Kain, Lovable Traitor

Format: Commander

Commander: Kain, Traitorous Dragoon

Bracket: 2

DeckCheck Threat Index: 30

Deck overview

This deck is an aggressive Mono-Black Aristocrats and Combat Attrition build led by Kain, Traitorous Dragoon. The primary strategy uses Kain's unique combat trigger to draw cards and generate Treasure early, passing the commander around the table while goad equipment like Bloodthirsty Blade and Eye of Nidhogg forces opponents to fight each other. As the game develops, the deck transitions into a resilient aristocrats engine powered by high-impact payoffs like Syr Konrad, the Grim, Defiling Daemogoth, and South Wind Avatar. Recursive creatures like Reassembling Skeleton and Cult Conscript fuel continuous sacrifice loops and life-drain triggers from Blood Artist and Zulaport Cutthroat. While the deck features strong protection against targeted removal via equipment and death-redirection spells, it lacks instant-speed answers to opposing noncreature threats and combo wins. The deck wins by steadily draining life totals through combat, bleed triggers, and attrition over multiple turn cycles.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Ahriman
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Blood Artist
  • 1 Bloodrite Invoker
  • 1 Bloodthirsty Blade
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Boomerang, Blade Flinger
  • 1 Champion's Helm
  • 1 Charcoal Diamond
  • 1 Conqueror's Flail
  • 1 Consume Spirit
  • 1 Cult Conscript
  • 1 Dakmor Salvage
  • 1 Dark Ritual
  • 1 Deadly Dispute
  • 1 Death-Priest of Myrkul
  • 1 Defiling Daemogoth
  • 1 Diabolic Tutor
  • 1 Dogged Pursuit
  • 1 Draugr Recruiter
  • 1 Drossclaw
  • 1 Duskwielder
  • 1 Epicure of Blood
  • 1 Eumidian Hatchery
  • 1 Eye of Nidhogg
  • 1 Fabled Passage
  • 1 Falkenrath Noble
  • 1 Fireshrieker
  • 1 Forever Young
  • 1 Game Over
  • 1 Gilded Lotus
  • 1 Grim Servant
  • 1 HYDRA Infiltration
  • 1 Hammer of Nazahn
  • 1 High Market
  • 1 Kain, Traitorous Dragoon
  • 1 Kaya's Ghostform
  • 1 Leech Collector // Bloodletting
  • 1 Leechridden Swamp
  • 1 Maestros Theater
  • 1 Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire
  • 1 Marauding Blight-Priest
  • 1 Melancholic Poet
  • 1 Myriad Landscape
  • 1 Ninja Teen
  • 1 Ninja's Blades
  • 1 Pain 101
  • 1 Panther Habit
  • 1 Perigee Beckoner
  • 1 Piper of the Swarm
  • 1 PuPu UFO
  • 1 Quietus Spike
  • 1 Reassembling Skeleton
  • 1 Retreat to Hagra
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Ronin, Shadow Stalker
  • 1 Savanti Romero, Time's Exile
  • 1 Shambling Cie'th
  • 1 Skullport Merchant
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Solemn Simulacrum
  • 1 South Wind Avatar
  • 1 Splinter's Technique
  • 24 Swamp
  • 1 Sword of Vengeance
  • 1 Syphon Mind
  • 1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
  • 1 Undead Hand Ninja
  • 1 Vampire Neonate
  • 1 Vampire Opportunist
  • 1 Veinwitch Coven
  • 1 Vermin Gorger
  • 1 Vincent's Limit Break
  • 1 Vindictive Vampire
  • 1 Wight
  • 1 Witch's Cottage
  • 1 Zulaport Cutthroat