Marchesa by casualblink

Format: Commander

Commander: Marchesa, the Black Rose

Bracket: 2

DeckCheck Threat Index: 24

Deck overview

This deck is a synergistic Grixis aristocrats build centered on Marchesa, the Black Rose. Its game plan focuses on casting temporary control spells such as Act of Treason, Mark of Mutiny, and Mass Mutiny to take opposing creatures, attacking the player with the highest life total to trigger dethrone and grant them +1/+1 counters, and sacrificing them to free outlets like Carrion Feeder, Bloodthrone Vampire, or Goblin Bombardment. Because Marchesa triggers whenever a creature with a +1/+1 counter dies under your control, those stolen creatures return to your battlefield permanently at the beginning of the next end step. The deck converts this board advantage into a lethal clock using damage amplifiers like Flayer of the Hatebound, Warstorm Surge, and Uncivil Unrest. While the list features high redundancy for its core theft pieces, it is constrained by a slow mana base and limited instant-speed interaction.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Act of Aggression
  • 1 Act of Treason
  • 1 Akoum Refuge
  • 1 Ambition's Cost
  • 1 Ancient Craving
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Besmirch
  • 1 Blatant Thievery
  • 1 Bloodfell Caves
  • 1 Bloodflow Connoisseur
  • 1 Bloodthrone Vampire
  • 1 Bloodtracker
  • 1 Bloody Betrayal
  • 1 Captivating Crew
  • 1 Carrion Feeder
  • 1 Chamber of Manipulation
  • 1 Cinder Barrens
  • 1 Conquering Manticore
  • 1 Control Magic
  • 1 Crumbling Necropolis
  • 1 Dark Privilege
  • 1 Deepwood Ghoul
  • 1 Dimir Guildgate
  • 1 Dimir House Guard
  • 1 Dimir Locket
  • 1 Dismal Backwater
  • 1 Domineering Will
  • 1 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
  • 1 Enthralling Victor
  • 1 Evolving Wilds
  • 1 Falkenrath Aristocrat
  • 1 Flayer of the Hatebound
  • 1 Forge of Heroes
  • 1 Goblin Bombardment
  • 1 Grim Haruspex
  • 1 Grixis Panorama
  • 1 Guildmages' Forum
  • 1 Harness by Force
  • 1 Harvester of Souls
  • 1 Herald of Secret Streams
  • 1 Highland Lake
  • 1 Hijack
  • 2 Island
  • 1 Izzet Guildgate
  • 1 Izzet Locket
  • 1 Izzet Signet
  • 1 Jund Panorama
  • 1 Jwar Isle Refuge
  • 1 Kari Zev's Expertise
  • 1 Marchesa, the Black Rose
  • 1 Mark of Mutiny
  • 1 Mass Mutiny
  • 1 Mischievous Poltergeist
  • 1 Mob Rule
  • 1 Molten Primordial
  • 1 Moonlight Bargain
  • 7 Mountain
  • 1 Negate
  • 1 Opal Palace
  • 1 Press into Service
  • 1 Rakdos Guildgate
  • 1 Rakdos Signet
  • 1 Read the Bones
  • 1 River Kelpie
  • 1 Rocky Tar Pit
  • 1 Sign in Blood
  • 1 Slave of Bolas
  • 1 Sphere of the Suns
  • 1 Stalking Vengeance
  • 1 Star Compass
  • 4 Swamp
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Swiftwater Cliffs
  • 1 Terramorphic Expanse
  • 1 Thermopod
  • 1 Traitorous Blood
  • 1 Uncivil Unrest
  • 1 Unspeakable Symbol
  • 1 Unstable Obelisk
  • 1 Unwind
  • 1 Urborg Volcano
  • 1 Vivid Crag
  • 1 Vivid Creek
  • 1 Vivid Marsh
  • 1 Warped Landscape
  • 1 Warstorm Surge
  • 1 Wayfarer's Bauble
  • 1 Wrangle
  • 1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
  • 1 Zealous Conscripts