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The Morgul Lord: Chief of the Nine

Commander / EDH Blink Competitive Control Deathtouch Spellslinger Storm Theme/Gimmick UB (Dimir) Unblockable Wraith

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Creature (15)

Land (35)

Enchantment (5)

Artifact (13)

Instant (21)

Sorcery (10)

Commander (1)

Commander: Lord of the Nazgul

Maybeboard

Artifact (1)

Chief of the Nine

"Lat durlûr burz-dûm-ishi agh bagronk-ishi gimbatul! Urzum agh ghash durbat lat golug-shar. Lat gûl thrakatul ûk lat sharkûrûk agh burzum-ishi ûlûk-ishi! Lat azag Nazgûlûk agh krimpatulûk ûk Lugbûrz maumauk."

-Dwimmerlaik: Lord of the Nazgûl

Intro & Deck Background

Hey! Thanks for checking out my deck list! I have absolutely loved building and playing this deck over the past year through all of its many iterations. It’s been an absolute blast. I hope you like it too!

I have done my best to keep the theme of Lord of the Rings and the Nazgûl as the main focus of the deck. Other deck builders aiming for more cEDH might wish to look elsewhere as my intent isn't simply to win at all costs, but to do so as thematically as possible. That doesn’t diminish this deck’s power. It merely anchors it. This deck will never be a high 9 or cEDH.

This deck blends tribal synergy, potent interaction, and efficient combos. Cards like Displacer Kitten, The Ozolith, Isochron Scepter, and Kindred Discovery offer creative value loops, while tribal payoffs and flexible control cards balance aggression and defense.

Power Level: High Power (8/8.5 - 9)*

It’s strong enough to dominate in casually competitive environments with robust interaction, resilience, and tribal synergy. With minor tweaks to focus on fast mana, faster combo win conditions or lockout potential, it could approach cEDH territory. However, its reliance on combat mechanics and incremental advantage makes it more suited for high-power casual games rather than ultra-optimized metas.

Commander and Deck Archetypes:

Lord of the Nazgûl is a blue-black commander that excels in generating an army of Wraith tokens with menace each time you cast an instant or sorcery. As such, this deck is primarily a Midrange Token Spellslinger Tempo deck with the ultimate goal of developing a board presence before swinging in on your opponents using multiple forms of evasion for maximum assured damage. The combination of token generation and instant and sorcery spell-based interaction creates a highly flexible playstyle with both offensive and defensive strategies.

Primary Win Conditions:

The deck aims to win through overwhelming opponents with a vast army of Wraith tokens. Cloning effects like Sakashima of a Thousand Faces and Spark Double enable the creation of multiple copies of Lord of the Nazgûl, thus doubling or even tripling your token output. In a pinch, they can also enter as a non-legendary copy of a Nazgûl if your commander gets locked out and you have to fall back on "The Nine" to close out a game on the back foot. A well-timed Cyclonic Rift or Raise the Palisade can clear blockers for a game-ending swing. The flickering of a Nazgûl with Displacer Kitten can result in a ridiculous amount of +1/+1 counters (off the Nazgûl ETB) as well as massive card draw when paired with Kindred Discovery, fueling additional plays and combos to hopefully finish the job.

1. Early Game (Turns 1-3):

Ramp and Setup:

Prioritize ramp with mana rocks like Arcane Signet, Talisman of Dominance, and Sol Ring to secure mana for casting your commander and other key pieces quickly. Land-based ramp with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth can support color consistency. I have done my best to keep the costs down in order to ensure this deck can function reasonably well of 3 to 4 mana. I wanted to stay away from expensive mana rocks, but am always open to inclusions in the ramp department.

Board Presence:

The deck focuses on defensive spells, countering early threats with spells like Counterspell and Mana Drain to slow opponents while preparing for the mid-game. If possible, play Rhystic Study or other card advantage engines to start building resources. Maybe throwing a Nazgûl or two out there in the early game to use as a nice deathtouch pillow fort.

2. Mid Game (Turns 4-6):

Developing Control/Advantage:

By mid-game, aim to establish Lord of the Nazgûl, then start casting cheap instants and sorceries to create tokens. This is where your control elements shine, as you maintain board presence through Wraith tokens while countering or removing threats with Deadly Rollick and Go for the Throat.

