Introduction
This deck is part of the Two-Headed Giant Commander decks, these are designed to be played 2v2 or 3v3 in the Commander format, but can also be played 1v1.
Certain decks have certain themes, and will pair better with other decks, which decks work best have been listed below. These decks are on a higher skill level than most of the other decks in the club, with a lot of interacting mechanics. This can be overwhelming to learn and master but it is a whole lot of fun when you do.
In the untamed wilderness beyond the kingdom’s borders, the Wild Outlanders thrive. These warriors, elves, and goblins live in harmony with the forest, their lives deeply connected to the natural world. Their leader Kresh, the exiled brother of King Kenrith, has forged a life of freedom and strength among these outlanders. As the kingdom faces the threat of the Villains, the Wild Outlanders must decide whether to join the fight for glory or remain hidden in their remote villages, untouched by the turmoil of the outside world.The theme of the Wild Outlanders box is a . The main theme for the Wild Outlander decks are +1/+1 counters, Warriors, Elves and Goblins.
Kresh the Bloodbraided was the mightiest human warrior from Jund, Alara. He wore a sword called Mage Slayer and commanded respect and honor, and caused bloodshed wherever he went. Jund warriors wear braids in their hair which are tied with skin or tendons from fallen foes from tribal raids or life hunts, marking the ferocity and prowess of those who have them. While most great warriors on Jund have 2-5 braids, and reach an age between 20 and 25 years, Kresh had 22 braids and reached an age of almost 40 years. He has survived three Life Hunts.
The identity of his parents is unknown; he was rescued from a burning village by warriors of Highclan Tol Hera as an infant. Living for the hunt and uninterested in leadership, he never challenged his clan's leader Javid Hera until he splintered off his clan, the Tol Antaga. Kresh and his clan were being misguided and controlled by Nicol Bolas' agent Rakka Mar. She used their shamanistic culture to control them and power up the stone that focused the mana on Jund to lead up to the Conflux. After Sarkhan Vol and Rakka left Kresh and his clan to die after a fight with dragons, Ajani Goldmane showed up and convinced Kresh to fight back. Eventually, when the shards came together, Kresh led the faction from Jund that fought Bolas' forces.
Key Strategy
Kresh the Bloodbraided is a powerhouse commander that thrives in a deck full of creatures, combat, and sacrifice. Kresh grows larger whenever another creature dies, making him an ideal choice for an aggressive deck that generates and sacrifices creatures for value. With a host of synergy-driven cards, this deck seeks to control the battlefield by turning creature deaths into massive power swings for Kresh. It can win through overwhelming combat damage or through powerful interactions that trigger upon creature deaths.
Kresh the Bloodbraided: The heart of the deck, Kresh grows whenever any creature dies, gaining +1/+1 counters equal to that creature’s power. His growth can be explosive, especially with large creatures or sacrifice effects. With trample enablers like Archetype of Aggression and Khenra Charioteer, Kresh becomes an unstoppable force.
All Will Be One: This card synergizes beautifully with Kresh. Whenever Kresh grows with +1/+1 counters, All Will Be One deals damage to any target equal to the number of counters placed on Kresh, allowing you to remove key threats or deal direct damage.
Hardened Scales: This card amplifies the power of Kresh by adding an extra +1/+1 counter whenever he gains any, making it easier for Kresh to get out of hand quickly.
Death's Presence: When another creature dies, Death's Presence transfers its power in the form of +1/+1 counters to Kresh or another creature. This works perfectly with the deck's sacrifice theme, ensuring that every death powers up Kresh.
Living Death: This card is both a board wipe and a reanimation spell. It forces a mass sacrifice, pumping Kresh with counters, and then returns your best creatures to the battlefield, allowing you to overwhelm your opponents.
Moraug, Fury of Akoum: Extra combat phases are deadly in this deck, especially with a massive Kresh. Moraug allows you to swing multiple times in a turn, dealing fatal amounts of damage.
