<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Priest of Titania|USG|270" href="#" target="_blank">Priest of Titania</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.rleveille.com/">Rebecca Guay</a></em></p>
<p>Rebecca Guay has a special place in the history of <em>Magic</em>. She was an early addition to the ever-growing <em>Magic</em> artist roster, joining in 1996 for five cards in <em>Alliances</em>. Before that, she illustrated comics for both Marvel and DC (and she did work for <em>Magic</em> comics in the '90s as well). Guay did 161 pieces for <em>Magic</em> cards between 1996 and 2016, which puts her up there with some other heavy hitters in the early <em>Magic</em> artist pantheon like Ron Spears, Carl Critchlow, and Marks both Tedin and Poole.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wood Elves|POR|195"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bitterblossom|MOR|58"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enchantress&#039;s Presence|ONS|261"></div></div>
<p>While that prolificness does help build popularity, it really was how her work stood out among other <em>Magic</em> cards that garnered her the most attention and affection from longtime players. Her expertly crafted watercolor works put forth a softer palette and zoomed in on gentler moments than the standard fare at the time. Her art deepened the lore of <em>Magic</em>, the emotional worlds of its characters and settings; while combat has to be a big part of the game, it's not the only reality the characters know. This put a stake in the ground as the game continued to expand in popularity: this will not be exclusively a boys' club, and gratuitously violent and "edgy" art won't be omnipresent in the game.</p>
<p>When I spoke with her at MagicCon Atlanta in 2025 (while I got many of her cards signed, as I am a big fan myself — obviously, hence why this article exists), she emphasized that one of the biggest impacts of her work early on was less so endearing the game to non-male audiences, but more about inviting men to appreciate a style that differed from what they would normally expect (which is to say, and this is me editorializing here, what a male-dominated society says men <em>should</em> like in their art: conquest, violence, and glory).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moment&#039;s Peace|ODY|251"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloak of Feathers|POR|44"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seer&#039;s Vision|INV|270"></div></div>
<p>Since stepping away from regularly producing <em>Magic</em> art, Guay has seen continued success, with galleries and shows displaying her work to eager fans and art collectors. <a href="https://www.rleveille.com/">Her style has evolved significantly over time, too</a>: a focus on sensuality, female desire, and a color palette that now mixes bright pops with rich, dark elements can be found in her recent pieces, which are now primarily oil paintings.</p>
<p>In the last few years, she's popped back into the <em>Magic</em> world, contributing a few more pieces via Secret Lairs and special printings like the serialized Bitterbloom Bearer in <em>Lorwyn Eclipsed</em>. These pieces all bear her newer style, emblematic of the way that both she and the game have evolved over the years.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mother of Runes|SLD|297"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bitterbloom Bearer|ECL|352"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serra the Benevolent|SLD|1252"></div></div>
<h2>Hey, isn't this a deck tech?</h2>
<p>Yes! With that brief retrospective out of the way, let's get to the reason we're here: to build a deck entirely out of cards illustrated by Rebecca Guay. I actually attempted this a few years back, but it failed for a few reasons, each one compounded on by the issue before it:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>There was not a strong commander graced by her art</strong>. Until [REDACTED, you'll see soon], there were only five legendary creatures to choose from, and only one of them had more than a single color to work with: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Asmira, Holy Avenger" href="#" target="_blank">Asmira, Holy Avenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Given that Asmira's text box reads like it wants to lead a black aristocrats deck, there wasn't much to do. Forget synergy, it was near impossible to have Asmira impact the game whatsoever.</li>
<li><strong>The deck was blocked out of one of her most prominent colors: blue.</strong> Asmira being in Selesnya (green/white) being the best option, I missed out on a large swath of cards. There wasn't even a legendary creature in blue at all.</li>
<li><strong>There weren't many cards to pick from</strong>. This is, of course, to be expected when we're limited to one artist's cards, but losing blue removed more than 30 cards from the card pool and made it so I had to run a number of vanilla creatures to make a full deck list.</li>
<li><strong>The cards available were pretty weak on their own.</strong> <em>Magic,</em> back in the artist's <del>heyday</del> Guayday, was a wildly different animal than it is now, and the power level of all but the outliers was much, much lower. I had to lean into interactions that were middling and rare to happen in practice given the lack of consistency: when one of the strongest things you can do is play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haru-Onna" href="#" target="_blank">Haru-Onna</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and hope to draw one of three other Spirits or the one Arcane spell you have access to, just to draw an extra card for four mana...that's not ideal.</li>
</ol>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haru-Onna|SOK|132"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Petalmane Baku|BOK|139"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Joyous Respite|CHK|216"></div></div>
