Monkey King

Format: Commander

Commander: Kibo, Uktabi Prince

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 46

Deck overview

This Gruul deck is led by Kibo, Uktabi Prince, combining artifact destruction, token generation, and +1/+1 counter scaling into an aggressive midrange strategy. Kibo accelerates early development by giving each player Banana tokens, which entice opponents to crack them for mana and life while triggering Kibo's counter-growing ability. The deck leverages high-synergy counter doublers such as Branching Evolution, Hardened Scales, and Kami of Whispered Hopes to turn Kibo and other Apes into massive combat threats rapidly. Card draw engines like Viridian Revel capitalize directly on opposing artifact sacrifices to maintain a full hand. Trample enablers and explosive finishers including Overwhelming Stampede, Unnatural Growth, and Embercleave allow the deck to push lethal combat damage past blockers. Efficient protective spells like Heroic Intervention, Deflecting Swat, and Tamiyo's Safekeeping keep Kibo safe from removal while punishing opponents who rely heavily on artifact ramp.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Abrade
  • 1 Ancient Grudge
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archdruid's Charm
  • 1 Arid Mesa
  • 1 Bala Ged Recovery // Bala Ged Sanctuary
  • 1 Bear Umbra
  • 1 Beast Within
  • 1 Birds of Paradise
  • 1 Boseiju, Who Endures
  • 1 Branching Evolution
  • 1 Bridgeworks Battle // Tanglespan Bridgeworks
  • 1 Brotherhood Regalia
  • 1 Castle Garenbrig
  • 1 Chaos Warp
  • 1 Cinder Glade
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Commander's Plate
  • 1 Deflecting Swat
  • 1 Domri, Anarch of Bolas
  • 1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
  • 1 Duskshell Crawler
  • 1 Elephant-Mandrill
  • 1 Embercleave
  • 1 Exploration
  • 1 Fanatic of Rhonas
  • 1 Fire-Lit Thicket
  • 1 Flopsie, Bumi's Buddy
  • 12 Forest
  • 1 Game Trail
  • 1 Garruk's Uprising
  • 1 Gearbane Orangutan
  • 1 Goblin Anarchomancer
  • 1 Gorilla Shaman
  • 1 Guardian Project
  • 1 Guerrilla Gorilla
  • 1 Hardened Scales
  • 1 Heroic Intervention
  • 1 High Score
  • 1 Hit-Monkey
  • 1 Incubation Druid
  • 1 Kami of Whispered Hopes
  • 1 Karplusan Forest
  • 1 Kibo, Uktabi Prince
  • 1 Kodama of the West Tree
  • 1 Kogla, the Titan Ape
  • 1 Level Up
  • 1 Misty Rainforest
  • 1 Mithril Coat
  • 1 Mountain
  • 1 Nature's Claim
  • 1 Nature's Lore
  • 1 Overwhelming Stampede
  • 1 Ozolith, the Shattered Spire
  • 1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
  • 1 Rancor
  • 1 Reflecting Pool
  • 1 Rhythm of the Wild
  • 1 Rockfall Vale
  • 1 Rootbound Crag
  • 1 Shadowspear
  • 1 Shifting Woodland
  • 1 Silkguard
  • 1 Silverback Elder
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Spire Garden
  • 1 Stomping Ground
  • 1 Surrak and Goreclaw
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Sword of Feast and Famine
  • 1 Taiga
  • 1 Talisman of Impulse
  • 1 Tamiyo's Safekeeping
  • 1 The Earth Crystal
  • 1 The Great Henge
  • 1 The Ozolith
  • 1 Thornspire Verge
  • 1 Three Visits
  • 1 Tireless Provisioner
  • 1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
  • 1 Tribute to the World Tree
  • 1 Uktabi Orangutan
  • 1 Unnatural Growth
  • 1 Vandalblast
  • 1 Verdant Catacombs
  • 1 Viridian Revel
  • 1 Windswept Heath
  • 1 Wooded Foothills
  • 1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth