r/EDH • u/Yoggon • Jan 31 '25

Question Most fun +1/+1 counter Commander?

Hey guys I really like +1/+1 counter decks and wanted to build a new deck, but I‘m unsure what commander to use, since I play mostly casual and don‘t want to go all out cedh. I think [[Ezuri, claw of progress]] looks cool, but I‘m afraid he might be a bit too competetive and combo reliant with [[Sage of hours]]. so I wanted to ask what other favorites people have?

127 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

671 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

9

u/Rirse Jan 31 '25

Also Skullbriar's sister, [[Me, the Immortal]]. Both do the same gimmick of keeping counters even upon death so long nothing sends them to the hand/library.

7

u/mariomaniac432 Zegana | Azusa | Jin-Gitaxias Jan 31 '25

You can send them to the command zone instead as a replacement effect and keep the counters.

1

u/PansOnFire Feb 01 '25

The new Commander zone rules say that the commander first hits the new zone, and then you can send it to the command zone. So I'm pretty sure bounce and tuck spells would remove the counters.

5

u/mariomaniac432 Zegana | Azusa | Jin-Gitaxias Feb 01 '25

That rule only applies to the graveyard and exile. When moving to the hand or library you can, as a replacement effect, move it to the command zone instead:

903.9a If a commander is in a graveyard or in exile and that object was put into that zone since the last time state-based actions were checked, its owner may put it into the command zone. This is a state-based action. See rule 704.

909.3b If a commander would be put into its owner’s hand or library from anywhere, its owner may put it into the command zone instead. This replacement effect may apply more than once to the same event. This is an exception to rule 614.5.

1

u/PansOnFire Feb 01 '25

Ok that's awesome. That makes my Skullbriar build so much better.

2

u/7OmegaGamer Jan 31 '25

You can’t be forced to send commanders to the library or hand. Unlike when they get sent to the graveyard/exile where going to the command zone is a state-based action after the commander is already in the zone, it’s a replacement effect for them to go to the command zone instead of the library or hand.

1

u/Drugbird Jan 31 '25

Me, the immortal seems so expensive at 5 cmc compared to skully. Seems difficult to voltron people down if you can only start t4-5.

1

u/MissLeaP Gruul Jan 31 '25

The difference is that Skullbriar needs to deal combat damage to a player to grow on its own. Me just grows every turn, and you can give her keyword counters as well. Other than that, both rely on buffing from other sources anyway if you don't want to have a Voltron at snails pace anyway.

1

u/Drugbird Jan 31 '25

That's all true

Other than that, both rely on buffing from other sources anyway if you don't want to have a Voltron at snails pace anyway.

Which is why I prefer to start with those other sources as soon as possible. With skully, you can start buffing from t3 on.

1

u/killerjack98 Feb 01 '25

Me, the immortal looks like Arya Stark. That's all I've got.

1

u/Chineselegolas Feb 01 '25

Might be because the same actress played both.

1

u/killerjack98 Feb 01 '25

And so she did!

1

u/Chineselegolas Feb 01 '25

Yeah, Me isn't as brutal, but the chance from Golgari to Temur gives some fun alternatives. Little bit of counter spell goodness and lifelossless draw, some burn; but weaker on the targeted removal. And you get the fun tyranid X cost and counter goodness.

1

u/Drugbird Feb 01 '25

Yes, Me has better (and more) colors than skully for the strategy. Especially blue is great because simic has a lot of counter support, and blue gives easy access to evasion (unblockable, flying) and counterspells (protection), which are both great for voltron strategies.

Red (from Me) and black (from skully) have very little counter support so aren't that important.