EDH Optimizer
Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel
Legendary Creature — Human Hero Villain · 1B
Color identity: Black
Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel is black: its deck can only run cards of that color plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Whenever another Villain you control enters, attach up to one target Equipment you control to target creature you control.
Whenever an equipped creature you control attacks, it connives. (Draw a card, then discard a card. If you discarded a nonland card, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.)
Reference price of the card: €0.02
Average lands in decks for Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel: 35
EquipmentVillainsConniveDiscardHistoricLegendsModified CreaturesReanimator
Build your Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel 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+ (65/100)
- Consistency51
- Speed64
- Interaction32
- Resilience75
- Closing96
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 35 lands (10 nonbasic, 25 Swamp)
Whiplash, Vengeful Engineer · Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord · Tombstone, Career Criminal · Sol Ring · Crimson Cowl, Master of Evil · Iron Monger, Sadistic Tycoon · Colossus Hammer · Moonstone, Harsh Mistress · Madame Masque · Swordsman's Steel · Bloodforged Battle-Axe · Swiftfoot Boots · Sword of the Animist · Citizen V, Helmut Zemo · Crossbones, Malicious Mercenary · Construct a Cosmic Cube · Swarm, Being of Bees · Visions of Villainy · Arcane Signet · Fixer, Techno Terror · Yellowjacket, Heartless Marauder · Ronin, Shadow Stalker · Baron Helmut Zemo · Blackblade Reforged · Super-Adaptoid · Wrecking Ball Arm · Adaptive Omnitool · Doctor Doom · Leyline Axe · M.O.D.O.K. · The Masters of Evil · Masterwork of Ingenuity · Vorpal Sword · Changeling Outcast · Endless Ranks of HYDRA · Lethal Scheme · Rocket-Powered Goblin Glider · Thunderbolts Conspiracy · Basilisk Collar · Bitterthorn, Nissa's Animus · Infernal Grasp · Mask of Griselbrand · The Frightful Four · Armed Assailant · Dark Ritual · M.O.D.O.K., Evil Intellect · Argentum Armor · Doc Ock's Tentacles · Black Market Connections · Cranial Plating · Hulkbuster Armor · Skullclamp · Agents of HYDRA · Commander's Plate · Feed the Swarm · Shadowspear · Ultron, Artificial Malevolence · Doom Reigns Supreme · Grim Reaper, Lethal Legionnaire · Withering Torment · Genji Glove · Monument to Endurance · Patchwork Banner · Radioactive Man · Villainous Hideout · Bojuka Bog · Buried Ruin · Cabal Coffers · Rogue's Passage · Path of Ancestry · War Room · Secret Tunnel · Myriad Landscape · Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
🃏 Recommended cards for Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Whiplash, Vengeful Engineer | 93% | +93% |
| Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord | 88% | +87% |
| Tombstone, Career Criminal | 85% | +85% |
| Crimson Cowl, Master of Evil | 79% | +78% |
| Iron Monger, Sadistic Tycoon | 76% | +75% |
| Colossus Hammer | 72% | +72% |
| Moonstone, Harsh Mistress | 69% | +68% |
| Madame Masque | 65% | +65% |
| Swordsman's Steel | 61% | +61% |
| Bloodforged Battle-Axe | 57% | +57% |
| Citizen V, Helmut Zemo | 56% | +55% |
| Crossbones, Malicious Mercenary | 56% | +55% |
| Sword of the Animist | 57% | +53% |
| Swarm, Being of Bees | 53% | +53% |
| Construct a Cosmic Cube | 53% | +52% |
| Yellowjacket, Heartless Marauder | 52% | +52% |
| Fixer, Techno Terror | 52% | +52% |
| Visions of Villainy | 53% | +52% |
| Ronin, Shadow Stalker | 51% | +50% |
| Baron Helmut Zemo | 49% | +48% |
| Super-Adaptoid | 48% | +48% |
| Wrecking Ball Arm | 47% | +46% |
| Villainous Hideout | 47% | +46% |
| Blackblade Reforged | 48% | +45% |
💰 The best cards for your Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel 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.
- Whiplash, Vengeful Engineer
- Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord
- Tombstone, Career Criminal
- Crimson Cowl, Master of Evil
- Iron Monger, Sadistic Tycoon
- Colossus Hammer
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Sword of the Animist
- Doctor Doom
- M.O.D.O.K.
- Bitterthorn, Nissa's Animus
- M.O.D.O.K., Evil Intellect
- Basilisk Collar
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Swordsman's Steel
- Monument to Endurance
- Shadowspear
- Commander's Plate
- Sword of Fire and Ice
- Ultron the Annihilator
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Ashnod's Altar → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Phyrexian Altar → Infinite colored mana, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
- Nim Deathmantle + Ashnod's Altar → Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
- Nim Deathmantle + Ashnod's Altar + Doctor Doom → Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite colorless mana, Infinite creature tokens, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
- Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Hammerhead, Maggia Boss → Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers, Infinite death triggers
- Nim Deathmantle + Ashnod's Altar + Minotaur, Roxxon CEO → Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature LTB, Infinite death triggers, Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel's color identity?
Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel is black: 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 Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel deck (the 99 most-included cards per EDHREC, with 35 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 2.1 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 40 % of the time and floods 14 %. Deck health: C+ (65/100).
How many lands should a Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel deck run?
Real Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel decks run 35 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 Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel?
The three highest-synergy cards are Whiplash, Vengeful Engineer, Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord, Tombstone, Career Criminal. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel decks.
What combos does Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel have?
Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Ashnod's Altar. 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 Swordsman, Sharp Scoundrel deck cost?
You can start cheap: Whiplash, Vengeful Engineer, Baron Strucker, HYDRA Overlord, Tombstone, Career Criminal 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.