Shared Commander deck
Sauron, the Dark Lord - Orc army tokens, the Ring, and reanimation
Sauron, the Dark Lord · BRU · 100 cards · 40 lands
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Bracket 3 - UpgradedCommander 1Creatures 35Instants 7Sorceries 10Artifacts 3Enchantments 4Lands 40
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Strategy
Sauron turns every opponent spell into an Army token and every Army connection into a Ring temptation, which in turn refills your hand four cards at a time. The deck is built as a grindy midrange shell that accumulates advantage from other players acting, then converts a growing Army into a win.
Early: Ramp and interact. Signets and Reanimate set up early, while cheap removal keeps you alive. Call of the Ring and Birthday Escape start tempting the Ring before Sauron arrives, so your Ring-bearer abilities are already online.
Mid: Cast Sauron and let opponents feed you. Amass triggers grow a single large Army, and Witch-king of Angmar and Nazgul add to the Ringwraith theme. The discard-and-draw-four trigger is the strongest card advantage engine in the deck.
Late: Reanimation gives the deck a top end far above its curve. Saruman, the White Hand and Sauron, the Necromancer provide repeatable value, and Blasphemous Act resets a board you are not winning.
Win conditions: The Army token usually ends the game on its own once it is large enough to connect, backed by evasion and the card advantage from repeated Ring temptations.
- Call of the Ring - Starts the Ring engine before Sauron lands
- Witch-king of Angmar - Evasive threat that pressures the whole table
- Reanimate - Cheats a haymaker onto the battlefield early
- Blasphemous Act - Cheap reset when the board turns against you
~$306.27
estimated to build this deck
Commander (1)
Sauron, the Dark Lord
Legendary Creature — Avatar Horror
Ward—Sacrifice a legendary artifact or legendary creature.
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, amass Orcs 1.
Whenever an Army you control deals combat damage to a player, the Ring tempts you.
Whenever the Ring tempts you, you may discard your hand. If you do, draw four cards.
Creatures (35)
Gollum, Patient Plotter
Legendary Creature — Halfling Horror
$0.2
When Gollum leaves the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.
{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate only as a sorcery.
Gorbag of Minas Morgul
Legendary Creature — Orc Soldier
$0.26
Whenever a Goblin or Orc you control deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. When you do, choose one —
• Draw a card.
• Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Mauhúr, Uruk-hai Captain
Legendary Creature — Orc Soldier
$0.28
Menace
If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on an Army, Goblin, or Orc you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters are put on it instead.
Nightscape Familiar
Creature — Zombie
$0.4
Blue spells and red spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
{1}{B}: Regenerate this creature.
Bilbo, Retired Burglar
Legendary Creature — Halfling Rogue
$0.23
When Bilbo enters or leaves the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.
Whenever Bilbo deals combat damage to a player, create a Treasure token.
Grishnákh, Brash Instigator
Legendary Creature — Goblin Soldier
$0.19
When Grishnákh enters, amass Orcs 2. When you do, until end of turn, gain control of target nonlegendary creature an opponent controls with power less than or equal to the amassed Army's power. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
Moria Scavenger
Creature — Orc Rogue
$0.4
Deathtouch, haste
{T}, Discard a card: Draw a card. If the discarded card was a creature card, amass Orcs 1. (Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Nazgûl
Creature — Wraith Knight
$18.42
Deathtouch
When this creature enters, the Ring tempts you.
Whenever the Ring tempts you, put a +1/+1 counter on each Wraith you control.
A deck can have up to nine cards named Nazgûl.
Orcish Siegemaster
Creature — Orc Soldier
$0.69
Trample
Other Orcs and Goblins you control have trample.
Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.
Treasure Nabber
Creature — Goblin Rogue
$2.08
Whenever an opponent taps an artifact for mana, gain control of that artifact until the end of your next turn.
Warren Soultrader
Creature — Zombie Goblin Wizard
$17.14
Pay 1 life, Sacrifice another creature: Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Anger
Creature — Incarnation
$0.41
Haste
As long as this card is in your graveyard and you control a Mountain, creatures you control have haste.
