GolgariLegendary Creature — Phyrexian Zombie ElfGlissa, Herald of Predation
Mana value5Rank#9,820
The Commander
At the beginning of combat on your turn, choose one —
• Incubate 2 twice. (To incubate 2, create an Incubator token with two +1/+1 counters on it and "
: Transform this token." It transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.)
• Transform all Incubator tokens you control.
• Phyrexians you control gain first strike and deathtouch until end of turn.
Guide
Gameplan
Glissa generates a stream of Incubator tokens each combat, transforms them into a board of Phyrexian artifact creatures, then hands them first strike and deathtouch to dominate combat. You build wide quickly, leverage artifact and token synergies, and grind out value while applying steady aggressive pressure that snowballs once you have spare mana to flip incubators.
Strengths
- Free, repeatable token generation every combat with no mana investment
- Built-in evasion-like edge: first strike + deathtouch makes attacks and blocks brutal
- Tokens are artifacts AND creatures, enabling double synergy lines (sacrifice, artifact payoffs, tokens-matter)
- Strong board rebuilding after wraths since the engine refills each turn
- Naturally fits aristocrats, +1/+1 counters, and go-wide strategies
Weaknesses
- Incubators need each to flip, so without ramp you can't transform a large board
- Slow to threaten lethal on its own; relies on payoffs to convert tokens into wins
- Glissa dies easily as a 5-mana commander and the engine pauses if removed repeatedly
- Vulnerable to board wipes before payoffs are online
- Combat-triggered, so it does nothing the turn it enters with no haste
Key Cards
- Anduril, Narsil Reforged — Pumps the whole Phyrexian/token army and stacks with the deathtouch mode for one-sided combat.
- Skullclamp — Turns 0/0 flipped incubators or chump tokens into a relentless card-draw engine.
- Pitiless Plunderer — Each sacrificed token makes Treasure, fueling the flip costs and explosive turns.
- Cathars' Crusade — Every incubator and flipped creature triggers it, snowballing counters across your board.
- Ashnod's Altar — Provides colorless mana to flip incubators en masse and powers aristocrats loops.
- Mondrak, Glory Dominus — Doubles incubator creation, instantly doubling your token output each combat.
Upgrade Path
Add fast mana and token doublers (Sol Ring, Ashnod's Altar, Mondrak, Anointed Procession) so you can flip incubators in bulk and double the engine. Layer in proliferate (Flux Channeler, Evolution Sage) and sacrifice-payoff aristocrats (Blood Artist, Pitiless Plunderer) to convert the army into reliable damage. Top it with a closer like Craterhoof Behemoth or Pathbreaker Ibex to turn the wide board into instant lethal.
Core Cards
The most-played cards for this commander, built from aggregated deck data (the Mythic Graph). Build public decks to seed it.
Win Conditions
- ▸Overrun effects (Craterhoof Behemoth, Overwhelming Stampede) into a deathtouch-first-strike alpha strike
- ▸Aristocrats drain via Blood Artist / Zulaport Cutthroat as tokens die en masse
- ▸Wide board with anthems like Anduril or Cathars' Crusade beating down over multiple turns
- ▸Combo finishes using token-sacrifice loops with Pitiless Plunderer and Ashnod's Altar
Archetypes
- Tokens / Go-Wide — Glissa floods the board with Incubators and flipped Phyrexians, perfect for anthem and overrun payoffs.
- Aristocrats — Endless artifact-creature tokens feed sacrifice outlets, drain effects, and death triggers.
- Artifacts — Every incubator and flipped token is an artifact, enabling affinity, improvise, and artifact-count payoffs.
- +1/+1 Counters — Incubators arrive with counters, synergizing with proliferate and counter-doublers.
Combos
- Glissa, Herald of Predation + Krark-Clan Ironworks + Clock of Omens + Strionic Resonator
→ Infinite colorless mana, Infinite tapped creature tokens, Infinite tapped Incubator tokens
- Glissa, Herald of Predation + Krark-Clan Ironworks + Clock of Omens + Lithoform Engine
→ Infinite colorless mana, Infinite tapped creature tokens, Infinite tapped Incubator tokens
- Glissa, Herald of Predation + Breath of Fury + Mass Hysteria
→ Infinite combat damage, Infinite combat phases, Infinite death triggers
- Glissa, Herald of Predation + Breath of Fury + Fervor
→ Infinite combat damage, Infinite combat phases, Infinite death triggers
- Glissa, Herald of Predation + Breath of Fury + Anger
→ Infinite combat damage, Infinite combat phases, Infinite death triggers
Combos via Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (BG), by popularity.
