle is an interesting way to provide players with an incentive to manipulate the top of their library. Aminatou combines that fun gameplay loop with an enchantment-centric game plan, which is always a big hit with Commander players.

As the leader of a precon from a popular set (Duskmourn), this Human Wizard was always due to make it big. With more than 15,000 decks to her name, she certainly has.

#36. Kotis, the FangkeeperKotis, the Fangkeeper

Decks: 15,177 | Rank: 92

Kotis is a callback to a popular spell (Villainous WealthVillainous Wealth), he protects himself (by having indestructible), and has access to the best buff spells in Commander (thanks to his Sultai color identity). He's a great Voltron commander!

I'd expect him to be higher on this list if he weren't so straightforward. Pilots may be looking for more intriguing options for their command zone.

#35. Felothar the SteadfastFelothar the Steadfast

Decks: 15,194 | Rank: 91

"Toughness matters" has been a popular theme in Magic since Doran, the Siege TowerDoran, the Siege Tower released in Lorwyn. Felothar is quite similar to everybody's favorite Treefolk, but she also lets us draw a ton of cards by sacrificing our creatures. Imagine sacrificing a Tree of PerditionTree of Perdition to draw nearly two full hands worth of cards!

Felothar's color identity also gives us access to great Aristocrats and Graveyard synergies, letting us take advantage of all the sacrificing we'll be doing with her activated ability.

#34. Kuja, Genome SorcererKuja, Genome Sorcerer

Decks: 15,220 | Rank: 90

Rakdos Burn commanders have been popular recently. From Ob Nixilis, Captive KingpinOb Nixilis, Captive Kingpin to Valgavoth, Harrower of SoulsValgavoth, Harrower of Souls, there's an abundance of options out there. Kuja is interesting because he encourages pilots to play multiple specifically typed creatures, asking us to play both burn spells and Wizards alike.

Luckily, some of the best spellslinging value engines just so happen to be Wizards! Coruscation MageCoruscation Mage and Black Waltz No. 3Black Waltz No. 3 become super effective once Kuja's transformed.

#33. Alela, Artful ProvocateurAlela, Artful Provocateur

Decks: 15,273 | Rank: 89

Alela combines a lot of different things that Commander players love: she knits together artifact, enchantment, and flying creature synergies in one convenient package. She also provides access to three of Commander's best colors for removal and card advantage, letting us control the board while chipping away at our opponents' life totals with Faeries while keeping threats under control.

#32. Queen MarchesaQueen Marchesa

Decks: 15,981 | Rank: 81

The monarchy is one of the coolest mechanics to play with in Commander games. It encourages players to attack each other, lets everyone draw extra cards, and you can even use a real crown as a reminder of who the monarch is at any given moment.

Marchesa introduces the monarchy on ETB and allows us to create powerful creature tokens to steal the crown back. She encourages all players to enjoy their time at the table, and deserves her spot in EDHREC's top 100.

#31. Alela, Cunning ConquerorAlela, Cunning Conqueror

Decks: 16,027 | Rank: 80

This is the second Alela on our list! This version focuses more heavily on Faeries, while also asking us to cast spells on our opponents' turns. Dimir () decks are adept at countermagic and removal, which means we've got plenty of great spells to cast on our opponents' turns.

Much like the other Alela, this Faerie Warlock wants us to chip away at our opponents' life totals slowly while we control the battlefield. It's a solid plan, and this Alela's status as a backup commander in the Fae Dominion preconstructed deck has earned her a higher place than the previous Alela.

#30. Sidar Jabari of ZhalfirSidar Jabari of Zhalfir

Decks: 16,958 | Rank: 73

I'll admit that I was skeptical when Wizards of the Coast chose to print eminence on another commander after seeing how powerful Edgar MarkovEdgar Markov and The Ur-DragonThe Ur-Dragon had become. But Sidar Jabari is actually quite balanced. He provides value from turn one, but not to the absurd level that other eminence commanders before him have.

He also requires some setup to begin taking advantage of the looting he provides. His preconstructed deck, Cavalry Charge, was well-made too.