Corsairs of Umbar
Creature — Human Pirate
$0.38
{2}{U}: Target Goblin, Orc, or Pirate can't be blocked this turn.
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, amass Orcs 3. (Put three +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Gandalf, Friend of the Shire
Legendary Creature — Avatar Wizard
$0.22
Flash
You may cast sorcery spells as though they had flash.
Whenever the Ring tempts you, if you chose a creature other than Gandalf as your Ring-bearer, draw a card.
Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier
$0.27
When Gothmog enters, amass Orcs 1. (Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Creature tokens you control have deathtouch.
Hostage Taker
Creature — Human Pirate
$0.21
When this creature enters, exile another target creature or artifact until this creature leaves the battlefield. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled, and mana of any type can be spent to cast that spell.
Notion Thief
Creature — Human Rogue
$1.42
Flash
If an opponent would draw a card except the first one they draw in each of their draw steps, instead that player skips that draw and you draw a card.
Saruman, the White Hand
Legendary Creature — Avatar Wizard
$0.73
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, amass Orcs X, where X is that spell's mana value. (Put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Goblins and Orcs you control have ward {2}.
Shelob, Dread Weaver
Legendary Creature — Spider Demon
$0.62
Whenever a nontoken creature an opponent controls dies, exile it.
{2}{B}, Put a creature card exiled with Shelob into its owner's graveyard: Put two +1/+1 counters on Shelob. Draw a card.
{X}{1}{B}: Put target creature card with mana value X exiled with Shelob onto the battlefield tapped under your control.
Solemn Simulacrum
Artifact Creature — Golem
$0.27
When this creature enters, you may search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
When this creature dies, you may draw a card.
Archfiend of Ifnir
Creature — Demon
$0.37
Flying
Whenever you cycle or discard another card, put a -1/-1 counter on each creature your opponents control.
Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Bolg of the North
Legendary Creature — Goblin Soldier
$0.15
When Bolg enters, you may sacrifice another creature. When you do, Bolg deals damage equal to that creature's power to another target creature. If excess damage was dealt this way, amass Goblins X, where X is that excess damage. (Put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also a Goblin. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Goblin Army creature token first.)
Bone Miser
Creature — Zombie Wizard
$29.98
Whenever you discard a creature card, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token.
Whenever you discard a land card, add {B}{B}.
Whenever you discard a noncreature, nonland card, draw a card.
Lord of the Nazgûl
Legendary Creature — Wraith Noble
$3.84
Flying
Wraiths you control have protection from Ring-bearers.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, create a 3/3 black Wraith creature token with menace. Then if you control nine or more Wraiths, Wraiths you control have base power and toughness 9/9 until end of turn.
Sauron, the Necromancer
Legendary Creature — Avatar Horror
$0.48
Menace
Whenever Sauron attacks, exile target creature card from your graveyard. Create a tapped and attacking token that's a copy of that card, except it's a 3/3 black Wraith with menace. At the beginning of the next end step, exile that token unless Sauron is your Ring-bearer.
The Mouth of Sauron
Legendary Creature — Human Advisor
$0.18
When The Mouth of Sauron enters, target player mills three cards. Then amass Orcs X, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in that player's graveyard. (Put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Warg Rider
Creature — Orc Warrior
$38.21
Menace
Other Orcs and Goblins you control have menace.
At the beginning of combat on your turn, amass Orcs 2. (Put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Witch-king of Angmar
Legendary Creature — Wraith Noble
$7.62
Flying
Whenever one or more creatures deal combat damage to you, each opponent sacrifices a creature of their choice that dealt combat damage to you this turn. The Ring tempts you.
Discard a card: Witch-king of Angmar gains indestructible until end of turn. Tap him.
Ringwraiths
Creature — Wraith Knight
$1.57
When this creature enters, target creature an opponent controls gets -3/-3 until end of turn. If that creature is legendary, its controller loses 3 life.
