R/WEDHREC #7576

The War Doctor

Legendary Creature — Time Lord Doctor

Whenever one or more other permanents phase out and whenever one or more other cards are put into exile from anywhere, put a time counter on The War Doctor. Whenever The War Doctor attacks, it deals damage equal to the number of time counters on it to any target. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.

3 / 5

Build with Strategy Build from Scratch

From$0.33USDBuy on TCGPlayer

“Build time counters via phasing and exile, turn them into lethal damage.”

PlaystyleMidrange

DifficultyIntermediate

Wins viaCombat damage, Commander damage

ThemesVoltron, Blink, Spellslinger

Strategy

How this commander wants to play

The War Doctor turns exile and phasing into a damage engine, slowly building up time counters that fuel increasingly powerful attacks. Your gameplan revolves around finding ways to phase out your own permanents (especially cheap ones you can replay) and filling your exile zone with cards through effects like Flicker, Solemnity combos, or self-exile payoffs. Each trigger adds a counter, and once you've stacked enough, you swing for massive damage while exiling any blockers that dare face you.

The beauty here is that you're not just attacking—you're removing threats permanently while The War Doctor grows fatter. Cards that phase things out repeatedly or dump cards into exile become your engine; think Teferi's Protege effects, Ephemerate chains, and cards that exile from your deck or hand as a cost. You'll eventually reach a critical mass where a single attack ends games, especially since exile is the most permanent removal form.

Strategy generated by Tapped Decks AI. Not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.

Key Synergies

Cards that especially shine here

Budget Build

Same gameplan, less money

Skip pricey fetch lands and use basics with a few Evolving Wilds; replace tutors like Enlightened Tutor with cheaper card draw like Faithless Looting or Cathartic Pyre.