Headless RiderHeadless Rider | Art by E.M. Gist

When you think of the color black in Magic: The Gathering, what creature type springs to mind? You likely answered Zombies, and you’d be absolutely correct – no other creature type is quite as synonymous (and flavorful) to black in Magic than the undead.

No matter what you call them (biters, walkers, rotters, creepers, etc.), Zombies are the perfect representation of the necromancy and gravedigging that many of Magic’s denizens have dabbled in over the years. As such, much like Dragons, Treefolk, Elves, Goblins and even Cats, Zombies have been around since the dawn of the game, with three Zombs populating Magic’s first set, Alpha, all the way back in 1993.

There are myriad strategies that can be played with when building a Zombie deck. Many of them involve incorporating your graveyard into your plans. Seeing as Zombies are undead, they feel just as at home shambling around this mortal coil as they do chilling in your graveyard. As such, a number of top-flight Zombie threats in Commander enjoy graveyard shenanigans.

In that same vein, sacrifice, discard and milling strategies are prevalent in Zombie shells, and many of the cards herein feature abilities that involve those themes. Let’s dive in; but watch out for bites! And if you hear a haunting, freakish voice calling out for “brains,” don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Honorable Mentions

Army of the DamnedArmy of the Damned

An extremely mana-intensive sorcery at (and even more so via its flashback cost of ), this thematic card was first printed in 2011’s Innistrad set, which had a slight “number 13” sub-theme. Putting 13 2/2 Zombie tokens in play is a pretty big move, even at eight or 10 mana, and this card is still a fun “Timmy” play in 2025.

Graveborn MuseGraveborn Muse

Legions was a major release for Zombie typal enthusiasts, and its headlining undead creature might just be this Zombie Spirit. With an ability similar to Phyrexian ArenaPhyrexian Arena’s, this four-mana 3/3’s upkeep trigger can get out of hand quickly if you have a Zombie token-generating ability on the board. But you’ll be gaining so much card advantage that, even if this card kills you, it’ll feel like a noble death.

Call to the GraveCall to the Grave

Hailing from 2003’s Scourge and only reprinted once in Magic 2012, this flavorful enchantment is an enjoyable — and potent — riff on the legendary Legends card The AbyssThe Abyss, in which each player must sacrifice a creature during their upkeep. Call to the GraveCall to the Grave makes The AbyssThe Abyss even better (in Zombie decks, at least) by removing Zombies from the possibility of getting sacrificed. As such, this card plays beautifully in dedicated Zombie decks… just hope your foes don’t have any on their side.

Rooftop StormRooftop Storm

Another not-quite-kindred enchantment, this one from Innistrad provides a rather lofty discount on the Zombies you play. Instead of paying their casting cost, how does sound? That’s right, this stormstorm gives you a five-finger discount on Zombies you cast, which pairs quite well with some of the top-tier bombs you’ll find on this list, as well as cards like Nevinyrral, Urborg TyrantNevinyrral, Urborg Tyrant or Rot HulkRot Hulk.

Rotlung ReanimatorRotlung Reanimator

While this card is itself a Cleric and only pings when Clerics die, there are a plethora of notable synergies that exist between these two creature types, and this unique card with only one printing (Onslaught) is a terrific engine for decks that employ them both. Because this card creates Zombies, it definitely deserves a mention, and there are also some fun combos possible with it:

Noxious GhoulNoxious Ghoul

One-sided board wipes are always fun (for the caster, of course). When you tack them onto a 3/3 Zombie creature, they’re even more fun! This Legions-based Zombie causes all non-Zombie creatures to get -1/-1 whenever it or any other Zombie enters under your control. As expected, with Zombie tokens, this power-and-toughness-lowering effect can snowball out of control quickly, leaving you with a pristine board full of beefed-up Zombs while your foes are left empty-boarded.

