Parnesse, the Subtle Brush
Whenever you or a permanent you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless that player pays 4 life. Whenever you copy a spell, up to one target opponent may also copy that spell. They may choose new targets for that copy.
How Parnesse decks play in EDH
Parnesse, the Subtle Brush is a Grixis commander in blue, black and red costing 2UBR, and its legendary creature - vampire wizard line shapes the whole deck around it. Its ability is narrow enough that the deck is usually built to protect it and repeat the effect, rather than to go wide. The cards below are the ones Parnesse, the Subtle Brush decks actually play most often, grouped by the job they do.
Most-played cards
20 cards · about $56.39Play rates from EDHREC. Prices from Scryfall, refreshed daily.
Ramp (1)
Card draw (1)
Removal (2)
Creatures (4)
Synergy & payoffs (12)
Build the full 100
Grimoire generates a complete, Commander-legal Parnesse, the Subtle Brush decklist with a written strategy, a full mana base and live prices — from the whole card pool, or only from cards you already own.
Start with ParnesseParnesse deck questions
What colours can I use in a Parnesse, the Subtle Brush deck?
Parnesse, the Subtle Brush has a Grixis colour identity, so every card in the deck must be blue, black and red or colourless. That includes mana symbols in rules text, not just casting cost.
What are the best cards for Parnesse, the Subtle Brush?
The cards played most often in Parnesse, the Subtle Brush decks include Wizard's Staff, Geist of Saint Thalia, Glamdring, Foe-hammer // Gleam of Death. The full list of staples above is grouped by the job each card does, so you can see the deck's skeleton rather than just a pile of names.
How much does a Parnesse, the Subtle Brush deck cost?
The 20 most-played cards shown above come to roughly $56.39 at current market prices. A complete 100-card build costs more, and Grimoire can generate a budget version instead if you set a price ceiling.
Can I build a Parnesse, the Subtle Brush deck from cards I already own?
Yes. Import your collection into Grimoire and choose "my cards" when you build. The generator will only use cards you actually own, and the Missing Cards page shows what you would need to buy to finish any list.