536
3/30/2025
Scarab God Recursion
Deck Size: 100
Commander
Legal
Est deck cost: $666.78
Salt sum: 48.91
536
3/30/2025
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Commander

Qty: 1 Price: $9.99
The Scarab God

At the beginning of your upkeep, each opponent loses X life and you scry X, where X is the number of Zombies you control. {2}{U}{B}: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a 4/4 black Zombie. When The Scarab God dies, return it to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.

Creature
The Scarab God (cmm) 353

Commander

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Land

Qty: 36 Price: $146.36
Cabal Coffers

{2}, {T}: Add {B} for each Swamp you control.

Land
Cabal Coffers (mh2) 301
Choked Estuary

As this land enters, you may reveal an Island or Swamp card from your hand. If you don't, this land enters tapped. {T}: Add {U} or {B}.

Land
Choked Estuary (mkc) 254
Command Tower

{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.

Land
Command Tower (cmm) 659
Crypt of Agadeem

This land enters tapped. {T}: Add {B}. {2}, {T}: Add {B} for each black creature card in your graveyard.

Land
Crypt of Agadeem (c14) 288
Darkslick Shores

This land enters tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. {T}: Add {U} or {B}.

Land
Darkslick Shores (otc) 281
Dismal Backwater

This land enters tapped. When this land enters, you gain 1 life. {T}: Add {U} or {B}.

Land
Dismal Backwater (m21) 245
Drowned Catacomb

This land enters tapped unless you control an Island or a Swamp. {T}: Add {U} or {B}.

Land
Drowned Catacomb (otc) 290
Evolving Wilds

{T}, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

Land
Evolving Wilds (dsc) 274
Geier Reach Sanitarium

{T}: Add {C}. {2}, {T}: Each player draws a card, then discards a card.

Land
Geier Reach Sanitarium (lcc) 335
Island

({T}: Add {U}.)

Land
Island (dsk) 280
Swamp

({T}: Add {B}.)

Land
Swamp (fdn) 277
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Each land is a Swamp in addition to its other land types.

Land
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth (tsr) 287
Watery Grave

({T}: Add {U} or {B}.) As this land enters, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, it enters tapped.

Land
Watery Grave (rvr) 291

Land

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Sac Outlet

Qty: 3 Price: $25.47
Ashnod's Altar

Sacrifice a creature: Add {C}{C}.

Artifact
Ashnod's Altar (cmm) 368
Grimgrin, Corpse-Born

Grimgrin enters tapped and doesn't untap during your untap step. Sacrifice another creature: Untap Grimgrin and put a +1/+1 counter on it. Whenever Grimgrin attacks, destroy target creature defending player controls, then put a +1/+1 counter on Grimgrin.

Creature
Grimgrin, Corpse-Born (isd) 214
Warren Soultrader

Pay 1 life, Sacrifice another creature: Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")

Creature
Warren Soultrader (mh3) 110

Sac Outlet

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Anthem

Qty: 4 Price: $10.22
Death Baron

Skeletons you control and other Zombies you control get +1/+1 and have deathtouch. (Any amount of damage they deal to a creature is enough to destroy it.)

Creature
Death Baron (mic) 111
Diregraf Captain

Deathtouch Other Zombie creatures you control get +1/+1. Whenever another Zombie you control dies, target opponent loses 1 life.

Creature
Diregraf Captain (scd) 224
Lord of the Accursed

Other Zombies you control get +1/+1. {1}{B}, {T}: All Zombies gain menace until end of turn.

Creature
Lord of the Accursed (scd) 88
Risen Executioner

This creature can't block. Other Zombie creatures you control get +1/+1. You may cast this creature from your graveyard if you pay {1} more to cast it for each other creature card in your graveyard.

Creature
Risen Executioner (dtk) 116

Anthem

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Ramp

Qty: 12 Price: $84.38
Arcane Signet

{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.

