Upgrading a preconstructedMagic: The GatheringCommander deck is one of the best ways to take a deck from fine to fantastic. The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth bringsfour unique commander decksto the game, each one focusing on a different people of Middle-earth.
Related:Magic: The Gathering – The Best Cards In Lord Of The Rings' Riders Of Rohan Commander Deck
For the Riders of Rohan deck, you take control of the armies of humanity, leading the charge into the Fourth Age with a red, white, and blue deck. With two central themes to the deck, an all-in Human strategy, and a powerful monarch approach, the Riders of Rohan can be a force to be reckoned with after a few upgrades.
Since these are budget-friendly upgrades, we’ll keep the price of each card at or under $5 based on TCGplayer’s Market Price. These prices may vary over time thanks to natural fluctuations but should be fairly stable over time.
10The Council Of Four
If your preferred playstyle is to sit back and let your opponents do the work for you, you might want to consider The Council of Four. Even though it costs five mana, The Council of Four is a massive 0/8 Human Noble with two abilities to help keep you ahead of your opponents.
The first ability triggers when an opponent draws their second card during their turn, letting you draw a card as well. The second ability functions similarly, creating a 2/2 Knight token when a player casts their second spell on their turn. Drop The Council of Four early in a game, and you’ll be profiting off your opponent’s plays.
9Coppercoat Vanguard
Going all in on the Human approach to the Riders of Rohan deck gives you plenty of great support cards for the creature type. One of the latest additions to the archetype is Coppercoat Vanguard.
This cheap creature pulls double duty, providing a one-sided anthem for your Humans and a layer of protection. With Coppercoat Vanguard out, your Human creatures gain +1/+0 as well as ward 1. While one mana is a pretty easy tax to pay, it doesn’t hurt making your opponent’s lives more difficult, and you can definitely put a stop to your opponent’s plans if they’re trying to target multiple creatures at once.
8Court Of Ire
Becoming the monarch is an incredibly rewarding position. Despite painting a huge target on yourself, it comes with all sorts of benefits. With the Court of Ire, not only does it help establish your rule, but it can start punishing your opponents.
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When you have Court of Ire come into play, you automatically become the monarch, grating you an extra card on your end step. If you’re still the monarch by the time your turn comes back around, you get to deal seven damage to any target during your upkeep. If you happen to have lost the crown between turns, you instead deal two damage, which still isn’t too bad.
7Kindred Boon
Keeping your creatures safe is a must in decks like the Riders of Rohan, and Kindred Boon can help them weather just about any storm. When it comes into play, you get to pick a creature type, Human is your best choice since it’s a Human-based deck, but you can always pick something else if you want.
Then for just two mana you may put a divinity counter on a creature you control if it matches the creature type you picked. Creatures with divinity counters have indestructible, protecting them from most removal spells. You can put divinity counters on your creatures at instant speed, so if you’re worried about an opponent destroying your creatures in response to you putting the counters on them, you can hold the mana up until a later time or even in response to their spells.
6Outlaws' Merriment
For a consistent stream of Humans coming into play, Outlaws’ Merriment is a great option on a budget. At the start of your turn, you randomly get one of three Human tokens, each one with stats and abilities. You can get a 3/1 with trample and haste, a 2/1 with lifelink and haste, or a 1/2 with haste, and it deals one damage to anything when it comes into play.
The main commanderof the deck,Eowyn, Shieldmaiden triggers during your combat stepif you’ve had a Human come into play this turn, which Outlaws’ Merriment does automatically. This gives you at least three Human tokens, all with haste to attack with this turn.
5Champion Of The Parish
A one-mana Human that you’re able to play early and watch it grow with each Human creature you have come into play. Champion of the Parish works by getting a +1/+1 counter anytime you have another Human come into play under your control.
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Since this ability triggers off of regular creatures and tokens, you can grow Champion of the Parish to huge levels after only a few turns, especially if you drop it early in the game. Spells that create lots of Humans at a time, like Forth Eorlingas!, are great for quickly ramping it up.
4Archon Of Coronation
Another great card for a monarch deck, Archon of Coronation keeps you completely safe for as long as it’s in play. When Archon of Coronation comes into play, it makes you the monarch.
Then, for as long as you’re the monarch, damage doesn’t cause you to lose life. While this card seems unstoppable, you’re able to still lose the monarch status when an opponent’s creature deals combat damage to you, you just won’t lose life because of it. You can also lose through both commander damage and poison counters this way, so keep that in mind before letting your opponents attack freely.
3Thalia, Heretic Cathar
Even if you’re not playing a stax deck, including a few cards to slow down your opponent can keep you ahead of the pack. Thalia, Heretic Cathar keeps your opponents in check by having their creatures and nonbasic lands come into play tapped, oftentimes setting them a turn behind.
This version of Thalia is often overlooked, with players finding the cheaper Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is a better pick for its taxing effect. But underestimating Heretic Cathar can help put you ahead of your opponents throughout the match.
2City On Fire
Sometimes you just need to deal an obscene amount of damage to your opponents, which is where City of Fire comes in. While this enchantment normally costs a staggering eight mana, you may tap your creatures to pay for its casting cost with its convoke ability.
Once in play, City on Fire triples all damage your permanents and spells would do to both players and the permanents they control. This enchantment turns every creature you have in play into a massive threat and can turn an unfavorable attack into a wave to wash over your opponents.
1Pippin, Guard Of The Citadel
There are a few cards that do similar things as Pippin, Guard of the Citadel, but since this is a Lord of the Rings preconstructed deck, it seems fitting to add at least one great card from the set. Pippin might not be a Human, but this little Hobbit can keep your creatures safe or help you swing in for a win.
All you have to do is tap Pippin to give another creature you control protection from a card type of your choice for the turn. you may use this ability to help dodge removal spells, calling out instant or sorcery, depending on what your opponent is casting. You can even call out creatures to make your commander unblockable by your opponent’s creatures, helping you secure a win from commander damage.
