Zombify Your Opponents With This Budget Gisa, the Hellraiser Commander Deck

Old Man Magic: The Bureaucratic Undead

The Sultai Shuffle | $150 Teval, the Balanced Scale Deck Tech

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhet-Tomb Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Rhet-Tomb Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://nord-sol.com/">Irina Nordsol</a>)</h6>
<p>Friendly Greetings, and welcome to the premier issue of <em>Bracketeering</em>! I'm John Sherwood, Commander Bracket convert. When Wizards of the Coast first teased the idea of Commander Brackets, I was a skeptic.</p>
<p>I seriously doubted a bracket system would ever work. The announcement of the Commander Bracket Beta and the subsequent discussion in the Commander community changed my mind.</p>
<p>I felt inspired to think differently about deck building, and I'm sharing my refreshed perspective in this new series about using sideboards to play a Commander deck in multiple brackets.</p>
<h2>Commander Brackets</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;">Let's briefly review the Commander Brackets. The Commander Bracket Beta is a two-part method of grading and talking about Commander Decks.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Part one is the five brackets, which define deck levels on a spectrum of social to competitive gameplay.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Part two is a list of Game Changers; cards with major impacts on the Commander ecosystem.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The chart below was posted by Rachel Weeks of the Commander Format Panel. In my personal opinion, this is the best summary of the Commander Bracket Beta.</p>
<h6 style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bafkreifsw4y2lhndbag3mm27a7wvik66kqetueh6ujxksmvkac7igxydmi.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-145514" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bafkreifsw4y2lhndbag3mm27a7wvik66kqetueh6ujxksmvkac7igxydmi.jpg" alt="Gradient chart of the Commander Brackets. Chart created by Rachel Weeks." width="600" height="400" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bafkreifsw4y2lhndbag3mm27a7wvik66kqetueh6ujxksmvkac7igxydmi.jpg 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bafkreifsw4y2lhndbag3mm27a7wvik66kqetueh6ujxksmvkac7igxydmi-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/rachelweeks.bsky.social/post/3liaihvemes2m">Commander Bracket Beta Chart from Rachel Weeks</a></h6>
<p>These brackets provide a framework for expressing a desirable Commander gameplay experience. Since the announcement of the bracket system, many Commander players have been excited to rate their existing decks, and build new decks within the parameters of a given bracket.</p>
<p>For those of us leaping into bracketeering: These new brackets also give us an opportunity to import a deckbuilding concept from other formats: sideboarding.</p>
<h2>Why Sideboard?</h2>
<p>For those who are unfamiliar, <em>Magic</em> formats that play best-of-three matches use a sideboard to tune a deck between the games of a match.</p>
<p>Now, I'm far from the first person to suggest sideboards for Commander, however I believe the new bracket system presents a perfect opportunity to adapt the concept for our format. A sideboard can fit in your deck box, taking up less space than multiple decks when you're traveling to play.</p>
<p>Building a sideboard can cost less money than building another deck. Maybe you have one commander or one theme that you really love, and you want to be able to adapt to the power of your pod.</p>
<p>Commander continues to be a dynamic format as the card pool expands outward and upward. A sideboard could be a great way to keep a deck's original feel, while also keeping up with new toys and power creep.</p>
<h2>Ground Rules</h2>
<p>Before we jump into the meat of the series and start Bracketeering our first deck, I'm going to lay out two guidelines for the series going forward.</p>
<p>First, our sideboards will not exceed twenty-five cards. This is consistent with other eternal formats in which a sideboard of fifteen cards equates to 25% of the deck.</p>
<p>Second, our sideboards will contain cards to enable a deck to shift up or down one bracket. This also means most of the decks in the series will begin in the Core (2), Upgraded (3) or Optimized (4) brackets.</p>
<h2>Eternal Might</h2>
<p>The recent release of <em>Aetherdrift</em> featured a preconstructed Commander deck themed around the undead of Amonkhet. <em>Eternal Might</em> is a Zombie theme deck seated firmly in the Core (2) Bracket.</p>
<p>The deck contains no combos, no Game Changers, and there is only one non-land tutor. Here's the whole deck list for reference:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="(DRC) - Eternal Might" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Temmet, Naktamun&#039;s Will
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Angel of Sanctions
*1 Archfiend of Ifnir
*1 Binding Mummy
*1 Cemetery Reaper
*1 Champion of Wits
*1 Corpse Augur
*1 Corpse Knight
*1 Cryptbreaker
*1 Eternal Skylord
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Forgotten Creation
*1 Gempalm Polluter
*1 Gleaming Overseer
*1 God-Eternal Oketra
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Gravecrawler
*1 Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist
*1 Lazotep Chancellor
