EDH Optimizer
Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats
Legendary Creature — Vampire Rogue · 4BR
Color identity: Black · Red · Rakdos
Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats is Rakdos (black and red): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
This spell costs {1} less to cast for each creature in your party.
Flying, deathtouch, haste
Other creatures you control have deathtouch.
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a planeswalker, destroy that planeswalker.
Reference price of the card: €0.20
Average lands in decks for Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats: 36
PartyDeathtouchPingersVampiresControlAggroTreasureReanimator
Build your Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats 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)
- Consistency47
- Speed54
- Interaction63
- Resilience85
- Closing96
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 36 lands (18 nonbasic, 10 Swamp, 8 Mountain)
Sol Ring · Arcane Signet · Blood Cultist · Goblin Chainwhirler · Dagger Caster · Prodigal Pyromancer · Morbid Opportunist · Rakdos Signet · Deathbringer Thoctar · Feed the Swarm · Hooded Blightfang · Wojek Embermage · Burakos, Party Leader · Fireslinger · Thwart the Grave · Gisa, Glorious Resurrector · Coveted Prize · Sign in Blood · Swiftfoot Boots · Talisman of Indulgence · Vulshok Sorcerer · Rakdos Charm · Chaos Warp · Cunning Sparkmage · Rakdos Ickspitter · Goblin Sharpshooter · Bedevil · Lightning Greaves · Vandalblast · Harvester of Souls · Mahadi, Emporium Master · Dreadhorde Butcher · Phyrexian Arena · Alesha, Who Laughs at Fate · Mind Stone · Terminate · Blasphemous Act · Malakir Blood-Priest · Nullpriest of Oblivion · Archetype of Finality · Dark Ritual · Read the Bones · Multiclass Baldric · Nighthawk Scavenger · Viashino Fangtail · Viridian Longbow · Basilisk Collar · Blood Artist · Night's Whisper · Vithian Stinger · Abrade · Commander's Sphere · Drana, the Last Bloodchief · Azra Oddsmaker · Black Market · Grave Betrayal · Jeska, Warrior Adept · Brash Taunter · Fellwar Stone · Harsh Mentor · Thrill of Possibility · Inferno Titan · Judith, the Scourge Diva · Command Tower · Smoldering Marsh · Dragonskull Summit · Tainted Peak · Foreboding Ruins · Rakdos Carnarium · Temple of Malice · Shadowblood Ridge · Bloodfell Caves · Bojuka Bog · Blood Crypt · Haunted Ridge · Sulfurous Springs · Evolving Wilds · Luxury Suite · Graven Cairns · Myriad Landscape · Arcane Lighthouse
🃏 Recommended cards for Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Blood Cultist | 65% | +64% |
| Goblin Chainwhirler | 64% | +63% |
| Dagger Caster | 62% | +60% |
| Prodigal Pyromancer | 60% | +60% |
| Deathbringer Thoctar | 50% | +49% |
| Hooded Blightfang | 47% | +47% |
| Wojek Embermage | 46% | +46% |
| Fireslinger | 44% | +44% |
| Burakos, Party Leader | 44% | +44% |
| Thwart the Grave | 43% | +43% |
| Gisa, Glorious Resurrector | 42% | +41% |
| Coveted Prize | 41% | +41% |
| Morbid Opportunist | 56% | +41% |
| Vulshok Sorcerer | 41% | +41% |
| Cunning Sparkmage | 38% | +38% |
| Rakdos Ickspitter | 38% | +38% |
| Goblin Sharpshooter | 37% | +35% |
| Dreadhorde Butcher | 33% | +32% |
| Nullpriest of Oblivion | 31% | +31% |
| Malakir Blood-Priest | 31% | +31% |
| Harvester of Souls | 34% | +30% |
| Archetype of Finality | 30% | +30% |
| Multiclass Baldric | 29% | +28% |
| Viashino Fangtail | 28% | +28% |
💰 The best cards for your Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats 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.
- Blood Cultist
- Goblin Chainwhirler
- Dagger Caster
- Prodigal Pyromancer
- Deathbringer Thoctar
- Hooded Blightfang
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Gisa, Glorious Resurrector
- Drana, the Last Bloodchief
- Grave Betrayal
- Black Market
- Basilisk Collar
- Blade of the Bloodchief
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Goblin Sharpshooter
- Shadowspear
- Revel in Riches
- Stinging Study
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats
- 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
- Marauding Blight-Priest + Exquisite Blood → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
- Marauding Blight-Priest + Bloodthirsty Conqueror → Infinite lifegain triggers, Infinite lifeloss, Infinite lifegain
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats's color identity?
Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats is Rakdos (black and red): 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 Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 36 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 5.8 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 88 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 23 % of the time and floods 16 %. Deck health: B (70/100).
How many lands should a Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats deck run?
Real Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats 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 Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats?
The three highest-synergy cards are Blood Cultist, Goblin Chainwhirler, Dagger Caster. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats decks.
What combos does Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats have?
Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats 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 Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats deck cost?
You can start cheap: Blood Cultist, Goblin Chainwhirler, Dagger Caster 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.