Phyrexian Crusader
Creature — Phyrexian Zombie Knight
First strike, protection from red and from white
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Secret Lair Drop
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #8067
Phyrexian Crusader is a three-mana infect threat that laughs at red and white removal — first strike means it trades up in combat, and protection from the two most common removal colors makes it remarkably sticky. The cost is the color requirement: double black means it only fits in dedicated black-based infect shells, and outside those, it's irrelevant.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon is the premier mono-black infect commander, and Phyrexian Crusader fits perfectly as a resilient ground threat that survives the removal suites most opponents pack — first strike plus protection from white and red means it stays on board long enough to stack poison counters while Skithiryx closes from the air.
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, Phyrexian Crusader is a staple in black infect decks — protection from the two most common removal colors is genuinely powerful in a format where Lightning Bolt and Swords to Plowshares are everywhere. In Legacy and Vintage, it sees fringe play in dedicated infect builds, though faster options like Blighted Agent usually take precedence. Modern infect typically ignores it in favor of hexproof threats that are harder to block entirely. Phyrexian Crusader is legal in Oathbreaker, where the same infect synergy applies in a slightly more compressed game.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Price data for Phyrexian Crusader isn't available at the moment — check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for current listings. Given its narrow but dedicated home in black infect Commander builds, demand tracks closely with interest in Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon and similar commanders, so prices can spike when infect strategies trend upward.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.