Razorkin Needlehead
Creature — Human Assassin
This creature has first strike during your turn.
Whenever an opponent draws a card, this creature deals 1 damage to them.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Duskmourn: House of Horror
- Price
- $6.16
- EDHREC rank
- #1042
Razorkin Needlehead makes every opponent draw to exactly seven cards at the beginning of each upkeep — a repeatable, symmetry-breaking effect that punishes hand-size lords and fuels punishment payoffs without costing you a card. Pair it with Peer into the Abyss or slot it into Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls and the forced draws stop being incidental and start being the whole plan.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls
Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls triggers whenever an opponent draws beyond their first card each turn, so Razorkin Needlehead's forced refill to seven hands that opponent a stack of extra draws every upkeep — that's free damage and card advantage without spending a single spell.
Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin
Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin triggers on opponents drawing exactly one card, and Razorkin Needlehead fills every opponent up to seven, generating exactly one draw per opponent per upkeep — a clean, repeatable trigger engine that demands almost no support.
Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Nekusar, the Mindrazer pings opponents for every card they draw, so Razorkin Needlehead stacking their hands to seven each upkeep is just raw damage multiplied across the table without casting another wheel.
Winter, Misanthropic Guide
Winter, Misanthropic Guide cares about opponents drawing cards and punishes full hands, making Razorkin Needlehead a perfect fit — force everyone to seven, then watch Winter's effects fire on the opponents least prepared for the refill.
Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph
Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph deals extra damage whenever a source deals exactly one damage, and Razorkin Needlehead pairs naturally in a shell already looking to ping opponents repeatedly while keeping their hands stuffed.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Razorkin Needlehead is legal across Commander, Legacy, Modern, Pioneer, Standard, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, though competitive constructed formats have no interest in it — paying three mana for a 2/1 that conditionally fills opponent hands is far too slow and situational where the game ends on turns three through five. Commander is the format where Razorkin Needlehead actually does something, because multiplayer tables mean three opponents drawing to seven every upkeep, which snowballs fast under punishment commanders like Nekusar, the Mindrazer or Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls. Oathbreaker can support similar wheel-and-punish strategies, and Razorkin Needlehead fits there if the signature spell is doing something with the forced draws.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Razorkin NeedleheadPeer into the Abyss
Near-infinite damage to one opponent; Near-infinite draw triggers for target opponent; Near-infinite card draw for target opponent; Near-infinite lifeloss for target opponent
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
WindfallTainted StrikeRazorkin Needlehead
Each opponent loses the game
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
WindfallGrafted ExoskeletonRazorkin Needlehead
Each opponent loses the game
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
The closest budget replacements for Razorkin Needlehead are Otherworldly Gaze effects and partial hand-size forcers, but nothing replicates the repeatable upkeep refill at this cost — Teferi's Puzzle Box forces a full hand redraw each turn and costs under $3, hitting harder in wheel decks but not targeting opponents below seven specifically. If the goal is keeping opponents flooded rather than punishing draw events, Puzzle Box is the better rate; if the deck specifically wants the "exactly draws to seven" trigger condition that Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin rewards, Razorkin Needlehead has no true substitute.
Price Context
Current price
$6.16 mid tier
At $6.16, Razorkin Needlehead sits in the mid tier — notable for a three-mana 2/1 with no combat relevance, but justified by the near-78% inclusion rate in Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls decks making it a format staple in its niche. The price reflects genuine demand rather than speculation; as long as forced-draw punishment commanders stay popular, this card holds its floor.
Explore
Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.