Hakbal of the Surging Soul by Arkturus92

Format: Commander

Commander: Hakbal of the Surging Soul

Bracket: 3

Deck overview

Hakbal of the Surging Soul is the engine of a Simic Merfolk deck that wins by exploring every turn, growing +1/+1 counters, and then attacking with an unblockable board once Herald of Secret Streams arrives. Hakbal converts each Merfolk into a virtual draw or land drop, while token engines and anthem effects create a wide board. The secondary path is a grindier tribal game: Emperor Mihail II, Deeproot Waters, Deeproot Pilgrimage, and Kumena generate card advantage and tokens, letting the deck rebuild after removal. There is no infinite combo; the kill is incremental combat damage, protected by ward, hexproof, and a small suite of counterspells. Emperor Mihail II is the hidden commander, turning top-of-library placement from explore into bonus Merfolk casts.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Beast Within
  • 1 Branching Evolution
  • 1 Bred for the Hunt
  • 1 Captivating Cave
  • 1 Combine Guildmage
  • 1 Counterspell
  • 1 Deeproot Elite
  • 1 Deeproot Pilgrimage
  • 1 Deeproot Waters
  • 1 Diligent Zookeeper
  • 1 Disruptor of Currents
  • 1 Emperor Mihail II
  • 1 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
  • 1 Ezuri, Claw of Progress
  • 1 Fertile Ground
  • 1 Fertilid's Favor
  • 1 Forerunner of the Heralds
  • 14 Forest
  • 1 Frenzied Baloth
  • 1 Gemrazer
  • 1 Hakbal of the Surging Soul
  • 1 Hardened Scales
  • 1 Herald of Secret Streams
  • 1 Herald's Horn
  • 1 Heroic Intervention
  • 1 Inspiring Call
  • 14 Island
  • 1 Jungleborn Pioneer
  • 1 Kami of Whispered Hopes
  • 1 Kiora's Follower
  • 1 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
  • 1 Kraken's Eye
  • 1 Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
  • 1 Lush Oasis
  • 1 Merfolk Mistbinder
  • 1 Merrow Reejerey
  • 1 Mystical Tutor
  • 1 Negate
  • 1 Nicanzil, Current Conductor
  • 1 Oran-Rief Ooze
  • 1 Ozolith, the Shattered Spire
  • 1 Patchwork Banner
  • 1 Planar Engineering
  • 1 Promising Vein
  • 1 Quirion Beastcaller
  • 1 Rain-Slicked Copse
  • 1 Resculpt
  • 1 Ripples of Potential
  • 1 Rishkar's Expertise
  • 1 River Herald Scout
  • 1 Roalesk, Apex Hybrid
  • 1 Roiling Regrowth
  • 1 Serum Snare
  • 1 Simic Signet
  • 1 Sodden Verdure
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Stonybrook Banneret
  • 1 Svyelun of Sea and Sky
  • 1 Swift Warden
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Tamiyo, Compleated Sage
  • 1 Temple of Mystery
  • 1 Thassa, God of the Sea
  • 1 Thornwood Falls
  • 1 Tribute to the World Tree
  • 1 Vodalian Hexcatcher
  • 1 Waterwind Scout
  • 1 Wave Goodbye
  • 1 Whirlwind Denial
  • 1 Winterthorn Blessing
  • 1 Witness Protection
  • 1 Woodland Stream
  • 1 Zegana, Utopian Speaker