Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver

EDHREC Average Deck for the #48 most-played commander

Commander: Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Cards: 100
Current value: $354.94
Grade: A

How it grades

Fundamentals 94/100. Plays like Zombie Tribal and Aristocrats.

This reads as Zombie Tribal · Aristocrats, built around Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver. A Zombie 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 zombie count high and let the synergy pay the bills. Its strongest fundamental is mana curve (38% of spells cost ≤2, 6% cost 6+); the first thing to tighten is card draw: 9 draw effects, counting Wilhelt (want 10+ for Zombie Tribal).

AMana reliability
B+Land count
A+Mana curve
ARamp
B+Card draw
A+Interaction
A+Commander synergy
A+Win conditions
A+Card quality
A+Legality & size

Where it falls short

B+Land count35 lands. About 38 fits this curve for Zombie Tribal, with Undead Warchief's discount counted.
B+Card draw9 draw effects, counting Wilhelt (want 10+ for Zombie Tribal).

Strong on mana reliability, mana curve, ramp, interaction, commander synergy, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.

82 cards graded: A 2, A- 18, B+ 30, B 32. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.

Upgrades

The 10 swaps that lift the grade most, about $46.48 together

Archmage Emeritus2UU$0.59
In place of Distant Melody: weakest slot in the deck (71/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 9 of 10+). Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (16 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Banner of Kinship5$7.39
In place of Empty the Laboratory: weakest slot in the deck (61/100)
Pays off your token engine (13 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (28 producers). Pays off the commanders' token plan.
Talrand, Sky Summoner2UU$1.82
In place of Ravenous Rotbelly: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Fuels your token payoffs (4 in deck). Fits the token build players run with your commanders. Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (16 producers).
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose2B$10.36
In place of Cleaver Skaab: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your token engine (13 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' token plan.
Wonder3U$3.79
In place of Necroduality: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your token engine (13 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' token plan.
Forsaken Monument5$6.59
In place of Entomb: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your token engine (13 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' token plan.
Liliana, Dreadhorde General4BB$10.03
In place of Undead Augur: weakest slot in the deck (73/100)
Fits the commander's plan. Is a Zombie for your commanders' plan. Fills the draw gap (you're at 9 of 10+).
Padeem, Consul of Innovation3U$2.42
In place of Reanimate: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (10 producers). Keeps the commanders alive. Fills the draw gap (you're at 9 of 10+).
Wizard ClassU$3.12
In place of Toxic Deluge: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (8 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan. Fills the draw gap (you're at 9 of 10+).
Stitcher's SupplierB$0.37
In place of Lord of the Undead: weakest slot in the deck (65/100)
Fuels your graveyard payoffs (6 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the commander's plan.

Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.

Decklist

100 cards, worth about $354.94

Commander 1

Creatures 31

B+
A-
A-
B
B
A-
B
B+
B+
B+
B+
B+
A-
B+
B+
B
B+
B
A-
A-
B+
B+
B+
B
A-
B
B+
B+
B
B
B

Planeswalkers 1

A-

Instants 8

A-
A-
B+
A-
B
B+
A-
B+

Sorceries 8

B+
B+
B
B+
B
B
B
A-

Artifacts 9

A-
A
A-
B+
B+
A
A-
A-
B+

Enchantments 7

B+
B+
A-
B
B
B
B+

Lands 35

B
B+
B
B
B+
B
B
B×7
B+
B
B
B×12
B
B+
B
B
B
B

How it grades

Fundamentals 94/100. Plays like Zombie Tribal and Aristocrats.