How it grades
Fundamentals 86/100. Plays like Vampire Tribal and Lifegain.
This reads as Vampire Tribal · Lifegain, built around Edgar Markov. A Vampire deck at heart: the creatures share a type on purpose, and lords, payoffs, and type-matters synergies make the whole board bigger than its parts. Tribal decks trade individual card power for critical mass, so keep the vampire count high and let the synergy pay the bills. Edgar Markov sits on the cEDH tier list, so the ceiling here is tournament-grade, and experienced tables will treat it that way. Its strongest fundamental is land count (36 lands. About 37 fits this curve for Vampire Tribal, with Herald's Horn's discount counted); the first thing to tighten is card draw: 7 draw effects (want 10+ for Vampire Tribal).
- A-Mana reliability
- A+Land count
- A+Mana curve
- BRamp
- B-Card draw
- A+Interaction
- A+Commander synergy
- A+Win conditions
- A+Card quality
- A+Legality & size
Where it falls short
- BRamp7 ramp effects (want 9+ for this curve for Vampire Tribal).
- B-Card draw7 draw effects (want 10+ for Vampire Tribal).
Strong on mana reliability, land count, mana curve, interaction, commander synergy, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.
87 cards graded: A 3, A- 17, B+ 33, B 34. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Made together, they take Edgar Markov from B+ to A-.
Mentor of the Meek2W$4.81
In place of Vanquisher's Banner: weakest slot in the deck (71/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 7 of 10+). Pays off your go-wide engine (31 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Puresteel PaladinWW$2.34
In place of Champion of Dusk: weakest slot in the deck (72/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (10 producers). Fits the commander's plan. Works with the commander directly.
Adeline, Resplendent Cathar1WW$2.98
In place of Pact of the Serpent: weakest slot in the deck (62/100)
Fuels your token payoffs (6 in deck). Pays off the commanders' go-wide plan. Pays off your go-wide engine (31 producers).
Idol of Oblivion2$3.15
In place of Phyrexian Arena: weakest slot in the deck (72/100)
Fits the token build players run with your commanders. Fills the draw gap (you're at 7 of 10+). Fuels your token payoffs (6 in deck).
Storm-Kiln Artist3R$1.69
In place of Orzhov Signet: weakest slot in the deck (72/100)
Fills the ramp gap (you're at 7 of 9+). Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (14 producers). Pays off your artifact engine (10 producers).
Black Market Connections2B$10.53
In place of Rakdos Signet: weakest slot in the deck (72/100)
Is a Vampire for your commanders' plan. Fills the ramp gap (you're at 7 of 9+). Fuels your token payoffs (6 in deck).
Orcish Bowmasters1B$43.37
In place of Forerunner of the Legion: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Fuels your +1/+1 counter payoffs (7 in deck). WotC game-changer. Feeds the commanders' +1/+1 counter payoff.
Impact Tremors1R$2.52
In place of Shared Animosity: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off your token engine (9 producers). Pays off the commanders' token plan. Pays off your go-wide engine (31 producers).
Soul WardenW$3.40
In place of New Blood: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off your token engine (9 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (31 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Elas il-Kor, Sadistic PilgrimWB$3.71
In place of Markov Baron: weakest slot in the deck (65/100)
Pays off your token engine (9 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (31 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.
Decklist
Commander 1
Creatures 33
- B+
- A-
- A-
- A
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- A-
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- B+
- A
- A-
- A-
Planeswalkers 1
- B+
Instants 8
- B+
- B+
- A-
- A-
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
Sorceries 6
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
Artifacts 9
- A-
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+
- A-
- A-
- B+
- B+
Enchantments 6
- B+
- A-
- B+
- A
- B
- B
Lands 36
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B×3
- B+
- B+
- B×5
- B
- B+
- B
- B×7
- B
- B
- B
- B
Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.