Art by Chris Rallis
Commander deckBRW
Kelsien, the Plague
Equip Kelsien and backup pingers with Deathtouch and untap effects to machine-gun opponent creatures for experience counters, while using white ETB-hate creatures and protection equipment to shut down enemy triggers and protect your board until Kelsien can deal lethal commander damage.
Asked for“I want to use Kelsien, the Plague as a commander, and make a deck that abuses his trigger, I want the white part of the deck be focused in protection against triggers like Explore, when a creature enters, etc. But I want the other part to EXPLOIT the shot, like, doubling the damage, deathtouch, etc. I want also a protection like indestructible, hexproof, and if possible, make my creatures fly. The idea is, I keep exploiting my fire, turn by turn, until my commander is strong enough to one shot everyone. But make the deck not be heavily dependant on the commander, in a way that if he dies too much it becomes useless. Focuse on budget cards, but strong cards”
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 · 62 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
1Kelsien, the Plague
RWBLegendary Creature — Human Assassin
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
9
Card Draw
9
Morbid Opportunist
2BCreature — Human Rogue
draws cards every turn when pinged creatures die
Harvester of Souls
4BBCreature — Demon
draws cards whenever non-token creatures die
Mentor of the Meek
2WCreature — Human Soldier
turns cheap creatures into card draw
Removal
9
Threats/Wincons
26
Basilisk Collar
1Artifact — Equipment
gives Kelsien deathtouch and lifelink to instantly kill targets
Mirror Shield
2Artifact — Equipment
grants hexproof and blocks deathtouch creatures
Mask of Avacyn
2Artifact — Equipment
budget equipment that grants hexproof and toughness
Wings of Hubris
2Artifact — Equipment
gives flying evasion to swing for massive commander damage
Ring of Xathrid
2Artifact — Equipment
grants regeneration protection and grows Kelsien
Magewright's Stone
2Artifact
untaps Kelsien to kill multiple creatures per turn cycle
Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats
4BRLegendary Creature — Vampire Rogue
gives all your creatures deathtouch and acts as a massive threat
Mari, the Killing Quill
1BBLegendary Creature — Vampire Assassin
generates treasures and card draw when assassinations happen
Hooded Blightfang
2BCreature — Snake
drains opponents whenever deathtouch creatures attack
Mahadi, Emporium Master
1BRLegendary Creature — Devil
makes treasures every time pinged creatures die
Mayhem Devil
1BRCreature — Devil
turns dying creatures and sacrifices into extra damage pings
Torbran, Thane of Red Fell
1RRRLegendary Creature — Dwarf Noble
adds +2 damage to red pingers and red sources
Dictate of the Twin Gods
3RREnchantment
doubles damage so small pings turn lethal quickly
Mechanized Warfare
1RREnchantment
amplifies damage dealt by your red and artifact sources
Royal Assassin
1BBCreature — Human Assassin
destroys any tapped creature without needing deathtouch
Prodigal Pyromancer
2RCreature — Human Wizard
backup pinger that benefits from deathtouch equipment
Vulshok Sorcerer
1RRCreature — Human Shaman Sorcerer
haste backup pinger to start killing immediately
Sun Titan
4WWCreature — Giant
recurs cheap deathtouch equipment and ETB-hate creatures
Odric, Lunarch Marshal
3WLegendary Creature — Human Soldier
shares flying, deathtouch, and indestructible across your team
Archetype of Finality
4BBEnchantment Creature — Gorgon
grants your entire team deathtouch while denying it to opponents
Archetype of Courage
1WWEnchantment Creature — Human Soldier
gives your entire team first strike, dominating combat alongside deathtouch
Utility
9
Strict Proctor
1WCreature — Spirit Cleric
white trigger-hate tax against ETB triggers like Explore
Tocatli Honor Guard
1WCreature — Human Soldier
stops all creature ETB triggers from firing
Hushbringer
1WCreature — Faerie
shuts down creature ETB and death triggers while flying
Doorkeeper Thrull
1WCreature — Thrull
flash flying creature that blocks ETB triggers
Open the Armory
1WSorcery
tutors critical deathtouch equipment or aura protection
Kaya's Ghostform
BEnchantment — Aura
ultra-cheap aura that saves Kelsien from exile or death
