How to Play Queen Marchesa Monarch in Commander

Bracket 3 · Our Queen Marchesa decklist · Monarch

Our Queen Marchesa list is Mardu monarch politics. Queen Marchesa makes you the monarch, and when someone steals the crown she makes a deathtouch Assassin every upkeep to take it back.

The deck keeps the crown with Ghostly Prison, Windborn Muse and Archon of Coronation, punishes attackers with No Mercy and Michiko Konda, and turns the table on itself with goad from Karazikar, Nelly Borca and Disrupt Decorum.

Strategy
Monarch
Bracket
3
Avg. mana value
3.45
Lands
35
Shop the deck · $45See the decklist

01The Commander

Queen Marchesa is a four-mana Human Assassin with deathtouch and haste. When she enters, you become the monarch, and the monarch draws an extra card at each end step.

At the beginning of your upkeep, if an opponent is the monarch, create a 1/1 black Assassin with deathtouch and haste.

Any player who deals combat damage to the monarch takes the crown. The deck makes attacking you painful and gives opponents reasons to fight each other.

02How This Deck Wins

  1. 1

    Take the crown

    Queen Marchesa, Court of Grace, Court of Ambition and Emberwilde Captain make you the monarch.

  2. 2

    Keep the crown

    Ghostly Prison, Windborn Muse, No Mercy and Archon of Coronation stop opponents from taking it back.

  3. 3

    Let them fight

    Goad with Karazikar, the Eye Tyrant, Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser and Taunt from the Rampart so opponents attack each other while you draw.

03Deck at a Glance

Bracket 3 · Monarch · 100 cards

Composition

  • Commander1
  • Creatures22
  • Instants & sorceries21
  • Artifacts & enchantments20
  • Planeswalkers1
  • Lands35
  • Tokens10

Mana Curve

00
61
132
173
154
75
26
47+

Color Split

90colored
symbols
  • White 46%
  • Black 26%
  • Red 29%

By the Numbers

3.45avg. mana value
35lands (12 basic)
2Game Changers
10token types included

Cards by Role

Monarch12
Pillowfort15
Goad and Politics10
Finishers9
Removal and Mana18

04Monarch

Become the monarch and draw an extra card every turn.

Court of GraceA 4/4 flying Angel every upkeep while you're the monarch.
Court of AmbitionOpponents lose 6 or discard two each upkeep while you're the monarch.
Court of IreSeven damage to any target each upkeep while you're the monarch.
Archon of CoronationMakes you monarch, and damage can't make you lose life.
Emberwilde CaptainMakes you monarch and burns attackers for cards in hand.

Also in this role

Black Market Connections
Smothering Tithe
Esper Sentinel
Loran of the Third Path
Mangara, the Diplomat
Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
Scheming Symmetry

05Pillowfort

Make attacking you a bad idea.

Ghostly PrisonOpponents pay 2 per attacker.
Windborn MuseSame tax on a flier.
No MercyDestroys any creature that damages you.
Michiko Konda, Truth SeekerOpponents sacrifice a permanent when they damage you.
Brash TaunterReflects damage back to an opponent.

Also in this role

Nils, Discipline Enforcer
Blind Obedience
Selfless Squire
Comeuppance
Deflecting Palm
Inkshield
Teferi's Protection
Promise of Loyalty
Ophiomancer
Royal Assassin

06Goad and Politics

Send opponents' creatures at each other.

Karazikar, the Eye TyrantGoads on attack, and draws when opponents attack each other.
Nelly Borca, Impulsive AccuserSuspects and goads, and draws when opponents hit each other.
Disrupt DecorumGoads every creature you don't control.
Taunt from the RampartGoads everything, and goaded creatures can't block.
Kardur, DoomscourgeForces attacks elsewhere and drains when attackers die.

Also in this role

Breena, the Demagogue
Xantcha, Sleeper Agent
Take the Bait
Curse of Opulence
Delirium

07Finishers

Close out a game once opponents are worn down.

Gisela, Blade of GoldnightDoubles damage to opponents and halves damage to you.
Shadrix SilverquillFlying double strike, and spreads value at every combat.
InsurrectionSteal every creature for one big attack.
Elspeth, Sun's ChampionThree Soldiers a turn, or a wipe of big creatures.
Duelist's HeritageDouble strike for an attacker every combat.

Also in this role

Sunforger
Kambal, Consul of Allocation
Crackling Doom
Boros Charm

08Removal and Mana

Mardu answers and ramp.

Swords to PlowsharesOne-mana creature removal.
Ruinous UltimatumDestroys every nonland permanent your opponents control.
Blasphemous ActThirteen damage to every creature.
Anguished UnmakingExiles any nonland permanent.
Generous GiftDestroys any permanent.

Also in this role

Path to Exile
Chaos Warp
Rakdos Charm
Witch Enchanter
Sol Ring
Arcane Signet
Boros Signet
Orzhov Signet
Rakdos Signet
Fellwar Stone
Talisman of Conviction
Talisman of Hierarchy
Talisman of Indulgence

09Combos and Key Interactions

+

Queen Marchesa + Ghostly Prison

Become the monarch and make it expensive for anyone to take the crown.

+

Court of Grace + No Mercy

An Angel army every turn, and any creature that damages you is destroyed.

+

Karazikar, the Eye Tyrant + Disrupt Decorum

Goad everything, then draw a card every time opponents attack each other.

