Art by Chris Rahn
Saved commander deck
Teval, the Balanced Scale
Maintain precise control over the battlefield by leveraging Orzhov life-gain, aristocrat drains, and value reanimation to keep your opponents off balance while building an overwhelming board state.
Prompt: Build me a commander deck around Teval, the Balanced Scale
Commander
1 cards
Teval, the Balanced Scale
{1}{B}{G}{U}Legendary Creature — Spirit Dragon
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
9 cards
K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
{4}{B/P}{B/P}{B/P}Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Horror Minion
Allows paying life instead of black mana for explosive turns.
Card Draw
14 cards
Morbid Opportunist
{2}{B}Creature — Human Rogue
draws cards whenever creatures die each turn
Black Market Connections
{2}{B}Enchantment
Versatile enchantment providing card draw, ramp, and tokens.
Ayara, First of Locthwain
{B}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Elf Noble
Drains opponents on creature enter and provides sacrifice-based card draw.
Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor
{1}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Praetor
Rewards attacking opponents with steady card draw.
Midnight Reaper
{2}{B}Creature — Zombie Knight
Draws cards whenever nontoken creatures die.
Grim Haruspex
{2}{B}Creature — Human Wizard
Draws cards on nontoken creature deaths.
Removal
12 cards
Feed the Swarm
{1}{B}Sorcery
Essential black removal that handles both creatures and enchantments.
Hero's Downfall
{1}{B}{B}Instant
Flexible instant removal for creatures and planeswalkers.
Fleshbag Marauder
{2}{B}Creature — Zombie Warrior
Forces all players to sacrifice a creature, synergy with aristocrats.
Plaguecrafter
{2}{B}Creature — Human Shaman
Forces sacrifice of creatures or planeswalkers from each opponent.
Grave Pact
{1}{B}{B}{B}Enchantment
Forces opponents to sacrifice creatures whenever yours die.
Dictate of Erebos
{3}{B}{B}Enchantment
Flash enchantment that forces opponent creature sacrifices.
Threats/Wincons
13 cards
Zulaport Cutthroat
{1}{B}Creature — Human Rogue Ally
drains all opponents when creatures die
Pitiless Plunderer
{3}{B}Creature — Human Pirate
generates treasures whenever creatures die
Dauthi Voidwalker
{B}{B}Creature — Dauthi Rogue
graveyard hate with unblockable threat potential
Marionette Apprentice
{1}{B}Creature — Human Artificer
creates token and drains on artifact or creature death
Archon of Cruelty
{6}{B}{B}Creature — Archon
heavy late-game threat that forces sacrifice and discards
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
{3}{B}{B}Creature — Zombie
Massive life drain finisher based on devotion to black.
Syr Konrad, the Grim
{3}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Human Knight
Pings opponents whenever creatures enter or leave graveyards.
Yahenni, Undying Partisan
{2}{B}Legendary Creature — Aetherborn Vampire
Free sacrifice outlet that gains indestructible and grows bigger.
Sheoldred, Whispering One
{5}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Praetor
Repeated reanimation for you and forced sacrifice for opponents.
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
{2}{B}{B}Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Praetor
Punishes opponent card draw while gaining life on yours.
Demon of Dark Schemes
{3}{B}{B}{B}Creature — Demon
Wipes small creatures and reanimates threats using energy.
Utility
12 cards
Bastion of Remembrance
{2}{B}Enchantment
enchantment-based drain engine resilient to creature wipes
Bolas's Citadel
{3}{B}{B}{B}Legendary Artifact
allows playing cards directly off the top of the library
Viscera Seer
{B}Creature — Vampire Wizard
Instant-speed zero-cost sacrifice outlet with scry.
Carrion Feeder
{B}Creature — Zombie
One-mana sacrifice outlet that grows with +1/+1 counters.
Victimize
{2}{B}Sorcery
Sacrifices one creature to return two from graveyard to play.
Dread Return
{2}{B}{B}Sorcery
Reanimation spell with flashback via sacrificing creatures.
