Art by Amy Weber
Commander deckGUW
Phelddagrif
Phelddagrif is the politest killer in Magic: every activation gifts an opponent a Hippo, life, or a card — and pumps him. Hand out Howling Piles and Temple Bells so everyone loves you, hide behind Propaganda and Ghostly Prison so no one attacks the nice player, and quietly build a token army. When the table is fat and happy, cast Craterhoof Behemoth or Overrun and the hugs become very, very final.
Asked for“A Bant group-hug deck: give every opponent cards, life, and Hippo tokens, keep yourself safe with taxes, then win out of nowhere with a token flood and Craterhoof Behemoth.”
Deck anatomy
What this list actually runs on: how cheaply it casts things, and whether it has enough ramp, card draw and interaction to keep up at the table. Each block is one card — hover for its name.
Mana curve · 47 nonland cards
The working parts
Counted from Scryfall’s community card tags, not from the builder’s own labels. A card that does two jobs counts twice, so these add up to more than the deck. The hatched band is a common rule of thumb, not a law — combo decks run leaner, battlecruiser decks heavier.
Colored mana symbols
Commander
1Phelddagrif
1GWULegendary Creature — Phelddagrif
Phelddagrif hands every opponent a Hippo, two life, and a card — and grows a +1/+1 counter every time you do. Be the table's best friend right up until the turn you overrun them all.
Ramp
10
Sakura-Tribe Elder
1GCreature — Snake Shaman
Ramp dork that trades itself for a land.
Card Draw
11
Howling Mine
2Artifact
Everyone draws an extra card — including you. The group-hug flagship.
Otherworld Atlas
4Artifact — Book
Put a counter on each card in everyone's hand, then draw them.
Windfall
2USorcery
Everyone ditches their hand and draws to match — chaos you can steer.
Removal
7
Threats/Wincons
16
Craterhoof Behemoth
5GGGCreature — Beast
The secret: overrun the whole token army you've been building.
Intangible Virtue
1WEnchantment
Your tokens are bigger and sturdier than they look.
Collective Blessing
3GGWEnchantment
Your creatures are +3/+3. All of them. Forever.
Hornet Queen
4GGGCreature — Insect
Flood the board with flying deathtouch insects.
Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
1WWLegendary Creature — Human Knight
Make a Human token every time you attack.
Secure the Wastes
XWInstant
Make any number of tokens at instant speed — the surprise finisher.
Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
4GGLegendary Creature — Human Druid
Turns all your lands into 1/1 creatures for one gigantic swing.
Finale of Revelation
XUUSorcery
Draw huge, then take an extra turn with the army you built.
March of the Multitudes
XGWWInstant
Instant-speed army of 2/2 soldiers — the surprise finisher.
Emmara, Soul of the Accord
GWLegendary Creature — Elf Cleric
Make a Soldier token every time you cast a spell.
Trostani, Selesnya's Voice
GGWWLegendary Creature — Dryad
Populate your tokens and gain a pile of life.
Avenger of Zendikar
5GGCreature — Elemental
A flood of Plant tokens that grow with your lands.
Rootborn Defenses
2WInstant
Populate and make your team indestructible for a turn.
Utility
3
Felidar Retreat
3WEnchantment
Every land makes a token — slow flood into a finisher.
