Average Deck for Kess, Dissident Mage - Budget Optimized Combo

Julia Maddalena
May 1, 2026
Fire and Ice: Kess, Dissident Mage
In this edition of Fire and Ice, we're looking at one of the classic Grixis Spellslinger commanders: Kess, Dissident Mage.
Nick Price
Oct 8, 2025
The Top 10 Most Played Grixis Cards in Commander
Which Grixis (blue, black, and red) cards see the most play in Commander? Let's find out, with our latest Top 10 Most Played.
Cardsphere
Archidekt
Commander Spellbook
Moxfield
Scryfall
MTGStocks

Average Decklist

Archmage Emeritus
Archmage Emeritus
Cormela, Glamour Thief
Cormela, Glamour Thief
Dualcaster Mage
Dualcaster Mage
Firebrand Archer
Firebrand Archer
Goblin Electromancer
Goblin Electromancer
Judith, Carnage Connoisseur
Judith, Carnage Connoisseur
Laboratory Maniac
Laboratory Maniac
Naru Meha, Master Wizard
Naru Meha, Master Wizard
Niv-Mizzet, Parun
Niv-Mizzet, Parun
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Notion Thief
Notion Thief
Sedgemoor Witch
Sedgemoor Witch
Storm-Kiln Artist
Storm-Kiln Artist
Instants (23)
An Offer You Can't Refuse
An Offer You Can't Refuse
Arcane Denial
Arcane Denial
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
Cabal Ritual
Cabal Ritual
Chaos Warp
Chaos Warp
Consider
Consider
Counterspell
Counterspell
Dark Ritual
Dark Ritual
Expansion // Explosion
Expansion // Explosion
Fact or Fiction
Fact or Fiction
Frantic Search
Frantic Search
Ghostly Flicker
Ghostly Flicker
Increasing Vengeance
Increasing Vengeance
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt
Mystical Tutor
Mystical Tutor
Narset's Reversal
Narset's Reversal
Negate
Negate
Opt
Opt
Rakdos Charm
Rakdos Charm
Reiterate
Reiterate
Reverberate
Reverberate
Seething Song
Seething Song
Twincast
Twincast
Sorceries (15)
Blasphemous Act
Blasphemous Act
Chain of Smog
Chain of Smog
Feed the Swarm
Feed the Swarm
Final Parting
Final Parting
Gamble
Gamble
Gitaxian Probe
Gitaxian Probe
Grapeshot
Grapeshot
Insatiable Avarice
Insatiable Avarice
Mana Geyser
Mana Geyser
Ponder
Ponder
Preordain
Preordain
Ringsight
Ringsight
Serum Visions
Serum Visions
Tendrils of Agony
Tendrils of Agony
Toxic Deluge
Toxic Deluge
Artifacts (8)
Arcane Signet
Arcane Signet
Commander's Sphere
Commander's Sphere
Dimir Signet
Dimir Signet
Izzet Signet
Izzet Signet
Rakdos Signet
Rakdos Signet
Sol Ring
Sol Ring
Talisman of Creativity
Talisman of Creativity
Talisman of Indulgence
Talisman of Indulgence
Enchantments (3)
Curiosity
Curiosity
Mornsong Aria
Mornsong Aria
Thousand-Year Storm
Thousand-Year Storm
Planeswalkers (2)
Professor Onyx
Professor Onyx
Ral, Storm Conduit
Ral, Storm Conduit
Lands (22)
Cascade Bluffs
Cascade Bluffs
Command Tower
Command Tower
Crumbling Necropolis
Crumbling Necropolis
Darkwater Catacombs
Darkwater Catacombs
Dimir Aqueduct
Dimir Aqueduct
Dismal Backwater
Dismal Backwater
Exotic Orchard
Exotic Orchard
Foreboding Ruins
Foreboding Ruins
Izzet Boilerworks
Izzet Boilerworks
Path of Ancestry
Path of Ancestry
Rakdos Carnarium
Rakdos Carnarium
Seething Landscape
Seething Landscape
Shadowblood Ridge
Shadowblood Ridge
Shivan Reef
Shivan Reef
Smoldering Marsh
Smoldering Marsh
Sulfur Falls
Sulfur Falls
Sunken Hollow
Sunken Hollow
Swiftwater Cliffs
Swiftwater Cliffs
Temple of Epiphany
Temple of Epiphany
Terramorphic Expanse
Terramorphic Expanse
Thriving Isle
Thriving Isle
Underground River
Underground River
Basics (3)
Island
5 Islands
Mountain
4 Mountains
Swamp
4 Swamps