What's better than one commander helming your deck? Why, two commanders of course! Like many Magic: the Gathering players, I've run into the problem of choosing which commander to build a deck for. There are countless times I've sat around in a haze choosing between this card or that to be my general. But no more! In 2016 (I know, ancient times), Wizards of the Coast unleashed one of the more powerful commander mechanics ever printed in the multiverse: Partner.

Essentially, Partner allows the indecisive deckbuilder (like yours truly) the ability to have two commanders in their commander zone. Neat-o, right?

In this article, I'll help you pick the best partner commander pairings. We'll look at five of the most popular commander deck archetypes, and I'll list two, TWO pairings to get your deckbuilding brain a'going.

Note, though: we're not including any Partners With, Choose a Background, or the Universes Beyond-specific partner mechanics (looking at you, Doctor Who and Stranger Things). I find those a bit restrictive. But, if you'd like to see those in an article... well, we can save that for another time.

Partner Commander Combinations

Voltron: Akiri, Line-Slinger and Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist

Usually, this archetype is all about buffing your commander to win through combat. Buffs, in this sense, may come in many forms: Auras, Equipment, counters... the list goes on. With two commanders in your zone, the possibilities are doubled.

When I started playing Magic, the second preconstructed deck I ever bought was Call of the Kor from 1998's Stronghold. Fitting that we start off with a pair of Kor legendary creatures. Akiri, Line-Slinger is a 0/3 first striking and vigilant Kor Soldier Ally for two mana that gets +1/+0 for each artifact you control. Voltron material, easily.

But wait, there's more. Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist, a 2/2 Kor Scout for three mana, attaches (or equips) Auras and Equipment onto a permanent at the start of combat on your turn. Forget equip costs and feeling FOMO when attaching Auras to anything not Akiri!

The strategy here is clear: play as many Equipment and Auras. Load them up on Akiri (or any other creature, actually) and swing!

Equipment like Caduceus, Staff of Hermes from the recently released Assassin's Creed Universes Beyond set gives Akiri +6/+5 and indestructible. Other lethal armaments would be Colossus Hammer, Nettlecyst, Argentum Armor, Kaldra Compleat, and Embercleave. One or two would be big trouble for your opponents. Having 'em all on Akiri? Overkill.

Auras like All That Glitters and Mantle of the Ancients increase Akiri's power exponentially too. To round off the supporting cast of creatures, Puresteel Paladin, Sram, Senior Edificer, and Akiri, Fearless Voyager ensure that your arsenal doesn't get empty.

Aristocrats: Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools + Tana, the Bloodsower

Ah, the forbidden art of sacrificing your pawns for power. As one of the Magic universe's most sinister planeswalkers, no one embodies this as well as Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools. While this Black planeswalker's ultimate can win you the game and his +2 gives you two bodies, it's his middle ability to draw 2 to 3 cards that takes center stage.

Couple him up with Tana, the Bloodsower and your bloody rituals for power can be fed with a never-ending supply of token creatures.

Any Aristocrat aficionado knows that there are multiple ways to skin a, well, a creature. If cards from Tevesh ain't your thing, then Warren Soultrader and Pitiless Plunderer can turn those creatures into Treasures. Oldie but goodie Goblin Bombardment can fling a body to any target to deal 1 damage. And original baddie Yawgmoth, Thran Physician can one-up Tevesh by drawing a card AND placing a -1/-1 counter on a creature.

Tana and Tevesh's abilities can help you draw into your win conditions, which are basically pinging the table for damage. Mayhem Devil, Mirkwood Bats, Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, and Bastion of Remembrance are the staples of this archetype. Access to green and black also means that recursion is something this deck can do well. So let the blood sacrifices commence!

