How to Play the Bant Elf Tribal Counters Deck in Commander

Bracket 3 · Our Galadriel, Light of Valinor decklist · Elf Tribal

Our Galadriel list is Bant Elves. Galadriel rewards every creature that enters with mana, +1/+1 counters for the team, or a card, and the deck makes a lot of creatures.

The deck ramps with Elvish Archdruid and Priest of Titania, goes wide with Imperious Perfect and Elvish Warmaster, grows the team with Hardened Scales and Doubling Season, and finishes with Craterhoof Behemoth or Overwhelming Stampede.

Strategy
Elf Tribal
Bracket
3
Avg. mana value
2.95
Lands
35
Shop the deck · $45See the decklist

01The Commander

Galadriel, Light of Valinor is a five-mana 3/3 Elf. Alliance: whenever another creature you control enters, choose one mode that hasn't been chosen this turn. Add {G}{G}{G}, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control, or scry 2 and then draw a card.

Each mode works once per turn, so the first three creatures you play each turn get all three. Tokens count, so Imperious Perfect, Elvish Warmaster and a squadded Galadhrim Brigade fill the triggers fast.

Take the mana first to fund more creatures, and save the counters until the board is wide.

02How This Deck Wins

  1. 1

    Ramp with mana Elves

    Llanowar Elves, Elvish Mystic, Elvish Archdruid and Priest of Titania get Galadriel out on turn three or four.

  2. 2

    Chain creatures

    Each creature after Galadriel adds {G}{G}{G}, counters or a card. Beast Whisperer and Guardian Project draw even more.

  3. 3

    Swing with a huge team

    Lords like Imperious Perfect and Thranduil, Sindarin Liege plus counters from Hardened Scales set up a lethal Craterhoof Behemoth or Overwhelming Stampede.

03Deck at a Glance

Bracket 3 · Elf Tribal · 100 cards

Composition

  • Commander1
  • Creatures35
  • Instants & sorceries17
  • Artifacts & enchantments11
  • Planeswalkers1
  • Lands35
  • Tokens9

Mana Curve

00
141
142
183
84
55
26
37+

Color Split

84colored
symbols
  • White 8%
  • Blue 12%
  • Green 80%

By the Numbers

2.95avg. mana value
35lands (14 basic)
1Game Changer
9token types included

Cards by Role

Mana Elves and Ramp22
Lords and Token Makers9
Counters11
Card Draw and Finishers10
Interaction12

04Mana Elves and Ramp

Fast mana turns into more creatures.

Elvish ArchdruidAn Elf lord that taps for {G} per Elf.
Priest of Titania{G} for every Elf on the battlefield.
Incubation DruidTaps for three once it has a counter, and Galadriel gives it one.
Marwyn, the NurturerGrows with every Elf and taps for its power.
Bloom TenderTaps for {G}{W}{U} with Galadriel out.

Also in this role

Llanowar Elves
Elvish Mystic
Fyndhorn Elves
Birds of Paradise
Noble Hierarch
Paradise Druid
Delighted Halfling
Elvish Harbinger
Farhaven Elf
Wood Elves
Elven Chorus
Sol Ring
Arcane Signet
Cultivate
Farseek
Nature's Lore
Rampant Growth

05Lords and Token Makers

Extra bodies fill Galadriel's triggers.

Imperious PerfectAn Elf lord that makes an Elf every turn.
Elvish WarmasterAn Elf Warrior token when other Elves enter, once each turn.
Galadhrim BrigadeSquad copies of an Elf lord, and each copy is an Alliance trigger.
Thranduil, Sindarin LiegeAn Elf lord that makes an Elf on every land drop.
Wolverine RidersAn Elf every upkeep, and life when Elves enter.

Also in this role

Tendershoot Dryad
Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
Galadhrim Ambush
Leaf-Crowned Visionary

06Counters

Make Galadriel's counter mode count for more.

Rishkar, Peema RenegadeEvery creature with a counter taps for {G}.
Hardened ScalesOne extra counter every time.
Doubling SeasonTwice the counters and twice the tokens.
Arwen, Weaver of HopeYour creatures enter with extra counters.
Elrond, Master of HealingCounters whenever you scry, and cards when opponents target your creatures.

Also in this role

Aragorn and Arwen, Wed
Haldir, Lórien Lieutenant
Evolution Witness
Tribute to the World Tree
Gala Greeters
Inspiring Call

07Card Draw and Finishers

Refill, then end it.

Craterhoof BehemothTrample and +X/+X for the team, X being your creature count.
Beast WhispererA card for every creature spell.
The Great HengeCheap with big creatures, then a card and a counter for each nontoken creature.
Guardian ProjectA card for every new nontoken creature name.
Overwhelming StampedeTrample and +X/+X, X being your greatest power.

Also in this role

Panharmonicon
Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Koma, Cosmos Serpent
Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar
Akroma's Will

08Interaction

Bant answers and protection.

Swords to PlowsharesOne-mana creature exile.
CounterspellStops anything.
Aura ShardsEvery creature you play can destroy an artifact or enchantment.
Beast WithinDestroys any permanent.
Heroic InterventionSaves your board from a wipe.

Also in this role

Path to Exile
An Offer You Can't Refuse
Swan Song
Galadriel's Dismissal
Reclamation Sage
Raise the Palisade
Lightning Greaves

09Combos and Key Interactions

+

Galadriel, Light of Valinor + Panharmonicon

Alliance triggers twice for every creature that enters, so one creature gets you two of Galadriel's modes.

+

Galadriel, Light of Valinor + Rishkar, Peema Renegade

Galadriel's counter mode puts a counter on every creature, and Rishkar lets each of them tap for {G}.

