We Are the Borg MTG Commander Deck Guide

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

This guide explains the “We Are the Borg” MTG Commander deck, a fan-made concept that reimagines the Borg Collective from Star Trek as a blue-black artifact deck built around copying, stealing, and assimilating your opponents’ permanents. You’ll learn the core strategy, key cards, how to build and pilot it, common pitfalls, and how it compares to similar official decks.

Background: Where the Deck Comes From

“We Are the Borg” is not an official Wizards of the Coast product. It’s a custom deck idea that emerged from the crossover between Star Trek and Magic: The Gathering, popularized by fan-made cards and community discussions on forums like Reddit’s r/magicTCG and dedicated Star Trek custom card projects. The theme taps into the Borg’s iconic traits: assimilation, adaptation, and hive-mind unity. In MTG terms, that translates to blue’s control and copying mechanics and black’s theft and sacrifice effects. The deck usually features a custom commander, often a fan-designed “Borg Queen” or “Collective” card, but many players build it with an existing legendary creature that captures the same feel—like Sen Triplets (steal opponents’ spells) or Lazav, the Multifarious (copy creatures). Because there’s no official Borg card, the deck’s exact list varies widely, but the core identity is consistent: you want to take what your opponents have and make it yours.

Core Strategy: Assimilate, Copy, Control

The deck’s game plan revolves around three pillars:

Steal effects: Cards like Agent of Treachery, Control Magic, and Thieving Skydiver let you permanently gain control of opponents’ creatures, artifacts, or enchantments. These are your primary “assimilation” tools.
Copy effects: Clone, Phyrexian Metamorph, and Clever Impersonator copy the best permanents on the board, including your opponents’ commanders. This gives you redundancy without relying solely on theft.
Sacrifice and recursion: Black gives you Viscera Seer, Ashnod’s Altar, and Victimize to sacrifice stolen creatures for value, then bring them back under your control. This also protects you from losing stolen permanents when the control effect ends.

You win by out-valuing opponents—each turn you take their best threats and use them against them. A common finisher is assembling a combo like Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God with Lux Cannon or using Expropriate to take extra turns and steal everything.

Choosing a Commander

Since there’s no official Borg legendary, you have to pick a stand-in. The best choices are those that naturally support theft or copying:

Sen Triplets (WUB): Lets you play cards from opponents’ hands, which is extremely on-theme. It gives white for removal and protection.
Lazav, the Multifarious (UB): Copies any creature in graveyards, letting you become your opponents’ best creatures. It’s cheap and flexible.
Memnarch (U): An artifact that can steal any permanent for 1 mana and a blue. It’s a classic theft commander, though it’s monoblue and less resilient.
Umbris, Fear Manifest (UB): Exiles opponents’ cards and grows, but it’s less about theft and more about mill—still fits the “hive” feel.

If you want a custom Borg Queen, you can design a card with abilities like “At the beginning of your upkeep, gain control of target creature with power less than your commander’s power” or “You may cast spells from opponents’ graveyards.” But for a legal deck, stick to existing legends.

Key Cards and Subthemes

Beyond theft and clones, the deck relies on several supporting pieces:

Artifact synergy: Since many theft spells are artifacts or care about artifacts, include Arcum Dagsson, Whir of Invention, and Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge to tutor and pump.
Hive-mind effects: Cards like Shared Fates (play from opponents’ libraries) or Knowledge Pool (exchange spells) simulate the collective’s shared consciousness.
Removal and disruption: Counterspell, Cyclonic Rift, and Damnation keep the board clear so you can steal without resistance.
Recursion engines: Yawgmoth’s Will, Mnemonic Betrayal, and Reanimate let you reuse theft spells or steal from graveyards.

Some players add a “drone” subtheme with creature tokens like Thopter Squadron or Myr Battlesphere to represent the swarm, but that’s optional.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

Piloting a theft deck has unique challenges:

Threat of removal: If your commander is the only theft engine, opponents will kill it on sight. Solution: run multiple theft pieces and protect your commander with Lightning Greaves or Swiftfoot Boots.
Losing stolen permanents: If the control effect ends (e.g., the enchantment is destroyed), you lose the permanent. Solution: sacrifice them before that happens, or use effects that give you permanent control like Agent of Treachery (which doesn’t have a duration).
Running out of gas: Theft spells are often expensive. Solution: include card draw like Rhystic Study and Mystic Remora, and cheap cantrips.
Political backlash: Stealing can make you the archenemy. Solution: use theft sparingly, or focus on the biggest threat so others see you as helpful.

A common misconception is that theft decks are “unfun” or “toxic.” In casual Commander, it’s often better to ask players before the game if they’re okay with heavy theft. Many groups are fine with it, but some prefer lighter interaction.

Comparison to Official Decks

The closest official decks are the Mind Seize (2013) precon with Nekusar, the Mindrazer (which punishes drawing, not stealing) and the Breed Lethality (2016) precon with Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice (which focuses on counters, not theft). The Submerged (2020) precon with Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait is land-based. None of these do what “We Are the Borg” does. The closest official commander might be Sen Triplets from the Evasive Maneuvers precon (2014), but that deck is more about flying and combat tricks. So the Borg deck is a unique custom build—there’s no official template, which means you have full freedom to tune it.

Building and Budget Considerations

You can build a functional Borg deck on a budget. The core theft spells like Control Magic and Clone are cheap (under $1). Expensive staples like Force of Will and Mana Drain are optional. A mid-tier list runs about $200–$400, while a fully optimized version with Mox Opal and Time Warp can exceed $1,000. For a casual table, you don’t need the expensive fast mana—just include 40 lands, 10 ramp pieces, and 10 draw spells. Focus on the theft and copy package first, then add interaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “We Are the Borg” a legal MTG deck?

Yes, if you use existing legendary creatures as your commander and only include official cards. There’s no official Borg card, so you must use a stand-in. The deck is legal in Commander format as long as it follows the color identity rules.

What colors should the deck be?

Blue and black are the core colors because they have the most theft and copy effects. Adding white (for Sen Triplets) gives you more removal and protection, but it’s optional. Some builds add red for Zealous Conscripts (temporary theft) but that’s less common.

Can I use custom cards?

Only if your playgroup allows them. In official tournaments, no. For casual games, many groups accept custom cards as long as they’re balanced. If you want a Borg Queen, design it with a power level similar to Sen Triplets or Memnarch.

How do I deal with opponents who exile my stolen permanents?

Exile is the main counter to theft. You can include Pull from Eternity to bring back exiled cards, but it’s narrow. Better to avoid relying on one stolen permanent—have multiple theft targets and don’t overcommit. Also, use sacrifice outlets to get value before they exile.

Is this deck competitive?

In cEDH (competitive EDH), no—it’s too slow and vulnerable. In casual and mid-power tables, it can be very strong. It’s a fun, interactive deck that shines in games with lots of creatures and artifacts to steal.

What’s the best first turn play?

Ramp. Play a mana rock like Sol Ring or Arcane Signet on turn 1, then a theft spell on turn 3–4. If you have a clone, hold it until you see an opponent’s best creature, then copy it. Don’t cast theft too early—wait for a target worth stealing.

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