Merfolk Rise by lowkeygoblin88

Format: Commander

Commander: Hakbal of the Surging Soul

Bracket: 3

Deck overview

Hakbal of the Surging Soul is both the draw engine and pump engine of this Simic Merfolk +1/+1 counter deck. The primary plan is to deploy cheap Merfolk, make Hakbal explore every combat, and use the resulting counters and land draws to snowball into a wide, tall board. Secondary lines use Emperor Mihail II and Reflections of Littjara to cast extra Merfolk, Deeproot Historian to retrace spells, and token makers to survive wipes. Herald of Secret Streams, islandwalk lords, and Mist Dancer supply evasion, while Kindred Discovery fuels the final attacks. The deck has no dedicated hidden commander or double-faced plan; it is built to maximize Hakbal's explore trigger.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Aetherize
  • 1 Alchemist's Refuge
  • 1 An Offer You Can't Refuse
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Beast Within
  • 1 Benthic Biomancer
  • 1 Branching Evolution
  • 1 Champions of the Shoal
  • 1 Chomping Changeling
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Cosi's Trickster
  • 1 Cultivate
  • 1 Deepfathom Echo
  • 1 Deeproot Elite
  • 1 Deeproot Historian
  • 1 Deeproot Pilgrimage
  • 1 Deeproot Waters
  • 1 Dreamroot Cascade
  • 1 Emperor Mihail II
  • 1 Evolution Sage
  • 1 Evolving Wilds
  • 1 Exotic Orchard
  • 1 Explore
  • 1 Flare of Denial
  • 1 Forerunner of the Heralds
  • 7 Forest
  • 1 Hakbal of the Surging Soul
  • 1 Hardened Scales
  • 1 Harrow
  • 1 Herald of Secret Streams
  • 1 Hinterland Harbor
  • 1 Inspiring Call
  • 13 Island
  • 1 Jadelight Spelunker
  • 1 Karn's Bastion
  • 1 Kindred Discovery
  • 1 Kodama's Reach
  • 1 Kopala, Warden of Waves
  • 1 Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
  • 1 Llanowar Reborn
  • 1 Lord of Atlantis
  • 1 Maskwood Nexus
  • 1 Master of the Pearl Trident
  • 1 Merfolk Cave-Diver
  • 1 Merfolk Mistbinder
  • 1 Merfolk Skydiver
  • 1 Merfolk Sovereign
  • 1 Merfolk Trickster
  • 1 Merrow Reejerey
  • 1 Metallic Mimic
  • 1 Mindspring Merfolk
  • 1 Mist Dancer
  • 1 Mosswort Bridge
  • 1 Myriad Landscape
  • 1 Namor, Scourge of the Seas
  • 1 Nicanzil, Current Conductor
  • 1 Path of Ancestry
  • 1 Path of Discovery
  • 1 Rapid Hybridization
  • 1 Realmwalker
  • 1 Reflections of Littjara
  • 1 Rikku, Resourceful Guardian
  • 1 Ripples of Potential
  • 1 Seafloor Oracle
  • 1 Secluded Courtyard
  • 1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
  • 1 Sodden Verdure
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Stonybrook Banneret
  • 1 Svyelun of Sea and Sky
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
  • 1 Thassa, God of the Sea
  • 1 Thieving Skydiver
  • 1 Topography Tracker
  • 1 Unclaimed Territory
  • 1 Vineglimmer Snarl
  • 1 Vodalian Hexcatcher
  • 1 Vorel of the Hull Clade
  • 1 Wave Goodbye
  • 1 Wonder
  • 1 Zegana, Utopian Speaker