The Cult of the Rat by Zerramox

Format: Commander

Creator: Zerramox

Commander: Marrow-Gnawer

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 21

Deck overview

This mono-black Commander deck is built around Marrow-Gnawer and a core of 19 copies of Rat Colony. The primary game plan curves out early Rats to establish board presence, resolves Marrow-Gnawer on turn 5, and untaps on turn 6 to double Rat counts and grant universal fear. With each Rat Colony gaining power from every other Rat on the battlefield, the board's offensive output grows exponentially each turn cycle. Secondary synergies include card-drawing aristocrat engines like Skullclamp and Species Specialist, mass attrition from Grave Pact, and explosive turns powered by Thrumming Stone or an infinite token loop with Thornbite Staff. However, the deck is constrained by minimal stack interaction, low reactive removal density, and extreme vulnerability to board wipes due to the 1 toughness of its creatures.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Ashcoat of the Shadow Swarm
  • 1 Ashnod's Altar
  • 1 Ayara, First of Locthwain
  • 1 Bastion of Remembrance
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Bolas's Citadel
  • 1 Bontu's Monument
  • 1 Cabal Coffers
  • 1 Cabal Stronghold
  • 1 Chittering Witch
  • 1 Culling the Weak
  • 1 Dark Ritual
  • 1 Deadly Dispute
  • 1 Diabolic Intent
  • 1 Echoing Return
  • 1 Feed the Swarm
  • 1 Flare of Malice
  • 1 Go for the Throat
  • 1 Grave Pact
  • 1 Gruesome Fate
  • 1 Haunted One
  • 1 Herald's Horn
  • 1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
  • 1 Jet Medallion
  • 1 Karumonix, the Rat King
  • 1 Lord Skitter, Sewer King
  • 1 Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire
  • 1 Marrow-Gnawer
  • 1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
  • 1 Mirkwood Bats
  • 1 Morbid Opportunist
  • 1 Ogre Slumlord
  • 1 Pack Rat
  • 1 Pact of the Serpent
  • 1 Patchwork Banner
  • 1 Patriarch's Bidding
  • 1 Persistent Marshstalker
  • 1 Priest of Forgotten Gods
  • 19 Rat Colony
  • 1 Rat King, Verminister
  • 1 Revenge of the Rats
  • 1 Skullclamp
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Species Specialist
  • 32 Swamp
  • 1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
  • 1 Thornbite Staff
  • 1 Thrumming Stone
  • 1 Valley Rotcaller
  • 1 Village Rites
  • 1 Zulaport Cutthroat