Meet Tivash, Gloom Summoner, and His Trimmed Clique of Lifegain

<p style="text-align: right;"><em> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER|fin|317" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CTetsuya+Nomura%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tetsuya Nomura</a></em></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a remarkable mono-black commander from the bestselling <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/fin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Final Fantasy</em></a> set, <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/mono-black" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has taken the top-ranked mono-black commander spot</a> on EDHREC.</p>
<p>This comes after quite a few weeks of attempting to wrestle <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for this prestigious mantle. Most of us knew this was only a matter of time, but now it's clear! However, for those of you less in the know asking how it happened, read on, and we'll tackle the answers for you!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Sephiroth Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a stellar commander for <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/aristocrats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aristocrats</a> strategies (meaning decks that sacrifice resources for incremental gain). His ability suite allows his controller to sacrifice creatures to draw cards, draining one point of life from an opponent in the process. However, when four or more creatures are sacrificed in a single turn, no matter their controller, Sephiroth flips into his One-Winged Angel side. This grants his controller an emblem that simply says:</p>
<blockquote><p>"Whenever a creature dies, target opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life."</p></blockquote>
<p>The back side of the card also allows its controller to sacrifice any number of creatures to draw that many cards when Sephiroth attacks. This also fuels the emblems you're inevitably accumulating over time with this commander.</p>
<p>We can see some players scratching their heads at this last part. However, nothing is stopping players from making <em>multiple</em> emblems by repeatedly transforming Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER. Many decks led by him even make this a key point in their strategy (including my own Bracket 4 deck, listed below). To do so, players will often use One-Winged Angel as a chump blocker or sacrifice fodder. After this, they'll typically recast Fabled SOLDIER as soon as possible.</p>
<h2>My Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER // Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Accursed Marauder
*1 Al Bhed Salvagers
*1 Avenger of the Fallen
*1 Ayara, First of Locthwain
*1 Bloodghast
*1 Bloodthirsty Conqueror
*1 Carrion Feeder
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Forsaken Miner
*1 Gravecrawler
*1 Junji, the Midnight Sky
*1 K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
*1 Marionette Apprentice
*1 Massacre Wurm
*1 Merciless Executioner
*1 Nine-Lives Familiar
*1 Pawn of Ulamog
*1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Vengeful Bloodwitch
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
*1 Warren Soultrader
*1 Woe Strider
*1 Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
*1 Zenos yae Galvus // Shinryu, Transcendent Rival
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Bontu&#039;s Monument
*1 Caged Sun
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Gauntlet of Power
*1 Genesis Chamber
*1 Jet Medallion
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Phyrexian Altar
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Bitterblossom
*1 Black Market
*1 Chthonian Nightmare
*1 Contamination
*1 Dictate of Erebos
*1 Exquisite Blood
*1 Meathook Massacre II
*1 Necromancy
*1 Oubliette
*1 The Meathook Massacre
*1 Tombstone Stairwell
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General
[/Planeswalkers]
[Sorceries]
*1 Diabolic Intent
*1 Dread Return
*1 Grim Tutor
*1 Reanimate
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
*1 Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Dust Bowl
*1 Ebon Stronghold
*1 Field of Ruin
*1 Forbidden Orchard
*1 Midgar, City of Mako // Reactor Raid
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Obscura Storefront
*1 Promising Vein
*1 Riveteers Overlook
*1 Shizo, Death&#039;s Storehouse
*18 Swamp
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Hallmarks of Aristocracy</h2>
<p>As many experienced Aristocrats players can likely see, this list has many hallmarks of that kind of deck. It has multiple means of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plaguecrafter" href="#" target="_blank">mutual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">sacrifice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a whole slew of redundant <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt Ghast" href="#" target="_blank">life</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zulaport Cutthroat" href="#" target="_blank">drain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-centric <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bastion of Remembrance" href="#" target="_blank">permanents</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and more than its share of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">mono-black</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravecrawler" href="#" target="_blank">combo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">pieces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>In fact, there's enough redundancy among these overarching types of cards that the deck can be crafted with <em>just</em> these types of cards and the necessary land/mana packages. It's how I started out when building the deck, and it's been effective throughout its tenure in my collection.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fleshbag Marauder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zulaport Cutthroat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gravecrawler"></div></div>
<h2>Why K'rrik Lost His Crown</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was the previous #1-ranked mono-black commander. Ultimately, there are a few reasons why Sephiroth outclasses him. For one, K'rrik tends to facilitate a self-destructive gameplay strategy known as Suicide Black. (As a sidebar, I <em>really</em> don't like that name for the strategy. That said, it's the common terminology, so I'm beat.) It focuses on getting its pilot's life total <em>very dangerously low</em> for incremental value. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropotence" href="#" target="_blank">Necropotence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are key here, as is the act of simply taking non-lethal damage. Then, when the player's life is low enough, they'll often find a way to swap it with an opponent's life total.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth"></div></div>
<p>This strategy is often seen as extremely volatile and, as the name suggests, figuratively suicidal. Black decks from the days of yore <em>were</em>, of course, meant to be self-destructive for value. However, times have changed for the betterment of the color's key archetypes. Perhaps this is a big reason why Sephiroth's life-padding strategy is now somewhat more popular than K'rrik's extremely risky business.</p>
<h2>The Ramifications of a Paradigm Shift</h2>
<p>Overall, this difference has a few windows that allowed the <em>Final Fantasy VII</em> antagonist to overtake the Son of Yawgmoth. For one, K'rrik's strategy relies on cards that are antiquated in strategy. As a result, many of the associated cards are pretty old (as loath as I am to admit that). There are obviously some outliers, including reprints, though they're few and far between.</p>
<p>Overall, Wizards of the Coast's design philosophies have largely stymied cards with negative effects for the caster. This sort of design paradigm is what stops K'rrik from ascending further on our ranked list <em>and</em> what gave rise to Sephiroth. This all happened in one fell swoop.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Sephiroth has now outdone K'rrik, perhaps ending a once-very concrete tenet of <em>Magic</em>'s philosophies of old. Is this a negative thing in itself? It's hard to tell. Black still isn't the strongest color in Commander, but it's got room to grow. Once it does, we may see another, revitalized "Black Summer" or similar phenomenon.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if I'm hyperbolizing that, but I personally welcome it.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>In the end, Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER is now the top mono-black commander. It carries a legacy of really cool, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-2025-commanders-that-broke-edhrec-top-100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strong legends from 2025 doing exceptionally well in the ranks on EDHREC</a>. Pretty soon thereafter, it also seems likely that he'll break into the Top 50 Commanders overall!</p>
<p>So now, we'd like to open the floor to you, dear readers. Are you pleased to see Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER getting more exposure as a popular commander? Do you have either a deck for him or for K'rrik (perhaps both)? How do you feel about these commanders and their playstyles? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


mono b

Meet Tivash, Gloom Summoner, and His Trimmed Clique of Lifegain

Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER Now the Top Mono-Black Commander

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