<p>Now, though? Things have changed. And of all sets to make that change happen, turns out it's <em>The Hobbit</em> that has us here today. Enter: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galadriel, Light of Valinor|HOC|32" href="#" target="_blank">Galadriel, Light of Valinor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>The Hobbit's</em> box-toppers, complete with jaw-dropping art from Guay (and which I'm henceforth going to be referring to as Guayladriel unless my editor crushes both my dreams and sense of whimsy). <em>Ed. note - Guayladriel all day, every day.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galadriel, Light of Valinor|HOC|32"></div></div>
<p>Galadriel has been an A-Tier commander since its release in the <em>Lord of the Rings</em> scene boxes in 2023. It's no surprise it's knocking at the top 100 commanders with more than 15,000 decks logged on EDHREC, as it supports a variety of strategies, from Elf Typal and Counters to Tokens and Blink/Bounce decks. A high power floor — it's one of those commanders that effectively says "just play the game and you'll be rewarded" — means it can slot into many different frameworks. Perfect for the very specific use case I have: only including cards that bear Guay's art.</p>
<p>I'll still have some of the issues listed above in my first attempt, but each one is less damning thanks to Guayladriel: adding blue and a commander that doesn't need much beyond a steady stream of creatures to create a threatening game plan is an enormous step in the right direction.</p>
<h2>How the deck will work</h2>
<p>There are three main axes Guayladriel will work on: Elves, Enchantments, and Lands. The first is pretty straightforward, though the other two are a little less so.</p>
<p>Rebecca Guay has drawn a good number of Elves throughout the years — thirteen, to be exact. While that's not as high a number as most typal decks would use of their main focus, it's enough that I am happily sleeving up <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Priest of Titania|USG|270" href="#" target="_blank">Priest of Titania</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodline Shaman|ONS|249" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodline Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> without it being too embarrassing. Some of the Elves are pretty good on their own, too: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Piper|9ED|239" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Piper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wood Elves|EXO|130" href="#" target="_blank">Wood Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greenseeker|TSP|198" href="#" target="_blank">Greenseeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all solid in their own right, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taunting Elf|ONS|290" href="#" target="_blank">Taunting Elf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is actually looking viable when Guayladriel is dumping counters on the board.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Priest of Titania|USG|270"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elvish Piper|9ED|239"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taunting Elf|ONS|290"></div></div>
<p>This is the primary strategy for the deck, and as said, it's straightforward. Play creatures that draw cards with Guayladriel, and then when you have a solid board, start choosing the +1/+1 counters option. These Elves help us pull lands out of our deck and find more creatures. There are good creatures to be found outside of the Elves package — <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aven Mindcensor|FUT|18" href="#" target="_blank">Aven Mindcensor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wonder|JUD|54" href="#" target="_blank">Wonder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> come to mind — though I am running a few less than stellar creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diplomatic Escort|MMQ|74" href="#" target="_blank">Diplomatic Escort</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lynx|P02|132" href="#" target="_blank">Lynx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to ensure the deck has a dense creature count, especially low on the mana curve. Remember, we're working with a very limited subset of cards here!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defense of the Heart|ULG|100"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enchanted Evening|SHM|140"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Carpet of Flowers|USG|240"></div></div>
<p>The second pillar of the deck strategy is Enchantments. And though the original <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchantress&#039;s Presence|ONS|261" href="#" target="_blank">Enchantress&#039;s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Guay card, I'm not including it. The deck will only have eleven enchantments, and though there are some strong ones in there like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carpet of Flowers|USG|240" href="#" target="_blank">Carpet of Flowers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defense of the Heart|ULG|100" href="#" target="_blank">Defense of the Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, playing them isn't core to the strategy. Rather, the deck wants to be blowing enchantments up, and preferably not its own.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchanted Evening|SHM|140" href="#" target="_blank">Enchanted Evening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a lot of work in a deck with several ways to mass blow up enchantments. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calming Verse|PCY|110" href="#" target="_blank">Calming Verse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes a one-sided <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect that should win the game handily. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleansing Nova|SLD|1251" href="#" target="_blank">Cleansing Nova</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will do the same, though you'd need to be sure to prep for that turn — perhaps by kicking the <em>also</em> new Guayladriel-art card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galadriel&#039;s Dismissal|HOC|16" href="#" target="_blank">Galadriel&#039;s Dismissal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before firing off the Nova?