Gargantos, the EndbringerGargantos, the Endbringer | art by Javier Charro

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) recently gave us a sneak peek of next year's Marvel x Magic crossover set at this year's New York Comic Con. Marvel's Darkhold Destiny seems to revolve around the magical parts of the Marvel universe and features an original storyline rather than riffing on existing comic book stories. You can read more about it here: Marvel: Darkhold Destiny Revealed at New York Comic-Con 2026. Personally, the cards and themes they've teased us with feel like a much better "fit" for Magic's in-universe aesthetics, so I'm looking forward to seeing more. But in the meantime, one card really jumped out to me as a really cool new game piece: Gargantos, the EndbringerGargantos, the Endbringer!

Not to be confused by the Eldrazi named EndbringerEndbringer, Gargantos feels like it easily could fit into an in-universe Magic set, so I was excited to brew up a deck around it and present to you my deck tech. I mean, it's an Elder God Horror! That's some eldritch, cosmic spooky stuff, perfect for the Hallowe'en season, right?

What Does Gargantos, the EndbringerGargantos, the Endbringer Do?

At a casual glance, Gargantos seems of average power. It's a four-mana 0/0 creature that enters with three +1/+1 counters. It's got deathtouch, which on its own doesn't help push damage through. At the beginning of your upkeep, if it survives a turn cycle, you get to double the number of +1/+1 counters on it. Doubling can do some wild things in Magic: The Gathering, so that's pretty cool.

But the last sentence is the one that makes you sit up and take notice:

Whenever Gargantos deals combat damage to an opponent, he deals that much damage to each other opponent.

Whoa, now that's something to get excited about!

Now, there is no shortage of +1/+1 counters-themed Commander decks; in the EDHREC deck database it's the second most popular theme, right behind tokens. Golgari () even has a fair number of choices already, including Skullbriar, the Walking GraveSkullbriar, the Walking Grave and Jenova, Ancient CalamityJenova, Ancient Calamity. There is so much support for +1/+1 counter themes that you can basically sleepwalk your way through deckbuilding and have yourself a solid deck.

But that last sentence gives us a real twist, and it's something that's relatively rare in designs for legendary creatures.

Kosei, Penitent WarlordKosei, Penitent Warlord makes you jump through considerable hoops to unlock the ability to deal damage to each other opponent; Human TorchHuman Torch just asks for a four-mana investment on the attack trigger. Amarant CoralAmarant Coral is closest to Gargantos and simply asks to deal damage to one opponent first, though it has a built-in evasion ability with trample.

And that's one thing I leaned into hard for this deck: giving Gargantos evasion (mostly trample) so you can maximize its damage potential, then round out the deck's flex slots with +1/+1 counter synergies so make Gargantos as gargantuan as possible. Okay, let's dig into the notable cards in the deck, starting at the beginning.

Key Cards for Gargantos, the EndbringerGargantos, the Endbringer

I actually started out with Tyrite SanctumTyrite Sanctum since Gargantos is already a God that doesn't naturally have indestructible. You can just use it to add +1/+1 counters, but if you have the mana up for a battlefield sweeper, you can sacrifice it to put an indestructible counter on it.

Next I went looking for evasion, specifically trample, and quickly added RancorRancor and AudacityAudacity, which are very similar. Trample works particularly well alongside deathtouch; since just one point of deathtouch damage is considered lethal, you only need to assign one damage to each blocker to have it be considered lethal, and all the remaining power can be assign as damage to the opponent, and then Gargantos deals that damage to each other opponent. Huzzah! Then there's Kodama of the West TreeKodama of the West Tree, which bestows trample to modified creatures you control, and ties on mana ramp to it.

I also added in some Equipment cards to provide trample. Power FistPower Fist is perfect since it can grow those +1/+1 counters. Leyline AxeLeyline Axe gives trample and double-strike, so we get twice the combat damage fun. Vorrac BattlehornsVorrac Battlehorns is a pretty cheap overall mana cost that makes blocking more difficult.

Surrak and GoreclawSurrak and Goreclaw and Thunderfoot BalothThunderfoot Baloth are two great curve-toppers that grant trample and are quite threatening on their own. Trash the TownTrash the Town is an instant that can be a potent combat trick if you have enough mana to add in all those spree options.

