pie chart

The Mind-Razing Monarch

Commander / EDH Bracket 5 Goodstuff Group Hug Group Slug Infect Theme/Gimmick UBR (Grixis) Wheels

Andramalech

Upvote 0
0

Land (33)

Enchantment (4)

Instant (20)

Artifact (13)

Planeswalker (1)

Commander (1)

Commander: Nekusar, the Mindrazer

Creature (15)

Sorcery (13)

Maybeboard

Instant (26)

Planeswalker (2)

Sorcery (21)

Enchantment (12)

Creature (17)

Artifact (16)

The following is a Blue, Black and Red (Grixis)-colored () construction meant to utilize Nekusar, the Mindrazer as the commander.

A Story Forgotten, A Legend Yet Untold

The Lich King

So I have a bit of an obsession for Nekusar, and this deck helps me kind of express that passion for him and my crazy conspiracies in a somewhat positive way. I guess that depends on your opinion of what 'Group Hug' should mean. Anyways, here's my headcanon:

(taken from the Fandom Wiki page)

'Nekusar, the Mindrazer is a legendary zombie wizard from an unknown plane..'

..who has long been theorized (albeit shoddily) to have been from the plane of Fiora.

If you accredit the fact that..

'Nekusar is a former king who schemed to retain his power even after death. In life, he was an unpopular ruler with many enemies and was obsessed with the machinations of his court and threats to his reign..'

..the description we're given by WoTC is that Fiora is a devious plane, resembling New Capenna among a royal setting.

'His enemies speculate that his brutal death and subsequent rebirth have been Nekusar's plan all along.'

And if this is the case, then it's a definitive flavor win if he's from the plane of Fiora.

(I guess a tinfoil hat could be considered a crown..)

I Wheel-y tried to have Fun

This deck has gone through a couple different iterations and in that time the power scale has been as low as / and as high as fringe competition for cedh. I've had input from NoobNoob275 and a few others like Savage_savior6 and SaskiaKnight711. I think right now the deck will remain comfortably at a / on the power scale.

This deck is constructed following playing with a high-power variant, and my intention is to focus on some super cool proxy-art I have found on mpcfill.com. A few different artists have uploaded really cool Dnd Module based artwork and frames, so I intend to make that the focus of the deck.

Over time, the list has gone through so many changes that I barely recognize some of the original, very poorly chosen pieces that no longer sit in any of my main roster builds. Why? They were simply too slow.. and we're here to do hurtful, brutally savage things to our opponents. Right?

Angered Lich

I have previously built Nekusar with mill, discard, and damage trigger themes. It wasn't a very competitive deck and it was one of my earliest Commander decks. I featured stuff like Fraying Sanity, Glimpse the Unthinkable, and Shadow Kin. While this was a lot of fun in terms of early-developed deck ideas, I have grown to recognize that I want to utilize Nekusar in many different facets.

Most of the ways I want to use Nekusar were not really that competitive, so again.. I had to learn how to be most efficient with my moves.

Using Spells to reach Greatness, at any cost..

enter image description here

I had also used this deck where it was built to a competitive meta. The deck (aimed) to have access to a turn two win, through cards like Lion's Eye Diamond and Underworld Breach, Thassa's Oracle and Demonic Consultation, Tainted Pact, etc. I did appreciate the concept of being able to end a game effectively before it ever truly began, but the likelihood of lining up these pieces was there, however anti-climactic it made me feel. Personally, I felt as though the intellect required for such plays was above the level where I had the most fun.

This deck was requested by NoobNoob275 so that I might have a more competitively tuned deck, in light of the fact that our playgroup has recently acquired much stronger archetypes. I mean, infinite mill with Brain Freeze was arguably the least I could do to try and hang. I think rather than continue to follow in these antics, I can commit myself to having a lot more fun in the deck's current iteration.

Let's get Chaotic

Unlike my previous frame-work for Nekusar as a deck, I'm returning to a more casual play-style with less focus on actually winning and more focus on being chaotic, countering spells, interfering with winning turns, etc.

I have an idea for some really cool, thematic engagement where Nekusar is painted in a light of a completely book-savoring, voracious for knowledge type of character that pours over old tomes, scriptures, anything involving magic in order to further his own goals. I pitch that Nekusar is a gorgeous example of madness encompassing your every move after throwing your soul to the power.

I have previously described this deck as '..(Nekusar) is a legs kicked up, hanging out kind of commander for me. So I will be using him for a good time that occasionally might win when the wheels (no pun intended) fall off..' so I think this will be the main inspiration for how I rebuild my list.

Continuously looking for feedback on this deck, as I have not yet given up hope that Nekusar will be further explored in another set. I'm happy to talk and discuss any tactics that people might think are fun or I have possibly overlooked, but my logic is this:

If characters such as Kaervek the Merciless can see relevance and a return to the spotlight (not just once as nod in a core set like with Kaervek, the Spiteful but then again with Kaervek, the Punisher) then I do believe that it's certainly possible that we could see another variant of Nekusar, and not just one that is a reprint of his former iteration.

Regardless of how or why you have a passion or hatred for Nekusar, please feel free to drop me an upvote and discuss your passion or beef with my favorite insane skeleton sorceror!

Suggestions

Updates Add

Mainboard Updates v.3 — Feb. 27, 2025
Edit

Nekusar, the Mindrazer is a long-time favorite commander of not just me, but several other members of the community- such as Necramus. This iteration is meant to revitalize the competitive angle that I originally intended for this deck. The curve is super low and each move is going to be measured and planned. Make no mistake, I'm intent on doing super nasty things to my opponents, as one who is running The King Archenemy Commander should. Enjoy.

Mainboard Updates v.2 — June 10, 2024
Edit
Mainboard Updates v.1 — Feb. 23, 2024
Edit

Comments View Archive

Attention! Complete Comment Tutorial! This annoying message will go away once you do!

Become a supporter of TappedOut and hide ads for only $3/month!

Important! Formatting tips — Comment Tutorial — markdown syntax

Please login to comment

Casual

100% Competitive

Revision 15 See all

(1 month ago)

+3 Accursed Marauder main
+2 Arcane Denial main
+2 Arcane Signet main
+2 Baleful Mastery main
+1 Black Market Connections maybe
+2 Blasphemous Act main
+2 Blasphemous Edict main
+2 Chrome Mox main
+1 Curiosity maybe
+2 Cyclonic Rift main
+3 Dack Fayden main
+2 Dark Deal main
+1 Deadly Rollick maybe
+1 Deflecting Swat maybe
+1 Demonic Consultation maybe
+2 Demonic Tutor main
+1 Dismember main
+2 Dual Strike main
+1 Emet-Selch, Unsundered  Flip main
+3 Faerie Mastermind main
and 94 other change(s)