He sits on a pile of treasure, eating his own knights. Honestly, that’s the most honest flavor text in all of Magic: The Gathering. If you’ve played a game of Commander in the last few years, you’ve seen him. Korvold, Fae-Cursed King isn't just a card; he’s a snowball rolling down a mountain of value. Originally released in the Throne of Eldraine Brawl decks back in 2019, this Jund dragon immediately broke the format. He didn't just nudge the meta. He shoved it.
Why?
Because he rewards you for doing what you already wanted to do. In a game about resources, Korvold turns every lost resource into a fresh card and a permanent power boost. You sacrifice a fetch land? You draw. You sacrifice a Treasure token? You draw and he gets bigger. You sacrifice a creature that was going to die anyway? You guessed it. You draw. It's a relentless engine that feels almost unfair when it gets moving.
The Mechanical Greed of Korvold, Fae-Cursed King
Let's look at the math, but not the boring kind. Korvold is a five-mana 4/4 flyer. That’s a decent start, but his real power lies in that triggered ability. Whenever you sacrifice a permanent—not just a creature, any permanent—you put a +1/+1 counter on him and draw a card.
This creates a terrifying loop.
In most games of Magic, "sacrifice" is a cost. You lose something to gain something else. With Korvold, the cost becomes the win condition. If you crack a Misty Rainforest, you aren't just getting a land; you're buffing your commander and replacing the card in your hand. This is why many players consider him one of the most "solved" commanders in the game. The ceiling is incredibly high, but the floor is also way higher than most other legendary creatures.
You've probably seen the cEDH (Competitive Commander) builds. They are lean. They are mean. They use cards like Dockside Extortionist to create a mountain of Treasure tokens. In a vacuum, Dockside is great. With Korvold, it’s a manual reload for your entire hand. You sacrifice twenty Treasures to make twenty mana, and suddenly Korvold is a 24/24 flyer and you have twenty new cards to play with that mana.
It's disgusting. Truly.
Why the Curse is Actually a Blessing
The lore says Korvold was a king cursed with insatiable hunger. He ate his wedding guests. He ate his kingdom. In gameplay, that "curse" forces you to sacrifice a permanent whenever he enters the battlefield or attacks.
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Newer players sometimes see this as a downside. It’s not.
By the time you cast Korvold, you usually have a stray pawn, a spent land, or a token lying around. That "forced" sacrifice is just another trigger to draw a card. It ensures that even if someone kills him immediately, you likely got at least one card worth of value out of the exchange. He replaces himself. In the world of high-level MTG, "enters-the-battlefield" (ETB) value is king. Korvold is the emperor.
The Problem With Linear Power
There is a downside to being this good, though.
If you sit down at a casual table and flip over Korvold, Fae-Cursed King, you're going to have a target on your head. Immediately. Most players know that if Korvold survives a full turn cycle, the game is probably over. You will have too much mana, too many cards, and a commander that can one-shot people with commander damage.
This leads to the "Archenemy" problem. You aren't playing a four-player game anymore; you're playing a three-on-one. If you enjoy that challenge, Korvold is your guy. If you want a political game where you fly under the radar? Look elsewhere. He is a loud, hungry dragon. There is no subtlety here.
Building the Beast: Beyond Just Treasures
While the Treasure sub-theme is the most popular way to build him—shoutout to Revel in Riches and Old Gnawbone—there are other ways to skin this particular cat. Or dragon.
- Aristocrats: Focus on recurring small creatures like Reassembling Skeleton or Bloodghast. You kill them, Korvold gets big, you bring them back, and do it again.
- Lands Matter: Use The Gitrog Monster and Titania, Protector of Argoth. Use cards like Scapeshift. Sacrificing ten lands to Scapeshift with Korvold on the board doesn't just fix your mana; it draws you ten cards and makes Korvold a lethal threat instantly.
- Food Tokens: It's flavor-accurate! Using Pippin, Warden of Isengard or Gilded Goose to churn out snacks for the king is surprisingly effective and a bit more "fair" for lower-power pods.
The reality is that Jund (Black, Red, Green) is the best color identity for sacrifice. You have the best tutors, the best ramp, and the best removal. Korvold just ties the whole package together with a bloody ribbon.
Is He Too Strong for Casual Play?
