Lazav, Familiar Stranger
Color Identity
Details
Mana Value
3
Popularity
#2,186
of 3,381 commanders · via EDHREC
Card Text
Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Whenever you commit a crime, put a +1/+1 counter on Lazav. Then you may exile a card from a graveyard. If a creature card was exiled this way, you may have Lazav become a copy of that card until end of turn. This ability triggers only once each turn. (Targeting opponents, anything they control, and/or cards in their graveyards is a crime.)
1/4
Playstyle
Control · Steady · Heavy interaction · Incremental wins
- Aggression
- 2 of 5
- Speed
- 2 of 5
- Interaction
- 4 of 5
- Combat
- 3 of 5
- Engine
- 4 of 5
- Complexity
- 4 of 5
Card Price
Strategy Guides
Mill Strategy Guide
Mill decks are for players who want to pressure a different resource: the cards left in each library. This strategy wants to put cards from libraries into graveyards, using repeatable mill commanders, doublers, and self-mill engines, to win by emptying opponents' decks or by converting stocked graveyards into value. Unlike Reanimator, Mill is not mainly trying to cheat one creature into play, and unlike Graveyard value it treats milling as the weapon or fuel source rather than the recursion engine itself. The best mill decks EDH players build respect the multiplayer math by multiplying output, protecting engines, or turning every milled card into another resource.
Learn more about mill strategies
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.
Learn more about reanimator strategies
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.
Learn more about graveyard strategies
Control Strategy Guide
Control decks are for players who enjoy deciding which threats matter, spending answers carefully, and winning after the table has slowed down. This strategy wants to stabilize the game, using control commanders, counterspells, removal, sweepers, and card-draw engines, to win through a protected finisher, planeswalker, combo finish, or long-term card advantage. Unlike Stax, Control answers threats on the stack or battlefield instead of locking everyone out of resources. The best control decks EDH players build accept that multiplayer control cannot counter everything, so they lean on sweepers and engines that trade across several opponents.
Learn more about control strategies
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