Skullbriar, the Walking Grave

Gameplan

Skullbriar is a two-mana voltron beatstick that grows itself off combat damage and, crucially, keeps its counters when it dies or is exiled, so removal barely slows you down. Deploy Skullbriar turn 2-3, pile on +1/+1 counters and evasion, and kill players one at a time with commander damage. Recast it cheaply after wipes since its size is preserved and you avoid heavy commander tax punishment.

Key Cards

• Rancor — Trample plus repeatable buff that returns to hand when Skullbriar dies, perfect for pushing through commander damage.
• Hydra's Growth — Doubles Skullbriar's counters each combat for explosive, exponential growth.
• Swiftfoot Boots — Hexproof and shroud protection keeps your only threat safe from targeted removal.
• Corpse Dance — Cheaply reanimates Skullbriar with haste while its counters persist, dodging commander tax after a wipe.
• The Ozolith — Catches counters if Skullbriar somehow leaves and moves them back, though Skullbriar already keeps most—great backup with other counter creatures.
• Greater Good — Card advantage engine and a sacrifice outlet to safely cycle Skullbriar through the graveyard.

Upgrade Path

Add cheap protection (Heroic Intervention, Snakeskin Veil, Lightning Greaves) and reliable evasion (trample/unblockable like Slip Through Space or Rogue's Passage) so swings always connect. Lean into counter doublers and proliferate plus low-cost reanimation (Corpse Dance, Reanimate) to recover instantly from removal. Tighten the mana with fast ramp (Sol Ring, signets, Three Visits) to land Skullbriar and a buff in the same turn for an aggressive early clock.