Art by Daarken
Commander deckBRU
Don Andres, the Renegade
Steal or destroy opponents' mana rocks, hijack ramp and protection spells from the stack and graveyards, and close out the game using their accumulated resources or lethal artifact and mana win conditions.
Asked for“Assumption: most of my opponents will be playing midrange battlecruiser decks with plenty of mana rocks and ramp spells paired with protection artifacts for their linchpin commanders. I want a deck that runs no mana rocks, but instead steals or destroys opponents' mana rocks, and steals ramp spells off the stack to cast for myself. Affects that do the same thing from the opponents' decks or graveyards are also welcome. Also ways to steal protection artifacts to putnon my own creatures or commander. Then need a wincon that utilizes the extra mana and/or extra artifacts in some way. The deck would need a backup plan for if no opponents are playing a deck with destroy/theft targets”
Deck anatomy
What this list actually runs on: how cheaply it casts things, and whether it has enough ramp, card draw and interaction to keep up at the table. Each block is one card — hover for its name.
Mana curve · 60 nonland cards
The working parts
Counted from Scryfall’s community card tags, not from the builder’s own labels. A card that does two jobs counts twice, so these add up to more than the deck. The hatched band is a common rule of thumb, not a law — combo decks run leaner, battlecruiser decks heavier.
Colored mana symbols
Commander
1Don Andres, the Renegade
1UBRLegendary Creature — Vampire Pirate
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
8
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
RLegendary Creature — Monkey Pirate
exiles opponents' cards to cast while generating early treasure ramp
Dauthi Voidwalker
BBCreature — Dauthi Rogue
exiles opponents' cards and casts their discarded or countered ramp spells for free
Grim Hireling
3BCreature — Tiefling Rogue
provides steady treasure ramp when hitting opponents to bypass running mana rocks
Professional Face-Breaker
2RCreature — Human Warrior
generates treasures from combat damage and converts extra treasures into cards
Pitiless Plunderer
3BCreature — Human Pirate
converts creature deaths into treasure ramp for the deck's big mana sinks
Curse of Opulence
REnchantment — Aura Curse
early non-rock ramp that incentivizes attacking opponents for free gold tokens
Black Market Connections
2BEnchantment
generates reliable treasure ramp, bodies, and card draw without artifacts
Cunning Rhetoric
2BEnchantment
deters attacks by stealing opponents' cards to play as our own resources
Card Draw
10
Rhystic Study
2UEnchantment
punishes battlecruiser players who tap out for big spells by drawing cards
Mystic Remora
UEnchantment
draws massive card volume off opponents casting noncreature ramp spells and rocks
Night's Whisper
1BSorcery
reliable early self-contained card advantage that does not rely on opponents
Painful Truths
2BSorcery
draws three cards for three mana to ensure consistent land and spell drops
Fact or Fiction
3UInstant
instant-speed card selection that digs five cards deep for answers
Jeska's Will
2RSorcery
burst mana and impulse card draw that fuels high-impact turns
Ponder
USorcery
cheap cantrip smoothing early draws to consistently hit land drops without rocks
Windfall
2USorcery
refills hands while feeding opponents' graveyards for theft and reanimation
Baleful Strix
UBArtifact Creature — Bird
cantrips on entry while acting as a deathtouch deterrent against battlecruisers
Removal
14
Hostage Taker
2UBCreature — Human Pirate
exiles an opposing creature or mana rock and lets you cast it under your control
Vandalblast
RSorcery
asymmetrically wipes out all opposing mana rocks and protection artifacts
By Force
XRSorcery
cheap and scalable removal for all opposing mana rocks and equipment
Shenanigans
1RSorcery
repeatable artifact destruction with dredge to keep opposing rocks in check
Abrade
1RInstant
versatile early removal for either an opposing mana rock or utility creature
Bedevil
BBRInstant
unconditional removal targeting artifacts, creatures, or planeswalkers
Feed the Swarm
1BSorcery
efficient enchantment and creature removal in Grixis colors
Blasphemous Act
8RSorcery
ultra-efficient board wipe against creature-heavy battlecruiser boards
Toxic Deluge
2BSorcery
flexible creature board wipe that bypasses indestructible commanders
Aethersnatch
4UUInstant
steals any spell from the stack, hijacking opponents' huge ramp spells or threats
Desertion
3UUInstant
counters a commander or mana rock and places it directly onto your battlefield
Spelljack
3UUUInstant
counters an opponent's ramp spell or threat and allows you to cast it for free
Narset's Reversal
UUInstant
copies an opponent's ramp spell like Cultivate while bouncing their original
Threats/Wincons
17
Brainstealer Dragon
5BBCreature — Dragon Horror
steals nonland cards from each opponent on end step and drains them
Hellkite Tyrant
4RRCreature — Dragon
steals all opposing artifacts on combat hit and wins the game with 20 artifacts
Marionette Master
4BBCreature — Human Artificer
drains opponents whenever stolen artifacts or treasures leave the battlefield
Torment of Hailfire
XBBSorcery
lethal mana sink win condition fueled by stolen ramp and treasures
Exsanguinate
XBBSorcery
game-ending mana sink that stabilizes life totals against battlecruiser attacks
Crackle with Power
XXXRRSorcery
finisher that burns out the entire table using accumulated mana
Cyberdrive Awakener
5UArtifact Creature — Construct
turns all stolen equipment, rocks, and treasures into flying 4/4 attackers
Rise and Shine
1USorcery
animates accumulated stolen artifacts into permanent 4/4 beaters
Thief of Sanity
1UBCreature — Specter
hits opponents to steal their best spells and ramp cards directly
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
2BBLegendary Creature — Aetherborn Rogue
steals an opponent's key card or ramp spell secretly from their library
Agent of Treachery
5UUCreature — Human Rogue
steals any permanent including lands, commanders, or protection artifacts
Breeches, Brazen Plunderer
3RLegendary Creature — Goblin Pirate
exiles top cards of opponents' libraries on pirate attacks to cast
Etali, Primal Storm
4RRLegendary Creature — Elder Dinosaur
casts nonland cards from the top of every player's library for free on attack
Bribery
3UUSorcery
tutors an opponent's best battlecruiser creature directly onto your battlefield
Acquire
3UUSorcery
searches an opponent's library for their best artifact and puts it into play
Steal Artifact
2UUEnchantment — Aura
gains permanent control of an opponent's best mana rock or protective equipment
Blatant Thievery
4UUUSorcery
steals the best permanent from each opponent simultaneously
Utility
11
Deflecting Swat
2RInstant
redirects removal or single-target ramp and buffs to your own targets for free
Wild Ricochet
2RRInstant
redirects an opponent's big spell and creates your own copy of it
Sudden Substitution
2UUInstant
exchanges control of an opponent's noncreature ramp spell with a small creature
Commandeer
5UUInstant
takes control of an opponent's noncreature ramp spell or artifact for zero mana
Muddle the Mixture
UUInstant
counters instant or sorcery ramp while tutoring for key two-mana pieces
Memory Plunder
UBUBUBUBInstant
casts opponents' best ramp or value instants and sorceries from their graveyards
Praetor's Grasp
1BBSorcery
searches an opponent's library to steal their key artifact, wincon, or tutor
Reanimate
BSorcery
steals the best creature from any graveyard for a single black mana
Animate Dead
1BEnchantment — Aura
efficient enchantment that recurs high-value threats from any graveyard
Counterspell
UUInstant
dependable interaction against opposing game-winning spells
