Mono Black Sacrifice (Braids or Ayara) by Arma

Format: Commander

Commander: Braids, Arisen Nightmare

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 50

Deck overview

This deck is a Mono-Black Aristocrats Stax strategy commanded by Braids, Arisen Nightmare. The deck focuses on assembling early recurring token generators like Bitterblossom and Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia to feed Braids on Turn 3, drawing 2–3 extra cards per turn cycle while applying immediate chip damage. In the mid-game, it pivots into heavy asymmetric attrition by resolving oppressive lock pieces such as Grave Pact, Dictate of Erebos, Tainted Aether, and Braids, Cabal Minion. These engines continuously strip opposing boards of creatures and lands while breaking parity with disposable tokens. The game closes between Turns 6 and 7 through massive life-drain payoffs, including Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Torment of Hailfire, Bolas's Citadel, and stacked aristocrat triggers from Blood Artist and Mirkwood Bats. The list trades fast mana and tutors for immense engine redundancy and card velocity.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Accursed Marauder
  • 1 Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt
  • 1 Army of the Damned
  • 1 Ashnod's Altar
  • 1 Ayara, First of Locthwain
  • 1 Barad-dûr
  • 1 Bastion of Remembrance
  • 1 Bitterblossom
  • 1 Black Market Connections
  • 1 Blight Mound
  • 1 Blood Artist
  • 1 Bolas's Citadel
  • 1 Braids, Arisen Nightmare
  • 1 Braids, Cabal Minion
  • 1 Cabal Coffers
  • 1 Cabal Stronghold
  • 1 Carrion Feeder
  • 1 Castle Locthwain
  • 1 Corrupted Conviction
  • 1 Culling the Weak
  • 1 Dark Ritual
  • 1 Dauthi Voidwalker
  • 1 Deadly Dispute
  • 1 Defile
  • 1 Dictate of Erebos
  • 1 Dreadhorde Invasion
  • 1 Evin, Waterdeep Opportunist
  • 1 Exsanguinate
  • 1 Extract a Confession
  • 1 Flare of Malice
  • 1 Funeral Room // Awakening Hall
  • 1 Grave Pact
  • 1 Gravecrawler
  • 1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
  • 1 High Market
  • 1 Infernal Grasp
  • 1 Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia
  • 1 Jet Medallion
  • 1 Lord Skitter, Sewer King
  • 1 Marionette Apprentice
  • 1 Merciless Executioner
  • 1 Mire in Misery
  • 1 Mirkwood Bats
  • 1 Morbid Opportunist
  • 1 Nadier's Nightblade
  • 1 Nether Traitor
  • 1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
  • 1 Ophiomancer
  • 1 Orcish Bowmasters
  • 1 Pawn of Ulamog
  • 1 Phyrexian Altar
  • 1 Phyrexian Obliterator
  • 1 Phyrexian Tower
  • 1 Pitiless Plunderer
  • 1 Priest of Forgotten Gods
  • 1 Reanimate
  • 1 Reassembling Skeleton
  • 1 Sheoldred's Edict
  • 1 Skullclamp
  • 1 Sothera, the Supervoid
  • 1 Soul Shatter
  • 26 Swamp
  • 1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
  • 1 Tainted Aether
  • 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
  • 1 Torment of Hailfire
  • 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
  • 1 Vampiric Rites
  • 1 Vengeful Bloodwitch
  • 1 Victimize
  • 1 Village Rites
  • 1 Viscera Seer
  • 1 Warren Soultrader
  • 1 Withering Torment
  • 1 Zulaport Cutthroat