Acererak the Archlich is one of those commanders that looks cute, then quietly ruins tables if people do not respect what is happening. This deck leans hard into what mono-black does best: converting life into cards, cards into mana, and mana into inevitability. Acererak is not here to swing. He is here to loop dungeons, drain life, and turn small advantages into absolute nonsense.
This is a spell-heavy, engine-driven Commander deck that rewards sequencing, patience, and knowing when to pull the trigger. It looks like a pile of black staples. It plays like a machine.
Commander
- Acererak the Archlich – Your commander and primary engine, bouncing himself to loop dungeon triggers without ever entering the Tomb of Annihilation.
Deck List
- Aetherflux Reservoir – Rewards spell chains with massive life gain and gives you a clean way to end the game.
- Arcane Signet – Efficient ramp that does exactly what it says.
- Ayara, First of Locthwain – Turns creature loops into card draw and incremental life drain.
- Baleful Mastery – Flexible exile removal with an emergency cheap mode.
- Beseech the Queen – A tutor that scales naturally with mono-black mana.
- Blood Pet – A disposable body that converts into mana when you need it most.
- Bog Initiate – Fixes odd mana sequences and feeds devotion.
- Bolas’s Citadel – The deck’s most explosive engine, turning life into raw velocity.
- Bontu’s Monument – Reduces costs and slowly drains the table as you cast spells.
- Bubbling Muck – One-shot mana explosion that can enable absurd turns.
- Cabal Ritual – Strong ritual that scales well in longer games.
- Carnival of Souls – Converts creature loops into mana at the cost of life.
- Charcoal Diamond – Slower ramp, but reliable and on-theme.
- Command Beacon – Lets you dodge commander tax when loops get interrupted.
- Culling the Weak – Turns spare creatures into huge mana bursts.
- Damnation – A clean reset button when boards get out of hand.
- Darkness – A surprise fog that no one ever plays around.
- Deadly Dispute – Sac outlet plus cards and treasure.
- Death Match – Turns every creature into a removal spell.
- Defile – Scales nicely in mono-black decks.
- Defiler of Flesh – Reduces spell costs and pressures life totals.
- Demon’s Horn – Small life gains that add up during long turns.
- Diamond Mare – Passive life gain tied directly to casting spells.
- Erebos, God of the Dead – Card draw engine and anti-lifegain hate.
- Exsanguinate – Classic mana sink that can end games outright.
- Feed the Swarm – Mono-black’s answer to enchantments.
- Geier Reach Sanitarium – Looting for everyone, but better for you.
- Go for the Throat – Cheap, efficient creature removal.
- Gravecrawler – Recursive creature that fuels sacrifice loops.
- Gray Merchant of Asphodel – Devotion payoff and stabilizer.
- Heartless Summoning – Cost reduction that enables fast loops.
- Helm of Awakening – Symmetrical cost reduction you exploit better than others.
- Imp’s Mischief – Redirects interaction in the most black way possible.
- Infernal Grasp – Removal with a small life cost you barely notice.
- Initiates of the Ebon Hand – Converts black mana into more black mana.
- Insatiable Avarice – Tutor plus card draw in one package.
- Jet Medallion – Reduces nearly every spell you cast.
- K’rrik, Son of Yawgmoth – Turns life into mana and accelerates everything.
- Karn Liberated – Exiles problem permanents and threatens ultimates.
- Karn, the Great Creator – Shuts down artifacts and provides toolbox utility.
- Moonsilver Key – Finds key mana pieces or Citadel.
- Mutilate – Scales with Swamps and clears boards efficiently.
- Night’s Whisper – Cheap card draw at a trivial cost.
- Phyrexian Arena – Steady card advantage over time.
- Plunge into Darkness – Digs deep or gains life in a pinch.
- Profane Tutor – Delayed tutor that pays off later.
- Read the Bones – Scry plus draw to smooth midgame.
- Relic of Legends – Turns legendary creatures into mana.
- Scheming Symmetry – Political tutor that you break first.
- Semblance Anvil – Imprint cost reduction that fuels spell chains.
- Shambling Ghast – Early blocker that converts into value.
- Shred Memory – Graveyard hate that doubles as a tutor.
- Sign in Blood – Efficient card draw or sneaky finisher.
- Sol Ring – The usual suspect.
- Soul-Guide Lantern – Flexible graveyard interaction.
- Sudden Spoiling – Blows out combat and combos alike.
- 33 Swamp – The fuel that makes everything work.
- Tendrils of Agony – Storm finisher that pairs well with big turns.
- The Sibsig Ceremony – Reusable sacrifice outlet with payoff.
- Tinybones Joins Up – Incidental drain and pressure.
- Toxic Deluge – Flexible sweeper that scales to the board.
- Urza’s Incubator – Reduces Acererak’s cost repeatedly.
- Warren Soultrader – Turns creatures into mana and value.
- Withering Torment – Removal plus pressure.
- Yahenni’s Expertise – Board control plus free spell.
- Zul Ashur, Lich Lord – Recursion engine that grinds value.
Game Plan
The early game is about setup. Ramp, draw cards, and quietly assemble cost reducers. Acererak comes down when you can immediately extract value, not just to look scary.
Midgame is where the deck turns the corner. Dungeon loops generate incremental value while your mana engines and life-based resources snowball. Opponents often underestimate how quickly the math adds up.
The late game is about explosive turns. Bolas’s Citadel, K’rrik, and cost reducers allow massive chains that end with Exsanguinate, Aetherflux Reservoir shots, or Tendrils of Agony.
Strengths
- Incredible card velocity once engines are online.
- Multiple win conditions that do not rely on combat.
- Resilient to board wipes thanks to spell-based lines.
- Strong mono-black identity that punishes slow tables.
Weaknesses
- Life total is a real resource and must be managed carefully.
- Graveyard hate can disrupt some loops.
- Requires sequencing discipline to avoid stalling out.
Upgrades And Tweaks
If you want to push power higher, additional fast mana and tutors tighten consistency. If you want to tone it down, trimming cost reducers and rituals slows explosive turns without breaking the core engine.
This deck scales extremely well to your table’s tolerance for nonsense.
If your group likes games where someone suddenly says “okay, wait, I think I win,” Acererak is your guy.


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