How to Play Zaxara, the Exemplary X Spells in Commander

Bracket 3 · Our Zaxara, the Exemplary decklist · X Spells

Our Zaxara, the Exemplary list is a Sultai X-spell deck. Every spell with X in its cost also makes a Hydra token with X +1/+1 counters, so each big spell brings an army with it.

The deck ramps hard, doubles its counters and tokens with Doubling Season, Branching Evolution and Corpsejack Menace, and closes with huge X spells like Exsanguinate, Torment of Hailfire and Villainous Wealth.

Strategy
X Spells
Bracket
3
Avg. mana value
2.32
Lands
36
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01The Commander

Zaxara, the Exemplary is a four-mana 2/3 with deathtouch that taps for two mana of any one color. Whenever you cast a spell with X in its mana cost, you create a 0/0 green Hydra token and put X +1/+1 counters on it.

That trigger happens on cast, so it works even if the spell gets countered. A Hydroid Krasis for X=6 draws you three cards, gains three life and gives you a 6/6 Krasis plus a 6/6 Hydra token.

Zaxara's mana ability matters too. On turn five it taps for two, which turns your next X spell into a much bigger one.

02How This Deck Wins

  1. 1

    Ramp early

    Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Cultivate, Farseek and Nexos get you to Zaxara and then to big X values fast.

  2. 2

    Turn every X spell into two threats

    With Zaxara out, Genesis Hydra, Hydroid Krasis and Pull from Tomorrow each give you their normal effect plus a Hydra token.

  3. 3

    Double up and finish

    Doubling Season, Branching Evolution and Kalonian Hydra grow the board, then Exsanguinate, Torment of Hailfire or an attack with trample ends the game.

03Deck at a Glance

Bracket 3 · X Spells · 100 cards

Composition

  • Commander1
  • Creatures24
  • Instants & sorceries24
  • Artifacts & enchantments15
  • Planeswalkers0
  • Lands36
  • Tokens6

Mana Curve

10
101
302
163
34
25
16
07+

Color Split

90colored
symbols
  • Blue 26%
  • Black 11%
  • Green 63%

By the Numbers

2.32avg. mana value
36lands (16 basic)
0Game Changers
6token types included

Cards by Role

Ramp and X Mana12
Hydras18
Counter and Token Doublers7
Card Draw and Evasion8
Finishers and Interaction18

04Ramp and X Mana

More mana means bigger X, bigger Hydras.

Elementalist's PaletteGets two charge counters per X spell and taps for that much colorless toward X.
NexosYour basic lands tap for two colorless toward X costs.
Selvala, Heart of the WildsTaps for mana equal to your biggest creature's power.
Sol RingTwo extra mana on turn one.
CultivateOne land to the battlefield, one to your hand.

Also in this role

Arcane Signet
Kodama's Reach
Farseek
Nature's Lore
Three Visits
Rampant Growth
Animist's Awakening

05Hydras

Every one of these is an X spell, so Zaxara makes a second Hydra.

Hydroid KrasisDraws half X and gains half X life on cast, plus a flying trampler.
Genesis HydraPuts a nonland permanent with mana value X or less from the top X cards onto the battlefield.
Kalonian HydraDoubles the +1/+1 counters on every creature you control each attack.
Primordial HydraDoubles its own counters every upkeep.
Gargos, Vicious WatcherYour Hydra spells cost four less.

Also in this role

Goldvein Hydra
Hooded Hydra
Hungering Hydra
Lifeblood Hydra
Mistcutter Hydra
Neverwinter Hydra
Nyxborn Hydra
Protean Hydra
Steelbane Hydra
Stonecoil Serpent
The Goose Mother
Vastwood Hydra
Voracious Hydra

06Counter and Token Doublers

Each doubler makes every Hydra twice as big.

Doubling SeasonTwice the Hydra tokens, and twice the counters on each one.
Branching EvolutionTwice the +1/+1 counters on your creatures.
Corpsejack MenaceTwice the +1/+1 counters on a 4/4 body.
The Earth CrystalDoubles counters and makes your green spells cost one less.
Benevolent HydraEach counter placement on your other creatures gets one more.