Key Mid-Game Cards:

Deploy Kindred Discovery for a powerful card advantage engine as tokens are created, Nazgûl are flickered with Displacer Kitten, or you attack. Archmage Emeritus also provides a steady stream of card draw as you cast spells. These pieces will help you keep a full grip of cards while building your token army.

3. Late Game (Turn 7+):

Securing the Win:

Use an amassed army of Wraith tokens to swing in for lethal. If possible, cast Cyclonic Rift as a one-sided board wipe, clearing out any potential blockers. Alternatively, copying Lord of the Nazgûl with Sakashima or Spark Double can lead to a significant boost in tokens generated.

Evasion:

Cover of Darkness grants your creatures fear. Several lands in the deck also aid in giving your creatures varying forms of evasion to guarantee at least a few make it through.

Core Synergy 1: Lord of the Nazgûl + Cloning Effects

Duplicating Lord of the Nazgûl with Sakashima of a Thousand Faces or Spark Double creates additional token production triggers, allowing each instant or sorcery spell to produce multiple tokens.

Core Synergy 2: Isochron Scepter + Instants

Imprinting an instant spell onto Isochron Scepter allows for repeated casting of key spells which in turn repeatedly triggers Lord of the Nazgûl’s token ability. If you wish to change out the spell imprinted on Isochron Scepter, Displacer Kitten can help.

Core Synergy 3: That frickin Kitten

Alright. I'm sorry. In my head canon, the Witch-king now officially owns a pet cat... This thing is absolutely insane. Need to remove some burden counters off The One Ring? Sure thing. Want to keep that creature you just returned with Whip of Erebos permanently instead of of exiling it at the end of your turn? No problem. Protect a non-land permanent from targeted removal? You got it. This little fella does it all and then some. If Tolkien had written the Witch-King as having owned a kitten, Sauron would have won.

Ramp & Mana Fixing

Arcane Signet and Dimir Signet: Reliable ramp, ensures mana fixing for The Witch-king's color identity. Efficient fixing, crucial for multi-color spells.

Talisman of Dominance: Quick ramp, helps curve out Nazgûl and other spells. Sol Ring: Fast, universal ramp—essential for powering key artifacts and spells.

Thought Vessel: Combines ramp with hand-size management, synergizes with inevitable card draw spikes.

Cabal Ritual: Excellent burst ramp, especially post-threshold.

Dark Ritual: Fast mana for early Nazgûl or explosive starts.

Draw & Card Advantage

Archmage Emeritus: Generates immense value from instant/sorcery-heavy gameplay.

Kindred Discovery: Tribal synergy to fuel card draw when Nazgûl attack or enter.

The One Ring: Provides protection and massive draw potential at some life cost.

Rhystic Study: A classic taxation card that pressures opponents or rewards you.

Consider, Opt, Ponder, Brainstorm: Cantrips to smooth draws and find necessary pieces.

Tribal & Thematic Synergy

Lord of the Nazgul: Buffs all Nazgûl and generates additional tokens; obvious thematic centerpiece.

Nazgul (x9): Core creatures for tribal strategy; each provides scaling power and consistency.

Call of the Ring: Creates Ring Tempts while giving optional card draw as needed.

Roaming Throne: Copies The Witch-king's abilities or other critical creatures.

Tutors

Demonic Tutor: Finds any card; high versatility.

Vampiric Tutor: Instant-speed setup, perfect for combo or synergy enablers.

Mystical Tutor: Fetches key spells for interaction, combo pieces, or other answers.

Diabolic Intent: Sacrifices a creature (often Nazgûl or token Wraith) to demonic tutor for anything. And typically the token is immediately replaced by Lord of the Nazgûl anyway.

Control & Interaction

I don't play counter spells offensively. Only to protect my plays and board. Board wipes are free game.

Cyclonic Rift: Mass bounce to reset opponents or pave a win.

Fierce Guardianship, Flusterstormfoil, Pact of Negation, Mana Drain: Light but typical high power counter spell suite for protecting key spells. I want to be effective, but don't want to lean too heavy into it.

Deadly Rollick: Free exile removal with your commander on board.

Go for the Throat, Slaughter Pact: Targeted creature removal.

Raise the Palisade: A flavorful mass bounce, particularly against tribal decks.

