Art by Josh Newton
Commander deckB
The Ghoul, Gunslinger
Capitalize on creature death and counter synergies by placing -1/-1 or +1/+1 counters on opponents' creatures and stealing them or converting deaths into massive board advantages. Use targeted removal and forced sacrifice engines to trigger your commander's ability repeatedly.
Asked for“The Ghoul, Gunslinger commander deck”
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 · 62 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
1The Ghoul, Gunslinger
1BBLegendary Creature — Zombie Mutant Rogue
Chosen commander for the requested strategy.
Ramp
11
Solemn Simulacrum
4Artifact Creature — Golem
fetches a land and draws a card on death
Ashnod's Altar
3Artifact
Sacrifice outlet that converts creature tokens into colorless mana.
Worn Powerstone
3Artifact
Provides extra mana acceleration to reach high-cost mono-black payoffs.
Card Draw
9
Deadly Dispute
1BInstant
sacrifices spare artifacts or creatures for cards and treasure
Morbid Opportunist
2BCreature — Human Rogue
draws cards whenever creatures die throughout the turn
Skullclamp
1Artifact — Equipment
Turns small tokens and creature sacrifices into efficient card draw.
Syphon Mind
3BSorcery
Forces opponents to discard while netting multiple cards for you.
Removal
11
Black Sun's Zenith
XBBSorcery
spreads -1/-1 counters on all creatures to trigger commander synergy
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
2BBLegendary Creature — Human Cleric
sacrifices creatures to put -1/-1 counters on enemy targets
Carnifex Demon
4BBCreature — Phyrexian Demon
places -1/-1 counters across enemy boards
Damnation
2BBSorcery
Classic black board wipe to reset the battlefield when behind.
Hero's Downfall
1BBInstant
Versatile instant-speed removal for creatures or planeswalkers.
Threats/Wincons
26
Zulaport Cutthroat
1BCreature — Human Rogue Ally
drains opponents when your creatures die
Massacre Wurm
3BBBCreature — Phyrexian Wurm
wipes small creatures and punishes opponents on death
Blowfly Infestation
2BEnchantment
chain-reacts -1/-1 counters when creatures with counters die
Nest of Scarabs
2BEnchantment
generates insect tokens whenever -1/-1 counters are placed
Necroskitter
1BBCreature — Elemental
steals opponent creatures that die with -1/-1 counters on them
Marionette Apprentice
1BCreature — Human Artificer
creates tokens and drains life when creatures or artifacts die
Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
2BBLegendary Creature — Vampire Warrior
exiles dying enemy creatures and turns them into zombies with +1/+1 counters
Syr Konrad, the Grim
3BBLegendary Creature — Human Knight
continual life drain whenever creatures enter or leave graveyards
Yahenni, Undying Partisan
2BLegendary Creature — Aetherborn Vampire
free sacrifice outlet that grows when opponent creatures die
Retribution of the Ancients
BEnchantment
converts accumulated +1/+1 counters into repeatable target removal
Fleshbag Marauder
2BCreature — Zombie Warrior
forces all players to sacrifice a creature
Plaguecrafter
2BCreature — Human Shaman
forces sacrifice of creatures or planeswalkers
Demon of Dark Schemes
3BBBCreature — Demon
gives -2/-2 to all creatures and reanimates threats using energy on death
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
3BBBLegendary Creature — Zombie Cleric
gives non-human creatures undying for combo and recursive value
Grave Betrayal
5BBEnchantment
steals dying enemy creatures and gives them additional +1/+1 counters
Harvester of Souls
4BBCreature — Demon
large threat that draws cards whenever non-token creatures die
Orcish Bowmasters
1BCreature — Orc Archer
punishes card draw with damage and amasses Orc Army counters
Unspeakable Symbol
1BBEnchantment
instant-speed payload to place +1/+1 counters on command
Midnight Banshee
3BBBCreature — Spirit
spreads -1/-1 counters across nonblack creatures every turn
Skinrender
2BBCreature — Phyrexian Zombie
places three -1/-1 counters on target creature upon entering
Contagion Clasp
2Artifact
places a -1/-1 counter and proliferates existing counters
Dauthi Voidwalker
BBCreature — Dauthi Rogue
Graveyard hate creature that lets you steal opponents' best spells.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
3BBCreature — Zombie
Drains opponents for heavy life swings based on black devotion.
Bastion of Remembrance
2BEnchantment
Enchantment-based aristocrat payoff that drains on creature death.
Rise of the Dark Realms
7BBSorcery
Mass reanimation spell to finish the game with filled graveyards.
Utility
5
Swiftfoot Boots
2Artifact — Equipment
provides haste and hexproof protection for the commander
Contagion Engine
6Artifact
Distributes -1/-1 counters and proliferates twice per turn.
