RedLegendary Creature — Human Soldier WarriorMa Chao, Western Warrior
Mana value5Rank#26,392
The Commander
Horsemanship (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with horsemanship.)
Whenever Ma Chao attacks alone, it can't be blocked this combat.
Guide
Gameplan
Ma Chao is a mono-red Voltron commander who turns evasion into reliable commander damage. He's effectively unblockable thanks to horsemanship (almost no opponents run horsemanship creatures), and attacking alone removes even that loophole. Suit him up with equipment, auras, and pump spells, then connect for chunks of 21 commander damage while the rest of the deck applies pressure or protects the threat.
Strengths
- Near-unblockable evasion makes commander damage extremely consistent
- Cheap enough at 5 mana to recast after removal
- Mono-red gives access to powerful, efficient equipment and aggressive pump
- Attacking alone clause guarantees connection even against horsemanship hate
Weaknesses
- Single-target removal and bounce reset your whole investment
- Mono-red lacks card draw and struggles in long grindy games
- Vulnerable to damage prevention, fog effects, and lifegain
- All-in Voltron makes you a target and draws blockers' worth of interaction
Key Cards
- Embercleave — Cheap to cast off an unblocked attacker and doubles his damage with double strike.
- Fireshrieker — Grants double strike to halve the number of swings needed to deal lethal commander damage.
- Sword of Fire and Ice — Adds protection, card draw, and reach damage onto an already evasive body.
- Rancor — Recurring cheap pump that returns to hand whenever Ma Chao dies or it's removed.
- Berserk — Doubles his power for a turn, often turning one connection into a lethal commander-damage swing.
Upgrade Path
Add efficient cost-reducers and tutors like Stoneforge Mystic, Steelshaper's Gift, and Open the Armory to find your best equipment faster. Prioritize protection (Swiftfoot Boots, Whispersilk Cloak, Heroic Intervention-style red options like Deflecting Swat) and free pump to dodge removal. Tighten the curve and add ramp like Sol Ring and signets so you can suit up and protect Ma Chao in the same turn.
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
- ▸Dealing 21 commander damage via equipped, evasive attacks
- ▸Doubling power with Berserk or double strike for a one-shot kill
- ▸Grinding opponents out with repeated unblockable hits and burn reach
Archetypes
- Voltron — His built-in evasion makes stacking equipment and auras a reliable kill plan.
- Aggro — Cheap commander and red's pump effects support a fast, low-curve beatdown shell.
- Equipment — Mono-red rewards loading a single evasive threat with swords and combat steroids.
Combos
No combos found for this commander on Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (R), by popularity.
