Since the dawn of Magic, Zombies have been a constant, lumbering presence in the game. Characterized by their ability to swarm the board and take advantage of the graveyard, the type has always hit a sweet spot between strong mechanics and flavor. Thanks to a constant flow of support over the years, they’ve remained playable, too, in the Commander format, at least.
Although Zombie decks overall have always been popular, not every Zombie card has shared the same fate. There are plenty of underplayed Zombie support cards that have fallen through the cracks, but could nevertheless prove hugely useful in MTG Commander.
Cursecloth Wrappings
Cursecloth Wrappings is a relatively recent addition to Magic, arriving in last year’s Aetherdrift, yet it seems to have slunk into the shadows already. Despite offering a ton of advantage to Zombie Typal decks in Commander, very few are actually running the card so far.
This feels like a mistake since, even as just another anthem effect, the card is pretty great in Zombies. The archetype has no shortage of lords, to be sure, but most of them come in the form of creatures, making them vulnerable to board wipes. Wrappings has no such problem, sticking around even after the rest of your horde goes down.
The ability to give any creature in your ‘yard Embalm is massive as well, letting you leverage the traditionally full Zombie graveyards for extra value. By itself, this is solid, but it gets even better with activated ability cost reducers like Training Grounds and Embalmer’s Tools. Getting the creatures back in token form is also a nice bonus, since it offers extra synergy with token doublers like Anointed Procession, which play great in Zombies anyway.
Grave Defiler
Since they typically play an Aggro game, Zombie Typal decks need a consistent stream of card advantage to push through removal and board wipes. Grave Defiler offers just that, on an in-type body, to boot. While the stats here are incredibly poor for four mana, you can potentially draw a ton of cards with Defiler in a dedicated Zombie deck.
The easiest way to abuse Grave Defiler is to do what Zombies do best and recur it repeatedly. Engines like Zul Ashur, Lich Lord and Gisa and Geralf let you re-cast Defiler multiple times, resulting in plenty of potential Zombie draws. Alternatively, you can pair it with cards like Unholy Grotto and Haunted Crossroads, putting Zombies on top of your deck to guarantee you hit them with Defiler’s ability.
While it’s a little clunky by today’s Standards, Grave Defiler is still one of the better card advantage tools Zombie decks have access to. Since it’s so underplayed, you can pick up a copy for around $0.17, too, which makes it especially nice for Zombie players on a budget.
Lich Lord Of Unx
If you’re in Dimir colors, as most Zombie Typal decks are, Lich Lord of Unx is a slam-dunk addition to your list. Right out of the gate, being a Zombie that can cheaply produce more Zombies is great for the archetype. Zombie decks thrive when they have a ton of bodies to benefit from lord effects, or to tap down for cards like Cryptbreaker, and Lich Lord can add to your numbers every turn. This ability can even go infinite with Intruder Alarm and Cryptolith Rite, assuming you’re running a Sultai Zombies list like Sidisi, Brood Tyrant.
As if this wasn’t enough already to consider running Lich Lord Of Unx, it’s also a powerful multi-functional mill engine. In the early game, you can use it on yourself to self-mill and build up a better graveyard for your synergy cards. Later on, when your Zombie army is at full force, you can use it as a potentially lethal repeatable burn spell. It’s particularly good with cards that make a ton of Zombies at once, like Army of the Damned, or ability doublers like Rings of Brighthearth. Serving as both a setup piece and a finisher in one, Lich Lord of Unx is undoubtedly one of the most underplayed Zombie cards in MTG Commander.
Call To The Grave
When they’re not swinging in for huge chunks of damage, Zombie Typal decks are all about attrition, and Call to the Grave embodies that idea perfectly. As long as your opponents aren’t also playing Zombies, this enchantment will eat away at their creatures every turn, leaving yours unscathed. While it’s not as immediately oppressive as something like Grave Pact, this card can have a similar effect on the game in the long term.
Unfortunately, as with Zombie Typal decks in general, Call to the Grave is very vulnerable to board wipes. To get around this issue, running Zombies that can replace themselves on death, like Relentless Dead, is a great option. You can also opt for instant-speed token generators, like Zombie Infestation or Corpseweft, to plug the gap post-wipe.
Considering it’s also a solid Stax piece even outside of Zombie Typal, it’s surprising to see Call to the Grave in just 6,600 decks according to EDHREC. If you’re playing Zombies, especially one of the grindier brews like Thraximundar or The Scarab God, then it’s a fantastic card to pick up.
Corpse Harvester
While Corpse Harvester is definitely expensive, it’s also one of the best value engines that Zombie Typal decks have access to. Once it gets going, this card can tutor you up two cards a turn, letting you keep the pressure on when other decks start to flag. The flexibility here is fantastic: you can grab a big hitter like Rot Hulk to flood the board, or a lord like Diregraf Captain to improve the one you have. Even the Swamp part is surprisingly strong, ensuring you hit your land drops while also allowing for color fixing, and giving access to utility lands like Witch’s Cottage.
To really make the most of Corpse Harvester, you’ll probably want to reanimate it rather than cast it. Discarding it to something like Cryptbreaker, then using the classic Reanimate or Animate Dead to bring it back, feels pretty great. Throw in a Haste granter like Lightning Greaves, and you can have this engine online surprisingly early. You’ll also need a constant stream of creatures to keep Harvester fed, but fortunately, Zombies have no shortage of token generators. A simple Endless Ranks of the Dead, for example, can keep you in tutors forever, making a grindy Zombie victory inevitable.
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