EDH Optimizer
Nev, the Practical Dean
Legendary Creature — Merfolk Wizard · 2G
Color identity: Green
Nev, the Practical Dean is green: its deck can only run cards of that color plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Creatures you control with counters on them have trample.
Whenever you cast your first spell with {X} in its mana cost each turn, put X +1/+1 counters on Nev.
Reference price of the card: €0.28
Comes in the precon Quandrix Unlimited
Average lands in decks for Nev, the Practical Dean: 37
+1/+1 CountersX SpellsBig ManaHydrasAggroDeathtouchInfectMerfolk
Build your Nev, the Practical Dean deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Nev, the Practical Dean 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Nev, the Practical Dean 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: B (68/100)
- Consistency65
- Speed62
- Interaction43
- Resilience82
- Closing88
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 37 lands (10 nonbasic, 27 Forest)
Sol Ring · Goldvein Hydra · Kinetic Ooze · Benevolent Hydra · Unbound Flourishing · Hardened Scales · Inspiring Call · Silkguard · Steelbane Hydra · Primordial Hydra · Branching Evolution · Hungering Hydra · Tyvar's Stand · Beast Within · Garruk's Uprising · Lattice Library · Lifeblood Hydra · Stonecoil Serpent · Voracious Hydra · Genesis Hydra · Mistcutter Hydra · Terrasymbiosis · Fractal Harness · Animist's Awakening · Heroic Intervention · The Earth Crystal · Rampant Growth · Awaken the Woods · Emerald Medallion · Hooded Hydra · Arcane Signet · Primal Might · Snakeskin Veil · Cultivate · Forgotten Ancient · Kami of Whispered Hopes · Nature's Lore · Nexos · The Great Henge · Capricopian · High Score · Nyxborn Hydra · Selvala, Heart of the Wilds · The Ozolith · Innkeeper's Talent · Loading Zone · Ozolith, the Shattered Spire · Elementalist's Palette · Elvish Mystic · Unnatural Growth · Brass Infiniscope · Hormagaunt Horde · Evolution Sage · Kodama's Reach · Broodguard Elite · Feral Hydra · Pest Infestation · Endless One · Finale of Devastation · Gargos, Vicious Watcher · Ram Through · Vastwood Hydra · Rogue's Passage · Oran-Rief, the Vastwood · Karn's Bastion · Reliquary Tower · Castle Garenbrig · Evendo, Waking Haven · Mosswort Bridge · Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx · Boseiju, Who Endures · War Room
🃏 Recommended cards for Nev, the Practical Dean
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Nev, the Practical Dean, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Kinetic Ooze | 72% | +71% |
| Goldvein Hydra | 75% | +70% |
| Benevolent Hydra | 71% | +68% |
| Unbound Flourishing | 70% | +68% |
| Silkguard | 69% | +66% |
| Steelbane Hydra | 67% | +64% |
| Primordial Hydra | 65% | +61% |
| Hungering Hydra | 64% | +60% |
| Lattice Library | 59% | +59% |
| Stonecoil Serpent | 59% | +57% |
| Inspiring Call | 69% | +56% |
| Lifeblood Hydra | 59% | +55% |
| Hardened Scales | 69% | +55% |
| Voracious Hydra | 59% | +55% |
| Genesis Hydra | 58% | +54% |
| Mistcutter Hydra | 56% | +53% |
| Branching Evolution | 64% | +53% |
| Fractal Harness | 53% | +53% |
| Tyvar's Stand | 63% | +50% |
| Animist's Awakening | 50% | +48% |
| Terrasymbiosis | 54% | +45% |
| Hooded Hydra | 44% | +41% |
| Nexos | 40% | +40% |
| Primal Might | 42% | +39% |
💰 The best cards for your Nev, the Practical Dean 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.
- Kinetic Ooze
- Benevolent Hydra
- Silkguard
- Steelbane Hydra
- Primordial Hydra
- Hungering Hydra
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Goldvein Hydra
- Unbound Flourishing
- Branching Evolution
- Nexos
- The Earth Crystal
- Kami of Whispered Hopes
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Terrasymbiosis
- Awaken the Woods
- The Ozolith
- Sporocyst
- The Great Henge
- Finale of Devastation
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Nev, the Practical Dean
- Staff of Domination + Circle of Dreams Druid → Infinite card draw, Infinite draw triggers, Infinite lifegain, Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite untap of creatures you control, Infinite green mana
- Staff of Domination + Selvala, Heart of the Wilds → Infinite card draw, Infinite colored mana, Infinite draw triggers, Infinite lifegain, Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite untap of creatures you control
- Kogla, the Titan Ape + Karametra's Acolyte → Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite green mana, Infinite storm count
- Altar of Dementia + The Great Henge → Infinite self-mill, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite death triggers, Infinite mill, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
- Staff of Domination + Karametra's Acolyte → Infinite card draw, Infinite draw triggers, Infinite lifegain, Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite untap of creatures you control, Infinite green mana
- Vigor + Hardened Scales + Walking Ballista → Infinite damage, Infinite +1/+1 counters on creatures you control
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Nev, the Practical Dean's color identity?
Nev, the Practical Dean is green: 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 Nev, the Practical Dean come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Nev, the Practical Dean deck (the 99 most-included cards per EDHREC, with 37 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 3.0 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 100 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 24 % of the time and floods 12 %. Deck health: B (68/100).
How many lands should a Nev, the Practical Dean deck run?
Real Nev, the Practical Dean decks run 37 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 Nev, the Practical Dean?
The three highest-synergy cards are Kinetic Ooze, Goldvein Hydra, Benevolent Hydra. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Nev, the Practical Dean decks.
What combos does Nev, the Practical Dean have?
Nev, the Practical Dean has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Staff of Domination + Circle of Dreams Druid. 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 Nev, the Practical Dean deck cost?
You can start cheap: Kinetic Ooze, Benevolent Hydra, Silkguard 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.