Marrow-Gnawer Rats

Commander / EDH Mono-Black Rats Tokens

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Artifact (14)

• 1x Akroma's Memorial
• 1x Altar of the Brood
• 1x Argentum Armor
• 1x Ashnod's Altar
• 1x Bontu's Monument
• 1x Coat of Arms
• 1x Door of Destinies
• 1x Jet Medallion
• 1x Phyrexian Altar
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Thornbite Staff
• 1x Thrumming Stone
• 1x Whip of Erebos

Enchantment (5)

• 1x Contamination
• 1x Dictate of Erebos
• 1x Gate to Phyrexia
• 1x Grave Pact
• 1x Phyrexian Arena

Sorcery (10)

• 1x Black Sun's Zenith
• 1x Damnation
• 1x Diabolic Intent
• 1x Exsanguinate
• 1x Feed the Swarm
• 1x Grim Tutor
• 1x Living Death
• 1x Rise of the Dark Realms
• 1x Torment of Hailfire
• 1x Toxic Deluge

Creature (36)

• 1x Crypt Ghast
• 1x Dread Presence
• 1x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• 1x Grim Haruspex
• 1x Ogre Slumlord
• 29x Rat Colony
• 1x Ratcatcher
• 1x Zulaport Cutthroat

Commander (1)

Land (34)

• 1x Cabal Coffers
• 1x Cabal Stronghold
• 1x Crypt of Agadeem
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 28x Swamp
• 1x Swarmyard
• 1x Westvale Abbey  ^Flip

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Deck Theme Song Show

This is pretty much a standard Marrow-Gnawer build relying heavily on the massive number of rat colonies, some sacrifice-shenanigans and more or less basic mono-black value cards.

Combos and Deck strategy

• Marrow-Gnawer and Thornbite Staff for infinite activations

• Sacrifice mechanics + Dictate of Erebos / Grave Pact

• Thrumming Stone + Rat Colony. Even without Door of Destinies or Coat of Arms your Rats get enormous.

In addition you have a few sweet mana doublers and some ways to cheat on mana (Cabal Coffers, Cabal Stronghold, Crypt of Agadeem, Nykthos). Altar of the Brood is not really necessary in this deck but more or less a pet card of mine. Nevertheless it sometimes gets some unwanted interactions with Living Death. If you want to use something better, put a tutor in instead. Due to mono-black's notorious lack of enchantment removal, you are really vulnerable against control enchantments. Currently the only options to get rid of them is Argentum Armor and of course the recently released Feed the Swarm. On the other hand, if you are the only black deck at the table, Contamination can make your day.

I prefer Akroma's Memorial over Eldrazi Monument as it's protection from black syngerizes well with Marrow-Gnawer's fear for all rats.

Maybeboard and Future Plans

I am considering additional untap effects like Umbral Mantle, Puppet Strings, Thousand-Year Elixir and Magewright's Stone as well as a doubling effect like Illusionist Bracers. Unstable Obelisk is in consideration to have additional means to get rid of enchantments. As Whip of Erebos is currently your only means to gain lifelink, Exquisite Blood is in consideration, as well. Piper of the Swarm seems to be a valuable insert, too. Also, with Commander Legends arriving, I finally got my hands on a Vampiric Tutor. Will be included in next overhaul, as well.

Date added	4 years
Last updated	3 years
Exclude colors	WURG
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	3 - 0 Mythic Rares 29 - 0 Rares 9 - 0 Uncommons 31 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.88
Tokens	Human Cleric 1/1 BW, Morph 2/2 C, Rat 1/1 B