Shared Commander deck
Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls - Symmetrical damage, drain, and counters
Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls · BR · 100 cards · 37 lands
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Bracket 3 - UpgradedCommander 1Creatures 41Instants 3Sorceries 2Artifacts 12Enchantments 4Lands 37
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Strategy
Valgavoth rewards you every time an opponent loses life for the first time on their turn, drawing a card and growing him. The deck is built around cheap, symmetrical damage sources that punish the whole table on every turn cycle, turning passive permanents into a card advantage engine.
Early: Deploy cheap punishers. Ankh of Mishra, Copper Tablet and Barbed Wire cost little and start draining opponents immediately, well before Valgavoth arrives.
Mid: With Valgavoth down, every one of those punishers draws you a card each turn cycle and adds a +1/+1 counter. Eidolon of the Great Revel and Kederekt Parasite punish spell-heavy opponents especially hard.
Late: Mogis, God of Slaughter and Fate Unraveler keep the triggers coming regardless of what opponents do. Forsaken Wastes shuts off lifegain, which closes the main escape route from this plan.
Win conditions: Valgavoth becomes a large flier very quickly while the punishment package drains the table. Games end either to repeated attacks or to the accumulated symmetrical damage.
- Ankh of Mishra - Cheap, repeatable table-wide damage
- Fate Unraveler - Turns opponent draws into guaranteed triggers
- Mogis, God of Slaughter - Inevitable damage every opponent turn
- Forsaken Wastes - Stops opponents undoing your damage
~$300.89
estimated to build this deck
Commander (1)
Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls
Legendary Creature — Elder Demon
Flying
Ward—Pay 2 life.
Whenever an opponent loses life for the first time during each of their turns, put a +1/+1 counter on Valgavoth and draw a card.
Creatures (41)
Kederekt Parasite
Creature — Horror
$8.32
Whenever an opponent draws a card, if you control a red permanent, you may have this creature deal 1 damage to that player.
Blood Artist
Creature — Vampire
$2.73
Whenever this creature or another creature dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Blood Seeker
Creature — Vampire Shaman
$0.22
Whenever a creature an opponent controls enters, you may have that player lose 1 life.
Eidolon of the Great Revel
Enchantment Creature — Spirit
$2.07
Whenever a player casts a spell with mana value 3 or less, this creature deals 2 damage to that player.
Harsh Mentor
Creature — Human Cleric
$0.32
Whenever an opponent activates an ability of an artifact, creature, or land on the battlefield, if it isn't a mana ability, this creature deals 2 damage to that player.
Magebane Lizard
Creature — Lizard
$0.67
Whenever a player casts a noncreature spell, this creature deals damage to that player equal to the number of noncreature spells they've cast this turn.
Mai, Scornful Striker
Legendary Creature — Human Noble Ally
$0.89
First strike
Whenever a player casts a noncreature spell, they lose 2 life.
Razorkin Needlehead
Creature — Human Assassin
$5.08
This creature has first strike during your turn.
Whenever an opponent draws a card, this creature deals 1 damage to them.
Stormfist Crusader
Creature — Human Knight
$0.39
Menace
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player draws a card and loses 1 life.
Braids, Arisen Nightmare
Legendary Creature — Nightmare
$4.16
At the beginning of your end step, you may sacrifice an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker. If you do, each opponent may sacrifice a permanent of their choice that shares a card type with it. For each opponent who doesn't, that player loses 2 life and you draw a card.
Florian, Voldaren Scion
Legendary Creature — Vampire Noble
$0.36
First strike
At the beginning of each of your postcombat main phases, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is the total amount of life your opponents lost this turn. Exile one of those cards and put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. You may play the exiled card this turn.
Gleeful Arsonist
Creature — Human Wizard
$5.84
Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, this creature deals damage equal to its power to that player.
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.)
Mayhem Devil
Creature — Devil
$0.31
Whenever a player sacrifices a permanent, this creature deals 1 damage to any target.
Morbid Opportunist
Creature — Human Rogue
$0.22
Whenever one or more other creatures die, draw a card. This ability triggers only once each turn.
Rampaging Ferocidon
Creature — Dinosaur
$1.78
Menace
Players can't gain life.
Whenever another creature enters, this creature deals 1 damage to that creature's controller.
Rug of Smothering
Artifact Creature — Construct
$0.58
Flying
Whenever a player casts a spell, they lose 1 life for each spell they've cast this turn.
Scrawling Crawler
Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Construct
$3.52
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player draws a card.
Whenever an opponent draws a card, that player loses 1 life.
Star Athlete
Creature — Human Warrior
$0.96
Menace
Whenever this creature attacks, choose up to one target nonland permanent. Its controller may sacrifice it. If they don't, this creature deals 5 damage to that player.
