Commander is Magic: the Gathering’s most popular format today, and with access to virtually all cards in the game’s 30+ year history, you can either make a deck really expensive (and uber powerful), or actually spend very little and still make a highly competent and synergized deck.

In this edition we fiddle around with a new mono-blue Commander that provides an exciting twist to the Mill strategy. The Mindskinner comes with very unusual stats – 10 Power and only 1 Toughness, making it extremely vulnerable. However any time a source of yours would deal damage, each opponent mills that many cards instead. Combine that ability with Equipment and other evasive Creatures, you can potentially mill 10-20 cards each turn.

Sounds fun? Let’s look into how to build this offbeat deck.

Colors: Blue | Cost: $231 (CardKingdom) | Power Level: Low / Mid / High / Competitive

Why Did We Pick The Mindskinner

The Mindskinner‘s combat-focused strategy is unlike anything we’ve seen with other Mill Commanders. While Bruvac, the Grandiloquent is the de-facto powerhouse in the Mill category, The Mindskinner relies on combat and hitting opponents in order to get the job done. What makes it somewhat viable is that Mindskinner inherently cannot be blocked, and its Mill ability applies to any of your creatures, so it does not be the one always engaging with the opponent (if for some reason it is locked down from combat).

With the mono-color identity and heavy reliance on the Commander, it becomes both fun and challenging to skin up some creative ideas when deck building. There always needs to be a balance between offense, defense, and utility cards, and Mindskinner. We included a handful of really powerful (and pricier) cards in the form of Commander’s Plate and Consecrated Sphinx to give this deck a fighting chance, but we’ve still managed to keep total cost at around US$230.

The Game Plan

Gone are the days of sitting back and milling the opponent with Instants, Sorceries or passive effects. While you can still run cards such as Mindcrank and Court of Cunning, neither of these are particularly suitable with The Mindskinner at the helm since all combat damage is prevented.

Instead, your deck will now be filled with creatures that can’t be blocked, or have some form of evasion while sporting some significant power. Tempest Djinn fits nicely here, capable of milling each opponent for 5 or more cards in the mid game. You also will be including the new Silent Hallcreeper, Invisible Stalker, and Ghostly Pilferer.

As these blue creatures tend to have rather low Power, you can imagine the number of turns of attack you’d need in order to beat 3 opponents. And all this while they are very likely targeting you as a threat. To generate the biggest impact, equip these creatures with Artifacts that magnify their power. Blackblade Reforged is an excellent and cheap choice for The Mindskinner itself, but Fireshrieker, Leyline Axe and Champion’s Helm all make your creatures hit harder.

The best game strategy is to set up your defense with cheap creatures as blockers, or use Propaganda and Riddle Keeper to deter any player eyeing your life total. Serendib Efreet and Dragon Turtle are excellent blockers in the early game. Once Mindskinner is on the battlefield, they can become worthy attackers to start milling your opponent. In the mid-game, if you’re able to keep Mindskinner alive through counter spells and flicker effects, the next best plan is to load Equipment onto it and swing for massive mill in one turn.

Alternative Ways to Win with The Mindskinner

Winning by milling all your opponents is always going to be tough. Now add in the reliance on The Mindskinner staying alive and being able to hit opponents with high-powered creatures and it becomes an even steeper climb. If Mindskinner keeps getting off-ed and it becomes too expensive to recast it, then you will have to hope to draw Bruvac, the Grandiloquent (also in the main deck), and use combo pieces such as Maddening Cacophony, Fleet Swallower and Terisian Mindbreaker for a one-hit kill. Such wins can feel cheap, so best to use if you’ve already exhausted all avenues trying to win with Mindskinner.

Weaknesses & How to Make Do

Mono blue decks tend to be very light in dealing with threats, unless you are stocking up on counter spells. Even so, you can’t be countering every single spell from 3 opponents. There are decent target removal spells in the form of Pongify and Reality Shift but really not much in mass removal except to bounce creatures back to owners’ hands. Aetherize and Cyclonic Rift are classic, one-sided options, while this deck also includes Scourge of Fleets to help buy some time.

Playing Advice from Real World Experience

The first few games will be rough, even if you’ve had some experience playing the Mill strategy with Bruvac or Phenax, God of Deception as your Commander. The reliance on dealing combat damage to mill is extra tricky, and even more so considering The Mindskinner is a mono-blue Commander with lots of limitations.

We’ve learned that it’s best to build up your defense and mana base first before even attempting your first Mill trigger through Mindskinner. This deck isn’t filled with a lot of Mana-generating Artifacts (otherwise known as Rocks), so you’ll want to have plenty of Islands available to cast more than just a single spell each turn. Each opponents at bay with chunky blockers as your lay down Enchantments or Equipment in preparation for the mid-game.

The Mindskinner really requires players adopt the tempo mindset that is emblematic of blue. You have to play the long game as this deck’s strategy does need careful thought and politicking in order to come out victorious.