The ThingThe Thing | Art by Darius Zablockis

We recently got a first look at the Marvel Super Heroes set coming out next year, including sneak peeks at legends from Marvel Super Heroes Commander - the entire Fantastic Four!

When I was a kid, I picked up comic books whenever I could, but Fantastic Four was the first comic title that I actively collected, seeking out old issues while grabbing the newest book when they came out.

Ben Grim AKA The ThingThe Thing was my favorite of the group. Unlike the rest of the group, the cosmic rays mutated him into a physical form far from human, which gave him an tragic air that had me rooting for him at every turn. I cobbled together a Commander deck built with him at the helm, and today I'm sharing the deck tech with you.

What Does The ThingThe Thing Do?

The ThingThe Thing is a bit expensive at six mana and is just a 5/5 starting out, but he has the ability to grow in size substantially, which makes his trample ability fearsome.

At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you've cast a noncreature spell this turn, you put four +1/+1 counters on The ThingThe Thing-- so most likely you'll be attacking with a 9/9 trampling Hero!

The ThingThe Thing also has an attack trigger, if you pay you get to double the number of each kind of counter on any number of target permanents you control.

Obviously this makes The ThingThe Thing even more of a potent attacker with the +1/+1 counters, but it also opens up an angle in deck design for other types of counters.

The ThingThe Thing and the rest of the Fantastic Four will more than double the number of non-partner commanders with this four-color nonblack color identity.

But what's really cool about them is that they only require a particular color to cast the card itself, which opens up the potential of making the decks mostly monocolor, with the potential of paying that attack trigger with tons of options to generate color outside the base color.

Key Cards for The ThingThe Thing

Naturally I'm including the rest of the Fantastic Four. Each of them care about casting a noncreature spell before moving to combat, and each also has an ability where you'll pay and get that additional effect.

I really like that each one is quite different, and would definitely take your build in different directions depending on which is leading the deck.

I put Heroic InterventionHeroic Intervention in the deck because The ThingThe Thing is a Hero, and I added Kediss, Emberclaw FamiliarKediss, Emberclaw Familiar to lean into The ThingThe Thing's "It's Clobberin' Time!" motto -- if he deals that big trampling damage to one opponent, you'll want it dealt to all opponents!

I love World War HulkWorld War Hulk, another card previewed from the Marvel Super Heroes set. The card just screams big bang boom, which is everything I want in a Commander card!

This is a perfect way to cast The ThingThe Thing and you'll have met that combat trigger requirement, immediately adding those four +1/+1 counters. Chapter II can add even more +1/+1 counters to The ThingThe Thing or another creature, that you can then double when The ThingThe Thing attacks if you pay the mana.

And for the final chapter, you get to double the power and toughness of a creature you control, which can potentially take an opponent out with commander damage if it's The ThingThe Thing.

Peter Parker's CameraPeter Parker's Camera does a lot here. It's a cheap noncreature spell that can satisfy the first ability of The ThingThe Thing. It has film counters that can be doubled by The ThingThe Thing's second ability. And it can be activated to copy an activated or triggered ability you control!

Gift of the ViperGift of the Viper is also a cheap noncreature spell that adds some counters to a creature, and in particular I like the idea of adding a deathtouch counter to The ThingThe Thing to combine with his huge size and trample ability.

I've got these zero mana spells you can easily hold in hand until the turn you cast The ThingThe Thing so you can get that first combat step trigger right away.

These are more cheap spells you can cast to get that noncreature spell trigger; Loading ZoneLoading Zone is cool because you can warp it for cheap, get that benefit, and then cast it later on to get that noncreature spell trigger again!

Hardened ScalesHardened Scales plays well with the +1/+1 counter synergies. Kutzil, Malamet ExemplarKutzil, Malamet Exemplar and TerrasymbiosisTerrasymbiosis do too, but in particular they provide card draw to keep the gas flowing.

Danny PinkDanny Pink provides more card drawing, while Miles MoralesMiles Morales -- in particular the card's back side -- throws more counters around. Origin of MetalbendingOrigin of Metalbending is primarily here to add a +1/+1 counter and provide some protection from destroy effects, but its modal choices give you much appreciated flexibility.

