Art: Chris Rallis · ™ & © Wizards of the Coast
Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
UBLegendary Creature — Zombie Warrior · from $2.83
Whenever another Zombie you control dies, if it didn't have decayed, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with decayed. (It can't block. When it attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.)
At the beginning of your end step, you may sacrifice a Zombie. If you do, draw a card.
A typical Commander deck
A starting template, not a rule — counts to fill in around the commander.
- Lands3736–38 for most decks; fewer with cheap curves
- Ramp10mana rocks, dorks, land ramp — mostly 2–3 mana
- Card draw10repeatable engines beat one-shot cantrips
- Targeted removal6answers for creatures AND artifacts/enchantments
- Board wipes3sweepers reset boards you've lost
- Synergy & win conditions33the deck's actual plan
Staples in these colors
The 100 cards that fit this color identity in the most EDHREC decklists (EDHREC rank via Scryfall).
Budget
51 of 100 at $5 or less · 31 at $1 or less
| # | Card | Type | MV | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sol Ring | Artifact | 1 | $1.07 |
| 2 | Command Tower | Land | 0 | $0.26 |
| 3 | Arcane Signet | Artifact | 2 | $0.34 |
| 4 | Exotic Orchard | Land | 0 | $0.19 |
| 5 | Reliquary Tower | Land | 0 | $4.28 |
| 6 | Swiftfoot Boots | Artifact | 2 | $1.43 |
| 7 | Lightning Greaves | Artifact | 2 | $3.86 |
| 8 | Path of Ancestry | Land | 0 | $0.16 |
| 9 | Counterspell | Instant | 2 | $1.33 |
| 10 | Fellwar Stone | Artifact | 2 | $0.47 |
| 11 | Rogue's Passage | Land | 0 | $0.31 |
| 12 | Evolving Wilds | Land | 0 | $0.09 |
| 13 | Thought Vessel | Artifact | 2 | $2.23 |
| 14 | Bojuka Bog | Land | 0 | $1.12 |
| 15 | Terramorphic Expanse | Land | 0 | $0.10 |
| 16 | Myriad Landscape | Land | 0 | $0.25 |
| 17 | Mind Stone | Artifact | 2 | $0.21 |
| 18 | Dark Ritual | Instant | 1 | $0.44 |
| 19 | An Offer You Can't Refuse | Instant | 1 | $3.01 |
| 20 | Polluted Delta | Land | 0 | $19.85 |
| 21 | Flooded Strand | Land | 0 | $12.78 |
| 22 | Skullclamp | Artifact | 1 | $4.85 |
| 23 | Solemn Simulacrum | Creature | 4 | $0.27 |
| 24 | Misty Rainforest | Land | 0 | $35.98 |
| 25 | Bloodstained Mire | Land | 0 | $14.54 |
| 26 | Fabled Passage | Land | 0 | $0.65 |
| 27 | Windswept Heath | Land | 0 | $11.19 |
| 28 | Rhystic Study | Enchantment | 3 | $61.06 |
| 29 | Wooded Foothills | Land | 0 | $17.96 |
| 30 | Verdant Catacombs | Land | 0 | $29.16 |
| 31 | Scalding Tarn | Land | 0 | $36.86 |
| 32 | Watery Grave | Land | 0 | $9.86 |
| 33 | Marsh Flats | Land | 0 | $32.04 |
| 34 | Arcane Denial | Instant | 2 | $1.88 |
| 35 | Commander's Sphere | Artifact | 3 | $0.19 |
| 36 | Reanimate | Sorcery | 1 | $6.56 |
| 37 | Negate | Instant | 2 | $0.12 |
| 38 | Arid Mesa | Land | 0 | $31.40 |
| 39 | Cyclonic Rift | Instant | 2 | $29.75 |
| 40 | Demonic Tutor | Sorcery | 2 | $62.80 |
| 41 | Toxic Deluge | Sorcery | 3 | $5.04 |
| 42 | Swan Song | Instant | 1 | $10.72 |
| 43 | Ancient Tomb | Land | 0 | $56.94 |
| 44 | Brainstorm | Instant | 1 | $0.56 |
| 45 | Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth | Land | 0 | $56.13 |
| 46 | Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth | Land | 0 | $16.76 |
| 47 | Fierce Guardianship | Instant | 3 | $59.21 |
| 48 | Temple of the False God | Land | 0 | $0.19 |
| 49 | Chromatic Lantern | Artifact | 3 | $0.38 |
| 50 | Sunken Hollow | Land | 0 | $0.29 |
| 51 | Otawara, Soaring City | Land | 0 | $26.57 |
| 52 | Feed the Swarm | Sorcery | 2 | $0.19 |
| 53 | Talisman of Dominance | Artifact | 2 | $0.49 |
| 54 | City of Brass | Land | 0 | $9.17 |
| 55 | The One Ring | Artifact | 4 | $109.88 |
| 56 | Frantic Search | Instant | 3 | $0.82 |
| 57 | Mystic Remora | Enchantment | 1 | $10.97 |
| 58 | Phyrexian Arena | Enchantment | 3 | $1.92 |
| 59 | Drowned Catacomb | Land | 0 | $0.50 |
| 60 | Deadly Rollick | Instant | 4 | $26.52 |
| 61 | Cavern of Souls | Land | 0 | $47.72 |
| 62 | Propaganda | Enchantment | 3 | $1.84 |
| 63 | Vampiric Tutor | Instant | 1 | $48.13 |
| 64 | Mana Confluence | Land | 0 | $34.75 |
| 65 | Urza's Saga | Enchantment | 0 | $34.67 |
| 66 | Mana Drain | Instant | 2 | $50.65 |
| 67 | Lotus Petal | Artifact | 0 | $35.11 |
| 68 | Wayfarer's Bauble | Artifact | 1 | $0.31 |
| 69 | Black Market Connections | Enchantment | 3 | $10.78 |
| 70 | Victimize | Sorcery | 3 | $0.57 |
