- Budget Builds: Construct competitive Commander decks for around $50.
- Five Armies: Dedicated lists for Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Wargs, and Humans.
- Smaug Strategy: A high-power treasure-ramp deck designed for archenemy gameplay.
- Kindred Themes: Focus on creature types with synergistic lords and tribal payoffs.
- Upgrade Path: Start with commons and uncommons, then swap in rares as prices drop.
The Five Armies Commander Overview
Wizards of the Coast released The Hobbit set but did not include official Commander precon decks for the Five Armies. However, you can construct thematic, powerful decks yourself. This guide breaks down six distinct builds: one for each army (Dwarves, Elves, Humans, Goblins, Wargs) and a specialized Smaug "Archenemy" deck. These builds are designed to be thematic, affordable, and upgradeable.
Video Highlights:
- Overview of all six custom Commander decks.
- Detailed breakdown of the Dwarf "Baruka Zad" strategy.
- Explanation of the Smaug treasure-ramp engine.
- Budget analysis and pricing tips for Hobbit cards.
Pre-order prices for The Hobbit cards are often inflated. Base copy rares will likely drop in price shortly after release. It is recommended to wait for the market to stabilize before buying expensive singles for these lists.
Army 1: Dwarves - Baruka Zad
The Dwarf deck, Baruka Zad, is led by Thorin, King of Durin's Folk. This deck is a pure kindred strategy, meaning every creature is a Dwarf. It focuses on going wide with tokens and equipping them for combat.
Deck Strategy:
- Thorin's Engine: Whenever Thorin or another Dwarf enters, create a Treasure token.
- Anthems: Artifact tokens give other Dwarves +1/+0.
- Equipment: A sub-theme of equipment buffs the army's power.
- Combat Trick: Use Semester's End to wipe the board, save your Dwarves, and re-trigger "Enters the Battlefield" (ETB) effects.
| Card Type | Function | Key Cards |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | Treasure generation & Anthem | Thorin, King of Durin's Folk |
| Creatures | Dwarf tribal synergy | 33 Dwarves (100% of creature slots) |
| Removal | Board wipe protection | Blasphemous Act, Semester's End |
| Support | Equipment & Buffs | Heraldic Banner, Metallic Mimic |
Since the deck includes commons intentionally, your first upgrades should be cutting these for stronger Dwarf removal or equipment. Look for cards that offer immediate impact upon entering the battlefield.
Army 2: Goblins - Misty Mountain Menace
The Goblin deck, Misty Mountain Menace, utilizes The Great Goblin as its commander. This is an aggressive deck that uses the "Amass" mechanic to create a huge Army token and pings opponents for damage whenever counters are added.
Deck Strategy:
- Damage Engine: The Great Goblin deals 2 damage whenever you put counters on a Goblin or Army.
- Card Advantage: Impulse draw whenever Goblins, Orcs, or Armies die.
- Amass Mechanics: 32 cards grow the Army token.
- Utility: Azog can target your own Army to kill it, amass a new one, and draw a card.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Core Mechanic | Amass & Sacrifice |
| Win Condition | Burn damage with massive Army token |
| Key Synergy | Azog + Army token recursion |
This deck requires you to decide constantly whether to attack, chump block, or sacrifice your Army. The correct choice depends on whether you need life, cards, or a fresh token.
Army 3: Elves - Greenwood the Great
Greenwood the Great is a three-color Elf deck led by Thranduil, Elven King. This is an intermediate-to-advanced deck that utilizes the graveyard as a resource.
Deck Strategy:
- Graveyard Active: Thranduil gains all activated abilities of Elves in your graveyard.
- Card Draw: Draw two cards whenever a legendary Elf enters (discard one to fill the graveyard).
- Self-Mill: Use Aftermath Analyst and surveil spells to load the graveyard.
- Board Wipe: Singularity Rupture wipes the board and mills half your library, setting up a massive Thranduil turn.
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Commander | Thranduil, Elven King |
| Primary Win | Activated abilities from graveyard |
| Utility | Self-mill & graveyard recursion |
| Protection | Board wipes that benefit you |
Army 4: Wargs & Humans
These two decks round out the Five Armies with distinct playstyles.
Wilderland Wargs (Wargs)
- Commander: Chief Worg.
- Strategy: Kindred attack deck. Draw a card whenever you attack with a creature of power 4 or greater.
- Challenge: Chief Worg is only 3/3, so the deck relies on anthem effects (Metallic Mimic, Heraldic Banner) to boost creature power.
- Inclusions: Even Spider-Ham is included for its anthem effect.
King's Command (Humans)
- Commander: Bard, King of Dale.
- Strategy: Token doubling and card draw. Bard allows you to draw 2 cards instead of 1 after the first draw each turn, and create double tokens.
- Difficulty: Advanced. Requires building the engine before casting the 6-mana commander.
- Key Cards: Belladonna Took (token value), Ox Drover (group draw).
| Deck | Commander | Difficulty | Core Mechanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wargs | Chief Worg | Beginner | Tribal Anthems |
| Humans | Bard, King of Dale | Advanced | Token Doubling |
The Human deck is the most difficult to pilot of the Five Armies. It requires patience to build a card draw engine before committing the commander to the board.
The Archenemy: Smaug
Unlike the budget-friendly army decks, the Smaug deck, Greatest of Calamities, is built to be an overpowered "Archenemy" deck. It is not budget-conscious.
Deck Strategy:
- Treasure Ramp: Smaug, Wicked Worm creates tapped Treasures equal to opponents' artifacts.
- Cantrips: Spells cast with Treasure mana draw a card for 1 life.
- Opponent Punishment: Give opponents artifacts/treasures (Curse of Opulence), then shut them down with Karn, the Great Creator.
- Finishers: Exsanguinate or Torment of Hailfire to drain the table.
Ramp
Play Smaug to generate a massive pile of Treasure tokens based on opponents' artifacts.
Feed
Use "Curse" cards to give opponents more artifacts, fueling Smaug's trigger.
Draw
Cast your spells using Treasure mana, drawing cards and losing life to refill your hand.
Lock
Drop Karn the Great Creator to shut off opponents' artifacts, locking them out of their own resources.
Burn
Cast Exsanguinate or Torment of Hailfire using your immense Treasure wealth to win the game.
Budget Checklist & Goals
Building these decks requires careful planning to stay on budget.
Construction Goals:
- Wait for card prices to stabilize post-release
- Build the 'Five Armies' decks first (approx. $50 each)
- Identify common cards for initial cuts
- Upgrade lands last (use basics initially)
- Proxy the Smaug deck before investing heavily
| Deck | Budget Target | Upgrade Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarves | $50 | Equipment |
| Goblins | $50 | Sacrifice outlets |
| Elves | $50 | Graveyard recursion |
| Wargs | $50 | Anthem effects |
| Humans | $50 | Card draw engines |
| Smaug | High Cost | Treasure payoffs |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why didn't Wizards of the Coast make official precons?
Wizards focused their precon effort on the 'Battle of Five Armies' box set releasing later. These custom builds fill the gap for thematic Commander decks.
Q: Are these decks suitable for new players?
Yes, the Dwarf and Goblin decks are designed to be beginner-friendly with straightforward kindred strategies. The Human and Smaug decks are more complex.
Q: How do I handle the high prices of Hobbit cards?
Avoid buying at pre-order prices. The budget estimates account for price drops. Use placeholder cards or basics until the market stabilizes.
Q: Can I play the Smaug deck in a regular pod?
Smaug is designed as an 'Archenemy' deck. It is significantly stronger than the $50 army decks and may be too powerful for casual tables unless opponents are also playing optimized lists.