EDH Optimizer
Liu Bei, Lord of Shu
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier · 3WW
Color identity: White
Liu Bei, Lord of Shu is white: its deck can only run cards of that color plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Horsemanship (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with horsemanship.)
Liu Bei gets +2/+2 as long as you control a permanent named Guan Yu, Sainted Warrior or a permanent named Zhang Fei, Fierce Warrior.
Reference price of the card: €16.25
Average lands in decks for Liu Bei, Lord of Shu: 34
EquipmentSoldiersHumansLegendsVoltron+1/+1 CountersAggroAnthems
Build your Liu Bei, Lord of Shu deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Liu Bei, Lord of Shu 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Liu Bei, Lord of Shu 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+ (57/100)
- Consistency33
- Speed49
- Interaction55
- Resilience73
- Closing70
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 34 lands (13 nonbasic, 21 Plains)
Guan Yu, Sainted Warrior · Zhang Fei, Fierce Warrior · Sol Ring · Path to Exile · Swords to Plowshares · Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon" · Zhao Zilong, Tiger General · Flowering of the White Tree · Shu Cavalry · Shu General · Loyal Retainers · Huang Zhong, Shu General · Riding Red Hare · Peach Garden Oath · Shu Elite Companions · Guan Yu's 1,000-Li March · Pearl Medallion · Arcane Signet · Keeper of the Accord · False Defeat · Daru Warchief · Konda's Banner · Bastion Protector · Empty City Ruse · Flanking Troops · Rally the Troops · Vanquisher's Banner · Shu Defender · Captain of the Watch · Ballyrush Banneret · Generous Gift · Pang Tong, "Young Phoenix" · Swiftfoot Boots · Alert Shu Infantry · Blackblade Reforged · Flawless Maneuver · Sword of the Animist · Warrior's Stand · Honor of the Pure · True Conviction · Field Marshal · Virtuous Charge · Coppercoat Vanguard · Disenchant · Eightfold Maze · Lightning Greaves · Land Tax · Rescue Retriever · Volunteer Militia · Archetype of Courage · Cathars' Crusade · Elspeth, Sun's Champion · Martial Coup · Shu Grain Caravan · Esper Sentinel · Kongming's Contraptions · Marble Diamond · Myrel, Shield of Argive · Oketra's Monument · Akroma's Will · Mentor of the Meek · Caged Sun · Day of Destiny · Herald's Horn · Knight of the White Orchid · Emeria, the Sky Ruin · Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx · Eiganjo Castle · Path of Ancestry · War Room · Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire · Minas Tirith · Myriad Landscape · Castle Ardenvale · Cavern of Souls · Daru Encampment · Plaza of Heroes · Windbrisk Heights
🃏 Recommended cards for Liu Bei, Lord of Shu
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Liu Bei, Lord of Shu, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Guan Yu, Sainted Warrior | 98% | +98% |
| Zhang Fei, Fierce Warrior | 97% | +97% |
| Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon" | 77% | +76% |
| Zhao Zilong, Tiger General | 73% | +73% |
| Shu General | 70% | +70% |
| Shu Cavalry | 70% | +70% |
| Loyal Retainers | 69% | +68% |
| Huang Zhong, Shu General | 64% | +64% |
| Riding Red Hare | 64% | +64% |
| Peach Garden Oath | 63% | +62% |
| Shu Elite Companions | 61% | +61% |
| Guan Yu's 1,000-Li March | 59% | +59% |
| Flowering of the White Tree | 70% | +58% |
| False Defeat | 55% | +55% |
| Konda's Banner | 53% | +52% |
| Daru Warchief | 53% | +50% |
| Flanking Troops | 50% | +50% |
| Rally the Troops | 50% | +50% |
| Empty City Ruse | 50% | +50% |
| Shu Defender | 48% | +48% |
| Pang Tong, "Young Phoenix" | 45% | +45% |
| Alert Shu Infantry | 44% | +44% |
| Warrior's Stand | 44% | +44% |
| Ballyrush Banneret | 45% | +43% |
💰 The best cards for your Liu Bei, Lord of Shu 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.
- Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon"
- Shu Cavalry
- Loyal Retainers
- Peach Garden Oath
- Daru Warchief
- Flanking Troops
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Shu General
- Riding Red Hare
- Shu Elite Companions
- Flowering of the White Tree
- False Defeat
- Konda's Banner
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Guan Yu, Sainted Warrior
- Zhang Fei, Fierce Warrior
- Zhao Zilong, Tiger General
- Huang Zhong, Shu General
- Guan Yu's 1,000-Li March
- Pang Tong, "Young Phoenix"
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Liu Bei, Lord of Shu
- Glacial Chasm + Solemnity → Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you, Lock
- Spawnsire of Ulamog + Anointed Procession → Infinite death triggers, Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite sacrifice triggers
- Spawnsire of Ulamog + Elspeth, Storm Slayer → Infinite LTB, Infinite ETB, Infinite sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Liu Bei, Lord of Shu's color identity?
Liu Bei, Lord of Shu is white: its deck can only run cards of that color 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 Liu Bei, Lord of Shu come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Liu Bei, Lord of Shu deck (the 99 most-included cards per EDHREC, with 34 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 5.0 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 93 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 45 % of the time and floods 15 %. Deck health: C+ (57/100).
How many lands should a Liu Bei, Lord of Shu deck run?
Real Liu Bei, Lord of Shu 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 Liu Bei, Lord of Shu?
The three highest-synergy cards are Guan Yu, Sainted Warrior, Zhang Fei, Fierce Warrior, Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon". This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Liu Bei, Lord of Shu decks.
What combos does Liu Bei, Lord of Shu have?
Liu Bei, Lord of Shu has 3 known combos. The most popular one is Glacial Chasm + Solemnity. 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 Liu Bei, Lord of Shu deck cost?
You can start cheap: Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon", Shu Cavalry, Loyal Retainers 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.