#29. Omnath, Locus of CreationOmnath, Locus of Creation

Decks: 17,146 | Rank: 72

Commander players love their lands! Omnath gives us access to all of the best land synergy pieces in the format, from Ashaya, Soul of the WildAshaya, Soul of the Wild to Roil ElementalRoil Elemental. With a few extra powerful landfall abilities in the command zone, Omnath players get to access immense amounts of value with their four-color commander.

#28. Zaxara, the ExemplaryZaxara, the Exemplary

Decks: 17,159 | Rank: 70

Zaxara is most famous for comboing off with Freed from the RealFreed from the Real to produce infinite mana, but this Nightmare Hydra is a fantastic mana producer outside of its combos too.

It seems as though we get a great new X spell every set, from Springleaf ParadeSpringleaf Parade to the upcoming MathemagicsMathemagics. I'm sure that the upcoming Simic precon in Secrets of Strixhaven will have a few more cards for Zaxara decks, too, so pilots should check that out when it's available in just a few weeks.

#27. Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer

Decks: 18,111 | Rank: 66

Whether he's seeing play at cEDH tables or pubstomping naïve casual players, Urza is extremely powerful. He turns all of our artifacts into mana producers, and then gives us an outlet for all of that extra mana. He provides both the engine and the payoff, all for just .

It's hard to name an Artifact commander that's more effective than Urza (save for one we'll talk about later on this list).

#26. Atla Palani, Nest TenderAtla Palani, Nest Tender

Decks: 18,202 | Rank: 65

How do you like your eggs? Scrambled? Over easy? Sunny side up? Atla likes them any way, as long as they're dead. This innocent looking Human Shaman can cheat out Eldrazi and Dinosaurs with ease. Big, scary creatures are always popular with Commander players, and the recent printing of a ton of changelings in Lorwyn - which count as Eggs - should only add to Atla's popularity.

#25. Go-Shintai of Life's OriginGo-Shintai of Life's Origin

Decks: 19,106 | Rank: 55

Five-color commanders will usually garner a high degree of popularity with players. Commander players just want to play with all the most powerful cards we can! Go-Shintai lets us grab the best enchantment synergy pieces from each of Magic's five colors, and just got a great batch of new cards with Avatar's shrines (all five of which should see some play in Go-Shintai decks).

#24. Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov

Decks: 19,286 | Rank: 54

It's strange to see a legendary creature with no honorific. I suppose Teysa Karlov's so cool that she doesn't need a title! Epithets aside, Teysa is one of the best Aristocrats commanders ever printed. She doubles the effectiveness of Blood ArtistBlood Artist, Midnight ReaperMidnight Reaper, and even Pawn of UlamogPawn of Ulamog. She does all that while giving our creature tokens fantastic combat-oriented keywords.

Teysa rocks, and she's quite scary to sit across the table from.

#23. Obeka, Splitter of SecondsObeka, Splitter of Seconds

Decks: 19,438 | Rank: 53

So many of Magic's best abilities trigger in the upkeep step. Dragonmaster OutcastDragonmaster Outcast, Twilight ProphetTwilight Prophet, and all 10 of the Court enchantments are great cards, but are limited to providing value just once per turn. With Obeka on the field, and a few pump spells in hand, we can get rid of that restriction. We can draw extra cards (Phyrexian ArenaPhyrexian Arena), make extra creature tokens (Dragonmaster OutcastDragonmaster Outcast), or even take multiple huge chunks out of opposing life totals (Twilight ProphetTwilight Prophet).

Obeka has a unique knack for killing our podmates, which has earned her a spot on our list.

#22. Shorikai, Genesis EngineShorikai, Genesis Engine

Decks: 19,655 | Rank: 51

Shorikai lets us draw cards and create creature tokens on demand. He also lets us crew Vehicles more easily, providing us with a clear path to victory. If we're able to land an Unwinding ClockUnwinding Clock to untap our commander every turn, or a Parhelion IIParhelion II to smash in for huge amounts of combat damage, we can win the game quite easily.

