THE COUNSEL HAS DECIDED by eikey

Format: Commander

Commander: Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 45

Deck overview

This Orzhov deck is built around a potent lifegain-and-drain combo strategy, piloted by Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel. The primary game plan seeks to assemble Exquisite Blood alongside a damage-reflection piece such as Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, Sanguine Bond, or Marauding Blight-Priest. Fast mana and tutors accelerate the setup into a reliable Turn 4 deployment, while turn-silencing protection spells like Grand Abolisher and Silence ensure the combo resolves safely on Turn 5. If the combo pieces are delayed, the deck transitions into a controlling midrange shell, leveraging asymmetric draw engines like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, Necropotence, and Black Market Connections alongside hefty board wipes to grind out opponents through direct life totals.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Alhammarret's Archive
  • 1 Alms Collector
  • 1 Angelic Arbiter
  • 1 Anguished Unmaking
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Arid Mesa
  • 1 Black Market Connections
  • 1 Bleachbone Verge
  • 1 Blood Money
  • 1 Bloodstained Mire
  • 1 Bubbling Muck
  • 1 Cabal Ritual
  • 1 Concealed Courtyard
  • 1 Crypt Ghast
  • 1 Culling the Weak
  • 1 Dark Ritual
  • 1 Deadly Dispute
  • 1 Decree of Pain
  • 1 Demonic Tutor
  • 1 Diabolic Intent
  • 1 Enduring Tenacity
  • 1 Enlightened Tutor
  • 1 Esper Sentinel
  • 1 Exquisite Blood
  • 1 Farewell
  • 1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
  • 1 Flooded Strand
  • 1 Gemstone Caverns
  • 1 Gleaming Splendor
  • 1 God-Pharaoh's Statue
  • 1 Godless Shrine
  • 1 Grand Abolisher
  • 1 Healing Salve
  • 1 Howling Mine
  • 1 Jet Medallion
  • 1 Leyline of Hope
  • 1 Lion's Eye Diamond
  • 1 Lotus Petal
  • 1 Lunar Convocation
  • 1 Mana Vault
  • 1 Marauding Blight-Priest
  • 1 Marsh Flats
  • 1 Murder
  • 1 Necropotence
  • 1 Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel
  • 1 Norn's Annex
  • 1 Orcish Bowmasters
  • 1 Orim's Chant
  • 1 Path to Exile
  • 1 Pearl Medallion
  • 1 Phyrexian Arena
  • 10 Plains
  • 1 Polluted Delta
  • 1 Sanguine Bond
  • 1 Saw in Half
  • 1 Scrawling Crawler
  • 1 Scrubland
  • 1 Shattered Sanctum
  • 1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
  • 1 Silence
  • 1 Smothering Tithe
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Soul's Attendant
  • 1 Spelltithe Enforcer
  • 1 Starving Revenant
  • 12 Swamp
  • 1 Swords to Plowshares
  • 1 Talisman of Hierarchy
  • 1 Tataru Taru
  • 1 Tax Collector
  • 1 Teferi's Protection
  • 1 The Darkness Crystal
  • 1 The Wind Crystal
  • 1 Vampiric Tutor
  • 1 Vilis, Broker of Blood
  • 1 Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
  • 1 Voice of Victory
  • 1 Wedding Ring
  • 1 Windswept Heath
  • 1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow