commander · Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos
Growing Threat (MOC).
An Orzhov Phyrexian proliferate and artifact deck led by Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos — incubate tokens to create Phyrexian threats and win through an army of transformed artifacts backed by exile removal.
The Commanders
Growing Threat is an Orzhov Commander deck themed around the Phyrexian invasion from March of the Machine. The deck uses the "incubate" mechanic — creating Incubator tokens that flip into Phyrexian creatures when their counters reach two. Brimaz creates and proliferates these tokens, turning a gradual incubation process into a sudden flood of transformed Phyrexian threats. It's a midrange deck that builds inevitability.
Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos is a double-faced card that represents his Phyrexian corruption. He's a legendary Cat Nightmare who, whenever a Phyrexian you control deals combat damage to a player, incubates two. Incubate creates an Incubator token with that many +1/+1 counters; pay two mana to flip it into a 0/0 artifact creature that gets +1/+1 for each counter on it. Each combat step that connects incubates more tokens. Proliferate those tokens and they transform faster than opponents can manage.
Moira and Teshar is the artifact recursion alternative. She returns non-Phyrexian artifact creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield when historic spells are cast. Against removal-heavy pods, Moira and Teshar keeps the artifact base alive through any board wipe. She triggers off the deck's natural spell composition since most permanents are artifacts or legends.
Key Cards
Blade Splicer
Creates a 3/3 Golem artifact creature token when it enters the battlefield, and gives all Golems you control first strike. In an artifact-heavy deck, Blade Splicer enters and immediately provides a 3/3 first striker. With Moira and Teshar recurring artifact creatures from the graveyard, Blade Splicer can re-enter repeatedly to create more Golems. The first strike combined with Phyrexian creatures makes the deck's combat math favorable.
Myr Battlesphere
Creates four 1/1 Myr tokens when it enters. When it attacks, tap any number of Myr you control — it gets +1/+0 and deals that much damage to the defending player. With four Myr tapped, Battlesphere swings for 5/7 plus four combat damage to the player. That's nine damage from one attacker. With Brimaz incubating additional tokens and Moira and Teshar recurring Battlesphere from the graveyard, this threat returns repeatedly to threaten nine damage per attack.
Norn's Inquisitor
A March of the Machine exclusive. Whenever a token you control transforms, you proliferate. This pairs directly with Brimaz's incubate engine — each Incubator token that transforms fires Norn's Inquisitor to proliferate all remaining tokens. A turn where you transform three Incubators triggers three proliferate effects, accelerating all remaining Incubators and any other counters on the board. Norn's Inquisitor is the deck's most powerful enabler for the incubate loop.
Phyrexian Delver
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield when Phyrexian Delver enters, with you losing life equal to that creature's mana value. The life loss is acceptable in a deck that generates life from other sources. Return Myr Battlesphere from the graveyard immediately to deploy nine more damage. Phyrexian Delver turns the graveyard into a second hand of expensive threats you can redeploy at creature speed.
Utter End
Exile any nonland permanent. Four mana at instant speed for unconditional exile removal. The deck needs clean answers to problematic permanents because the artifact-focused strategy can be outpaced by certain combo decks. Utter End hits enchantments, artifacts, commanders, planeswalkers, and creatures with no restriction. It's the premier catch-all removal spell in an Orzhov color combination that lacks green's ability to handle noncreature threats.
How to Play
Ramp into Brimaz by turn four and start incubating tokens every combat step. Deploy Norn's Inquisitor as soon as possible — each transforming Incubator triggers proliferate on remaining tokens. The accelerating loop means Incubators that would take four turns to transform take two. Build Golem tokens with Blade Splicer and Myr tokens with Battlesphere to supplement your Phyrexian board.
Win through sustained combat pressure from an increasingly large board of transformed Phyrexian artifacts, or reanimate Myr Battlesphere repeatedly through Phyrexian Delver and Moira and Teshar. The deck has strong removal through Utter End and Swords to Plowshares that keeps the board clear while you build. Close games before opponents stabilize against the incubate engine.