| 71 | Deadly Dispute | Instant | 2 | $0.29 |
| 72 | Roaming Throne | Creature | 4 | $47.06 |
| 73 | Ashnod's Altar | Artifact | 3 | $8.15 |
| 74 | War Room | Land | 0 | $0.79 |
| 75 | Blood Artist | Creature | 2 | $2.78 |
| 76 | Underground River | Land | 0 | $0.51 |
| 77 | Ponder | Sorcery | 1 | $1.82 |
| 78 | Morphic Pool | Land | 0 | $28.50 |
| 79 | Herald's Horn | Artifact | 3 | $2.88 |
| 80 | Mana Vault | Artifact | 1 | $91.59 |
| 81 | Pongify | Instant | 1 | $2.21 |
| 82 | Chrome Mox | Artifact | 0 | $51.19 |
| 83 | Dimir Signet | Artifact | 2 | $0.27 |
| 84 | Windfall | Sorcery | 3 | $4.78 |
| 85 | Mystical Tutor | Instant | 1 | $14.99 |
| 86 | Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx | Land | 0 | $45.68 |
| 87 | Reflecting Pool | Land | 0 | $5.50 |
| 88 | Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs | Instant | 3 | $9.68 |
| 89 | Mystic Sanctuary | Land | 0 | $1.01 |
| 90 | Three Tree City | Land | 0 | $29.09 |
| 91 | Gemstone Caverns | Land | 0 | $62.05 |
| 92 | Night's Whisper | Sorcery | 2 | $0.23 |
| 93 | Command Beacon | Land | 0 | $7.99 |
| 94 | Idol of Oblivion | Artifact | 2 | $2.40 |
| 95 | Prismatic Vista | Land | 0 | $28.10 |
| 96 | Buried Ruin | Land | 0 | $0.38 |
| 97 | Phyrexian Tower | Land | 0 | $29.06 |
| 98 | Thran Dynamo | Artifact | 4 | $1.94 |
| 99 | Fell the Profane // Fell Mire | Instant | 4 | $5.80 |
| 100 | Cabal Coffers | Land | 0 | $20.77 |
Curve of these staples
3
0
14
1
19
2
14
3
6
4
5
6
7+
Combos with Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
The 10 most popular of 20 combos (by EDHREC decklist count) using this commander that fit its color identity, from Commander Spellbook.
Carrion Feeder + Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
Ashnod's Altar + Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite colorless mana · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
Phyrexian Altar + Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite colored mana · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
Altar of Dementia + Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite mill · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite self-mill
Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory + Viscera Seer + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite scry 1
Blasting Station + Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite damage · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers
Ashnod's Altar + Ebondeath, Dracolich + Pitiless Plunderer + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite artifact ETB · Infinite artifact LTB · Infinite artifact sacrifice triggers · Infinite artifact tokens · Infinite creature tokens · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count · Infinite colorless mana · Infinite colored mana · Infinite Treasure tokens · Infinite creature LTB
Chthonian Nightmare + Phyrexian Altar + Shambling Ghast + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite death triggers · Infinite storm count · Infinite energy counters
Ashnod's Altar + Chthonian Nightmare + Shambling Ghast + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite death triggers · Infinite colorless mana · Infinite storm count · Infinite energy counters
Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory + Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver + Woe Strider
Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite death triggers · Infinite scry 1
Top finishes
2 finishes placing top 16 at 16+ player events with this commander. Results from Topdeck.gg.
- 2nd of 50 — **Rescheduled to 3/27** Raven Fest 2026 Charity Bracket 2 Commander Event on Topdeck.ggMar 27, 2026 · 2–1–0 · by Ethan Smith
- 15th of 24 — March 2026 - MTNG on Topdeck.ggMar 22, 2026 · 0–2–2 · by Alexander Alunot
Precons led by Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver
Official preconstructed decks with Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver at the helm.
- Undead Unleashed
PreconCommander· Released Sep 2021
Card data and images courtesy of Scryfall; popularity ranking from EDHREC decklist data included in Scryfall bulk. Combo data courtesy of Commander Spellbook. Tournament results courtesy of Topdeck.gg. Precon product lists via MTGJSON. Deckwarden is unofficial Fan Content and is not endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.