As the holiday season recedes into the past, we are reminded of many of the joys we experience. In many traditions, gifts (which have been the theme of our last several articles) are a part of that, and while we all know how much fun it is to receive gifts, in many ways, giving someone a gift is where the real wonder lives. There's nothing like the look on someone's face when they open a package with that perfect, thoughtful present.

So, let's make today's deck, the final in this miniseries, a real opportunity to give things away. I'm thinking jewelry, toys, statues... maybe even some experiences they've never had before.

Blim makes things easy for us! A 4/3 with relevant evasion (Flying) for four mana? That's a great deal. And all we have to do is connect and we get to give away our gifts! That shouldn't be too difficult. And we have so many wonderful things to give away!

But before we get too excited, let's go through the mana. Our 40 Lands mostly fix our colors - both Red and Black tend to have high color requirements, so we want plenty of dual Lands to make sure we're hitting our colors. We also have some expensive stuff to cast, so we'll want the extra mana. We are running several utility Lands as well, though I think my favorite is Minas Morgul, Dark Fortress, and its Shadow-granting ability. That should make it much easier for Blim to get through and deliver his gifts - think of it like a chimney to shimmy down! And because we want to give stuff away so desperately, we can ramp up with a number of two-mana ramp pieces; Arcane Signet or Mind Stone, it doesn't matter. Hopefully we cast Blim on turn three and start the revelry right away!

We have a few fun ways of drawing cards, including classics like Night's Whisper, but the ideal one is Fateful Handoff. It's like one of those deals where you buy something for someone else and you get something for yourself for free, you know? We can draw a handful of cards, then give away the thing in question, making someone's day just a little bit brighter! There are also several Enchantments and Creatures which come into play giving cards, then we're happy to pass them on to our friends.

It's unfortunate our friends haven't come to the party with the same intention, but we do have to defend ourselves from opponents with winning the game on their mind. Fortunately for us, we're in the right colors - Terminate is one of the best examples. Two mana, clean, destroy a Creature. Untimely Malfunction and Bolt Bend both let us redirect a problematic spell, Bedevil is like Terminate when it eats its Wheaties in the morning, and Chef's Kiss is like that party game everyone grumbles about but really enjoys - who knows where these two Swords to Plowshares are going? Let's find out! Deadly Tempest and Last One Standing are board resets for when things get way out of hand.

But now let's talk about the fun stuff - what are we giving away? Let's start with the jewelry, shall we?

Who doesn't love getting a ring? Jinxed Ring is a beautiful thing, cast in some kind of dark metal and clearly designed with a great deal of care. Hand that over to an opponent who doesn't have a lot of Creatures so they remember they have a friend who's thinking about them.

There are some wonderful toys. Immortal Coil is one of those truly beautiful pieces of craftsmanship which anyone would be proud to display in their home. It goes with all decor and will always create a conversation, in part because a number of people will see it and not have any idea what the point is. When Blim stops by to deliver this gift, I recommend taking the trash everyone keeps by the front door out to the can for them - in other words, play Bojuka Bog and empty their Graveyard! Trust me, they'll appreciate the service.

But are there any toys better than a robot? Bronze Bombshell is super fun - a wind up 'bot which is sure to cause excitement wherever it winds up (pun intended). Give that one to your very favorite friend.

Jinxed Idol is just the sort of thing any appreciative friend will happily accept as a token of friendship. The constant reminder of its presence during their turn will keep you top of mind as a truly caring friend - one who thinks about their friends and makes sure they're aware they're not alone.

As much as we love getting stuff, there's nothing quite like giving a great experience to someone. Think about it - what's better than a pair of tickets to that concert you just couldn't justify paying for? Captive Audience sends someone to the concert of a lifetime. Or perhaps you have a friend interested in the occult? Send them to a class on Demonic Lore, or let them experience the Oath of Lim-Dul. That friend who loves to climb and white water raft? Why not give them a pirate adventure with Greed's Gambit? Perhaps they're in need of some serious focus time so you grant them some Midnight Oil. Whatever you pass on, surely your friends will be grateful for the opportunity. Oh! I almost forgot! When you make a Demonic Pact, it would be terrible of you to not share the benefits. I recommend selecting three for yourself then passing on the last - and likely best - option to your very favorite friend at the table.

