Art by Chris Rahn
Commander deckBGU
Teval, the Balanced Scale
Maintain board equilibrium and drain opponents through budget aristocrats, token generation, and creature sacrifice synergy.
Asked for“Teval, the Balanced Scale”
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
1Teval, the Balanced Scale
1BGULegendary Creature — Spirit Dragon
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
9
Wayfarer's Bauble
1Artifact
Colorless artifact ramp that puts a basic Swamp straight onto the field.
Star Compass
2Artifact
Cheap 2-mana mana rock that generates black mana once a Swamp is out.
Card Draw
12
Phyrexian Arena
1BBEnchantment
Classic enchantment that draws an extra card every turn.
Undead Augur
BBCreature — Zombie Wizard
Draws cards whenever zombies or creature tokens die in aristocrat strategies.
Skullclamp
1Artifact — Equipment
Staple draw engine when equipped to 1/1 tokens or sacrifice fodder.
Removal
9
Feed the Swarm
1BSorcery
Crucial black removal spell capable of destroying enchantments or creatures.
Go for the Throat
1BInstant
Efficient instant-speed creature destruction for two mana.
Infernal Grasp
1BInstant
Unconditional instant-speed creature removal for cheap mana cost.
Hero's Downfall
1BBInstant
Versatile removal targeting creatures or planeswalkers.
Price of Fame
3BInstant
Budget creature removal that discounts against commanders and provides surveil.
Mutilate
2BBSorcery
Board wipe that bypasses indestructible based on Swamps controlled.
Decree of Pain
6BBSorcery
Sweeper that refuels your hand or can be cycled to deal with tokens.
Threats/Wincons
22
Zulaport Cutthroat
1BCreature — Human Rogue Ally
Drains opponents on any creature death
Marionette Apprentice
1BCreature — Human Artificer
Creates token and drains on artifact/creature death
Pitiless Plunderer
3BCreature — Human Pirate
Converts creature deaths into treasure mana
Syr Konrad, the Grim
3BBLegendary Creature — Human Knight
Substantial damage output from graveyard movement
Yahenni, Undying Partisan
2BLegendary Creature — Aetherborn Vampire
Indestructible free sacrifice outlet
Viscera Seer
BCreature — Vampire Wizard
One-mana sacrifice outlet for deck manipulation
Pawn of Ulamog
1BBCreature — Vampire Shaman
Generates extra sacrifice mana tokens
Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
4BLegendary Creature — Human Wizard
Massive token generation on creature spells
Ayara, First of Locthwain
BBBLegendary Creature — Elf Noble
Drains opponents on black creature ETBs and acts as a sacrifice outlet.
Weaponcraft Enthusiast
2BCreature — Aetherborn Artificer
Creates two extra Servo tokens on ETB for sacrifice fodder.
Abhorrent Overlord
5BBCreature — Demon
Creates a massive flying swarm of Harpy tokens based on devotion.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
3BBCreature — Zombie
Devastating win condition that drains all opponents based on black devotion.
Fleshbag Marauder
2BCreature — Zombie Warrior
Forces all players to sacrifice a creature while triggering aristocrat payoffs.
Plaguecrafter
2BCreature — Human Shaman
Symmetrical sacrifice effect that also hits planeswalkers and hand size.
Persistent Specimen
BCreature — Skeleton
Cheap creature that can repeatedly recur itself from the graveyard for sacrifices.
Utility
9
Dread Return
2BBSorcery
Graveyard reanimation spell with a flashback cost of sacrificing three creatures.
Living Death
3BBSorcery
Game-ending mass reanimation spell and board wipe combined.
Whisper, Blood Liturgist
3BLegendary Creature — Human Cleric
Reusable activated reanimator engine by sacrificing two creatures.
