Reid Duke Black-based Midrange
Dimir Midrange has been a powerful and successful Standard deck for more than a year now. Even at times when Mono-Red Aggro, Izzet Prowess, Izzet Cauldron, or other strategies feel dominant, Dimir Midrange has consistently been considered a strong choice.
Dimir Midrange has been around in Standard since The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, and there were even Dimir Faeries before that. With Duskmourn: House of Horror, the archetype received unique weapons — Enduring Curiosity and Kaito, Bane of Nightmares — that allowed it to reach new heights.
While some people feel spooked by Izzet Cauldron and its dominant performance at Arena Championship 9, we should note that Magic Online (MTGO) player Kampo won the 273-player Standard Showcase Challenge with Dimir, beating numerous Izzet Cauldron decks along the way. Kampo’s deck is featured above, and my sideboard guide will reference it.
The Best Cards in MTG’s Standard Dimir Midrange
Kaito, Bane of Nightmares
Duskmourn: House of Horror, Mythic
Kaito, Bane of Nightmares is great against decks full of interaction and laughs in the face of Tragic Trajectory, Shoot the Sheriff, Stab, and the like. Previous versions of Dimir Midrange sometimes only played two; I now heartily recommend playing three or four copies. Kaito’s one weakness is that he can be lackluster versus aggressive decks, where you’re likely to be on the back foot. Since Kaito is a tricky card to play, I’ll note some corner-case rules that you’ll want to know about.
- Kaito enters, it is attacking the same player, Planeswalker, or Battle that the returned creature was attacking.
- Ninjutsu can be countered by Tishana’s Tidebinder. The Kaito player activates Ninjutsu, pays the costs, returns the attacking creature, and reveals Kaito from their hand. If the ability is countered, all of that still happens, but Kaito never enters the battlefield.
- You can use Ninjutsu during the end of the combat step, after damage has been dealt. This can come up if you draw Kaito off of an Enduring Curiosity trigger.
- When Kaito is a creature, he is not a Planeswalker.
Enduring Curiosity
Duskmourn: House of Horror, Rare
Enduring Curiosity is the king of black-based Midrange mirrors and pseudo-mirrors. It’s very difficult to profitably remove, and it can provide an endless stream of card advantage. The combination of Kaito, Bane of Nightmares and Enduring Curiosity makes Dimir Midrange inherently strong against other black midrange decks like Demons and Golgari Midrange.
Spyglass Siren
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, Uncommon
Cheap fliers are core to the deck because they enable Kaito, Bane of Nightmares and Enduring Curiosity to reach their full potential. As a one-drop flier that provides additional value, Spyglass Siren is the best of the bunch.
Even though Dimir Midrange likes to be assertive, a suite of strong black removal is still core to the strategy. It allows the deck to play multiple roles and to win games when on the draw. You’ll want access to a healthy mix of removal spells across the mainboard and sideboard.
The Flexible Slots and New Cards in MTG’s Standard Dimir Midrange
Sunset Saboteur
Edge of Eternities, Rare
Three cards from Edge of Eternities appear in three copies each in Kampo’s winning decklist. Each of them is a valuable role player that powers up the strategy or helps correct key weaknesses.
Sunset Saboteur is a new two-drop option, and it hits harder and faster than any creature previously available to Dimir Midrange. Between high power and a resilient Ward ability, Saboteur is exceptional against decks that are either light on creatures or high on spot removal. Since Dimir Midrange plays tons of interaction itself, you can mitigate the downside by killing or locking down the opposing creatures that you add counters to.
Imagine the common scenario where your opponent has one threat. You attack and add a counter to it, but because of the menace ability, they can’t block. You Ninjutsu in Kaito, Bane of Nightmares (probably during the end of combat step, so you connect for four damage instead of three), then you use his -2 ability to lock down their creature, thus neutralizing the counter and leaving your Planeswalker safe and sound.
Tragic Trajectory
Edge of Eternities, Uncommon
Tragic Trajectory is a powerful one-mana removal spell similar to the iconic Fatal Push. In many ways, it’s stronger than Cut Down was in the previous format due to its ability to take down larger threats. You do lose something in the transition from instant to sorcery, but Tragic Trajectory is a key part of a balanced and effective removal suite.
Annul
Edge of Eternities, Uncommon
Annul is a sideboard card whose primary purpose is to improve the matchup against Izzet Cauldron. For one mana, it counters Agatha’s Soul Cauldron, Fear of Missing Out, and Proft’s Eidetic Memory. That makes for a very high rate of neutralizing whatever the most popular deck in Standard chooses to deploy on turn two. Additionally, you’ll run into plenty of fringe decks and brews where Annul is useful. It’s nice to know that an opponent is never going to stick a Monument to Endurance, a Simulacrum Synthesizer, or anything similarly scary after sideboarding.
