RakdosLegendary Creature — Human Warlock BardTotentanz, Swarm Piper
Mana value3Rank#8,165
The Commander
Whenever Totentanz or another nontoken creature you control dies, create a 1/1 black Rat creature token with "This token can't block."
: Target attacking Rat you control gains deathtouch until end of turn.
Guide
Gameplan
Totentanz turns every nontoken creature death into a Rat token, then weaponizes the swarm by handing out deathtouch so attackers trade up or force chump blocks. You build a wide board through sacrifice, aristocrats payoffs, and the rat tribal package, then close with mass damage or a single overwhelming alpha strike. Each turn you sacrifice fodder for value, refill with Rats, and grind opponents out.
Strengths
- Free, repeatable token generation that fuels sacrifice and go-wide strategies
- Built-in deathtouch makes even a 1/1 Rat a credible threat and removal magnet
- Deep BR aristocrats and rat tribal synergies are cheap and accessible
- Resilient board state that punishes board wipes by replacing dead creatures
Weaknesses
- Tokens (and the Rats it makes) don't trigger the death ability, capping explosiveness
- Slow without a sacrifice outlet or anthem; raw Rats are fragile 1/1s that can't block
- Vulnerable to graveyard hate and token wipes like Bontu's Last Reckoning effects
- Mana-hungry: the deathtouch ability and aristocrats payoffs compete for resources
Key Cards
- Marrow-Gnawer — Doubles down on rat tribal, letting you sacrifice a Rat to make a Rat for every Rat you control.
- Pack Rat — Scales Rats into a game-ending board while feeding Totentanz's death triggers.
- Blade of the Bloodchief — Turns the constant stream of creature deaths into a lethal equipped attacker.
- Ashnod's Altar — Free sacrifice outlet that converts nontoken creatures into mana and Rats simultaneously.
- Pitiless Plunderer — Generates Treasure off every death, fueling the deathtouch ability and explosive turns.
- Goblin Bombardment — Repeatable free sac outlet that pings opponents while churning out Rats.
Upgrade Path
Add a sacrifice loop like Ashnod's Altar plus Pitiless Plunderer and a recurring creature (Gravecrawler, Reassembling Skeleton) for engine consistency, and lean into aristocrats drains so you don't rely solely on combat. Tighten the mana base with fast rocks (Arcane Signet, talismans) and tutors like Diabolic Intent that double as sac fodder, then add free outlets such as Viscera Seer and Carrion Feeder. For top-end, Pitiless/Mahadi Treasure generation enables explosive deathtouch-fueled finishes and protects against board wipes.
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
- ▸Wide alpha strike with deathtouch and an anthem like Coat of Arms or Cover of Darkness
- ▸Aristocrats drain via Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, and Bastion of Remembrance
- ▸Combat damage from a buffed Blade of the Bloodchief carrier or Marrow-Gnawer swarm
- ▸Repeatable sac-outlet pings with Goblin Bombardment fueled by infinite token loops
Archetypes
- Aristocrats — Every nontoken death makes a Rat, pairing perfectly with sacrifice outlets and death payoffs.
- Tokens / Go-Wide — Rats stack quickly and overwhelm with anthems and deathtouch enabling profitable attacks.
- Rat Tribal — Totentanz anchors a black rat package alongside Marrow-Gnawer and Pack Rat.
- Reanimator — Sacrificing big creatures makes Rats while you recur the threats for value.
Combos
No combos found for this commander on Commander Spellbook.
Related Commanders
Same color identity (BR), by popularity.
