Yes, Chef

Format: Commander

Commander: Istvan, Butcher of Eln

Bracket: 2

DeckCheck Threat Index: 27

Deck overview

This deck is a mono-black attrition and aristocrats strategy led by Istvan, Butcher of Eln. Istvan provides a unique threat: he prevents all damage dealt to him by creatures and grows larger whenever opposing creatures die. The list leverages this trigger by running a heavy suite of symmetric sacrifice effects including Fleshbag Marauder, Plaguecrafter, and Dictate of Erebos. As opponents lose creatures, Istvan accumulates +1/+1 counters rapidly. Evasion tools like Trailblazer's Boots and Lightning Greaves allow Istvan to connect for lethal commander damage. Backing up the commander damage plan is a classic aristocrats engine featuring Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, Syr Konrad, the Grim, and Bastion of Remembrance, which continuously drains opponent life totals. Sweepers such as Toxic Deluge and Massacre Wurm double as board stabilization and explosive buff turns for Istvan. While vulnerable to artifact and enchantment combos, the deck dominates creature-heavy pods.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Accursed Marauder
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Bastion of Remembrance
  • 1 Black Market Connections
  • 1 Black Sun's Zenith
  • 1 Blood Artist
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Charcoal Diamond
  • 1 Dauthi Voidwalker
  • 1 Deadly Dispute
  • 1 Decree of Pain
  • 1 Defile
  • 1 Diabolic Intent
  • 1 Dictate of Erebos
  • 1 Dread Return
  • 1 Exsanguinate
  • 1 Feed the Swarm
  • 1 Final Parting
  • 1 Fleshbag Marauder
  • 1 Go for the Throat
  • 1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
  • 1 Grim Haruspex
  • 1 Imp's Mischief
  • 1 Istvan, Butcher of Eln
  • 1 Jet Medallion
  • 1 Kaya's Ghostform
  • 1 Lightning Greaves
  • 1 Living Death
  • 1 Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire
  • 1 Massacre Girl, Known Killer
  • 1 Massacre Wurm
  • 1 Merciless Executioner
  • 1 Mind Stone
  • 1 Morbid Opportunist
  • 1 Mutilate
  • 1 Night's Whisper
  • 1 Not Dead After All
  • 1 Ophiomancer
  • 1 Phyrexian Arena
  • 1 Phyrexian Obliterator
  • 1 Phyrexian Reclamation
  • 1 Pitiless Plunderer
  • 1 Plaguecrafter
  • 1 Plumb the Forbidden
  • 1 Reassembling Skeleton
  • 1 Rise of the Dark Realms
  • 1 Rise of the Deathbringer
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Sheoldred's Edict
  • 1 Skullclamp
  • 1 Snuff Out
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Soul Shatter
  • 1 Stinging Study
  • 32 Swamp
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
  • 1 Toxic Deluge
  • 1 Trailblazer's Boots
  • 1 Undying Malice
  • 1 Victimize
  • 1 Village Rites
  • 1 War Room
  • 1 Wayfarer's Bauble
  • 1 Winter, Tormented Loner
  • 1 Witch's Cottage
  • 1 Woe Strider
  • 1 Yahenni's Expertise
  • 1 Zulaport Cutthroat