AzoriusLegendary Creature — Human SoldierRory Williams
Mana value2Rank#13,988PartnerYes
The Commander
, Guide
Gameplan
Rory is a resilient 2/2 first strike lifelink body that keeps coming back via its own suspend mechanic, fueling card advantage with Clues every time you cast it. Pair him with Amy Pond for a low-curve UW value engine that grinds out the game with token swarms, equipment, or blink. You play a fair, attrition-based game, leaning on his self-recurring nature to never run out of threats or fuel.
Strengths
- Two-card command zone access (partner with Amy Pond) widens deck options and consistency
- Self-suspending recursion means Rory keeps returning without commander tax pain
- Investigate on every cast gives steady card advantage and artifact synergies
- First strike + lifelink makes him a strong early blocker and equipment carrier
Weaknesses
- Tiny base 2/2 body does little without support or buffs
- Suspend delay means he isn't reliably on the battlefield when you need him
- UW lacks ramp and direct removal of nonpermanents, leaning on board control
- Clue-based card advantage is slow and mana-intensive to cash in
Key Cards
- Amy Pond — Her partner slot is the intended pairing, giving a second resilient commander and broadening your UW gameplan.
- Swords to Plowshares — Premier cheap white removal to keep Rory alive and clear blockers in a fair deck.
- Esper Sentinel — Turns the slow UW grind into a card-advantage machine that punishes opponents' spells.
- Smothering Tithe — Solves UW's mana issues and helps you cash Clues and cast Rory repeatedly.
- Reconnaissance — Lets Rory attack safely with first strike, dealing damage then dodging blocks while you gain life.
Upgrade Path
Add efficient mana rocks (Arcane Signet, Talisman of Progress) and ramp like Smothering Tithe to power out Rory and cash Clues faster. Lean into a focused finish—either equipment package (Swords-class gear, Reconnaissance) or a token/anthem core—rather than splitting plans. Improve interaction density with counterspells and white removal so your fair, grindy deck survives to deploy its inevitability.
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
- ▸Suiting up Rory with equipment for repeated lifelinking first-strike combat damage
- ▸Going wide with tokens and finishing with an anthem or overrun effect
- ▸Grinding opponents out with card advantage from Clues plus a flyer or evasive beater
- ▸Artifact-token synergy payoffs converting Clues into damage or value
Archetypes
- Voltron — First strike and lifelink make Rory an excellent, recurring equipment and aura carrier.
- Tokens/Go-Wide — Clues plus a low UW curve support an anthem-based token swarm with Amy backing it up.
- Artifacts — Constant Clue generation feeds improvise, sacrifice payoffs, and artifact-count synergies.
- Blink/Value — Recasting Rory and other ETB creatures while drawing off Clues fuels a control-leaning grind.
Combos
No combos found for this commander on Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (UW), by popularity.
