One of the biggest decisions in Commander isn't choosing a deck.

It's choosing your colors.

Every color combination in Magic offers a different experience, different strengths, and different ways to win.

If you're new to Commander, understanding color identities can help you find decks that naturally fit your playstyle.

Let's explore some of the most popular two-color combinations and what they do best.

Azorius (White-Blue)

Best For:

• Control
• Board wipes
• Flying creatures
• Counterspells

Azorius players enjoy controlling the pace of the game.

If you like answering threats, protecting yourself, and winning through careful planning, Azorius may be the perfect choice.

Popular Azorius Commanders include:

• Brago, King Eternal
• Shorikai, Genesis Engine
• Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

Dimir (Blue-Black)

Best For:

• Card advantage
• Graveyard strategies
• Mill
• Sneaky gameplay

Dimir rewards patience and clever decision-making.

Players who enjoy manipulating resources and generating incremental value often feel at home here.

Popular Dimir Commanders include:

• Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
• The Scarab God
• Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver

Rakdos (Black-Red)

Best For:

• Sacrifice strategies
• Aggressive gameplay
• Damage effects
• Risk and reward mechanics

Rakdos decks tend to play fast and hit hard.

If you enjoy explosive turns and aggressive strategies, Rakdos offers plenty of excitement.

Popular Rakdos Commanders include:

• Prosper, Tome-Bound
• Judith, Carnage Connoisseur
• Rakdos, Lord of Riots

Gruul (Red-Green)

Best For:

• Ramp
• Big creatures
• Combat-focused decks
• Aggressive board presence

Gruul doesn't overcomplicate things.

Play lands.

Cast enormous creatures.

Attack.

If that sounds appealing, Gruul might be your ideal color pair.

Popular Gruul Commanders include:

• Xenagos, God of Revels
• Atarka, World Render
• Henzie "Toolbox" Torre

Selesnya (Green-White)

Best For:

• Tokens
• Lifegain
• Creature synergies
• Going wide

Selesnya excels at building large armies and overwhelming opponents through sheer board presence.

Popular Selesnya Commanders include:

• Trostani, Selesnya's Voice
• Cadira, Caller of the Small
• Ellivere of the Wild Court

Orzhov (White-Black)

Best For:

• Aristocrats
• Lifedrain
• Sacrifice strategies
• Recursion

Orzhov thrives on slowly grinding value from every resource.

Many players enjoy its ability to steadily outlast opponents.

Popular Orzhov Commanders include:

• Teysa Karlov
• Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim
• Liesa, Shroud of Dusk

Izzet (Blue-Red)

Best For:

• Spellslinger
• Combo turns
• Instants and sorceries
• Big explosive plays

Izzet rewards creativity.

If you enjoy chaining spells together and creating spectacular turns, you'll probably love Izzet.

Popular Izzet Commanders include:

• Niv-Mizzet, Parun
• Veyran, Voice of Duality
• Stella Lee, Wild Card

Golgari (Black-Green)

Best For:

• Graveyard recursion
• Self-mill
• Resource generation
• Long games

Golgari is incredibly resilient.

Many Golgari decks become stronger the longer the game continues.

Popular Golgari Commanders include:

• Meren of Clan Nel Toth
• Muldrotha, the Gravetide
• The Gitrog Monster

Simic (Blue-Green)

Best For:

• Ramp
• Card draw
• Value engines
• Big mana strategies

Simic has a simple philosophy:

More lands.

More cards.

More resources.

It's one of the easiest color combinations for new players to understand and enjoy.

Popular Simic Commanders include:

• Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait
• Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
• Tatyova, Benthic Druid

Boros (Red-White)

Best For:

• Combat
• Equipment
• Aggressive creature strategies
• Fast pressure

Modern Boros decks have evolved far beyond simple aggression.

Today they combine powerful combat strategies with impressive card advantage engines.

Popular Boros Commanders include:

• Winota, Joiner of Forces
• Otharri, Suns' Glory
• Aragorn, King of Gondor

Which Color Pair Should You Choose?

Ask yourself:

Do you like controlling the game?

Choose:

-Azorius
-Dimir

Do you enjoy huge creatures and combat?

Choose:

-Gruul
-Selesnya
-Boros

Do you love graveyard strategies?

Choose:

-Golgari
-Dimir
-Orzhov

Do you enjoy casting lots of spells?

Choose:

-Izzet
-Dimir
-Simic

Do you like sacrificing creatures for value?

Choose:

-Rakdos
-Orzhov
-Golgari

Final Thoughts

There is no universally "best" color combination in Commander.

Every color pair offers unique strengths, weaknesses, and playstyles.

The best choice is the one that matches how you enjoy playing Magic.

Try different color identities, experiment with new strategies, and you'll eventually discover the combinations that feel most natural to you.

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Read our Most Played Commanders Guide

Read our Commander Staples Guide

Read our Biggest Commander Traps Guide