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Calming Verse|PCY|110"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cleansing Nova|SLD|1251"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galadriel&#039;s Dismissal|HOC|16"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aura Fracture|PCY|2" href="#" target="_blank">Aura Fracture</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> then becomes a dangerous instrument, as with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchanted Evening|SHM|140" href="#" target="_blank">Enchanted Evening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out it becomes a repeatable, instant-speed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vindicate" href="#" target="_blank">Vindicate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for the low cost of one land. With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wood Elves|EXO|130" href="#" target="_blank">Wood Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the like keeping the lands flowing, this cost is very palatable. (And thanks to the cycle of basics Guay did for <em>Commander 2016</em>, those lands too will be stunning!)</p>
<p>Aura Fracture also leads us to the last aspect of the Guayladriel deck, the Lands portion. It's a small package, and we don't care so much about playing lands as we do them going away...that's right, we're talking <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titania, Protector of Argoth|MB2|249" href="#" target="_blank">Titania, Protector of Argoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Rebecca Guay long ago gave us a stunning portrait of Titania on an old Vanguard card, and it was used on a proper Titania printing in Mystery Booster 2.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titania, Protector of Argoth|MB2|249"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aura Fracture|PCY|2"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dispersing Orb|ONS|80"></div></div>
<p>With Aura Fracture and Titania out, you can start mowing down the opposition while building an army to close out the game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dispersing Orb|ONS|80" href="#" target="_blank">Dispersing Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a backup way to get lands from the 'field to the 'yard, and can disrupt opposing combos or aggression or just let the controller rebuy something neat.</p>
<h2>The Guayladriel Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="EDHREC: Guayladriel" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Galadriel, Light of Valinor
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Asmira, Holy Avenger
*1 Auramancer
*1 Aven Mindcensor
*1 Bloodline Shaman
*1 Commander Eesha
*1 Deathcoil Wurm
*1 Diplomatic Escort
*1 Elvish Lyrist
*1 Elvish Piper
*1 Greenseeker
*1 Heartwood Dryad
*1 Kithkin Healer
*1 Lynx
*1 Mother of Runes
*1 Norwood Archers
*1 Norwood Riders
*1 Norwood Warrior
*1 Oboro Breezecaller
*1 Pride of the Clouds
*1 Priest of Titania
*1 Quirion Trailblazer
*1 Scryb Ranger
*1 Serra Angel
*1 Silkwing Scout
*1 Sky Spirit
*1 Taunting Elf
*1 Thornwind Faeries
*1 Titania, Protector of Argoth
*1 Vigilant Martyr
*1 Wall of Tears
*1 Wonder
*1 Wood Elves
*1 Yavimaya Dryad
*1 Youthful Knight
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*1 Abundance
*1 Angelic Renewal
*1 Aura Fracture
*1 Carpet of Flowers
*1 Defense of the Heart
*1 Dispersing Orb
*1 Enchanted Evening
*1 Fecundity
*1 Holistic Wisdom
*1 Mana Maze
*1 Root Maze
*1 Serra&#039;s Blessing
[/Enchantment]
[Sorcery]
*1 Calming Verse
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Elven Cache
*1 Gaea&#039;s Blessing
*1 Mulch
[/Sorcery]
[Instant]
*1 Boomerang
*1 Galadriel&#039;s Dismissal
*1 Memory Lapse
*1 Moment&#039;s Peace
*1 Muddle the Mixture
*1 Oona&#039;s Grace
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Respite
*1 Resuscitate
*1 Reverent Mantra
*1 Seedtime
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion
*1 Serra the Benevolent
[/Planeswalker]
[Lands]
*12 Forest
*10 Island
*12 Plains
*1 Saprazzan Cove
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>And that's that! I'm so glad there's finally an all-Rebecca Guay deck out there that won't be a bad time to play, because getting to look at all her gorgeous art all game means you get to win, even when you lose.</p>
<p>Sound off in the comments below: who are your favorite <em>Magic</em> artists, both from now and yesterday, and what artists could we reasonably build a similar deck with?</p>
<p>I've been Brandon Amico, here to remind you that true artists measure twice, cut once, then call a professional woodworker because that table just does not look right.</p>
<p>Till next time.</p>


A Commander Deck of Only Rebecca Guay Art

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galadriel, Gift-Giver" href="#" target="_blank">Galadriel, Gift-Giver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/artwork/m8m6O9">Alexander Mokhov</a>)</h6>
<p>Hey friends, Beth, Queen of Cardboard here with a new series, <em>Kindred Spirits</em>. If you haven't figured it out from the title, this series is all about Kindred or Typal creatures. Since we've recently been introduced to EDH powerhouse, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voja, Jaws of the Conclave" href="#" target="_blank">Voja, Jaws of the Conclave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I thought we'd start with one of the oldest types in <em>Magic: The Gathering: </em>Elves. While Elf as a type was first introduced in <em>Alpha</em>, it wasn't until Onslaught that they showed the potential of their type. While it could be argued the Eladamri, Lord of Leaves was and still is a powerful card in an Elf typal deck, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birchlore Rangers" href="#" target="_blank">Birchlore Rangers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodline Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodline Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Pathcutter" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Pathcutter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> showed us a glimmer of what Elves could do. Now, in 2024, Elves remains one of the most popular creature types. With new elves coming in almost every set, that doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon. So whether you're a lifelong lover of Elves or you're new to them, I'm here to help you pick elves for your deck - but be warned, they might not be ones you've thought of.</p>
