EDH Optimizer
Vampires Commander decks
Vampires is a kindred archetype: the deck is built around one creature type and the cards that pay you for having many of them. It is mostly played in black and Orzhov. Its most characteristic cards are Cordial Vampire, Blood Artist, Sanctum Seeker: not the most-played cards in the format, but the ones that appear in these decks far above what is normal for the same colors.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordial Vampire | 21 | 57% | +65 pts |
| Blood Artist | 26 | 55% | +57 pts |
| Sanctum Seeker | 18 | 49% | +56 pts |
| Vampire Nighthawk | 17 | 49% | +52 pts |
| Crossway Troublemakers | 15 | 51% | +47 pts |
| Olivia's Wrath | 14 | 48% | +44 pts |
| Path of Ancestry | 17 | 47% | +43 pts |
| Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose | 16 | 50% | +43 pts |
| Sanguine Bond | 14 | 50% | +38 pts |
| Twilight Prophet | 12 | 43% | +36 pts |
| Drana, Liberator of Malakir | 12 | 48% | +36 pts |
| Voldaren Estate | 11 | 54% | +34 pts |
| Patron of the Vein | 11 | 53% | +34 pts |
| Captivating Vampire | 11 | 55% | +34 pts |
| Bloodline Keeper | 11 | 50% | +34 pts |
| Exsanguinate | 15 | 50% | +34 pts |
| Markov Baron | 11 | 44% | +34 pts |
| Blade of the Bloodchief | 11 | 45% | +33 pts |
| Exquisite Blood | 12 | 44% | +33 pts |
| Butcher of Malakir | 11 | 48% | +33 pts |
| Malakir Bloodwitch | 10 | 48% | +31 pts |
| Indulgent Aristocrat | 10 | 51% | +31 pts |
| Necropolis Regent | 10 | 51% | +30 pts |
| Elenda's Hierophant | 10 | 49% | +30 pts |
| Marauding Blight-Priest | 11 | 49% | +29 pts |
| Anowon, the Ruin Sage | 8 | 41% | +25 pts |
| Nirkana Revenant | 9 | 53% | +24 pts |
| Yahenni, Undying Partisan | 8 | 46% | +23 pts |
| Go for the Throat | 10 | 38% | +22 pts |
| Champion of Dusk | 7 | 46% | +22 pts |
Commanders for Vampires
Ranked by how central this archetype is to their decks and by how played each commander is.
By color identity
Black Best cards by color →
White · Black Best cards by color →
Black · Red Best cards by color →
White · Black · Red Best cards by color →
Blue · Black · Red Best cards by color →
Blue · Black Best cards by color →
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 Vampires deck?
The most-built commanders for this archetype are Edgar Markov, Evelyn, the Covetous, Strefan, Maurer Progenitor. EDH Optimizer has the full list of 61 commanders with their recommended cards, ranked by how central Vampires is to their decks.
Which cards are must-haves in a Vampires deck?
The three most characteristic are Cordial Vampire, Blood Artist, Sanctum Seeker. 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 Vampires played in?
The most common color identities are Black, White · Black, Black · Red. The "By color identity" section groups the commanders and links to the best cards for each combination.
How much does a Vampires 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.