Merfolk Deck by Jellybean

Format: Commander

Commander: Hakbal of the Surging Soul

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 42

Deck overview

This deck is a high-synergy Simic Merfolk typal strategy commanded by Hakbal of the Surging Soul. It leverages low-cost Merfolk to establish an early battlefield presence before deploying Hakbal on Turn 3 or 4. At every combat step, Hakbal commands each Merfolk to explore, providing a massive engine that simultaneously buffs creatures with +1/+1 counters, filters nonland draws into the graveyard, and ramps lands onto the battlefield. The deck converts this resource superiority into a wide, evasive combat win around Turn 7 via lords, flying evasion from Mist Dancer, unblockable attackers, or overwhelming finishers like Overrun and an overloaded Cyclonic Rift. High-impact interaction including Force of Will, Fierce Guardianship, and Harbinger of the Seas disrupts opponent plans, while compact alternative lines like Grand Architect plus Pili-Pala or Leveler into Thassa's Oracle provide unexpected burst win conditions.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Aetherize
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Counterspell
  • 1 Cyclonic Rift
  • 1 Deep Reconnaissance
  • 1 Deeproot Elite
  • 1 Deeproot Pilgrimage
  • 1 Deeproot Waters
  • 1 Dreamroot Cascade
  • 1 Emperor Mihail II
  • 1 Enclave Cryptologist
  • 1 Evolution Sage
  • 1 Evolving Wilds
  • 1 Fierce Guardianship
  • 1 Force of Will
  • 1 Forerunner of the Heralds
  • 14 Forest
  • 1 Grand Architect
  • 1 Growth Spasm
  • 1 Hakbal of the Surging Soul
  • 1 Harbinger of the Seas
  • 1 Hardened Scales
  • 1 Hinterland Harbor
  • 15 Island
  • 1 Isochron Scepter
  • 1 Jade Bearer
  • 1 Jungle Delver
  • 1 Jungleborn Pioneer
  • 1 Karn's Bastion
  • 1 Kiora's Follower
  • 1 Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
  • 1 Leveler
  • 1 Lotus Petal
  • 1 Mana Vault
  • 1 Memnarch
  • 1 Merfolk Mistbinder
  • 1 Merrow Commerce
  • 1 Merrow Reejerey
  • 1 Mist Dancer
  • 1 Mist-Cloaked Herald
  • 1 Mystical Tutor
  • 1 Nexus of Fate
  • 1 Nicanzil, Current Conductor
  • 1 Overrun
  • 1 Pilgrim's Eye
  • 1 Pili-Pala
  • 1 Pillar of Origins
  • 1 Ranger's Guile
  • 1 Razorfin Abolisher
  • 1 Realms Uncharted
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Rhystic Study
  • 1 Ring of Three Wishes
  • 1 River Sneak
  • 1 Riverwise Augur
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Seafloor Oracle
  • 1 Simic Growth Chamber
  • 1 Simic Signet
  • 1 Sleep
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Svyelun of Sea and Sky
  • 1 Swift Warden
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Terramorphic Expanse
  • 1 Thassa's Oracle
  • 1 Tishana's Tidebinder
  • 1 Tishana, Voice of Thunder
  • 1 Traveler's Amulet
  • 1 Unsummon
  • 1 Vorel of the Hull Clade
  • 1 Wildgrowth Walker