The 20 Best Zombie Cards for Commander

20. ThraximundarThraximundar

A classic Commander card, the thrillingly named ThraximundarThraximundar was originally printed in 2009’s Alara Reborn set as a mythic rare. While this Grixis (), card certainly costs a decent chunk of mana at , it does provide a 6/6 with haste that forces the player that was attacked to sac a creature. Then, Thraxi gains a +1/+1 counter whenever any player sacrifices a creature. As expected, that can lead to some enjoyable combo shenanigans, and this legendary Zombie Assassin remains a fan favorite for Grixis and Zombie mages alike.

19. Headless RiderHeadless Rider

This Ichabod Crane wannabe boasts a strong Zombie-focused ability as well as some terrific flavor text. Printed in 2021’s Innistrad: Crimson Vow, this three-mana Zombie replaces itself and any other nontoken Zombie you control that dies with a 2/2 Zombie token. Eminently useful, this is one of many Zombie cards on this list that feature ways to replace Zombies that go to the graveyard.

18. CryptbreakerCryptbreaker

There aren’t a huge amount of one-mana Zombies in Magic’s history (35 total), but CryptbreakerCryptbreaker is among the best (other options include CarnophageCarnophage, Carrion FeederCarrion Feeder, Shambling GhastShambling Ghast and one other to be named later). With two notable activated abilities, it’s the repeatable one that seems a little spicier on its face. If you’re producing a lot of Zombie tokens, you should have a few sitting around at the end of any foe’s turn, ready to be recruited for tapping duty.

17. Diregraf CaptainDiregraf Captain

The first of many Zombie "lords" on this list (or creature that boosts the power and toughness and/or grants an ability to creatures that share a type with it), this Dimir () lord was first printed in 2012’s Dark Ascension and gives other Zombs you control +1/+1 and also pings target opponent for one life whenever a Zombie you control dies. Clean, simple, and effective.

16. Undead AugurUndead Augur

An unsung Zombie hero, this 2/2 for doesn’t look like much on its face — save for that incredible, vintage-style Magic art, of course — but if you’re playing Zombies the right way, you should be sacrificing them with regularity. If you are, this nifty little uncommon originally from Modern Horizons will ping you for one, but also, most importantly, draw you a card. That kind of repeatable card advantage is paramount in Commander, hence this card’s rather lofty status here.

15. Cleaver SkaabCleaver Skaab

Hailing from 2021’s Midnight Hunt Commander bonus sheet in Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, this four-mana blue Zombie can do some nifty little tricks by simply sacrificing another Zombie. If you really want to have some fun (and cause some rules headaches), pair this card with Ratadrabik of UrborgRatadrabik of Urborg and cards that copy other cards for myriad “legend rule” shenanigans.

14. Undead WarchiefUndead Warchief

2003’s Scourge was home to a number of top-flight Zombie threats: the aforementioned Call to the GraveCall to the Grave, Carrion FeederCarrion Feeder, Putrid RaptorPutrid Raptor, and this amazing lord that gives a static +2/+1 to all Zombies you control. An unheard-of boost, even something as strong as Raksha Golden CubRaksha Golden Cub (one of the best Cat Commander cards) requires being equipped and costs a whopping seven mana. Not only does this lord only cost , but in addition to the power and toughness boost, it reduces the cost of your other Zombies by . An amazing Zombie typal lord you can’t miss.

13. God-Eternal OketraGod-Eternal Oketra

So far, this list has been dominated by black and blue cards, but white also has its fair share of Zombie synergies, typified by this mythic rare from War of the Spark. A 3/6 with double strike for is already a solid rate, but this God gifting you a 4/4 Zombie whenever you cast a creature spell is an amazing boon, as most Zombie tokens are measly 2/2s. Couple that with built-in protection that puts this card high up in your library, and you’ve got an amazing legendary white Zombie God (not to be confused with a Zombie lord).

12. Gisa, the HellraiserGisa, the Hellraiser

Gisa, originally from the Innistrad storyline, has four distinct creature cards (one of which features her brother Geralf), and the most recent version is this one from Outlaws of Thunder Junction. This Gisa also happens to be a top-tier Zombie (and Skeleton) enabler as well as a payoff for committing crimes (aka targeting your foes or any of their permanents).