Cecil, Dark Knight
FINAL FANTASY, Rare
Cecil, Dark Knight is arguably the best addition from Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY. It’s an above-rate one-drop that either trades up against larger creatures or unloads damage quickly when it goes unblocked.
Starting Town
FINAL FANTASY, Rare
Darkslick Shores and Underground River have now rotated out, but Starting Town fills the void that they’ve left. This is an excellent land that ensures your early turns go well. And since the rest of Dimir’s manabase is perfectly solid, you typically won’t have to take more than a point of damage or two throughout the game.
Deep-Cavern Bat
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, Uncommon
Deep-Cavern Bat isn’t a universal four-of, but I’m personally a big fan of it in this archetype. It plays much better in Dimir Midrange than it does in Demons or Golgari Midrange because Dimir Midrange takes better advantage of the small, evasive body. When you can strip away the opponent’s key card and then start drawing extra cards off of Enduring Curiosity, it hardly matters if the opponent eventually answers the Bat. You’ll have gained such an advantage in the meantime that it will be too late for them to recover.
While the featured decklist only has three, I personally don’t mind playing the full four Deep-Cavern Bats in the mainboard. That said, feel free to sideboard them out in certain matchups when you’re playing removal-heavy post-board games.
Floodpits Drowner
Duskmourn: House of Horror, Uncommon
Floodpits Drowner is a flash threat that can remove blockers on key turns and is generally strong against creature-based decks. If you’re looking for even more two-drop creatures, there are plenty of additional options for rounding things out such as Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel and Dark Confidant.
Now, let’s talk about the three drops. Many Dimir Midrange lists have been rocking Preacher of the Schism, a mainstay of the archetype since its inception. But sometimes, Preacher feels low impact. In particular, creating a 1/1 Vampire token isn’t particularly strong in some types of games — for example, if your opponent is comboing off, dealing damage in big chunks, or planning to sweep the board.
At World Championship 30 last year, we opted for Unstoppable Slasher instead. You can block without having to think twice about it, but you can also turn the corner very quickly. In black matchups, it asks for exiling removal; it has to be removed instantly, or it deals an incredible amount of damage.
Phantom Interference
Outlaws of Thunder Junction, Common
When it comes down to the countermagic suite, Phantom Interference shines because costing two mana is very important, especially when you’re on the draw. Making the flying Spirit token comes up more often than you think, and getting to counter a spell while also creating a token is just great. It happens rarely, but when it does, it can swing a game in your favor.
Three Steps Ahead
Outlaws of Thunder Junction, Rare
Three Steps Ahead can feel clunky in comparison to two-mana counters, but I personally really value having access to hard counters. If decks with Sunfall, Ultima, and the like pick up in popularity again, a small number of Three Steps Ahead in the mainboard might serve you well.
Spell Pierce
Aetherdrift, Uncommon
You’re going to notice that I recommend cutting Spell Pierce after sideboarding in many matchups. Nevertheless, it’s a strong game one card where a well-placed Pierce on a key spell can slam the door on the game. After sideboarding, when both players have more interaction, things can slow down. That’s an environment where I prefer hard counters, such as Disdainful Stroke.
Soulstone Sanctuary
Foundations, Rare
Fountainport can be nice in attrition games, but I think Soulstone Sanctuary is the better fit for Dimir Midrange. Note that it’s a Ninja for the purposes of Kaito’s Emblem.
MTG’s Standard Dimir Midrange Matchups and Sideboard Guide
Market Price: $15.84
Despite the prevalence of Izzet Cauldron, Dimir Midrange is in a great spot in Standard right now. The cheap black removal makes creature matchups favorable. Enduring Curiosity and Kaito, Bane of Nightmares win you the black Midrange fights. Countermagic and Tishana’s Tidebinder will help you succeed against the slower decks. The matchup against Izzet Cauldron is close and scary, but you have all the necessary tools, and with tight play, you can be ahead.
Vs. Izzet Cauldron
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Market Price: $49.81
Duress, Intimidation Tactics, and Deep-Cavern Bat can be good for buying time in the early turns. Izzet Cauldron has a lot of moving pieces, so a well-placed discard or permission spell can sometimes punch a hole in their draw and capitalize on the fail rate of their deck, while Dimir Midrange is more reliable and consistent.
- In: 3 Annul, 2 Duress, 1 Intimidation Tactics, 1 Preacher of the Schism, 2 Qarsi Revenant, and 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder
- Out: 2 Stab, 2 Spell Pierce, 1 Phantom Interference, 2 Tragic Trajectory, 2 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares, and 2 Sunset Saboteur
Annul is a key sideboard card because it counters Agatha’s Soul Cauldron, Fear of Missing Out, and Proft’s Eidetic Memory, so you can almost always count on tagging their two-drop. That can be key for breaking serve and stealing back the tempo advantage when you’re on the draw.
