Shambling Skeletons by eonclank

Format: Commander

Commander: Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 32

Deck overview

This mono-black reanimator deck is commanded by Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist, who turns the graveyard into a steady pipeline of colossal beaters. By reanimating creature cards as Skeletons with no abilities, Xu-Ifit completely negates the massive downside of cards like Death's Shadow, creating an unconditional 13/13 monster for zero mana. The list leverages heavy cycling, swampcycling, and self-mill engines to reliably fill the graveyard on Turns 1 through 3. Once Xu-Ifit enters on Turn 3, it activates on Turn 4 to reanimate stat giants like Ancient Stone Idol and Void Beckoner. The deck then capitalizes on these high-power, high-mana permanents through explosive sacrifice payoffs like Disciple of Bolas and Soldevi Adnate to draw double-digit cards or generate huge mana reserves. Combat buffs from Skeleton lords like Death Baron and Skeleton Crew ensure swift elimination of opponents across consecutive attack steps.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Abandoned Sarcophagus
  • 1 Ancient Stone Idol
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archfiend of Ifnir
  • 1 Bitter Triumph
  • 1 Blood for Bones
  • 1 Bringer of the Last Gift
  • 1 Canyon Crawler
  • 1 Cemetery Tampering
  • 1 Changing Loyalty
  • 1 Charcoal Diamond
  • 1 Chitin Gravestalker
  • 1 Conjurer's Closet
  • 1 Corpse Connoisseur
  • 1 Corpses of the Lost
  • 1 Death Baron
  • 1 Death's Shadow
  • 1 Death-Priest of Myrkul
  • 1 Defile
  • 1 Desert of the Glorified
  • 1 Disciple of Bolas
  • 1 Dread Return
  • 1 Eldrazi Ravager
  • 1 Feed the Swarm
  • 1 Fluctuator
  • 1 Gisa, the Hellraiser
  • 1 Gloomfang Mauler
  • 1 Horror of the Broken Lands
  • 1 Injector Crocodile
  • 1 Leaden Myr
  • 1 Lethal Scheme
  • 1 Living Death
  • 1 Marvin, Murderous Mimic
  • 1 Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core
  • 1 Meathook Massacre II
  • 1 Millikin
  • 1 Morbid Curiosity
  • 1 Necrologia
  • 1 Night's Whisper
  • 1 Phyrexian Arena
  • 1 Puppet Strings
  • 1 Reckoner's Bargain
  • 1 Requiem Monolith
  • 1 Rotting Regisaur
  • 1 Shadow of the Grave
  • 1 Shefet Archfiend
  • 1 Skeleton Crew
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Soldevi Adnate
  • 1 Soul Enervation
  • 1 Street Wraith
  • 1 Supernatural Stamina
  • 35 Swamp
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
  • 1 Troll of Khazad-dûm
  • 1 Twilight Diviner
  • 1 Underworld Sentinel
  • 1 Undying Malice
  • 1 Victimize
  • 1 Vile Entomber
  • 1 Vile Manifestation
  • 1 Village Rites
  • 1 Void Beckoner
  • 1 Without Weakness
  • 1 Xu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist