Zombies are an iconic creature type, going back to the original Alpha release, and have a reputation that extends well beyond Magic: The Gathering.  We’ve compiled a list of the best zombie creatures in the game’s history, as well as some support cards that make the hordes of undead nigh unbeatable.  Take a look, assemble your army, and shamble your way to victory!

25. Cemetery Reaper

One of the better Zombie lords in the game, Cemetery Reaper is a continual source of zombie tokens, either for sacrifice fodder or simply to turn sideways.  The fact that it has to tap, plus pay considerable mana to do so, is what keeps it at the bottom of this list.  Still, it’s an excellent addition to any zombie deck.

What makes it great:

• Pumps your zombies
• Makes more zombies
• Targeted graveyard removal

24. Hordewing Skaab

Zombies suffer from many of the same problems as so many creature-based decks, lack of evasion, and a vulnerability to mass removal.  Hordewing Skaab eliminates the first problem and lets you loot through your deck to get rid of those unnecessary lands or fill your graveyard with recurrable zombies.

What makes it great:

• Card selection
• Evasion as a win condition
• Fills graveyard

23. Fatestitcher

While somewhat unimpressive in itself, the Unearth ability on Fatestitcher makes it a fantastic combo piece to produce infinite mana when combined with enchantments like Freed from the Real or Pemmin’s Aura, or to simply let Kiki-Jiki do what it does best.  Having haste negates the weakness of it being a two-toughness creature and lets you combo off with no advance play necessary.

What makes it great:

• Combo potential
• Utility
• Recursion

22. Corpse Knight

Another solid zombie with an ability that can easily go infinite.  The ability to abuse large amounts of enters the battlefield triggers makes Corpse Knight a threat to all your opponents while also being a cheap early play to keep the pressure on.  Keep an eye on the top of this list for other creatures that work great with Corpse Knight.

What makes it great:

• Infinite combo potential
• Mass opponent removal
• Life loss instead of damage

21. Wayward Servant

Quite similar to Corpse Knight in function, Wayward Servant has the advantage of also gaining you life, but the effect is limited to zombies, not all creatures.  That being said, one of the most powerful things you can have in a Magic deck is consistency, and being able to run both this and Corpse Knight means your ability to go off is that much more likely to happen every game.

What makes it great:

• Infinite life loss and gain combo
• Cheap mana cost

20. Undead Warchief

One of the more unique lords, Undead Warchief does two things unique to zombie lords.  It increases their power by two instead of one, and, more importantly, it decreases the cost to play zombie spells by one colorless mana.  The ability to flood the board that much more quickly is incredibly powerful, and makes this one of the better zombie cards for those looking to win by attacking rather than an infinite combo.

What makes it great:

• Cost reduction
• Aggro potential
• Enables board flood

19. Necroduality

A simple yet extremely powerful effect, being able to double your zombie production means you can gain control of the board much more quickly.  Lords become even more valuable, as well as anything with an enters the battlefield or death trigger.  A must for any blue-based zombie deck.

What makes it great:

• Additional triggers
• Increased stats from Lords
• The sheer strength of numbers

18. The Scarab God

While not technically a zombie himself, the Scarab God loves to have his undead buddies around.  His scry ability means you should always be drawing a relevant card and allows you to get to your combo pieces much quicker.  The loss of life should not be ignored, as it can become relevant in large quantities, so focus your deckbuilding on the quality of your zombies, not quantity.  

What makes it great:

• Targeted graveyard hate
• Card selection
• Limited resistance to removal

17. Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver

An excellent choice to use as a Commander, Wilhelt can go in either the aggro or combo direction.  You can abuse the hordes of decayed zombie tokens to overwhelm your opponent, or simply abuse him as a card draw engine to make sure you always have a full hand.  Either way, he’s an efficient, reasonably costed threat that must be dealt with quickly.

What makes it great:

• Card draw
• Overwhelming numbers
• Produces copious amounts of death triggers

16. Living Death

Zombie decks love to utilize their graveyard, and Living Death does that in spades.  This card is one of the best backup plans zombies have, as well as serving as emergency removal in a pinch.  Creature-based decks are always vulnerable to mass removal, and zombies are no exception.  Living Death gives them a way to recover while simultaneously eliminating anything on the board they can’t deal with.  Combine with targeted graveyard hate to make sure you reap all the rewards.

What makes it great:

• Recursion
• Mass removal

15. Cleaver Skaab

While this zombie requires a bit more time and mana investment than many of the others on this list so far, Cleaver Skaab’s reward is worth it in terms of value.  Getting a death trigger, plus an additional body, and entering the battlefield triggers mean you are going to be swimming in value, something blue players simply cannot resist.

What makes it great:

• Enables death and enters the battlefield triggers
• A continuous source of additional zombies

14. Midnight Reaper

Sometimes simple effects are some of the best, and Midnight Reaper is a prime example.  Creature-based decks are always in need of card draw, and this card means every one of your creatures suddenly does just that.  No need to worry about over-committing when that Wrath effect your opponent just played hands you a new full hand of zombies waiting to swarm over them!

What makes it great:

• Card draw
• Enables board commitment

13. Murderous Rider

This creature is the essence of utility.  A targeted removal spell that hits both creatures and planeswalkers, as well as a lifelinking zombie that goes back to your deck when it dies?  Sign me up!  Don’t overlook the lifelink, with so many of the good effects in black doing damage to you as a price, connecting even two or three times can be the difference between being safe and looking like a juicy target for a hungry aggro player.

