Smooth criminal by user1224653

Format: Commander

Commander: Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

Bracket: 2

DeckCheck Threat Index: 28

Deck overview

This deck is a Dimir theft and control build commanded by Xanathar, Guild Kingpin. The strategy focuses on accelerating through early mana rocks to cast Xanathar on Turn 5. Once active on Turn 6 upkeep, Xanathar silences the most threatening opponent during your turn, looks at the top card of their library, and casts their spells using your own mana. The deck integrates a Lantern Control subtheme with Lantern of Insight, Codex Shredder, and Ghoulcaller's Bell to manipulate opposing topdecks and ensure opponents only draw lands or dead cards. Defense and board stability are provided by Propaganda, Sire of Stagnation, and targeted removal like Archenemy's Charm. High-end finishers like Darksteel Colossus, Brainstealer Dragon, and Mind's Dilation close out games by converting stolen resources and evasive combat damage into a multi-turn victory.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archenemy's Charm
  • 1 Baleful Strix
  • 1 Blood Money
  • 1 Brainstealer Dragon
  • 1 Bribery
  • 1 Chaos Wand
  • 1 Codex Shredder
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Commander's Sphere
  • 1 Cruelclaw's Heist
  • 1 Cunning Rhetoric
  • 1 Darkslick Shores
  • 1 Darksteel Colossus
  • 1 Darksteel Ingot
  • 1 Darkwater Catacombs
  • 1 Delay
  • 1 Diabolic Intent
  • 1 Dimir Aqueduct
  • 1 Dimir Signet
  • 1 Drown in the Loch
  • 1 Drowned Catacomb
  • 1 Everflowing Chalice
  • 1 Extract Brain
  • 1 Fallen Shinobi
  • 1 Feed the Swarm
  • 1 Fellwar Stone
  • 1 Ghoulcaller's Bell
  • 1 Gilded Lotus
  • 1 Gloomlake Verge
  • 1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
  • 1 Hostage Taker
  • 1 Inventors' Fair
  • 14 Island
  • 1 Jet Medallion
  • 1 Lantern of Insight
  • 1 Maddening Cacophony
  • 1 Mind's Dilation
  • 1 Mishra's Bauble
  • 1 Mistvault Bridge
  • 1 Mm'menon, the Right Hand
  • 1 Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion
  • 1 Oblivion Sower
  • 1 Orochi Soul-Reaver
  • 1 Outrageous Robbery
  • 1 Paradox Haze
  • 1 Propaganda
  • 1 Psychic Surgery
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Sai, Master Thopterist
  • 1 Sapphire Medallion
  • 1 Seat of the Synod
  • 1 Sensei's Divining Top
  • 1 Shadowmage Infiltrator
  • 1 Shipwreck Marsh
  • 1 Siphon Insight
  • 1 Sire of Stagnation
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Spell Pierce
  • 1 Stifle
  • 1 Stolen Goods
  • 1 Sunken Hollow
  • 8 Swamp
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Talisman of Dominance
  • 1 Tasha's Hideous Laughter
  • 1 Tasha, the Witch Queen
  • 1 Telepathy
  • 1 Temple of Deceit
  • 1 Temple of the False God
  • 1 Tezzeret, Cruel Captain
  • 1 Thief of Sanity
  • 1 Thran Dynamo
  • 1 Undercity Sewers
  • 1 Underground River
  • 1 Vault of Whispers
  • 1 Waterlogged Teachings // Inundated Archive
  • 1 Watery Grave
  • 1 Wayfarer's Bauble
  • 1 Xanathar, Guild Kingpin