Let’s hear it for the children of the grave! Continuing to analyze the tribes that occupy the multiverse, we now have to talk about the walking dead. Yes, they are actually printed cards in MTG as of this month. To keep things spooky for this time of year, let us take a look at some of the zombie decks that you may encounter out in the arena. Many of these are found only in the historic format because we just lost the dreadhorde from the rotation of standard. Whether for glory or casual fun, these decks are perfect for any necromancer looking to experiment with zombies.

5) Zombies 2k21

You can smell them coming and they can smell fear

The only standard decklist of zombies that is purely tribal synergy. This deck allows a few humans to command the hoards you will create. Using green and black we have the ability to make things respawn and grow to become threats. Play aggressively and send the zombies to feast on your opponents' entrails. 

What is fun about this deck?

• Plays green and black
• Low mana curve 
• Very aggressive
• Lifedrain 
• Also some life gain

How this deck is played

• Deploy swamps and forests for mana 
• Begin to let the dead rise playing small zombies
• As the game progresses play cards that buff the zombies
• You have some bombs that can be used for lethal plays; time them wisely!
• Let the zombies eat their brains while you sit back and win the games 

Cards

8 Swamp (XLN) 268

4 Forest (XLN) 276

3 Return to Nature (WAR) 175

2 Jungle Hollow (M20) 248

4 Temple of Malady (M20) 254

4 Foulmire Knight (ELD) 90

4 Murderous Rider (ELD) 97

2 Castle Locthwain (ELD) 241

4 Fabled Passage (ELD) 244

4 Mire Triton (THB) 105

3 Polukranos, Unchained (THB) 224

1 Heartless Act (IKO) 91

2 Chevill, Bane of Monsters (IKO) 181

3 Eliminate (M21) 97

1 Liliana, Waker of the Dead (M21) 108

4 Liliana's Devotee (M21) 109

2 Liliana's Standard Bearer (M21) 110

4 Liliana's Steward (M21) 111

1 Garruk, Unleashed (M21) 183

4)Zombies 2020

Sparkly and still spooky

This deck was a collection of some of the best zombies in standard at a time. Play zombies,skeletons, and even a zombie dinosaur to swing out and win the game. Use the dead to make them all die with spells that cause sacrifices to occur often. Monoblack is all you need to get those walking corpses to get into combat. 

What is fun about this deck?

• Every creature is either a zombie or skeleton
• Play scary creatures every turn
• Tons of removal 
• Mono black 
• Play the God-Eternal Bontu 

How this deck is played

• Deploy swamps to get mana 
• Play every creature you can
• Use the removal as needed
• Force your opponent to sacrifice their creatures to create an opening for yours
• Strike when they are vulnerable to kill them and win

Cards

1 Swamp (DAR) 258

2 Cabal Stronghold (DAR) 238

1 Swamp (DAR) 260

1 Swamp (DAR) 261

1 Swamp (RIX) 194

1 Swamp (XLN) 268

2 Swamp (XLN) 269

2 Swamp (M19) 269

2 Swamp (M19) 270

1 Swamp (M19) 271

1 Lotleth Giant (GRN) 74

2 Midnight Reaper (GRN) 77

2 Price of Fame (GRN) 83

1 Swamp (GRN) 262

3 Gutterbones (RNA) 76

3 Dreadhorde Invasion (WAR) 86

3 Dreadmalkin (WAR) 87

2 Eternal Taskmaster (WAR) 90

2 God-Eternal Bontu (WAR) 92

3 Lazotep Reaver (WAR) 96

3 Liliana, Dreadhorde General (WAR) 97

2 Liliana's Triumph (WAR) 98

2 Spark Harvest (WAR) 105

3 Swamp (WAR) 256

3 Swamp (WAR) 257

3 Swamp (WAR) 258

2 Bone Splinters (M20) 92

3 Murder (M20) 109

2 Rotting Regisaur (M20) 111

1 Icon of Ancestry (M20) 229

3) AliasV black zombies

He was digging up old friends to be the life of the party

This version of zombie tribal comes from youtuber AliasV. She was making use of everyone's favorite zombie, Gary!! If you do not know who gary is by the end of this list you shall. Gary allows you to drain life equal to your devotion to black. So in a mono black deck, your devotion rises quickly. The larger boardstate you have, the more Gary is allowed to do. Remove what you need till Gary comes in to save the day and watch the zombies eat some brains.

What is fun about this deck?

• Gary is Scary
• Lilana is a value engine for card draw when you fuel her up
• Play a deck used by a figure in the MTG community
• Mono black
• Graveyard recursion

How this deck is played

• Our goal is to amass a hoard and use Gary to drain our opponent 
• Deploy swamps and conjure up the dead dudes 
• As always use removal as needed murder must be timed right 
• Send the hoard in to attack as much as you can
• Either consume the opponent or drain them with Gary for the win

Cards

2 Liliana, Dreadhorde General

20 Swamp

3 Foulmire Knight

3 Lazotep Reaver

2 Blood for Bones

4 Mire Triton

3 Murderous Rider

3 Rotting Regisaur

4 Tymaret Calls the Dead

4 Midnight Reaper

2 Gray Merchant of Asphodel

4 Castle Locthwain

3 Necrotic Wound

2 Omen of the Dead

1 Lotleth Giant

2)What’s in your head?

It's terror time again!

With zombie tribal, mono black is the way to go for many planeswalkers. Built for the historic format, this deck pulls cards from many sets to create a wonderful mono black tribal synergizing mob of the undead. Play zombies and let them overwhelm your opponent. That's all these decks love doing and we will not let the hoard rest. 

What makes this deck fun?

• Low mana curve
• Pure zombie tribal 
• Simple to construct 
• Very easy to tweak to make stronger
• Liliana is in this deck

How this deck is played

• Deploy swamps for mana 
• Cast cheap zombies to start piling up corpses. 
• Once you have enough corpses start swinging
• Use removal so the undead don’t have to die as much
• Use the hoard to win and have Lily help as needed

Cards 

4 Cryptbreaker

17 Swamp

4 Liliana's Devotee

2 Death Baron

4 Foulmire Knight

2 Liliana's Standard Bearer

3 Rotting Regisaur

4 Murderous Rider

2 Liliana, Untouched by Death

4 Gempalm Polluter

2 Phyrexian Tower

3 Castle Locthwain

2 Demonic Embrace

3 Mire Triton

4 Lazotep Reaver

1)Lily's Enchanted Hoard 

Autumn is upon us and so the dead prepare for the annual fall festival 

The top zombie deck on this list is mono black led by the mistress of death herself, Liliana. By this point you know we are going to be eating brains. This deck also burns your opponent for the enchantments you play. Power comes at a price you can draw cards for some life. If you play this right your opponent will hit zero long before you even leave double digit life totals. 

What makes this deck fun?

• The spells are cheap to cast
• Removal for any threat
• Forces your opponent to sacrifice permanents
• You have Gary as a win condition
• Allows you to draw cards by paying life

How this deck is played

• One last time let's do this, deploy swamps for mana 
• Summon cheap zombies to start making a boardstate
• Remove threats to create lethal opportunities
• Use Gary and Lily to generate value and hasten your victory
• Send the undead to claim your opponent’s head!

Cards

2 Midnight Reaper

2 Gray Merchant of Asphodel

2 Agonizing Remorse

1 The Elderspell

1 Command the Dreadhorde

2 Legion's End

2 Eat to Extinction

1 Drag to the Underworld

2 Mire's Grasp

1 Ritual of Soot

4 Foulmire Knight

2 Dreadhorde Invasion

3 Liliana, Dreadhorde General

20 Swamp

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