Xantcha, Backhanded Generosity

Commander / EDH* BR (Rakdos) Group Hug Group Slug Tokens

KoiBoy

Land (36)

• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Blood Crypt
• 1x Bloodfell Caves
• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Cabal Coffers
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Dragonskull Summit
• 1x Forbidden Orchard
• 1x Foreboding Ruins
• 1x Forge of Heroes
• 1x Geier Reach Sanitarium
• 1x Graven Cairns
• 1x High Market
• 8x Mountain
• 1x Mystifying Maze
• 1x Opal Palace
• 1x Phyrexian Tower
• 1x Rakdos Guildgate
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Shizo, Death's Storehouse
• 1x Strip Mine
• 4x Swamp
• 1x Temple of Malice
• 1x Thespian's Stage
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Vesuva

Artifact (9)

• 1x Commander's Sphere
• 1x Darksteel Ingot
• 1x Expedition Map
• 1x Mana Geode
• 1x Rakdos Locket
• 1x Rakdos Signet
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Spectral Searchlight

Sorcery (20)

• 1x Beseech the Queen
• 1x Blasphemous Act
• 1x Cut / Ribbons
• 1x Damnation
• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Diabolic Tutor
• 1x Disrupt Decorum
• 1x Dreadbore
• 1x Exsanguinate
• 1x Gamble
• 1x Hour of Devastation
• 1x Khorvath's Fury
• 1x Mana Geyser
• 1x Reforge the Soul
• 1x Rise of the Dark Realms
• 1x Ruinous Path
• 1x Star of Extinction
• 1x Subterranean Tremors
• 1x Toxic Deluge
• 1x Wheel of Fortune

Creature (14)

• 1x Blood Artist
• 1x Blood Seeker
• 1x Deathbringer Thoctar
• 1x Goblin Sharpshooter
• 1x Goblin Spymaster
• 1x Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
• 1x Massacre Wurm
• 1x Neheb, the Eternal
• 1x Rampaging Ferocidon
• 1x Sidisi, Undead Vizier
• 1x Solemn Simulacrum
• 1x Stuffy Doll
• 1x Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
• 1x Varchild's War-Riders

Commander (1)

Enchantment (14)

• 1x Black Market
• 1x Blood Reckoning
• 1x Captive Audience
• 1x Hissing Miasma
• 1x Infernal Genesis
• 1x Mana Flare
• 1x Marchesa's Decree
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Repercussion
• 1x Rite of the Raging Storm
• 1x Treacherous Link
• 1x Vicious Shadows
• 1x Vow of Lightning
• 1x Vow of Malice

Instant (5)

• 1x Bedevil
• 1x Chaos Warp
• 1x Hero's Downfall
• 1x Rakdos Charm
• 1x Reiterate

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Xantcha, Sleeper Agent third draft.

After a few different versions including Combat Chaos and Discard I've settled my Xantcha into a Cursed Generosity theme. There are more tweaks incoming as I get my hands on cards, but this theme is final.

Step 1) Give somebody Xantcha, soften up the field.

Step 2) Give everybody as many token critters as possible.

Step 2.5) Use a solid amount of spot removal and politics to keep things under control and not focused on you while you tutor, wheel, and draw.

Step 3) Ruin everybody's day when you blow up the world.

The Playstyle

Red and Black are somewhat limited in the ability to hand tokens out to others, but there's some absolute gems. Varchild's War Riders is one of the star performers here with a dirt cheap CMC and cumulative upkeep that absolutely floods the board. Infernal Genesis comes late and can whiff but when it hits, it HITS. Forbidden Orchard does consistent work, especially when you copy it with Vesuva and Thespian's Stage. Consider tutoring for these with Expedition Map if Urborg/Cabal Coffers isn't presenting itself.

More important than the tokens themselves is the politics behind them. When you have a choice to hand out tokens, try to make non aggression deals. "If I help you kill John, will you come for me last? If I help you cast that Battlebond spell with Spectral Searchlight, will you name me Friend? If I defend you from Gary, will you counter swing against him?" Back these deals up with Kazuul and Blood Reckoning effects to discourage backing out of promises. Above all, do not lie or betray your word. Nobody deals with a known backstabber, but if you keep your deals small and short you can do whatever the hell you want while being completely honest and somehow stay trusted to deal another day.

Xantcha herself has moved from the prime idea to a supporting character. A 5/5 pseudohaste for 3 mana is still going to soften some folks up early game, and late game let you draw into your threats. Getting destroyed or countered a few times can actually be played to your advantage; use a broken wing gambit to feign being hated out of relevance and let the heat fall to others.

Finally, the payoffs. After you've encouraged the table to beat each other up a bit, spring a bomb on them. Many decks will naturally go wide, and by now you've worked to pad that creature count. Dropping a Massacre Worm will clear the board and easily deliver 20 damage to any given player. Vicious Shadows/Repercussion with any red board wipe (Blasphemous Act is my favorite). Also works well with Treacherous Link on Xantcha. New Toys include Massacre Girl. Exsanguinate is a classic, Cut//Ribbons often gets forgotten in the grave. Rakdos Charm is both a finisher and utility if needed.

This is a VERY fun and fairly effective deck to play in a Battlecruiser meta if you enjoy trolling and politicking. Give it a shot, and tweak it to your style.

Date added	5 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	8 - 0 Mythic Rares 46 - 0 Rares 20 - 0 Uncommons 12 - 0 Commons
Cards	99
Avg. CMC	3.70
Tokens	1/1 B Creature Minion, Goblin 1/1 R for Goblin Spymaster, Lightning Rager, Lizard 8/8 R, Ogre 3/3 R, Spirit 1/1 C, Survivor 1/1 R, The Monarch, Zombie 2/2 B
Folders	Commander Decks