Art by Seb McKinnon
Saved commander deck
Svyelun of Sea and Sky
Overwhelm opponents with low-cost Merfolk lords while using Islandwalk enablers like Spreading Seas to guarantee unblockable attacks, backed by efficient counterspells and protective Merfolk abilities.
Prompt: Merfolk tribal deck in blue: merfolk lords and unblockable effects, winning through evasion rather than size, with counterspell backup.
Commander
1 cards
Svyelun of Sea and Sky
{1}{U}{U}Legendary Creature — Merfolk God
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
9 cards
Card Draw
10 cards
Kindred Discovery
{3}{U}{U}Enchantment
draws cards on Merfolk entering and attacking
Bident of Thassa
{2}{U}{U}Legendary Enchantment Artifact
rewards unblockable attacks with massive card draw
Reconnaissance Mission
{2}{U}{U}Enchantment
draws a card whenever a creature deals combat damage
Silvergill Adept
{1}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
cheap Merfolk body that cantrips on entry
Benthic Biomancer
{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard Mutant
cheap Merfolk that loots when receiving counters
Emperor Mihail II
{1}{U}{U}Legendary Creature — Merfolk Noble
allows playing Merfolk from top of library and tokens
Removal
9 cards
Curse of the Swine
{X}{U}{U}Sorcery
mass exile for multiple threatening creatures
Imprisoned in the Moon
{2}{U}Enchantment — Aura
shuts down problematic commanders or nonland permanents
Threats/Wincons
24 cards
Lord of Atlantis
{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk
classic Merfolk lord granting +1/+1 and Islandwalk
Master of the Pearl Trident
{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk
essential Merfolk lord granting +1/+1 and Islandwalk
Merrow Reejerey
{2}{U}Creature — Merfolk Soldier
lord that untaps or taps permanents when playing Merfolk
Vodalian Hexcatcher
{1}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
flash lord that turns Merfolk into sacrifice counterspells
Coralhelm Commander
{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Soldier
leveler that becomes a flying Merfolk lord
Merfolk Sovereign
{1}{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Noble
lord that can make a target Merfolk unblockable
Kopala, Warden of Waves
{1}{U}{U}Legendary Creature — Merfolk Wizard
taxes spells and abilities that target your Merfolk
Merfolk Trickster
{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
flash creature that taps an opponent's threat and removes abilities
Stonybrook Banneret
{1}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
reduces the mana cost of all Merfolk
Tishana's Tidebinder
{2}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
flash Merfolk that counters activated/triggered abilities
True-Name Nemesis
{1}{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Rogue
completely unblockable and indestructible threat against one player
Deepchannel Mentor
{5}{U}Creature — Merfolk Rogue
makes all blue creatures completely unblockable
Master of Waves
{3}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
generates massive armies of tokens based on blue devotion
Cursecatcher
{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
1-drop Merfolk that taxes opponent noncreature spells
Streambed Aquitects
{1}{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Scout
turns an opponent land into an Island to enable Islandwalk
Tidebinder Mage
{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
locks down red or green creatures on entry
Harbinger of the Tides
{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
bounces tapped creatures and can be cast with flash
Mistcaller
{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
stops opponents from cheating creatures into play
Seafloor Oracle
{2}{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
draws cards when Merfolk deal combat damage
Tide Shaper
{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
kicker Merfolk that transforms an opponent land into an Island
Lullmage Mentor
{1}{U}{U}Creature — Merfolk Wizard
creates Merfolk tokens whenever you counter a spell
Merfolk Cave-Diver
{2}{U}Creature — Merfolk Scout
gains power and unblockable through exploring
Rootwater Thief
{1}{U}Creature — Merfolk Rogue
flying Merfolk that strips win conditions from opponent decks
Thada Adel, Acquisitor
{1}{U}{U}Legendary Creature — Merfolk Rogue
has Islandwalk and steals artifacts from opponents
Utility
10 cards
Aquitect's Will
{U}Kindred Sorcery — Merfolk
puts flood counters on opponent lands to trigger Islandwalk
Roaming Throne
{4}Artifact Creature — Golem
doubles all Merfolk triggered abilities
Spreading Seas
{1}{U}Enchantment — Aura
cantripping enchantment that turns an opponent land into an Island
