Aurelia, the Warleader
CommanderAurelia, the Warleader is a Boros combat commander that turns a single attack step into a second chance to end the game.
Public decks: 2Bracket: 2
Card text
Legendary Creature — Angel
Flying, vigilance, haste
Whenever Aurelia attacks for the first time each turn, untap all creatures you control. After this phase, there is an additional combat phase.
Building around this commander?
Use MTG Master to build or analyze a Commander deck around this card, check consistency, and find weak spots before your next game.
Overview
- Aurelia arrives with flying, vigilance, and haste, allowing her to pressure the table immediately.
- Her first attack each turn untaps your team and creates an additional combat phase.
- The core plan is to develop a board, attack decisively, then use the second combat to push damage through weakened defenses.
- Aurelia naturally rewards combat-focused creature decks and can convert a stable board into a sudden lethal swing.
- With only one public deck in this snapshot, individual card choices should be treated as examples rather than established patterns.
Common lines
- Develop mana and creatures before committing Aurelia when possible.
- Cast Aurelia and attack immediately, using her trigger to untap attackers for a second combat.
- Send the first combat where blocks are least effective, then reassess targets once the table's defenses have changed.
- Use combat-based pressure to force opponents to trade creatures or spend removal before a follow-up attack.
Strengths
- Haste makes Aurelia a live threat the turn she enters.
- Two combat phases can dramatically increase damage from an established board.
- Flying helps Aurelia attack over many ground-based defenses.
- Vigilance lets Aurelia stay available as a blocker after attacking.
- The commander's plan is direct and easy to translate into meaningful battlefield pressure.
Weaknesses
- At six mana, Aurelia can be slow without sufficient mana development.
- The deck's pressure is heavily tied to combat, making creature removal and board wipes disruptive.
- Aurelia's trigger only works on her first attack each turn, so the additional combat does not automatically create another trigger.
- Large boards, disposable blockers, and effects that prevent attacking can blunt the combat plan.
- Repeated commander tax can make rebuilding around Aurelia difficult.
Rule zero notes
- The available snapshot contains one public deck and is marked at bracket 2, so its construction should not be treated as a settled template.
- Aurelia creates an additional combat phase whenever she attacks for the first time each turn; mention this explosive combat potential before the game.
- Ask whether the deck includes extra-combat or extra-turn effects, as those can materially increase its closing speed.
- The snapshot includes examples of Angel creatures, Equipment, combat enhancements, and interaction, but none should be assumed without seeing the full list.
Matchups
Best into
- Creature-heavy midrange pods that rely on ground blockers.
- Tables that give combat decks time to build a board before presenting a win.
- Opponents with limited flying defense or few instant-speed answers.
- Games where forcing multiple profitable blocks can reshape the battlefield.
Struggles against
- Removal-heavy control decks that can answer Aurelia before combat.
- Board-wipe-focused tables that repeatedly reset creature development.
- Fast noncombat strategies that can win before combat pressure matters.
- Defensive decks that can consistently prevent attacks or absorb repeated combat damage.
FAQ
How does Aurelia's trigger work?
When Aurelia attacks for the first time in a turn, all of your creatures untap and you get an additional combat phase after that phase. This lets creatures that attacked in the first combat attack again.
Does Aurelia trigger again in the additional combat?
No. Her ability only triggers when she attacks for the first time that turn, so attacking in the extra combat will not create another combat by itself.
Can Aurelia attack the turn she is cast?
Yes. She has haste, so she can attack as soon as she enters under your control.
What is Aurelia's primary win condition?
She typically closes through repeated combat damage, using an extra combat phase to pressure life totals and capitalize on a wide or powerful board.
Is this snapshot enough to define a standard Aurelia build?
No. It contains only one public deck, so the listed cards and any apparent themes are examples rather than reliable indicators of a typical build.