Also in this role

Unbound Flourishing
The Ozolith

07Card Draw and Evasion

Big creatures that draw cards and get through.

TerrasymbiosisOnce each turn, draw cards equal to the counters you put on a creature.
Garruk's UprisingTrample for your team and a card for each big creature that enters.
Herald of Secret StreamsYour creatures with +1/+1 counters can't be blocked.
Kodama of the West TreeYour modified creatures get trample and fetch a basic land on each hit.
Pull from TomorrowDraw X, discard one, and get an X/X Hydra.

Also in this role

Blue Sun's Zenith
Finale of Revelation
Inspiring Call

08Finishers and Interaction

Big X spells end the game, and cheap answers protect the plan.

ExsanguinateEach opponent loses X, and you gain it all back.
Torment of HailfireX rounds of lose 3 life, sacrifice or discard.
Villainous WealthCast free spells from an opponent's library.
Simic AscendancyCounters on your creatures add growth counters. Twenty wins the game.
Freed from the RealOn Zaxara, it untaps for one blue mana.

Also in this role

Pemmin's Aura
Profane Command
Curse of the Swine
Erebos's Intervention
Assassin's Trophy
Beast Within
Counterspell
Condescend
Thassa's Intervention
Repulsive Mutation
Heroic Intervention
Lightning Greaves
Swiftfoot Boots

09Combos and Key Interactions

+

Zaxara, the Exemplary + Freed from the Real

Tap Zaxara for two blue, pay one blue to untap it, and keep one. Repeat for unlimited mana, then cast Exsanguinate or Torment of Hailfire for any X.

+

Zaxara, the Exemplary + Pemmin's Aura

The same loop: tap for two, pay one blue to untap. Unlimited mana for your X spells.

+

Zaxara, the Exemplary + Doubling Season

Each X spell makes two Hydra tokens, and each gets twice X counters.

+

Kalonian Hydra + Branching Evolution

Kalonian adds as many counters as each creature already has, and Branching Evolution doubles that, so each attack triples your counters.

10How to Play

Opening hand

Keep hands with three or more lands and a ramp piece. Zaxara on turn three or four is ideal, but any hand that ramps into a big X spell is fine.

1

Early gameturns 1-3

Play Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Nexos or Elementalist's Palette, and ramp with Farseek, Nature's Lore or Cultivate.

2

Mid gameturns 4-7

Cast Zaxara, then use its mana on an X spell the same turn or the next. Get a doubler like Doubling Season or Corpsejack Menace down before your biggest Hydra.

3

Late gameturn 8+

Swing with trample from Garruk's Uprising or Kodama of the West Tree, attack with Kalonian Hydra, or finish with a big Exsanguinate or Torment of Hailfire.

Tips

  • Zaxara triggers on cast, so you still get the Hydra if your X spell is countered.
  • Zaxara's Hydra token enters as a 0/0 and then gets its counters, so it doesn't trigger Garruk's Uprising. Hydras that enter with counters, like Lifeblood Hydra, do.
  • Terrasymbiosis draws once each turn, so save it for your biggest counter placement.
  • Simic Ascendancy checks for twenty growth counters in your upkeep, so one big doubled Hydra can set up a win.

Common mistakes

  • Casting X spells for small X before Zaxara is out, when you could wait a turn for a free Hydra.
  • Running out every Hydra into a board wipe. Keep Heroic Intervention or Inspiring Call up when you can.
  • Forgetting Zaxara itself taps for two mana toward your X spell.
  • Tapping out for a big Hydra with no protection when Zaxara is the only engine on board.

Watch out for

  • Board wipes.
  • Removal on Zaxara.
  • Counterspells on your biggest X spell.
  • Effects that stop +1/+1 counters or tokens.

