EDH Optimizer
Raphael, the Muscle
Legendary Creature — Mutant Ninja Turtle · 4R
Color identity: Red
Raphael, the Muscle is red: its deck can only run cards of that color plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Double all damage that creatures you control with counters on them would deal.
When Raphael enters, create a Mutagen token.
Partner—Character select (You can have two commanders if both have this ability.)
Reference price of the card: €0.52
Comes in the precon Turtle Power!
Average lands in decks for Raphael, the Muscle: 36
+1/+1 CountersBurnMutantsNinjasTurtles
Build your Raphael, the Muscle deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Raphael, the Muscle 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Raphael, the Muscle 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+ (65/100)
- Consistency73
- Speed67
- Interaction29
- Resilience67
- Closing70
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 36 lands (5 nonbasic, 31 Mountain)
Arcane Signet · Sol Ring · Casey Jones, Back Alley Brute · Raphael's Technique · Blasphemous Act · Raphael, the Nightwatcher · Special Move · The Ooze · Tokka & Rahzar, Unsupervised · Raphael, Ninja Destroyer · Raphael, Tough Turtle · Shellshock · Slash, Reptile Rampager · Taurean Mauler · Fast Forward · Hard-Won Jitte · Raphael, Tag Team Tough · Coin of Mastery · Raphael, Most Attitude · Chaos Warp · Inti, Seneschal of the Sun · Shivan Devastator · Thundering Raiju · Big Mother Mouser · Raph's Bravado · All Will Be One · Ruby Medallion · The Fire Crystal · Umezawa's Jitte · Uncivil Unrest · Arcade Cabinet · Bot Bashing Time · Casey & Raph, Hotheads · Cool but Rude · Improvised Arsenal · Zog, Triceraton Castaway · Anger · Archetype of Aggression · Explosive Entry · Laelia, the Blade Reforged · Mind Stone · War Elemental · Casey Jones, Asphalt Hooligan · Jennika's Technique · Manhole Missile · Roadkill Rodney · Abrade · Deflecting Swat · Electrostatic Infantry · Fire Diamond · Frontline War-Rager · Goblin War Drums · Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin · Rumbling Ruin · Runaway Steam-Kin · Sword of Truth and Justice · Turtle Van · Caldera Pyremaw · Casey Jones, Jury-Rig Justiciar · Disrupt Decorum · Faithless Looting · Gamble · Vincent, Vengeful Atoner · Rogue's Passage · Turtle Lair · Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle · War Room · Escape Tunnel
🃏 Recommended cards for Raphael, the Muscle
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Raphael, the Muscle, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Casey Jones, Back Alley Brute | 75% | +74% |
| Raphael's Technique | 72% | +71% |
| Raphael, the Nightwatcher | 63% | +61% |
| The Ooze | 58% | +58% |
| Special Move | 58% | +58% |
| Tokka & Rahzar, Unsupervised | 54% | +53% |
| Raphael, Ninja Destroyer | 50% | +49% |
| Shellshock | 50% | +49% |
| Raphael, Tough Turtle | 50% | +48% |
| Slash, Reptile Rampager | 50% | +47% |
| Hard-Won Jitte | 46% | +45% |
| Fast Forward | 46% | +45% |
| Taurean Mauler | 48% | +44% |
| Raphael, Tag Team Tough | 44% | +44% |
| Raphael, Most Attitude | 42% | +41% |
| Coin of Mastery | 42% | +40% |
| Thundering Raiju | 40% | +39% |
| Shivan Devastator | 40% | +38% |
| Raph's Bravado | 38% | +37% |
| Big Mother Mouser | 38% | +37% |
| Inti, Seneschal of the Sun | 40% | +35% |
| Uncivil Unrest | 36% | +35% |
| All Will Be One | 36% | +35% |
| Umezawa's Jitte | 36% | +35% |
💰 The best cards for your Raphael, the Muscle 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.
- Casey Jones, Back Alley Brute
- Raphael's Technique
- Raphael, the Nightwatcher
- Special Move
- Tokka & Rahzar, Unsupervised
- Raphael, Ninja Destroyer
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- The Ooze
- Raphael, Tag Team Tough
- Umezawa's Jitte
- Cool but Rude
- Ravenous Robots
- Lost Jitte
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Uncivil Unrest
- All Will Be One
- Sword of Truth and Justice
- The Ozolith
- Kratos, God of War
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Raphael, the Muscle
- The Reaver Cleaver + Aggravated Assault → Infinite artifact ETB, Infinite artifact LTB, Infinite artifact sacrifice triggers, Infinite artifact tokens, Infinite colored mana, Infinite combat damage, Infinite combat phases, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite Treasure tokens, Infinite untap of creatures you control
- Blasphemous Act + Repercussion → Near-infinite damage to all players
- Reiterate + Jeska's Will → Infinite magecraft triggers, Infinite red mana, Infinite storm count, Exile your library with the ability to play the exiled cards until end of turn
- Sword of Feast and Famine + Aggravated Assault → Infinite combat phases
- Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker + Zealous Conscripts → Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
- Combat Celebrant + Helm of the Host → Infinite combat phases, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite mana creatures you control can produce, Infinite tapped creature tokens, Infinite untap of creatures you control
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Raphael, the Muscle's color identity?
Raphael, the Muscle is red: 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 Raphael, the Muscle come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Raphael, the Muscle deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 36 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 4.8 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 94 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 32 % of the time and floods 14 %. Deck health: C+ (65/100).
How many lands should a Raphael, the Muscle deck run?
Real Raphael, the Muscle 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 Raphael, the Muscle?
The three highest-synergy cards are Casey Jones, Back Alley Brute, Raphael's Technique, Raphael, the Nightwatcher. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Raphael, the Muscle decks.
What combos does Raphael, the Muscle have?
Raphael, the Muscle has 6 known combos. The most popular one is The Reaver Cleaver + Aggravated Assault. 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 Raphael, the Muscle deck cost?
You can start cheap: Casey Jones, Back Alley Brute, Raphael's Technique, Raphael, the Nightwatcher 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.