EDH Optimizer
Grist, the Hunger Tide
Legendary Planeswalker — Grist · 1BG
Color identity: Black · Green · Golgari
Grist, the Hunger Tide is Golgari (black and green): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
As long as Grist isn't on the battlefield, it's a 1/1 Insect creature in addition to its other types.
+1: Create a 1/1 black and green Insect creature token, then mill a card. If an Insect card was milled this way, put a loyalty counter on Grist and repeat this process.
−2: You may sacrifice a creature. When you do, destroy target creature or planeswalker.
−5: Each opponent loses life equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
Reference price of the card: €0.60
Average lands in decks for Grist, the Hunger Tide: 34
InsectsSelf-MillReanimatorMillTokensGraveyardDredgeAristocrats
Build your Grist, the Hunger Tide deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Grist, the Hunger Tide 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Grist, the Hunger Tide deck starts over 4,000 games
The list people actually play per EDHREC (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 (55/100)
- Consistency64
- Speed63
- Interaction31
- Resilience70
- Closing50
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 34 lands (24 nonbasic, 4 Swamp, 6 Forest)
Caustic Caterpillar · Haywire Mite · Scute Swarm · Sol Ring · Hornet Queen · Aatchik, Emerald Radian · Grist, Voracious Larva // Grist, the Plague Swarm · Zask, Skittering Swarmlord · Hornet Nest · Giant Adephage · Blightbeetle · Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest · Scute Mob · Moldgraf Millipede · Skullclamp · Spring-Leaf Avenger · Arcane Signet · Gravepurge · Icetill Explorer · Forever Young · Fumulus, the Infestation · Broodhatch Nantuko · Huskburster Swarm · Nantuko Elder · Seedship Broodtender · Amzu, Swarm's Hunger · Izoni, Thousand-Eyed · Carrion Grub · Footbottom Feast · Mortician Beetle · Victimize · Dread Return · Nantuko Husk · Realmwalker · Springheart Nantuko · Crawling Infestation · Circuit Mender · Crawling Sensation · Molt Tender · Stinging Cave Crawler · Ant Queen · Assassin's Trophy · Syr Konrad, the Grim · Bone Harvest · Devouring Swarm · Kraul Harpooner · Cultivate · Gene Pollinator · Liliana's Talent · The Swarmweaver · Reanimate · Altanak, the Thrice-Called · Insidious Roots · Masked Vandal · Xantid Swarm · Bane of the Living · Grisly Salvage · Rampant Growth · Village Rites · Cauldron of Essence · Caustic Wasps · Giant Ankheg · Swarmyard Massacre · Virus Beetle · Vorapede · Command Tower · Woodland Cemetery · Llanowar Wastes · Overgrown Tomb · Swarmyard · Tainted Wood · Golgari Rot Farm · Temple of Malady · Undergrowth Stadium · Twilight Mire · Bojuka Bog · Deathcap Glade · Evolving Wilds · Necroblossom Snarl · Verdant Catacombs · Underground Mortuary · Path of Ancestry · Exotic Orchard · Phyrexian Tower · Terramorphic Expanse · Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth · Dakmor Salvage · Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth · Darkbore Pathway // Slitherbore Pathway
🃏 Recommended cards for Grist, the Hunger Tide
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Grist, the Hunger Tide, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Caustic Caterpillar | 73% | +67% |
| Aatchik, Emerald Radian | 65% | +62% |
| Zask, Skittering Swarmlord | 64% | +62% |
| Grist, Voracious Larva | 65% | +61% |
| Hornet Queen | 67% | +61% |
| Hornet Nest | 63% | +59% |
| Blightbeetle | 60% | +58% |
| Giant Adephage | 61% | +57% |
| Scute Mob | 60% | +57% |
| Scute Swarm | 68% | +54% |
| Spring-Leaf Avenger | 55% | +53% |
| Gravepurge | 54% | +53% |
| Moldgraf Millipede | 55% | +53% |
| Forever Young | 53% | +52% |
| Haywire Mite | 70% | +51% |
| Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest | 60% | +50% |
| Nantuko Elder | 51% | +49% |
| Broodhatch Nantuko | 51% | +49% |
| Huskburster Swarm | 51% | +49% |
| Fumulus, the Infestation | 52% | +48% |
| Seedship Broodtender | 49% | +46% |
| Icetill Explorer | 54% | +46% |
| Amzu, Swarm's Hunger | 48% | +46% |
| Footbottom Feast | 46% | +45% |
💰 The best cards for your Grist, the Hunger Tide 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.
- Caustic Caterpillar
- Aatchik, Emerald Radian
- Hornet Queen
- Hornet Nest
- Blightbeetle
- Giant Adephage
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Scute Swarm
- Fumulus, the Infestation
- Mortician Beetle
- Springheart Nantuko
- Swarmyard
- Masked Vandal
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Zask, Skittering Swarmlord
- Icetill Explorer
- Amzu, Swarm's Hunger
- Canoptek Scarab Swarm
- Phyrexian Tower
- Three Tree City
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Grist, the Hunger Tide
- Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Altar → Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
- Chatterfang, Squirrel General + Pitiless Plunderer → Infinite artifact ETB, Infinite artifact LTB, Infinite artifact sacrifice triggers, Infinite artifact tokens, Infinite colored mana, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite Treasure tokens, Reduce the toughness of creatures opponents control to 0
- The Gitrog Monster + Dakmor Salvage → Infinite self-mill, Near-infinite self-discard triggers
- Warren Soultrader + Gravecrawler + Blood Artist → Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Ashnod's Altar → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
- Orcish Bowmasters + Peer into the Abyss → Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature, Near-infinite card draw for target opponent, Near-infinite damage, Near-infinite draw triggers for target opponent, Target opponent loses the game
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Grist, the Hunger Tide's color identity?
Grist, the Hunger Tide is Golgari (black and green): 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 Grist, the Hunger Tide come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Grist, the Hunger Tide deck (the 99 most-included cards per EDHREC, with 34 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 3.0 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 34 % of the time and floods 8 %. Deck health: C (55/100).
How many lands should a Grist, the Hunger Tide deck run?
Real Grist, the Hunger Tide decks run 34 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 Grist, the Hunger Tide?
The three highest-synergy cards are Caustic Caterpillar, Aatchik, Emerald Radian, Zask, Skittering Swarmlord. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Grist, the Hunger Tide decks.
What combos does Grist, the Hunger Tide have?
Grist, the Hunger Tide has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Altar. 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 Grist, the Hunger Tide deck cost?
You can start cheap: Caustic Caterpillar, Aatchik, Emerald Radian, Hornet Queen 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.