*1 Lord of the Accursed
*1 Lost Monarch of Ifnir
*1 Midnight Reaper
*1 Murderous Rider // Swift End
*1 Plague Belcher
*1 Priest of the Crossing
*1 Prophet of the Scarab
*1 Rhet-Tomb Mystic
*1 Rot Hulk
*1 The Scarab God
*1 Timeless Dragon
*1 Twisted Abomination
*1 Undead Augur
*1 Vizier of Many Faces
*1 Wayward Servant
*1 Wizened Mentor
*1 Zombie Master
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*1 Cast Out
*1 Dreadhorde Invasion
*1 On Wings of Gold
*1 Renewed Solidarity
[/Enchantment]
[Land]
*1 Accursed Duneyard
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Arcane Sanctum
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Desert of the Glorified
*1 Desert of the Mindful
*1 Desert of the True
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fetid Pools
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Irrigated Farmland
*4 Island
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*1 Path of Ancestry
*5 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Sunken Hollow
*5 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Temple of Silence
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Underground River
*1 Unholy Grotto
[/Land]
[Instant]
*1 Commence the Endgame
*1 Despark
*1 Pull from Tomorrow
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*1 Damn
*1 Dread Summons
*1 Dusk // Dawn
*1 Never // Return
[/Sorcery]
[Artifact]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Bontu&#039;s Monument
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Crowded Crypt
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Gate to the Afterlife
*1 God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift
*1 Maskwood Nexus
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
[/Artifact]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Liliana, Death&#039;s Majesty
[/Planeswalker]"></span></div>
<p>Being centered in one of the most supported creature types, it should be easy to sideboard up into the Upgraded (3) Bracket. The real challenge for Bracketeering a Zombie deck will be stepping it down into the Exhibition (1) bracket.</p>
<h2>Upgrades</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/andy-zupke">Andy Zupke</a> published a great <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/eternal-might-precon-upgrade-guide-aetherdrift">Upgrade Guide</a> for this deck, which was very handy for preparing this article. I'm going to shamelessly borrow some of his ideas for our sideboard.</p>
<p>Three of Andy's picks are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleaver Skaab" href="#" target="_blank">Cleaver Skaab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endless Ranks of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Endless Ranks of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rooftop Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rooftop Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rooftop Storm"></div></div>
<p>Endless Ranks of the Dead and Cleaver Skaab are both strong synergy pieces for <em>Eternal Might</em>'s token subtheme. Rooftop Storm is an archetypal pillar for Zombies; powerful as an engine or combo piece.</p>
<p>Speaking of combo pieces, let's talk about a couple cards that are already in the deck. We've already got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravecrawler" href="#" target="_blank">Gravecrawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a one drop that loops like a teenage summer soundtrack.</p>
<p>The precon also comes with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpse Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Corpse Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a combo payoff. Plugging Gravecrawler into <a href="http://www.commanderspellbook.com">Commander Spellbook</a> yields some winning cards for the upgrade portion of our sideboard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carrion Feeder" href="#" target="_blank">Carrion Feeder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grimgrin, Corpse-Born" href="#" target="_blank">Grimgrin, Corpse-Born</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all sacrfice outlets for looping that Gravecrawler.</p>
<p>Combos become more prevalent as we move up from Core (2) to Upgraded (3), and inluding multiple sacrifice outlets will help this deck consistently field a combo.</p>
<p>Another way we can make our combos more consistent is to tutor for the combo pieces. As an Esper deck, Eternal Might has access to the best tutors, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Imperial Seal" href="#" target="_blank">Imperial Seal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are Game Changers.</p>
<p>Sideboarding too many Game Changers would push this deck into Optimized (4) instead of our target Uprgraded (3) bracket. To accurately hit that Upgraded (3) target, let's look at some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects dump our Gravecrawler in the bin.</p>
<p>Two of my favorites are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lively Dirge" href="#" target="_blank">Lively Dirge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Buried Alive is outstanding value for mana, entombing three cards for one mana each. Lively Dirge does double duty as an entomb effect or reanimation spell.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lively Dirge"></div></div>
<h2>Game Changers</h2>
