Body Count
Instant
Spectacle 
(You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.)
Draw a card for each creature that died under your control this turn.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- New Capenna Commander Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #7650
Body Count turns a graveyard full of creatures into a burst draw engine — one black mana at instant speed for as many cards as you have creatures in your bin. Extus, Oriq Overlord decks that spend the early game trading creatures for value will routinely cash Body Count in for five or more cards, making it one of the most efficient draw spells black has access to in creature-heavy strategies.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Extus, Oriq Overlord
Extus, Oriq Overlord is built around recurring creatures through the graveyard, so by the time you cast Body Count you're drawing off every creature that died getting there — it's almost always a four-plus card refuel for a single black mana.
Akul the Unrepentant
Akul the Unrepentant pushes an exploit-and-sacrifice gameplan that fills the graveyard fast, and Body Count converts that pile of spent bodies into the card advantage needed to keep the engine running.
Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder constantly creates and sacrifices Thrulls, which means the graveyard accrues creature cards quickly and predictably — Body Count frequently draws three to six cards off a single activation at minimal cost.
Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker
Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker returns low-power creatures from the graveyard at end of turn, creating a loop where those same creatures cycle in and out — Body Count slots in as a reset button that converts the graveyard's depth into a full hand before Shirei triggers.
Massacre Girl
Massacre Girl wipes the board of small creatures and fills every graveyard at once, which means Body Count drawn after the wipe is likely to draw four or more cards off the collateral damage alone.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Body Count earns its slot — creature-heavy black decks accumulate graveyard depth naturally over a 40-life multiplayer game, and one mana at instant speed for a handful of cards is simply good rate. In Legacy and Vintage the card is legal but irrelevant: those formats rarely invest in graveyard-count payoffs when cantrips and tutors exist, and the setup cost Body Count demands doesn't fit the pace. Oathbreaker is the only other format where it sees fringe play, again in sacrifice-oriented black builds where the graveyard fills reliably. Outside creature-graveyard synergy decks, Body Count is unplayable regardless of legality.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data isn't currently available for Body Count, so check Scryfall or your preferred vendor for the latest. Given its narrow home in creature-sacrifice Commander builds, it tends to stay affordable — it's not a staple that crosses over into competitive formats, which keeps demand low.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.