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For the final of Magic: The Gathering's Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks, we're headed to the Imperium of Man in Forces of the Imperium. Lead for millennia by the immortal, psychic God-Emperor of Mankind, humanity has become a paranoid and bureaucratic nightmare where anything but the highest reverence of the Imperium can result in your swift execution.

RELATED: Magic: The Gathering – Warhammer 40,000 Commander Deck Previews: Necron Dynasties

Leading the way to purge humanity of these heretics are the Inquisitors, who are the focal point of the Forces of the Imperium deck. Command everything from basic grunts to the most powerful of Astartes and Space Marines in this white/blue/black take on a Token and Aristocrats deck.

The Commander: Inquisitor Greyfax

Inquisitor Grayfax

The Commander of the Forces of the Imperium deck is none other than Katarinya Greyfax. A ruthless Inquisitor, her job is to hunt out and execute any and all heretics. Gifted with the psychic ability to detect lies, she's an uncompromising tool in service of the Emperor.

In Magic, her abilities slightly undersell her notoriety. Her first ability, Unquestionable Wisdom, is a great tool for token decks that want to swing out with everything and still have blockers open, while Hunt for Heresy's role is to get those death triggers many other cards in the deck need to function. Making every creature on your battlefield vigilant is a nice flavour touch, though, as nobody is safe from the glare of the ever-vigilant Greyfax.

Marneus-Calgar-1

The alternative commander for the deck is Marneus Calgar, who pushes the deck away from the light-Aristocrats theme of Greyfax and more firmly into token territory.

Although the "one or more tokens" clause on the Master Tactician ability may sound like letdown, but there are lots of ways to make lots of tokens sequentially instead of all at once,allowing you to draw numerous cards each turn. Calgar's ability is also better for getting cards than Greyfax's, as you don't need to faff around with getting a Clue token and paying even more to sacrifice it – Calgar just gives you a draw instead.

The second ability, Chapter Master, is an ability for desperation plays – six mana for two 2/2 tokens a heavy price to play, even if it does trigger the first ability and get you a card at the same time.

Every New Card

Commissar Severina by Jake Murray
Commissar Severina by Jake Murray

The Forces of the Imperium deck is focused on making creature tokens, and then killing them off for profit.

For making tokens, cards like Belisarius Cawl, Company Commander and Cybernetica Datasmith are great, but don't forget about the new squad mechanic, that lets you repeatedly pay a certain cost to make token copies of that creature. Arco-Flagellant, Vanguard Suppressor, Zephyrim, Ultramarines Honour Guard, Space Marine Devastator, and Sicarian Infiltrator are all going to be big plays in the deck, thanks to how many copies of themselves they can create.

Once you've built them up, you can knock some of them down for the good of the Imperium. Sacrificing things to Greyfax is just one option, you could throw them to Commissar Serverina Raine instead for life and cards, or to The Golden Throne for mana. Or you could just blow up all your creatures with Fell the Mighty and get those Sanguinary Priest triggers instead.

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Name

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Inquisitor Greyfax

Inquisitor Greyfax

One generic, one white, one blue, one black legendary creature – Human Inquisitor – 3/3:


Vigilance


Unquestionable Wisdom — Other creatures you control get +1/+0 and have vigilance.


Hunt for Heresy — One generic, Tap: Tap target creature an opponent controls. Investigate. (Create a Clue token. It’s an artifact with “Two, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”)

And They Shall Know No Fear

And They Shall Know No Fear

One generic, one white instant:


Choose a creature type. Creatures you control of the chosen type get +1/+0 and gain indestructible until end of turn.

Celestine, The Living Saint

Celestine, the Living Saint

Four generic, one white legendary creature – Human Warrior – 3/4:


Flying, lifelink


Healing Tears — At the beginning of your end step, return target creature card with mana value X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.

Defenders of Humanity

Defenders of Humanity

X generic, two generic, one white enchantment:


When Defenders of Humanity enters the battlefield, create X 2/2 white Astartes Warrior creature tokens with vigilance.


X generic, two generic, one white, Exile Defenders of Humanity: Create X 2/2 white Astartes Warrior creature tokens with vigilance. Activate only if you control no creatures and only during your turn.

For The Emperor!

For the Emperor!

Three generic, one white sorcery:


Creatures you control get +2/+2 and gain vigilance and lifelink until end of turn.

Grey Knight Paragon

Grey Knight Paragon

Four generic, one white creature – Astarted Knight – 4/4:


Flash


Rites of Banishment — When Grey Knight Paragon enters the battlefield, destroy target attacking creature. If that creature is a Demon, exile it instead.

Space Marine Devastator

Space Marine Devastator

Three generic, one white creature – Astartes Warrior – 3/3:


Squad: two generic. (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay two generic mana any number of times. When this creature enters the battlefield, create that many tokens that are copies of it.)


Grav-cannon — When Space Marine Devastator enters the battlefield, destroy up to one target artifact or enchantment.

Space Marine Scout

Space Marine Scout

Two generic, one white creature – Astartes Scout – 2/1:


First strike, vigilance


Concealed Position — When Space Marine Scout enters the battlefield, if an opponent controls more lands than you, you may search your library for a Plains card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

Thunderwolf Cavalry

Thunderwolf Cavalry

Four generic, one white creature – Astartes Warrior – 4/4:


First strike


Crushing Teeth — Whenever Thunderwolf Cavalry deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on each other creature you control.

triumph of saint katherine

Triumph of Saint Katherine

Four generic, one white creature – Human Warrior – 5/5:


Lifelink


Praesidium Protectiva — When Triumph of Saint Katherine dies, exile it and the top six cards of your library in a face-down pile. If you do, shuffle that pile and put it back on top of your library.


Miracle: one generic, one white. (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it’s the first card you drew this turn.)

Ultramarines Honour Guard

Ultramarines Honour Guard

Three generic, one white creature – Astartes Warrior – 2/2:


Squad: two generic. (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay two any number of times. When this creature enters the battlefield, create that many tokens that are copies of it.)


Other creatures you control get +1/+1.

Fexilus Praetor

Vexilus Praetor

Three generic, one white creature – Custodes Warrior – 3/4:


Flash


Vigilance


Aegis of the Emperor — Commanders you control have protection from everything.

Zephyrim

Zephyrim

Three generic, one white creature – Human Warrior – 3/3:


Squad: two generic. (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay two generic any number of times. When this creature enters the battlefield, create that many tokens that are copies of it.)


Flying, vigilance


Miracle: one generic, one white. (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it’s the first card you drew this turn.)

Sicarian Infiltrator

Sicarian Infiltrator

Two generic, one blue artifact creature – Human Soldier – 1/2:


Flash


Squad: two generic. (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay two generic any number of times. When this creature enters the battlefield, create that many tokens that are copies of it.)


Benediction of the Omnissiah — When Sicarian Infiltrator enters the battlefield, draw a card.

Sister of Silence

Sister of Silence

Four generic, one blue creature – Human Knight – 3/3:


Flash


Psychic Abomination — When Sister of Silence enters the battlefield, counter target instant spell, sorcery spell, activated ability, or triggered ability.

Vanguard Suppressor

Vanguard Suppressor

Three generic, one blue creature – Astartes Warrior – 3/2:


Squad: two generic. (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay two generic any number of times. When this creature enters the battlefield, create that many tokens that are copies of it.)


Flying


Suppressing Fire — Whenever Vanguard Suppressor deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.

Arco-Flagellant

Arco-Flagellant

Two generic, one black creature – Human – 3/1:


Squad: two generic. (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay two any number of times. When this creature enters the battlefield, create that many tokens that are copies of it.)


Arco-Flagellant can’t block.


Endurant — Pay three life: Arco-Flagellant gains indestructible until end of turn.

Primaris Eliminator

Primaris Eliminator

Four generic, one black creature – Astartes Warrior – 3/2:


When Primaris Eliminator enters the battlefield, choose one —


• Executioner Round — Destroy target creature. • Hyperfang Round — Creatures target player controls gets -2/-2 until end of turn.

Sanguinary Priest

Sanguinary Priest

Three generic, one black creature – Astartes Cleric – 2/4:


Lifelink


Blood Chalice — Whenever another creature you control dies, Sanguinary Priest deals one damage to any target.

Assault Intercessor

Assault Intercessor

One generic, one white, one black creature – Astartes Warrior – 3/2:


First strike, menace


Chainsword — Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, that player loses two life.

Belisarius Cawl

Belisarius Cawl

Two generic, one white, one blue legendary artifact creature – Human – 2/4:


Ultima Founding — Tap, Tap two untapped artifacts you control: Create a 2/2 white Astartes Warrior creature token with vigilance.


Master of Machines — Tap, Tap X untapped creatures you control: Look at the top X cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

Birth of the Imperium

Birth of the Imperium

Two generic, one white, one blue, one black enchantment – Saga:


(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after three.)


One — Create a 2/2 white Astartes Warrior creature token with vigilance for each opponent you have.


Two — Each opponent sacrifices a creature.


Three — Draw two cards for each opponent who controls fewer creatures than you.

Callidus Assassin

Callidus Assassin

Four generic, one blue, one black creature – Human Shapeshifter Assassin – 3/3:


Flash


Polymorphine — You may have Callidus Assassin enter the battlefield tapped as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it has “When this creature enters the battlefield, destroy up to one other target creature with the same name as this creature.”

Commissar Severina Raine

Commissar Severina Raine

One generic, one white, one black legendary creature – Human Soldier – 2/2:


Leading from the Front — Whenever Commissar Severina Raine attacks, each opponent loses X life, where X is the number of other attacking creatures.


Summary Execution — Two generic, Sacrifice another creature: You gain 2 life and draw a card.

Company Commander

Company Commander

Two generic, one white, one black creature – Human Soldier – 2/4:


Command Section — When Company Commander enters the battlefield, create a number of 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens equal to the number of opponents you have.


Bring it Down! — Whenever Company Commander attack, creatures you control gain deathtouch until end of turn.

Cybernetica Datasmith

Cybernetica Datasmith

One generic, one blue, one black artifact creature – Human Artificer – 0/1:


Protection from Robots


Field Reprogramming — One blue, Tap: Target player draws a card. Another target player creates a 4/4 colorless Robot artifact creature token with “This creature can’t block.”

Deny the Witch

Deny the Witch

One generic, one white, one blue, one black instant:


Counter target spell, activated ability, or triggered ability. Its controller loses life equal to the number of creatures you control.

Epistolary Librarian

Epistolary Librarian

Two generic, one white, one blue creature – Astartes Wizard – 3/4:


Veil of Time — Whenever Epistolary Librarian attacks, you may cast a spell with mana value X or less from your hand without paying its mana cost, where X is the number of attacking creatures.

Exterminatus

Exterminatus

Five generic, one white, one black sorcery:


Nonland permanents your opponents control lose indestructible until end of turn.


Destroy all nonland permanents.

Inquisitor Eisenhorn

Inquisitor Eisenhorn

Two generic, one blue, one black legendary creature – Human Inquisitor – 2/3:


You may reveal the first card you draw each turn as you draw it. Whenever you reveal an instant or sorcery card this way, create Cherubael, and legendary 4/4 black Demon creature token with flying.


Whenever Inquisitor Eisenhorn deals combat damage to a player, investigate that many times. (Create a Clue token. It’s an artifact with “Two generic, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”)

Marneus Calgar

Marneus Calgar

Two generic, one white, one blue, one black legendary creature – Astartes Warrior – 3/5:


Double strike


Master Tactician — Whenever one or more tokens enter the battlefield under your control, draw a card.


Chapter Master — Six generic: Create two 2/2 white Astartes Warrior creature tokens with vigilance.

Neyam Shai Murad

Neyam Shai Murad

Two generic, one white, one black legendary creature – Human Rogue – 3/3:


Rogue Trader — Whenever Neyam Shai Murad deals combat damage to a player, you may have that player return target permanent card from their graveyard to their hand. If you do, that player chooses a permanent card in your graveyard, then you put it onto the battlefield under your control.

Primaris Chaplain

Primaris Chaplain

Two generic, one white, one black creature – Astartes Cleric – 3/3:


Battle cry (Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.)


Rosarius — Whenever Primaris Chaplain attacks, it gains indestructible until end of turn.

Sister Hospitaller

Sister Hospitaller

Four generic, one white, one black creature – Human Cleric – 3/2:


Medicus Ministorum — When Sister Hospitaller enters the battlefield, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. You gain life equal to its mana value.

Sister Repentia

Sister Repentia

Three generic, one white, one black creature – Human Warrior – 5/1:


Martyrdom — When Sister Repentia dies, you gain 2 life and draw two cards.


Miracle: one white, one black. (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it’s the first card you drew this turn.)

The Flesh Is Weak

The Flesh Is Weak

Two generic, one white, one blue, one black enchantment:


When The Flesh Is Weak enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.


Creatures you control with +1/+1 counters on them are artifacts in addition to their other types.


Nonartifact creatures get -1/-1.

Inquisitorial Rosette

Inquisitorial Rosette

Two generic artifact – Equipment:


Inquisition Agents — Whenever equipped creature attacks, create a 2/2 white Astartes Warrior creature token with vigilance that’s attacking. Then attacking creatures gain menace until end of turn.


Equip: three generic. (Three generic: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Knight Paladin

Knight Paladin

Five generic artifact – Vehicle – 6/6:


Trample


Rapid-fire Battle Cannon — When Knight Paladin enters the battlefield, it deals four damage to each opponent. Crew 1 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power four or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)

Reaver Titan

Reaver Titan

Seven generic artifact – Vehicle – 10/10:


Void Shields — Protection from mana value three or less.


Gatling Blaster — Whenever Reaver Titan attacks, it deals five damage to each opponent.


Crew 4 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power four or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)

Redemptor Dreadnought

Redemptor Dreadnought

Five generic artifact creature – Astartes Dreadnought – 4/4:


Fallen Warrior — As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may exile a creature card from your graveyard.


Trample


Plasma Incinerator — When Redemptor Dreadnought attack, if a card is exiled with it, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the power of the exiled card.

The Golden Throne

The Golden Throne

Four generic legendary artifact:


Arcane Life-support — If you would lose the game, instead exile The Golden Throne and your life total becomes one.


A Thousand Souls Die Every Day — Tap, Sacrifice a creature: Add three mana in any combination of colors.

Thunderhawk Gunship

Thunderhawk Gunship

Six generic artifact – Vehicle – 6/6:


Flying


When Thunderhawk Gunship enters the battlefield, create two 2/2 white Astartes Warrior creature tokens with vigilance.


Whenever Thunderhawk Gunship attacks, attacking creatures you control gain flying until end of turn.


Crew 2 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power two or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)

The Full Decklist

Swords to Plowshares by Diego Gisbert
Swords to Plowshares by Diego Gisbert

Out of the four decks, this one appears to feature the most noteworthy reprints.

You've got fantastic removal with Swords to Plowshares and Mortify, plenty of board wipes with Hour of Reckoning, Fell the Mighty, and Martial Coup, and even some decent lands like Sunken Hollow, Praierie Stream, and Exotic Orchard.

Of course, there's also a lot of mana rocks, ranging from Sol Ring and Arcane Signet to more interesting choices like Everflowing Chalice and the three Talismans.

NEXT: Magic: The Gathering – Warhammer 40,000 Commander Deck Previews: The Ruinous Powers