How to Play Tovolar, Dire Overlord in Commander

Bracket 3 · Our Tovolar decklist · Werewolf Tribal

Our Tovolar list is Gruul Werewolves and Wolves. Tovolar draws a card whenever a Wolf or Werewolf hits a player, makes it night once you have three of them, and at night transforms into the Midnight Scourge to pump attackers.

The deck is packed with double-faced Werewolves that get stronger at night, makes Wolf tokens with Hollowhenge Overlord and Tovolar's Packleader, and pumps the pack with Lord of the Ulvenwald and Howlpack Alpha.

Strategy
Werewolf Tribal
Bracket
3
Avg. mana value
3.26
Lands
34
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01The Commander

Tovolar, Dire Overlord is a three-mana 3/3. Whenever a Wolf or Werewolf you control deals combat damage to a player, draw a card. At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control three or more Wolves and Werewolves, it becomes night, and you may transform any Human Werewolves.

At night, Tovolar becomes Tovolar, the Midnight Scourge, a 4/4 with {X}{R}{G}: a Wolf or Werewolf gets +X/+0 and trample.

Night flips every daybound card to its stronger side. It becomes day again only if a player casts two or more spells in a turn.

02How This Deck Wins

  1. 1

    Build the pack

    Cheap Werewolves and Wolves like Duskwatch Recruiter, Packsong Pup and Ranger Class get you to three fast.

  2. 2

    Make it night

    Tovolar, Unnatural Moonrise, Into the Night and The Celestus turn it to night, transforming your Werewolves.

  3. 3

    Swarm and draw

    Each Wolf or Werewolf that connects draws. Hollowhenge Overlord, Tovolar's Packleader and Berserkers' Onslaught make the attack lethal.

03Deck at a Glance

Bracket 3 · Werewolf Tribal · 100 cards

Composition

  • Commander1
  • Creatures32
  • Instants & sorceries16
  • Artifacts & enchantments15
  • Planeswalkers2
  • Lands34
  • Tokens8

Mana Curve

00
11
222
203
104
85
36
17+

Color Split

82colored
symbols
  • Red 33%
  • Green 67%

By the Numbers

3.26avg. mana value
34lands (20 basic)
0Game Changers
8token types included

Cards by Role

Wolf Token Makers17
Pack Anthems and Finishers25
Day and Night14
Card Draw and Mana26
Interaction9

04Wolf Token Makers

More Wolves means more cards from Tovolar.

Hollowhenge OverlordA Wolf for every Wolf and Werewolf each upkeep.
Tovolar's PackleaderTwo Wolves on entry and attack.
Huntmaster of the FellsA Wolf and life on entry, and damage when it flips.
Howlpack Alpha+1/+1 for the pack and a Wolf every end step.
Child of the PackMakes Wolves, and flips into a lord at night.

Also in this role

Ravager of the Fells
Savage Packmate
Tovolar's Huntmaster
Nightpack Ambusher
Cult of the Waxing Moon
Ranger Class
Arlinn Kord
Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon
Arlinn, the Pack's Hope
Arlinn, the Moon's Fury
Silverfur Partisan
Mayor of Avabruck

05Pack Anthems and Finishers

Make the whole pack hit harder.

Berserkers' OnslaughtAttacking creatures have double strike.
Unnatural GrowthDoubles power and toughness every combat.
Lord of the Ulvenwald+1/+1 for Wolves and Werewolves, and mana on attack.
Hollowhenge HuntmasterHexproof for your permanents and counters every combat.
Howlpack Resurgence+1/+1 and trample for the pack at flash speed.

Also in this role

Avabruck Caretaker
Full Moon's Rise
Howling Moon
Immerwolf
Wildblood Pack
Instigator Gang
Neck Breaker
Breakneck Rider
Terror of Kruin Pass
Kruin Outlaw
Beastmaster Ascension
Werewolf of Ancient Hunger
Sage of Ancient Lore
Ulrich of the Krallenhorde
Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha
Volatile Arsonist
Dire-Strain Anarchist
Ill-Tempered Loner
Howlpack Avenger
Tovolar, the Midnight Scourge

06Day and Night

Control when your Werewolves flip.

Unnatural MoonriseMakes it night, and a creature draws a card when it connects.
Into the NightMakes it night and rummages your hand.
The CelestusSwitch day and night each turn and loot when it changes.
Vildin-Pack AlphaFlips each Werewolf as it enters.
MoonmistTransforms all Humans and fogs non-Wolves.

Also in this role

Waxing Moon
Geier Reach Bandit
Village Watch
Village Reavers
Reckless Stormseeker
Storm-Charged Slasher
Hound Tamer
Untamed Pup
Kessig Naturalist

07Card Draw and Mana

Tovolar draws on hits. These add more.

Duskwatch RecruiterDigs for creatures, and flips into a cost reducer.
Hermit of the NatterknollsDraws when opponents cast spells on your turn, and flips to draw two.
Werewolf Pack LeaderDraws on big attacks.
Howlpack PiperPuts creatures from hand onto the battlefield.
Cemetery ProwlerGrows cheaper spells by exiling graveyard cards.

Also in this role

Lone Wolf of the Natterknolls
Wildsong Howler
Krallenhorde Howler
Torgal, A Fine Hound
Packsong Pup
Scorned Villager
Moonscarred Werewolf
Weaver of Blossoms
Blossom-Clad Werewolf
Return of the Wildspeaker
Herald's Horn
Rhythm of the Wild
Sol Ring
Arcane Signet
Gruul Signet
Rampant Growth
Nature's Lore
Cultivate
Kodama's Reach
Lightning Greaves
Swiftfoot Boots

08Interaction

Gruul answers and protection.

