The Commander
Grimgrin enters tapped and doesn't untap during your untap step.
Sacrifice another creature: Untap Grimgrin and put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Whenever Grimgrin attacks, destroy target creature defending player controls, then put a +1/+1 counter on Grimgrin.
Guide
Gameplan
Grimgrin is an aristocrats/voltron beater that turns your creatures into fuel: sacrifice fodder to untap him and grow, then attack to destroy a blocker, connect, and grow again. You build a wide board of expendable creatures and value engines, then either swing for lethal commander damage or grind opponents out with sacrifice triggers. Each combat is a guaranteed removal spell plus a buff, making him a snowballing threat once online.
Strengths
- Self-recurring threat that grows quickly and gives free removal on every attack
- Built-in sacrifice outlet enables strong aristocrats and combo synergies
- Blue gives card draw, counterspells, and protection rare in dedicated sac decks
- Commander damage clock that kills in just a few connects
Weaknesses
- Enters tapped and is removal-bait, so spot removal sets you way back on tempo
- Needs a steady stream of fodder creatures or the engine stalls out
- Slow without a sacrifice engine or token producer in play
- Single big attacker is easy to chump or fog, limiting reach across a multiplayer table
Key Cards
- Gravecrawler — Recurs from the graveyard endlessly to feed Grimgrin's sacrifice ability for free untaps and counters.
- Blood Artist — Drains the table for life every time you sacrifice fodder to Grimgrin, turning the engine into a win condition.
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed — Combos with Gravecrawler for infinite sacrifice triggers, plus protects your non-Human creatures with undying.
- Phyrexian Altar — Free sac outlets and mana producers accelerate combos and let you reuse Grimgrin's untap without combat.
- Reconnaissance — Lets Grimgrin attack to trigger his destroy effect, then removes him from combat so he survives blocks unharmed.
- Bontu the Glorified — Another sacrifice payoff and indestructible threat that draws cards and drains as you feed the deck's fodder.
Upgrade Path
Add fast mana (Sol Ring, Dark Ritual, Phyrexian Altar) and free sacrifice outlets to power the combo lines, then include a reliable infinite engine like Gravecrawler + Mikaeus + Blood Artist. Tighten the deck with cheap tutors (Demonic Tutor, Diabolic Intent) and protection (Lightning Greaves, Heroic Intervention) so Grimgrin survives the removal magnet he becomes. Finally, lean on efficient token generators to keep fodder flowing for both the attack triggers and the drain.
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
- ▸Aristocrats drain via Blood Artist effects over infinite or repeated sacrifices
- ▸Commander damage from a buffed-up Grimgrin connecting after destroying blockers
- ▸Infinite combo with Gravecrawler + Mikaeus + a sacrifice payoff
- ▸Going wide and grinding the table down with repeated removal and value
Archetypes
- Aristocrats — His free sacrifice outlet plus death-payoffs like Blood Artist turn fodder into damage and value.
- Voltron — He grows with every sac and attack, making commander-damage kills realistic with a little protection.
- Combo — Gravecrawler plus Mikaeus or a free sac altar enables infinite loops for instant wins.
- Reanimator — Blue-black lets you cheat big creatures into play as both fodder and value engines.
Combos
- Gravecrawler + Rooftop Storm + Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
→ Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature, Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB
- Grimgrin, Corpse-Born + Gravecrawler + Pitiless Plunderer
→ Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature, Infinite death triggers, Infinite ETB
- Grimgrin, Corpse-Born + Gravecrawler + Relic of Legends
→ Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature, Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB
- Grimgrin, Corpse-Born + Gravecrawler + Paradise Mantle
→ Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature, Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB
- Grimgrin, Corpse-Born + Necrotic Ooze + Bloodline Keeper // Lord of Lineage
→ Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature, Infinite death triggers, Infinite ETB
Combos via Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (BU), by popularity.
