Grind of Taxation by b.templar428

Format: Commander

Commander: Queen Marchesa

Bracket: 3

Deck overview

Queen Marchesa leads a Mardu monarch-control deck that treats the crown as both a card-advantage engine and a win condition. The plan is to become the monarch early, hold the title with deterrents and deathtouch assassins, and grind the table down with the Courts, drain effects, and token beats. The deck is built on redundancy: 17+ monarch enablers - Queen Marchesa, the Courts, Skyline Despot, Archon of Coronation, Knights of the Black Rose, Forth Eorlingas! - all advance the same "become the monarch" plan, so the deck rarely stalls. The primary win is incremental: Court of Ambition and Court of Ire drain life each upkeep, Court of Grace and Skyline Despot produce flying beats, and Forth Eorlingas! is a burst finisher. Smothering Tithe and Bolas's Citadel provide late-game mana and card flow, while Invasion of Fiora acts as a hidden Marchesa. This is a classic midrange attrition deck - no combos, but deep value.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Angel's Grace
  • 1 Anguished Unmaking
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archon of Coronation
  • 1 Arid Mesa
  • 1 Black Market
  • 1 Blasphemous Act
  • 1 Blazemire Verge
  • 1 Bleachbone Verge
  • 1 Blind Obedience
  • 1 Blood Crypt
  • 1 Bloodstained Mire
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Bolas's Citadel
  • 1 Boros Charm
  • 1 Breena, the Demagogue
  • 1 Champions of Minas Tirith
  • 1 Clifftop Retreat
  • 1 Comeuppance
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Court of Ambition
  • 1 Court of Ardenvale
  • 1 Court of Grace
  • 1 Court of Ire
  • 1 Court of Locthwain
  • 1 Crown of Gondor
  • 1 Cut a Deal
  • 1 Damn
  • 1 Deflecting Palm
  • 1 Delirium
  • 1 Demonic Tutor
  • 1 Dihada, Binder of Wills
  • 1 Dragonskull Summit
  • 1 Emberwilde Captain
  • 1 Esper Sentinel
  • 1 Feast of Succession
  • 1 Forth Eorlingas!
  • 1 Ghoulish Impetus
  • 1 Godless Shrine
  • 1 Hall of Heliod's Generosity
  • 1 Invasion of Fiora // Marchesa, Resolute Monarch
  • 1 Isolated Chapel
  • 1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
  • 1 Kambal, Profiteering Mayor
  • 1 Knights of the Black Rose
  • 1 Lolth, Spider Queen
  • 1 Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
  • 1 Luxury Suite
  • 1 Mangara, the Diplomat
  • 1 Marchesa's Decree
  • 1 Mardu Siegebreaker
  • 1 Marsh Flats
  • 1 Master of Ceremonies
  • 1 Mathas, Fiend Seeker
  • 1 Meathook Massacre II
  • 2 Mountain
  • 1 Night's Whisper
  • 1 Noble Heritage
  • 1 Nomad Outpost
  • 1 Ornithopter of Paradise
  • 1 Path to Exile
  • 5 Plains
  • 1 Queen Marchesa
  • 1 Rakdos Charm
  • 1 Ruinous Ultimatum
  • 1 Sacred Foundry
  • 1 Savai Triome
  • 1 Scrawling Crawler
  • 1 Seize the Spotlight
  • 1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
  • 1 Sign in Blood
  • 1 Skyline Despot
  • 1 Smothering Tithe
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Sorin of House Markov // Sorin, Ravenous Neonate
  • 1 Spectator Seating
  • 1 Staff of Domination
  • 1 Starscream, Power Hungry // Starscream, Seeker Leader
  • 1 Sunbillow Verge
  • 5 Swamp
  • 1 Swords to Plowshares
  • 1 Tamiyo's Journal
  • 1 Tempting Contract
  • 1 Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
  • 1 The Meathook Massacre
  • 1 The Soul Stone
  • 1 Thought Vessel
  • 1 Throne of the High City
  • 1 Vault of Champions
  • 1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow
  • 1 Xantcha, Sleeper Agent