Sometimes people just need some help, and hiring a person (at a fair wage, of course) to give them some aid is always great. Who doesn't want clergy in their corner, so introduce a friend to a Priest of the Blood Rite! Plague Reaver is great at helping with spring cleaning, and Ebon Drake is exactly the kind of pet anyone would want to have around - funny, cute, and makes sure you remember it's there!

Because Blim gives away his gifts when he does damage, we need to make sure he can both get through, and we probably want to maximize how much we can grant, so we have a few ways to get him through (Trailblazer's Boots, Rogue's Passage) and a fair number of ways to give Double Strike (Lizard Blades, Fireshrieker) so we can give away two gifts per turn. You're going to be the hit of the party!

Blim, Comedic Genius | Commander | Mark Wischkaemper

• Commander (1)
• 1 Blim, Comedic Genius

• Creatures (16)
• 1 Akroan Horse
• 1 Archfiend of the Dross
• 1 Bronze Bombshell
• 1 Cinder Giant
• 1 Demonic Taskmaster
• 1 Ebon Drake
• 1 Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore
• 1 Goldnight Castigator
• 1 Grid Monitor
• 1 Lizard Blades
• 1 Plague Reaver
• 1 Priest of the Blood Rite
• 1 Rust Elemental
• 1 Silent Arbiter
• 1 Wretched Anurid
• 1 Xantcha, Sleeper Agent

• Instants (9)
• 1 Bedevil
• 1 Bolt Bend
• 1 Chef's Kiss
• 1 Fell the Profane
• 1 Not Dead After All
• 1 Offer Immortality
• 1 Rakdos Charm
• 1 Terminate
• 1 Untimely Malfunction

• Sorceries (8)
• 1 Deadly Tempest
• 1 Disrupt Decorum
• 1 Fateful Handoff
• 1 Last One Standing
• 1 Night's Whisper
• 1 Read the Bones
• 1 Sign in Blood
• 1 Syphon Mind

• Enchantments (13)
• 1 Blood Funnel
• 1 Blood Mist
• 1 Captive Audience
• 1 Custody Battle
• 1 Demonic Lore
• 1 Demonic Pact
• 1 Forbidden Crypt
• 1 Greed's Gambit
• 1 Lich's Mastery
• 1 Midnight Oil
• 1 Oath of Lim-Dul
• 1 Phyrexian Arena
• 1 Treacherous Blessing

• Artifacts (13)
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Crawlspace
• 1 Fellwar Stone
• 1 Fireshrieker
• 1 Immortal Coil
• 1 Jinxed Idol
• 1 Jinxed Ring
• 1 Mind Stone
• 1 Prowler's Helm
• 1 Rakdos Signet
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Thought Vessel
• 1 Trailblazer's Boots

• Lands (40)
• 7 Swamp
• 4 Mountain
• 1 Akoum Refuge
• 1 Blackcleave Cliffs
• 1 Bloodfell Caves
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Canyon Slough
• 1 Castle Locthwain
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Dragonskull Summit
• 1 Evolving Wilds
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Foreboding Ruins
• 1 Geothermal Bog
• 1 Graven Cairns
• 1 Kher Keep
• 1 Minas Morgul, Dark Fortress
• 1 Mount Doom
• 1 Rakdos Guildgate
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Restless Vents
• 1 Rocky Tar Pit
• 1 Rogue's Passage
• 1 Scavenger Grounds
• 1 Shadowblood Ridge
• 1 Smoldering Marsh
• 1 Sulfurous Mire
• 1 Tainted Peak
• 1 Temple of Malice
• 1 Terramorphic Expanse
• 1 The Black Gate

Buy This Deck Export text

To take a serious look for a minute, this is a pretty serious Bracket 3 deck which will definitely create some chaos - but probably requires the right mindset from the table. It's not a deck to bust out when people are testing their newest fun creation they're super excited to try, nor is it a good one for players you don't know. But for a group of buds who like to explore the boundaries of the game and enjoy some interesting challenges ("how on earth am I going to get rid of this Demonic Pact before my upkeep?"), this deck will be fun, funny, and definitely not wildly strong. Silent Arbiter and a few other protective spells should help keep you alive, but if the table decides to kill you before you get the chance to start handing out your prizes, you'll likely die.

This deck isn't for everyone, and it's definitely not for every table. But that's the beauty of this format - it's a big tent, with room for everyone. I, for one, will probably build this deck in real life and I'm certain my playgroup will enjoy the heck out of it - not every game, but every once in a while.

Thanks for reading.