Varina likes dead dudes.
Varina likes dead dudes is a 100-card Commander deck led by Varina, Lich Queen in the Esper color identity (white/blue/black), played 14 times with a 36% win rate. TableCommander estimates this deck at bracket 4 — optimized / high-power.
The mainboard runs 28 creatures, 13 instants, 8 sorceries, 11 artifacts, 9 enchantments, 1 planeswalker, and 30 lands, averaging 3.33 mana value across non-land cards. 57% of non-land cards cost 3 mana or less; 24% cost 5 or more.
Notable inclusions: 19 game changers (e.g. Ancient Tomb, Bolas's Citadel, and Chrome Mox), 2 fast mana (Cabal Ritual and Dark Ritual), 2 cheap tutors (Entomb and Unmarked Grave), and 2 tutors (Buried Alive and Sidisi, Undead Vizier). This deck is currently Commander-legal on TableCommander.
COMMANDER
CommanderPLANESWALKER(1)
CREATURE(27)
ARTIFACT(11)
ENCHANTMENT(9)
INSTANT(13)
SORCERY(8)
LAND(30)
TOKENS(7)
100
Total
28
Creatures
42
Spells
30
Lands
B4
Bracket
14
Games
5
Wins
36%
Win Rate
Why bracket 4? — Optimized
19 Game Changers
Cards on WotC's official Game Changers list. Any puts a deck at Bracket 3 or above; more than three means Bracket 4.
Ancient TombBolas's CitadelChrome MoxCyclonic RiftDemonic TutorEnlightened TutorFarewellFierce GuardianshipForce of WillImperial SealIntuitionMana VaultMox DiamondMystical TutorRhystic StudySmothering TitheTeferi's ProtectionThe One RingVampiric Tutor
6 fast mana
Zero- and one-mana rocks and rituals that accelerate ahead of the table (Sol Ring is exempt). Four or more puts a deck at Bracket 3; six or more means Bracket 4.
Ancient TombCabal RitualChrome MoxDark RitualMana VaultMox DiamondTreasure
Beta — Fan Content, not approved by Wizards.
CURVE
0
2
1
11
2
11
3
16
4
13
5
9
6
6
7+
2
COLORS
W
1014%
U
1927%
B
4259%
COMBOS
10
Combos
0
Early
1
2-Card
9
3+ Card
2
Game-Ending
Liliana, Untouched by Death+Phyrexian AltarInfinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
Liliana, Untouched by Death+Phyrexian AltarPrerequisites
- You control a nontoken Zombie or a nontoken creature with changeling with mana value one or less.
- Liliana has at least three loyalty counters on it.
Steps
- Activate Liliana's third loyalty ability by removing three loyalty counters from it, allowing you to cast Zombie spells from your graveyard this turn.
- Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing a nontoken Zombie or nontoken creature with changeling with mana value one or less, adding one mana of any color.
- Cast the Zombie from your graveyard by paying its mana cost.
- Repeat from step 2.
Rooftop Storm+Relentless Dead+Phyrexian AltarInfinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
Rooftop Storm+Relentless Dead+Phyrexian AltarSteps
- Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing Relentless Dead, adding B.
- Relentless Dead's first and second abilities trigger.
- Resolve Relentless Dead's first ability, causing you to pay B to return Relentless Dead from your graveyard to your hand.
- Resolve Relentless Dead's second abilitiy, choosing not to pay.
- Cast Relentless Dead by paying 0.
- Repeat.
Relentless Dead+Phyrexian Altar+NecrodualityInfinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
Relentless Dead+Phyrexian Altar+NecrodualitySteps
- Cast Relentless Dead by paying BB.
- When Relentless Dead enters the battlefield, Necroduality triggers, creating a token copy of it.
- Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the nontoken Relentless Dead, adding 1.
- When Relentless Dead dies, its first and second abilities trigger. Choose not to pay for either.
- Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the token Relentless Dead, adding 1.
- When the token Relentless Dead dies, its first and second abilities trigger.
- Resolve the first trigger, choosing not to pay.
- Resolve the second trigger, causing you to pay 2 to return Relentless Dead from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- Repeat from step 2.
Ashnod's Altar+Relentless Dead+NecrodualityInfinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers, Infinite colorless mana, Infinite recursion of Zombie cards in your graveyard
Ashnod's Altar+Relentless Dead+NecrodualitySteps
- Cast Relentless Dead by paying BB.
- When Relentless Dead enters the battlefield, Necroduality triggers, creating a token copy of it.
- Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing the nontoken Relentless Dead, adding CC.
- When Relentless Dead dies, its first and second abilities trigger. Choose not to pay for either.
- Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing the token Relentless Dead, adding CC.
- When the token Relentless Dead dies, its first and second abilities trigger.
- Resolve the first trigger, choosing not to pay.
- Resolve the second trigger, causing you to pay 2 to return Relentless Dead from your graveyard to the battlefield.
- Repeat from step 2.
Ashnod's Altar+Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop StormInfinite colorless mana, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
Ashnod's Altar+Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop StormPrerequisites
- You have a Zombie card in hand or in your graveyard.
Steps
- Activate Liliana's third loyalty ability by removing three loyalty counters from it, allowing you to cast Zombie spells from your graveyard this turn.
- Cast a Zombie from your hand or graveyard by paying 0 due to Rooftop Storm.
- Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing the Zombie
- Repeat from step 2.
Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop Storm+Phyrexian AltarInfinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite colored mana, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop Storm+Phyrexian AltarPrerequisites
- You have a Zombie card in hand or in your graveyard.
Steps
- Activate Liliana's third loyalty ability by removing three loyalty counters from it, allowing you to cast Zombie spells from your graveyard this turn.
- Cast a Zombie from your hand or graveyard by paying 0 due to Rooftop Storm.
- Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the Zombie
- Repeat from step 2.
Sidisi, Undead Vizier+Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop StormInfinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite card draw, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
Sidisi, Undead Vizier+Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop StormSteps
- Activate Liliana's third ability by removing three loyalty counters from it, allowing you to cast Zombie cards from your graveyard this turn.
- Cast Sidisi either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying 0.
- When Sidisi enters, it triggers, causing you to sacrifice it.
- Sidisi triggers, causing you to search your library for a card and put it into your hand.
- Repeat from step 2.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel+Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop Storm+Warren SoultraderInfinite artifact ETB, Infinite artifact LTB, Infinite artifact sacrifice triggers, Infinite artifact tokens, Infinite death triggers, Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifegain, Infinite storm count, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite Treasure tokens, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite colored mana, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
Gray Merchant of Asphodel+Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop Storm+Warren SoultraderSteps
- Activate Liliana's third loyalty ability by removing three loyalty counters from it, allowing you to cast Zombie spells from your graveyard this turn.
- Cast Gray Merchant from your graveyard by paying 0 due to Rooftop Storm.
- When Gray Merchant enters the battlefield, it triggers, causing each opponent to lose life equal to your devotion to black and causing you to gain that much life.
- Activate Warren Soultrader by paying 1 life and sacrificing Gray Merchant, creating a Treasure token.
- Repeat from step 2.
Havengul Lich+Gray Merchant of Asphodel+Rooftop Storm+Warren SoultraderInfinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers, Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifegain, Infinite storm count, Infinite lifeloss
Havengul Lich+Gray Merchant of Asphodel+Rooftop Storm+Warren SoultraderSteps
- Activate Havengul Lich by paying 1, allowing you to cast Gray Merchant from your graveyard this turn.
- Cast Gray Merchant from your graveyard by paying 0 due to Rooftop Storm.
- When Gray Merchant enters the battlefield, it triggers, causing each opponent to lose life equal to your devotion to black and you to gain life equal to the life lost this way.
- Activate Warren Soultrader by paying 1 life and sacrificing Gray Merchant, creating a Treasure token.
- Activate the Treasure by tapping and sacrificing it, adding 1.
- Repeat.
Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop Storm+Ratadrabik of Urborg+NecrodualityInfinite creature tokens, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB
Liliana, Untouched by Death+Rooftop Storm+Ratadrabik of Urborg+NecrodualityPrerequisites
- Ratadrabik in hand or in your graveyard.Liliana has at least three loyalty counters on it.
Steps
- Activate Liliana's third ability by removing three loyalty counters from it, allowing you to cast Zombie spells from your graveyard this turn.
- Cast Ratadrabik either from your hand or from your graveyard by paying 0.
- Ratadrabik enters the battlefield, triggering Necroduality, creating a token copy of Ratadrabik.
- Put the original Ratadrabik into your graveyard due to the legend rule.
- Each other copy of Ratadrabik triggers, creating a nonlegendary token copy of Ratadrabik that is a 2/2 Zombie in addition to its other types.
- Repeat from step 2.
Combo data from Commander Spellbook. “Early” two-card combos (cheap enough to win in the first few turns) put a deck at Bracket 4; other two-card combos are at home in Bracket 3.
Valid
Legality
This deck currently passes the commander checks.
Play this deck on TableCommander
Sign in to import this list to your collection, start a Commander pod with friends, or build your own decks with our free online deck builder.