<h3>Top Commander</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Galadriel, Light of Valinor"></div></div>
<p>No matter your feelings on the <em>Universes Beyond</em> sets, it's clear that <em>The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth</em> brought us a ton of support for Elves. When I'm picking a commander, I'm looking for something that can do a lot where I don't feel boxed in. Galadriel is Bant giving us the much-needed green, as most Elves are green, access to White for protection or a potential blink package and blue for control. We are notably missing access to Black, so our Golgari elves will have to take a seat in a deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Galadriel, Light of Valinor" href="#" target="_blank">Galadriel, Light of Valinor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at the helm. Much like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gala Greeters" href="#" target="_blank">Gala Greeters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Galadriel triggers when a creature enters under your control, up to 3 times. Unless of course, you blink her, something white has plenty of access to. The reason I'm picking her specifically despite her higher mana cost is her triggered ability, which gives you ramp, pump, and card draw all on one card.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selvala, Explorer Returned"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lathril, Blade of the Elves"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nissa, Resurgent Animist"></div></div>
<h3>Top Noncreature Elf Spell</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prowess of the Fair"></div></div>
<p>One of my favorite types of spells are Kindred spells or, spells that really shine when you're playing typal decks. While we may never see typal noncreature spells again, though secretly I wish we would, spells like Prowess of the Fair give you a huge advantage when playing Elves. Not only does this permanent give you the ability to recover after most board wipes, but it counts as an elf when cast. If you have cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lys Alana Bowmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Lys Alana Bowmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyvar Kell" href="#" target="_blank">Tyvar Kell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s emblem, this spell will trigger them. As long as your opponent doesn't use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on you, you're golden.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elderfang Venom"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elvish Promenade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kindred Dominance"></div></div>
<h3>Top Planeswalker</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nissa Revane"></div></div>
<p>There are many iterations of Nissa that are good fits in green decks, but none so perfect for Elves as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nissa Revane" href="#" target="_blank">Nissa Revane</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While Nissa's Chosen isn't the best elf out there by any means, there is no denying that gaining 2 life for each Elf you control is amazing. You also wouldn't be remiss for using the ultimate to bring every Elf in your deck to the battlefield.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tyvar Kell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Freyalise, Llanowar&#039;s Fury"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivien, Monsters&#039; Advocate"></div></div>
<h3>Top Common Elf</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lys Alana Huntmaster"></div></div>
<p>This was a really hard choice with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Priest of Titania" href="#" target="_blank">Priest of Titania</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and our mana dork Elves as options. The reason <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lys Alana Huntmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Lys Alana Huntmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the best elf is simply because of what most Elf decks are trying to do, and that's put more elves on to the battlefield. While this card costs a little more than your average Elf, its also a little bigger than your average Elf at 3/3. Additionally it's triggered ability is priceless. For each Elf spell you cast, you'll get another Elf in play. There's no limit here, play an Elf, get an Elf.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ivy Lane Denizen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wellwisher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Priest of Titania"></div></div>
<h3>Top Uncommon Elf</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Numa, Joraga Chieftain"></div></div>
<p>One of the biggest complaints I have about several types in Magic is that they're so small! Even when you've got 30 of them, it's not always enough damage to overcome 3 other players. Enter Numa. Numa allows you to pay XX to put X +1/+1 counters on any number of Elves whether you control them or not. I'm not sure why you want to put counters on your opponents elves but if you want to, you can. Elf decks usually don't need much for mana, looking at you mana dorks, so putting a bit away into pumping your board is great and you don't even have to tap this card to use the ability so you can still swing in with Numa if you'd like.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tireless Provisioner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rishkar, Peema Renegade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primeval Herald"></div></div>
