How to Play Maralen, Fae Ascendant in Commander

Bracket 3 · Our Maralen decklist · Elf Tribal

Our Maralen list is Sultai Elves and Faeries. Every Elf or Faerie that enters exiles the top two cards of an opponent's library, and once each turn you may cast one of them free if its mana value is no more than your Elf and Faerie count.

The deck mixes mana Elves with flash Faeries, doubles enter triggers with Panharmonicon, copies Faeries with Archmage of Echoes, counters spells with Spellstutter Sprite and Glen Elendra, and draws with Kindred Discovery.

Strategy
Elf Tribal
Bracket
3
Avg. mana value
2.95
Lands
34
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01The Commander

Maralen, Fae Ascendant is a five-mana 4/5 flier. Whenever Maralen or another Elf or Faerie you control enters, you exile the top two cards of target opponent's library.

Once each turn, you may cast a spell from among the cards exiled with Maralen that turn without paying its mana cost, if its mana value is less than or equal to the number of Elves and Faeries you control.

Flash Faeries make this work on opponents' turns too. Bitterblossom and Bitterbloom Bearer make a Faerie every upkeep, so you get a free spell on your own turn as well. Maskwood Nexus and Springleaf Parade make everything count as both.

02How This Deck Wins

  1. 1

    Ramp with Elves

    Llanowar Elves, Elvish Archdruid, Priest of Titania and Bloom Tender get Maralen out early.

  2. 2

    Flash in Faeries

    Spellstutter Sprite, Scion of Oona, Faerie Mastermind and High Fae Trickster enter on opponents' turns, each one exiling cards for Maralen.

  3. 3

    Steal their best spells

    Cast opponents' cards free with Maralen each turn. Panharmonicon doubles the exiles and Archmage of Echoes doubles the Faeries.

03Deck at a Glance

Bracket 3 · Elf Tribal · 100 cards

Composition

  • Commander1
  • Creatures34
  • Instants & sorceries18
  • Artifacts & enchantments12
  • Planeswalkers1
  • Lands34
  • Tokens8

Mana Curve

00
71
222
123
174
55
26
07+

Color Split

90colored
symbols
  • Blue 43%
  • Black 18%
  • Green 39%

By the Numbers

2.95avg. mana value
34lands (13 basic)
2Game Changers
8token types included

Cards by Role

Faeries19
Elves18
Engines19
Counterspells6
Removal and Protection3

04Faeries

Flash fliers that trigger Maralen on any turn.

Spellstutter SpriteFlash in to counter a spell with mana value up to your Faerie count.
Archmage of EchoesCopies every Faerie or Wizard permanent spell. Each copy triggers Maralen too.
Scion of Oona+1/+1 and shroud for your other Faeries.
Oona, Queen of the FaeMills opponents and makes Faerie tokens.
Glen Elendra ArchmageCounters noncreature spells and comes back with persist.

Also in this role

Alela, Cunning Conqueror
Bitterbloom Bearer
Cloud of Faeries
Faerie Mastermind
Glen Elendra Guardian
High Fae Trickster
Maraleaf Pixie
Obyra, Dreaming Duelist
Talion, the Kindly Lord
Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor
Voracious Tome-Skimmer
Bitterblossom
Notorious Throng
Stolen by the Fae

05Elves

Mana Elves and Elf payoffs.

Elvish ArchdruidTaps for green per Elf and pumps the others.
Priest of TitaniaTaps for green per Elf on the battlefield.
Imperious PerfectA lord that makes an Elf token every turn. Each token triggers Maralen.
Elvish WarmasterA token when other Elves enter.
Lathril, Blade of the ElvesElf tokens on combat damage.

Also in this role

Llanowar Elves
Elvish Mystic
Fyndhorn Elves
Elves of Deep Shadow
Bloom Tender
Formidable Speaker
High Perfect Morcant
Champions of the Perfect
Beast Whisperer
Selfless Safewright
Reclamation Sage
Galadhrim Ambush
Tyvar Kell

06Engines

Double triggers, flash everything, and count as both types.

PanharmoniconEach creature entering triggers Maralen twice, exiling four cards.
Maskwood NexusEvery creature you control is every type, so all of them are Elves and Faeries.
Kindred DiscoveryDraws whenever a chosen type enters or attacks.
Leyline of AnticipationCast everything at flash speed.
Reflections of LittjaraCopies every spell of the chosen type.

Also in this role

Vedalken Orrery
Springleaf Parade
Chomping Changeling
Seedborn Muse
Rhystic Study
Distant Melody
Harmonized Crescendo
Sol Ring
Arcane Signet
Lightning Greaves
Farseek
Nature's Lore
Three Visits
Cultivate

07Counterspells

Faeries do their best work on other players' turns.

Glen Elendra's AnswerCounters every spell and ability opponents control and makes Faeries.
Spell StutterCounters unless they pay two plus one per Faerie.
CounterspellTwo-mana answer to anything.
Arcane DenialCounters anything for two.

Also in this role

Swan Song
An Offer You Can't Refuse

08Removal and Protection

Sultai answers.

Assassin's TrophyDestroys any permanent.
Beast WithinDestroys any permanent at instant speed.
Heroic InterventionSaves your board from a wipe.

09Combos and Key Interactions

+

Maralen, Fae Ascendant + Panharmonicon

Every Elf or Faerie exiles four cards, so you always have a good free spell.

+

Archmage of Echoes + Spellstutter Sprite

The copy counts the original, and both trigger Maralen.