11Bracket and Rule 0

1Exhibition
2Core
3Upgraded
4Optimized
5cEDH
Bracket3

Our list runs no Game Changers.

This is a Bracket 3 (Upgraded) style deck with no Game Changers.

Zaxara plus Freed from the Real or Pemmin's Aura is a two-card unlimited-mana combo that wins with any big X spell, so mention it at Rule 0.

12Full Decklist

Every card in our Zaxara, the Exemplary proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.

Commander

  • 1Zaxara, the Exemplary1BGU

Creatures (24)

  • 1Stonecoil SerpentX
  • 1Goldvein HydraXG
  • 1Hungering HydraXG
  • 1Mistcutter HydraXG
  • 1Nyxborn HydraXG
  • 1Protean HydraXG
  • 1Benevolent HydraXGG
  • 1Genesis HydraXGG
  • 1Hooded HydraXGG
  • 1Hydroid KrasisXGU
  • 1Neverwinter HydraXXGG
  • 1Nexos1G
  • 1Primordial HydraXGG
  • 1Steelbane HydraXGG
  • 1The Goose MotherXGU
  • 1Vastwood HydraXGG
  • 1Voracious HydraXGG
  • 1Kodama of the West Tree2G
  • 1Lifeblood HydraXGGG
  • 1Selvala, Heart of the Wilds1GG
  • 1Corpsejack Menace2BG
  • 1Herald of Secret Streams3U
  • 1Kalonian Hydra3GG
  • 1Gargos, Vicious Watcher3GGG

Instants (11)

  • 1CondescendXU
  • 1Erebos's InterventionXB
  • 1Assassin's TrophyBG
  • 1CounterspellUU
  • 1Heroic Intervention1G
  • 1Pull from TomorrowXUU
  • 1Repulsive MutationXGU
  • 1Thassa's InterventionXUU
  • 1Beast Within2G
  • 1Blue Sun's ZenithXUUU
  • 1Inspiring Call2G

Sorceries (13)

  • 1Animist's AwakeningXG
  • 1Curse of the SwineXUU
  • 1ExsanguinateXBB
  • 1Farseek1G
  • 1Finale of RevelationXUU
  • 1Nature's Lore1G
  • 1Profane CommandXBB
  • 1Rampant Growth1G
  • 1Three Visits1G
  • 1Torment of HailfireXBB
  • 1Cultivate2G
  • 1Kodama's Reach2G
  • 1Villainous WealthXBGU

Artifacts (7)

  • 1Sol Ring1
  • 1The Ozolith1
  • 1Arcane Signet2
  • 1Lightning Greaves2
  • 1Swiftfoot Boots2
  • 1Elementalist's Palette3
  • 1The Earth Crystal2GG

Enchantments (8)

  • 1Simic AscendancyGU
  • 1Branching Evolution2G
  • 1Freed from the Real2U
  • 1Garruk's Uprising2G
  • 1Pemmin's Aura1UU
  • 1Terrasymbiosis2G
  • 1Unbound Flourishing2G
  • 1Doubling Season4G

Lands (36)

  • 1Breeding Pool
  • 1Command Tower
  • 1Dreamroot Cascade
  • 1Exotic Orchard
  • 7Forest
  • 1Hinterland Harbor
  • 5Island
  • 1Llanowar Wastes
  • 1Misty Rainforest
  • 1Opulent Palace
  • 1Overgrown Tomb
  • 1Path of Ancestry
  • 1Rejuvenating Springs
  • 1Reliquary Tower
  • 1Rogue's Passage
  • 1Sunken Hollow
  • 4Swamp
  • 1Undergrowth Stadium
  • 1Verdant Catacombs
  • 1Watery Grave
  • 1Woodland Cemetery
  • 1Yavimaya Coast
  • 1Zagoth Triome
Zaxara, the Exemplary proxy deck cover

Get the deck

Zaxara, the Exemplary X Spells proxy deck

Every X spell is two threats with Zaxara. Ramp, double up, and cast something huge.

Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.

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Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.