<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://www.artofheatherhudson.com/mtg">Heather Hudson</a></em></p>
<p>People really seemed to enjoy my last article about my friend's <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/hacking-the-color-pie-with-aragorn-the-uniter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Color Hack deck</a>. In that article I also mentioned his other "Monger" deck, and I got enough people asking for the deck list from that one passing mention that I figured I should just show off the silliness of his deck that was about two years in the making.</p>
<h2>But What Actually Is a “Monger”?</h2>
<p>While not an official term, "monger" is how my playgroup and I refer to any cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In short, any card that has an ability opponents can activate. Obviously you have the aforementioned Warmonger as well as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squallmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Squallmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wishmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Wishmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sailmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Sailmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scandalmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Scandalmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These are the true mongers that all others are based on.</p>
<p>But this is a very loose term and will include cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xantcha, Sleeper Agent" href="#" target="_blank">Xantcha, Sleeper Agent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> since it has an ability its controller's opponents can activate, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fan Favorite" href="#" target="_blank">Fan Favorite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> o&amp; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would also count.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warmonger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricopian"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flamescroll Celebrant"></div></div>
<p>The deck plays a long control-style game plan, controlling the tempo of the game through powerful removal spells and giving opportunities for players to use their mana on your card's abilities instead of progressing their own boards. This allows the pilot of this deck to drag out the game until they have access to powerful <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a> like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, giving them the resources to keep control of the board and people's hands with the mongers' abilities allowing them to drag out the game until they get one of the classic control finishers in the format.</p>
<p>The deck can also play a bit of a resource denial game, ripping cards from opponents' hands with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scandalmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Scandalmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, fueling its own hand with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Runic Armasaur" href="#" target="_blank">Runic Armasaur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and dealing chip damage with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flamescroll Celebrant" href="#" target="_blank">Flamescroll Celebrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before closing the game out with a well placed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brash Taunter" href="#" target="_blank">Brash Taunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or attacking with a board created from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wizened Mentor" href="#" target="_blank">Wizened Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>The Non-Monger Mongers</h2>
<p>While the official mongers are what the deck was initially based around (basically Fin had a promo <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with two set symbols and wanted to play it somewhere) there are way more cards that play like mongers but that are not from that initial cycle.</p>
<p>The newest is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oft-Nabbed Goat" href="#" target="_blank">Oft-Nabbed Goat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (which isn't in the deck, but when else am I going to get to talk about it?). While not a monger, it has an ability any player can use and that fits our very loose definition.</p>
<p>This fits into the same category as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the other creatures that players are able to sink mana into. The benefit of the Goat over the Hydras and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fan Favorite" href="#" target="_blank">Fan Favorite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is that people want to draw cards; turning mana into one or two extra damage on another player is fine but ultimately much less impactful. Once the Goat dies its owner draws cards and other players lose life, making this probably the best new monger as it offers both card advantage and, if you're able to recur it, a way to win the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oft-Nabbed Goat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Endbringer&#039;s Revel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flumph"></div></div>
<p>Other than the Goat there are a bunch of other cards that work in a similar way. The deck runs a small enchantment package with a range of monger-esque abilities. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endbringer&#039;s Revel" href="#" target="_blank">Endbringer&#039;s Revel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows players to pay mana to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raise Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Raise Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (on maybe a certain Goat mentioned earlier), while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Excavation" href="#" target="_blank">Excavation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Land&#039;s Edge" href="#" target="_blank">Land&#039;s Edge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give players a way to utilize any land they don't need by turning them into cards or free damage.</p>
<p>One of the most common quotes you'll hear in a game with this deck is "You can sacrifice your lands to draw cards, by the way," which of course no one does, until they flood out and suddenly getting to redraw becomes incredibly useful.</p>
<p>The deck also runs some cards that work well with the mongers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flumph" href="#" target="_blank">Flumph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist" href="#" target="_blank">Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make activating <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squallmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Squallmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> significantly more enticing, while having <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Belbe, Corrupted Observer" href="#" target="_blank">Belbe, Corrupted Observer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play makes activating a Warmonger feel like the best mana investment ever.</p>
<h2>Why Kenrith? He’s Not a Monger!</h2>
<p>We talked a lot about this deck's commander when Fin was building it. As an aggro player, I was partial to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karona, False God" href="#" target="_blank">Karona, False God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The idea of a five-color deck that plays all of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slicer, Hired Muscle" href="#" target="_blank">Slicer, Hired Muscle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> style cards and allows your opponents to spend their turns killing them with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was pretty funny to me.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kenrith, the Returned King"></div></div>