Season of GatheringSeason of Gathering, Sphere GridSphere Grid, and World War HulkWorld War Hulk all provide trample goodness as well as +1/+1 counter synergies.

The mutate abilities of Sawtusk DemolisherSawtusk Demolisher and GemrazerGemrazer can replace Gargantos's base 0/0 stats as well as gaining trample. Speaking of replacing those base stats, Gargantos can easily get big enough with +1/+1 counters to discount that expensive equip cost of Belt of Giant StrengthBelt of Giant Strength to become a base 10/10.

Now we get into the numerous +1/+1 counters synergies. Tuskguard CaptainTuskguard Captain gives each creature with +1/+1 counters trample, while Conclave Sledge-CaptainConclave Sledge-Captain's backup abilities can do some wild stuff if you pile multiple instances on Gargantos.

Hardened ScalesHardened Scales and Kami of Whispered HopesKami of Whispered Hopes are cards you expect in every +1/+1 counter deck and will do excellent things for Gargantos. Evolution WitnessEvolution Witness doesn't directly benefit Gargantos, but with +1/+1 counters flying around this does an awesome job of plundering your own graveyard of permanents that have ended up there.

Branching EvolutionBranching Evolution, TerrasymbiosisTerrasymbiosis, and The Earth CrystalThe Earth Crystal are all rather expensive, but if you have them you definitely want to be running them in this deck due to their power and +1/+1 counter synergies.

Due to the damage potential of Gargantos, I wanted to add some lifelink options, too. Loxodon WarhammerLoxodon Warhammer provides both lifelink and trample to equipped creature. If Scavenged BrawlerScavenged Brawler ends up in the graveyard that activated ability adds all sorts of ability counters and +1/+1 counters to hopefully Gargantos. Duskfang MentorDuskfang Mentor provides a lifelink counter and then has an activated ability to add +1/+1 counters.

Lastly, Witch's ClinicWitch's Clinic and Whip of ErebosWhip of Erebos are two more ways to bestow Gargantos with lifelink.

Finally, I've added Frenzied BalothFrenzied Baloth and Questing BeastQuesting Beast to the deck to help with opponents relying on FogFog-like effects to prevent combat damage, and if one or more of your friends love running Maze of IthMaze of Ith, you'll want to add a few lands to your deck that can handle that, such as Demolition FieldDemolition Field and Field of RuinField of Ruin.

How Does This Gargantos, the EndbringerGargantos, the Endbringer Commander Deck Win?

This deck is designed to win through combat damage, so commander damage is definitely on the table, as well as chip damage done by Gargantos to each other opponent when it connects.

To help with ending the game, I've dipped into a little poison! If there's an opponent that's gone wild with all the incredible life gain synergies that are out there, giving Gargantos infect with Triumph of the HordesTriumph of the Hordes and Tainted StrikeTainted Strike can take them out or potentially just end the game on the spot, depending on how big Gargantos has gotten when it deals combat damage.

On the high end of the curve, I looked at expensive Auras that both provide a size boost and trample. Eldrazi ConscriptionEldrazi Conscription is a classic that gives enchanted creature annihilator 2 for a little sacrificial fun. Super StateSuper State is the all-star though, which sets Gargantos' base power as 9/9 and gives it flying, first strike (deadly with deathtouch), and haste in addition to trample, so it basically doubles that collateral damage that's dealt to each other opponent. Lastly there's Minas Morgul, Dark FortressMinas Morgul, Dark Fortress, which provides a shadow counter to Gargantos, making it practically unblockable.

Gargantos, the EndbringerGargantos, the Endbringer Commander Deck List

Conclusion

This deck is a solid Core (Bracket 2) deck, with a good amount of excellent interaction you'd expect from a Golgari pile, and slowly building up to haymaker-level swings and damage output. There's land ramp cards and card-drawing spells to keep the foot on the gas. If you like long, grindy games with exciting moments before a winner is finally decided, you will enjoy sleeving up this deck helmed by this Elder God Horror from beyond reality. Just make sure you've got a bunch of dice to keep track of all those +1/+1 counters!

What other cards would you add to this deck that I overlooked?

I'll Be At CommandFest DC!

If you're on the East Coast, I hope you'll be able to attend CommandFest DC, which is happening December 11th-13th this year. And if you are going to be there, be sure to come find me! I would love to get in a game, talk about Commander, sign some cards, and give you some of my cool tokens I'll be giving away.

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