Which Commander Precon Should You Buy? A Buyer’s Guide
Some links on this page are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more
In short: at the time of writing, most new players should start with one of the five Foundations Commander decks, while Marvel fans and experienced players have great options a step up in price.
- Best for brand-new players: Tramplesaurus Rex or Reign of Dragons, about $30 each.
- Best Marvel deck overall: Avengers Assemble. Easiest Marvel deck: Wakanda Forever.
- Best for experienced players: Multiverse Reforged (Jace) or The Fantastic Four.
- Coming soon: four Star Trek Commander decks on November 13, at $74.99 each.
Preconstructed Commander decks, or precons, are the easiest way to get into the format. Each box gives you a complete, ready-to-play 100-card deck, usually with a few new cards you cannot find anywhere else.
The hard part is choosing. Wizards of the Coast has released more than a dozen Commander decks this year alone, at prices ranging from about $30 to $75. This guide compares the decks you can find on shelves right now, explains who each one is for, and looks ahead to what is coming next.
The precons on shelves right now
Here is a quick overview of the Commander decks released this year that are still easy to find in October. Prices are approximate MSRPs; actual store prices vary, and older decks can sell above or below retail.
| Deck | Set (release) | Colors | Commander | Playstyle | Difficulty | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tramplesaurus Rex | Foundations Commander (Oct) | Green | Ghalta, Primal Hunger | Big creatures | Easy | $30 |
| Reign of Dragons | Foundations Commander (Oct) | Red | Lathliss, Dragon Queen | Dragons | Easy | $30 |
| Calling All Angels | Foundations Commander (Oct) | White | Giada, Font of Hope | Flying Angels | Easy | $30 |
| Wretched Ranks | Foundations Commander (Oct) | Black | Ghoulcaller Gisa | Zombies and sacrifice | Easy | $30 |
| Keen Engineering | Foundations Commander (Oct) | Blue | Sai, Master Thopterist | Artifacts and Thopters | Easy | $30 |
| Multiverse Reforged | Reality Fracture (Oct) | White-blue-black-red | Jace, Multiverse Architect | Tokens into big creatures | Advanced | $50 |
| Avengers Assemble | Marvel Super Heroes (Jun) | White-blue-red | Captain America, Team Leader | Hero creatures and counters | Easy to medium | $70-75 |
| Wakanda Forever | Marvel Super Heroes (Jun) | Green-white | T’Challa, the Black Panther | Big artifacts and ramp | Easy | $70-75 |
| Doom Prevails | Marvel Super Heroes (Jun) | Blue-black-red | Doctor Doom, King of Latveria | Villains and life drain | Medium | $70-75 |
| The Fantastic Four | Marvel Super Heroes (Jun) | White-blue-red-green | Four team members | Noncreature spells and copying | Advanced | $70-75 |
| Silverquill Influence | Secrets of Strixhaven (Apr) | White-black | Killian, Decisive Mentor | Auras and goad | Medium | $50 |
| Lorehold Spirit | Secrets of Strixhaven (Apr) | Red-white | Quintorius, History Chaser | Spirit tokens | Medium | $50 |
| Prismari Artistry | Secrets of Strixhaven (Apr) | Blue-red | Rootha, Mastering the Moment | Big spells | Medium | $50 |
| Quandrix Unlimited | Secrets of Strixhaven (Apr) | Green-blue | Zimone, Infinite Analyst | X spells and counters | Medium | $50 |
| Witherbloom Pestilence | Secrets of Strixhaven (Apr) | Black-green | Dina, Essence Brewer | Sacrifice and life gain | Medium | $50 |
| Dance of the Elements | Lorwyn Eclipsed (Jan) | Red | Ashling, the Limitless | Elementals | Medium | $50 |
| Blight Curse | Lorwyn Eclipsed (Jan) | Black-red-green | Auntie Ool, Cursewretch | -1/-1 counters | Advanced | $50 |
The Foundations Commander decks: best for new players
Released on October 2, alongside Reality Fracture, these five mono-color decks are the best value in Commander right now. Each one costs about $30, includes staples like Sol Ring and Arcane Signet, and comes with a foil borderless version of its commander.
Because each deck uses only one color, you never struggle to find the right mana. That makes them perfect for players learning the format and for groups who want to play against each other on an even footing.
- Tramplesaurus Rex (green): Ramp into huge creatures, then cast Ghalta, Primal Hunger for a fraction of its cost. The simplest plan of the bunch. Upgrade guide.
- Reign of Dragons (red): Lathliss, Dragon Queen turns every Dragon you cast into two. Big, flashy and easy to play. Upgrade guide.
- Calling All Angels (white): Giada, Font of Hope makes each Angel bigger than the last. A strong flying army with good removal. Upgrade guide.
- Wretched Ranks (black): Ghoulcaller Gisa sacrifices creatures to make piles of Zombies. A great introduction to black’s value engines. Upgrade guide.
- Keen Engineering (blue): Sai, Master Thopterist creates flying Thopters whenever you cast artifacts. A little more to track, but very rewarding. Upgrade guide.
If you are buying for two new players, grab two of these. They come from the same product line at the same price, so they make a natural pair, and two of them cost less than a single Marvel deck.
Multiverse Reforged: the Reality Fracture deck
Multiverse Reforged is the main Commander deck for Reality Fracture, released on October 2, at about $50. It is led by Jace, Multiverse Architect, a four-color planeswalker commander in white, blue, black and red, with Nissa, Leyline Tamer as the second featured commander.
The plan is to make tokens and then trade them in for big creatures pulled from the top of your library. It is clever and powerful, but sequencing matters, and a four-color mana base asks more of the pilot. We recommend it for players who already have a deck or two under their belt.
