Introduction
This deck is part of the Lord of the Rings Themed Commander decks, these are designed to be played in the Commander format, normally for 3v3 or 4v4 , but can also be played 1v1.
In the shadowed lands of Mordor, the dark lord Sauron marshals his forces, gathering the foul and twisted servants of evil to his banner. Orcs, Uruk-hai, and other vile creatures form the bulk of his armies, their numbers seemingly endless and their cruelty unmatched. These creatures are driven by hatred and fear, bound to Sauron's will through the power of the One Ring. Yet, Sauron's hosts are not mere mindless thralls; they are a cunning and ruthless force, led by fearsome commanders like the Nazgûl, whose presence brings despair to all who oppose them. The Hosts of Mordor march to conquer and destroy, their eyes set on the total domination of Middle-earth, leaving only darkness in their wake.
Key Strategy
The Hosts of Mordor Commander deck, led by the dark and mighty Sauron, the Lord of the Rings, embodies the malevolent force of the Dark Lord as he marshals his armies to dominate Middle-earth. This deck is built around generating overwhelming power through a combination of destructive spells, powerful creatures, and relentless value engines. With Sauron at the helm, your goal is to wear down your opponents, control the battlefield, and ultimately crush your enemies under the might of Mordor’s forces. The deck offers a strategic mix of control, recursion, and aggressive plays that culminate in a devastating late game.
Sauron, the Lord of the Rings: The centerpiece of the deck, Sauron combines power, recursion, and card advantage. His ability to amass an army of Orcs and cause opponents to sacrifice creatures is crucial for maintaining control. The ability to draw cards and return a card from the graveyard makes him a potent value engine as well.
Saruman, the White Hand: While not the commander, Saruman plays a critical role by generating value whenever a noncreature spell is cast, creating Wraiths to bolster your forces. His synergy with the deck's focus on spells adds to the pressure you can exert on your opponents.
Lord of the Nazgûl: An essential creature that synergizes perfectly with the deck’s spells, the Lord of the Nazgûl creates additional threats with each spell cast and enhances your board with powerful Wraith tokens.
Living Death: A game-changing card that can turn the tide in your favor by wiping the board and then resurrecting your forces from the graveyard, Living Death synergizes beautifully with the deck's recursion theme.
The Balrog of Moria: A massive threat that can deal significant damage and control the board. Its ability to destroy creatures upon dying is a valuable tool in keeping the battlefield clear of opposing threats.
The Hosts of Mordor deck thrives on a combination of board control, creature recursion, and incremental value generation, leading to overwhelming board states.
Early Game: Your primary focus is on setting up your mana base and drawing cards to ensure a steady flow of resources. Utilize ramp cards like Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, and Mind Stone to accelerate your mana. Early card draw spells such as Faithless Looting and Consider help smooth out your draws and fill your graveyard for later recursion. Establishing a strong foundation early is key to the deck’s success.
Mid Game: Begin exerting control over the battlefield with spells like Languish and Blasphemous Act, clearing out opposing creatures while preserving your own. Sauron, the Lord of the Rings should enter the battlefield around this time, bringing his formidable presence and triggering his abilities to amass Orcs, force sacrifices, and generate card advantage. Use Lord of the Nazgûl and Saruman, the White Hand to capitalize on your noncreature spells, creating a growing army of Wraiths and Wraith tokens.
Late Game: The late game is where the deck truly shines, with access to powerful spells like Decree of Pain and Living Death. These cards can wipe the board, draw you a large number of cards, and then bring back your most powerful creatures to dominate the battlefield. Scourge of the Throne and Cavern-Hoard Dragon provide finishing power, while Revenge of Ravens and Treason of Isengard help maintain control over the game as you close in for the kill.
Keep hands with at least three lands and a ramp card or card draw spell to ensure a smooth early game.
Look for at least one board wipe or removal spell to handle early threats, especially against faster decks.
Consider mulliganing hands with too many high-cost spells or lacking early interaction.
Key Differences: When Saruman, the White Hand leads the deck, the strategy shifts towards a spell-heavy, value-oriented approach. Saruman rewards you for casting noncreature spells by generating powerful Wraith tokens that can quickly overwhelm opponents. This version of the deck leans more heavily into control and spell synergy, with Saruman at the helm generating a continuous stream of creatures as you cast your spells.
Strategy:
Early Game: Similar to the Sauron version, you’ll want to ramp and establish your mana base. However, prioritize spells that will trigger Saruman's ability, like Faithless Looting and Forbidden Alchemy.
Mid Game: Focus on controlling the board with your suite of removal and board wipes while building up a growing army of Wraith tokens from Saruman’s ability. Lord of the Nazgûl remains a key card in this strategy, further enhancing your Wraith army.
Late Game: With a large number of Wraiths on the board, look to close out the game with powerful finishers like Scourge of the Throne or by overwhelming your opponents with the sheer number of creatures generated by Saruman. Living Death and Decree of Pain still play crucial roles in resetting the board in your favor.
Goblin and Orc Cards
Potential Commanders