Art by Michael Komarck
Commander deckGUW
Rafiq of the Many
Leverage Rafiq's double strike and exalted triggers to eliminate opponents in lethal single-creature swings, amplified by extra turns, Finest Hour, and protected by premier Bant countermagic and stax pieces.
Asked for“rafiq of the many Deck focused on Exalted trick, extra combats or turns. I would like it to control as well. I want it to be a bracket 4 optimized”
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 · 62 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
1Rafiq of the Many
1GWULegendary Creature — Human Knight
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
10
Noble Hierarch
GCreature — Human Druid
Bant mana dork providing an exalted trigger
Avacyn's Pilgrim
GCreature — Human Monk
One-mana acceleration into a turn-three Rafiq
Delighted Halfling
GCreature — Halfling Citizen
Accelerates and makes Rafiq uncounterable
Card Draw
10
Esper Sentinel
WArtifact Creature — Human Soldier
Early creature-based tax and card draw engine
Cold-Eyed Selkie
1GUGUCreature — Merfolk Rogue
Draws extreme amounts of cards with Rafiq's double strike
Puresteel Paladin
WWCreature — Human Knight
Equipment card draw and free equip costs
Removal
12
Threats/Wincons
20
Finest Hour
2GWUEnchantment
Grants exalted and an immediate extra combat for lethal Rafiq damage
Temporal Manipulation
3UUSorcery
Unconditional extra turn spell for closed combat loops
Sovereigns of Lost Alara
4WUCreature — Spirit
Exalted attacker that cheats Eldrazi Conscription into play
Sublime Archangel
2WWCreature — Angel
Grants exalted to all controlled creatures for enormous buffs
Medomai the Ageless
4WULegendary Creature — Sphinx
Generates extra turns on combat damage with Rafiq
Eldrazi Conscription
8Kindred Enchantment — Eldrazi Aura
Turn-ending aura providing +10/+10, trample, and annihilator 2
Sword of Feast and Famine
3Artifact — Equipment
Untaps all lands and provides protection for multi-spell turns
Sword of Fire and Ice
3Artifact — Equipment
Evasion, direct damage, and draw triggered twice by Rafiq
Shadowspear
1Legendary Artifact — Equipment
Provides essential trample and lifelink on a single mana
Umezawa's Jitte
2Legendary Artifact — Equipment
Gains four counters per turn with double strike for removal or pump
Blackblade Reforged
2Legendary Artifact — Equipment
Massive power scaling to guarantee one-shot kills
Steel of the Godhead
2WUEnchantment — Aura
Makes Rafiq unblockable and grants lifelink
Shield of the Oversoul
2GWEnchantment — Aura
Grants indestructible, flying, and buffs to Rafiq
Qasali Pridemage
GWCreature — Cat Wizard
Exalted creature that doubles as artifact/enchantment removal
Battlegrace Angel
3WWCreature — Angel
Exalted trigger providing lifelink to the lone attacker
Stoneforge Mystic
1WCreature — Kor Artificer
Tutors and cheats key equipment into play
Utility
10
Lightning Greaves
2Artifact — Equipment
Free haste and shroud to swing immediately
Grand Abolisher
WWCreature — Human Cleric
Prevents counterspells and combat interaction on your turn
Drannith Magistrate
1WCreature — Human Wizard
High-tier control stax piece shutting down commanders
Ranger-Captain of Eos
1WWCreature — Human Soldier Ranger
Tutors mana dorks and sacrifices to silence opponents
Teferi's Protection
2WInstant
Ultimate board protection from wipes and lethal swings
Smothering Tithe
3WEnchantment
Provides massive treasure generation against drawing opponents
Mother of Runes
WCreature — Human Cleric
Targeted color protection against removal and blockers
Giver of Runes
WCreature — Kor Cleric
Protects Rafiq and pushes damage through colorless or colored blockers