<p>Since we're sideboarding this deck into the Upgraded (3) Bracket, we're allowed up to three Game Changers in this sideboard. One easy pick in this category is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bolas&#039;s Citadel"></div></div>This card provides card advantage, a sacrifice outlet and pressures our opponents' life totals while matching the deck's Egyptian-inspired aesthetic.</p>
<p>A deck that goes wide like <em>Eternal Might </em>should be able to leverage <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a win. Flooding the battlefield with Zombies and Rifting blockers out of the way is a tried and true recipe for victory. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div></div></p>
<h2>Mana Base</h2>
<p>Eternal Might follows the precon pattern of slow, clunky lands. This is fine for an Exhbition (1) or Core (2) deck, but we want better tempo when we're bracketeering for Upgraded (3) game.</p>
<p>The precon contains six lands with cycling, and five of them are deserts that enter tapped. The deserts are thematic, but the deck doesn't have enough discard payoffs to justify their downsides at higher power tables. If you have the means to sideboard premium lands, then go for it.</p>
<p>Regardless of budget, a basic land is almost always better than a land that enters tapped. I would side out those deserts for basic lands, plus a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contaminated Landscape" href="#" target="_blank">Contaminated Landscape</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Quarry" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Quarry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Contaminated Landscape"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazotep Quarry"></div></div>
<p>These lands are budget friendly, produce mana without entering tapped and they can fix colors in a pinch.</p>
<h2>Downgrades</h2>
<p>I'm hesitant to call this section Downgrades, but I don't know what else to call it. I'm open to suggestions. Drop your positive-spin Downgrade synonyms in the comments please.</p>
<p>In the meantime, I'm going to sideboard some cards that will increase this deck's thematic consistency; possibly at the expense of strategic consistency.</p>
<p>I'm a sucker for set mechanics, and I fell hard for Amass drafting War of the Spark. The original Amass mechanic thematically represented the army Nicol Bolas raised on Amonkhet.</p>
<p>There are eleven Amass cards that are not in the Eternal Might precon, and that gives us an avenue to double down on the deck's flavor. A lot of these cards were balanced for limited play, which should help the deck let off the gas and bask in warmth of Amonkhet's suns.</p>
<p>I'm adding all of them except <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toll of the Invasion" href="#" target="_blank">Toll of the Invasion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crush Dissent" href="#" target="_blank">Crush Dissent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I personally feel targeted hand destruction like Toll of the Invasion doesn't belong in the social-forward atmosphere of an Exhibition (1) game.</p>
<p>Before <em>The</em> <em>Lord of the Rings</em> set improved Amass, I had a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kess, Dissident Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Kess, Dissident Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Amass deck. Even in that jank pile, Crush Dissent was frequently a dead card, and I don't wish dead cards on anyone. Fortunately we still have nine other Amass Zombies cards for Exhibition (1) gold.</p>
<h2>The Sideboard</h2>
<p>Archidekt's card packages are a great tool for building and upgrading decks. I created this <a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/11772093/bracketeering_eternal_might_sideboard">Eternal Might Sideboard</a> as a Card Package, so anyone can add it directly to their deck without searching for the individual cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bracketeering Eternal Might Sideboard" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Enchantments]
*1 Endless Ranks of the Dead
*1 Mindless Conscription
*1 Rooftop Storm
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Aven Eternal
*1 Carrion Feeder
*1 Cleaver Skaab
*1 Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
*1 Lazotep Reaver
*1 Vizier of the Scorpion
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bleeding Edge
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Callous Dismissal
*1 Enter the God-Eternals
*1 Lively Dirge
*1 Relentless Advance
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Lazotep Plating
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Bolas&#039;s Citadel
*1 Phyrexian Altar
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Contaminated Landscape
*1 Lazotep Quarry
*1 Island
*1 Plains
*1 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>What did the mummy say to the editor?</h2>
<p>"That's a wrap."</p>
<p>Bracketeering will be back next month with another deck and another sideboard. In addition to precons, Bracketeering will sometimes feature average decks from EDHREC's top commanders.</p>
<p>Comment below there's a deck you'd like to see featured in this series. Bracketeering a reader-submitted deck is also a possibility. Until next time, may your brews be fresh and your games be fabulous.</p>


