Art by Jesper Ejsing
Saved commander deck
Obeka, Brute Chronologist
Deploy symmetrical punishment engines and end-step hazards, then use Obeka to end your turn with harmful triggers on the stack to bypass downsides while opponents suffer the full chaos.
Prompt: Build a budget Commander deck around Obeka, Brute Chronologist with a “Controlled Chaos” theme. Every card must cost US$1.50 or less, excluding basic lands. Focus on enchantments, creatures, and permanents that trigger at each player’s end step and cause harmful effects such as damage, sacrifice, discard, life loss, forced choices, or resource denial. The chaos should hurt everyone, but my deck should have ways to avoid, cancel, exploit, or survive those effects through Obeka, timing tricks, counterspells, and asymmetrical effects. Include Grixis ramp, card draw, interaction, blue counterspells, and strong protection for Obeka: phasing, hexproof, indestructible, bounce, blink, or similar effects. Obeka should stay alive and enable the strategy, but she should NOT attack or be combat-focused. Include global debuff creatures and end-step engines. Add useful Orcs if they synergize, but do not force tribal. Prioritize repeatable synergy over random chaos.
Commander
1 cards
Obeka, Brute Chronologist
{1}{U}{B}{R}Legendary Creature — Ogre Wizard
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
10 cards
Card Draw
10 cards
Ideas Unbound
{U}{U}Sorcery — Arcane
Draw three for two mana and exile the end-step discard trigger with Obeka
Thirst for Discovery
{2}{U}Instant
Instant-speed card draw with minimal discard cost
Stormfist Crusader
{B}{R}Creature — Human Knight
Symmetrical card advantage with steady life loss for everyone
Spiteful Visions
{2}{B/R}{B/R}Enchantment
Additional card draw that punishes each player for drawing
Hostile Negotiations
{3}{B}Instant
Forced choice card draw that fills hand and graveyard
Removal
10 cards
Negate
{1}{U}Instant
Protects Obeka and stops opposing noncreature win conditions
Bedevil
{B}{B}{R}Instant
Flexible removal targeting creatures, artifacts, or planeswalkers
Rakdos Charm
{B}{R}Instant
Versatile answer to wide boards, graveyards, or artifacts
Chain Reaction
{2}{R}{R}Sorcery
Budget-friendly board wipe that scales with the table
Threats/Wincons
24 cards
Glorious End
{2}{R}Instant
Casts as an emergency fog or counter, then Obeka exiles the lose-game trigger
Alchemist's Gambit
{1}{R}{R}Sorcery
Take an extra turn and exile the lose-game trigger on the following end step
Zara, Renegade Recruiter
{3}{U}{R}Legendary Creature — Human Pirate
Steals opponent creatures from hand; exile the end-step return trigger to keep them
Feldon of the Third Path
{1}{R}{R}Legendary Creature — Human Artificer
Creates reanimated artifact tokens and keeps them permanently via Obeka
Flameshadow Conjuring
{3}{R}Enchantment
Duplicates creatures and exiles the sacrifice trigger at end step
Apprentice Necromancer
{1}{B}Creature — Zombie Wizard
Reanimates a creature with haste and cancels the end-step sacrifice
Puppeteer Clique
{3}{B}{B}Creature — Faerie Wizard
Steals opposing creatures from graveyards permanently by exiling the exile trigger
Sedris, the Traitor King
{3}{U}{B}{R}Legendary Creature — Zombie Warrior
Grants unearth to graveyard creatures and lets you keep them via Obeka
Descent into Avernus
{2}{R}Enchantment
Chaotic damage and treasure engine that speeds up game clocks
Sire of Insanity
{4}{B}{R}Creature — Demon
Forces discard each end step; end your turn to retain cards while opponents lose hands
Court of Ambition
{2}{B}{B}Enchantment
Introduces the monarch and punishes opponents with discards and life loss
Torment of Scarabs
{3}{B}Enchantment — Aura Curse
Forces an opponent into miserable resource attrition each upkeep
Painful Quandary
{3}{B}{B}Enchantment
Heavy resource denial punishing every spell opponents cast
Underworld Dreams
{B}{B}{B}Enchantment
Sustained life loss punishing opponents for drawing cards
Kaervek, the Spiteful
{2}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Human Warlock
Global debuff creature that shrinks and clears opposing token swarms
Mayhem Devil
{1}{B}{R}Creature — Devil
Weaponizes all player sacrifices from chaotic resource denial
Tectonic Giant
{2}{R}{R}Creature — Elemental Giant
Deals massive table-wide burn or provides exile card advantage
Gruesome Encore
{2}{B}Sorcery
Steals opponent graveyard creature and keeps it permanently with Obeka
Macabre Mockery
{2}{B}{R}Instant
Instant-speed reanimation of opponent threats without having to exile them
Identity Thief
{2}{U}{U}Creature — Shapeshifter
Exiles an opposing threat and keeps it permanently in exile by ending the turn
Mishra, Eminent One
{2}{U}{B}{R}Legendary Creature — Human Artificer
Makes Warform copies of noncreature artifacts and exiles the sacrifice trigger
Rakdos, the Showstopper
{4}{B}{R}Legendary Creature — Demon
Chaotic high-impact board wipe creature with a demonic body
Jaxis, the Troublemaker
{3}{R}Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
Copies creatures and bypasses the end-step sacrifice trigger using Obeka
Grixis Charm
{U}{B}{R}Instant
Versatile chaos tool offering bounce, removal, or a team buff
Utility
8 cards
Swiftfoot Boots
{2}Artifact — Equipment
Grants Obeka hexproof and immediate tap availability
Clout of the Dominus
{U/R}Enchantment — Aura
Gives Obeka shroud and haste for just one mana
Lazotep Plating
{1}{U}Instant
Grants hexproof to you and your permanents at instant speed
Slip Out the Back
{U}Instant
Phases Obeka out to dodge any board wipe or targeted spell
Kelpie Guide
{2}{U}Creature — Beast
Untaps Obeka to enable multiple turn-ending tricks
Clever Conjurer
{2}{U}Creature — Gnome Wizard
Untap utility to ready Obeka during your turn
Vizier of Tumbling Sands
{2}{U}Creature — Human Cleric
Repeatable untapper for Obeka with cycling flexibility
Crashing Drawbridge
{2}Artifact Creature — Wall
Gives Obeka immediate tap readiness the turn she enters
