EDH Optimizer
Sacrifice Commander decks
Sacrifice extracts value from cards that already did their job and dodges destruction removal: if they are going to kill your creature, you sacrifice it first and get paid. It usually pairs with graveyard recursion and token makers.
Cards that define the archetype
Ranked by how much MORE they are played inside the archetype than in the rest of Commander. Generic staples (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet…) fall out for exactly that reason: they are played everywhere equally.
| Card | Commanders | Avg. inclusion | Excess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitiless Plunderer | 47 | 51% | +38 pts |
| Victimize | 51 | 45% | +33 pts |
| Blood Artist | 50 | 52% | +33 pts |
| Deadly Dispute | 53 | 47% | +32 pts |
| Village Rites | 44 | 47% | +30 pts |
| Ashnod's Altar | 39 | 46% | +30 pts |
| Viscera Seer | 36 | 52% | +29 pts |
| Zulaport Cutthroat | 38 | 55% | +28 pts |
| Braids, Arisen Nightmare | 33 | 44% | +27 pts |
| Accursed Marauder | 34 | 50% | +26 pts |
| Morbid Opportunist | 40 | 50% | +25 pts |
| Plaguecrafter | 30 | 50% | +24 pts |
| Reassembling Skeleton | 30 | 54% | +23 pts |
| Mayhem Devil | 28 | 53% | +22 pts |
| Ophiomancer | 26 | 48% | +22 pts |
| Bastion of Remembrance | 26 | 51% | +19 pts |
| Phyrexian Tower | 24 | 40% | +18 pts |
| Skullclamp | 31 | 50% | +17 pts |
| Fleshbag Marauder | 22 | 51% | +17 pts |
| Grave Pact | 17 | 45% | +14 pts |
| Bloodghast | 16 | 44% | +13 pts |
| Mahadi, Emporium Master | 16 | 52% | +12 pts |
| Pawn of Ulamog | 14 | 43% | +12 pts |
| Ayara, First of Locthwain | 20 | 46% | +12 pts |
| Grim Haruspex | 15 | 45% | +12 pts |
| Black Market | 19 | 43% | +12 pts |
| Carrion Feeder | 15 | 43% | +11 pts |
| Marionette Apprentice | 16 | 42% | +11 pts |
| Juri, Master of the Revue | 12 | 48% | +11 pts |
| Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia | 13 | 45% | +11 pts |
Commanders for Sacrifice
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is, according to EDHREC data.
By color identity
Black
Black · Red
Black · Green
White · Black
Red
Black · Red · Green
Paste your list and we tell you whether the deck actually does what it wants to do: curve, ramp, interaction and a 10,000-game simulation.
🛠️ Build a deck like this 📥 Analyze my deckFrequently asked questions
What is the best commander for a Sacrifice deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Korvold, Fae-Cursed King, Ygra, Eater of All, Rakdos, the Muscle. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 404 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Sacrifice is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Sacrifice deck?
The three most characteristic are Pitiless Plunderer, Victimize, Blood Artist. They are not the most-played cards in the format, but the ones that appear far more inside this archetype than in the rest of Commander — which is what actually makes them essential here.
What colors is Sacrifice played in?
The most common color identities are Black, Black · Red, Black · Green. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Sacrifice deck cost?
It depends on the price cap PER CARD you set. Each commander page lists the best cards in three tiers (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.