Explorers of the deep by user1661734

Format: Commander

Commander: Hakbal of the Surging Soul

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 41

Deck overview

This deck is a high-synergy Simic Merfolk typal strategy commanded by Hakbal of the Surging Soul. It curves out early with efficient Merfolk and ramp, deploying Hakbal on Turn 4 to trigger explore across the entire team at the start of combat. This explore engine fuels rapid card velocity, places lands directly into hand or onto the battlefield, and steadily grows the board with +1/+1 counters. The deck leverages token creators like Deeproot Pilgrimage and Deeproot Waters alongside counter doublers such as Branching Evolution and Topography Tracker to build massive board presence. It closes games around Turn 6–7 by making its buffed army unblockable using Herald of Secret Streams, Islandwalk lords, or one-sided bounce spells like Raise the Palisade. Robust protection spells like Ripples of Potential and Heroic Intervention safeguard the board against wipes.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Aetherize
  • 1 Alandra, Sky Dreamer
  • 1 Alchemist's Refuge
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Beast Within
  • 1 Benthic Biomancer
  • 1 Branching Evolution
  • 1 Breeding Pool
  • 1 Burgeoning
  • 1 Cavern of Souls
  • 1 Cephalid Coliseum
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Commander's Sphere
  • 1 Court of Garenbrig
  • 1 Deepfathom Echo
  • 1 Deeproot Elite
  • 1 Deeproot Historian
  • 1 Deeproot Pilgrimage
  • 1 Deeproot Waters
  • 1 Doubling Season
  • 1 Emperor Mihail II
  • 1 Empress Galina
  • 1 Evolution Sage
  • 1 Exploration
  • 1 Explore
  • 1 Fierce Guardianship
  • 7 Forest
  • 1 Growth Spiral
  • 1 Hakbal of the Surging Soul
  • 1 Hardened Scales
  • 1 Herald of Secret Streams
  • 1 Heroic Intervention
  • 1 Hinterland Harbor
  • 1 Inspiring Call
  • 13 Island
  • 1 Karn's Bastion
  • 1 Kindred Discovery
  • 1 Kiora's Follower
  • 1 Kodama's Reach
  • 1 Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
  • 1 Llanowar Reborn
  • 1 Lord of Atlantis
  • 1 Master of the Pearl Trident
  • 1 Merfolk Skydiver
  • 1 Merfolk Sovereign
  • 1 Merrow Commerce
  • 1 Merrow Reejerey
  • 1 Metallic Mimic
  • 1 Mist Dancer
  • 1 Nicanzil, Current Conductor
  • 1 Path of Ancestry
  • 1 Raise the Palisade
  • 1 Rapid Hybridization
  • 1 Ravenform
  • 1 Realmwalker
  • 1 Rejuvenating Springs
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Ripples of Potential
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Secluded Courtyard
  • 1 Simic Signet
  • 1 Singer of Swift Rivers
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Stonybrook Banneret
  • 1 Surgespanner
  • 1 Svyelun of Sea and Sky
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
  • 1 Temple Bell
  • 1 Temple of Mystery
  • 1 The One Ring
  • 1 The Ozolith
  • 1 Thieving Skydiver
  • 1 Thrasios, Triton Hero
  • 1 Tishana's Tidebinder
  • 1 Topography Tracker
  • 1 Tributary Instructor
  • 1 Unclaimed Territory
  • 1 Vineglimmer Snarl
  • 1 Vodalian Hexcatcher
  • 1 Wave Goodbye
  • 1 Zegana, Utopian Speaker