Black is the color of ruthlessness and chaos. Doing whatever it takes to achieve victory, decks that include the black color of mana go for the kill, raise creatures from the dead, or weaken enemies in any way possible. Mono-black is a sturdy archetype in competitive play, and it is just as viable when playing Commander with friends.
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While mono-black decks aren’t always the first color choice when it comes to Commanders, they still have access to dangerous options that can threaten the battlefield. Here are some of the best mono-black Commanders in Magic: The Gathering, which you can use to wreak havoc against other players.
10) Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse provides the pain by draining life from other players. On the other hand, you get life whenever you draw cards. Black is one color that enjoys making players draw cards, allowing you to exploit the effect across all players. By forcing other players to draw cards, you can quickly put players into uncomfortable situations where they have to deal with life loss and your creature’s assault.
9) Geth, Lord of the Vault
Geth, Lord of the Vault allows you to pursue two different strategies. It’s hard to block and can go for straight damage against other Commanders. With enough mana, you can also force players to put cards into their graveyard while turning their own cards against them. This puts players in the unfortunate position of not being able to use their creatures while running out of cards.
8) Toxrill, the Corrosive
Toxrill, the Corrosive puts other players’ creatures in uncomfortable positions. A few slime counters aren’t the end of the world, but it quickly adds up and weakens even the strongest creatures. Creatures that die from slime counters also give you Slug creatures, building a small army from the fallen. You can also sacrifice the Slugs if you have a way to access blue mana, letting you draw a card and get more tools to work with.
7) Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed is a bane for any player focusing on the Human creature type. It forces players with Human creatures to act carefully around you or accept the inevitable destruction of their creatures. Giving your own creatures undying allows them to come back at least once, forcing players to deal with your creatures multiple times.
6) Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician is another card that can protect itself against Human creature types. It requires some work as a Commander since you rely on sacrificing your own creatures and consuming your own life. If you have the right cards, Yawgmoth perfectly captures the complexity of black cards, proliferating multiple counters by doing anything it takes to win.
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5) Tergrid, God of Fright
Taking advantage of other players’ actions is another aspect of black mana, and Tergrid captures this perfectly. While discard and sacrifice mechanics are often associated with black decks, other colors have discard and sacrifice effects as well. Tergrid allows you to capitalize on these moments, or lets you take advantage of any forced discards/sacrifices that you inflict on other players.
4) Braids, Arisen Nightmare
If you generate tokens or plan to revive cards from your graveyard, Braids is a great Commander. You can choose to sacrifice a card that you know you can get back, while other players are forced to follow your lead. If opponents don’t sacrifice, they lose health and you draw a card. If done early on, it can put other players in uncomfortable positions while you freely bring cards back from your graveyard.
3) Razaketh, the Foulblooded
Black decks are known for bringing cards back from the graveyard, and Razaketh allows you to exploit that mechanic. While you must pay life and sacrifice a creature, you can search your library for any card. There are no restrictions on what you can put in your hand, allowing you to put the perfect card in your hand. You can repeat this as many times as you have creatures and life, giving you a good hand when you need it.
2) Tasigur, the Golden Fang
While you will need other methods of gaining blue/green mana, Tasigur’s effects are worth the cost. You can exile cards to cast Tasigur early on, and then start putting cards into your graveyard. While opponents can choose what card goes to your hand, you can quickly put cards in the graveyard for revival, allowing you to bypass drawing them.
1) K’rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
If you can take the life loss early on, K’rrik can come out and do some real damage. It allows you to cast creatures using your life, allowing you to put big threats on the field quickly. Every black spell you play strengthens K’rrik, making him harder to defeat as the game drags on. By having lifelink, K’rrik can help you regain any life lost, letting you repeatedly cast cards with your life without fear.
