MTG Commander decks are the easiest way to start playing Magic’s most popular casual format. A preconstructed Commander deck, or precon, gives you a complete 100-card deck that you can play straight out of the box, and there are more to choose from than ever. This guide explains what comes in a precon, the difference between regular and Collector’s Editions, and the best decks from recent sets, from Final Fantasy and Marvel to Strixhaven and Lorwyn.

Quick picks: for beginners, a Starter Commander Deck · for Final Fantasy fans, Limit Break or Counter Blitz · for Marvel fans, Avengers Assemble or Doom Prevails · for the newest sets, Blight Curse or Lorehold Spirit.

What comes in MTG Commander decks?

Most modern MTG precon Commander decks follow the same format:

A 100-card ready-to-play deck.
2 traditional foil borderless legendary commanders: a “face” commander and a “featured” one.
98 non-foil cards, including about 10 cards new to Magic.
10 double-sided tokens or punch-out counters.
A reference card and a deck box.

Universes Beyond decks usually have more new cards. Each Final Fantasy deck has 25 new-to-Magic cards, and the Marvel Super Heroes decks have 29 (26 for The Fantastic Four). Some decks also add a Collector Booster Sample Pack.

Regular vs Collector’s Edition

Universes Beyond precons often come in two versions. The Collector’s Edition has the same decklist, but every card, including the commanders and full-art basics, is surge foil, and so are the tokens. It costs roughly twice as much as the regular deck, so it is mainly for collectors and players who want a fully foil deck.

MTG Final Fantasy Commander decks

The MTG Final Fantasy Commander decks launched with the Final Fantasy set on June 13, 2025. There are four, each based on a different game, according to the official Final Fantasy decklists:

Limit Break (Final Fantasy VII; red, green and white): Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER and Tifa.
Counter Blitz (Final Fantasy X; green, white and blue): Tidus and Yuna.
Revival Trance (Final Fantasy VI; red, white and black): Terra, Herald of Hope and Celes.
Scions & Spellcraft (Final Fantasy XIV; white, blue and black): Y’shtola and G’raha Tia.

Each came in a regular version and a Collector’s Edition, such as the Counter Blitz Collector’s Edition and the Revival Trance Collector’s Edition. A special Final Fantasy VII Commander Deck Game Edition later combined Limit Break with a foil Cloud and a code for the game.

MTG Marvel Commander decks

The MTG Marvel Commander decks arrived with Marvel Super Heroes on June 26, 2026. All four came in regular and Collector’s Editions, as listed in the official Marvel Super Heroes decklists:

Avengers Assemble (blue, red and white): led by Captain America, Team Leader.
Wakanda Forever (green and white): led by T’Challa, the Black Panther.
The Fantastic Four (white, blue, red and green): four foil face commanders, Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, Human Torch and The Thing.
Doom Prevails (blue, black and red): led by Doctor Doom, King of Latveria.

The best MTG Commander decks from recent sets

Lorwyn Eclipsed

Two decks: Dance of the Elements, a five-color Elementals deck led by Ashling, the Limitless, and the Blight Curse deck, a Jund deck built around -1/-1 counters and curses with Auntie Ool, Cursewretch. Read more in our Lorwyn Eclipsed guide.

Secrets of Strixhaven

Five decks, one per college: Silverquill Influence, Prismari Artistry, Witherbloom Pestilence, Lorehold Spirit and Quandrix Unlimited. The Lorehold Spirit deck, with Quintorius, History Chaser, is built around the graveyard and Spirit tokens. See our Secrets of Strixhaven guide.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

One five-color deck, Turtle Power!, led by Leonardo, the Balance, with five featured commanders. Read our TMNT MTG guide for more.

Edge of Eternities

Two decks: Counter Intelligence (blue, red and white) and World Shaper (black, red and green). See our Edge of Eternities guide.

Aetherdrift and Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Aetherdrift had Living Energy and Eternal Might, and Tarkir: Dragonstorm had five three-color clan decks: Jeskai Striker, Mardu Surge, Sultai Arisen, Abzan Armor and Temur Roar.

Best MTG Commander decks for beginners

If you are brand new, the Starter Commander Decks are a simple way in. They came out in December 2022, so they are older, but they are two-color decks that are easier to learn. Each has a foil-etched commander, 99 cards, tokens, a deck box, a strategy insert, a rules summary and a turn reference, and all of them include Sol Ring.

First Flight (white and blue): Isperia, Supreme Judge, with lots of flyers.
Grave Danger (blue and black): Gisa and Geralf, with Zombies.
Chaos Incarnate (black and red): Kardur, Doomscourge.

MTG Commander decks for beginners: the First Flight Starter Commander Deck — First Flight is a simple white and blue flyers deck.

An older favourite: Revenant Recon

The Revenant Recon deck from Murders at Karlov Manor (2024) is a blue and black deck led by Mirko, Obsessive Theorist. It also came with a foil-etched display commander, a Collector Booster Sample Pack and a life wheel.

Revenant Recon Commander deck — Revenant Recon is a blue and black deck from Murders at Karlov Manor.

Sets without precons

Not every set gets MTG Commander decks. Marvel’s Spider-Man and The Hobbit had no precons, and Avatar: The Last Airbender has a build-your-own Commander’s Bundle instead. Read our Avatar MTG guide for more on that.

Upgrading a precon

Upgrading MTG Commander decks is half the fun. A precon gives you a working deck with a clear theme, and over time you can swap weaker cards for stronger ones from booster packs, singles or other decks. Most MTG precon Commander decks are designed with this in mind, with a solid core and plenty of room to grow.

A simple way to start is to play the deck a few times as it is, note the cards that never do much, and replace them one at a time. Lands and card draw are often the best first upgrades.

How to choose

Choosing between MTG Commander decks comes down to a few simple questions:

Pick a theme you love: a favourite franchise, plane or creature type makes the deck more fun.
Check the colors: two-color decks are simpler; four- and five-color decks are more complex.
Think about upgrades: most players improve a precon over time with cards from boosters and singles.
Regular or Collector’s: choose the Collector’s Edition only if you want every card in surge foil.

Frequently asked questions

Are precon Commander decks ready to play?

Yes. Every precon is a complete 100-card deck. They are built for casual games, and most players upgrade them over time.

How many cards are in a Commander precon?

100 cards, including the commanders. Most decks also come with 10 tokens or counters, a reference card and a deck box.

Are Universes Beyond decks legal in Commander?

Yes. Final Fantasy, Marvel and TMNT decks are legal in the Commander format.

Which MTG Commander decks are best for beginners?

A two-color Starter Commander Deck like First Flight is the easiest to learn, though newer decks offer more powerful cards.

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Best MTG Commander Precon Decks to Buy

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