Chainer, Dementia Master: The Commander
Chainer, Dementia Master brings a powerful spin to reanimation in black. By paying three black mana and three life, you can bring any creature from any graveyard back to the battlefield as a Nightmare. Though this means creatures reanimated by Chainer are exiled if they would leave the battlefield, we’ve packed the deck with synergistic cards that make the most out of this “exile if it would leave” clause. With Chainer in command, every graveyard becomes a resource, allowing you to bring back not only your own powerful creatures but also those of your opponents.
Filling the Graveyard: The Self-Mill Package
The self-mill package in this deck is essential for setting up Chainer’s reanimation ability. Stitcher’s Supplier, Mire Triton, and Out of the Tombs work together to fill your graveyard with powerful creatures and spells. Stitcher’s Supplier provides immediate graveyard fodder when it enters and dies, while Mire Triton adds incidental life gain alongside its milling effect—an essential resource given Chainer’s life-cost to reanimate. Out of the Tombs is a slower but relentless enabler, growing in power over time to continuously fuel the graveyard and give Chainer more targets for his abilities.
The Sacrifice Synergy
The sacrifice synergy in this deck ensures you can make the most out of Chainer’s reanimated creatures before they’re exiled. Viscera Seer, Yahenni, Undying Partisan, and Warren Soultrader each provide flexible sacrifice outlets to trigger death effects and protect Chainer’s creatures from being lost to exile. Viscera Seer allows for on-demand scrying, giving you better control over draws, while Yahenni not only provides an indestructible sacrifice outlet but also grows stronger as creatures die around it. Warren Soultrader brings a unique twist, allowing you to leverage life as a resource in exchange for control over opponents' creatures, fitting perfectly with Chainer’s life-for-power theme.
Draining Life and Gaining Life
The life-drain effects in this deck help offset the life costs associated with Chainer's abilities, while also pressuring opponents. Gray Merchant of Asphodel—or Gary, as it’s affectionately known—leverages mono-black’s devotion mechanic to deliver a massive life drain when reanimated. Archon of Cruelty brings even more value by forcing opponents to sacrifice, discard, and lose life each time it enters, while also drawing you cards and gaining life. Syr Konrad, the Grim adds another win condition by draining opponents whenever creatures enter the graveyard or leave it, making him an ideal partner for Chainer’s reanimation and sacrifice synergies.
Key Reanimation Targets
The deck’s reanimation targets bring high-impact abilities that synergize well with Chainer’s game plan. Vilis, Broker of Blood is a powerful draw engine, letting you draw cards whenever you lose life, effectively turning Chainer’s reanimation cost into card advantage. Sepulchral Primordial allows you to reanimate creatures from opponents’ graveyards, often creating a massive board swing in your favor. Torgaar, Famine Incarnate is another powerful tool, allowing you to halve an opponent’s life total or reset your own life to 20, which can be a lifesaver in the late game as you continuously pay life to activate Chainer.
Removal Package
The deck includes a flexible removal suite to help control the board. Meteor Golem and Ravenous Chupacabra provide spot removal for problematic permanents and creatures, respectively. They’re especially potent when reanimated, as they can be sacrificed and brought back repeatedly. For larger threats, Massacre Girl and Massacre Wurm act as board wipes on a stick. Massacre Girl
Decklist
Below is the full decklist for this Chainer, Dementia Master build. Feel free to explore and adapt as you see fit!
Commander: 1 Chainer, Dementia Master Creatures: 1 Disciple of Griselbrand 1 Abhorrent Overlord 1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel 1 Disciple of Bolas 1 Solemn Simulacrum 1 Sheoldred, Whispering One 1 Carrion Feeder 1 Liliana of the Dark Realms 1 Mire Triton 1 Grave Titan 1 Massacre Girl 1 Viscera Seer 1 Illuminor Szeras 1 Archon of Cruelty 1 Rottenmouth Viper 1 Chthonian Nightmare 1 Overseer of the Damned 1 Ravenous Chupacabra 1 Sepulchral Primordial 1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed 1 Chainer, Dementia Master 1 Reanimate 1 Witch's Cottage 1 Meteor Golem 1 Eviscerator's Insight 1 Braids, Arisen Nightmare 1 Plaguecrafter 1 Commune with Evil 1 Necron Deathmark 1 Massacre Wurm 1 Ruthless Technomancer 1 Torgaar, Famine Incarnate 1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan 1 Syr Konrad, the Grim Artifacts: 1 Arcane Signet 1 Commander's Sphere 1 Phyrexian Altar 1 Altar of Dementia 1 Sol Ring 1 Bolas's Citadel 1 Sceptre of Eternal Glory Enchantments: 1 Necromancy 1 Withering Torment 1 Out of the Tombs 1 Animate Dead Instants and Sorceries: 1 Dark Ritual 1 Cabal Ritual 1 Bubbling Muck 1 Yawgmoth's Will 1 Tragic Slip 1 Lethal Scheme 1 Ill-Gotten Gains 1 Living Death 1 Commune with Evil Lands: 26 Swamp 1 Strip Mine 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Cabal Coffers 1 Castle Locthwain 1 Crypt of Agadeem 1 Deserted Temple 1 Geier Reach Sanitarium 1 Cabal Stronghold
Conclusion
This Chainer, Dementia Master Commander deck provides a rich, adaptable strategy that any mono-black enthusiast will enjoy. With powerful reanimation, sacrifice synergies, and life-drain effects, it offers a unique, non-linear experience in each game. Building and evolving this deck has been a journey, and I’m excited to keep refining it. If you’re looking for a deck that brings powerful creatures to the battlefield, cycles them in and out of the graveyard, and rewards flexible play, this build is perfect for you.