Whenever you commit a crime, which should happen a lot if you’re playing black, you’ll get two 2/2 Zombie tokens that will immediately become 3/3s with menace thanks to Gisa’s static “lord” boost. Sure, this only happens once each turn. But in Commander, you’ll likely want to mess with your foes’ stuff on their turns, so you will likely ping this at least twice every wheel – meaning your board will be chock-full of powerfully augmented Zombies in no time.

11. Mikaeus, the UnhallowedMikaeus, the Unhallowed

A prohibitive mana cost () is host to an extremely potent Zombie typal threat originally printed in the Dark Ascension set. Not only is this card a No MercyNo Mercy for Humans on a stick (one of the most valuable cards from Urza’s Legacy), it also boasts the rare intimidate keyword, which means it can’t be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it or artifact creatures.

As if that wasn’t enough, this card’s best block of text gives all of your non-Human creatures (not just Zombies) the extremely powerful undying keyword, which brings them back from the grave with a +1/+1 counter – so long as they didn’t have a +1/+1 counter to begin with. An amazing combination of abilities on a six-mana 5/5 body, this is an incredible card and a premier Zombie.

10. Ghoulcaller GisaGhoulcaller Gisa

Now, you’ll notice that on other lists of this ilk, I’ve avoided including creatures that are not the creature type in question. In this instance, however, Zombies boast innumerable non-Zombie options that are top-tier contributors to terrific Zomb-based strategies. As such, a card like Ghoulcaller GisaGhoulcaller Gisa (a Human Wizard) simply must be included herein.

Being able to sacrifice a 2/2 Zombie for a paltry and get two 2/2 Zombies in return is a terrific rate and combined with various Zombie lords (especially Undead WarchiefUndead Warchief), this powerhouse five-mana 3/4 can get out of hand quickly. Strong in the 99 or as a commander.

9. Grimgrin, Corpse-BornGrimgrin, Corpse-Born

Originally released in 2011’s Innistrad, this legendary Zombie Warrior is a good option if you want to build a tricksy Commander deck built around multiple different Zombie-related combos. The ability to untap this whenever you sacrifice a creature can lead to some fun shenanigans, though perhaps the best combo with this beefy bruiser involves Rooftop StormRooftop Storm and GravecrawlerGravecrawler (see below).

Either way, this nearly 15-year-old card remains a potent threat in a dedicated Zombie deck, as its myriad synergies with sacrifice triggers and graveyard play mean that it will always find a home in many Zombie shells. Sure, it could use some protection or evasion, but it’s still a classic.

8. Zul Ashur, Lich LordZul Ashur, Lich Lord

Another combo enabler, this Zombie Warlock from 2024’s Foundations also goes infinite with GrimgrinGrimgrin, so long as you have some creatures that can tap for mana and have the classic combo piece Intruder AlarmIntruder Alarm in play.

Beyond that, this relatively new Zombie plays beautifully with any number of other synergistic graveyard plays found in Zombie decks, and simply being able to tap it to play any Zombie from your yard is eminently useful. Bring back your biggest threat, or simply recur a cheap, utility Zombie every turn for blocking or annoyance purposes.

7. Death BaronDeath Baron

One of the best creature lords of all time — as well as a rare double lord — this 2/2 Zombie Wizard for buffs all of your other Zombies and your Skeletons by +1/+1 while also bestowing the eminently valuable deathtouch keyword.

What’s better than amassing a bunch of 2/2 Zombie tokens via any number of other cards we’ve seen on this list? Making them 3/3s with deathtouch, that’s what. Of course, this card will be a magnet for removal (as are all lords), but if you can get in one good attack with all your Zombies plus this bruiser on the battlefield, you’ll be in a good place.

6. GravecrawlerGravecrawler

While Zombies do boast some top-tier one-drops, the best of the bunch has got to be this 2/1 that can’t block that was originally released in the famed Zombie playground of Innistrad block (in this case, 2012’s Dark Ascension).

