Hakbal of the Surging Soul
Color Identity
Details
Mana Value
4
Popularity
#534
of 3,466 commanders · via EDHREC
Card Text
Legendary Creature — Merfolk Scout
At the beginning of combat on your turn, each Merfolk creature you control explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on the exploring creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
Whenever Hakbal attacks, you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you don't, draw a card.
3/3
Playstyle
Midrange · Steady · Minimal interaction · Wins by engines
- Aggression
- 3 of 5
- Speed
- 2 of 5
- Interaction
- 1 of 5
- Combat
- 3 of 5
- Engine
- 4 of 5
- Complexity
- 2 of 5
Card Price
Strategy Guides
+1/+1 Counters Strategy Guide
+1/+1 counter decks are for players who want small creature upgrades to become permanent pressure across the board. This strategy wants to grow creatures over several turns, using +1/+1 counter commanders, counter doublers, and counter payoffs, to win through combat damage from creatures that keep getting larger. Unlike Tokens, Counters grows creatures over time instead of making many bodies, and unlike Voltron it spreads power beyond one attacker; unlike Proliferate, it focuses on +1/+1 growth rather than every counter type, while Infect is a separate poison plan. Counters matter decks reward pilots who sequence early creatures, multipliers, and protection so each trigger converts into lasting board presence.
Aggro Strategy Guide
Aggro decks are for players who want to commit threats early, attack often, and make combat math matter every turn. This strategy wants to pressure all opponents with efficient attackers, using anthems, haste, attack triggers, extra combats, and aggro commanders, to win through repeated combat damage before slower engines stabilize. In Commander that still means pushing through 120 total damage, so go-wide aggro EDH decks need refueling and scaling damage rather than only fast starts. Aggro differs from Tokens because it focuses on attacking with the bodies, from Voltron because it spreads pressure across many creatures, and from Infect because it deals life-total damage instead of poison.
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.
Tokens Strategy Guide
Token decks are for players who want one card to become many bodies and then decide whether those bodies attack, block, draw cards, or fuel another engine. This strategy wants to flood the battlefield with creatures, using token commanders, repeatable generators, and anthem effects, to win through a go wide attack or by converting the swarm into damage, drain, or mana. Tokens is different from Aristocrats because making bodies comes first, from Counters because it grows wide instead of tall, and from Voltron because it spreads pressure across many creatures. The best token decks EDH players build reward patience against sweepers and careful timing on the finishing turn.
Appears in These Collections
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