When the Ring tempts you, return this card from your graveyard to your hand.
Witch-king, Bringer of Ruin
Legendary Creature — Wraith Noble
$9.9
Flying
Whenever Witch-king attacks, defending player sacrifices a creature with the least power among creatures they control.
The Balrog of Moria
Legendary Creature — Avatar Demon
$0.46
Trample, haste
When The Balrog of Moria dies, you may exile it. When you do, for each opponent, exile up to one target creature that player controls.
Cycling {3}{R} ({3}{R}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle this card, create two Treasure tokens.
The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Legendary Creature — Avatar Demon
$0.49
This spell costs {1} less to cast for each permanent sacrificed this turn.
Haste
The Balrog can't be blocked except by legendary creatures.
When The Balrog dies, destroy target artifact or creature an opponent controls.
Witch-king, Sky Scourge
Legendary Creature — Wraith Noble
$2.7
Flying
Whenever you attack with one or more Wraiths, exile the top X cards of your library, where X is their total power. You may play those cards this turn.
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Sauron, Lord of the Rings
Legendary Creature — Avatar Horror
$0.55
When you cast this spell, amass Orcs 5, mill five cards, then return a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Trample
Whenever a commander an opponent controls dies, the Ring tempts you.
Cavern-Hoard Dragon
Creature — Dragon
$20.53
This spell costs {X} less to cast, where X is the greatest number of artifacts an opponent controls.
Flying, trample, haste
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, you create a Treasure token for each artifact that player controls.
Instants (7)
Arcane Denial
Instant
$1.73
Counter target spell. Its controller may draw up to two cards at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
You draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
Cabal Ritual
Instant
$14.96
Add {B}{B}{B}.
Threshold — Add {B}{B}{B}{B}{B} instead if there are seven or more cards in your graveyard.
Nasty End
Instant
$0.19
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature.
Draw two cards. If the sacrificed creature was legendary, draw three cards instead.
Soothing of Sméagol
Instant
$0.26
Return target nontoken creature to its owner's hand. The Ring tempts you.
Sauron's Ransom
Instant
$0.56
Choose an opponent. They look at the top four cards of your library and separate them into a face-down pile and a face-up pile. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard. The Ring tempts you.
Big Score
Instant
$0.37
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards and create two Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Sorceries (10)
Ranger's Firebrand
Sorcery
$0.2
Ranger's Firebrand deals 2 damage to any target. The Ring tempts you.
Reanimate
Sorcery
$6.72
Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. You lose life equal to that card's mana value.
Summons of Saruman
Sorcery
$0.38
Amass Orcs X. Mill X cards. You may cast an instant or sorcery spell with mana value X or less from among them without paying its mana cost. (To amass Orcs X, put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Flashback—{3}{U}{R}, Exile X cards from your graveyard.
Ringsight
Sorcery
$0.38
The Ring tempts you. Search your library for a card that shares a color with a legendary creature you control, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
Swarming of Moria
Sorcery
$0.16
Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Amass Orcs 2. (Put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Windfall
Sorcery
$4.91
Each player discards their hand, then draws cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
Living Death
Sorcery
$3.12
Each player exiles all creature cards from their graveyard, then sacrifices all creatures they control, then puts all cards they exiled this way onto the battlefield.
Blasphemous Act
Sorcery
$0.73
This spell costs {1} less to cast for each creature on the battlefield.
Blasphemous Act deals 13 damage to each creature.
Artifacts (3)
Wayfarer's Bauble
Artifact
$0.3
{2}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Monument to Endurance
Artifact
$16.87
Whenever you discard a card, choose one that hasn't been chosen this turn —
• Draw a card.
• Create a Treasure token.
• Each opponent loses 3 life.
Enchantments (4)
Call of the Ring
Enchantment
$4.9
At the beginning of your upkeep, the Ring tempts you.
Whenever you choose a creature as your Ring-bearer, you may pay 2 life. If you do, draw a card.
