Monkey Business by Rand0mCat

Format: Commander

Commander: Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 46

Deck overview

This mono-red aggressive deck leverages Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer to establish early mana velocity and card advantage starting on Turn 1. By consistently connecting in combat, Ragavan generates Treasure tokens and exiles opposing cards to accelerate development. The deck multiplies this resource advantage through high-synergy Treasure engines like Magda, Brazen Outlaw, Academy Manufactor, and Xorn, while deploying disruptive punisher pieces such as Manabarbs, Zo-Zu the Punisher, and Price of Glory to heavily tax opposing mana development and off-turn interaction. Because the deck relies on artifact mana rather than tapping lands, it easily breaks parity on its own symmetrical damage and land-destruction effects. The primary endgame transitions into massive airborne threats, including Ancient Copper Dragon, Hellkite Tyrant, and Draconic Visitor, which convert Treasure production into lethal dragon swarms or an alternate artifact-count win condition. Backed by cheap equipment protection and redirection spells like Deflecting Swat, the deck delivers fast, relentless pressure.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Abrade
  • 1 Academy Manufactor
  • 1 Access Tunnel
  • 1 Alchemist's Talent
  • 1 Ancient Copper Dragon
  • 1 Anger
  • 1 Ankh of Mishra
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Arena of Glory
  • 1 Big Score
  • 1 Break Through the Line
  • 1 Breeches, Eager Pillager
  • 1 Brotherhood Regalia
  • 1 Captain Lannery Storm
  • 1 Chaos Warp
  • 1 Commander's Plate
  • 1 Crime Novelist
  • 1 Curse of Opulence
  • 1 Cursed Mirror
  • 1 Deflecting Swat
  • 1 Descent into Avernus
  • 1 Diamond Pick-Axe
  • 1 Draconic Visitor
  • 1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker // Reflection of Kiki-Jiki
  • 1 Fellwar Stone
  • 1 Fireshrieker
  • 1 From the Ashes
  • 1 Gamble
  • 1 Generous Plunderer
  • 1 Glóin, Dwarf Emissary
  • 1 Goblin Engineer
  • 1 Goblin Welder
  • 1 Goldspan Dragon
  • 1 Great Furnace
  • 1 Guild Artisan
  • 1 Hell to Pay
  • 1 Hellkite Tyrant
  • 1 Hex Magic
  • 1 Imperial Recruiter
  • 1 Inspiring Statuary
  • 1 Inventors' Fair
  • 1 Jeska's Will
  • 1 Lightning Greaves
  • 1 Lizard Blades
  • 1 Lotus Petal
  • 1 Magda, Brazen Outlaw
  • 1 Manabarbs
  • 1 Mines of Moria
  • 21 Mountain
  • 1 Mox Amber
  • 1 Mox Opal
  • 1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
  • 1 Price of Glory
  • 1 Professional Face-Breaker
  • 1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
  • 1 Rain of Riches
  • 1 Reckless Fireweaver
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Ruby Medallion
  • 1 Seething Song
  • 1 Seize the Spoils
  • 1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
  • 1 Smaug the Magnificent
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Sticky Fingers
  • 1 Strip Mine
  • 1 Sundering Eruption // Volcanic Fissure
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 The One Ring
  • 1 The Reaver Cleaver
  • 1 Trailblazer's Boots
  • 1 Unexpected Windfall
  • 1 Untimely Malfunction
  • 1 Urza's Saga
  • 1 Vaan, Street Thief
  • 1 Valakut Awakening // Valakut Stoneforge
  • 1 War Room
  • 1 Wasteland
  • 1 Xorn
  • 1 Zo-Zu the Punisher