Vraska's a dangerous lady! At the direction of Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, she not only killed Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord to earn the top spot of the Golgari guild, but took out Azorius leader Isperia (Assassin's Trophy) to kick up a real mess, allowing other Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker agents like Dovin, Grand Arbiter into positions of power on Ravnica.
Vraska, Swarm's Eminence is almost exclusively about deathtouch creatures. So where does the Venn diagram of flavor and mechanics overlap for the Vraska, Swarm's Eminence? It says it right there on the card—assassins!
Let's kill it out there:
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Vraska, Swarm’s Eminence by Andy Hurst
'Vraska, Swarm’s Eminence' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Andy Hurst
Event:
Rank:
Freeform (Casual)
Market Price: $16.09
Pitiless Gorgon
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/176874_200w.jpg
Deathtouch
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Giant Growth
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.06
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/187225_200w.jpg
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
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Korozda Gorgon
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/67955_200w.jpg
Deathtouch
{2}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/dragons-maze/korozda-gorgon
Nature's Spiral
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/164708_200w.jpg
Return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand.
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Agent of the Fates
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/71192_200w.jpg
Deathtouch Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Agent of the Fates, each opponent sacrifices a creature.
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Xathrid Slyblade
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/90935_200w.jpg
Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
{3}{B}: Until end of turn, Xathrid Slyblade loses hexproof and gains first strike and deathtouch. (It deals combat damage before creatures without first strike. Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/magic-2015-m15/xathrid-slyblade
Undercity Uprising
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/176843_200w.jpg
Creatures you control gain deathtouch until end of turn. Then target creature you control fights target creature you don't control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
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Recover
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/155779_200w.jpg
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Draw a card.
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Greater Basilisk
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/145513_200w.jpg
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
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Foul Orchard
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/231219_200w.jpg
Foul Orchard enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {B} or {G}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-kaldheim/foul-orchard
Ambush Viper
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227081_200w.jpg
Flash Deathtouch
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Serpent's Gift
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/60028_200w.jpg
Target creature gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
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Status // Statue
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/175187_200w.jpg
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Gift of the Deity
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/27121_200w.jpg
Enchant creature As long as enchanted creature is black, it gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy that creature.) As long as enchanted creature is green, it gets +1/+1 and all creatures able to block it do so.
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Sluiceway Scorpion
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/66406_200w.jpg
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
Scavenge {1}{B}{G} ({1}{B}{G}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/return-to-ravnica/sluiceway-scorpion
Ruthless Instincts
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/95432_200w.jpg
Choose one — • Target nonattacking creature gains reach and deathtouch until end of turn. Untap it. • Target attacking creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn.
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Destined // Lead
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/129727_200w.jpg
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/amonkhet/destined-lead
Aggressive Urge
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/216028_200w.jpg
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Draw a card.
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Forest
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $3.99
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/235548_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {G}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/strixhaven-school-of-mages/forest-374
Death-Hood Cobra
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/219556_200w.jpg
{1}{G}: Death-Hood Cobra gains reach until end of turn.
{1}{G}: Death-Hood Cobra gains deathtouch until end of turn.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/death-hood-cobra
Feral Abomination
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/192881_200w.jpg
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
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Scythe of the Wretched
Market Price: $4.51
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11549_200w.jpg
Equipped creature gets +2/+2.
Whenever a creature dealt damage by equipped creature this turn dies, return that card to the battlefield under your control. Attach Scythe of the Wretched to that creature.
Equip {4}Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/mirrodin/scythe-of-the-wretched
Royal Assassin
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.88
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/47701_200w.jpg
{T}: Destroy target tapped creature.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/magic-2012-m12/royal-assassin
Fertile Thicket
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/122228_200w.jpg
Fertile Thicket enters the battlefield tapped.
When Fertile Thicket enters the battlefield, you may look at the top five cards of your library. If you do, reveal up to one basic land card from among them, then put that card on top of your library and the rest on the bottom in any order.
{T}: Add {G}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-nissa-vs-ob-nixilis/fertile-thicket
Underworld Connections
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.67
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/140060_200w.jpg
Enchant land
Enchanted land has "{T}, Pay 1 life: Draw a card."Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2017/underworld-connections
Vraska, Swarm's Eminence
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.28
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/187129_200w.jpg
Whenever a creature you control with deathtouch deals damage to a player or planeswalker, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature. −2: Create a 1/1 black Assassin creature token with deathtouch and "Whenever this creature deals damage to a planeswalker, destroy that planeswalker."
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/war-of-the-spark/vraska-swarms-eminence
Ruin Rat
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/136712_200w.jpg
Deathtouch When Ruin Rat dies, exile target card from an opponent's graveyard.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/hour-of-devastation/ruin-rat
Shambling Attendants
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/92807_200w.jpg
Delve (Each card you exile from your graveyard while casting this spell pays for {1}.)
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/khans-of-tarkir/shambling-attendants
Sedge Scorpion
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/192933_200w.jpg
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2020/sedge-scorpion
Lure
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/145521_200w.jpg
Enchant creature All creatures able to block enchanted creature do so.
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Swamp
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/235544_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {B}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/strixhaven-school-of-mages/swamp-370
Ochran Assassin
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/176676_200w.jpg
Deathtouch All creatures able to block Ochran Assassin do so.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/guilds-of-ravnica/ochran-assassin
Acidic Slime
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/226315_200w.jpg
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) When Acidic Slime enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact, enchantment, or land.
