This is the Monarch Speaking.

Commander / EDH* Group Hug RBW (Mardu)

wereotter

Creature (33)

• 1x Absolver Thrull
• 1x Angelic Overseer
• 1x Ankle Shanker
• 1x Archangel of Strife
• 1x Arvad the Cursed
• 1x Athreos, God of Passage
• 1x Aurelia, the Warleader
• 1x Commander Eesha
• 1x Custodi Squire
• 1x Dawnbreak Reclaimer
• 1x Dragonmaster Outcast
• 1x Drana, Liberator of Malakir
• 1x Etali, Primal Storm
• 1x Garna, the Bloodflame
• 1x Gerrard Capashen
• 1x Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
• 1x Kokusho, the Evening Star
• 1x Loyal Sentry
• 1x Magister of Worth
• 1x Mana-Charged Dragon
• 1x Mathas, Fiend Seeker
• 1x Odric, Lunarch Marshal
• 1x Palace Jailer
• 1x Ryusei, the Falling Star
• 1x Seraph of the Sword
• 1x Skyline Despot
• 1x Spurnmage Advocate
• 1x Stormfist Crusader
• 1x Tajic, Blade of the Legion
• 1x Tariel, Reckoner of Souls
• 1x Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
• 1x Vampire Nighthawk
• 1x Yosei, the Morning Star

Land (35)

• 1x Boros Garrison
• 1x Clifftop Retreat
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Dragonskull Summit
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Field of Ruin
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Luxury Suite
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 6x Mountain
• 1x Nomad Outpost
• 1x Orzhov Basilica
• 8x Plains
• 1x Slayers' Stronghold
• 1x Smoldering Marsh
• 5x Swamp
• 1x Thawing Glaciers
• 1x Throne of the High City
• 1x Urborg

Sorcery (8)

• 1x Capital Punishment
• 1x Chandra's Ignition
• 1x Damnation
• 1x Death by Dragons
• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Infernal Offering
• 1x Shrouded Lore
• 1x Wrath of God

Artifact (6)

• 1x Coercive Portal
• 1x Ghirapur Orrery
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Spectral Searchlight
• 1x Temple Bell
• 1x Whip of Erebos

Commander (1)

Instant (8)

• 1x Bathe in Light
• 1x Beacon of Immortality
• 1x Benevolent Offering
• 1x Boros Charm
• 1x Truce
• 1x Utter End
• 1x Wear / Tear
• 1x Wild Ricochet

Enchantment (8)

• 1x Anointed Procession
• 1x Assemble the Legion
• 1x Behind the Scenes
• 1x Deadly Designs
• 1x Knighthood
• 1x Path of Mettle  ^Flip
• 1x Rite of the Raging Storm
• 1x The Eldest Reborn

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted

---

Maybeboard

Creature (5)

• 1x Drana, Liberator of Malakir
• 1x Gonti, Lord of Luxury
• 1x Kaervek the Merciless
• 1x Tajic, Blade of the Legion
• 1x Tyrant's Familiar

Instant (2)

• 1x Make a Stand
• 1x Rebuff the Wicked

Enchantment (4)

• 1x Always Watching
• 1x Axis of Mortality
• 1x Curse of Opulence
• 1x Legion's Landing  ^Flip

Artifact (2)

• 1x Thaumatic Compass  ^Flip
• 1x Victory Chimes

Sorcery (3)

• 1x Dark Salvation
• 1x Disrupt Decorum
• 1x Fortunate Few

---

How to play this deck:

First, don't be afraid to lose your status as Monarch. In fact, it may be more to your advantage to lose it than to retain it. Let your opponents squabble amoungst themselves over that card draw, because if they're hitting each other, they're not hitting you. In my own playgroup, I even bought a costume tiara that the monarch can wear. Not only does this make it obvious who is the monarch, but it makes people more likely to want to attack that person.

Second, Mardu doesn't have many everyone wins type of mechanics, so many cards in this deck are intentionally designed as to be good for you or good for others. Don't be afraid to cast that Beacon of Immortality on someone else if it means you've won their favor. Many of your lands can be used to help you or help others. Make sure your underlings can maintain blockers while attacking your enemies by giving their best creature vigilance with Slayers' Stronghold. Let your opponent swing in early by giving their creatures haste with your Hanweir Battlements   or save them from a lethal blow with Maze of Ith.

If someone has gotten a large advantage, you are uniquely positioned to help level the field. Giving everyone but that player a dragon with Death by Dragons is a great way to earn the loyalty of everyone else at the table, or if you're feeling particularly magnanimous, you can give everyone but yourself a dragon and hope that they fight between themselves.

Triad of Fates has been an interesting card within my group. It can be used to remove problematic creature tokens, you can give your underlings additional ETB triggers, or even just regain your monarch status with no effort at all by flickering Queen Marchesa herself.

Once you've garnered enough good-will from the table, you'll be in a position to call in those favors. You can pick someone you've helped to give you exactly the card you need with Shrouded Lore and you can count on favors when your Mana-Charged Dragon attacks a mutual foe. That same player may even let you get back your dead creatures with Athreos, God of Passage demands his toll.

Of course, not everyone is going to accept your benevolence, and so guarding yourself against such knaves may be a requirement. Effects such as No Mercy and Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts will keep attackers at bay, and Seraph of the Sword will be able to block creatures that might be indestructible from the attack. And if someone does manage to get through, and you find you need to reclaim your status as monarch, you have Behind the Scenes to help push through your assassins, Farbog Revenant, as well as both Commander Eesha and Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts who can attack unopposed and take back your crown.

This deck as I've played it rarely wins, but does create quite the warping effect on the game. You will be pivotal in deciding who wins and who loses. Once your play group understands the deck itself, you'll find people vying your your graces giving you more control over the outcome of the match than any blue player could hope to achieve. Knowing your course and your final outcome can make this game incredibly fun to play.

Date added	7 years
Last updated	3 years
Exclude colors	UG
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	10 - 0 Mythic Rares 42 - 0 Rares 22 - 0 Uncommons 7 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	4.18
Tokens	Assassin 1/1 B w/ Haste, Dragon 5/5 R, Elemental 5/1 R, Soldier 1/1 RW, Spirit 1/1 W, Spirit 1/1 WB, Monarch Emblem
Folders	Marchesa's Machinations, Decks