EDH Optimizer
Raphael, the Nightwatcher
Legendary Creature — Mutant Ninja Turtle · 2RR
Color identity: Red
Raphael, the Nightwatcher is red: its deck can only run cards of that color plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Sneak {1}{R}{R} (You may cast this spell for {1}{R}{R} if you also return an unblocked attacker you control to hand during the declare blockers step. He enters tapped and attacking.)
Attacking creatures you control have double strike.
Reference price of the card: €0.73
Average lands in decks for Raphael, the Nightwatcher: 36
AggroExtra Combats+1/+1 CountersBurnTokensVoltronArtifactsDiscard
Build your Raphael, the Nightwatcher deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Raphael, the Nightwatcher 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Raphael, the Nightwatcher 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: B (70/100)
- Consistency77
- Speed78
- Interaction28
- Resilience72
- Closing70
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 36 lands (6 nonbasic, 30 Mountain)
Sol Ring · Arcane Signet · Blasphemous Act · Professional Face-Breaker · The Fire Crystal · Ruby Medallion · Chaos Warp · Desert Were-Worm · Raphael, Tag Team Tough · Grenzo, Havoc Raiser · Lightning Greaves · Thrill of Possibility · Big Score · Raphael, Ninja Destroyer · Abrade · Raphael, the Muscle · Anger · Raphael's Technique · Vincent, Vengeful Atoner · Raphael, Most Attitude · Sticky Fingers · Raphael, Tough Turtle · Untimely Malfunction · Casey Jones, Back Alley Brute · Swiftfoot Boots · Combat Celebrant · Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer · Unexpected Windfall · Faithless Looting · Jeska's Will · Cool but Rude · Samut, Hazoret's Champion · Goldlust Triad · The Reaver Cleaver · Urabrask the Hidden · Vandalblast · Karlach, Fury of Avernus · Wingnut, Bat on the Belfry · Laelia, the Blade Reforged · Lightning, Security Sergeant · Twinflame Tyrant · Slash, Reptile Rampager · Stromkirk Noble · Falkenrath Marauders · Fast Forward · Great Train Heist · Heraldic Banner · Port Razer · Raph's Bravado · Sunset Strikemaster · Hard-Won Jitte · Improvised Arsenal · Mind Stone · Sword of the Animist · Casey Jones, Jury-Rig Justiciar · Inti, Seneschal of the Sun · Lightning Bolt · Photon, Mighty Marvel · Fervor · Balefire Dragon · Bedlam · Rogue's Gloves · Skateboard · Rogue's Passage · Castle Embereth · War Room · Arena of Glory · Turtle Lair · Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
🃏 Recommended cards for Raphael, the Nightwatcher
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Raphael, the Nightwatcher, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Raphael, Tag Team Tough | 43% | +42% |
| Raphael, Ninja Destroyer | 38% | +37% |
| Desert Were-Worm | 44% | +37% |
| Raphael, the Muscle | 37% | +37% |
| Raphael's Technique | 36% | +35% |
| Raphael, Most Attitude | 34% | +34% |
| Vincent, Vengeful Atoner | 35% | +33% |
| Casey Jones, Back Alley Brute | 32% | +32% |
| Grenzo, Havoc Raiser | 41% | +32% |
| Raphael, Tough Turtle | 33% | +31% |
| Wingnut, Bat on the Belfry | 27% | +27% |
| Castle Embereth | 43% | +27% |
| Professional Face-Breaker | 50% | +27% |
| The Fire Crystal | 50% | +26% |
| Sticky Fingers | 34% | +26% |
| Rogue's Passage | 50% | +26% |
| Cool but Rude | 29% | +25% |
| Lightning, Security Sergeant | 26% | +25% |
| Turtle Lair | 25% | +25% |
| Stromkirk Noble | 25% | +25% |
| Samut, Hazoret's Champion | 29% | +24% |
| Raph's Bravado | 24% | +24% |
| Falkenrath Marauders | 24% | +24% |
| Anger | 36% | +24% |
💰 The best cards for your Raphael, the Nightwatcher 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.
- Raphael, Ninja Destroyer
- Desert Were-Worm
- Raphael, the Muscle
- Raphael's Technique
- Raphael, Most Attitude
- Vincent, Vengeful Atoner
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Raphael, Tag Team Tough
- Professional Face-Breaker
- The Fire Crystal
- Cool but Rude
- Samut, Hazoret's Champion
- Goldlust Triad
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Karlach, Fury of Avernus
- Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
- The Reaver Cleaver
- Balefire Dragon
- Twinflame Tyrant
- Buster Sword
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Raphael, the Nightwatcher
- Basalt Monolith + Forsaken Monument → Infinite colorless mana
- 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
- Sword of Feast and Famine + Aggravated Assault → Infinite combat phases
- Ancient Copper Dragon + Aggravated Assault → Near-infinite colored mana, Near-infinite combat damage, Near-infinite Treasure tokens, Near-infinite combat phases, Near-infinite untap of creatures you control, Near-infinite mana creatures you control can produce
- Dualcaster Mage + Heat Shimmer → Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite magecraft triggers
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Raphael, the Nightwatcher's color identity?
Raphael, the Nightwatcher 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 Nightwatcher come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Raphael, the Nightwatcher deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 36 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 3.4 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 21 % of the time and floods 11 %. Deck health: B (70/100).
How many lands should a Raphael, the Nightwatcher deck run?
Real Raphael, the Nightwatcher 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 Nightwatcher?
The three highest-synergy cards are Raphael, Tag Team Tough, Raphael, Ninja Destroyer, Desert Were-Worm. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Raphael, the Nightwatcher decks.
What combos does Raphael, the Nightwatcher have?
Raphael, the Nightwatcher has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Basalt Monolith + Forsaken Monument. 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 Nightwatcher deck cost?
You can start cheap: Raphael, Ninja Destroyer, Desert Were-Worm, Raphael, the Muscle 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.