Black Market Connections
Enchantment
$10.11
At the beginning of your first main phase, choose one or more —
• Sell Contraband — Create a Treasure token. You lose 1 life.
• Buy Information — Draw a card. You lose 2 life.
• Hire a Mercenary — Create a 3/2 colorless Shapeshifter creature token with changeling. You lose 3 life. (It is every creature type.)
In the Darkness Bind Them
Enchantment — Saga
$1.7
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after IV.)
I, II, III — Create a 3/3 black Wraith creature token with menace. The Ring tempts you.
IV — For each opponent, gain control of up to one target creature that player controls until end of turn. Untap those creatures. They gain haste until end of turn. The Ring tempts you.
There and Back Again
Enchantment — Saga
$9.97
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)
I — Up to one target creature can't block for as long as you control this Saga. The Ring tempts you.
II — Search your library for a Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
III — Create Smaug, a legendary 6/6 red Dragon creature token with flying, haste, and "When Smaug dies, create fourteen Treasure tokens."
Lands (40)
Barad-dûr
Legendary Land
$2.07
Barad-dûr enters tapped unless you control a legendary creature.
{T}: Add {B}.
{X}{X}{B}, {T}: Amass Orcs X. Activate only if a creature died this turn.
Bojuka Bog
Land
$0.9
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, exile target player's graveyard.
{T}: Add {B}.
Command Beacon
Land
$8.68
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}, Sacrifice this land: Put your commander into your hand from the command zone.
Command Tower
Land
$0.18
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
Crumbling Necropolis
Land
$0.3
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {U}, {B}, or {R}.
Desolate Lighthouse
Land
$0.2
{T}: Add {C}.
{1}{U}{R}, {T}: Draw a card, then discard a card.
Dragonskull Summit
Land
$0.43
This land enters tapped unless you control a Swamp or a Mountain.
{T}: Add {B} or {R}.
Drowned Catacomb
Land
$0.45
This land enters tapped unless you control an Island or a Swamp.
{T}: Add {U} or {B}.
Field of Ruin
Land
$0.28
{T}: Add {C}.
{2}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: Destroy target nonbasic land an opponent controls. Each player searches their library for a basic land card, puts it onto the battlefield, then shuffles.
Great Hall of the Citadel
Land
$0.35
{T}: Add {C}.
{1}, {T}: Add two mana in any combination of colors. Spend this mana only to cast legendary spells.
Minas Morgul, Dark Fortress
Legendary Land
$14.9
Minas Morgul enters tapped.
{T}: Add {B}.
{3}{B}, {T}: Put a shadow counter on target creature. For as long as that creature has a shadow counter on it, it's a Wraith in addition to its other types. (A creature with shadow can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.)
Mines of Moria
Legendary Land
$2.62
Mines of Moria enters tapped unless you control a legendary creature.
{T}: Add {R}.
{3}{R}, {T}, Exile three cards from your graveyard: Create two Treasure tokens.
Rivendell
Legendary Land
$1.05
Rivendell enters tapped unless you control a legendary creature.
{T}: Add {U}.
{1}{U}, {T}: Scry 2. Activate only if you control a legendary creature.
Rogue's Passage
Land
$0.26
{T}: Add {C}.
{4}, {T}: Target creature can't be blocked this turn.
Sulfur Falls
Land
$0.28
This land enters tapped unless you control an Island or a Mountain.
{T}: Add {U} or {R}.
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
Legendary Land
$10.51
{T}: Add {B}.
Channel — {3}{B}, Discard this card: Mill three cards, then return a creature or planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand. This ability costs {1} less to activate for each legendary creature you control.
The Black Gate
Legendary Land — Gate
$9.02
As The Black Gate enters, you may pay 3 life. If you don't, it enters tapped.
{T}: Add {B}.
{1}{B}, {T}: Choose a player with the most life or tied for most life. Target creature can't be blocked by creatures that player controls this turn.
Basic lands: 12 Swamp 4 Island 6 Mountain
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