What makes it great:

• Recurrable
• Targeted removal
• Lifegain

12. Rooftop Storm

Speaking of simple but powerful, we have Rooftop Storm.  It lets you play zombie creatures…for free.  That’s right, for free.  No more having to tap out on your turn, you can keep up all the mana you need for removal, countermagic, whatever suits your fancy.  Meanwhile, you have an army in play for the low low cost of zero mana.  Make sure to enjoy the look on your opponent’s face when your board suddenly turns from inconspicuous to a disaster in a single turn.

What makes it great:

• Cost reduction
• Utility

11. Stitcher’s Supplier

A seemingly innocuous creature, the ability to quickly fill your graveyard with creatures is not to be underestimated, and being a zombie itself means it benefits from lords, as well as enabling any other zombie-based effects.  Watch out for this guy in the Pioneer format, he loves to dump overcosted vehicles into the graveyard to be brought back.

What makes it great:

• Fills graveyard
• Recursion enabler
• Low mana cost

10. Nekusar, the Mindrazer

Nekusar is an absolute beast as a Commander.  Its ability to punish one of the most important things in the format, card draw, makes effects that were once beneficial turn into completely dead draws.  Anything that forces opponents to draw cards, such as Wheel of Fortune or Windfall, is capable of, with the right combo pieces, doing massive amounts of damage with Nekusar on the board, and can wipe all your opponents out in a single blow.

What makes it great:

• Punishes card draw for your opponents
• Symmetrical damage
• Provides card draw for you

9. Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

Serving as both Commander and deckbuilding piece, Mikaeus has been serving as a combo enabler for years.  The ability to give non-human creatures undying means you can abuse Devoted Druid for infinite mana, or Triskelion for infinite damage, just to name two.  When it comes to cards that say “I win”, Mikaeus is right there at the top.

What makes it great:

• Combo enabler
• Excellent Commander
• Recursion

8. Diregraf Colossus

One of the best enablers for an aggressive zombie build, Diregraf Colossus is simply a must-kill threat, else it will create a board state that simply cannot be dealt with.  With its enters the battlefield trigger meaning it will likely be difficult to kill with direct damage, this requires either a direct removal spell or mass removal to get it off the board.  Being able to double your zombie production means Lords are even more efficient and capable of hitting your opponents for massive amounts of damage.

What makes it great:

• Token generation
• Significant individual threat

7. Dreadhorde Arcanist

The only purely-red zombie to make the list, Dreadhorde Arcanist is a nightmare to deal with even without effects that increase its power.  Add Lords and combat pumps to the mix, and you can recur an inordinate amount of free spells and generate overwhelming value.

What makes it great:

• Spell recursion
• Efficiency with Lords
• Trample is surprisingly relevant

6. Carrion Feeder

One of the best sacrifice engines in the game, and on a zombie to boot.  Carrion Feeder provides a low-cost way to get numerous creatures into the graveyard, protect them from exile effects, and produce a low-cost threat that can get surprisingly large.  It can even sacrifice itself!

What makes it great:

• Low mana cost
• No-cost sacrifice engine
• Quick-growing threat

5. Lord of the Accursed

The best of the zombie lords, Lord of the Accursed provides a way to give your zombies a way to break through walls of blockers.  While not quite as efficient as being given flying, menace still makes blocking considerably more difficult, and likely to mean that creatures your opponents had no intention of blocking with suddenly have to or else they will take amounts of combat damage they simply can’t deal with.  Add in the traditional power and toughness boost that lords provide, and Lord of the Accursed is a surprisingly effective finisher.

What makes it great:

• Evasion
• Combat boost

4. Gray Merchant of Asphodel

One of the best finishers zombies have, Gray Merchant doesn’t care if your army is being stonewalled by a legion of blockers.  It provides an immediate way to deal direct life loss to every opponent and benefits from what zombies love to do best, flooding the board.  The fact that his effect is an enters the battlefield trigger means recurring him gives tremendous value, so don’t be afraid to play it early and often.

What makes it great:

• Mass life loss
• Life gain
• Avoids combat

3. Geralf’s Messenger

Geralf’s Messenger has it all.  He is a cheap, efficient creature that fits well in an aggro deck and having undying means he’s a fantastic combo enabler with an ability that can theoretically win the game on its own if used properly.

What makes it great:

• Recursion
• Combo potential

2. Cryptbreaker

The ultimate in zombie utility, and a very close second to Gravecrawler when it comes to being the best zombie in the game.  Cryptbreaker does the two most important things a zombie deck needs, it produces creatures and draws cards.  Simple and ruthlessly effective, Cryptbreaker is simply too good value to ignore.

What makes it great:

• Creature production
• Card draw
• Resource generation

1. Gravecrawler

It costs a single mana.  It can be cast from the graveyard.  Both an efficient creature and an amazing enabler, Gravecrawler is just the best zombie out there.  It doesn’t require any additional mana investment, nor does it have to attack or do anything that requires haste to be effective.  It is the epitome of a zombie, the dead that keeps coming back for more no matter what you do to them.

What makes it great:

• Recursion
• Sacrifice fodder
• Cheap mana cost

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