Keranos, God of Storms
URLegendary Enchantment Creature — God

Keranos, God of Storms

Mana value5EDHREC#6,936

The Commander

Indestructible

As long as your devotion to blue and red is less than seven, Keranos isn't a creature.

Reveal the first card you draw on each of your turns. Whenever you reveal a land card this way, draw a card. Whenever you reveal a nonland card this way, Keranos deals 3 damage to any target.

Guide

Gameplan

Keranos sits in the command zone as an indestructible card-advantage engine, turning your first draw each turn into either an extra card or 3 free damage to a creature, planeswalker, or face. You play a low-curve Izzet control shell, surviving early with removal and counters while Keranos grinds incremental value, then close with spells and reach. He rarely attacks himself—the devotion-7 clause means he's usually just an enchantment.

Strengths

  • Free recurring card advantage and direct damage from the command zone that can't be answered by creature removal
  • Indestructible and non-creature most of the time, dodging board wipes and targeted removal
  • Excellent grindy inevitability in long control games
  • Pings down small creatures, mana dorks, and chips away at planeswalkers/players every turn

Weaknesses

  • Only triggers off the FIRST draw each turn, so extra card draw doesn't multiply his triggers
  • Slow clock—3 damage a turn won't close games quickly on its own
  • Two-color identity limits ramp and removal versus three-color rivals
  • Vulnerable to enchantment removal and graveyard/exile of the commander to deny recasting
  • Top-deck dependent value can whiff or hand opponents information

Key Cards

  • BrainstormLets you set up the top card so Keranos reveals exactly what you want—land for a card or nonland for damage.
  • Sensei's Divining TopRepeatedly arranges your top card to control Keranos's reveal and smooth draws every turn.
  • Mystic RemoraStacks even more card advantage on top of Keranos's engine to bury opponents in resources.
  • Rhystic StudyA second passive draw engine that pairs with control to keep your hand full.
  • Cyclonic RiftThe premier blue finisher/reset that lets a slow control deck pull ahead and stabilize.
  • CounterspellCheap interaction protects your value engine and keeps the game grindy in your favor.

Upgrade Path

Lean harder into a fast mana base (Mana Crypt, Sol Ring, signets, fast lands) and premium interaction (Mana Drain, Force of Will, Swan Song) so you control the early game while Keranos grinds. Add a deterministic combo finish—such as Dramatic Scepter with Isochron Scepter, or Underworld Breach with Lion's Eye Diamond—so you aren't relying solely on 3-damage increments. Tune the deck flatter with cantrips and top-deck manipulation (Top, Brainstorm, Ponder) to maximize Keranos triggers and consistency.

Core Cards

The most-played cards for this commander, built from aggregated deck data (the Mythic Graph). Build public decks to seed it.

Win Conditions

  • Slow incremental Keranos pings plus burn spells to the face
  • A big Cyclonic Rift or board wipe followed by a finisher like a large X-spell or extra-turn loop
  • Izzet combo finishes (e.g., Thassa's Oracle, Underworld Breach lines, or infinite mana payoffs)
  • Occasionally swinging with Keranos once devotion hits seven

Archetypes

  • ControlKeranos provides the inevitability and card advantage that an Izzet counter/removal shell needs to win the long game.
  • SpellslingerA low-curve instant/sorcery deck supports devotion spikes and pairs damage spells with Keranos's pings.
  • ComboIzzet has access to compact two-card combos and storm-style finishers when you want to end games faster than Keranos's clock.

Combos

No combos found for this commander on Commander Spellbook.

Related Commanders

Same color identity (RU), by popularity.

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