+

Galadriel, Light of Valinor + Elrond, Master of Healing

Galadriel's scry 2 mode lets Elrond put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to two target creatures.

10How to Play

Opening hand

Keep hands with two or three lands and one or two mana Elves. Galadriel on turn three or four is ideal.

1

Early gameturns 1-3

Play one-drops like Llanowar Elves and Elvish Mystic, then Elvish Archdruid or Priest of Titania.

2

Mid gameturns 4-7

Cast Galadriel and follow with cheap creatures to use all three modes. Add Beast Whisperer or Guardian Project for cards.

3

Late gameturn 8+

Go wide with tokens and lords, then cast Craterhoof Behemoth or Overwhelming Stampede for a lethal swing.

Tips

  • Each Alliance mode can only be chosen once per turn.
  • Tokens trigger Alliance too, so token makers count as creatures entering.
  • Hardened Scales and Doubling Season boost every counter from Galadriel's mode.
  • Akroma's Will gets both modes while you control Galadriel.

Common mistakes

  • Taking the counter mode with only a few creatures out.
  • Playing all your creatures before Galadriel.
  • Overextending into a wipe without Heroic Intervention.
  • Choosing Elf with Raise the Palisade and forgetting your non-Elves, like Craterhoof, go back too.

Watch out for

  • Board wipes.
  • Removal on Galadriel.
  • Fliers your ground creatures can't block.
  • Effects that punish creatures entering.

11Bracket and Rule 0

1Exhibition
2Core
3Upgraded
4Optimized
5cEDH
Bracket3

Our list runs 1 Game Changer (Aura Shards), within the Bracket 3 limit of three.

This is a Bracket 3 (Upgraded) style deck with one Game Changer, Aura Shards. There are no two-card infinite combos, but Craterhoof Behemoth on a wide board ends the game in one swing, and Kutzil stops opponents from casting spells during your turn, so mention both at Rule 0.

12Full Decklist

Every card in our Galadriel, Light of Valinor proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.

Commander

  • 1Galadriel, Light of Valinor2GWU

Creatures (35)

  • 1Birds of ParadiseG
  • 1Delighted HalflingG
  • 1Elvish MysticG
  • 1Fyndhorn ElvesG
  • 1Haldir, Lórien LieutenantXG
  • 1Llanowar ElvesG
  • 1Noble HierarchG
  • 1Bloom Tender1G
  • 1Elvish Warmaster1G
  • 1Gala Greeters1G
  • 1Incubation Druid1G
  • 1Leaf-Crowned VisionaryGG
  • 1Paradise Druid1G
  • 1Priest of Titania1G
  • 1Arwen, Weaver of Hope1GG
  • 1Elvish Archdruid1GG
  • 1Elvish Harbinger2G
  • 1Evolution Witness2G
  • 1Ezuri, Renegade Leader1GG
  • 1Farhaven Elf2G
  • 1Galadhrim Brigade2G
  • 1Imperious Perfect2G
  • 1Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar1GW
  • 1Marwyn, the Nurturer2G
  • 1Reclamation Sage2G
  • 1Rishkar, Peema Renegade2G
  • 1Wood Elves2G
  • 1Beast Whisperer2GG
  • 1Elrond, Master of Healing2GU
  • 1Thranduil, Sindarin Liege2G/UG/U
  • 1Tendershoot Dryad4G
  • 1Aragorn and Arwen, Wed4GW
  • 1Wolverine Riders4GG
  • 1Koma, Cosmos Serpent3GGUU
  • 1Craterhoof Behemoth5GGG

Planeswalkers (1)

  • 1Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury3GG

Instants (11)

  • 1An Offer You Can't RefuseU
  • 1Galadriel's DismissalW
  • 1Path to ExileW
  • 1Swan SongU
  • 1Swords to PlowsharesW
  • 1CounterspellUU
  • 1Heroic Intervention1G
  • 1Beast Within2G
  • 1Inspiring Call2G
  • 1Akroma's Will3W
  • 1Galadhrim Ambush3G

Sorceries (6)

  • 1Farseek1G
  • 1Nature's Lore1G
  • 1Rampant Growth1G
  • 1Cultivate2G
  • 1Overwhelming Stampede3GG
  • 1Raise the Palisade4U

Artifacts (5)

  • 1Sol Ring1
  • 1Arcane Signet2
  • 1Lightning Greaves2
  • 1Panharmonicon4
  • 1The Great Henge7GG

Enchantments (6)

  • 1Hardened ScalesG
  • 1Aura Shards1GW
  • 1Tribute to the World TreeGGG
  • 1Elven Chorus3G
  • 1Guardian Project3G
  • 1Doubling Season4G

Lands (35)

  • 1Bountiful Promenade
  • 1Breeding Pool
  • 1Canopy Vista
  • 1Command Tower
  • 1Exotic Orchard
  • 1Flooded Grove
  • 1Flooded Strand
  • 6Forest
  • 1Glacial Fortress
  • 1Hallowed Fountain
  • 1Hinterland Harbor
  • 4Island
  • 1Misty Rainforest
  • 1Path of Ancestry
  • 4Plains
  • 1Prairie Stream
  • 1Rejuvenating Springs
  • 1Reliquary Tower
  • 1Seaside Citadel
  • 1Spara's Headquarters
  • 1Sunpetal Grove
  • 1Temple Garden
  • 1Windswept Heath
  • 1Yavimaya Coast
Galadriel, Light of Valinor proxy deck cover

Get the deck

Galadriel, Light of Valinor Elf Tribal proxy deck

Galadriel turns every creature into mana, counters or cards. Ramp, go wide, and swing.

Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.

Shop the deck · $45

Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.