Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar

📖 How to build Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar

Grazilaxx is a mono-blue commander that rewards you for attacking. Whenever one of your creatures becomes blocked, you may return it to your hand, which lets you save an attacker from a bad combat. Whenever your creatures deal combat damage to a player, you draw a card. The plan is to keep attacking, pull back anything that gets blocked, and draw whenever damage connects.

Build around creatures that are cheap to recast, since the blocked-creature trigger sends them back to your hand. Evasive or numerous attackers help you connect with players more often. Because the draw triggers on one or more creatures dealing combat damage, a wide board is a fine way to get it. Cards like Brainstorm and Frantic Search help sort your hand, and Counterspell, Swan Song, and Fierce Guardianship can protect your plays while you attack.

Watch out for the fact that all your card advantage depends on combat damage reaching a player. Returning a blocked creature is optional and costs mana to replay, and a creature you bounce deals no damage that turn. Grazilaxx is also only a three-mana creature, so protect it, and don't rely on it alone to keep you ahead.

Deck guide written with AI assistance based on the card's rules text.