Ellie, Brick Master

Gameplan

Ellie turns every combat into a token-generation engine: whenever any player attacks one of your opponents, that attacker gets a tapped 1/1 Zombie attacking that opponent. Lean into a Goad/forced-combat, group-slug shell that pushes the table to swing at each other, then convert the flood of Cordyceps tokens into damage, aristocrats fodder, or board-wide aggression. Pair her Survivors partner with another commander to widen the strategy and stretch your colors.

Key Cards

• Disrupt Decorum — Goads the entire table, forcing attacks that trigger Ellie repeatedly across all opponents.
• Marisi, Breaker of the Coil — Turns combat damage into goad, creating a self-sustaining loop of forced attacks and tokens.
• Bloodthirsty Blade — Cheap repeatable goad that reliably flips Ellie's trigger every combat.
• Impact Tremors — Pings each opponent whenever any Cordyceps token enters, converting the swarm into direct damage.
• Purphoros, God of the Forge — Each token entering deals 2 to every opponent, a devastating payoff for mass token creation.
• Goblin Bombardment — Sacrifices your tokens for direct damage and aristocrats reach.

Upgrade Path

Add stronger goad density (Grenzo's-style forced combat, Frenzied Saddlebrute, Curse of Opulence as politics) and token payoffs like Terror of the Peaks or Warstorm Surge to convert ETBs into reach. Improve mono-red's weak spots with rituals, treasure ramp (Dockside Extortionist, Jeska's Will) and red card advantage (Outpost Siege, Reforge the Soul). Pick a Survivors partner that covers card draw or extra colors to diversify removal and payoffs.