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Sylvan Might
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.01
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/219530_200w.jpg
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn.
Flashback {2}{G}{G} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/sylvan-might
Thorn of the Black Rose
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/226149_200w.jpg
Deathtouch When Thorn of the Black Rose enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
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Golgari Charm
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.70
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180903_200w.jpg
Choose one — • All creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn. • Destroy target enchantment. • Regenerate each creature you control.
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Slippery Karst
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/132165_200w.jpg
Slippery Karst enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {G}.
Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-anthology/slippery-karst
Rites of Reaping
Color Identity:B,G
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/66604_200w.jpg
Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Another target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
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Shadows of the Past
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.29
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/122263_200w.jpg
Whenever a creature dies, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
{4}{B}: Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. Activate this ability only if there are four or more creature cards in your graveyard.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-nissa-vs-ob-nixilis/shadows-of-the-past
Nightmare Void
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/66372_200w.jpg
Target player reveals their hand. You choose a card from it. That player discards that card. Dredge 2 (If you would draw a card, you may mill two cards instead. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand.)
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Hooded Blightfang
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.78
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215693_200w.jpg
Deathtouch Whenever a creature you control with deathtouch attacks, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life. Whenever a creature you control with deathtouch deals damage to a planeswalker, destroy that planeswalker.
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Memorial to Folly
Color Identity:B
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212429_200w.jpg
Memorial to Folly enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {B}.
{2}{B}, {T}, Sacrifice Memorial to Folly: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2020/memorial-to-folly
Our creature base is pretty fearsome! Most of our creatures have deathtouch, so they'll trade in any fight, but most also lack size. This means we need to take care when we're on the aggressive, since our creatures love to trade up and kill larger creatures. Their small size means our opponents will do whatever they can to avoid those trades. We'll need to use our plethora of pump spells, and we've got a lot of them.
From good ol' Giant Growth to flashbacked Sylvan Might to very tricky Destined, we've got lots of ways to ensure our team survives for future attacks. And if our opponent opts to decline the trade, Vraska, Swarm's Eminence makes our guys larger and more threatening. Rinse and repeat until the opponent is no more.
Removal is a little light here. All our creatures trade, so we're never particularly worried about something being too difficult to deal with in combat. Although we could get bitten by something with a potent activated ability. Status is our catchall, and Nightmare Void can pick anything if we suspect some sandbagging. Dredge 1 is a very light cost.
(Remember, since the Planeswalker is uncommon we get five rares instead of the normal four.)
3 mana for a 3/2 deathtouch is only ok here—we get a slightly better, but harder to cast Pitiless Gorgon for the same price. However, we're also playing all those pump spells. And those spells—which trigger the Agent of the Fates heroic ability—turn it into a bomb. The opponent won't be able to keep many creatures on the board after pumping up the Agent of the Fates once or twice, and it does a fine job of clearing the way for the rest of the troops.
There isn't exactly a Deathtouch Lord; our Vraska, Swarm's Eminence here is probably the closest we've come to a pure lord effect that goes with this keyword. But the Hooded Blightfang is no joke! All of a sudden our dangerous, yet dinky troops get a lot more dangerous, the deathtouch damage applies to Planeswalkers, and The Hooded Blightfang stats mean it's tough to take out, ensuring future shenanigans. Quite a bang for our buck at only three-mana when it plays so hard into our theme.
Ok, ya got me. This one doesn't have deathtouch, but it's an absolutely iconic card from Magic's early days. And Vraska, Swarm's Eminence has murdered a Ravnican Guild leader while being the Golgari Queen herself, thus fulfilling all possible interpretations of a royal assassin. So I think we're covered on flavor grounds. If Royal Assassin survives to go active, we'll be protected well and getting through for damage will be tough. And nowadays, almost 30 years after the Royal Assassin debut, he's just happy to get some play.
This is a nod toward Vraska, Swarm's Eminence history with the Golgari Guild. If we're willing to trade creatures off consistently, we're going to need a way to keep some gas in the tank. Underworld Connections lets us keep the cards flowing for the low, low cost of some minor mana constriction. Keep in mind that although we'll almost always want to use this, we aren't forced into it like we would be with normal Phyrexian Arena effects if our life total is pressured.
Couple benefits here. First, it provides a nice size boost—remember our creatures aren't very large, so +2/+2 can make a massive difference. Secondly, and more importantly, that extra part of the ability is always going to trigger because our creatures have deathtouch! And recruiting our opponent's creatures to our side of the field (while not paying for re-equipping!) is a big game.
We don't have a ton of effects sprinkling counters everywhere. But we do have Vraska, Swarm's Eminence herself. And if she's around and spreading counters to our troops, the Korozda Gorgon can use those counters to mow down the opposition easily. Ever play with a little thing called Umezawa's Jitte before? Ok, well this is like the really, really poor man's version of that.
Mom Voice, "We've got Umezawa's Jitte at home!"
Plus, Umezawa's Jitte is totally broken, and we're not made of money. If we can kill a creature or two with the Korozda Gorgon, we won't be losing. And the Korozda Gorgon tough-as-nails 2/5 stats make it pretty durable.