This is a heated debate in the Commander community. Some people think Korvold should have been banned long ago. Others argue that he's fine because he costs five mana and has no built-in protection. No ward, no hexproof, no indestructible. A simple Swords to Plowshares or Terminate sends him packing.
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But that misses the point.
The point isn't that he's hard to kill; it's that he's so easy to break. Most commanders require a specific setup. Korvold just requires you to play Magic. Because so many common actions involve sacrificing—Evolving Wilds, Terramorphic Expanse, Clue tokens, Food tokens—you almost can't help but trigger him.
If you’re playing against him, you have to be aggressive. You cannot "wait and see" what the Korvold player does. If they have three mana open and a couple of tokens, they are dangerous. If they have seven mana and a full graveyard, they've already won.
The cEDH Perspective
In the world of competitive Magic, Korvold has dipped in and out of the top tier. For a long time, he was the premier Jund commander. Lately, he’s seen competition from newer, faster threats, but he remains a "gatekeeper" deck. If your deck can't beat a fast Korvold start, it's not ready for the big leagues.
The inclusion of Mayhem Devil in these lists is basically mandatory. While Korvold draws the cards, the Devil pings everything to death. It turns your resource generation into a machine gun. It’s a synergy so tight it feels like the cards were designed in a lab specifically to annoy your friends.
Misconceptions About the Cursed King
One thing people get wrong is thinking Korvold needs to be the center of every turn.
Sometimes, the best way to play him is as a finisher. You spend the early game setting up your board state, getting your Mayhem Devil and your Pitiless Plunderer ready. Then, you drop Korvold when you already have the means to sacrifice five or six things.
Another mistake? Forgetting his attack trigger.
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I’ve seen players lose because they forgot they had to sacrifice something when Korvold swung for the win. If you don't have a permanent to give him, you're in trouble. Always keep a spare land or a token back just in case. The king must eat, or he'll turn on you.
Modern Alternatives: Is Korvold Still the Best?
Since 2019, we’ve seen a lot of power creep. Ziatora, the Incinerator is a popular Jund alternative. She’s fun, she throws creatures at people’s faces, and she makes Treasures. But does she draw a card for every sacrifice? No.
That’s the "Korvold Tax." Every other sacrifice commander is measured against him.
"Is this better than Korvold?" usually ends in a "No."
He is the gold standard for efficiency. If you want to play a deck where you never run out of gas, he is still the undisputed champion of the Jund colors. Even with the Warhammer 40,000 decks and the Lord of the Rings sets bringing massive power to the table, the Fae-Cursed King holds his throne.
How to Beat Him (If You're Tired of Losing)
If your local meta is infested with dragons, you need specific tech.
- Stony Silence / Null Rod: If they are on the Treasure plan, shut down the artifacts. This cuts their mana and their card draw in half.
- Hushbringer / Doorkeeper Thrull: Stop that ETB trigger. If Korvold doesn't get that first sacrifice off, it slows the momentum.
- Forced Peace: Cards like Drannith Magistrate prevent him from even hitting the field.
- Graveyard Hate: Most Korvold decks rely on bringing things back to sac them again. Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void ruins their day.
Don't try to out-value him. You won't. You have to disrupt the engine or kill the pilot.
Actionable Strategy for Korvold Players
If you're ready to sleeve up the king, don't just throw in every sacrifice card you own. Focus on "free" sacrifices.
- Prioritize Fetch Lands: If your budget allows, run every fetch land you can (even the off-color ones if your playgroup is okay with it). They are zero-mana "Draw a card and buff Korvold" spells in this deck.
- Protect the King: Since he has no protection, you need Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, or Deflecting Swat. You only need him to survive one turn to basically win.
- Manage Your Triggers: In paper Magic, it’s easy to forget a +1/1 counter or a draw. Get a distinct die for Korvold and place it on your deck every time you sacrifice something. It’s a visual reminder to draw your card.
- Watch Your Library: It sounds like a high-class problem, but Korvold draws so many cards that decking yourself is a real risk. Include a "shuffle back" effect or a Winota-style finisher to end the game before you run out of paper.
Korvold, Fae-Cursed King remains one of the most polarizing and powerful commanders ever printed. He’s a testament to how "draw a card" is the most dangerous phrase in Magic. Whether you love him or hate him, you have to respect the hunger. Just make sure you aren't the one on the menu.