The last quarter of this year saw our club running a Commander colours challenge. I started writing about the event back in early August when I knew it was coming up and was trying to decide what sort of deck I wanted to build. Shortly thereafter, I posted up the rules for the event. I also shared in that post what colour combination I had drawn, and the commander on which I had settled.
In mid-September, I shared the decklists that had come in on time, and gave some thoughts on each one. There were a lot of fun decks in the lineup and I was really looking forward to getting some games in. There are a few decks that ended up participating that are not in that post, mostly due to slightly late entry or submission. We’re pretty flexible!
Now, a few months later, the dust has settled and we have our podium finishers!
1st Place: Baylen, the Haymaker (Naya)
In first place was my deck! I’ve already written about putting this deck together and then subsequently reviewed how it played, so I’m not going to spend long writing about it here. I knew it would do okay. I knew it would pump out tokens and that the deck gave me lots of different things to do with those tokens. What cI did not expect was how good it would be. Specifically, I didn’t realise how quickly it would ramp or recover from disaster. That ability to come back strong after a board wipe was really crucial.
Overall, I’m really happy with the deck, and it’s a lot of fun to play. I’d like to see, now that the event is over and I am free to make changes, how I can further upgrade it.
You can click here to view this deck.
2nd Place: Inniaz the gale force (Azorius)
Inniaz swooped into second place with a deck that really leaned into what Azorius fliers do best: get above the mess and stay there. The evasive pressure was constant, but what really set this list apart was the chaos factor. Passing permanents around the table sounds cute until someone’s combo piece quietly migrates to the wrong side of the battlefield. It forced everyone to rethink their plans on the fly, and that unpredictability made the deck feel both infuriating and brilliant in equal measure.
What impressed me most was how well it balanced control and mischief. It wasn’t just counterspells and board wipes; it was this steady, needling disruption that kept the whole table slightly off‑kilter. And despite the trickiness, it never stopped being fun. It was creative, clever, and very on‑theme for a commander who literally blows things around.
A really strong showing, and a deck that absolutely earned its place near the top.
You can click here to view the deck.
3rd Place: Silas Renn, Seeker Adept and Rebbec, Architect of Ascension (Esper)
This Esper artifact build came into the event with a really clear identity, and it absolutely delivered on that promise. Silas and Rebbec give so many possible directions, and the pairing felt razor‑focused. Between the sheer density of artifacts and the number of ways they interacted, the deck always seemed to have another line, another recursion loop, another value engine ticking away in the background.
What stood out most during play was how resilient it was. Losing pieces never felt like it slowed the deck down for long; Silas quietly stitched things back together, Rebbec kept key threats insulated, and the board just… rebuilt itself. And when it wasn’t grinding value, it was threatening to win out of nowhere, whether through a massive construct, a sky full of Thopters, or the looming inevitability of Mirrodin Besieged. It had that classic Esper feeling of being one step ahead, even when it wasn’t the loudest deck at the table.
A very cohesive, very deliberate list, and one that earned its spot in the top three through sheer synergy and staying power.
You can click here to view this deck.
Final Thoughts
This was a fun event, with a lot of really cool decks. After a not-so-great showing in our previous challenge, I was delighted to do well this time. Some of our club members may never trust a bunny again, though! They’re innocent, I swear!
There was good sportsmanship throughout the event as well, which we always appreciate. Commander, as a game, can be political. This always has an impact on the game, and I’m glad things went pretty smoothly.
There will be another challenge in the new year, and we’re currently voting on the form that will take. At the moment, with how the vote is leaning, it’s probably going to be a Typal Challenge.
Maybe I could run Rabbits!
No. I won’t be.
I’m looking forward to what we end up with in 2026!
No Rerolls 