It also comes packed with strong reprints, including Command Tower and several dual lands, which makes it good value for players building a collection. Our Multiverse Reforged upgrade guide covers the best changes.
The Marvel Super Heroes decks
The four Marvel Super Heroes decks arrived on June 26, at an MSRP of about $70 to $75 each. Each also has a Collector’s Edition with every card in surge foil for about $150. The cards are the same, so only buy the Collector’s Edition if you want the shiny version.
- Avengers Assemble (white-blue-red): Captain America, Team Leader gives your Heroes haste and grows your team with +1/+1 counters. An aggressive, creature-focused deck that is easy to understand and plays well out of the box. Our pick for the best Marvel deck overall. Upgrade guide.
- Wakanda Forever (green-white): T’Challa, the Black Panther creates indestructible Vibranium tokens that ramp you into big artifacts. Two colors and a very clear plan make it the easiest Marvel deck for new players. Upgrade guide.
- Doom Prevails (blue-black-red): Doctor Doom, King of Latveria leads an army of villains that drains opponents and filters through your deck. A slower, more controlling deck for players who enjoy being the bad guy. Upgrade guide.
- The Fantastic Four (white-blue-red-green): Four different team members can lead the deck, and all of them get stronger when you cast noncreature spells. Fun and flexible, but the most complex of the four. Upgrade guide.
The Secrets of Strixhaven and Lorwyn Eclipsed decks
Released earlier in the year, these decks are still around in many stores, often near or below their roughly $50 retail price.
The five Secrets of Strixhaven decks each represent one of the magic school’s colleges. Silverquill Influence is a highlight for social players: Killian, Decisive Mentor goads opponents’ creatures so they fight each other. The other four cover Spirit tokens, big spells, X spells and sacrifice, so there is something for most tastes. Note that some of these decks ship with a lot of basic lands, so a few cheap dual lands are a smart first upgrade.
The two Lorwyn Eclipsed decks from January are more specialized. Dance of the Elements is a mono-red Elemental deck with a low curve, while Blight Curse is a punishing three-color deck built around -1/-1 counters. We would steer complete beginners toward the newer options first.
There is also a single Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Commander deck from March, built around the four turtles and their master with +1/+1 counters and Mutagen tokens. It is a fun pick for fans, but its multi-commander setup is a bit busier than the decks above.
Which precon should you buy? Recommendations by player type
Here is the short version, based on who you are and what you enjoy.
| If you are… | Buy this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Brand new to Commander | Tramplesaurus Rex or Reign of Dragons | Cheapest, simplest, one color |
| Buying a gift for two new players | Any two Foundations decks | A matched pair for less than one Marvel deck |
| A Marvel fan who is new to Magic | Wakanda Forever | Clearest plan of the Marvel decks |
| Looking for the best deck out of the box | Avengers Assemble | Strong, aggressive and fun |
| Someone who loves playing the villain | Doom Prevails | Grindy control and life drain |
| An experienced player who likes puzzles | Multiverse Reforged or The Fantastic Four | Deep, rewarding decision-making |
| A social player who likes table politics | Silverquill Influence | Goad keeps opponents busy with each other |
| A collector | Marvel Collector’s Editions | Every card in surge foil |
| A Star Trek fan | Wait until November 13 | Four themed decks are on the way |
Coming soon: Star Trek and beyond
The next big Commander release is Magic: The Gathering’s Star Trek set, which arrives in stores on November 13, with prerelease events at local game stores the week before. It includes four Commander decks:
- Federation Fleet, built around Starfleet ships and their captains
- Landing Party, focused on an away team exploring new worlds
- Klingon Fury, an aggressive Klingon warrior deck
- We Are the Borg, built around assimilation and the Borg Collective
The standard decks carry an MSRP of $74.99, and fully foil Collector’s Editions are listed at $159.99. We will update this guide with the full commander and decklist details for all four decks as they are revealed.
Looking further ahead, Wizards has announced 2027 sets including Nauctis: The Sunken Realm in February and Marvel: Darkhold Destiny in April. Commander deck details for those sets have not been announced yet.
Tips before you buy
A few things to keep in mind so you get the most from your money:
- Check the price against MSRP. Popular decks can sell above retail right after release, and older decks sometimes drop below it. A few dollars over MSRP is normal; much more is usually worth waiting out.
- Support your local game store. Many stores run Commander nights, which is the best place to actually play your new deck.
- Do not overpay for foil. Collector’s Editions play exactly the same as standard decks.
- Plan a small upgrade budget. Ten to twenty dollars of targeted changes, especially to the mana base, makes most precons feel much smoother. Our guide to building a budget Commander mana base is a good place to start.
- Check your land count. After you upgrade, run your list through our free Deck Checker or read our guide on how many lands to play.
Not sure a precon commander is right for you? Our list of the best commanders for beginners includes a few budget options you can build yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Which Commander precon is best for beginners this year?
The Foundations Commander decks, especially Tramplesaurus Rex and Reign of Dragons. They are mono-color, cost about $30 and have very simple game plans.
Can precons play against each other fairly?
Yes. Precons released around the same time are designed to be roughly balanced against each other, so a group where everyone uses an unmodified precon usually has fair, fun games.
Are the Marvel decks worth the higher price?
If you love the characters, yes. They are well built and include several new cards. If price is your main concern, a Foundations deck gives you a similar experience for less than half the cost.
Should I wait for Star Trek?
Only if you are a Star Trek fan. Otherwise, the decks on shelves today are excellent, and there is no reason to wait to start playing.