Artifact
Arcane Signet (cmm) 367
Crypt Ghast

Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay {W/B}. If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.) Whenever you tap a Swamp for mana, add an additional {B}.

Creature
Crypt Ghast (rvr) 70
Dimir Signet

{1}, {T}: Add {U}{B}.

Artifact
Dimir Signet (clu) 221
Fellwar Stone

{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.

Artifact
Fellwar Stone (dsc) 245
Revel in Riches

Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.") At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control ten or more Treasures, you win the game.

Enchantment
Revel in Riches (plst) XLN-117
Rooftop Storm

You may pay {0} rather than pay the mana cost for Zombie creature spells you cast.

Enchantment
Rooftop Storm (mic) 103
Sol Ring

{T}: Add {C}{C}.

Artifact
Sol Ring (cmm) 410
Solemn Simulacrum

When this creature enters, you may search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. When this creature dies, you may draw a card.

Creature Artifact
Solemn Simulacrum (dsc) 253
Sword of the Animist

Equipped creature gets +1/+1. Whenever equipped creature attacks, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. Equip {2}

Artifact
Sword of the Animist (cmm) 413
Thought Vessel

You have no maximum hand size. {T}: Add {C}.

Artifact
Thought Vessel (dsc) 256
Thran Dynamo

{T}: Add {C}{C}{C}.

Artifact
Thran Dynamo (blc) 290
Undead Warchief

Zombie spells you cast cost {1} less to cast. Zombie creatures you control get +2/+1.

Creature
Undead Warchief (plst) TSB-52

Ramp

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Tokens

Qty: 9 Price: $64.61
Army of the Damned

Create thirteen tapped 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens. Flashback {7}{B}{B}{B} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

Sorcery
Army of the Damned (scd) 68
Champion of the Perished

Whenever another Zombie you control enters, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.

Creature
Champion of the Perished (mid) 344
Diregraf Colossus

This creature enters with a +1/+1 counter on it for each Zombie card in your graveyard. Whenever you cast a Zombie spell, create a tapped 2/2 black Zombie creature token.

Creature
Diregraf Colossus (mic) 112
Endless Ranks of the Dead

At the beginning of your upkeep, create X 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens, where X is half the number of Zombies you control, rounded down.

Enchantment
Endless Ranks of the Dead (j22) 410
Grave Titan

Deathtouch Whenever this creature enters or attacks, create two 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens.

Creature
Grave Titan (pdp12) 2
Headless Rider

Whenever this creature or another nontoken Zombie you control dies, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token.

Creature
Headless Rider (vow) 118
Lich Lord of Unx

{U}{B}, {T}: Create a 1/1 blue and black Zombie Wizard creature token. {U}{U}{B}{B}: Target player loses X life and mills X cards, where X is the number of Zombies you control.

Creature
Lich Lord of Unx (plst) ARB-24
Necroduality

Whenever a nontoken Zombie you control enters, create a token that's a copy of that creature.

Enchantment
Necroduality (vow) 70
Noosegraf Mob

This creature enters with five +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever a player casts a spell, remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature. If you do, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token.

Creature
Noosegraf Mob (bbd) 151

Tokens

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Draw

Qty: 7 Price: $122.63
Cryptbreaker

{1}{B}, {T}, Discard a card: Create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token. Tap three untapped Zombies you control: You draw a card and you lose 1 life.

Creature
Cryptbreaker (emn) 86
Dire Undercurrents

Whenever a blue creature you control enters, you may have target player draw a card. Whenever a black creature you control enters, you may have target player discard a card.

Enchantment
Dire Undercurrents (shm) 159
Liliana, Dreadhorde General

Whenever a creature you control dies, draw a card. +1: Create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token. −4: Each player sacrifices two creatures of their choice. −9: Each opponent chooses a permanent they control of each permanent type and sacrifices the rest.

Planeswalker
Liliana, Dreadhorde General (rvr) 80
Rhystic Study

Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may draw a card unless that player pays {1}.