Moonlight HuntEvery Wolf and Werewolf deals damage to one creature.
Heroic InterventionSaves your board from a wipe.
DecimateDestroys an artifact, creature, enchantment and land.
Beast WithinDestroys any permanent.
Chaos WarpShuffles away anything.

Also in this role

Return to Nature
Outland Liberator
Frenzied Trapbreaker
Blasphemous Act

09Combos and Key Interactions

+

Hollowhenge Overlord + Tovolar, Dire Overlord

A Wolf for each Wolf and Werewolf every upkeep, and each one that connects draws a card.

+

Berserkers' Onslaught + Unnatural Growth

Double strike and doubled power every combat.

+

The Celestus + Huntmaster of the Fells

Switch day and night each turn to flip Huntmaster back and forth for Wolves and damage.

10How to Play

Opening hand

Keep hands with three lands and two cheap Wolves or Werewolves. Tovolar on turn three with three pack members by turn four flips it to night.

1

Early gameturns 1-3

Play cheap Werewolves like Duskwatch Recruiter or Scorned Villager, then Tovolar.

2

Mid gameturns 4-7

Reach three Wolves and Werewolves to make it night. Attack to draw cards.

3

Late gameturn 8+

Swarm with Hollowhenge Overlord or Tovolar's Packleader, then finish with Berserkers' Onslaught or Tovolar's pump.

Tips

  • Casting one spell a turn keeps it night. Casting two makes it day.
  • Flash Wolves let you cast at the end of opponents' turns without breaking night.
  • Tovolar draws for each Wolf or Werewolf that connects, not just once.
  • The Midnight Scourge pump gives trample, so chump blockers don't help opponents.

Common mistakes

  • Casting two spells a turn and flipping back to day.
  • Overextending into a wipe without Heroic Intervention.
  • Forgetting Tovolar needs three Wolves and Werewolves to make it night.
  • Attacking into bad blocks just to draw.

Watch out for

  • Board wipes.
  • Opponents casting two spells to make it day.
  • Removal on Tovolar.
  • Fliers your ground pack can't block.

11Bracket and Rule 0

1Exhibition
2Core
3Upgraded
4Optimized
5cEDH
Bracket3

Our list runs no Game Changers.

The deck wins with a wide Werewolf army and has no two-card infinite combos.

12Full Decklist

Every card in our Tovolar proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.

Commander

  • 1Tovolar, Dire Overlord1RG

Creatures (32)

  • 1Duskwatch Recruiter1G
  • 1Kessig NaturalistRG
  • 1Mayor of Avabruck1G
  • 1Outland Liberator1G
  • 1Packsong Pup1G
  • 1Scorned Villager1G
  • 1Torgal, A Fine Hound1G
  • 1Werewolf Pack LeaderGG
  • 1Breakneck Rider1RR
  • 1Cemetery Prowler1GG
  • 1Geier Reach Bandit2R
  • 1Hermit of the Natterknolls2G
  • 1Hound Tamer2G
  • 1Immerwolf1RG
  • 1Kruin Outlaw1RR
  • 1Reckless Stormseeker2R
  • 1Silverfur Partisan2G
  • 1Weaver of Blossoms2G
  • 1Child of the Pack2RG
  • 1Howlpack Piper3G
  • 1Huntmaster of the Fells2RG
  • 1Ill-Tempered Loner2RR
  • 1Instigator Gang3R
  • 1Nightpack Ambusher2GG
  • 1Cult of the Waxing Moon4G
  • 1Sage of Ancient Lore4G
  • 1Ulrich of the Krallenhorde3RG
  • 1Village Watch4R
  • 1Volatile Arsonist3RR
  • 1Avabruck Caretaker4GG
  • 1Hollowhenge Overlord4GG
  • 1Tovolar's Huntmaster4GG

Planeswalkers (2)

  • 1Arlinn Kord2RG
  • 1Arlinn, the Pack's Hope2RG

Instants (8)

  • 1Heroic Intervention1G
  • 1Moonlight Hunt1G
  • 1Moonmist1G
  • 1Return to Nature1G
  • 1Waxing Moon1G
  • 1Beast Within2G
  • 1Chaos Warp2R
  • 1Return of the Wildspeaker4G

Sorceries (8)

  • 1Nature's Lore1G
  • 1Rampant Growth1G
  • 1Unnatural MoonriseRG
  • 1Cultivate2G
  • 1Kodama's Reach2G
  • 1Decimate2RG
  • 1Into the Night3R
  • 1Blasphemous Act8R

Artifacts (7)

  • 1Sol Ring1
  • 1Arcane Signet2
  • 1Gruul Signet2
  • 1Lightning Greaves2
  • 1Swiftfoot Boots2
  • 1Herald's Horn3
  • 1The Celestus3

Enchantments (8)

  • 1Full Moon's Rise1G
  • 1Ranger Class1G
  • 1Beastmaster Ascension2G
  • 1Howling Moon2G
  • 1Howlpack Resurgence2G
  • 1Rhythm of the Wild1RG
  • 1Berserkers' Onslaught3RR
  • 1Unnatural Growth1GGGG

Lands (34)

  • 1Cinder Glade
  • 1Command Tower
  • 12Forest
  • 1Game Trail
  • 1Gruul Turf
  • 1Karplusan Forest
  • 1Kessig Wolf Run
  • 1Mossfire Valley
  • 8Mountain
  • 1Path of Ancestry
  • 1Reliquary Tower
  • 1Rockfall Vale
  • 1Rootbound Crag
  • 1Spire Garden
  • 1Stomping Ground
  • 1Temple of Abandon
Tovolar proxy deck cover

Get the deck

Tovolar Werewolf Tribal proxy deck

Tovolar calls the night and the pack answers. Build three, flip, draw, and swarm.

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.