Pir, Imaginative RascalPir, Imaginative Rascal and Toothy, Imaginary FriendToothy, Imaginary Friend are a nice partner pair to have in the deck, both of which play perfectly with the overall strategy. Halana and Alena, PartnersHalana and Alena, Partners does an excellent job of adding +1/+1 counters and haste to other creatures turn after turn.

I'm particularly excited about the possibility of doubling Arwen, Mortal QueenArwen, Mortal Queen's indestructible counter with The ThingThe Thing and then the fun begins with her activated ability throwing around +1/+1 counters and lifelink counters!

Tidus, Yuna's GuardianTidus, Yuna's Guardian provides more card draw, and the ability of moving counters around, while Kodama of the West TreeKodama of the West Tree provides much appreciated land ramp when modified creatures gain trample and deal combat damage to players.

Avenging HuntbonderAvenging Huntbonder gives out a double strike counter that The ThingThe Thing will certainly appreciate, while Protection MagicProtection Magic gives out shield counters. Mutational AdvantageMutational Advantage is a protection spell that prevents damage (which will keep shield counters around), and you get to proliferate too? Sign me up!

Damning VerdictDamning Verdict and Resourceful DefenseResourceful Defense are both excellent cards that support the counters on creatures strategy.

I didn't even remember Ripples of PotentialRipples of Potential until I went researching cards for this deck, but it's a great protection spell for creature counters decks. Agent's ToolkitAgent's Toolkit is another fun permanent to double counters with before you start handing out those counters to creatures that enter the battlefield.

Since The ThingThe Thing's abilities trigger on combat, why not get more combats? Karlach, Fury of AvernusKarlach, Fury of Avernus giving your attackers first strike is going to make it really difficult for blockers to kill The ThingThe Thing! And since Ben Grimm is a romantic soul, I thought Last Night TogetherLast Night Together was a perfect extra combat spell for the deck.

The ThingThe Thing can get really big, so Rishkar's ExpertiseRishkar's Expertise should draw a lot of cards, and satisfy that noncreature spell requirement. Season of GatheringSeason of Gathering is a favorite of mine for Commander, with its various modes working great in this deck.

And when you have huge attackers, why not double the power with Xenagos, God of RevelsXenagos, God of Revels, which gives haste as well?

Greater GoodGreater Good is an excellent way to cash in a large creature like The ThingThe Thing if it gets targeted with removal, or you just need to dig for answers. While there are other creature removal spells available in the four colors this deck has access to, with the size potential of The ThingThe Thing and his trample ability, Ram ThroughRam Through can turn into a FireballFireball to an opponent's dome at instant speed.

I'm sure the Fantastic Four must have had a Western adventure at some point in their long run, so Annie Joins UpAnnie Joins Up is both fun flavor and also a powerhouse card with all the various triggers from The ThingThe Thing and the rest of the Fantastic Four.

I love these cards ability to save your creatures from mass destroy effects, and Boromir, Warden of the TowerBoromir, Warden of the Tower also has the surprisingly useful ability to shut down various effects that cast spells for free while he waits to sacrifice himself.

How Does This The ThingThe Thing Commander Deck Win?

This deck is designed to be a Core (Bracket 2) deck that's looking to win through combat while disrupting your opponents' plans with interaction. The ThingThe Thing's ability to grow in size means taking out opponents with commander damage is very much on the table.

Akroma's WillAkroma's Will and Savage BeatingSavage Beating are both excellent ways to leverage a combat-oriented deck into victory. Savage BeatingSavage Beating is also on flavor for "It's Clobberin' Time!"

The ThingThe Thing Commander Deck List

Conclusion

If you like smashing large creature into life totals through combat, this is the deck for you! There is plenty of interaction and removal to keep your opponents mostly in check, and allows for wild swings back and forth in Commander games that I enjoy so much.

Since The ThingThe Thing comes from a Commander deck, I imagine there will be other new cards that will play very well with the themes of the deck, and in particular I imagine there will be "Heroes Matter" cards. What other cards would you put in a Commander deck built around The ThingThe Thing?

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