EDH Optimizer
Rhys the Exiled
Legendary Creature — Elf Warrior · 2G
Color identity: Black · Green · Golgari
Rhys the Exiled is Golgari (black and green): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Whenever Rhys attacks, you gain 1 life for each Elf you control.
{B}, Sacrifice an Elf: Regenerate Rhys.
Reference price of the card: €0.89
Average lands in decks for Rhys the Exiled: 36
ElvesLifegainTokensSelf-DamageAristocrats+1/+1 CountersMidrangeSacrifice
Build your Rhys the Exiled deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Rhys the Exiled 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Rhys the Exiled 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 (66/100)
- Consistency63
- Speed64
- Interaction32
- Resilience67
- Closing97
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 36 lands (26 nonbasic, 2 Swamp, 8 Forest)
Elvish Archdruid · Imperious Perfect · Llanowar Elves · Priest of Titania · Lys Alana Huntmaster · Elvish Mystic · Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen · Reclamation Sage · Beast Whisperer · Elvish Warmaster · Lathril, Blade of the Elves · Prowess of the Fair · Marwyn, the Nurturer · Wellwisher · Fyndhorn Elves · Elvish Promenade · Leaf-Crowned Visionary · Shaman of the Pack · Sol Ring · Elven Ambush · Essence Warden · Elves of Deep Shadow · Ezuri, Renegade Leader · Elvish Champion · Wolverine Riders · Tyvar Kell · Arbor Elf · Sanguine Bond · Virulent Emissary · Assassin's Trophy · Miara, Thorn of the Glade · Skemfar Avenger · Skemfar Shadowsage · Wirewood Channeler · Poison-Tip Archer · Heroic Intervention · Morcant's Loyalist · Champions of the Perfect · Putrefy · Canopy Tactician · Elderfang Venom · Immaculate Magistrate · Enduring Tenacity · Mortality Spear · Abomination of Llanowar · Elvish Harbinger · Golgari Charm · Elvish Visionary · Timberwatch Elf · Arcane Signet · Beast Within · Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury · Wood Elves · Circle of Dreams Druid · Well of Lost Dreams · Moldervine Reclamation · Wirewood Herald · Shamanic Revelation · Glissa Sunslayer · Ruthless Winnower · Heritage Druid · Jagged-Scar Archers · Selfless Safewright · Command Tower · Woodland Cemetery · Llanowar Wastes · Path of Ancestry · Wirewood Lodge · Gilt-Leaf Palace · Overgrown Tomb · Twilight Mire · Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth · Elven Passage · Golgari Rot Farm · Undergrowth Stadium · Bojuka Bog · Rogue's Passage · Verdant Catacombs · Deathcap Glade · Viridescent Bog · Tainted Wood · Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth · Temple of Malady · Necroblossom Snarl · Cavern of Souls · Wastewood Verge · Jungle Hollow · Darkbore Pathway // Slitherbore Pathway · Skemfar Elderhall
🃏 Recommended cards for Rhys the Exiled
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Rhys the Exiled, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Imperious Perfect | 85% | +75% |
| Elvish Archdruid | 87% | +74% |
| Priest of Titania | 80% | +68% |
| Lys Alana Huntmaster | 76% | +68% |
| Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen | 70% | +62% |
| Lathril, Blade of the Elves | 64% | +59% |
| Prowess of the Fair | 64% | +59% |
| Wellwisher | 62% | +59% |
| Elvish Warmaster | 64% | +56% |
| Marwyn, the Nurturer | 63% | +53% |
| Reclamation Sage | 69% | +53% |
| Elvish Promenade | 58% | +50% |
| Beast Whisperer | 64% | +50% |
| Shaman of the Pack | 55% | +48% |
| Leaf-Crowned Visionary | 56% | +48% |
| Llanowar Elves | 83% | +48% |
| Wirewood Lodge | 50% | +45% |
| Elven Ambush | 52% | +45% |
| Elvish Mystic | 72% | +43% |
| Essence Warden | 51% | +42% |
| Gilt-Leaf Palace | 48% | +42% |
| Fyndhorn Elves | 59% | +41% |
| Wolverine Riders | 47% | +41% |
| Ezuri, Renegade Leader | 48% | +41% |
💰 The best cards for your Rhys the Exiled 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.
- Imperious Perfect
- Elvish Archdruid
- Priest of Titania
- Lys Alana Huntmaster
- Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen
- Lathril, Blade of the Elves
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Elvish Warmaster
- Marwyn, the Nurturer
- Elvish Promenade
- Beast Whisperer
- Leaf-Crowned Visionary
- Wirewood Lodge
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Wolverine Riders
- Ezuri, Renegade Leader
- Enduring Tenacity
- Circle of Dreams Druid
- Aetherflux Reservoir
- Sylvan Library
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Rhys the Exiled
- Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose + Exquisite Blood → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose + Bloodthirsty Conqueror → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Sanguine Bond + Bloodthirsty Conqueror → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Exquisite Blood + Enduring Tenacity → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Enduring Tenacity + Bloodthirsty Conqueror → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Rhys the Exiled's color identity?
Rhys the Exiled 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 Rhys the Exiled come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Rhys the Exiled deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 36 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 2.8 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 11 %. Deck health: B (66/100).
How many lands should a Rhys the Exiled deck run?
Real Rhys the Exiled 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 Rhys the Exiled?
The three highest-synergy cards are Imperious Perfect, Elvish Archdruid, Priest of Titania. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Rhys the Exiled decks.
What combos does Rhys the Exiled have?
Rhys the Exiled has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood. 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 Rhys the Exiled deck cost?
You can start cheap: Imperious Perfect, Elvish Archdruid, Priest of Titania 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.