Deck of the Day: Abby & Ellie—Gruul's Ruthless Tag Team
What do you get when you combine brutal efficiency, relentless aggression, and a duo so iconic they make buddy-cop movies jealous? You get today’s DeckStir "Deck of the Day": Abby, Merciless Soldier and Ellie, Vengeful Hunter. This isn't just any Gruul deck—it’s a relentless, no-apologies, top-power onslaught designed to punish tablemates for merely sitting across from you.
If your idea of fun is mashing the gas pedal and never taking your foot off, prepare to fall in love. Let's break down what makes this deck the king of the jungle—and why your meta might not be ready for these tag-team titans.
The Commander
It’s not every day you see a deck that brings not one, but two ferocious leads to the battlefield. With Abby, Merciless Soldier and Ellie, Vengeful Hunter, you’ve got a Gruul duo that doesn't just attack—it devours.
Abby specializes in relentless offense, swinging in with high stats and a built-in way to keep the pressure on your opponents. Expect her to demand answers as soon as she hits the field. Ellie brings the heat with her own brand of vengeful utility—turning every creature death into yet another reason for your foes to regret their life choices.
When these two are on the battlefield together, synergy abounds. Abby keeps the aggression up front, while Ellie ensures that trading with your creatures is always a losing proposition for the opposition. This is a dynamic duo that turns combat into a veritable meat grinder.
Game Plan
So how do Abby and Ellie bring the pain? Simple: they flood the board with aggressive threats, back it up with value engines, and punish every attempt at resistance. Here’s how the carnage unfolds:
1. Ramp and Roll
Early turns are all about acceleration. With Arcane Signet, Gruul Signet, Golgari Signet, and Mana Confluence ramping your mana, expect to leap ahead on tempo. Cabal Coffers and Cryptolith Rite scale up your options, ensuring you'll never be short on resources for your next play.
2. Creature Swarm
Next, you unleash the horde. Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia spits out fodder, while Mahadi, Emporium Master and Gravecrawler keep your board teeming with disposable bodies. Field of the Dead gets in on the fun, cranking out free zombies for every landfall.
3. Sacrifice Value
This deck isn’t just about turning creatures sideways. It’s about getting paid for it. Ashnod’s Altar, Goblin Bombardment, and Altar of Bhaal give you the means to turn every expendable token (and opponent's hopes) into mana, damage, or recursion. Blood Artist, Mayhem Devil, and Bastion of Remembrance make every death sting—often dealing the final blows to stubborn opponents.
4. Graveyard Grind
Don’t fear the board wipes—embrace them! Living Death, Dread Return, and Eldritch Evolution fuel insane comeback turns. Meren of Clan Nel Toth and Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest turn your graveyard into a resource, letting you recycle threats and supercharge your creatures.
5. Board Control
Even the most aggressive deck needs a little control. Blasphemous Edict, Culling Ritual, and the ever-persistent Grave Pact ensure that your opponents' boards stay as clear as your path to victory. Artifact Mutation randomly deletes problematic artifacts while giving you more fodder for your engines.
6. Over-the-Top Finishers
When it's time to end games, you’ll have plenty of ways to do it. Korvold, Fae-Cursed King draws you cards and grows to monstrous size. Butcher of Malakir keeps everyone honest, and the one-two punch of Ellie's Rage (straight from the flavor vault!) ensures no one walks away unscathed.
Power & Bracket
This deck is a clear Top Power list, firmly entrenched in Bracket 1. Why? The answer is multilayered:
- Explosive Ramp: Multiple fast mana sources put you ahead from turn two.
- Resilient Threats: Recurring creatures and graveyard loops make recovery easy—even after wipes.
- Lethal Synergy: Sac outlets, aristocrats, and recursion combine for game-ending inevitability.
- Board Control: Removal and edicts punish any attempt at resistance.
- Card Advantage: Engines like Meren, Korvold, and Fiend Artisan mean you never run out of steam.
All told, this deck sits at a power level of 0/10… but that’s only because the scale doesn’t go high enough for the mayhem these two can unleash. Prepare for games where you dictate the pace, the trades, and—more often than not—the outcome.
Should You Build It?
If you’re looking for a deck that’s as ruthless as it is reliable, Abby & Ellie: Gruul’s Ruthless Tag Team is your ticket to the top tables. This is a deck for players who love to keep the pressure on, punish any who resist, and combo off in glorious style.
But be warned: this isn’t for the faint-hearted or peace-seeking. If your meta is ready for high-power slugfests, this deck will feel like home. If not, expect a few groans as you sweep the board—again.
So, should you build it? If you like winning. If you like smashing. If you like seeing your opponents scramble to keep up with your relentless value engine—then yes. Welcome to Gruul’s big leagues. Abby and Ellie are waiting.
