WhiteCreature — Human Soldier // Legendary Creature — Human SamuraiBushi Tenderfoot // Kenzo the Hardhearted
Mana value1Rank#19,667
The Commander
When a creature dealt damage by this creature this turn dies, flip this creature.
Double strike; bushido 2 (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn.)
Guide
Gameplan
Drop Bushi Tenderfoot turn one, then connect or trade to flip it into Kenzo the Hardhearted, a double-striking bushido beater. From there you suit up your tiny commander with auras, equipment, and protection to swing for lethal commander damage while leaning on mono-white's efficient removal and tax pieces.
Strengths
- One-mana commander gets onto the board immediately and is cheap to recast
- Kenzo's double strike makes every +X/+0 buff and Voltron payoff count double
- Bushido 2 plus double strike wins combat exchanges and punishes blockers
- Mono-white has the format's best protection (Swords to Plowshares, Path) and equipment support
Weaknesses
- Flipping requires a creature to die from its damage, which can be awkward against empty boards or fliers
- Classic Voltron fragility: one removal spell sets you back a full turn
- Mono-white lacks card draw and ramp, so it can stall on resources
- Telegraphs the kill—evasion and protection are mandatory or you get chump-blocked forever
Key Cards
- Swiftfoot Boots — Hexproof and haste protect your commander and let it attack the turn it flips or returns.
- Sword of Fire and Ice — Grants protection, card draw, and damage that combos brutally with double strike.
- Rogue's Passage — Guarantees Kenzo connects for unblockable, doubled commander damage.
- Shadowspear — Cheap trample-and-lifelink equipment that ensures damage gets through to trigger the flip and close games.
- Sigarda's Aid — Flash auras and equipment for free, letting you suit up at instant speed to dodge removal.
Upgrade Path
Add the best protection and evasion you can afford—Lightning Greaves, Whispersilk Cloak, and additional Swords—so Kenzo connects through interaction. Shore up white's weak spots with rocks like Smothering Tithe and card advantage from Esper Sentinel and Welcoming Vampire. Tutors such as Stoneforge Mystic, Steelshaper's Gift, and Open the Armory make your equipment plan far more consistent.
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
- ▸Repeated double-strike commander damage, often boosted to one-shot range
- ▸Equipment like Sword of X & Y plus unblockable enablers for incremental beats
- ▸Going wide with white weenies alongside an anthem if Voltron is answered
Archetypes
- Voltron — A cheap evasive double striker is the ideal target for auras and equipment to deal lethal commander damage.
- Aggro — Mono-white weenie shells support an early board that helps Bushi flip and pressures the table fast.
- Hatebears/Stax — White's tax creatures slow opponents while you assemble a lethal Kenzo and protect it.
Combos
No combos found for this commander on Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (W), by popularity.
