evil mabel, of gloomburrow by jeph

Format: Commander

Commander: Mabel, Bitter Recluse

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 33

Deck overview

This deck is a mono-black attrition and control strategy built around -1/-1 counter distribution, counter manipulation, and token creation. Commanded by Mabel, Bitter Recluse, the deck uses its commander as a cheap one-mana utility tool to remove counters from opposing threats, reset persist triggers on creatures like Persistent Constrictor, or trigger counter-removal payoffs. The primary win condition focuses on assembling Nest of Scarabs alongside Blowfly Infestation. Once both enchantments are active, placing a counter on any 1-toughness creature triggers a loop that wipes all opposing creatures and creates an arbitrary number of 1/1 Insect tokens. The deck also deploys potent midrange engines like Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, Maha, Its Feathers Night, and Massacre Girl, Known Killer to dominate creature combat and draw cards. While exceptionally effective against creature-heavy boards, the deck has minimal stack interaction and lacks direct removal for resolved non-creature permanents.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Aberrant Return
  • 1 Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal // Temple of the Dead
  • 1 Ammit Eternal
  • 1 Archfiend of Ifnir
  • 1 Black Sun's Zenith
  • 1 Blowfly Infestation
  • 1 Boggart Trawler // Boggart Bog
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Cabal Coffers
  • 1 Carnifex Demon
  • 1 Cartouche of Ambition
  • 1 Castle Locthwain
  • 1 Chainbreaker
  • 1 Charcoal Diamond
  • 1 Contagion Clasp
  • 1 Contagion Engine
  • 1 Crumbling Ashes
  • 1 Curse of Death's Hold
  • 1 Darkness Descends
  • 1 Dawnhand Dissident
  • 1 Defile
  • 1 Drown in Ichor
  • 1 Dusk Urchins
  • 1 Etched Slith
  • 1 Eventide's Shadow
  • 1 Fain, the Broker
  • 1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
  • 1 Ferropede
  • 1 Fountainport
  • 1 Fume Spitter
  • 1 Grasping Dunes
  • 1 Grim Affliction
  • 1 Grim Poppet
  • 1 Heartless Act
  • 1 Heartless Summoning
  • 1 Hex Parasite
  • 1 Ifnir Deadlands
  • 1 Illness in the Ranks
  • 1 Incremental Blight
  • 1 Karn's Bastion
  • 1 Mabel, Bitter Recluse
  • 1 Maha, Its Feathers Night
  • 1 Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire
  • 1 Massacre Girl, Known Killer
  • 1 Midnight Banshee
  • 1 Moonshadow
  • 1 Necroskitter
  • 1 Nest of Scarabs
  • 1 Nesting Grounds
  • 1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
  • 1 Nyx Lotus
  • 1 Oft-Nabbed Goat
  • 1 Panharmonicon
  • 1 Persistent Constrictor
  • 1 Phyrexian Tower
  • 1 Plague Engineer
  • 1 Power Conduit
  • 1 Price of Betrayal
  • 1 Profane Tutor
  • 1 Quest for the Necropolis
  • 1 Rottenmouth Viper
  • 1 Scheming Aspirant
  • 1 Skinrender
  • 1 Soul Snuffers
  • 1 Spitting Dilophosaurus
  • 1 Staff of Compleation
  • 26 Swamp
  • 1 Sword of Truth and Justice
  • 1 Throne of Geth
  • 1 Torture
  • 1 Unmarked Grave
  • 1 Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
  • 1 War Room
  • 1 Whisper of the Dross
  • 1 Yawgmoth, Thran Physician