Nosferatu. Wampyr. Strigoi. Undead. The vampire.

Call them whatever you want, Vampires are one of the more popular creatures in all of fiction. Did you know that Count Dracula is the literary character who has been portrayed in film the most, with 538 film interpretations? The second-place finisher, Sherlock Holmes, only has 299. That's how enamored we are with Vampires!

The image of the monster coming back from the grave to creep about the night is written into our DNA, and Magic is no different. Vampires have been a part of the game since the beginning. With that in mind, here are my Top Ten Vampire cards in Magic: The Gathering!

(Hey, WOTC. The Lost Boys Secret Lair when?)

Honorable Mention: Sengir Vampire

While this one isn't nearly as potent as the others on the list, it gets bonus points for originality. As in, it has been a part of Magic since the original set, Alpha. I figured that the oldest creature on the list, our original vampiric representation, deserved a little love. Sengir Vampire set up the idea of what a vampire would be in the game, as a creature that grows from the death and damage it inflicts.

10. Bloodghast

I wanted to start off with this one, because it looks so innocuous at first. It's just a little 2/1 (with situational haste) and it can't even block. How harmful can it be? But, then, you kill it... and it comes back. So, you kill it again... and it comes back. Kill. Come back. You get the picture. Bloodghast can often be found in non-Vampire centric decks, as its ability makes it ripe for exploitation. Like the lore, you have to put a stake in the heart of this one, or else it's going to rise from the grave and cause you problems.

9. Vampire Hexmage

This one is almost always seen with its partner in crime, Dark Depths, to create a 20/20 Marit Lage token, the biggest non-Un-set creature in the game. This is a deck that has been a winner across multiple formats... and has been banned across multiple formats. Still the combo sees play in Legacy and Commander, so the power is definitely still there.

Hexmage has often been used as a Planeswalker removal spell as well. As a 2/1 first strike creature for two mana, it's not the worst in combat, but it's ability is what really makes the card.

8. Bloodthirsty Conqueror

Oh, man. This guy. What if I told you that you could turn all of your creatures into pseudo-Vampires, without all the blood, dying, or eldritch rites? Bloodthirsty Conqueror, while being a great card in its own right (a 5/5 flyer with deathtouch is a beating), can also be found in combo decks with Sanguine Bond (Commander) or Enduring Tenacity (Standard).

7. Bloodtithe Harvester

As both a Standard and Pioneer staple, Bloodtithe Harvester has enjoyed a lot of success since it was printed, and it has one of the more winning resumes of any Vampire. As a 3/2 for two mana, the card has a strong enough board presence, but its true value lies in the Blood token it creates.

The token gives you a low-cost way to manipulate your card selection. Couple that with the Harvester's innate ability to take out low toughness creatures as long as you haven't sacrificed the token and you get a card that attacks the board from multiple angles

6. Olivia Voldaren

Olivia Voldaren offers a unique take on the Vampire card in Magic. For she will turn any creature into a Vampire (and makes it a bit more powerful in the process by giving it a +1/+1 counter), and for she gains control of target Vampire.

She is a fantastic example of top-down design, in that she is a great representation of the spread of vampirism, and the concept of the "Master Vampire" that takes control of the Vampires it has created. She's A flavor bomb that just so happens to take over games.

5. Bloodletter of Aclazotz

One of the more recent Vampires printed, Bloodletter of Aclazotz offers a ton for just four mana. It works as a pseudo-lord in that it doubles all the damage dealt to an opponent on your turn. So, any of your Vampires that manage to sneak through your opponent's defenses will be hitting twice as hard. But, the ability doesn't just limit this to creatures, so any other source of damage on your turn will be doubled. Vampire-themed cards like Exsanguinate can end a game in a turn with this ability.

4. Vein Ripper

With a name like Vein Ripper, you'd expect something grand, and that's just what you get. This is the largest vampire on this list, as a 6/5 with flying. It has a fantastic protective ability, with a Ward cost that forces your opponent to discard a card. To take this out, they are almost always going to need to 2-gor-1 themselves.

On top of all that, it has the extremely relevant ability of draining an opponent for every two life every time a creature dies. Not just your creature, any creature. This gives the card an inherent combo-ablity, and lets it play a little defense as well if you are low on life.

3. Blood Artist

Blood Artist is a card that has, at times, defined entire formats of Magic, and its power lies in the ability to let you win games outside the combat step. Build up a strong enough board presence, or get your opponent low enough with chip damage, and you can create a game state where your opponent can't even kill your creatures without risking death themselves.

As such, this is often a lightning rod for removal spells. Vampire cards often pair well with sacrifice effects, and Blood Artist combines well with another Vampire standout, Falkenrath Aristocrat (which almost made this list) to create a potent combo. On top of that, the flavor lore of a Vampire so adept with blood as a media is fantastic.

2. Edgar Markov

Yes, this one seems obvious. Edgar Markov is one of the most powerful Commanders in the game. Eminence is an inherently powerful ability, and I've played many games where Edgar didn't even need to leave the Command Zone to win the game.

But, it's not jus the playabililty of this card that makes Edgar so great. Flavorfully, he fits the Vampire lore and history to a T. The wizened old patriarch, the uber-powerful being that reeks of age and the grave, yet steeps itself in regal pageantry. Edgar fits our depiction of Dracula as her first appears perfectly, and the card is the best depiction of a classic Vampire in Magic. It would be the number 1 card on this list, but...

1. Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord

I did say this is the best Vampire CARDS not just the best Vampire creatures. Though, Sorin, the character, is a Vampire in addition to being a Planeswalker, so I guess I didn't really color too far outside the lines here.

Sorin blends traditional Vampire lore, and Magic's own Universes-Within lore, into the best combination, tying Vampires, Planeswalkers, and Magic into the perfect blend. The card is also powerful, as its banning in Pioneer shows. It takes any Vampire deck and gives them different modes of attack, as the -3 ability can immediately accelerate a larger threat on the battlefield that your opponents must deal with immediately. This allows Sorin to lurk in the shadows and continually provide value.

The +1 sacrifice effect can break through in games where the board has stalled, or even set up some graveyard shenanigans as a sacrifice outlet. The first +1 ability can grow your threats and even provide a boost in life when needed.

Sorin just feels like the total package for any Vampire deck.

Wrapping up

You can find more of my Magic musings on Twitter/X @travishall456 and on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/anakinsdad.bsky.social