Blitz {3}{R} (If you cast this spell for its blitz cost, it gains haste and "When this creature dies, draw a card." Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.)
Vial Smasher the Fierce
Legendary Creature — Goblin Berserker
$3.22
Whenever you cast your first spell each turn, choose an opponent at random. Vial Smasher deals damage equal to that spell's mana value to that player or a planeswalker that player controls.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
Zo-Zu the Punisher
Legendary Creature — Goblin Warrior
$4.66
Whenever a land enters, Zo-Zu deals 2 damage to that land's controller.
Barbflare Gremlin
Creature — Gremlin
$0.38
First strike, haste
Whenever a player taps a land for mana, if this creature is tapped, that player adds one mana of any type that land produced. Then that land deals 1 damage to that player.
Deadpool, Trading Card
Legendary Creature — Mutant Mercenary Hero
$15.8
As Deadpool enters, you may exchange his text box and another creature's.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 3 life.
{3}, Sacrifice this creature: Each other player draws a card.
Fate Unraveler
Enchantment Creature — Hag
$2.85
Whenever an opponent draws a card, this creature deals 1 damage to that player.
Kardur, Doomscourge
Legendary Creature — Demon Berserker
$0.44
When Kardur enters, until your next turn, creatures your opponents control attack each combat if able and attack a player other than you if able.
Whenever an attacking creature dies, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Mogis, God of Slaughter
Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
$5.37
Indestructible
As long as your devotion to black and red is less than seven, Mogis isn't a creature.
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, Mogis deals 2 damage to that player unless they sacrifice a creature of their choice.
Nightshade Harvester
Creature — Elf Shaman
$0.34
Whenever a land an opponent controls enters, that player loses 1 life. Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin
Legendary Creature — Demon
$15.43
Flying, trample
Whenever one or more opponents each lose exactly 1 life, put a +1/+1 counter on Ob Nixilis. Exile the top card of your library. Until your next end step, you may play that card.
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
Legendary Creature — Demon
$0.75
You can't cast Rakdos unless an opponent lost life this turn.
Flying, trample
Creature spells you cast cost {1} less to cast for each 1 life your opponents have lost this turn.
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.
Solphim, Mayhem Dominus
Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Horror
$28.29
If a source you control would deal noncombat damage to an opponent or a permanent an opponent controls, it deals double that damage to that player or permanent instead.
{1}{R/P}{R/P}, Discard two cards: Put an indestructible counter on Solphim. ({R/P} can be paid with either {R} or 2 life.)
Tectonic Giant
Creature — Elemental Giant
$0.19
Whenever this creature attacks or becomes the target of a spell an opponent controls, choose one —
• This creature deals 3 damage to each opponent.
• Exile the top two cards of your library. Choose one of them. Until the end of your next turn, you may play that card.
Brash Taunter
Creature — Goblin
$2.19
Indestructible
Whenever this creature is dealt damage, it deals that much damage to target opponent.
{2}{R}, {T}: This creature fights another target creature.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
Creature — Zombie
$0.66
When this creature enters, each opponent loses X life, where X is your devotion to black. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. (Each {B} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)
Karazikar, the Eye Tyrant
Legendary Creature — Beholder
$13.52
Whenever you attack a player, tap target creature that player controls and goad it. (Until your next turn, that creature attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.)
Whenever an opponent attacks another one of your opponents, you and the attacking player each draw a card and lose 1 life.
Massacre Girl
Legendary Creature — Human Assassin
$0.54
Menace
When Massacre Girl enters, each other creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Whenever a creature dies this turn, each creature other than Massacre Girl gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Persistent Constrictor
Creature — Zombie Snake
$11.63
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, they lose 1 life and you put a -1/-1 counter on up to one target creature they control.
Persist (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.)
Syr Konrad, the Grim
Legendary Creature — Human Knight
$1.12
Whenever another creature dies, or a creature card is put into a graveyard from anywhere other than the battlefield, or a creature card leaves your graveyard, Syr Konrad deals 1 damage to each opponent.
{1}{B}: Each player mills a card. (They each put the top card of their library into their graveyard.)
The Lord of Pain
Legendary Creature — Human Assassin
$10.87
Menace
Your opponents can't gain life.
Whenever a player casts their first spell each turn, choose another target player. The Lord of Pain deals damage equal to that spell's mana value to the chosen player.
Combustible Gearhulk
Artifact Creature — Construct
$0.31
First strike
When this creature enters, target opponent may have you draw three cards. If the player doesn't, you mill three cards, then this creature deals damage to that player equal to the total mana value of those cards.
Massacre Wurm
Creature — Phyrexian Wurm
$1.94
When this creature enters, creatures your opponents control get -2/-2 until end of turn.
Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, that player loses 2 life.
Kaervek the Merciless
Legendary Creature — Human Shaman
$0.33
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, Kaervek deals damage equal to that spell's mana value to any target.
Instants (3)
Rakdos Charm
Instant
$0.38
Choose one —
• Exile target player's graveyard.
• Destroy target artifact.
• Each creature deals 1 damage to its controller.
Suspended Sentence
Instant
$0.62
Destroy target creature an opponent controls. That player loses 3 life. Exile Suspended Sentence with three time counters on it.
Suspend 3—{1}{B} (Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay {1}{B} and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, you may cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Sorceries (2)
Jeska's Will
Sorcery
$38.6
Choose one. If you control a commander as you cast this spell, you may choose both instead.
• Add {R} for each card in target opponent's hand.
• Exile the top three cards of your library. You may play them this turn.
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 (12)
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.
Ankh of Mishra
Artifact
$8.79
Whenever a land enters, this artifact deals 2 damage to that land's controller.
Arcane Signet
Artifact
$0.34
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
Copper Tablet
Artifact
$14.99
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, this artifact deals 1 damage to that player.
Fellwar Stone
Artifact
$0.47
{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.
Lightning Greaves
Artifact — Equipment
$3.61
Equipped creature has haste and shroud. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
Equip {0}
Séance Board
Artifact
$3.33
Morbid — At the beginning of each end step, if a creature died this turn, put a soul counter on this artifact.
{T}: Add X mana of any one color, where X is the number of soul counters on this artifact. Spend this mana only to cast instant, sorcery, Demon, and Spirit spells.
Talisman of Indulgence
Artifact
$0.72
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {B} or {R}. This artifact deals 1 damage to you.
Barbed Wire
Artifact
$1.54
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, this artifact deals 1 damage to that player.
{2}: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt by this artifact this turn.
Commander's Sphere
Artifact
$0.2
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.
Enchantments (4)
Enchanter's Bane
Enchantment
$0.31
At the beginning of your end step, target enchantment deals damage equal to its mana value to its controller unless that player sacrifices it.
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.)
Descent into Avernus
Enchantment
$12.86
At the beginning of your upkeep, put two descent counters on this enchantment. Then each player creates X Treasure tokens and this enchantment deals X damage to each player, where X is the number of descent counters on this enchantment.
Forsaken Wastes
World Enchantment
$6.89
Players can't gain life.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player loses 1 life.
Whenever this enchantment becomes the target of a spell, that spell's controller loses 5 life.
Lands (37)
Arena of Glory
Land
$7.08
This land enters tapped unless you control a Mountain.
{T}: Add {R}.
{R}, {T}, Exert this land: Add {R}{R}. If any of that mana is spent on a creature spell, it gains haste until end of turn. (An exerted permanent won't untap during your next untap step.)
Bojuka Bog
Land
$0.9
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, exile target player's graveyard.
{T}: Add {B}.
Command Tower
Land
$0.18
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
Dragonskull Summit
Land
$0.43
This land enters tapped unless you control a Swamp or a Mountain.
{T}: Add {B} or {R}.
Foreboding Ruins
Land
$0.31
As this land enters, you may reveal a Swamp or Mountain card from your hand. If you don't, this land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {B} or {R}.
Leechridden Swamp
Land — Swamp
$0.69
({T}: Add {B}.)
This land enters tapped.
{B}, {T}: Each opponent loses 1 life. Activate only if you control two or more black permanents.
Rogue's Passage
Land
$0.26
{T}: Add {C}.
{4}, {T}: Target creature can't be blocked this turn.
Shivan Gorge
Legendary Land
$1
{T}: Add {C}.
{2}{R}, {T}: Shivan Gorge deals 1 damage to each opponent.
Smoldering Marsh
Land — Swamp Mountain
$0.28
({T}: Add {B} or {R}.)
This land enters tapped unless you control two or more basic lands.
Spinerock Knoll
Land
$0.61
Hideaway 4 (When this land enters, look at the top four cards of your library, exile one face down, then put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {R}.
{R}, {T}: You may play the exiled card without paying its mana cost if an opponent was dealt 7 or more damage this turn.
Sulfurous Springs
Land
$0.46
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {B} or {R}. This land deals 1 damage to you.
Tainted Peak
Land
$1.27
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {B} or {R}. Activate only if you control a Swamp.
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.
Temple of the False God
Land
$0.17
{T}: Add {C}{C}. Activate only if you control five or more lands.
Witch's Clinic
Land
$4.57
{T}: Add {C}.
{2}, {T}: Target commander gains lifelink until end of turn.
Basic lands: 9 Swamp 10 Mountain
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