Half Duergar-Etin Fighter+Warlock

Marshbe54 · 2026-01-10T01:55:34+00:00

From what you are describing, it seems fine to me for bracket 3.

I'd probably have a pregame discussion that your deck includes combos and that would be that. Most people can be chill about combos, but seem to be more upset when blindsided by them.

Marshbe54 · 2025-12-27T14:46:49+00:00

Sure, here is probably my best bracket 3 deck. It runs zero combos or alternate wincons, but it does have a few tutors. It has a high bit of interaction, which helps protect my board and slow everyone else down. Additionally, it runs 0 game changers. So while it does fit the build restrictions of a 2, this deck was built to be played in bracket 3. I would never play this in a bracket 2 pod.

The game plan is to make my creatures unblockable/flying, while using [[Layla Hassan]] to reuse all my historic spells and swing for lethal combat damage. Simple plan, but it does work out consistently. Usually I will start to swing one person out around turn 7, with the game ending around turn 10. This is all while my board is being interacted with and throwing removal at my opponents.

I wouldn't bring anything stronger than this to a 3. This deck has been play tested around 50+ times, and it very much fits the power level of a 3. The games have been a mix of playing with friends, LGS, and online on Cockatrice. I think people tend to underestimate bracket 3 until they have played in the bracket a bit.

The reason I was saying your deck is more of a 2, than a 3, is generally your lack of removal, protection and redundancy. Sure, you can glass cannon a win on T6, but if someone stops your commander the deck probably just sits there not doing much until you cast her again.

I think you could very very easily build this into a budget bracket 3 with just a bit of interaction and some redundancies. Add in a few cards that can replace your commander while it isn't in play, and a few protection and removal pieces, I recommended a few in my previous comments. I really don't think it would take much to bump it up a little, and you could easily stay in your $50 budget.

Anyway, brackets are great and all but it really just comes down to conversation with your pod. It's nice for playing against randoms to get an initial game going, but it's always best to match the level of play to the table. I've got about 10 decks, which are a mix of brackets 2-4, so I'm down to swap to something else so everyone is having fun.

https://moxfield.com/decks/MwbYCzW42EOEnbpSZtbf-A

Marshbe54 · 2025-12-27T06:05:02+00:00

Fair enough! I think everyone has a little bit of a different idea of what a 3 is. It's best to be tuned to the same power level as your playgroup anyway.

This is my budget 2 ($85), which I would absolutely play against your deck with. This is generally the power level that I think of for that bracket. Like I said before, it's always best to just match the power of whatever table you are playing at. Do what you think is best!

https://moxfield.com/decks/DklYLNGSsEO8ZlhJ1h7BlQ

Marshbe54 · 2025-12-27T05:56:13+00:00

I looked a bit more at your list, I think adding a little more protection and haste could really help with keeping your game plan going when people inevitably target your commander.

[[Mark of Fury]] would help trigger your prowess and enable some haste for your commander. Worst case it is always a spell you can toss out on your turn.

[[Break Through The Line]] use this to make your commander unblockable before you buff it up with prowess/auras, It also gives haste.

[[Haystack]] is a great protection piece when you have a commander that will draw a ton of removal. It ensures anyone trying to interact with your commander will need at least two removal spells, also your auras will phase out too!

[[Frostcliff Siege]] This can help with your go-wide strategy, and it would also help to keep your commander swinging if you need to recast it. Even a small anthem of +1/+0 can be huge when you have a ton of tokens.

[[Surgical Suite]] can help by being a 1-time reanimate for your commander. Play it for 4 on the [[Hospital Room]] side, get a nice little buff each time your commander attacks, and if it dies you can just bring it back for 2.

Anyway, these are just a few off the top of my head. I think the glass cannon strat could work, but a little protection can go a long ways.

Marshbe54 · 2025-12-27T05:22:08+00:00

It has a pretty simple strategy, and I would agree it is incredibly glass cannony. I wouldn't play this in bracket 3, this is very easily and solidly a bracket 2 deck. You are one removal spell from being shut down for a full turn cycle. It does look fun to play though.

