Art by Helge C. Balzer
Saved commander deck
Karumonix, the Rat King
Swarm the board with Rats that gain toxic from Karumonix, supplemented by infect creatures, wither effects, and proliferate tools to quickly eliminate opponents with poison counters.
Prompt: A mono black rat deck with emphasis on infect and wither
Commander
1 cards
Karumonix, the Rat King
{1}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Rat
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
10 cards
Thought Vessel
{2}Artifact
Ramp that eliminates hand size limits when drawing mass Rats.
Bontu's Monument
{3}Legendary Artifact
Reduces creature costs and drains opponents on creature casts.
Card Draw
10 cards
Species Specialist
{2}{B}{B}Creature — Human Warrior
Draws cards whenever Rats die.
Morbid Opportunist
{2}{B}Creature — Human Rogue
Consistent card draw off constant creature combat/deaths.
Removal
10 cards
Black Sun's Zenith
{X}{B}{B}Sorcery
Board wipe that uses -1/-1 counters, synergy with wither.
Skinrender
{2}{B}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Zombie
Creature removal via -1/-1 counters for wither synergy.
Blowfly Infestation
{2}{B}Enchantment
Spreads -1/-1 counters across enemy creatures when they die.
Threats/Wincons
24 cards
Pack Rat
{1}{B}Creature — Rat
Classic Rat threat that scales out of control quickly.
Ogre Slumlord
{3}{B}{B}Creature — Ogre Rogue
Gives Rats deathtouch and creates Rat tokens when nontoken creatures die.
Piper of the Swarm
{1}{B}Creature — Human Warlock
Grants menace to Rats and creates tokens or steals creatures.
Lord Skitter, Sewer King
{2}{B}Legendary Creature — Rat Noble
Creates Rat tokens turn after turn while hating graveyards.
Chittering Rats
{1}{B}{B}Creature — Rat
Disruptive Rat creature for tribal synergy.
Ichor Rats
{1}{B}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Rat
Gives every player a poison counter on ETB to initiate infect pressure.
Septic Rats
{1}{B}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Rat
Rat creature with infect that gets stronger against poisoned targets.
Blightbelly Rat
{1}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Rat
Toxic Rat that proliferates when it dies.
Plague Stinger
{1}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Insect Horror
Cheap evasion infect creature.
Phyrexian Vatmother
{2}{B}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Horror
Bulky infect creature for quick poison application.
Hand of the Praetors
{3}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Zombie
Buffs infect creatures and deals poison counters on cast.
Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
{3}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Dragon Skeleton
Hasty flying infect threat that acts as an alternate win-con.
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
{4}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Rat Ninja
Ninjutsu Rat threat that reanimates opposing creatures.
Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator
{1}{B}Creature — Rat Rogue // Legendary Creature — Rat Wizard
Cheap Rat that flips into graveyard recursion.
Wave of Rats
{3}{B}Creature — Rat
Resilient Rat threat that returns to hand after combat.
Chittering Skitterling
{2}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Rat
Sacrifice outlet Rat that grows and draws cards.
Vector Asp
{1}Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Snake
Cheap creature that can temporarily gain infect.
Core Prowler
{4}Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Horror
Infect creature that proliferates when it dies.
Corpse Cur
{4}Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Dog
Infect creature that recurs another infect creature from the graveyard.
Whispering Specter
{1}{B}{B}Creature — Phyrexian Specter
Flying infect threat that strips hands when dealing combat damage.
Utility
8 cards
Swiftfoot Boots
{2}Artifact — Equipment
Protects commander or key infect threats.
Lightning Greaves
{2}Artifact — Equipment
Free haste and shroud for commander or key creatures.
Throne of Geth
{2}Artifact
Sacrifices artifacts or Rat tokens to proliferate poison/wither counters.
Contagion Clasp
{2}Artifact
Applies a -1/-1 counter and offers repeatable proliferation.
Contagion Engine
{6}Artifact
Massive wither debuff and double proliferation engine.
Coat of Arms
{5}Artifact
Massively pumps all Rats for lethal poison/combat damage.
Nest of Scarabs
{2}{B}Enchantment
Creates Insect tokens whenever -1/-1 counters are placed.
