There are some Base commanders who are also usefull for combat: Niefel Giants and maybee assasins.
But normaly you have to summon commnder to get the magic items to work: Try the Bane Lord, or a Ice Devil, or a combatpretender(any titan) and you will see that they are not too weak
(Try giving them the boots(of hase?) and the wraith sword and do not wonder if you change your tactics to super combatants.