Art by Matt Stewart
Commander deckBRU
Marchesa, the Black Rose
Utilize Marchesa's Dethrone ability to place +1/+1 counters on creatures, making them immortal through her recursion ability while using proliferate to scale their power.
Asked for“A $600 Marchesa, the Black Rose commander deck — a +1/+1 counters deck with proliferate, counter doublers, and creatures that scale into massive threats.”
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 · 61 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
1Marchesa, the Black Rose
1UBRLegendary Creature — Human Wizard
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
10
Talisman of Indulgence
2Artifact
Fast mana that also helps lower life for Dethrone.
Talisman of Dominance
2Artifact
Fast mana that also helps lower life for Dethrone.
Talisman of Creativity
2Artifact
Fast mana that also helps lower life for Dethrone.
Card Draw
10
Mulldrifter
4UCreature — Elemental
Easy to recur with Marchesa for repeated draw.
Midnight Reaper
2BCreature — Zombie Knight
Draws cards when nontoken creatures die.
Removal
12
Glen Elendra Archmage
3UCreature — Faerie Wizard
Infinite negate engine with Marchesa.
Bedevil
BBRInstant
Versatile instant speed removal for artifacts, creatures, or planeswalkers.
Drown in the Loch
UBInstant
A flexible modal spell that acts as either a counterspell or creature removal in the mid-to-late game.
Threats/Wincons
16
Pontiff of Blight
4BBCreature — Zombie Cleric
Extort helps manage life totals while being a huge body.
Walking Ballista
XXArtifact Creature — Construct
Scales with counters and provides targeted damage.
Hangarback Walker
XXArtifact Creature — Construct
Scales with counters and creates flyers on death.
Chasm Skulker
2UCreature — Squid Horror
Grows with card draw and leaves behind tokens.
Iron Apprentice
1Artifact Creature — Construct
Cheap creature that passes its counters along.
Arcbound Worker
1Artifact Creature — Construct
Modular creature that synergizes with robot themes.
Drana, Liberator of Malakir
1BBLegendary Creature — Vampire Ally
Places counters on the whole attacking team.
Scourge of the Throne
4RRCreature — Dragon
Additional combat steps and Dethrone synergy.
Yahenni, Undying Partisan
2BLegendary Creature — Aetherborn Vampire
Free sac outlet that becomes indestructible and grows.
Puppeteer Clique
3BBCreature — Faerie Wizard
Steals opponents' graveyards; persists then recurs.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
3BBBLegendary Creature — Zombie Cleric
Provides undying as a backup to Marchesa's ability.
Woe Strider
2BCreature — Horror
A reliable free sacrifice outlet that provides a token and allows for deck smoothing via scrying.
Embercleave
4RRLegendary Artifact — Equipment
Provides a massive power boost and double strike to facilitate Dethrone triggers and lethal damage.
Utility
13
Uncivil Unrest
4REnchantment
Doubles damage and provides Riot for immediate counters.
Thrummingbird
1UCreature — Phyrexian Bird Horror
Reliable early game proliferate.
Herald of Secret Streams
3UCreature — Merfolk Warrior
Makes all creatures with counters unblockable.
Fain, the Broker
2BLegendary Creature — Human Warlock
Versatile counter manipulator and sac outlet.
Viscera Seer
BCreature — Vampire Wizard
Zero-mana sacrifice outlet for recursion loops.
Carrion Feeder
BCreature — Zombie
Sacrifice outlet that grows itself with counters.
Spark Double
3UCreature — Illusion
Clones Marchesa or another legendary threat without the legend rule.
Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
2UULegendary Creature — Phyrexian Horror
Doubles all proliferate triggers.
Metallic Mimic
2Artifact Creature — Shapeshifter
Enters with a counter on chosen type (usually Human or Wizard).
Sage of Fables
2UCreature — Merfolk Wizard
Allows drawing cards by removing counters and gives Wizards counters.
Vigean Graftmage
2UCreature — Vedalken Wizard Mutant
Graft allows it to place counters on other creatures coming into play, ensuring they are protected by Marchesa immediately.
