Lord Xander, the Collector is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
When Lord Xander enters, target opponent discards half the cards in their hand, rounded down. Whenever Lord Xander attacks, defending player mills half their library, rounded down. When Lord Xander dies, target opponent sacrifices half the nonland permanents they control of their choice, rounded down.
Complete guide
Lord Xander, the Collector is a powerhouse Vampire Demon Noble that punishes your opponents at every stage of his life cycle. Whether he is entering the battlefield, swinging for damage, or meeting his demise, he ensures your enemies lose half of their most precious resources. Managing his three distinct triggered abilities is the key to dominating the table.
A Triple Threat of Destruction
Lord Xander features three separate triggered abilities triggered by entering the battlefield, attacking, and dying. Each ability targets a specific zone: the hand, the library, and the battlefield. Importantly, all three effects specify that you round down when calculating how many cards or permanents are affected. If an opponent has seven cards in hand, half is 3.5, meaning they discard 3 cards.
Step-by-Step Resolution
When Lord Xander enters, you choose a target opponent; they count their hand and discard the appropriate amount. When he is declared as an attacker, the defending player immediately mills half their library before any blockers are declared. Finally, if Lord Xander dies, the death trigger goes on the stack, and the target opponent must choose which of their nonland permanents to sacrifice once the ability resolves.
Timing and Targeting
The 'dies' trigger is particularly potent because it does not target the permanents themselves, but rather the opponent. This means it bypasses keywords like Hexproof or Indestructible on the permanents your opponent controls. However, the 'enters' and 'dies' abilities do target the opponent, so they can be fizzled if the opponent gains Hexproof in response.
When to Deploy the Collector
Lord Xander is best used when your opponent has a high resource count. Because he rounds down, his impact is greatest when hand sizes and libraries are full. He is a high-cost threat that serves as both a proactive win condition via milling and a reactive deterrent, as killing him often results in a devastated board state for the opponent.
Interaction examples
Hullbreaker HorrorIf your opponent controls Hullbreaker Horror and you cast Lord Xander, the Horror's ability can return Xander to your hand before he resolves. However, if Xander is already on the battlefield and your opponent uses Hullbreaker Horror to return him to your hand, Xander does not 'die,' so his sacrifice ability will not trigger. You will, however, get his 'enters' trigger again when you recast him.
Etali, Primal StormWhen you attack with both Lord Xander and Etali, Primal Storm, two attack triggers go on the stack. You can choose the order. If you resolve Lord Xander's trigger first, the defending player mills half their library. Then, Etali's trigger resolves, exiling the new top card of their library. This sequence allows you to dig deeper into their deck for more powerful spells to cast for free.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Lord Xander, the Collector
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Bruvac the Grandiloquent + Lord Xander, the Collector
- 1Declare Lord Xander as an attacker, triggering its ability, causing an opponent to mill a number of cards equal to half their library, rounded down, times two due to Bruvac.
Fraying Sanity + Lord Xander, the Collector
- 1Declare Lord Xander as an attacker. Its second ability triggers, causing the defending player to mill half their library, rounded down.
- 2At the beginning of your end step, Fraying Sanity triggers, causing the opponent to mill cards equal to the number of cards put into their graveyard this turn.
Riverchurn Monument + Lord Xander, the Collector
- 1Declare Lord Xander as an attacker, triggering its ability, causing an opponent to mill half their library, rounded down.
- 2Activate Riverchurn Monument's exhaust ability by paying
and tapping it, causing each player to mill cards equal to the number of cards in their graveyard.
Lord Xander, the Collector + Keening Stone
- 1Declare Lord Xander as an attacker, triggering its second ability, causing the defending player to mill half their library, rounded down.
- 2Activate Keening Stone by paying
and tapping it, causing the player to mill cards equal to the number of cards in their graveyard, thus milling the rest of their library.
Phenax, God of Deception + Consuming Aberration + Lord Xander, the Collector
- 1Declare Lord Xander as an attacker, triggering its second ability, causing the defending player to mill half their library, rounded up.
- 2Activate Consuming Aberration by tapping it, causing the opponent to mill cards equal to the cards in opponents' graveyards, milling the remainder of their library.
Phenax, God of Deception + Sewer Nemesis + Lord Xander, the Collector
- 1Declare Lord Xander as an attacker attacking the opponent named by Sewer Nemesis. Lord Xander's second ability triggers, causing the opponent to mill half their library, rounded up.
- 2Activate Sewer Nemesis by tapping it, causing the opponent to mill cards equal to the cards in their graveyard, milling the remainder of their library.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Lord Xander, the Collector
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.