EDH Optimizer
Zirda, the Dawnwaker
Legendary Creature — Elemental Fox · 1RWRW
Color identity: Red · White · Boros
Zirda, the Dawnwaker is Boros (red and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Companion — Each permanent card in your starting deck has an activated ability. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for {3} as a sorcery.)
Abilities you activate that aren't mana abilities cost {2} less to activate. This effect can't reduce the mana in that cost to less than one mana.
{1}, {T}: Target creature can't block this turn.
Reference price of the card: €0.63
Average lands in decks for Zirda, the Dawnwaker: 31
ComboArtifactsEquipmentCyclingActivated AbilitiesDiscardStaxSunforger
Build your Zirda, the Dawnwaker deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Zirda, the Dawnwaker 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Zirda, the Dawnwaker 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 (73/100)
- Consistency43
- Speed71
- Interaction73
- Resilience93
- Closing81
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 31 lands (21 nonbasic, 5 Plains, 5 Mountain)
Sol Ring · Arcane Signet · Basalt Monolith · Swords to Plowshares · Staff of Domination · Sevinne's Reclamation · Talisman of Conviction · Moonsilver Key · Walking Ballista · Enlightened Tutor · Goblin Engineer · Oswald Fiddlebender · Esper Sentinel · Path to Exile · Reckless Handling · Soulbright Flamekin · Gamble · Deflecting Swat · Grand Abolisher · Grim Monolith · Jeska's Will · Silence · Boros Signet · Lotus Petal · Mirage Mirror · Red Elemental Blast · Diviner's Wand · Smothering Tithe · Voice of Victory · Goblin Welder · Hexing Squelcher · Mana Vault · Simian Spirit Guide · Delivery Moogle · Mox Opal · Archivist of Oghma · Burnished Hart · Imperial Recruiter · Manifold Key · Ranger-Captain of Eos · Tezzeret, Cruel Captain · Chrome Mox · Pyroblast · The One Ring · Cogwork Assembler · Thran Spider · Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer · Redirect Lightning · Tataru Taru · Faithless Looting · Vexing Bauble · Mox Diamond · Rite of Flame · Underworld Breach · Boros Charm · Ethersworn Canonist · Recommission · Agatha's Soul Cauldron · Chaos Warp · Generous Gift · Umbral Mantle · Untimely Malfunction · Wear // Tear · Arcane Encyclopedia · Blasphemous Act · Lion's Eye Diamond · Swiftfoot Boots · Gleaming Splendor · Command Tower · Battlefield Forge · Sacred Foundry · Spectator Seating · Arid Mesa · Inventors' Fair · Clifftop Retreat · Urza's Saga · Plateau · Sunbaked Canyon · Ancient Tomb · Buried Ruin · Elegant Parlor · Gemstone Caverns · Flooded Strand · Rugged Prairie · City of Brass · War Room · Marsh Flats · Fomori Vault · Mana Confluence
🃏 Recommended cards for Zirda, the Dawnwaker
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Zirda, the Dawnwaker, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Basalt Monolith | 70% | +68% |
| Staff of Domination | 63% | +61% |
| Moonsilver Key | 55% | +53% |
| Walking Ballista | 55% | +53% |
| Soulbright Flamekin | 46% | +45% |
| Goblin Engineer | 50% | +45% |
| Oswald Fiddlebender | 49% | +44% |
| Sevinne's Reclamation | 58% | +44% |
| Reckless Handling | 46% | +42% |
| Grim Monolith | 42% | +41% |
| Inventors' Fair | 49% | +40% |
| Mirage Mirror | 38% | +37% |
| Gamble | 44% | +37% |
| Diviner's Wand | 37% | +37% |
| Enlightened Tutor | 51% | +36% |
| Silence | 40% | +35% |
| Delivery Moogle | 35% | +33% |
| Red Elemental Blast | 38% | +33% |
| Lotus Petal | 38% | +33% |
| Manifold Key | 34% | +32% |
| Simian Spirit Guide | 36% | +32% |
| Mana Vault | 36% | +32% |
| Goblin Welder | 36% | +32% |
| Thran Spider | 32% | +32% |
💰 The best cards for your Zirda, the Dawnwaker 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.
- Moonsilver Key
- Soulbright Flamekin
- Sevinne's Reclamation
- Reckless Handling
- Mirage Mirror
- Diviner's Wand
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Basalt Monolith
- Staff of Domination
- Walking Ballista
- Goblin Engineer
- Oswald Fiddlebender
- Silence
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Grim Monolith
- Inventors' Fair
- Gamble
- Enlightened Tutor
- Lotus Petal
- Mana Vault
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Zirda, the Dawnwaker
- Underworld Breach + Lion's Eye Diamond + Wheel of Fortune → Infinite draw triggers, Infinite looting, Infinite looting for opponents, Near-infinite storm count
- Underworld Breach + Wheel of Fortune + Jeska's Will → Infinite draw triggers for all players, Infinite looting for all players, Near-infinite magecraft triggers, Near-infinite storm count
- Dualcaster Mage + Twinflame → Infinite LTB, Infinite ETB, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite magecraft triggers
- Basalt Monolith + Forsaken Monument → Infinite colorless mana
- Sensei's Divining Top + Foundry Inspector + Mystic Forge → Infinite card draw, Near-infinite storm count, Infinite draw triggers
- Rings of Brighthearth + Basalt Monolith → Infinite colorless mana
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Zirda, the Dawnwaker's color identity?
Zirda, the Dawnwaker is Boros (red and white): 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 Zirda, the Dawnwaker come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Zirda, the Dawnwaker deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 31 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 3.7 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 97 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 12 % of the time and floods 35 %. Deck health: B (73/100).
How many lands should a Zirda, the Dawnwaker deck run?
Real Zirda, the Dawnwaker decks run 31 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 Zirda, the Dawnwaker?
The three highest-synergy cards are Basalt Monolith, Staff of Domination, Moonsilver Key. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Zirda, the Dawnwaker decks.
What combos does Zirda, the Dawnwaker have?
Zirda, the Dawnwaker has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Underworld Breach + Lion's Eye Diamond + Wheel of Fortune. 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 Zirda, the Dawnwaker deck cost?
You can start cheap: Moonsilver Key, Soulbright Flamekin, Sevinne's Reclamation 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.