Bracketeering - Eternal Might

Aetherdrift Set Review - Black

Innistrad Remastered: Start Me Up!

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tobias, Doomed Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Tobias, Doomed Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://burmak.ru/">Dmitry Burmak</a></h6>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! This is a series where we pick a theme from EDHREC and look at the “bottom of the barrel.” This means that we look at the least played color-combination and pick a commander in those colors to brew a spicy new deck around!</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">It’s likely that this commander has not been considered for this theme before, and that’s the point! This allows us to play around with themes that we enjoy while keeping our decks unique and interesting.</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">For today's edition, we're switching things up a bit. Usually we focus on a particular theme, but today we're focusing on a <em>type</em>: Zombies.</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">This theme is very common in Dimir (black and blue), with the most popular "Zombies" commander coming from an <em>Innistrad: Midnight Hunt</em> preconstructed Commander deck. According to EDHREC, there is one thing that Zombie commander decks have in common: the color black.</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Scarab God"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varina Lich Queen"></div></div></p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gisa and Geralf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grimgrin, Corpse-Born"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghoulcaller Gisa"></div></div></p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">But what would happen if we replaced black with another color?</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">According to EDHREC, Azorius (white and blue) is on the "bottom of the barrel" for Zombie decks, with only 15 decks to its identity. Seeing <em>only 15 decks</em>, we have a winner! Looking into possible commanders, there was one that stood out above the rest: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tobias, Doomed Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Tobias, Doomed Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tobias, Doomed Conqueror"></div></div></p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">Now, I know what you're thinking: "Wait, isn't Tobias a human? Isn't this supposed to be a <em>Zombie</em> deck??"</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">Allow me to explain...</p>
<h2>Category #1: Death Triggers</h2>
<p>Looking at Tobias, his ability to make Zombies cares about the amount nontoken creatures that can die in one turn. With this mind, our game plan will need to revolve around 1 huge turn of sacrificing our creatures for value. That being said, Tobias is also an amazing piece of board wipe protection, and can generate huge value if we keep the mana open to flash him in during critical points in the game.</p>
<p>Since our creatures need to die, it make sense to add creatures that <em>want</em> to die: Inga, Rune-Eyes can be a great source of card draw if enough creatures die; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surveilling Sprite" href="#" target="_blank">Surveilling Sprite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Palace Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Palace Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Outlaw Medic," href="#" target="_blank">Outlaw Medic,</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcator&#039;s Watcher" href="#" target="_blank">Malcator&#039;s Watcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> generate card advantage and are the <em>perfect</em> blockers; and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ao, the Dawn Sky" href="#" target="_blank">Ao, the Dawn Sky</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can grant us crazy value when he dies.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inga, Rune-Eyes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Surveilling Sprite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Palace Familiar"></div></div>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Outlaw Medic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malacator&#039;s Watcher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ao, the Dawn Sky"></div></div></p>
<h2>Category #2: Sacrifice</h2>
<p>Since we want our creatures to die, sacrifice outlets are crucial: Ravenous Amulet is a great piece of new tech that does it all; Martyr's Cause can save us against any huge attackers; and Spawning Pit can help us create more tokens outside of the Zombies that Tobias makes.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ravenous Amulet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Martyr&#039;s Cause"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spawning Pit"></div></div>
<p>If we can't draw our sacrifice outlets, we still need ways to ensure that our creatures can die <em>on our own terms.</em> For this need, we can add creatures that sacrifice themselves to provide an effect.</p>
<p>For example: Bounty Agent can kill a commander or another "legendary" threat; Cathar Commando can remove a problem artifact or enchantment; Glen Elendra Archmage can counter any pesky noncreature spells that could put us in trouble (I'm looking at you, Expropriate!); and Benevolent Bodyguard can protect any of our creatures from any targeted action (as long as the source has a color).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bounty Agent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cathar Commando"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glen Elendra Archmage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Benevolent Bodyguard"></div></div>