#21. Breya, Etherium ShaperBreya, Etherium Shaper

Decks: 19,744 | Rank: 50

Breya is our second four-color commander on this list. She's also one of the strongest Artifact commanders out there. While she may be somewhat difficult to cast (she requires four different colors of mana from a mana base without access to ), she can do it all once she's on the field. She can ping down our opponents, control the board, and even gain us some extra life.

While artifact-centric decks led by Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer might be able to generate value from their commander with less of a colored mana investment, Breya provides a toolbox that is unmatched.

#20. Meren of Clan Nel TothMeren of Clan Nel Toth

Decks: 19,771 | Rank: 49

I've got a Meren list of my own, so I'm admittedly somewhat biased here. But the ability to reanimate almost any creature on our end step (and the ability to return that creature to our hand if we don't have enough experience counters) is quite strong.

Much of Meren's strength comes from the fact that experience counters are very difficult to interact with. Outside of Final ActFinal Act, there's not many ways for our opponents to get rid of our experience counters once we've got them. That makes Meren decks very resilient (and makes her quite popular too).

#19. Rin and Seri, InseparableRin and Seri, Inseparable

Decks: 20,266 | Rank: 45

It doesn't matter if you're a cat person or a dog person, Rin and Seri have got you covered. It's no surprise that this Dog Cat is so high on this list, as they provide synergy for two of Commander's most popular creature types. They also happen to be extremely powerful, flooding the board with tokens while having a super strong three-mana ability that can be activated at any time.

#18. Aragorn, the UniterAragorn, the Uniter

Decks: 20,587 | Rank: 44

Aragorn decks can be built in so many different ways. He can lead a token deck focused on , a library manipulation deck focused on , a burn deck focused on , or a voltron deck focused on . He can even lead a deck focused on casting as many multicolored spells as possible to leverage all four of his abilities.

Aragorn's broad-reaching usefulness is his strength, and it has landed him a high spot on our list.

#17. Hearthhull, the WorldseedHearthhull, the Worldseed

Decks: 20,619 | Rank: 43

When Wizards of the Coast announced that legendary Vehicles and Spacecrafts were legal to play in the command zone, it was only a matter of time until they released a powerful card that took advantage of that rule change. Hearthhull did just that immediately after the change. It provides Jund lands pilots with all the card advantage and extra mana they could need, while also providing access to an easy win condition.

Hearthhull is the first super-popular Spacecraft commander, but we may see even more in Reality Fracture, and almost definitely in the Star Trek crossover set.

#16. Wilhelt, the RotcleaverWilhelt, the Rotcleaver

Decks: 21,053 | Rank: 42

Who doesn't love Zombies? Well, Daryl, Hunter of WalkersDaryl, Hunter of Walkers, for one. But, that aside, Zombies are among Commander's most popular creature types. Wilhelt lets our dying Zombies create more Zombies, and lets us get rid of our most useless creatures for some extra card advantage.

Some of his popularity is likely due to his status as a precon face commander, but he's eclipsed the 20,000 deck mark due to his strength as a typal deck leader.

#15. Caesar, Legion's EmperorCaesar, Legion's Emperor

Decks: 21,151 | Rank: 41

Mardu () decks love creating and sacrificing lots of creature tokens. Caesar lets us do both of those, while also allowing us to draw extra cards! He doesn't even need to do the attacking himself to trigger his modal ability, allowing us to gain value while he sits back comfortably.

It's rare to see a commander that has three separately useful abilities attached to a single attack trigger. Much like the other Fallout precon commanders, Caesar is a popular, powerful game piece. And apparently his name is pronounced differently than the salad.

#14. Toph, the First MetalbenderToph, the First Metalbender

Decks: 21,329 | Rank: 38

I am surprised to see a commander that was printed so recently so high in these rankings. But Toph is here for a reason: her color identity, , happens to be the best for lands in Commander. And, she turns all of our artifacts into lands! That enables us to mix and match the best artifact and land synergies, while also comboing off easily with a whole host of artifacts, like The Stasis CoffinThe Stasis Coffin.

