Ardyn, the Usurper
Color Identity
Details
Mana Value
8
Special Set
Universes Beyond
Popularity
#551
of 3,466 commanders · via EDHREC
Card Text
Legendary Creature — Elder Human Noble
Demons you control have menace, lifelink, and haste.
Starscourge — At the beginning of combat on your turn, exile up to one target creature card from a graveyard. If you exiled a card this way, create a token that's a copy of that card, except it's a 5/5 black Demon.
4/4
Playstyle
Aggro · Steady · Minimal interaction · Wins by combat
- Aggression
- 4 of 5
- Speed
- 2 of 5
- Interaction
- 2 of 5
- Combat
- 5 of 5
- Engine
- 3 of 5
- Complexity
- 2 of 5
Card Price
Strategy Guides
Reanimator Strategy Guide
Reanimator decks are for players who want to turn the graveyard into a shortcut for creatures that should cost far more mana. This strategy wants to load its own graveyard with high-impact targets, using discard, self-mill, and Entomb-style tutors, to win by casting cheap reanimation spells that cheat creatures into play ahead of schedule. Unlike Graveyard value decks, Reanimator is less about recurring small resources every turn, and unlike Mill it is not trying to empty libraries as the primary weapon. The best reanimator commanders and graveyard commanders help discard threats, return them, or convert each reanimated creature into immediate pressure.
Graveyard Strategy Guide
Graveyard decks are for players who want every discarded, milled, or destroyed card to remain part of the game plan. This strategy wants to stock the graveyard, using self-mill, discard outlets, sacrifice, and dredge-style cards, to win by recurring threats, lands, and value pieces until opponents run out of clean answers. Unlike Reanimator, graveyard value decks EDH players build are not centered on one huge creature arriving early, and unlike Mill they use self-mill as fuel rather than treating libraries as the main target. The best graveyard commanders turn the graveyard into a steady resource engine that can rebuild after removal.
Ramp Strategy Guide
Ramp decks are for players who want to spend the early game accelerating so later turns happen ahead of schedule. This strategy wants to build more mana than the table, using mana ramp EDH staples, extra land drops, dorks, and rocks, to win through earlier threats, large spells, or a resource lead opponents must answer. Ramp is different from Landfall because acceleration is the point, and different from Big Mana because it is the engine rather than the payoff. The best ramp commanders reward extra mana sources while still giving you something meaningful to cast.
Lifegain Strategy Guide
Lifegain decks are for players who want each point of life to become a resource, not just a larger cushion against attacks. This strategy wants to gain life in steady repeatable triggers, using lifegain commanders, Soul Warden effects, and payoff cards, to win through life drain, oversized creatures, or a charged Aetherflux Reservoir. Unlike Group Hug, it keeps the resources for itself, and unlike Aristocrats it is driven by life gained rather than death triggers. The best lifegain decks EDH players build feel patient early, then convert a safe life total into pressure.
Appears in These Collections
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