Kaalia of the Vast

EDHREC Average Deck for the #6 most-played commander

View on EDHREC

Commander: Kaalia of the Vast
Cards: 100
Current value: $855.28
Grade: C

How it grades

Fundamentals 59/100. Plays like Combo and Voltron.

This reads as Combo · Voltron, built around Kaalia of the Vast. Assemble a specific two-or-three-card engine and win on the spot: the rest of the deck exists to find it, protect it, and survive until it fires. Tutor density is the real curve. Interaction from opponents is the tax: hold protection, and know exactly which piece to fetch first. Kaalia of the Vast sits on the cEDH tier list, so the ceiling here is tournament-grade, and experienced tables will treat it that way. Its strongest fundamental is interaction (22 removal/protection effects (want 11+ for Combo)); the first thing to tighten is card draw: 3 draw effects (want 11+ for Combo).

B-Mana reliability
C+Land count
A-Mana curve
ARamp
FCard draw
A+Interaction
DCommander synergy
A+Win conditions
A+Card quality
A+Legality & size

Where it falls short

B-Mana reliability72% of your spells arrive on time. Drakuseth, Maw of Flames is the riskiest: its R cost is heavy for this mana base, so expect it several turns late.
C+Land count36 lands. About 41 fits this curve for Combo.
FCard draw3 draw effects (want 11+ for Combo).
DCommander synergyOnly 14 of 63 spells play into your commanders' plan; they want extra combats support. Counts the builds players run with your commanders (Extra Combats, Reanimator; from EDHREC).

Strong on mana curve, ramp, interaction, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.

86 cards graded: A- 7, B+ 30, B 47, B- 2. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.

Upgrades

The 10 swaps that lift the grade most, about $90.71 together

Made together, they take Kaalia of the Vast from C to B-.

Puresteel PaladinWW$2.32
In place of Rakdos, Patron of Chaos: weakest slot in the deck (71/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 3 of 11+). Pays off your artifact engine (11 producers). Works with the commander directly.
Mentor of the Meek2W$4.77
In place of Phyrexian Arena: weakest slot in the deck (72/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (6 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the commander's plan.
Esper SentinelW$58.41
In place of Night's Whisper: weakest slot in the deck (72/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 3 of 11+). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Morbid Opportunist2B$0.38
In place of Lord of the Void: its B cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (59/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 3 of 11+). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Loran of the Third Path2W$7.25
In place of Damn: its B cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (59/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 3 of 11+). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Pitiless Plunderer3B$4.98
In place of Ancient Copper Dragon: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (68/100)
Fixes 3 of your colors. Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Harmonic Prodigy1R$6.02
In place of Razaketh, the Foulblooded: its B cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (61/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (17 producers). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Dualcaster Mage1RR$4.23
In place of Valgavoth, Terror Eater: its B cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (61/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (17 producers). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Young Pyromancer1R$0.29
In place of Angelic Arbiter: weakest slot in the deck (62/100)
Fuels your token payoffs (4 in deck). Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (17 producers). Works with the commander directly.
Marionette Apprentice1B$2.06
In place of Demonic Counsel: weakest slot in the deck (62/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (11 producers). Fuels your token payoffs (4 in deck). Works with the commander directly.

Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.

Decklist

100 cards, worth about $855.28

Commander 1

Creatures 30

B+
B
B
B
B
B
B+
B+
B+
B
B
B
B
B
B+
B
B
B-
B+
B+
B+
B
B+
B
B+
B+
B+
B
B
B

Instants 10

B
B+
A-
B
B+
B
B+
B+
B+
B

Sorceries 7

B+
B-
B
A-
B+
B
B

Artifacts 11

A-
B+
A-
A-
B+
B+
A-
A-
B+
B+
B+

Enchantments 5

B
B+
B
B+
B+

Lands 36

B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B×4
B+
B×6
B
B
B+
B
B×6
B

How it grades

Fundamentals 59/100. Plays like Combo and Voltron.