10How to Play

Opening hand

Keep hands with three lands, a Signet or Talisman and a pillowfort piece. Queen Marchesa on turn three or four takes the crown early.

1

Early gameturns 1-3

Play mana rocks and Ghostly Prison or Esper Sentinel.

2

Mid gameturns 4-7

Cast Queen Marchesa to become the monarch, then protect the crown with Windborn Muse or No Mercy.

3

Late gameturn 8+

Draw extra cards each turn, goad the table, and finish with Court of Ire, Gisela, Blade of Goldnight or Insurrection.

Tips

  • The monarch draws a card at their end step.
  • If an opponent takes the crown, Queen Marchesa makes a hasty deathtouch Assassin to take it back.
  • Courts become much stronger while you're the monarch.
  • Goaded creatures must attack someone other than you if able.

Common mistakes

  • Becoming monarch with no defense.
  • Using Insurrection when opponents have few creatures.
  • Forgetting Selfless Squire can be flashed in to prevent damage.
  • Casting Blasphemous Act while your pillowfort creatures hold the board.

Watch out for

  • Evasive creatures that slip past your taxes.
  • Enchantment removal on Ghostly Prison or No Mercy.
  • Combo decks that don't need to attack.
  • Burn that takes the crown without combat.

11Bracket and Rule 0

1Exhibition
2Core
3Upgraded
4Optimized
5cEDH
Bracket3

Our list runs 2 Game Changers (Smothering Tithe, Teferi's Protection), within the Bracket 3 limit of three.

The deck is a political monarch deck with no two-card infinite combos.

12Full Decklist

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

Commander

  • 1Queen Marchesa1RWB

Creatures (22)

  • 1Esper SentinelW
  • 1Lotho, Corrupt ShirriffWB
  • 1Breena, the Demagogue1WB
  • 1Kambal, Consul of Allocation1WB
  • 1Loran of the Third Path2W
  • 1Nils, Discipline Enforcer2W
  • 1Ophiomancer2B
  • 1Royal Assassin1BB
  • 1Xantcha, Sleeper Agent1BR
  • 1Emberwilde Captain3R
  • 1Kardur, Doomscourge2BR
  • 1Mangara, the Diplomat3W
  • 1Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker3W
  • 1Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser2RW
  • 1Selfless Squire3W
  • 1Windborn Muse3W
  • 1Witch Enchanter3W
  • 1Brash Taunter4R
  • 1Karazikar, the Eye Tyrant3BR
  • 1Shadrix Silverquill3WB
  • 1Archon of Coronation4WW
  • 1Gisela, Blade of Goldnight4RWW

Planeswalkers (1)

  • 1Elspeth, Sun's Champion4WW

Instants (14)

  • 1Path to ExileW
  • 1Swords to PlowsharesW
  • 1Boros CharmRW
  • 1Deflecting PalmRW
  • 1Rakdos CharmBR
  • 1Anguished Unmaking1WB
  • 1Chaos Warp2R
  • 1Crackling DoomRWB
  • 1Delirium1BR
  • 1Generous Gift2W
  • 1Teferi's Protection2W
  • 1Comeuppance3W
  • 1Take the Bait2RW
  • 1Inkshield3WB

Sorceries (7)

  • 1Scheming SymmetryB
  • 1Disrupt Decorum2RR
  • 1Promise of Loyalty4W
  • 1Taunt from the Rampart3RW
  • 1Ruinous UltimatumRRWWWBB
  • 1Insurrection5RRR
  • 1Blasphemous Act8R

Artifacts (10)

  • 1Sol Ring1
  • 1Arcane Signet2
  • 1Boros Signet2
  • 1Fellwar Stone2
  • 1Orzhov Signet2
  • 1Rakdos Signet2
  • 1Talisman of Conviction2
  • 1Talisman of Hierarchy2
  • 1Talisman of Indulgence2
  • 1Sunforger3

Enchantments (10)

  • 1Curse of OpulenceR
  • 1Blind Obedience1W
  • 1Black Market Connections2B
  • 1Duelist's Heritage2W
  • 1Ghostly Prison2W
  • 1Court of Ambition2BB
  • 1Court of Grace2WW
  • 1No Mercy2BB
  • 1Smothering Tithe3W
  • 1Court of Ire3RR

Lands (35)

  • 1Arid Mesa
  • 1Battlefield Forge
  • 1Blood Crypt
  • 1Bloodstained Mire
  • 1Bojuka Bog
  • 1Caves of Koilos
  • 1Clifftop Retreat
  • 1Command Tower
  • 1Dragonskull Summit
  • 1Exotic Orchard
  • 1Godless Shrine
  • 1Isolated Chapel
  • 1Luxury Suite
  • 1Marsh Flats
  • 4Mountain
  • 1Nomad Outpost
  • 4Plains
  • 1Reliquary Tower
  • 1Rogue's Passage
  • 1Sacred Foundry
  • 1Savai Triome
  • 1Spectator Seating
  • 1Sulfurous Springs
  • 1Sundown Pass
  • 4Swamp
  • 1Vault of Champions
Queen Marchesa proxy deck cover

Get the deck

Queen Marchesa Monarch proxy deck

Queen Marchesa wears the crown and makes the table pay for it. Take it, keep it, and let them fight.

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.