Control decks in Commander archetype focus on slowing down the game, denying opponents’ threats, and eventually winning through overwhelming advantage. They’re ideal for players who enjoy long-term planning, interacting with the table, and choosing the right moment to strike.
🧠 What Is Control in Commander?
Control decks win by managing threats, answering key spells, and out-valuing opponents over time. Rather than racing for early damage, Control decks:
- Counter spells
- Destroy or exile creatures
- Draw extra cards
- Eventually land a game-winning bomb
Most Control decks lean into blue, but white, black, and even red offer strong support tools.
👑 Beginner-Friendly Control Commanders
If you’re new to Control, start with these well-balanced and budget-friendly commanders:
🔷 Talrand, Sky Summoner
Every instant and sorcery makes a 2/2 flying Drake. Great for spellslinger-control hybrids.
⚪🔷 Brago, King Eternal
Exiles and reuses ETB (enter-the-battlefield) effects. Dominates the long game with value engines.
⚫🔷 Aminatou, the Fateshifter
Powerful flicker, top-deck manipulation, and synergy with planeswalkers.
🔷🔴⚪ Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
Great for tempo-control and casting multiple spells per turn.
📦 Key Control Cards for Commander
Control decks rely on removal, board wipes, countermagic, and card advantage.
🔒 Removal & Control Tools:
- Swords to Plowshares – Clean, cheap removal
- Cyclonic Rift – Reset the board (and tilt your table)
- Counterspell – A staple of blue control
- Toxic Deluge – Board wipe that gets around indestructible
📚 Card Advantage:
- Rhystic Study – The most annoying value engine in Commander
- Fact or Fiction – Great for card selection and politics
- Mystic Remora – Draw for days
🏰 Win Conditions:
- Torrential Gearhulk – Flash threat and spell recursion
- Approach of the Second Sun – A surprising alternate win
- Consecrated Sphinx – Draw two cards every time an opponent draws
🛠️ Tips for Building a Control Commander Deck
- Run 10–15 pieces of interaction (removal, counters)
- Include 3–5 board wipes
- Value instant-speed effects to maintain flexibility
- Focus on card advantage to fuel your control
- Choose win conditions that close out games quickly once you’ve stabilized
🪙 Reserved List Control Staples
Some powerful Control tools are on the MTG Reserved List. Here are a few worth considering:
- The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale – Brutal for creature-heavy opponents
- Moat – Locks down aggro decks
- Forcefield – Oddball but cool control relic
Can’t afford them? Abyss Proxy Shop offers tournament-quality proxies so you can experience these classics at your kitchen table without breaking the bank.
🤝 How Control Fits Into Your Playgroup
Before sleeving up a Control deck:
- Check your group’s proxy policy
- Talk about power level expectations (Control tends to scale upward)
- Consider how long your games typically run—Control can stretch the clock
If your meta is casual and combat-heavy, Control is a great counterbalance.
📈 Control in Commander Today
Control has never been stronger. With new cards like Farewell and Displacer Kitten, the tools just keep improving.
Control isn’t just about being reactive—it’s about choosing your moment, knowing what to answer, and outlasting three opponents with wit and resource management.
🔗 Start Your Control Build
Want to play Control but can’t stomach Reserved List prices?
Explore Abyss Proxy Shop’s Control staples collection for affordable, premium-quality proxies.