Karlach by Skylar

Format: Commander

Commander: Karlach, Fury of Avernus and Cultist of the Absolute

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 31

Deck overview

This Rakdos deck pairs Karlach, Fury of Avernus with Cultist of the Absolute in the command zone to execute an aggressive, aerial Voltron strategy supported by an aristocrats sacrifice engine. Cultist of the Absolute turns Karlach into an 8/7 flying, deathtouch juggernaut with Ward - Pay 3 life for just one black mana, while Karlach grants an additional combat phase and first strike on each of your turns. Low-cost recurring fodder like Ophiomancer, Jadar, and Bloodsoaked Champion easily feed Cultist's upkeep sacrifice requirement. On Turn 5, Karlach swings twice for 16 flying commander damage, quickly putting opponents on a short clock. Damage doublers like Two-Handed Axe, Kediss, and Tainted Strike can turn individual attacks into one-shot table kills, while Combat Celebrant and Helm of the Host provide a backup infinite combat loop. The deck features functional removal and equipment protection, but remains vulnerable to board sweepers during its multi-turn combat finish.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Abrade
  • 1 Alesha, Who Laughs at Fate
  • 1 Anger
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Azra Oddsmaker
  • 1 Basilisk Collar
  • 1 Bedevil
  • 1 Big Score
  • 1 Blackblade Reforged
  • 1 Blood Artist
  • 1 Bloodsoaked Champion
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Bolt Bend
  • 1 Chaos Warp
  • 1 Combat Celebrant
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Commander's Sphere
  • 1 Cultist of the Absolute
  • 1 Dark Ritual
  • 1 Deadly Dispute
  • 1 Dragonskull Summit
  • 1 Dreadhorde Invasion
  • 1 Exotic Orchard
  • 1 Faithless Looting
  • 1 Feed the Swarm
  • 1 Fellwar Stone
  • 1 Foreboding Ruins
  • 1 Grafted Exoskeleton
  • 1 Graven Cairns
  • 1 Helm of the Host
  • 1 Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia
  • 1 Karlach, Fury of Avernus
  • 1 Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar
  • 1 Kher Keep
  • 1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
  • 1 Lightning Bolt
  • 1 Lightning Greaves
  • 1 Lizard Blades
  • 1 Loyal Apprentice
  • 1 Mahadi, Emporium Master
  • 1 Mayhem Devil
  • 1 Mind Stone
  • 1 Moraug, Fury of Akoum
  • 1 Morbid Opportunist
  • 12 Mountain
  • 1 Night's Whisper
  • 1 Ophiomancer
  • 1 Pitiless Plunderer
  • 1 Port Razer
  • 1 Rakdos Charm
  • 1 Rakdos Signet
  • 1 Raphael, Fiendish Savior
  • 1 Reanimate
  • 1 Reassembling Skeleton
  • 1 Relentless Assault
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Rising of the Day
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Shadowblood Ridge
  • 1 Sign in Blood
  • 1 Smoldering Marsh
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Solemn Simulacrum
  • 1 Squee, the Immortal
  • 1 Sulfurous Springs
  • 12 Swamp
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Sword of the Animist
  • 1 Tainted Strike
  • 1 Talisman of Indulgence
  • 1 Terminate
  • 1 Thought Vessel
  • 1 Thrill of Possibility
  • 1 Toxic Deluge
  • 1 Two-Handed Axe // Sweeping Cleave
  • 1 Vandalblast
  • 1 Victimize
  • 1 Zariel, Archduke of Avernus