+

Maskwood Nexus + Springleaf Parade

Every creature counts as an Elf and Faerie, and every token taps for mana.

10How to Play

Opening hand

Keep hands with two or three lands and a mana Elf. Maralen on turn three or four off dorks is ideal.

1

Early gameturns 1-3

Play mana Elves and Bitterblossom or Bitterbloom Bearer.

2

Mid gameturns 4-7

Cast Maralen, then flash in Faeries on opponents' turns. Each one exiles cards for a free spell.

3

Late gameturn 8+

Double with Panharmonicon, copy with Archmage of Echoes, and hold up Glen Elendra's Answer.

Tips

  • Maralen's free spell must be cast the same turn the cards were exiled.
  • Flash Faeries let you use Maralen's free cast on every player's turn.
  • Count Elves and Faeries before choosing what to cast free.
  • Maralen herself is an Elf and a Faerie, so she counts.

Common mistakes

  • Exiling cards without enough Elves and Faeries to cast them.
  • Tapping out on your turn and missing flash plays.
  • Overextending into a wipe without Heroic Intervention.
  • Forgetting the free cast is once each turn.

Watch out for

  • Board wipes.
  • Removal on Maralen.
  • Opponents with their own counterspells.
  • Graveyard and exile hate.

11Bracket and Rule 0

1Exhibition
2Core
3Upgraded
4Optimized
5cEDH
Bracket3

Our list runs 2 Game Changers (Rhystic Study, Seedborn Muse), within the Bracket 3 limit of three.

The deck wins with value and evasive Faeries, with no two-card infinite combos.

12Full Decklist

Every card in our Maralen proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.

Commander

  • 1Maralen, Fae Ascendant2BGU

Creatures (34)

  • 1Elves of Deep ShadowG
  • 1Elvish MysticG
  • 1Fyndhorn ElvesG
  • 1Llanowar ElvesG
  • 1Bitterbloom BearerBB
  • 1Bloom Tender1G
  • 1Cloud of Faeries1U
  • 1Elvish Warmaster1G
  • 1Faerie Mastermind1U
  • 1Maraleaf PixieGU
  • 1Obyra, Dreaming DuelistUB
  • 1Priest of Titania1G
  • 1Spellstutter Sprite1U
  • 1Chomping Changeling2G
  • 1Elvish Archdruid1GG
  • 1Formidable Speaker2G
  • 1Glen Elendra Guardian2U
  • 1Imperious Perfect2G
  • 1Reclamation Sage2G
  • 1Scion of Oona2U
  • 1Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor1UB
  • 1Voracious Tome-SkimmerU/BU/BU/B
  • 1Alela, Cunning Conqueror2UB
  • 1Beast Whisperer2GG
  • 1Champions of the Perfect3G
  • 1Glen Elendra Archmage3U
  • 1High Fae Trickster3U
  • 1High Perfect Morcant2BG
  • 1Lathril, Blade of the Elves2BG
  • 1Talion, the Kindly Lord2UB
  • 1Archmage of Echoes4U
  • 1Seedborn Muse3GG
  • 1Selfless Safewright3GG
  • 1Oona, Queen of the Fae3U/BU/BU/B

Planeswalkers (1)

  • 1Tyvar Kell2GG

Instants (11)

  • 1An Offer You Can't RefuseU
  • 1Swan SongU
  • 1Arcane Denial1U
  • 1Assassin's TrophyBG
  • 1CounterspellUU
  • 1Heroic Intervention1G
  • 1Spell Stutter1U
  • 1Beast Within2G
  • 1Galadhrim Ambush3G
  • 1Glen Elendra's Answer2UU
  • 1Harmonized Crescendo4UU

Sorceries (7)

  • 1Farseek1G
  • 1Nature's Lore1G
  • 1Stolen by the FaeXUU
  • 1Three Visits1G
  • 1Cultivate2G
  • 1Distant Melody3U
  • 1Notorious Throng3U

Artifacts (6)

  • 1Sol Ring1
  • 1Arcane Signet2
  • 1Lightning Greaves2
  • 1Maskwood Nexus4
  • 1Panharmonicon4
  • 1Vedalken Orrery4

Enchantments (6)

  • 1Bitterblossom1B
  • 1Springleaf ParadeXGG
  • 1Rhystic Study2U
  • 1Leyline of Anticipation2UU
  • 1Kindred Discovery3UU
  • 1Reflections of Littjara4U

Lands (34)

  • 1Alchemist's Refuge
  • 1Breeding Pool
  • 1Command Tower
  • 1Dreamroot Cascade
  • 1Drowned Catacomb
  • 1Eclipsed Realms
  • 1Exotic Orchard
  • 5Forest
  • 1Hinterland Harbor
  • 4Island
  • 1Llanowar Wastes
  • 1Misty Rainforest
  • 1Opulent Palace
  • 1Overgrown Tomb
  • 1Path of Ancestry
  • 1Polluted Delta
  • 1Rejuvenating Springs
  • 4Swamp
  • 1Undergrowth Stadium
  • 1Verdant Catacombs
  • 1Watery Grave
  • 1Woodland Cemetery
  • 1Yavimaya Coast
  • 1Zagoth Triome
Maralen proxy deck cover

Get the deck

Maralen Elf Tribal proxy deck

Maralen turns every Elf and Faerie into a free spell from an opponent's deck. Ramp, flash, and steal.

Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.

Shop the deck · $45

Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.