Your role is to play Control in this matchup; your highest priority should be to disrupt them. Their late game isn’t the greatest, and your sideboard cards can do some good work for you. The games usually drag out post-board, and your individually powerful threats will take over. Tishana’s Tidebinder is fine to have against them. However, the small creature evasive plan with Enduring Curiosity doesn’t always work very well here.
Vs. Mono-Red Aggro
While Heartfire Hero and Monstrous Rage are now banned, it’s still reasonable to expect red aggressive decks to show up in one form or another. Maybe it’s Mono-Red Aggro, maybe it’s Gruul Delirium, or maybe it’s something a bit different.
- In: 1 Tishana’s Tidebinder, 1 Preacher of the Schism, 2 Duress, 1 Intimidation Tactics, and 2 Qarsi Revenant
- Out: 4 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares, 2 Spell Pierce, and 1 Phantom Interference
Deep-Cavern Bat, spot removal spells, and Phantom Interference give you the much-needed early interaction. Mulligan hands that can’t interact in the early turns. Due to the high amount of interaction and being able to hold up mana, Enduring Curiosity can be a surprising overperformer. The games can drag out a little, at which point Enduring Curiosity comes down and takes over.
For the post-board games, you turn even more so into a Control deck. Kaito can be weak against all of their small creatures. You can play around with the Duress numbers on the play, as the card gets worse there. It’s a similar story with Phantom Interference on the draw.
Vs. Dimir Midrange (The Mirror)
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Kaito, Bane of Nightmares and Enduring Curiosity are the most important cards. Be aware of the Ninjutsu ability on turn three. It might be correct to use your removal more aggressively to prevent the Planeswalker from coming down before you’re prepared for him.
- In: 2 Duress, 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder, 1 Faebloom Trick, 1 Intimidation Tactics, 1 Preacher of the Schism, and 2 Qarsi Revenant
- Out: 3 Deep-Cavern Bat, 1 Phantom Interference, 2 Spell Pierce, and 3 Sunset Saboteur
Permission spells are interesting because they can sometimes tag key cards and trade up on mana. On the other hand, they can be clunky if you fall behind against Kaito. Deep-Cavern Bat lines up poorly against Stab and Spyglass Siren, making it an easy exclusion after sideboarding.
Vs. Esper Self-Bounce (Pixie)
- In: 1 Deathmark, 2 Duress, 1 Intimidation Tactics, 1 Faebloom Trick, and 1 Preacher of the Schism
- Out: 2 Spell Pierce, 1 Phantom Interference, and 3 Deep-Cavern Bat
Vs. Izzet Prowess
- In: 2 Duress, 1 Intimidation Tactics, 1 Preacher of the Schism, 2 Qarsi Revenant, and 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder
- Out: 2 Stab, 2 Spell Pierce, 1 Phantom Interference, 2 Tragic Trajectory, and 1 Sunset Saboteur
Vs. Green Landfall
- In: 1 Deathmark, 1 Faebloom Trick, 1 Intimidation Tactics, 1 Preacher of the Schism, 1 Qarsi Revenant, and 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder
- Out: 2 Spell Pierce, 2 Enduring Curiosity, and 3 Sunset Saboteur
Vs. Azorius Control
- In: 2 Disdainful Stroke, 2 Duress, and 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder
- Out: 2 Stab, 3 Tragic Trajectory, and 1 Floodpits Drowner
Vs. Demons
- In: 2 Duress, 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder, 1 Faebloom Trick, 1 Preacher of the Schism, and 1 Annul
- Out: 2 Stab, 2 Sunset Saboteur, and 3 Deep-Cavern Bat
Again, Deep-Cavern Bat comes out. Generally speaking, taking out the Bat against a deck with tons of cheap removal is the right call. Here, you turn a little more into a flash-control role. Unholy Annex should not resolve, and so long as it doesn’t, Demons should not be able to compete with your Kaito, Bane of Nightmares and Enduring Curiosity engine, which they have a hard time answering.
Vs. Golgari Midrange
- In: 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder, 1 Faebloom Trick, and 1 Preacher of the Schism
- Out: 1 Sunset Saboteur and 3 Deep-Cavern Bat
Golgari Midrange will feel similar to the Demons matchup, with Tragic Trajectory being a little stronger as they may have Llanowar Elves or other small creatures. There is a case to be made for Tishana’s Tidebinder, especially since it fits better into the main game plan of flash-control.
Vs. Naya Yuna (and Ramp) Decks
- In: 2 Disdainful Stroke, 2 Duress, 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder, and 1 Deathmark
- Out: 2 Stab, 3 Tragic Trajectory, and 2 Floodpits Drowner
Up the Beanstalk is banned, but players will still find a way to go over the top and create powerful play in the late game. Naya Yuna is just one example.
Vs. Mono-White Tokens
- In: 2 Disdainful Stroke, 2 Duress, 2 Tishana’s Tidebinder, and 1 Deathmark
- Out: 2 Stab, 3 Tragic Trajectory, 1 Floodpits Drowner, and 1 Cecil, Dark Knight