This only costing is paramount, as if this was, say, a Reassembling SkeletonReassembling Skeleton-style creature with an activated ability that costs even more, it would surely not be as powerful or effective. In dedicated Zombie decks, GravecrawlerGravecrawler will pretty much always be able to come back. Pair with Rooftop StormRooftop Storm for a fun zero-cost 2/1 Zombie that leads to plenty of combos.

5. Temmet, Naktamun’s WillTemmet, Naktamun’s Will

Released as the face card of Aetherdrift’s popular (and powerful) Eternal Might Commander deck, TemmetTemmet is a zombified version of Temmet, Vizier of NaktamunTemmet, Vizier of Naktamun from Amonkhet. A five-mana 4/4 with vigilance and menace, this legendary Zombie Wizard can snowball quickly (especially alongside plenty of other Zombies) thanks to its triggered ability upon drawing a card.

This card pairs beautifully with cantrips and combat tricks, as well as with cards like Undead AugurUndead Augur or Graveborn MuseGraveborn Muse. Drawing cards is always good, but when you boost all of your Zombies by +1/+1 for each card you draw, that’s a heck of a lot better. A great commander choice for Zombie decks, it’s no wonder that this card has quickly vaulted into EDHREC’s top 12 Zombie commanders.

4. Varina, Lich QueenVarina, Lich Queen

First printed in Commander 2018, this legendary Esper () Zombie Wizard does a lot of things that Zombie decks want to do: attack, fill up your graveyard, and manipulate the graveyard to put more Zombies into play.

In addition to those baseline abilities, Varina also nets you lifegain and card draw based on the number of Zombies that you attack with. As such, to truly abuse this excellent Zombie commander choice, you’ll want a critical mass of writhing undead flesh shambling towards your foes each turn. That’s easy enough to do with all of the 2/2 Zombie tokens you’ll be creating.

3. Wilhelt, the RotcleaverWilhelt, the Rotcleaver

The 19th-most popular commander overall according to EDHREC, as well as the #1 option for Zombies, Wilhelt, the RotcleaverWilhelt, the Rotcleaver from 2021’s Midnight Hunt Commander provides an immediate replacement for any Zombie (without the decayed keyword) that dies under your control.

While already useful, pairing that ability with one that gives your Zombs semi-invulnerability (like Mikaeus, the UnhallowedMikaeus, the Unhallowed) or combining it with cards that give you a notable boon when Zombies die, like Headless RiderHeadless Rider, Diregraf CaptainDiregraf Captain, or Undead AugurUndead Augur, makes WilheltWilhelt a top-tier option in Zombie decks, whether you run it as your commander or in the 99.

2. The Scarab GodThe Scarab God

While it’s a matter of taste, of course, my preferred choice for a Zombie commander is this 5/5 God for that — ahem — doesn’t actually boast the Zombie type; but come on, this is a primo Zombie commander payoff!

Not only does this bruiser drain each of your opponents based on the number of Zombies you control (which can add up rather quickly) during your upkeep, but you get to scry X for all your Zombies in play as well. Beyond that, you can steal foes’ creatures from their graveyards and turn them into Zombies repeatedly for the minor cost of . A major bomb.

1. Diregraf ColossusDiregraf Colossus

At one point, for a vanilla 2/2 Zombie creature was the going rate – as Alpha’s Scathe ZombiesScathe Zombies indicates. In 2016’s Shadows over Innistrad set, Wizards of the Coast released a slightly better version of that Zombie… that just so happens to the best Zombie ever printed.

Not only does this powerhouse Zombie Giant enter with a huge power and toughness boost depending on how many Zombie cards are in your graveyard, but it’s actually the Colossus’s triggered ability that makes it truly stand out: getting a tapped 2/2 Zombie token whenever you cast a Zombie spell is a big gain, especially if you have an infinite combo going with Rooftop StormRooftop Storm and GravecrawlerGravecrawler. Combine with Wayward ServantWayward Servant or Corpse KnightCorpse Knight for an insta-win!

In the Immortal Words of the Cranberries…

Zombies are an utterly enjoyable archetype to pilot in a Commander pod, and I hope these cards will help bring a little undead fun to your next deckbuilding session. Thanks for reading!