<h2>Category #3: Recursion</h2>
<p>With any strategy that relies on our own creatures dying, it's important that we have enough recursion pieces to keep our engine moving. My decklist has a whopping 12 pieces of recursion, but that is necessary for our game plan to succeed.</p>
<p>I won't list all 12 here, but here are a few of the highlights: God-Pharoah's Gift goes from former standard all star to arguably our best piece of recursion (not to mention, it turns the creatures into <em>Zombies</em>!); Enduring Renewal has a bit of a downside, but getting our creatures back to our hand when they die is incredibly powerful; and Starfall Invocation acts as both a board wipe <em>and</em> a reanimation spell - what's not to love!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Renewal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Starfall invocation"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4: The "Secret <em>Zombie</em> Spice"</h2>
<p>I'm sure by now you may have forgotten that this deck is a Zombie deck, but have no fear! We have plenty of sneaky ways to ensure that our "Zombie plan" is fulfilled! The first, and most obvious, card is Maskwood Nexus, as it turns <em>all</em> of our creatures into Zombies, and this will allow us to copy any creature on our board with a card like Cleaver Skaab.</p>
<p>God-Eternal Oketra creates 4/4 Zombies whenever we cast a creature spell, which is amazing on its own, but can get really ridiculous with things like Aven Wind Guide.</p>
<p>Stitcher Geralf gets a nod in this deck as well, as he is able to creature a <em>huge</em> Zombie token while removing resources from our opponents. When we have our Zombies, either from Tobias or otherwise, Hordewing Skaab can help close out the game by granting our undead friends flying.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Maskwood Nexus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cleaver Skaab"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Eternal Oketra"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aven Wind Guide"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stitcher Geralf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hordewing Skaab"></div></div>
<p>For today's deck, we also have a "secret spice MVP", and that is Geralf, Visionary Stitcher.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geralf, Visionary Stitcher"></div></div>
<p>Geralf does everything this decks wants: sacrifices creatures AND makes Zombies. Turning our value creatures into <em>flying Zombies</em> can create problems our opponents will struggle to handle.</p>
<p>Overall, this deck was an absolute blast to build and playtest, and I hope you'll feel inspired to give this lesser-played commander a chance!</p>
<p data-slot-rendered-content="true">This brings us to the end of our third edition of <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! I hope you enjoyed exploring a lesser-played color-combination in the world of Zombies, and hope you’ll take my ideas to brew your own craziness!</p>
<p>Check out my decklist below!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bottom of the Barrel - Tobias, Doomed Conqueror" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Tobias, Doomed Conqueror
[/Commander]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ascend from Avernus
*1 Starfall Invocation
*1 Storm of Souls
*1 Time Wipe
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Ao, the Dawn Sky
*1 Aven Wind Guide
*1 Benevolent Bodyguard
*1 Boss&#039;s Chauffeur
*1 Bounty Agent
*1 Cathar Commando
*1 Champion of Wits
*1 Cleaver Skaab
*1 Elesh Norn // The Argent Etchings
*1 Enduring Innocence
*1 Eternal of Harsh Truths
*1 Geralf, Visionary Stitcher
*1 Glen Elendra Archmage
*1 God-Eternal Oketra
*1 High Fae Trickster
*1 Hordewing Skaab
*1 Inga Rune-Eyes
*1 Jason Bright, Glowing Prophet
*1 Luminous Broodmoth
*1 Malcator&#039;s Watcher
*1 Mulldrifter
*1 Nulldrifter
*1 Outlaw Medic
*1 Palace Familiar
*1 Phantasmal Image
*1 Phantasmal Shieldback
*1 Phantom Steed
*1 Selfless Spirit
*1 Stitched Assistant
*1 Stitcher Geralf
*1 Surveilling Sprite
*1 The Council of Four
*1 Vizier of Many Faces
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Cauldron of Souls
*1 Gate to the Afterlife
*1 God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift
*1 Hourglass of the Lost
*1 Maskwood Nexus
*1 Midnight Clock
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Ravenous Amulet
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Spawning Pit
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Enduring Renewal
*1 Gift of Immortality
*1 Martyr&#039;s Cause
*1 Promise of Tomorrow
*1 Valkyrie&#039;s Call
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Brought Back
*1 Faith&#039;s Reward
*1 Lazotep Plating
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Rally the Ancestors
*1 Second Sunrise
*1 Startle
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Command Tower
*1 Cradle of the Accursed
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Field of the Dead
*1 High Market
*9 Island
*1 Lazotep Quarry
*1 Meticulous Archive
*1 Myriad Landscape
*10 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>


Bottom of the Barrel - Tobias, Doomed Conqueror

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Brew For Your BRAAINS - Budget Zombie Hot Swap!

Technically Playable - Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

zombies