Damnation: Board wipe to stabilize or rebuild better.

Force of Despair: Instant-speed mass removal for tokens or flash creatures.

Combos & Synergistic Tools

Displacer Kitten: Enables flicker loops with Nazgûl ETBs, The Witch-king, or other permanents.

Isochron Scepter: Pairs with instants like Snap for repetitive value.

Sakashima of a Thousand Faces, Spark Double: Clone synergy to duplicate key effects, especially Nazgûl.

The Ozolith: Retains counters from Nazgûl or other creatures for additional scaling.

Whip of Erebos: Provides lifelink and recursion, especially useful with ETB effects.

Bolas's Citadel: Explosive play potential with life as a resource.

Utility

Orcish Bowmasters: Punishes card draw while building your board state. (Felt cute idk. Might delete later...)

Shadowspear, Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, card:Basalisk Collar: Enhance survivability and threat levels of key creatures, particularly for evasive threats.

Whispersilk Cloak: Grants unblockability and shroud for The Witch-king.

Cover of Darkness: Evasion for your Wraith tribal creatures.

Echoing Return: Protects Nazgûl from graveyard hate. Reanimate & Unearth for more single-target "to Battlefield" recursion.

Sequencing Tips:

Open with mana rocks to ramp quickly into Lord of the Nazgûl, then protect the board with counterspells. Place critical enchantments, like Rhystic Study, to ensure card flow.

Resource Management:

Maintain a balance between generating tokens and keeping resources to answer threats. Only commit fully to the board when you’re confident in your position or have protection spells ready. Remember, every instant becomes a protection spell when Displacer Kitten is on the field, and it's only improved if you toss a shadow counter on it from Minas Morgul, Dark Fortress, making it a wraith while Roaming Throne is in play...

Budget Options

Replace Mana Drain with Negate or Mana Leak for a budget counterspell.

Wayfarer's Bauble and Expedition Map if sac lands are too costly. Heartless Summoning is nice too. It might take off the first +1/+1s your Nazgûl enter with, but you're not going to be super worried about that for long.

Monastery Siege can give you the versatility of either additional card draw or "ward 2" all of your permanents. Lithoform Engine can help double things in place of Roaming Throne.

Helm of the Host can replace Sakashima and Spark Double. Conjurer's Closet can kind of replace Displacer Kitten for some nice end of turn ETB triggers.

Infernal Tutor, Ringsight, and Secret Salvage can replace the expensive tutors and can easily search up your Nazgûl.

In closing, I just have to say this deck has brought me a ton of joy to play and build. I love Lord of the Rings. I love the lore surrounding the Nazgûl. I find Tolkien's depiction of them and the unseen world to be among the coolest elements he ever created. Few fantasy characters have successfully produced genuine fear in me. These guys are straight up terrifying masterpieces. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the deck build. Let me know your thoughts or questions. Always open to suggestions and updates. Thanks again.

Re-Includes?

Heartless Summoning Creature casting cost reducers in Dimir are pretty slim pickings. But this seems to be the right call since it could result in a far more explosive turn.

Intended Changes

Glasspool Mimic   in place of Orcish Bowmasters. Honestly, Bowmasters was just a knee jerk include at first, but it doesn't synergize with the rest of the deck at all, and feels like a "win more" card rather than a must include.

Malakir Rebirth   in place of Unearth in order to use my recursion at instant speed and be able to save targets above 3CMC.

Irenicus's Vile Duplication in place of Swiftfoot Boots probably. I went a little too heavy into equipment and I'm needing to back off some, plus more instants/sorceries mean more potential Wraith tokens.

Hagra Mauling   in place of Force of Despair possibly. Originally I was just after free cast spells, and Force of Despair helped in the event someone had an explosive turn with a token deck or "went infinite" and attempted to swing. I might decide to keep Force of Despair for that reason and look elsewhere, but we'll see. These MDFC's just increase my ability to potentially stay on curve, so they're a worth while include.

Volrath's Stronghold in place of Command Beacon. The recursion is just super strong. It's an expensive card (Yes... I know I bought a Judge Promo Rhystic...), so we'll see how long it takes to pick up a copy. Lookin' at you Christmas...

Current Score per CommanderSalt.com Salt Score

LOTN

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Casual

96% Competitive

Revision 65 See all

(4 months ago)