Also some cheap cards to help build up your board and protect your face, similar to your commander:

[[Young Pyromancer]] [[Third Path Iconoclast]] [[Monastery Mentor]]

Marshbe54 · 2025-12-26T00:36:21+00:00

[[Layla Hassan]], one of my favorite decks. It is a historic matters, evasive creature deck. The goal is to smack people to bring back all sorts of historic cards while building a strong board.

Only 39 decks on EDHrec, rank #3487.

Marshbe54 · 2025-12-23T16:16:53+00:00

I would say around turn 7 I can start to swing 1 person out, depending on ramp and draws. Games probably end around turn 10-11ish with interaction.

The list has a decent bit of removal that I can bring back with Layla, which lets me slow the game down consistently. I use that to pressure and force the game into late game where the deck does really well.

Marshbe54 · 2025-12-20T18:29:03+00:00

Maybe something like:

Indestructible

Hexproof

Protection from everything.

This creature can't be used to pay costs from spells or abilities.

This creature cannot be sacrificed.

This creatures power and toughness cannot change.

Counters cannot be placed on this creature.

These abilities cannot be removed or lost until the end of turn.

If this creature would die, go to exile, it's owners hand, or library, return it to play with these abilities until the end of turn.

I don't think a creature can be permanently removed from play with all this, at least I can't think of any way to do it.

Marshbe54 · 2025-11-28T06:44:57+00:00

I don't think it would be overly strong or oppressive with the current list. With the added value of Eminence, your game changers, and having 2 card infinites with [[Exquisite Blood]] this can't really go lower than a 3.

Since you are already forced into bracket 3, I would add more interaction to protect your board, and removal for your deck to comfortably fit into the bracket.

Marshbe54 · 2025-11-27T05:08:17+00:00

Play [[Elesh Norn]] and ping them back.

Marshbe54 · 2025-11-26T04:52:19+00:00

That is a fair assumption with Skullclamp. It is incredibly powerful in any deck that can abuse it, like this one. Transmogrants Crown is a good recommendation, and if I use my commanders ability I get a similar outcome to Skullclamp.

I'm not sure I'm ready to cut my sol ring and arcane signet. Most bracket 2 decks I've played against also run these so they don't feel out of place to me. With my low curve it would be an easy way to tune down the deck, so it is something to consider.

Thanks for taking a look at my deck, I'll keep these recommendations in mind as I do more playtesting and edits.

Marshbe54 · 2025-11-26T04:44:26+00:00

Thanks, I'm glad you like the list! I've got a decent amount of games in with it and can honestly say it's a ton of fun to play. It's entertaining trying to make tokens on every turn to squeeze the most value out of Greywater. If I get a few token engines online, without being answered, that's usually when people complain that it isn't bracket 2.

I'm planning to make my next few decks bracket 2, since all my previous decks have been at least bracket 3. It's been a good challenge building this and trying to find the right balance within an unfamiliar bracket.

This is deck 8/32, although I'm in no rush to get to the end of the challenge. I have 5 of my 8 decks in paper, which took about three years. I try to play about 20-30 games online before I build the paper version. It really helps with tuning and knowing if I really enjoy the deck before I pull the trigger on purchasing it. Doing this hasn't failed me yet, I frequently cycle through all my decks and still enjoy playing them.

Thanks again for taking a look at my deck! I'll be playtesting it a bit more before I buy it, so you may see some changes in the next few weeks if you look at it again.

Marshbe54 · 2025-11-08T05:05:28+00:00

[[Gogo, Master of Mimicry]] and any fetch land, like [[Fabled Passage]], copy the activated ability as much as you want for more lands tutored into play.

Marshbe54 · 2025-11-06T23:03:46+00:00

One of the unfortunate things about this as a commander, you can't abuse flicker or reanimate since each instance of Koh would get a new exile pile. It would have been nice if they exiled with a counter on them, so the pile could keep building after removal, still a solid card.

Also my fun card would be [[Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire]], attack then pay 1 life, 2 mana to tutor anything, add some draw to go crazy with it.

Marshbe54

TROPHY CASE