<h3>Top Rare Elf</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sages of the Anima"></div></div>
<p>Why is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sages of the Anima" href="#" target="_blank">Sages of the Anima</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so good for an Elf deck? Think of this card as an advanced scry, getting to the meat and potatoes of your deck. Instead of drawing one card, you'll get to reveal the top 3 of your library and then put all creatures revealed that way into your hand. In a deck that is 1/3 creatures, as many Elf decks tend to be, you can't miss (forgive me if the RNG gods frown upon you). The cards not put in your hand this way go to the bottom so you don't need to worry about getting them out of your graveyard. You lose nothing. At 5 mana, you have plenty of lands for most Elf decks to function so no worries about shuffling the rest to the bottom.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Beast Whisperer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirkwood Channeler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gaea&#039;s Herald"></div></div>
<h3>Top Mythic</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Allosaurus Shepherd"></div></div>
<p>There are only 4 Mythic non-legendary Elves playable in standard, and I'm not including the one Llanowar Elves Mythic printing. Even so, nothing holds a candle to Allosaurus Shepherd, featured in over 50,000 decks here on EDHREC. This Elf is cheap yet powerful, being uncounterable and making all your green spells uncounterable. With this on board you can tell those blue mages where they can stick it as you cast all your Green spells with glee. If that weren't good enough, he ramps your board, making each Elf a 5/5 Dinosaur in addition to it's other types. I don't want to think too hard on that transformation and just thank him for his hard work.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Master Biomancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rootpath Purifier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underrealm Lich"></div></div>
<h3>Most Underrated Elves</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skyrider Patrol"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Norwood Priestess"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swarm Guildmage"></div></div>
<h3>Best Not Elf</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skyshroud Poacher"></div></div>
<p>So you're probably throwing your device right now in rage that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voja, Jaws of the Conclave" href="#" target="_blank">Voja, Jaws of the Conclave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't listed here, but when you pick it back up, I'd like to explain. Voja is good, almost too good even, but Voja doesn't work if you can't go to combat, Voja doesn't work if it gets wiped off the board as soon as it enters, Voja doesn't work if your opponents are too incensed to let you play the game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyshroud Poacher" href="#" target="_blank">Skyshroud Poacher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to get any Elf in your library and put it into play. With a little untap action, you can do this a lot, retrieving as many Elves as you want before your opponents give in to your shenanigans. Simply put, you have a much better chance of landing Skyshroud Poacher and using it to great advantage than you do Voja.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kithkin Mourncaller"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirkwood Elk"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wirewood Symbiote"></div></div>
<h3>Best Non-Green Elf</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Delina, Wild Mage"></div></div>
<p>It's no secret that most Elves are at home in the forest, but Delina excels in chaos. Delina makes this top ten list because despite being in a color we expect from Elves, creating tokens is a base function for an Elf typal deck and none do it with as much fun as Delina. While you may not see Delina in a lot of Elf decks, there are enough Red Elves that if you were committed you'd be able work something out if you splash another color like one of my honorable mentions, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Warlord Radha" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Warlord Radha</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nadier&#039;s Nightblade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grand Warlord Radha"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ruthless Winnower"></div></div>
<h2>In Conclusion</h2>
<p>While Voja didn't make this cut for this article, there are a ton of Elves to pick from in both the top 10 and honorable mentions. Were there any Elves you felt were left off the list? Any Elves you didn't think of but are now considering slotting in? Let me know in the comments below and stay tuned for ranking more creature types in Commander!</p>
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<h3>Read more:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="iZ1R3HXCdi"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/build-a-powerful-elves-deck-with-voja-jaws-of-the-conclave/">Build a Powerful Elves Deck with Voja, Jaws of the Conclave</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Build a Powerful Elves Deck with Voja, Jaws of the Conclave&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/build-a-powerful-elves-deck-with-voja-jaws-of-the-conclave/embed/#?secret=ilo9V44cEk#?secret=iZ1R3HXCdi" data-secret="iZ1R3HXCdi" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Ir85ykwIcH"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/recross-the-paths-nashi-moons-legacy/">Recross the Paths - Nashi, Moon's Legacy</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Recross the Paths - Nashi, Moon&#039;s Legacy&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/recross-the-paths-nashi-moons-legacy/embed/#?secret=iUm9yBAROU#?secret=Ir85ykwIcH" data-secret="Ir85ykwIcH" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
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