Magic is weird. One day you’re playing a friendly game of Commander, and the next, your buddy drops a five-mana insect that turns every fetch land into a board-wide buff. Honestly, if you haven’t sat across from an mtg mazirek kraul death priest deck lately, you’re missing out on one of the most frustratingly explosive experiences in the Golgari colors.
He’s a 2/2 flyer. That sounds pathetic for five mana, right? But Mazirek doesn't care about his own stats. He cares about the "click and buzz" of the undercity. More specifically, he cares about things dying. Not just your things—everyone's things. When Mazirek hits the field, the fundamental math of the game shifts. Suddenly, that Evolving Wilds you were holding isn't just mana fixing; it's a +1/+1 counter for every single creature your opponent controls.
The Core Interaction People Miss
Most players look at Mazirek and think "Aristocrats." They think about sacrificing their own Blood Pets or Reassembling Skeletons. That’s the surface level. The real power lies in the phrase "whenever a player sacrifices another permanent."
Notice it doesn't say "creature." It says "permanent."
This means Treasure tokens are a nightmare. Every time an opponent cracks a Treasure to cast a spell, Mazirek’s controller gets a trigger. In a world where Dockside Extortionist and Smothering Tithe exist, Mazirek is essentially a vacuum cleaner for value. You’ve got to be careful. If you’re playing against this deck, your own ramp might be the reason you lose the game.
Why the Kraul Priest is the King of Persist
If you want to talk about "fair" Magic, look elsewhere. Mazirek is the undisputed champion of the Persist mechanic.
Here is the basic interaction: You have a creature with Persist, like Putrid Goblin or Woodfall Primus, and a free sacrifice outlet like Viscera Seer.
- You sacrifice the Persist creature.
- It dies and triggers Persist, returning to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter.
- Mazirek triggers because a permanent was sacrificed.
- Mazirek puts a +1/+1 counter on all your creatures.
Now, here is the technical part. The +1/+1 counter and the -1/-1 counter on that creature essentially cancel each other out (rules-wise, they are both removed). Your creature is now "clean." You can sacrifice it again. And again. And again.
You now have infinite sacrifice triggers. If you have a Zulaport Cutthroat on the board, the game is over. If you don't, you just have an infinitely large army of insects and shamans. Not a bad consolation prize.
Building Mazirek Without Breaking the Bank
You don't need a Gaea's Cradle to make this work. In fact, some of the best cards for an mtg mazirek kraul death priest build are bulk rares or commons.
Wave of Vitriol is a hilarious inclusion. It forces everyone to sacrifice all their nonbasic lands, artifacts, and enchantments. If you have four creatures out and three opponents sacrifice five permanents each, your board just got +60/+60 in counters. It’s a board wipe that doubles as a win condition.
Then there's the newer stuff. Basking Broodscale from Modern Horizons 3 is a monster here. It creates a spawn token whenever a counter is put on it. You sacrifice the spawn for mana, Mazirek triggers, puts a counter back on the Broodscale, and you get another spawn. It’s a two-card infinite combo that costs less than a cup of coffee.
Essential Synergies
- Fleshbag Marauder / Plaguecrafter: These are the bread and butter. Each one results in four Mazirek triggers in a four-player game.
- Scapeshift: Usually a lands-deck card, but here it’s a massive anthem.
- Terramorphic Expanse / Fabled Passage: These are literally free combat tricks.
- Hornet Queen: Gives you a swarm of flyers to receive those massive stacks of counters.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rules
Stacking triggers with Mazirek can get messy. Let’s say you cast Living Death. This is a classic Golgari play, but the timing is specific.
Mazirek triggers for every creature sacrificed during the resolution of Living Death. However, those triggers don't go on the stack until after the spell finishes resolving. This is actually great news for you. It means the creatures you just brought back from the graveyard are already on the battlefield when the +1/+1 counters are handed out.
Another weird one: The Legend Rule. If you have two Mazireks (don't ask how, maybe a Spark Double), and one dies due to the legend rule, that is not a sacrifice. Mazirek will not trigger. "Die" and "Sacrifice" are often linked, but they aren't the same thing in the eyes of the judge.
Facing the Bug: How to Not Die
If you see Mazirek in the Command Zone, you need to change how you play.
First, hold your fetch lands. Do not crack them unless you absolutely have to. You are giving the Mazirek player free resources. Second, prioritize exile-based removal. If you just "kill" Mazirek, he’s going back to the command zone, and his owner probably has ten ways to recur him or enough mana to just cast him again. Farewell or Sunfall are your best friends here.
🔗 Read more: Why the Fanmade Commissar Helldivers 2 Warbond is Exactly What the Galactic War Needs
Also, watch the tokens. Mazirek decks love to go wide with 1/1 tokens because those tokens maximize the value of the +1/+1 counters. A single Ratchet Bomb or Pestilence can reset their board before Mazirek has a chance to make them into 10/10 behemoths.
The Actionable Insight
If you’re building this deck today, stop focusing on high-end tutors. Focus on redundancy.
Instead of just looking for the Persist combo, look for cards like Scurry Oak or Herd Baloth. These provide alternative routes to the same "infinite" destination. Mazirek is a magnet for removal; the deck has to function when he's not on the board. Use cards like Inspiring Call or Tamiyo's Safekeeping to keep your priest alive.
Go check your bulk boxes. You probably have a Canoptek Scarab Swarm or a Mycoloth gathering dust. Throw them in a pile with some sacrifice outlets and see how fast the table starts sweating.
🔗 Read more: Getting Your Minecraft Shaders 1.21.5 Setup to Actually Work
Pick up a copy of Basking Broodscale and Putrid Goblin before your next game night. Even if you don't run the full combo, having those pieces in your ninety-nine makes you a constant threat the moment Mazirek touches the table.