Art by Howard Lyon
Commander deckBGW
Thalia and The Gitrog Monster
Slow down opponents with tax effects while utilizing life-gain and drain triggers from creatures entering or land drops to outlast and out-value the table.
Asked for“thalia and the gitrog monster. life gain and drain.”
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 · 60 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
1Thalia and The Gitrog Monster
1WBGLegendary Creature — Human Frog Horror
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
12
Kodama's Reach
2GSorcery — Arcane
Essential for establishing land drops for Gitrog triggers.
Wood Elves
2GCreature — Elf Scout
Puts a forest directly into play to trigger landfall.
Sakura-Tribe Elder
1GCreature — Snake Shaman
Ramp on a body that can be sacrificed.
Card Draw
9
Deathreap Ritual
2BGEnchantment
Rewards the deck for sacrificing creatures or lands.
Tireless Tracker
2GCreature — Human Scout
Generates clues for card draw on landfall.
Soul of the Harvest
4GGCreature — Elemental
Large body that draws cards on creature entry.
Removal
12
Threats/Wincons
21
Dina, Soul Steeper
BGLegendary Creature — Dryad Druid
Drains opponents whenever life is gained.
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
2BLegendary Creature — Vampire Cleric
Primary engine for turning life gain into damage.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
3BBCreature — Zombie
Huge swing in life totals on entry.
Kokusho, the Evening Star
4BBLegendary Creature — Dragon Spirit
High impact life drain on death.
Soul Warden
WCreature — Human Cleric
Consistent life gain triggers for the drain engines.
Soul's Attendant
WCreature — Human Cleric
Duplicate effect for triggering life gain engines.
Zulaport Cutthroat
1BCreature — Human Rogue Ally
Provides reach and life gain when boards are cleared.
Scute Swarm
2GCreature — Insect
Quickly generates a massive board with extra land plays.
Courser of Kruphix
1GGEnchantment Creature — Centaur
Provides life gain on landfall and card selection.
Sunscorch Regent
3WWCreature — Dragon
Grows and gains life on every opponent's spell.
Ajani, Strength of the Pride
2WWLegendary Planeswalker — Ajani
Provides tokens and a potential board wipe/finisher.
Cliffhaven Vampire
2WBCreature — Vampire Warrior Ally
Drains the table whenever life is gained.
Vizkopa Guildmage
WBCreature — Human Wizard
Activated ability allows for massive burst damage.
Rampaging Baloths
4GGCreature — Beast
Creates 4/4s to close out the game via landfall.
Wurmcoil Engine
6Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Wurm
High-value lifelink threat that leaves behind tokens.
Utility
6
Eternal Witness
1GGCreature — Human Shaman
Recursion for key pieces of the drain engine.
Swiftfoot Boots
2Artifact — Equipment
Protects the commander and key drain creatures.
Zuran Orb
0Artifact
Allows for emergency life gain and land sacrifice for Gitrog.
Ramunap Excavator
2GCreature — Snake Cleric
Allows playing lands from graveyard sacrificed to Gitrog.
Splendid Reclamation
3GSorcery
Brings back all lands sacrificed to Thalia and the Gitrog Monster.
