Exalted but better by Acermanta

Format: Commander

Commander: Rafiq of the Many

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 32

Deck overview

This Bant Voltron deck is commanded by Rafiq of the Many and built around the exalted mechanic. The primary game plan accelerates early mana to cast Rafiq on Turn 3 or 4, immediately leveraging exalted triggers and Rafiq's double strike ability to deal massive chunks of commander damage with a single solo attacker. High-impact enchantments such as Finest Hour, Sublime Archangel, and Sovereigns of Lost Alara allow individual swings to reach one-shot lethal thresholds. To maintain board parity while attacking with only one creature, the list runs combat-throttling permanents like Dueling Grounds and Silent Arbiter, preventing opponents from mounting wide attacks or multi-blocking. The deck shields its central threat with an efficient suite of protection spells including Heroic Intervention, Flawless Maneuver, and Flare of Fortitude. It wins through sequential combat eliminations across Turns 5 through 7.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Adarkar Wastes
  • 1 Akrasan Squire
  • 1 Akroma's Will
  • 1 Aqueous Form
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Ardent Plea
  • 1 Armadillo Cloak
  • 1 Austere Command
  • 1 Aven Squire
  • 1 Battlegrace Angel
  • 1 Bear Umbra
  • 1 Birds of Paradise
  • 1 Blighted Agent
  • 1 Boseiju, Who Endures
  • 1 Bountiful Promenade
  • 1 Breeding Pool
  • 1 Brushland
  • 1 Canopy Vista
  • 1 Chromatic Lantern
  • 1 Combat Research
  • 1 Command Beacon
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Concordant Crossroads
  • 1 Dawn's Truce
  • 1 Deserted Beach
  • 1 Dovin's Veto
  • 1 Dreamroot Cascade
  • 1 Dueling Grounds
  • 1 Eldrazi Conscription
  • 1 Emissary of Soulfire
  • 1 Enchantress's Presence
  • 1 Ethercaste Knight
  • 1 Exotic Orchard
  • 1 Farseek
  • 1 Favor of the Overbeing
  • 1 Finest Hour
  • 1 Flare of Fortitude
  • 1 Flawless Maneuver
  • 1 Flooded Strand
  • 2 Forest
  • 1 Giltspire Avenger
  • 1 Glacial Fortress
  • 1 Hall of Heliod's Generosity
  • 1 Hallowed Fountain
  • 1 Heroic Intervention
  • 1 Idolized
  • 1 Island
  • 1 Knight of Glory
  • 1 Merchant of Truth
  • 1 Nature's Lore
  • 1 Noble Hierarch
  • 1 Open the Armory
  • 1 Otawara, Soaring City
  • 1 Overgrown Farmland
  • 9 Plains
  • 1 Prairie Stream
  • 1 Qasali Pridemage
  • 1 Rafiq of the Many
  • 1 Rashel, Fist of Torm
  • 1 Rejuvenating Springs
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Sea of Clouds
  • 1 Seaside Citadel
  • 1 Shadowspear
  • 1 Sheltered by Ghosts
  • 1 Shield of the Oversoul
  • 1 Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
  • 1 Sigil of Valor
  • 1 Sigiled Paladin
  • 1 Silent Arbiter
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Sovereigns of Lost Alara
  • 1 Spara's Headquarters
  • 1 Spirit Mantle
  • 1 Sram, Senior Edificer
  • 1 Staggering Insight
  • 1 Steel of the Godhead
  • 1 Stoic Angel
  • 1 Sublime Archangel
  • 1 Sunpetal Grove
  • 1 Super State
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Swords to Plowshares
  • 1 Sythis, Harvest's Hand
  • 1 Talisman of Progress
  • 1 Talisman of Unity
  • 1 Team Avatar
  • 1 Temple Garden
  • 1 Unflinching Courage
  • 1 Windswept Heath
  • 1 Yuriko, Blade of the Mighty