#13. Arcades, the StrategistArcades, the Strategist

Decks: 21,344 | Rank: 37

My friend Julia Maddalena recently did a write-up on Arcades, and it's so cool to see the perfect home for The Walls of Ba Sing SeThe Walls of Ba Sing Se! Arcades provides a space for some of Commander's wonkiest cards, turning them into gems.

I never thought I'd see a deck entirely focused on defenders placed so highly on EDHREC's rankings, but Arcades certainly breaks the mold! He's also a callback to Arcades SabbothArcades Sabboth, one of the original Elder Dragons that EDH got its moniker from.

#12. Hakbal of the Surging SoulHakbal of the Surging Soul

Decks: 22,630 | Rank: 27

Before our return to Ixalan, Merfolk were already somewhat popular. Kumena, Tyrant of OrazcaKumena, Tyrant of Orazca is a powerhouse, and had carried fans of the strategy to many victories. But with Lost Caverns of Ixalan, we got a much needed refresh to the strategy.

Hakbal, and to a lesser extent Nicanzil, Current ConductorNicanzil, Current Conductor, breathed new life into this strategy. Having played against the Explorers of the Deep precon that's led by Hakbal many times, I can say confidently that Merfolk are back in a big way.

#11. The NecrobloomThe Necrobloom

Decks: 22,795 | Rank: 26

You know what Commander players love? Field of the DeadField of the Dead and dredge. It's no surprise, then, that the Necrobloom has become so monstrously popular. This Plant provides a staggering amount of creature tokens and graveyard shenaniganery for just four mana. I have loved this commander since the moment I saw it as part of the Modern Horizons 3 set gallery, and I'm sure it'll break into the top 25 on EDHREC's rankings any day now.

#10. Valgavoth, Harrower of SoulsValgavoth, Harrower of Souls

Decks: 24,713 | Rank: 24

Much like Kuja, this version of Valgavoth is bringing Rakdos Burn to the front of Commander players' minds. This Elder Demon doesn't provide any burn himself, but he keeps our hand full and becomes a potent flying threat if left unchecked. And, if our opponents want to remove him from the board, they're likely going to trigger his ability at least once!

Valgavoth is a great card for those among you who don't mind being the villain of your commander pod. His strength, and leadership of the Endless Punishment precon, have placed him in our top 10!

#9. Fire Lord AzulaFire Lord Azula

Decks: 24,939 | Rank: 23

Once again, an Avatar: The Last Airbender commander has risen extremely quickly in EDHREC's rankings. Azula lets us copy our most powerful spells and provides us with the mana we'll need to cast those spells.

Nowadays, all the most popular commanders are self-contained value engines like this. Azula just so happens to be a particularly potent one, copying nearly every spell we cast while also giving us to make that casting easier. I did a deck tech on her just a few months ago, too!

#8. Teval, the Balanced ScaleTeval, the Balanced Scale

Decks: 27,911 | Rank: 17

Teval is another one of those self-contained value engines. He fills up our graveyard, pulls lands out of the bin, and rewards us for doing so. Teval grants us access to extra mana, a 'yard that's chock full of permanents, and a board covered in 2/2 creature tokens.

He gives us all the ingredients we'll need to win the game, and is a 4/4 flying creature to boot. This Dragon is Tormod, the DesecratorTormod, the Desecrator's cool older brother.

#7. Ms. BumbleflowerMs. Bumbleflower

Decks: 29,064 | Rank: 13

Ms. Bumbleflower seems like a sweet Group Hug commander, until you realize that she's letting her pilot draw more cards than anyone else while also providing a crazy amount of +1/+1 counters on all of her pilot's creatures. This Rabbit is deceiving you. Do not fall for her trickery! Do not underestimate her!

The subtle, hidden power of Ms. Bumbleflower (and her leadership of a precon from one of the most popular in-universe sets of 2024) have put her at #13 on EDHREC's rankings.

#6. The Wise MothmanThe Wise Mothman

Decks: 30,124 | Rank: 10

This bug provides a really interesting take on mill. Most commander players don't love feeling like they're "losing" a card that they could have drawn when they get milled during their upkeep. But rad counters provide their mill trigger after players have already drawn for the turn to alleviate some of that stress.

