I'm trying to find good cards for a Queen Marchesa that gain you life AND make good use of life as a resource. I've already got Aetherflux Reservoir, Exquisite Blood, and Treasonous Ogre, but I'm having trouble finding other cards to fill out the rest. I know Extort is a good mechanic for this, but other than that, I'm stumped.
Part of the problem is I'm not sure how to focus the rest of the deck. I've got a little aggro and a little pillow fort in there to, and I'm not sure whether or not I'll need to trim down on the rest. I plan on including a Mastermind's Acquisition and maybe a Burning Wish, so my deck is gonna have a bit more wiggle room as to what cards I can use.
I second Erebos, as he stops your opponents from recovering life and lets you use life to draw cards.
As for the Acquisition and Wish, I don't think it's worth it. First, Rule 13 of Commander says those cards don't work without prior approval from your play group; if they say no, you've got dead cards. Second, if it isn't worth running in your 100-card deck, is it really worth wishing for? Third, it has the potential to waste time and make games go longer. I'd focus on building a better deck rather than using wishes to justify worse card choices.
If you want another source of card draw, Greed isn't way worse than Erebos. If you're gaining a lot of life, and have the creatures to make it worth it, I'd add Archangel of Thune as a nice game ender. I hope you're also running Vizkopa Guildmage and Vault of the Archangel, because I've found they both do a lot of work.
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Norn's Annex can add to the life-loss brutality against non-white opposing decks. Even white decks would eventually need to pay up in life as time goes on. Licia, Sanguine Tribune would be another monster to consider, especially if you gain life in high enough quantities. Whip of Erebos is a good backup for Loxodon Warhammer and other lifelinkers. Also, don't forget to put in a Spirit Link on your biggest lifelinker, for double the life.
I have a weaponized lifegain deck myself but run Licia, Sanguine Tribune as the commander. Unspeakable Symbol and Hatred are really, really powerful. It also runs Soul Conduit, pay all your life for something, swap with an opponent putting them on 1, proceed to kill. Lots of the other cards already mentioned are also in the deck. Brightflame also works wonders as a stabilizer.
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Noble Purpose is one of my favourite lifegain interactions. Since it doesn't grant the keyword "lifegain" you'll basically double up on gaining life.
Best combined with double strike stuff, True Conviction ftw.
As for creatures I'd consider Kingpin's Pet and Basilica Screecher. Both come with extort and evasion, if you feel like getting back your monarch status.
The Queen Marchesa deck i have in my playgroup plays Monarch ping pong to great effect. You're usually dragged in via Goblin Diplomats and the likes to either take Monarch and supply her with fresh tokens or to get blocked dead by said tokens.
Overall I like your commander when she's as manipulative and political as possible. Deflecting Palm, Disrupt Decorum, .... stuff along these lines.
Part of the problem is I'm not sure how to focus the rest of the deck. I've got a little aggro and a little pillow fort in there to, and I'm not sure whether or not I'll need to trim down on the rest. I plan on including a Mastermind's Acquisition and maybe a Burning Wish, so my deck is gonna have a bit more wiggle room as to what cards I can use.
Any and all advice is welcome and appreciated.
I might include Loxodon Warhammer as a good source of life gain.
There are a lot of great Marchesa decklists in the multiplayer decklists section of this site, I would start there.
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[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
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MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
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Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsOther than that, Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim discourages attacks with deathtouch, can gain life, and turns into removal with enough lifegain.
Karlov of the Ghost Council similarly turns into removal with enough lifegain.
The aristocrats - Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, and Falkenrath Noble - gain and drain and discourage board wipes from your opponents.
Unspeakable Symbol uses life as a resource and is a staple in the other Marchesa, but it probably isn't a good fit here.
I second Erebos, as he stops your opponents from recovering life and lets you use life to draw cards.
As for the Acquisition and Wish, I don't think it's worth it. First, Rule 13 of Commander says those cards don't work without prior approval from your play group; if they say no, you've got dead cards. Second, if it isn't worth running in your 100-card deck, is it really worth wishing for? Third, it has the potential to waste time and make games go longer. I'd focus on building a better deck rather than using wishes to justify worse card choices.
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There are lots of cards that do one or the other. I can't think of any besides Reservoir that do both.
Also, what about Planeswalkers? I've got Sorin, Grim Nemesis lying around; would he be a good fit? Or should I go for Ajani planeswalkers?
Also... I'm seeing a lot of black and white suggestions, but not much red. How does red fit into life gain?
Phyrexian Reclamation can be useful.
On the lifegain front, there are a few options. First, there are extort cards. I'm fond of Crypt Ghast, Pontiff of Blight, Blind Obedience, Treasury Thrull, Thrull Parasite, and Vizkopa Confessor (who also provides a use for your life).
Secondly, you also have access to Sword of War and Peace and Sword of Light and Shadow. In terms of equipment that adds lifelink, I would consider, in addition to Loxodon Warhammer, Basilisk Collar and Batterskull. You can also use Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, and Falkenrath Noble to gain life.
Third option is a few lifelink fatties that gain you life. Divinity of Pride and Baneslayer Angel come to mind. While we're here, consider Balefire Liege as well.
There are also a few black removal spells that gain you life, but most of them are overcosted af.
For things you can do with life, Phyrexian Reclamation?
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Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsVizkopa's use is limited on by how much mana you have. I love that it doesn't tap.
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Best combined with double strike stuff, True Conviction ftw.
As for creatures I'd consider Kingpin's Pet and Basilica Screecher. Both come with extort and evasion, if you feel like getting back your monarch status.
The Queen Marchesa deck i have in my playgroup plays Monarch ping pong to great effect. You're usually dragged in via Goblin Diplomats and the likes to either take Monarch and supply her with fresh tokens or to get blocked dead by said tokens.
Overall I like your commander when she's as manipulative and political as possible. Deflecting Palm, Disrupt Decorum, .... stuff along these lines.
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