Markov Blademaster
Creature — Vampire Warrior
Double strike (This creature deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.)
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Dark Ascension
- Price
- $0.30
- EDHREC rank
- #13245
Markov Blademaster lands as a double-strike threat that doubles its own power counters every time it connects — one unblocked swing can turn a 1/1 into a 4/1, then an 8/1. The cost is fragility: three mana for a 1/1 is asking to get stonewalled or killed before it ever matters, which is exactly why Gornog, the Red Reaper shells that can grant haste or protection get so much more out of it.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Gornog, the Red Reaper
Gornog, the Red Reaper triggers whenever a Vampire deals combat damage to a player, and Markov Blademaster's double strike means it fires that trigger twice per swing — while simultaneously stacking +1/+1 counters that make each subsequent trigger hit harder.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Markov Blademaster is a role-player in dedicated Vampire tribal builds, not a standalone threat — it needs a critical mass of combat-damage payoffs and at least one haste enabler to do real work before the table can answer it. Legacy and Vintage are legal but irrelevant; the card is far too slow and low-impact to compete in those formats where the game is often decided by turn two. Modern is technically legal, but again, a vanilla 1/1 for three that needs multiple unblocked attacks to threaten anything is nowhere near the format's power band. Markov Blademaster belongs in Commander, specifically in Vampire builds that can protect and accelerate it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.30 bulk tier
At $0.30, Markov Blademaster sits firmly in bulk territory — a near-zero barrier to inclusion for anyone building Vampire tribal. Bulk rares with narrow tribal applications rarely appreciate, so treat it as a free pickup rather than a hold.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Gornog, the Red Reaper
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.