Undying Evil
Instant
Target creature gains undying until end of turn. (When it dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Dark Ascension
- Price
- $0.40
- EDHREC rank
- #4405
Undying Evil gives any creature a free death trigger and an immediate return to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter — all for one black mana at instant speed. On commanders with expensive death-based payoffs, like Piru, the Volatile, that's a second activation stapled to a protection spell for essentially nothing.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Piru, the Volatile
Piru, the Volatile wants to die and deal massive damage repeatedly, and Undying Evil lets you cash in that trigger a second time in the same turn cycle while keeping Piru on the board with a counter.
Yargle and Multani
Yargle and Multani hits for 18 unblocked, so keeping it alive through a blocker or removal matters enormously — Undying Evil does that for one mana while leaving the threat exactly where it needs to be.
Hidetsugu and Kairi
Hidetsugu and Kairi triggers a powerful ETB on every cast and every return, so Undying Evil functions as both a protection spell and a second copy of that ETB for one mana.
Kardur, Doomscourge
Kardur, Doomscourge forces opponents into chaotic combat on ETB, and Undying Evil lets you replay that chaos mid-combat by faking out a lethal block and coming back with a counter still on the stack.
Xantcha, Sleeper Agent
Xantcha, Sleeper Agent is a high-value target opponents want dead the moment it enters, and Undying Evil punishes that removal by returning Xantcha immediately and keeping the political engine running.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Undying Evil punches well above bulk — one-mana instant-speed protection that doubles as a death-trigger enabler is exactly what commanders with expensive ETB or death effects want. In Pauper, it's a legitimate tempo and recursion piece in black creature shells, particularly alongside sacrifice synergies where the +1/+1 counter is irrelevant and the return is everything. Legacy and Vintage have access to stronger protection and recursion, so Undying Evil doesn't make the cut in competitive lists there, but it's entirely functional in casual builds. The card is not legal in Pioneer or Standard, which limits its retail demand and keeps prices low.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.40 bulk tier
At $0.40, Undying Evil is firmly bulk — it costs less than a sleeve and is easy to trade for or pull from any collection. Bulk commons and uncommons with niche Commander appeal rarely spike unless a new commander creates a localized demand surge, so expect this price to stay flat.
Explore
Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.