Growing Threat

Commander Deck from March of the Machine Commander, 2023

Official decklist

Commander: Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos
Cards: 100
Current value: $89.02
Grade: B-

B-

How it grades

Fundamentals 74/100. Plays like Reanimator / graveyard and +1/+1 counters.

This reads as Reanimator / graveyard · +1/+1 counters, built around Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos. The graveyard is a second hand: stock it fast, then cheat the biggest things in it onto the battlefield for a fraction of their cost. Self-mill and discard are card selection, not card loss. Graveyard hate is the deck's nightmare, so diversify threats and keep a fair backup plan. Its strongest fundamental is interaction (17 removal/protection effects (want 10+ for Reanimator / graveyard). Most of that is one kind of effect, so it counts for less); the first thing to tighten is mana curve: 18% of spells cost ≤2, 25% cost 6+.

A+Mana reliability
BLand count
CMana curve
ARamp
ACard draw
A+Interaction
B+Commander synergy
AWin conditions
A-Card quality
A+Legality & size

Where it falls short

BLand count38 lands. About 42 fits this curve for Reanimator / graveyard.
CMana curve18% of spells cost ≤2, 25% cost 6+.
B+Commander synergyOnly 31 of 61 spells play into your commanders' plan; they want +1/+1 counter, incubate, infect support. Counts the builds players run with your commanders (Tokens, Infect, Artifacts; from EDHREC).

Strong on mana reliability, ramp, card draw, interaction, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.

78 cards graded: A- 3, B+ 23, B 45, B- 5, C+ 1, C 1. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.

Upgrades

The 10 swaps that lift the grade most, about $146.10 together

Made together, they take Growing Threat from B- to A-.

Elas il-Kor, Sadistic PilgrimWB$3.71
In place of Path of the Schemer: doesn't ramp, draw, interact or threaten. What is it for? (40/100)
Pays off your token engine (10 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (21 producers). Fits the token build players run with your commanders.
Selfless Spirit1W$0.43
In place of Ichor Elixir: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (51/100)
Top-5% staple by play data. EDHREC Reanimator / graveyard staple. Pays off your token engine (10 producers).
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse2BB$98.25
In place of Phyrexian Ghoul: weakest slot in the deck (57/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (11 producers). Works with the commander directly. Fits the commander's plan.
Welcoming Vampire2W$3.45
In place of Keskit, the Flesh Sculptor: weakest slot in the deck (57/100)
Fits the go-wide build players run with your commanders. Pays off your go-wide engine (21 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
DispatchW$0.35
In place of Compleated Huntmaster: weakest slot in the deck (58/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (32 producers). Fits the artifact build players run with your commanders. Top-5% staple by play data.
Soul WardenW$3.41
In place of Moira and Teshar: weakest slot in the deck (59/100)
Pays off your token engine (10 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (21 producers). Fits the token build players run with your commanders.
Unwinding Clock4$22.83
In place of Vulpine Harvester: weakest slot in the deck (61/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (32 producers). Fits the artifact build players run with your commanders. Top-5% staple by play data.
Cathars' Crusade3WW$9.31
In place of Yawgmoth's Vile Offering: weakest slot in the deck (61/100)
Feeds the commanders' +1/+1 counter payoff. Pays off your token engine (10 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (21 producers).
Marionette Apprentice1B$2.04
In place of Graveshifter: weakest slot in the deck (61/100)
Fuels your +1/+1 counter payoffs (4 in deck). Pays off your artifact engine (32 producers). Feeds the commanders' +1/+1 counter payoff.
Puresteel PaladinWW$2.32
In place of Blight Titan: weakest slot in the deck (62/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (32 producers). Fits the artifact build players run with your commanders. Top-5% staple by play data.

Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.

Decklist

100 cards, worth about $89.02

Commander 1

Creatures 32

B-
B
B+
B
B
B
B+
B+
B+
B+
B+
B
B
B
B+
B
A-
B+
B
B-
B+
B
B
B
B
B-
B
B+
B
B
B-
B

Instants 6

B
B
B
B
B
B+

Sorceries 6

C
B+
B
B+
B+
A-

Artifacts 16

C+
B+
B
B+
B
B
B+
B
B
B
B
B+
B+
A-
B+
B

Enchantments 1

Lands 38

B
B
B
B+
B
B+
B
B
B
B
B
B+
B-
B
B
B×10
B×13

How it grades

Fundamentals 74/100. Plays like Reanimator / graveyard and +1/+1 counters.