EDH Optimizer
Daxos the Returned
Legendary Creature — Zombie Soldier · 1WB
Color identity: Black · White · Orzhov
Daxos the Returned is Orzhov (black and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, you get an experience counter.
{1}{W}{B}: Create a white and black Spirit enchantment creature token. It has "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of experience counters you have."
Reference price of the card: €10.55
Average lands in decks for Daxos the Returned: 36
EnchantressTokensAurasExperience CountersStaxControlPillow FortSpirits
Build your Daxos the Returned deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Daxos the Returned 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Daxos the Returned deck starts over 4,000 games
The list people actually play (the 99 most-included cards, with its average land count), simulated with the EDH Optimizer engine: hands, mulligans, lands, curve and commander. It does not model opponents; it measures whether the plan gets going.
Deck health of the average list: C (56/100)
- Consistency42
- Speed52
- Interaction63
- Resilience85
- Closing47
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 36 lands (26 nonbasic, 7 Plains, 3 Swamp)
Mesa Enchantress · Sol Ring · Arcane Signet · Doomwake Giant · Phyrexian Arena · Sigil of the Empty Throne · Sphere of Safety · Grasp of Fate · Ghostly Prison · Orzhov Signet · Starfield Mystic · Minthara, Merciless Soul · Darksteel Mutation · Underworld Coinsmith · Seal of Cleansing · Hallowed Haunting · Karmic Justice · Swords to Plowshares · Grim Guardian · Blind Obedience · Extinguish All Hope · Archon of Sun's Grace · Authority of the Consuls · Spirited Companion · Talisman of Hierarchy · Aura of Silence · Intangible Virtue · Land Tax · Path to Exile · Alseid of Life's Bounty · Anointed Procession · Anguished Unmaking · Greater Auramancy · Soaring Lightbringer · Ondu Spiritdancer · Kaya's Ghostform · Smothering Tithe · Black Market Connections · Starnheim Courser · Tocasia's Welcome · Ajani's Chosen · Banishing Light · Boon of the Spirit Realm · Erebos, God of the Dead · Ethereal Armor · Heliod, God of the Sun · Agent of Erebos · Black Market · Caretaker's Talent · Resurgent Belief · Underworld Connections · All That Glitters · Archetype of Courage · Celestial Ancient · Idyllic Tutor · Lightning Greaves · Aegis of the Gods · Fate Unraveler · Gift of Immortality · Damn · Despark · Monologue Tax · Flickering Ward · Command Tower · Isolated Chapel · Tainted Field · Hall of Heliod's Generosity · Godless Shrine · Caves of Koilos · Orzhov Basilica · Fetid Heath · Temple of Silence · Vault of the Archangel · Vault of Champions · Shattered Sanctum · Bojuka Bog · Shineshadow Snarl · Marsh Flats · Scoured Barrens · Evolving Wilds · Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway · Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth · Reliquary Tower · Rogue's Passage · Concealed Courtyard · Terramorphic Expanse · Bleachbone Verge · Eclipsed Steppe · Serra's Sanctum
🃏 Recommended cards for Daxos the Returned
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Daxos the Returned, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Mesa Enchantress | 84% | +76% |
| Doomwake Giant | 73% | +69% |
| Sigil of the Empty Throne | 66% | +62% |
| Sphere of Safety | 66% | +60% |
| Grasp of Fate | 63% | +59% |
| Minthara, Merciless Soul | 58% | +56% |
| Underworld Coinsmith | 57% | +55% |
| Starfield Mystic | 62% | +55% |
| Karmic Justice | 55% | +54% |
| Hallowed Haunting | 55% | +53% |
| Seal of Cleansing | 56% | +53% |
| Extinguish All Hope | 52% | +51% |
| Hall of Heliod's Generosity | 58% | +50% |
| Grim Guardian | 53% | +50% |
| Darksteel Mutation | 57% | +46% |
| Ghostly Prison | 62% | +46% |
| Archon of Sun's Grace | 51% | +44% |
| Spirited Companion | 48% | +43% |
| Aura of Silence | 45% | +43% |
| Phyrexian Arena | 71% | +43% |
| Intangible Virtue | 45% | +41% |
| Alseid of Life's Bounty | 42% | +40% |
| Soaring Lightbringer | 39% | +37% |
| Greater Auramancy | 39% | +36% |
💰 The best cards for your Daxos the Returned deck, by budget
Three tiers based on the maximum price PER CARD you are willing to pay. Paste your list and hit Optimize: you pick that cap and the AI only suggests swaps that fit under it.
Tier 1 · Budget up to €2/card
The most value for almost nothing. Coming from a precon? Start here.
- Mesa Enchantress
- Doomwake Giant
- Sigil of the Empty Throne
- Grasp of Fate
- Minthara, Merciless Soul
- Underworld Coinsmith
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Sphere of Safety
- Hallowed Haunting
- Hall of Heliod's Generosity
- Ghostly Prison
- Aura of Silence
- Phyrexian Arena
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Greater Auramancy
- Ondu Spiritdancer
- Anointed Procession
- Land Tax
- Serra's Sanctum
- Replenish
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Daxos the Returned
- Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose + Exquisite Blood → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Sanguine Bond + Bloodthirsty Conqueror → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Exquisite Blood + Enduring Tenacity → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Bloodchief Ascension + Mindcrank → Infinite mill, Near-infinite lifegain, Near-infinite lifegain triggers, Near-infinite lifeloss
- Aetherflux Reservoir + Exquisite Blood → Infinite damage, Infinite lifegain triggers
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Daxos the Returned's color identity?
Daxos the Returned is Orzhov (black and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones. Color identity comes from every mana symbol on the card, including those in the rules text, not just the casting cost.
What turn does Daxos the Returned come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Daxos the Returned deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 36 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 3.1 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 99 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 36 % of the time and floods 19 %. Deck health: C (56/100).
How many lands should a Daxos the Returned deck run?
Real Daxos the Returned decks run 36 lands on average. That is a starting point, not a rule: a lower curve can shave one or two, big-mana builds want more. The EDH Optimizer simulator tells you, over 10,000 games, how often you get mana screwed or flooded with your exact count.
What are the best cards for Daxos the Returned?
The three highest-synergy cards are Mesa Enchantress, Doomwake Giant, Sigil of the Empty Throne. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Daxos the Returned decks.
What combos does Daxos the Returned have?
Daxos the Returned has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood. Note that two-card combos raise your deck's bracket, so it is worth knowing which ones you are running before you sit down.
How much does a Daxos the Returned deck cost?
You can start cheap: Mesa Enchantress, Doomwake Giant, Sigil of the Empty Throne are under €2 each. The "Level up" section on this page splits the best cards into three price caps PER CARD (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.