Alesha, Who Smiles at Death

Commander / EDH Aggro Budget Casual RBW (Mardu) Reanimator

DarkLordofMH

Disruption (33)

• 1x Disfigure
• 1x Duress
• 1x Inquisition of Kozilek
• 1x Path to Exile
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Thoughtseize
• 1x Ulcerate
• 1x Abrade
• 1x Agonizing Remorse
• 1x Augur of Skulls
• 1x Go for the Throat
• 1x Goblin Cratermaker
• 1x Hymn to Tourach
• 1x Orzhov Charm
• 1x Pyroclasm
• 1x Revoke Existence
• 1x Terminate
• 1x Whipflare
• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Banewhip Punisher
• 1x Banishing Light
• 1x Dismember
• 1x Nevermore
• 1x Oblivion Ring
• 1x Plague Engineer
• 1x Toxic Deluge
• 1x Vindicate
• 1x Wear / Tear
• 1x Avalanche Riders
• 1x Cataclysm *list*
• 1x Day of Judgment
• 1x Gideon's Intervention
• 1x Siege-Gang Commander

Protection (3)

• 1x Giver of Runes
• 1x Mother of Runes
• 1x Lightning Greaves

Land (34)

• 1x Battlefield Forge
• 1x Blood Crypt
• 1x Bloodstained Mire
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x City of Brass
• 1x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Dragonskull Summit
• 1x Exotic Orchard
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Graven Cairns
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Sacred Foundry
• 1x Shadowblood Ridge
• 1x Silent Clearing
• 1x Smoldering Marsh
• 3x Snow-Covered Mountain
• 4x Snow-Covered Plains
• 4x Snow-Covered Swamp
• 1x Sulfurous Springs
• 3x Swamp
• 1x Windswept Heath
• 1x Wooded Foothills

Ramp (8)

• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Boros Signet
• 1x Orzhov Signet
• 1x Rakdos Signet
• 1x Talisman of Conviction
• 1x Talisman of Hierarchy
• 1x Talisman of Indulgence

Commander (1)

Development (16)

• 1x Entomb
• 1x Faithless Looting
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
• 1x Mindblade Render
• 1x Night's Whisper
• 1x Open the Armory
• 1x Buried Alive
• 1x Dimir Machinations
• 1x Painful Truths
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Recruiter of the Guard
• 1x Underworld Connections
• 1x Coercive Portal
• 1x Dimir House Guard
• 1x Nahiri, the Harbinger

Threat (5)

• 1x Dreadhorde Butcher
• 1x Goblin Rabblemaster
• 1x Hypnotic Specter
• 1x Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
• 1x Master of Cruelties

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Sideboard

Other (15)

• 1x On Thin Ice
• 1x Castigate
• 1x Lost Hours
• 1x Tidehollow Sculler
• 1x Aura of Silence
• 1x Heliod's Pilgrim
• 1x Idyllic Tutor
• 1x Legion Warboss
• 1x Needle Specter
• 1x Bloodtracker
• 1x Cast Out
• 1x Guul Draz Specter
• 1x Shimian Specter
• 1x Utter End
• 1x Tragic Arrogance

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Maybeboard

Other (14)

• 1x Diabolic Intent
• 1x Dire Tactics
• 1x Drannith Magistrate
• 1x Relic Seeker
• 1x Smuggler's Copter
• 1x Goblin Matron
• 1x Mathas, Fiend Seeker
• 1x Necropotence
• 1x Ranger-Captain of Eos
• 1x Blazing Specter
• 1x Magus of the Tabernacle
• 1x Ranger of Eos
• 1x Cavalier of Dawn
• 1x Cavalier of Night

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Deck based around abusing Alesha, Who Smiles at Death's ability to resurrect value creatures and creature-based removal to keep the board clear, finishing with a Master of Cruelties or straight combat. The idea is to keep streaming removal for the opposition, disrupting their ability to win until you grind them to death with 1-for-1 and recursive removal combined with card advantage. Basic combat wins involve slowly putting out damage through boards that should be staying clear, plus things like Dreadhorde Butcher that can be deceptively large amounts of damage while still being Alesha targets. Commander damage isn't the favored way to win, but is technically possible given how easy it is to protect Alesha using the deck and make sure she connects or at least doesn't die in combat. Mass removal is largely focused around the idea that you want Alesha to stay post-wipe. The downsides of things like Tragic Arrogance and Divine Reckoning are mitigated by the ability to remove whatever creature they choose to keep on board.

Important gameplan pieces: Removal creatures: Ravenous Chupacabra/Murderous Redcap, draw creatures: Dusk Legion Zealot + a sac outlet or things like Bone Shredder/Banewhip Punisher/Vulturous Aven/Goblin Cratermaker (all of which establish an Alesha loop on their own). Wincon: Master of Cruelties, possibly protected by Mother of Runes or Key to the City. Sac outlets are pretty crucial, as they allow Alesha loops, but some creatures render them unnecessary. Revised mostly with 1v1 and my meta in mind but can hold its own in a multiplayer setting with 25-75% competitive decks from what I've seen so far.

The sideboard is cards I own and have thought about putting in the deck or cards that can be huge but are meta calls; maybeboard is cards that I haven't tested yet, am looking to acquire and test before I judge whether they're maindeckable or a meta call or worthless. Note that my meta is very creature-heavy and light on spell-based combos, and the deck is very flexible that way: if the meta is more combo-oriented or something else, the deck can tend away from the creature spot removal and more towards effects like Tidehollow Sculler and Mesmeric Fiend for hand disruption, or even something like Dauthi Mindripper if you think you can connect it, as that card can absolutely decimate hands and force combo players to lose extremely important tools. Ravenous Chupacabra is just about the only creature removal I think is 100% guaranteed worth it, with the others being meta calls (and there's a ton of options available for those slots!) Part of Alesha's appeal is her absolute flexibility to a meta, and I'll be posting a decklist for a more casual Alesha tokens build and potentially a more combo-oriented Alesha build at some point, given that she's my absolute favorite commander to play with and find tech for.

Date added	5 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	7 - 0 Mythic Rares 40 - 9 Rares 30 - 3 Uncommons 9 - 3 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.41
Tokens	Energy Reserve, Goblin 1/1 R