Maga, Traitor to Mortals

Legendary Creature — Human Wizard

Maga, Traitor to Mortals enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.

When Maga enters the battlefield, target player loses life equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on it.

Discussion (51)

TRK27 on Trump's Greatest Wall

6 days ago

The real Trump deck would be mono black with Maga, Traitor to Mortals as the commander.

bushido_man96 on The "M" Deck

3 months ago

Maga, Traitor to Mortals looks like a keeper.

Byuante on You Aren't Worth the Blood on My Shoes!

8 months ago

Animation Module - Missed out on that one, great idea

Blade of the Bloodchief - I feel as though it's not gonna be used to its full potential most of the time, since, while Vish Kal likes counters, this deck isn't a counter deck that much.

Citadel Siege - Same reasoning

Walking Ballista - Maybe, but I have reservations about adding it since I can't really see myself ever using the ability to gain more counters, so it'd enter with x counters and id either sac it to Vish, or use it all up to blast someone.

Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet - Already in.

Endless One - Similar reasoning to Ballista

Hangarback Walker - Definitely can see it being useful, though I worry I'll never really cast it for a high enough x to get that much out of it

Hythonia the Cruel - Too expensive really, trying to keep the cmc as low as possible

Karlov of the Ghost Council - Lifegain is just a byproduct of the cards in the deck, I might actually make it less lifegain oriented, so while he can be great removal, I don't think he'd be that useful. Might take a bit more consideration to full decide

Krav, the Unredeemed - Not really sure about him, maybe board for now

Maga, Traitor to Mortals - Would be way to expensive to cast to get a significant amount of life drained, can only see him being played late game to get that final bit of damage in.

Marionette Master - While a great card, I don't have any ways to sacrifice artifacts, so her ability is moot

Mikaeus, the Lunarch - Not a counter deck

Thanks for your suggestions. I think I should refine the objective of the deck a bit more and appreciate your assistance, WarriorMagic

SeekerofSecrets on Modern Heartbeat Combo

9 months ago

Flooremoji So I'm comparing the deck to storm (as it is actually very similarly in set up), gifts storm actually fairs decently well post board to GV hate, bouncing just enough spells to go off, this build actually has more interaction in the main and even more post, so I actually don't feel to bad about being disrupted. My main fear is still burn and discard decks, which should still have a large advantage over me.

Maga, Traitor to Mortals is extremely comparable to Blue Sun's Zenith . I haven't really thought about another win con, my thought process is that once I'm going off, my opponent has exhausted all interaction and I'm home free. If was worried about a rogue surgical to my only win con I can use the loop to fill my hand with counters of course.

I don't really see the appeal of Mirror Sheen ? what am i missing?

I've considered a few other single bounce affects, what do you have in mind?

It's pretty much turn 4 consistent, but thats with no interaction from either side. I'm thinking about adding Pact of Negation but that's pricey

Dictate of Karametra is probably the card highest on my list of potential adds. I'm just not sure how to include it or if it even needs to be included. part of me thinks I need to do a 4-2 split or a 3-3 split (to mimic the bears in storm), but the problem is that it's even slower which then means that I need more interaction but I have to make room for it somehow. I'm scared to pull out filter or ramp because it feels really good atm so I'm kind of stuck. The thought of giving my opponent access to all of that extra mana a turn before me terrifies me in this hyper linear metta though. It's really some thing I'll learn from extensive time with the deck (I literally found the combo last night so I'm very new to the build, it will become more refined over time)

I almost picked the deck up tonight to take to an event but I decided it would be better to proxy it and goldfish it until I really understand it. (I'd test it on here but i swear whenever I play test storm on here its like twice as inconsistent on the site as it is in paper, I could just be crazy though)

Flooremoji on Modern Heartbeat Combo

9 months ago

From what i've seen, the deck is more resiliant to GY hate depending on the version. This is a great asset, and my main problem with the gifts version. Also from what i've seen, the deck can make room for boardwipes and hand desruption before comboing. As you saw, I used Emrakul, the Aeons Torn and Maga, Traitor to Mortals as win conditions. Have you found any better ones? How do you feel about adding Mirror Sheen ? Could you imagine some of the blue mass bounce spells in your deck? At what turn does it go off? Have you ever wanted Dictate of Karametra ? How often does giving opp extra mana help them too much? Hope these stimulate you!

DrukenReaps on

9 months ago

There is a surprising amount of counter generation here, I like it.

Deathbringer Thoctar , Maga, Traitor to Mortals , Ashling the Pilgrim , Walking Ballista are all solid options to include.

The Scorpion God , Cauldron of Souls , Retribution of the Ancients these allow you to spend the +1/+1 counters or remove them from creatures with undying so that they can keep undying.

xoryk7 on xoryk7

10 months ago

Commander challenge:

- Eight-and-a-Half-Tails

- Azami, Lady of Scrolls

- Maga, Traitor to Mortals

- Norin the Wary

- Azusa, Lost but Seeking

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- The Locust God in One more card please

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- Rafiq of the Many in Rafiq of Many Enchantmets

- Gahiji, Honored One in Gahiji

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- Breya, Etherium Shaper in Breya , Thopter Shaper

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- Sliver Queen

jpermar on Rakdos, Lord's Downward Spiral

1 year ago

Sweet changes that already won me a 3-player game!

• Strip Mine -> Swamp
• Sower of Discord -> Maga, Traitor to Mortals
• Necropotence -> Oppression

More discard (anti-control) with Oppression, which works so well in this deck because you're spells have powerful effects, so the cost of discarding a card is payable (relative to the effect). For example, under Oppression, you can cast an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre and discard a card, but a green player just can't ramp through it. Who's going to play Rampant Growth to fetch a basic land and discard a card? So this card doesn't hurt you much but destroys other decks. Some decks, such as graveyard decks, can actually benefit from it, so obviously you should decide if it's a good idea to cast it.

On another note, this deck needs to play a fast game and finish players off, and Maga, Traitor to Mortals is a fantastic finisher. I just cast a Maga for 11 life loss last night to win a game. Sower of Discord has a higher ceiling, of course, but takes more turns, and turns isn't something you want to give up in this deck.

One more thought about Sower of Discord... note that it mirrors damage done to player A as life loss to player B. So one situation that would be sweet to set up just isn't possible with Sower: mirror your own life loss from draw spells and other downward spiral effects to another player. Bummer. But should they make that card in the future, it would be ridiculous in this deck. And if they already made that card, please let me know!