u/LeftCoyote

Pretty simple question, I’m newish to the game and am struggling to understand why [[Xenagos]] is seen as a better commander than [[Halana and Alena, Partners]]. I would imagine that both allow for similar strategies, but H&A’s buff is permanent, while Xenagos only lasts until end of turn. I know Xenagos is more resilient to removal but it still seems that H&A is more suited for Gruul Stompy Strategies. Maybe I’m missing something.

Hey everyone, looking for some advice on a Gruul deck with a Baldur’s Gate / D&D theme. I already have [[Combat Celebrant]], [[Genji Glove]] (technically out of theme) and [[Port Razer]], so I’ve been leaning toward an agro extra-combat build.

My playgroup usually sits around bracket 2, though a few decks in the pod can hang closer to bracket 3.

I originally built this as a [[Minsc & Boo]] deck, but after goldfishing it a few times, I’m not sure how I feel about having a planeswalker as the commander. It seems a bit fragile and like it could draw removal quickly and would be better suited to combo lines in higher brackets than a battle-cruiser pod.

Now I’m considering switching to [[Karlach, Fury of Avernus]] + [[Hardy Outlander]], since that seems like a fun direction. I also have [[Halana and Alena, Partners]] available, which feels strong for the strategy, but I’d lose some of the Baldur’s Gate flavor. I know [[Xenagos]] is popular but for some reason I’m not vibing with him. I also see [[Anzrag]] as a popular commander for extra combats but I feel like he’s a trap and would be better served in the 99.

Would you switch to Karlach, stick with Minsc & Boo, or go with another option such as Halana and Alena? Other Gruul commander recs are also welcome and appreciated. Thanks!