Growing Rites of Itlimoc: This flips into Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun, providing an enormous amount of mana once you have a few creatures on board. This mana ramp helps cast your large threats or fuel Kresh's growth further.
Shared Animosity: This turns your token swarms into potent attackers, making even small creatures deadly threats as they all boost each other.
Kresh the Bloodbraided + All Will Be One: Kresh grows with counters from creature deaths, and All Will Be One deals damage whenever those counters are placed. This creates a loop of damage output that can quickly wipe the board or deal lethal damage to opponents.
Ashnod’s Altar + Scurry Oak + Kresh the Bloodbraided: Scurry Oak generates infinite Squirrel tokens when combined with an outlet like Ashnod’s Altar, which you can sacrifice for infinite mana and triggers, powering up Kresh massively.
Moraug, Fury of Akoum + Growing Rites of Itlimoc: Growing Rites of Itlimoc provides the mana to fuel additional combat steps, while Moraug allows you to take extra combat phases to swing with a gigantic Kresh multiple times in a turn.
Early Game: In the early game, your goal is to ramp and develop your board with utility creatures and set up synergies. Cards like Arcane Signet, Cultivate, and Ignoble Hierarch provide mana acceleration to power out your larger threats. Creatures such as Pelt Collector, Bramblewood Paragon, and Decorated Champion can start generating value early and growing in power, setting the stage for Kresh to come down as a formidable threat.
You also want to use sacrifice fodder like Garna, the Bloodflame and Merciless Executioner to fuel Kresh’s growth while keeping your opponents' creatures in check.
Mid Game: In the mid game, Kresh should hit the battlefield. Once he's out, you want to create an environment where creatures die regularly—either through combat or sacrifice outlets like Ashnod's Altar and Blasting Station. Use cards like Flesh/Blood and Terminate to clear opposing creatures while pumping Kresh. Chandra's Ignition can serve as both a board wipe and a massive finisher, allowing Kresh’s power to deal lethal damage across the board.
You should also deploy your key synergy pieces, such as Hardened Scales and Death's Presence, to ensure Kresh gets the most out of every creature death. Don’t hesitate to sacrifice your creatures, especially with cards like Blasting Station and Ashnod’s Altar, as Kresh will only get stronger.
Late Game: By the late game, Kresh should be enormous, and you should be looking for ways to capitalize on his massive power. All Will Be One can burn down your opponents with each +1/+1 counter you add to Kresh, potentially dealing lethal damage. Moraug, Fury of Akoum provides extra combat steps, allowing Kresh to swing multiple times in one turn, especially if you’ve been ramping with cards like Growing Rites of Itlimoc.
Additionally, use cards like Living Death to reset the board and bring back an army of creatures, potentially ending the game with overwhelming force. Shared Animosity combined with your wide board state can also lead to devastating attacks.
In your opening hand, prioritize mana acceleration and cheap creatures to start growing Kresh as soon as possible. Look for cards like Arcane Signet, Ignoble Hierarch, Cultivate, and Nature’s Lore to ramp quickly. Having an early sacrifice outlet such as Ashnod’s Altar or Blasting Station is also key to enabling your strategy. If you can start building up a large Kresh early, your opponents will have a hard time keeping up.
If your hand has interaction like Chaos Warp or Putrefy, it's worth keeping to deal with early threats or problematic permanents. You can also look for synergy pieces like Hardened Scales or Growing Rites of Itlimoc to set up explosive mid-game plays.
This Kresh the Bloodbraided deck is designed to leverage creature deaths to grow Kresh into an unstoppable force while taking advantage of powerful synergies with +1/+1 counters and sacrifice mechanics. With a wide array of creatures, removal, and ramp, this deck can adapt to different stages of the game and win through both combat damage and explosive combo plays.
Deck Theme and Pairings
Themes:
+1 / +1 Counters
Warriors
Warrior Cards
Counters Cards