EDH Optimizer
Zhao, Ruthless Admiral
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier
Color identity: Black · Red
Average lands in decks for Zhao, Ruthless Admiral: 37
SacrificeAristocratsTokensCluesAggroBurnFirebendingTreasure
Build your Zhao, Ruthless Admiral deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Zhao, Ruthless Admiral 📥 Analyze my deck🃏 Recommended cards for Zhao, Ruthless Admiral
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Zhao, Ruthless Admiral, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Obsessive Pursuit | 57% | +54% |
| Azula, On the Hunt | 47% | +45% |
| Pirate Peddlers | 40% | +40% |
| Callous Inspector | 39% | +38% |
| June, Bounty Hunter | 36% | +36% |
| Beetle-Headed Merchants | 35% | +35% |
| Deadly Precision | 35% | +34% |
| Fire Navy Trebuchet | 35% | +34% |
| Vindictive Warden | 33% | +32% |
| Fire Nation Palace | 36% | +31% |
| Raven Eagle | 32% | +31% |
| Boiling Rock Prison | 33% | +31% |
| Cruel Administrator | 32% | +31% |
| Nested Shambler | 30% | +30% |
| Cunning Maneuver | 30% | +30% |
| Fire Nation Attacks | 31% | +30% |
| Joo Dee, One of Many | 30% | +30% |
| Juri, Master of the Revue | 34% | +28% |
| Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin | 31% | +27% |
| Phoenix Fleet Airship | 28% | +26% |
| Fire Nation Raider | 27% | +26% |
| Sold Out | 25% | +25% |
| Zuko, Exiled Prince | 27% | +24% |
| Heartless Act | 25% | +24% |
💰 The best cards for your Zhao, Ruthless Admiral 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.
- Obsessive Pursuit
- Azula, On the Hunt
- Pirate Peddlers
- Callous Inspector
- June, Bounty Hunter
- Beetle-Headed Merchants
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Evereth, Viceroy of Plunder
- Pitiless Plunderer
- Academy Manufactor
- Sozin's Comet
- Ozai, the Phoenix King
- Professional Face-Breaker
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Warren Soultrader
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Zhao, Ruthless Admiral
- Gravecrawler + Pitiless Plunderer + Ashnod's Altar → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite death triggers, Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite sacrifice triggers, Infinite storm count
- Brass's Bounty + Revel in Riches → Win the game at the beginning of your next upkeep
- Pitiless Plunderer + Ashnod's Altar + Bloodsoaked Champion → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite death triggers, Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite sacrifice triggers
- Goblin Bombardment + Metallic Mimic → Infinite ETB, Infinite LTB, Infinite damage, Infinite death triggers, Infinite sacrifice triggers
- Mahadi, Emporium Master + Revel in Riches + Ashnod's Altar → Win the game at the beginning of your next upkeep
- Hellkite Charger + Firebending Student → Infinite combat phases, Infinite red mana, Infinite combat damage
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
How many lands should a Zhao, Ruthless Admiral deck run?
Real Zhao, Ruthless Admiral decks run 37 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 Zhao, Ruthless Admiral?
The three highest-synergy cards are Obsessive Pursuit, Azula, On the Hunt, Pirate Peddlers. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Zhao, Ruthless Admiral decks.
What combos does Zhao, Ruthless Admiral have?
Zhao, Ruthless Admiral has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Gravecrawler + Pitiless Plunderer + 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 Zhao, Ruthless Admiral deck cost?
You can start cheap: Obsessive Pursuit, Azula, On the Hunt, Pirate Peddlers 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.