The Black Rose of Death

Commander / EDH*

rachelle

Creature (25)

• 1x Academy Elite
• 1x Blood Tyrant
• 1x Body Double
• 1x Clever Impersonator
• 1x Clone
• 1x Conquering Manticore
• 1x Dack's Duplicate
• 1x Dracoplasm
• 1x Drana, Liberator of Malakir
• 1x Flayer of the Hatebound
• 1x It That Betrays
• 1x Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
• 1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
• 1x Necropolis Regent
• 1x Olivia Voldaren
• 1x Oona's Blackguard
• 1x Phantasmal Image
• 1x Prince of Thralls
• 1x Sage of Fables
• 1x Scourge of the Throne
• 1x Sidisi, Undead Vizier
• 1x Thalakos Deceiver
• 1x Thraximundar
• 1x Yahenni, Undying Partisan
• 1x Zealous Conscripts

Sorcery (8)

• 1x Act of Treason
• 1x Bribery
• 1x Harness by Force
• 1x Knowledge Exploitation
• 1x Living Death
• 1x Lose Calm
• 1x Mark of Mutiny
• 1x Slave of Bolas

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker

Land (34)

• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Blood Crypt
• 1x Bloodstained Mire
• 1x Cabal Coffers
• 1x Dragonskull Summit
• 1x Drowned Catacomb
• 5x Island
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 5x Mountain
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Scalding Tarn
• 1x Shivan Reef
• 1x Smoldering Marsh
• 1x Steam Vents
• 1x Sulfur Falls
• 1x Sulfurous Springs
• 1x Sunken Hollow
• 5x Swamp
• 1x Temple of the False God
• 1x Underground River
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Watery Grave

Instant (10)

• 1x Act of Aggression
• 1x Aethersnatch
• 1x Arcane Denial
• 1x Commandeer
• 1x Counterflux
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Desertion
• 1x Spinal Embrace
• 1x Word of Seizing

Commander (1)

Artifact (15)

• 1x Ashnod's Altar
• 1x Chromatic Lantern
• 1x Commander's Sphere
• 1x Dimir Signet
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Izzet Signet
• 1x Mana Crypt
• 1x Mana Vault
• 1x Rakdos Signet
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Talisman of Dominance
• 1x Talisman of Indulgence
• 1x Thought Vessel
• 1x Thran Dynamo

Enchantment (6)

• 1x Goblin Bombardment
• 1x Grave Betrayal
• 1x Leyline of Anticipation
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Unspeakable Symbol

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Deck Introduction

This is my Marchesa, the Black Rose EDH deck. This is not a friendly deck as it will sure to make people aim you very fast. There is only 3-4 unlimited combos in this deck but since I don't run much tutors it is hard to win with them hence the deck is more focus on winning with beat-down. In my group, normally most people aim me anyways, so this General/Commander really suits me well. I want to lose life so that I can abuse her ability, and I will always just attack the person with the highest life. This deck also can permanently gain control of opponent's Non-general(s) creatures.

Using opponents cards / spells

I believe in the philosophy if you put something in your deck you must be prepare for it to be used against you hence why I included stuff like:-

• Aethersnatch - Steals anything
• Bribery - Search opponent's library for his/her most powerful creature then cast it.
• Desertion - Used to steal Commanders/Generals and Keep it forever
• Slave of Bolas / Spinal Embrace / Molten Primordial / Conquering Manticore / Zealous Conscripts / Act of Aggression / Act of Treason / Harness by Force / Lose Calm / Malevolent Whispers / Press into Service / Mark of Mutiny- Steal creature(s) already on Battlefield
• Knowledge Exploitation - Search opponent's library for his/her time walk or win condition and cast it.

Early game I would normally try to get an opponent's Prophet of Kruphix (this was before it was banned) or Seedborn Muse as it will solve my mana problems. Later on, during late game, I would try to get my opponents Eldrazi's such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger , Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, etc to swing it at them.

Stealing Opponents creatures on board

One thing to note is that if you steal an opponent's creature till end of turn via something like Zealous Conscripts, Slave of Bolas , Spinal Embrace and swing to the highest life player to get a +1/+1 counter on it, then later sacrifice it, it will come back on your field due to Marchesa, the Black Rose's ability. If no one is the highest life, I can use Unspeakable Symbol to add the +1/+1 counters on the creature.

Anti Popular Decks / Mechanics

I included the following cards to Anti certain popular mechanics.

• Havoc Festival is here to ensure no one can gain life
• Lavaball Trap is used to destroy Homeward Path as this stops me from stealing creatures.
• Thraximundar is here to help me get rid of those pesky voltron-like Generals/Commanders

Synergies

• Casting Living Death when all your creatures got a +1/+1 counter will make you bring back your whole graveyard plus those on field coming back at end turn.
• Bringing back creatures when Flayer of the Hatebound is on the battlefield ensures you are able to deal damage to someone who deserves it.
• Mindcrank + Bloodchief Ascension with 3 counters will kill opponent the moment 1 card hits the graveyard.
• Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Zealous Conscripts makes unlimited Zealous Conscripts
• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Goblin Bombardment + Marchesa, the Black Rose = allows you to sacrifice that creature and always get it back at end turn. Take note this is not an infinite loop, but still can be abused to shoot damage and trigger some "Enter the Battlefiled" effects.
• Oona's Blackguard works so well in this deck. It synergizes well with Marchesa, the Black Rose's [Dethrone] ability which gives a +1/+1 counter to her and all other creatures who attacks the opponent with the highest Hit Points. This make it so when those creatures deals damage to that opponent he/she has to discard a card.
• Sage of Fables insures my General as she comes in with a +1/+1 counters so incase she get's killed will return on the end step. What is also nice is that I can remove the +1/+1 counters from any of my creatures for 1 generic mana to draw.

Losing Life

The most important thing to remember when playing Marchesa, the Black Rose is you cannot be the highest life, so I have included few cards to ensure my life total will be used for something.

• Unspeakable Symbol will ensure your life is always low plus protecting your creatures.
• Toxic Deluge is another card which allows me to pay life for something, however I have removed this from my deck for the time being.

Date added	8 years
Last updated	7 years
Legality	This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	16 - 0 Mythic Rares 45 - 0 Rares 19 - 0 Uncommons 5 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	4.08
Tokens	Copy Clone
Folders	Top Decks