<p>In the end Fin landed on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Firstly, Kenrith does so many different things that it allows the deck to lack in some areas while still being able to focus on the monger strategy.</p>
<p>The other thing that Kenrith allows is a real focus on politics and deal making. What Kenrith lets you do is say things like "If you activate my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> twice you can kill that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and I'll let you draw a card with Kenrith." Of course political decks like this are hard to play, will change the dynamics of games, and will get varying mileage based on who you are playing with, but the idea of using Kenrith as a bargaining chip makes him a powerful commander to lead this deck.</p>
<h2>So, How Does the Deck Actually Win?</h2>
<p>The deck has a few routes to victory, most of which rely on a handful of the less egregious <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a>.</p>
<p>As I mentioned above, the main plan going into a game with this deck is to focus on a long, political game. The win conditions have to match this<strong>, </strong>so Fin has chosen a handful of ways to win that rely on these longer games.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squallmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Squallmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>Seedborn Muse is the obvious powerhouse here. Allowing extra activations per turn cycle is super important as it turns the deck into a machine gun that can mow down players and creatures alike. Squallmonger is significantly better here since it doesn't hit itself, unlike the Warmonger which can only activate twice without dying.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seedborn Muse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Squallmonger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sailmonger"></div></div>
<p>You can also combine <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sailmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Sailmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with Squallmonger to pick off key targets.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coalition Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Coalition Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>The classic control win conditions. Survive, draw them, win the game. Approach of the Second Sun is less good in this deck than some of the decks out there that draw a lot more cards, but with Ludevic and Runic Armasaur the deck does have quite a lot of draw power, even if it is a bit situational.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coalition Victory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Approach of the Second Sun"></div></div>
<p>Coalition Victory, recently unbanned and amazing in pretty much every five-color deck, on the other hand is much better. However, unlike most decks that run it, this doesn't have any creatures that are all five colors. The dream here is to play all five of the original mongers and then land Coalition Victory - very unlikely, but a dream nonetheless.</p>
<p>This deck hasn't been updated in a while (which is why the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oft-Nabbed Goat" href="#" target="_blank">Oft-Nabbed Goat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't in here) but I'd add the recently unbanned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Biorhythm" href="#" target="_blank">Biorhythm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for the ability to use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to clear the board to allow for Biorhythm to win the game. Alternatively you can lower the life total of everyone in play and use the mongers to clear up anyone low enough.</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brash Taunter" href="#" target="_blank">Brash Taunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brash Taunter"></div></div>
<p>Last but not least, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brash Taunter" href="#" target="_blank">Brash Taunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. One of my all-time favorite cards and one that my playgroup seems to jam into every red deck. Alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warmonger" href="#" target="_blank">Warmonger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this provides a lot of chip damage, and in a world where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the eighth most popular card in the format, it can win games out of nowhere.</p>
<h2>The "Monger" Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Mongers" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kenrith, the Returned King
[/Commander]
[Artifact]
*1 Agatha&#039;s Soul Cauldron
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Armageddon Clock
*1 Darksteel Plate
*1 Heartstone
*1 Shadowspear
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Thran Turbine
*1 Victory Chimes
*1 Well of Knowledge
*1 Whip of Erebos
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Beast Within
*1 Dawn&#039;s Truce
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Gifts Ungiven
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*1 Approach of the Second Sun
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Cleansing
*1 Coalition Victory
*1 Cultivate
*1 Drain Power
*1 Dreadbore
*1 Farseek
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Sunfall
*1 Tempt with Bunnies
*1 Tempt with Discovery
*1 Three Visits
*1 Vandalblast
*1 Wheel of Fortune
[/Sorcery]
[Creature]
*1 Belbe, Corrupted Observer
*1 Biomancer&#039;s Familiar
*1 Brash Taunter
*1 Capricopian
*1 Feral Hydra
*1 Flamescroll Celebrant // Revel in Silence
*1 Flumph
*1 Gluntch, the Bestower
*1 Ifh-Bíff Efreet
*1 Loran of the Third Path
*1 Ludevic, Necro-Alchemist
*1 Runic Armasaur
*1 Sailmonger
*1 Scandalmonger
*1 Seedborn Muse
*1 Squallmonger
*1 Warmonger
*1 Wishmonger
*1 Wizened Mentor
*1 Xantcha, Sleeper Agent
*1 Zirda, the Dawnwaker
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*1 Eladamri&#039;s Vineyard
*1 Endbringer&#039;s Revel
*1 Excavation
*1 Land&#039;s Edge
*1 Mirari&#039;s Wake
*1 Samite Sanctuary
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Task Mage Assembly
*1 Training Grounds
[/Enchantment]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Badlands
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Command Tower
*1 Flooded Strand
*2 Forest
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hedge Maze
*1 Island
*1 Jetmir&#039;s Garden
*1 Lush Portico
*1 Maze of Ith
*1 Meticulous Archive
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mountain
*2 Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Rainbow Vale
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stomping Ground
*2 Swamp
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>This is another deck that my friend brewed from scratch. Shockingly there isn't a lot of deck data on the mongers - wild, I know. He's well known in our playgroup for making wild off-the-wall decks, and plays, but this and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/hacking-the-color-pie-with-aragorn-the-uniter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aragorn</a> were the two that really stood out to me. Other than that he just has a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dong Zhou, the Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Dong Zhou, the Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, but "Play commander target big creature" is something even I can't write a whole article about.</p>
<p>Let me know what you thought. This deck is hilarious, but sadly I've only been able to play against it a couple of times as our playgroup has not met up in a while. But here's hoping I can get some more reps in with and against some cool decks soon!</p>


kenrith

What Is a “Monger” and Why Is Kenrith their Best Commander?

Hidden Gems for Kenrith, the Returned King