Enchantment
Rhystic Study (plst) PCY-45
Syphon Mind

Each other player discards a card. You draw a card for each card discarded this way.

Sorcery
Syphon Mind (scd) 111
Undead Augur

Whenever this creature or another Zombie you control dies, you draw a card and you lose 1 life.

Creature
Undead Augur (j22) 482
Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver

Whenever another Zombie you control dies, if it didn't have decayed, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with decayed. (It can't block. When it attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.) At the beginning of your end step, you may sacrifice a Zombie. If you do, draw a card.

Creature
Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver (mic) 2

Draw

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Recursion

Qty: 11 Price: $64.91
Apprentice Necromancer

{B}, {T}, Sacrifice this creature: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature gains haste. At the beginning of the next end step, sacrifice it.

Creature
Apprentice Necromancer (plst) UMA-84
Cemetery Recruitment

Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. If it's a Zombie card, draw a card.

Sorcery
Cemetery Recruitment (j22) 385
Geth, Lord of the Vault

Intimidate (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.) {X}{B}: Put target artifact or creature card with mana value X from an opponent's graveyard onto the battlefield under your control tapped. Then that player mills X cards.

Creature
Geth, Lord of the Vault (brc) 107
Ghoulcaller's Chant

Choose one — • Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. • Return two target Zombie cards from your graveyard to your hand.

Sorcery
Ghoulcaller's Chant (isd) 101
Grave Betrayal

Whenever a creature you don't control dies, return it to the battlefield under your control with an additional +1/+1 counter on it at the beginning of the next end step. That creature is a black Zombie in addition to its other colors and types.

Enchantment
Grave Betrayal (rtr) 67
Gravecrawler

This creature can't block. You may cast this card from your graveyard as long as you control a Zombie.

Creature
Gravecrawler (j22) 423
Liliana, the Last Hope

+1: Up to one target creature gets -2/-1 until your next turn. −2: Mill two cards, then you may return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand. −7: You get an emblem with "At the beginning of your end step, create X 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens, where X is two plus the number of Zombies you control."

Planeswalker
Liliana, the Last Hope (2x2) 81
Lord of the Undead

Other Zombie creatures get +1/+1. {1}{B}, {T}: Return target Zombie card from your graveyard to your hand.

Creature
Lord of the Undead (plst) PLS-44
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

Intimidate (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.) Whenever a Human deals damage to you, destroy it. Other non-Human creatures you control get +1/+1 and have undying. (When a creature with undying dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Creature
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (cmm) 173
Whip of Erebos

Creatures you control have lifelink. {2}{B}{B}, {T}: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If it would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate only as a sorcery.

Artifact Enchantment
Whip of Erebos (dsc) 159
Zul Ashur, Lich Lord

Ward—Pay 2 life. (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays 2 life.) {T}: You may cast target Zombie creature card from your graveyard this turn.

Creature
Zul Ashur, Lich Lord (fdn) 326

Recursion

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Tutor

Qty: 2 Price: $11.98
Sidisi, Undead Vizier

Deathtouch Exploit (When this creature enters, you may sacrifice a creature.) When Sidisi exploits a creature, you may search your library for a card, put it into your hand, then shuffle.

Creature
Sidisi, Undead Vizier (plst) DTK-120
Vile Entomber

Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) When this creature enters, search your library for a card, put that card into your graveyard, then shuffle.

Creature
Vile Entomber (fdn) 616

Tutor

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Finisher

Qty: 3 Price: $37.77
Exsanguinate

Each opponent loses X life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.

Sorcery
Exsanguinate (cmm) 156
Gray Merchant of Asphodel

When this creature enters, each opponent loses X life, where X is your devotion to black. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. (Each {B} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)

Creature
Gray Merchant of Asphodel (dsc) 142
Torment of Hailfire

Repeat the following process X times. Each opponent loses 3 life unless that player sacrifices a nonland permanent of their choice or discards a card.