Many mill decks have the problem of not actually winning the game effectively, either, instead just making it very difficult for anyone to take meaningful game actions. The Wise Mothman fixes both of those problems effectively. Its precon was also extremely cool, with fantastic new cards like Raul, Trouble ShooterRaul, Trouble Shooter.

This commander is so well-designed that it's netted itself a slot in EDHREC's top 10!

#5. Lathril, Blade of the ElvesLathril, Blade of the Elves

Decks: 30,569 | Rank: 9

Elves have been popular with players since Magic's first set releases. There's powerhouses like Circle of Dreams DruidCircle of Dreams Druid, synergy pieces like Elvish WarmasterElvish Warmaster, and even recent releases like High Perfect MorcantHigh Perfect Morcant. Lathril gets access to all of the best Elves in the format, and does Elfball better than any other commander.

She's only gotten stronger recently with all the fantastic typal cards released in Lorwyn Eclipsed.

#4. Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast

Decks: 34,672 | Rank: 6

Commander players love cheating big creatures onto the battlefield, and Kaalia lets them do it with three of Magic's most iconic types. She is quite vulnerable to removal, though, and needs to attack at least once to trigger her ability. That can all be fixed with a copy of Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves. Most Kaalia decks rely pretty heavily on their commander, but pilots have access to cards like Deflecting SwatDeflecting Swat and Flawless ManeuverFlawless Maneuver to ensure she sticks on the battlefield.

Her attack trigger can slam a Balefire DragonBalefire Dragon, Avacyn, Angel of HopeAvacyn, Angel of Hope, or even a Lord of the VoidLord of the Void onto the board way ahead of schedule.

#3. Y'shtola, Night's Blessed

Decks: 35,668 | Rank: 5

I'll admit that I didn't expect Y'shtola to be this popular. She's certainly a powerful commander, but her abilities don't seem as obviously powerful to me as the other cards that find themselves in EDHREC's top 10. But, here she is pushing all the way into our site's top five!

She has great synergy with free counterspells like Force of WillForce of Will, format staples like Frantic SearchFrantic Search, and even Game Changers like Rhystic StudyRhystic Study. She works so well with so many different types of cards that it's hard to build a "bad" Y'shtola deck.

#2. Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss

Decks: 36,961 | Rank: 4

Fun fact, the first Commander game that I ever played was against a Krenko deck. My friend beat me on turn three with an army of infinite Goblins. It's a miracle that I didn't quit playing Magic right then and there.

Krenko is one of the fastest mono- decks out there, and can draw from Magic's 30-year history of powerful Goblins. He just got another new tool with Hexing SquelcherHexing Squelcher, and I'm sure that he'll get even more powerful cards for his 99 in upcoming sets.

Krenko is a simple, yet extremely powerful design that teaches players what can do every time he hits the table.

#1. Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice

Decks: 39,438 | Rank: 3

Counters are ubiquitous in Commander. From +1/+1 counters on creatures to loyalty counters on planeswalkers to poison counters on players, a huge portion of Commander decks are seeking to win by manipulating counters in one way or another.

Atraxa lets all of those strategies flourish. She works particularly well with infect; if we manage to get poison counters on each of our opponents, we can cruise to a quick victory alongside our commander, ThrummingbirdThrummingbird and Tezzeret's GambitTezzeret's Gambit.

For those of you who know Magic lore, that's pretty on-theme for this Phyrexian Angel.

Conclusion

Four mana seems to be the sweet spot for commanders these days. We get to cast a ramp spell on turn two to cast our powerful commander on turn three, and start generating value ahead of schedule! Only one commander on this list is ranked outside of EDHREC's top 100, further proving the popularity of four-mana commanders.

What's your favorite four-mana commander? I'm still partial to Denry Klin, Editor in ChiefDenry Klin, Editor in Chief. My first Magic article ever was about him, so he's got a pretty special place in my heart. Let me know your favorite, and the story behind it, in the comments below!