Gimli of the Glittering Caves

Gameplan

Cast Gimli early, then chain cheap legendary creatures to pile +1/+1 counters on him while his double strike turns those counters into massive damage. Connect with a player to generate Treasure, ramping into more legends and protective gear. You win through commander damage or by overwhelming the table with a single buffed-up Dwarf.

Key Cards

• Embercleave — Cheap to cast after attacks and grants double strike-stacking trample to push lethal commander damage.
• Shadowspear — Cheap equipment granting trample and lifelink, and its ability strips hexproof/indestructible from blockers.
• Hammer of Nazahn — Indestructibility plus a big buff and free attaching makes Gimli a resilient threat.
• Reckless Fireweaver — Turns each Treasure trigger into incidental damage, adding a reach/aristocrats angle.
• Sram, Senior Edificer — A legendary that grows Gimli and draws cards off your equipment and auras.
• Hellkite Courser — A legendary that triggers Gimli and can cheat him back onto the battlefield attacking.

Upgrade Path

Add resilience and evasion—Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, and indestructibility sources keep Gimli alive through removal. Tighten the legendary count with efficient, low-cost legends (Slobad, Anim Pakal, Toralf) to maximize counter triggers, and lean into Treasure synergies with cards like Mayhem Devil and Goldspan Dragon to convert ramp into damage and explosive turns.