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Zaxara, the Exemplary

Legendary Creature — Nightmare Hydra · {1}{B}{G}{U} · Black/Green/Blue commander

Deathtouch {T}: Add two mana of any one color. Whenever you cast a spell with {X} in its mana cost, create a 0/0 green Hydra creature token, then put X +1/+1 counters on it.

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What Zaxara, the Exemplary actually does

Read off the card by the same engine the Forge and Analyzer use — this is the mechanical classification, not a summary.

• Activated ability{T}: Add two mana of any one color.
• Triggered ability · cast_spellWhenever you cast a spell with {X} in its mana cost, create a 0/0 green Hydra creature token, then put X +1/+1 counters on it.
• Keyword · deathtouchdeathtouch

What a Zaxara, the Exemplary deck needs

Plays as counters. What the commander asks of the other 99 — read from the card and checked by hand.

• spells with {X} in their mana cost (each makes an X/X Hydra)
• mana (it taps for two)

The Zaxara, the Exemplary deck plan

The roles the Forge fills for this commander, and how many cards of each.

• 17× Put +1/+1 counters on creatures you control, or multiply the ones already there
• 15× Make creature tokens — a static anthem or a go-wide commander needs a board to be wide
• 7× A team pump that actually pumps tokens
• 5× Actually remove one problem permanent — preventing its damage is not removing it
• 9× Find the exact card the plan needs
• 2× Answer a spell or ability before it resolves
• 1× Answer a whole board at once
• 7× Refill your hand
• 2× Keep a permanent you control alive through removal

Best cards for Zaxara, the Exemplary

Ranked by an engine that reads what each card does — its real cost, its delay and how reliably it works — rather than counting how often other people play it.

Combos with Zaxara, the Exemplary

Known combos from Commander Spellbook that Zaxara, the Exemplary is a piece of, and how many decks list them.

• Zaxara, the Exemplary + Freed From The Real8,220 decks
• Zaxara, the Exemplary + Pemmin's Aura5,907 decks
• Zaxara, the Exemplary + Umbral Mantle + Nyxbloom Ancient118 decks
• Zaxara, the Exemplary + Umbral Mantle + Mana Reflection72 decks
• Zaxara, the Exemplary + Umbral Mantle + Training Grounds33 decks
• Zaxara, the Exemplary + Umbral Mantle + Biomancer's Familiar26 decks

Build this deck in the Arcane Forge →

Arcane Foundry is free to join and every tool is included: the Arcane Forge deck builder, the ARCANE Analyzer that scores a deck by simulating games rather than counting staples, a card scanner, a collection vault, and live webcam Commander tables. Read the guide · Browse all commanders · Pricing