Sorcery
Torment of Hailfire (plst) HOU-77

Finisher

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Removal

Qty: 12 Price: $88.46
An Offer You Can't Refuse

Counter target noncreature spell. Its controller creates two Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")

Instant
An Offer You Can't Refuse (slp) 7
Counterspell

Counter target spell.

Instant
Counterspell (dsc) 114
Dictate of Erebos

Flash Whenever a creature you control dies, each opponent sacrifices a creature of their choice.

Enchantment
Dictate of Erebos (plst) JOU-65
Didn't Say Please

Counter target spell. Its controller mills three cards.

Instant
Didn't Say Please (eld) 42
Dimir Charm

Choose one — • Counter target sorcery spell. • Destroy target creature with power 2 or less. • Look at the top three cards of target player's library. Put one back and the rest into that player's graveyard.

Instant
Dimir Charm (gtc) 154
Doom Blade

Destroy target nonblack creature.

Instant
Doom Blade (ima) 87
Fleshbag Marauder

When this creature enters, each player sacrifices a creature of their choice.

Creature
Fleshbag Marauder (clu) 111
Mana Drain

Counter target spell. At the beginning of your next main phase, add an amount of {C} equal to that spell's mana value.

Instant
Mana Drain (2x2) 57
Murder

Destroy target creature.

Instant
Murder (dsk) 110
Murderous Rider

Creature
Murderous Rider // Swift End (moc) 258
Necromantic Selection

Destroy all creatures, then return a creature card put into a graveyard this way to the battlefield under your control. It's a black Zombie in addition to its other colors and types. Exile Necromantic Selection.

Sorcery
Necromantic Selection (scd) 94
Negate

Counter target noncreature spell.

Instant
Negate (m14) 64

Removal

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Maybeboard

Qty: 6 Price: $16.30
Arcane Denial

Counter target spell. Its controller may draw up to two cards at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep. You draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

Instant
Arcane Denial (dsc) 110
Corpse Connoisseur

When this creature enters, you may search your library for a creature card, put that card into your graveyard, then shuffle. Unearth {3}{B} ({3}{B}: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)

Creature
Corpse Connoisseur (plst) ALA-68
Forceful Denial

Cascade (When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom in a random order.) Counter target spell.

Instant
Forceful Denial (cmr) 69
Haunting Voyage

Choose a creature type. Return up to two creature cards of that type from your graveyard to the battlefield. If this spell was foretold, return all creature cards of that type from your graveyard to the battlefield instead. Foretell {5}{B}{B} (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)

Sorcery
Haunting Voyage (khm) 98
Shepherd of Rot

{T}: Each player loses 1 life for each Zombie on the battlefield.

Creature
Shepherd of Rot (plst) ONS-168
Swiftfoot Boots

Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. It can attack and {T} no matter when it came under your control.) Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Artifact
Swiftfoot Boots (blc) 286

Maybeboard

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Deck Info

Deck stats

0 pips - 0 cards
0 mana - 6 cards
19 pips - 15 cards
21 mana - 21 cards
77 pips - 47 cards
32 mana - 31 cards
0 pips - 0 cards
0 mana - 6 cards
0 pips - 0 cards
0 mana - 6 cards
0 pips - 0 cards
10 mana - 6 cards
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Description

{"ops":[{"insert":"This is a powerful deck based around the recursion of zombies with powerful ETB effects and taking advantage of strong combo pieces. You'll often win through massive drain turns with Exsanguinate and Torment of Hailfire. The deck could certainly be leaner and meaner by subbing out certain cards in favor of more boardwipes and counterspells, but that is a decision you can make depending on your pod. Either way, this deck will be hard to keep down even if you get board wiped or countered over and over. Infinite and semi-infinite combos were not a particular aim, but have inevitably snuck their way in through Gravecrawler. If you have a pod that likes to avoid infinites sub out Rooftop Storm, Gravecrawler, and/or Risen Executioner with Rooftop Storm being particularly nasty for infinite combos.\n"}]}
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