Graveyard: Keskit, the Flesh Sculptor + Ravos, Soultender

If we're talking recursion, then we're talking graveyards, and this is the realm of the pairing of Keskit, the Flesh Sculptor and Ravos, Soultender. This Orzhov duo does a bit of Aristocrat-ing, but they focus on bringing things back to life or un-life too. Keskit is a three mana 1/3 Phyrexian Human Artificer that can look at the top three cards of your library, put one into your hand, and bin the rest. Oh, and he does this at the additional cost of three other artifacts or creatures. This might be a steep cost, but again, sacrificing can have its upsides (Syr Konrad, the Grim supports this statement) too! Not convinced? Okay, Ravos, Soultender can soften the blow. This five mana 2/2 Human Cleric returns one creature from the yard back to your hand and even buffs your entire team one pip up.

Apart from the usual Aristocrat ensemble, this deck can load up on creatures with good enters-the-battlefield triggers like Sun Titan, Grave Titan, and Gray Merchant of Asphodel. On the flipside, dies triggers from Archon of Justice, Cavalier of Dawn, or Wurmcoil Engine can also provide value. The Phyrexian baddies Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines and Drivnod, Carnage Dominus make sure this sinister pairing takes full advantage of the recursive nightmare you'll inflict on your opponents.

Big Creatures / Big Combat: Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder + Kamahl, Heart of Krosa

Two big bois helm this pet Naya deck of mine. When we think of this shard combination of White, Red, and Green, we're thinking ramping up to cast fatties left and right. With Kamahl's free Overrun every combat, even a measly 1/1 token can deal some serious damage. This 5/5 Human Druid costs a lot at eight mana and is commonly your curve topper. This is where 3/3 Human Ally for four mana Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder comes in - he can make your early game drop a threat while you ramp up to unleash Krosa's finest.

Our two bois love to fight, and this is why extra combat steps are downright essential. Aurelia, the Warleader, Moraug, Fury of Akoum, and Karlach, Fury of Avernus are legendaries that keep the fight going. Bloodthirster and Combat Celebrant are also other extra combat enablers to stick in your deck.

I won't waste any more space talking about ramp: Green dorks (Birds of Paradise) and spells (Three Visits).

What else do we do with our big boys and big mana? Well, we need to keep them fed, so Last March of the Ents, Rishkar's Expertise, and Toski, Bearer of Secrets are Green draw spells that keep the goodies coming.

If you love melee, then let these bros bring the melee in your next commander deck.

Combo: Thrasios, Triton Hero + Tymna the Weaver

Okay, it would be downright deceptive if this partner pairing was left out of any top partners list. This OG pairing is much maligned and much feared in both casual and competitive tables. Fusing arguably the best four colors in EDH (hey, red mages, don't @ me!), this Merfolk Wizard and Human Cleric duo allows you access to the meanest combos this side of the EDH coin.

Both commanders can be deployed in the early game. Thrasios, the 1/3 for two mana fish guy, can scry 1 and draw you a card OR place a land from your library onto the battlefield. While Tymna can draw you up to as many cards as opponents you've dealt damage to in that turn. Both commanders drip value and allow you to race through your deck to find your combo pieces.

The most infamous combo that this deck pulls out would be the Demonic Consultation / Tainted Pact and Thassa's Oracle win. With the colors this deck is in, this combo line is easy to protect. The best of permission (Swan Song, Fierce Guardianship, Pact of Negation) and stax (Silence, Drannith Magistrate, Grand Abolisher, Ranger-Captain of Eos) can back you up. While commander all-stars like Rhystic Study, Esper Sentinel, and Mystic Remora give you enough gas to outlast the competition.

Honestly, it's hard to build a weak Thrasios and Tymna deck. And that's also why pulling this partner pairing out at a table can set off alarm bells in your opponents' heads. Which, in fairness to them, is a good thing to keep you honest - or from winning with your cool combo.

Why settle for one commander when you can have two, right? Double your fun by doubling the dudes in your command zone! Whether its buffing up your Voltron or your entire team, sacrificing your critters and resurrecting them, to pulling off game-ending (and possibly friendship ending?) combos, these pairings bring the best out each archetype.

Have a potent pairing in mind? Share your favorite partner commanders in the comments!