The Book Thief

Commander / EDH* Artifact Control Mono-Red Theme/Gimmick

TheNinjaPhoenix

Creature (27)

• 1x Anger
• 1x Bogardan Hellkite
• 1x Brutal Deceiver
• 1x Conquering Manticore
• 1x Cunning Bandit  ^Flip
• 1x Dwarven Blastminer
• 1x Felhide Spiritbinder
• 1x It That Betrays
• 1x Kami of Fire's Roar
• 1x Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
• 1x Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
• 1x Lavaborn Muse
• 1x Magus of the Moon
• 1x Malignus
• 1x Molten Primordial
• 1x Myojin of Infinite Rage
• 1x Oni of Wild Places
• 1x Ore Gorger
• 1x Ryusei, the Falling Star
• 1x Scorched Rusalka
• 1x Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked
• 1x Soul of Magma
• 1x Spawn of Thraxes
• 1x Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
• 1x Urabrask the Hidden
• 1x Yuki-Onna
• 1x Zealous Conscripts

Planeswalker (3)

• 1x Chandra Ablaze
• 1x Chandra, Pyromaster
• 1x Koth of the Hammer

Sorcery (13)

• 1x Banefire
• 1x Blasphemous Act
• 1x Boom / Bust
• 1x Harness by Force
• 1x Insurrection
• 1x Mass Mutiny
• 1x Portent of Betrayal
• 1x Reforge the Soul
• 1x Ruination
• 1x Skittering Invasion
• 1x Spire Barrage
• 1x Unwilling Recruit
• 1x Vandalblast

Instant (9)

• 1x Blind with Anger
• 1x Comet Storm
• 1x Desperate Ritual
• 1x Fling
• 1x Gaze of Adamaro
• 1x Grab the Reins
• 1x Lightning Bolt
• 1x Through the Breach
• 1x Word of Seizing

Enchantment (4)

• 1x Blood Moon
• 1x Price of Glory
• 1x Shivan Harvest
• 1x Vicious Shadows

Commander (1)

Land (34)

• 1x Forgotten Cave
• 1x High Market
• 1x Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
• 1x Miren, the Moaning Well
• 25x Mountain
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Smoldering Crater
• 1x Temple of the False God
• 1x Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

Artifact (9)

• 1x Caged Sun
• 1x Crucible of Worlds
• 1x Dreamstone Hedron
• 1x Extraplanar Lens
• 1x Gauntlet of Power
• 1x Mind's Eye
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Thran Dynamo

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Maybeboard

Sorcery (7)

• 1x Bloody Betrayal
• 1x Hijack
• 1x Involuntary Employment
• 1x Kari Zev's Expertise
• 1x Mob Rule
• 1x Seize the Spotlight
• 1x Traitorous Greed

Creature (6)

• 1x Atsushi, the Blazing Sky
• 1x Captivating Crew
• 1x Heartless Hidetsugu
• 1x Myojin of Roaring Blades
• 1x Sorcerer's Broom
• 1x Treasure Nabber

Artifact (2)

• 1x Ashnod's Altar
• 1x Skullclamp

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Goblin Bombardment

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EDIT - It's 2023, I am looking to reimagine and reinvigorate this deck. Do you have any suggestions on fun new Spirits? Do you know some brilliant new cards to replace outdated wraths/creatures? Know some new thief effects that make the old ones look more like shoplifters than thief extraordinaire? Let me know in the comments or tag a suggestion! Thanks!

"One was a book thief. The other stole the sky."

The above quote, one of my favourite quotes of all time, is from Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. I'd recommend the book to anyone and everyone, quite simply. But that's not what I'm here to do, sell you a book; I'm here to talk Magic: the Gathering, so here is my new deck, The Book Thief.

This is a Red Thief/Control EDH, designed to lock down the board to an extent and use my opponent's cards to my advantage, all the while picking away at the best they have to offer by stealing it, destroying it, or negating its effects.

The Commander, Skyfire Kirin, is the perfect example for this deck's leader, as by casting an Arcane or Spirit spell, it enables me to steal my opoonent's cards. Also, it fits one of my favourite quotes from The Book Thief perfectly - It steals, and it's name is Skyfire Kirin - the fires burn the skies, thus destroy them in a glorious blaze.

Some key cards are Blood Moon and Magus of the Moon for field lockdown - the majority of my lands remain unaffected whereas my opponents tend to be inhibited greatly.

Mind's Eye and Mikokoro, Center of the Sea for card-draw in a color that really doesn't have much access without mass-discard too

Comet Storm and Banefire are potentially huge spells I can pump with excess mana.

In terms of sheer creatures, some of the deck's gems are Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker as perhaps the best red creature ever made, and the Eldrazi members, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, and It That Betrays.

I have found that Crucible of Worlds allows this deck to function well despite the land destruction it runs, especially with the help of mana producing artifacts like Sol Ring and Thran Dynamo, but also cards such as Caged Sun, who add additional mana with each land tap of the precious lands we have.

Of course, we also have a lot of wrath and sacrificing effects in the deck, such as Boom / Bust, Viashino Heretic and Dwarven Blastiminer to target lands and eliminate them, alongside cards to sacrifrice the creatures I steal from my opponents for positive effects; Miren, the Moaning Well and High Market allow me to sacrifice these creatures to gain life and if I have Vicious Shadows on the field, it also becomes another facepunch to my opponent - I mean, being attacked by your own creature, having it sacrificed to gain your opponent life, then have it deal damage to you or another creature you control seems evil, but it's what my deck does. After all, I am a thief.

I could go on about a lot of cards in here, but quite simply, all I have to say is if you have any suggestions or advice, feel free to comment and suggest, or even just upvote. As a note, I AM considering making this deck an Izzet Thief deck, as blue has a lot of thief and control effects, and also fits the theme of knowledge - The Book Thief.

Anything in terms of feedback is, as said, appreciated. Thanks!

Date added	10 years
Last updated	1 year
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	12 - 0 Mythic Rares 33 - 0 Rares 23 - 0 Uncommons 7 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	4.67
Tokens	Copy Clone, Eldrazi Spawn 0/1 C, Morph 2/2 C
Folders	deck ideas, Good EDH, Watch, Look at later., EDH/Commander, Mono-Red EDH, Commander Finds