I'd like to include some lifegain into my deck, but I worry that the effects are either too small, or intended for a more dedicated deck. Are there any sources of lifegain that are not dependent on theme? (I remember there's an Elf that gains life for each Elf in play, but that's not exactly what I'm not looking for). My current context is WUB Sen Triplets (theft theme), but this really applies to any and all colors as well (bonus points for artifacts).
What lifegain do you use? Or is it just stapled to other effects you'd have played regardless?
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Twitch: MTGJankmaster; lurking>streaming (but maybe one day when I get good at magic)
xMage: Jankmaster Commander - Now Playing WUBSen Triplets - "If you shake my hand, better count your fingersBUWRHomura, Human AscendantRRGBorborygmos EnragedGRURMelek, Izzet ParagonRU
Commander - Still Brewing BRGGyrus, Waker of CorpsesGRBURSaheeli, the GiftedRUWRJor Kadeen, the PrevailerRW
I have this conundrum where I'm playing a control deck, but there are often games where I wanted at least one big life gaining card to sort of put me out of harms danger, when you go deep into the game.
We are not talking about a dedicated life gain deck like Oloro, Ageless Ascetic.
As far as I'm concerned there is no amazing duel purpose card (in Esper at least) that you're happy to have at all times.
There are some powerful cards, but they also draw attention, which is not ideal as you'd prefer them to sit idle and just go ignored, while it keeps you at a manageable life total. For example; Sunscorch Regent Kambal, Consul of Allocation
Palace Siege has some versatility in that if your life total doesn't seem in danger then you can do the 'Khans' recursion instead of the life gain.
Wall of Reverence is like a super safe option, as it's good at blocking and gaining a little bit of life each turn.
Another safe option is Obzedat, Ghost Council, but the life gain is minimal and 5 mana is quite a bit.
Sun Droplet is surprisingly good at keeping a steady flow of life gain, but not great if it comes late in the game and you want to push yourself ahead of a low life total.
Pretty much if you want to get the biggest guaranteed life gain out of a single card then Resolute Archangel or Exquisite Archangel are the most reliable.
I've found the Exquisite Archangel is the worst of them, as opponents can remove it before you get effect, where at least Resolute Archangel you get the life gain.
If your Sen Triplets has some good mana production, then Sphinx's Revelation could be worth a slot.
I have this conundrum where I'm playing a control deck, but there are often games where I wanted at least one big life gaining card to sort of put me out of harms danger, when you go deep into the game.
We are not talking about a dedicated life gain deck like Oloro, Ageless Ascetic.
As far as I'm concerned there is no amazing duel purpose card (in Esper at least) that you're happy to have at all times.
There are some powerful cards, but they also draw attention, which is not ideal as you'd prefer them to sit idle and just go ignored, while it keeps you at a manageable life total. For example; Sunscorch Regent Kambal, Consul of Allocation
Palace Siege has some versatility in that if your life total doesn't seem in danger then you can do the 'Khans' recursion instead of the life gain.
Wall of Reverence is like a super safe option, as it's good at blocking and gaining a little bit of life each turn.
Another safe option is Obzedat, Ghost Council, but the life gain is minimal and 5 mana is quite a bit.
Sun Droplet is surprisingly good at keeping a steady flow of life gain, but not great if it comes late in the game and you want to push yourself ahead of a low life total.
Pretty much if you want to get the biggest guaranteed life gain out of a single card then Resolute Archangel or Exquisite Archangel are the most reliable.
I've found the Exquisite Archangel is the worst of them, as opponents can remove it before you get effect, where at least Resolute Archangel you get the life gain.
If your Sen Triplets has some good mana production, then Sphinx's Revelation could be worth a slot.
Thank you! I will definitely look into the Wall and Kambal.
I most definitely forgot I was already running Daxos for steal reasons, but thanks for the Augury Adept! I did not know about that one.
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Twitch: MTGJankmaster; lurking>streaming (but maybe one day when I get good at magic)
xMage: Jankmaster Commander - Now Playing WUBSen Triplets - "If you shake my hand, better count your fingersBUWRHomura, Human AscendantRRGBorborygmos EnragedGRURMelek, Izzet ParagonRU
Commander - Still Brewing BRGGyrus, Waker of CorpsesGRBURSaheeli, the GiftedRUWRJor Kadeen, the PrevailerRW
Not the cheapest (in purhcase) of options nor subtle, but Umezawa's Jitte is probably a choice, especially since from your responses to cards I think your deck does revolve around combat damage to some degree. It's slower and not as good in emergency cases, but its flexibility is also generally ridiculously high (and short of Krosan Grip it's basically always useful even at the point of its removal).
Its shortcoming is probably it gets prioritized by removal because of its reputation in other formats (yes it deserves some of its reputation, but in Commander all its effects are somewhat diminished so I would still say it's generally over-prioritized to some degree), so it's rather meta dependent (by now probably a good number of metas mellowed out on its overvalued reputation and do assess its threat-level more appropriately now.)
Though I usually don't recommend levelers, Transcendent Master can be an option if you ramp hard into him. Loxodon Warhammer was just discussed in the Random Card of the Day thread, and that's always a decent choice. Basilisk Collar should be in just about any deck leaning into lifegain as well. Sword of War and Peace can be useful as well if you can keep your hand full.
If you want to get more serious about gaining life, running some repetitive sources of life gain that also get you more “stuff” that you need like Twilight Prophet, or perhaps some beefy Lifelinkers like Divinity of Pride.
Don't forget exsanguinate and Debt to the Deathless. They are usually finishers, but you can cast them earlier for some lifegain that also puts opponents down. Sometimes firing off Exsanguinate for X=5 is enough to buy you some time, and Debt for X=3 (still 7 mana) does even better (18 life in a 4 player game). Sure, you're only knocking opponents down a small amount, but if you've started to stabilize the breathing room that regaining nearly half your starting life total helps get you out of the red zone for cards like, well, exsanguinate.
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I'd like to include some lifegain into my deck, but I worry that the effects are either too small, or intended for a more dedicated deck. Are there any sources of lifegain that are not dependent on theme? (I remember there's an Elf that gains life for each Elf in play, but that's not exactly what I'm not looking for). My current context is WUB Sen Triplets (theft theme), but this really applies to any and all colors as well (bonus points for artifacts).
What lifegain do you use? Or is it just stapled to other effects you'd have played regardless?
xMage: Jankmaster
Commander - Now Playing
WUBSen Triplets - "If you shake my hand, better count your fingersBUW RHomura, Human AscendantR RGBorborygmos EnragedGR URMelek, Izzet ParagonRU
Commander - Still Brewing
BRGGyrus, Waker of CorpsesGRB URSaheeli, the GiftedRU WRJor Kadeen, the PrevailerRW
Those are my incidental cards. Gary and other black spells like that...I do sometimes use to offset other life loss.
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
We are not talking about a dedicated life gain deck like Oloro, Ageless Ascetic.
As far as I'm concerned there is no amazing duel purpose card (in Esper at least) that you're happy to have at all times.
There are some powerful cards, but they also draw attention, which is not ideal as you'd prefer them to sit idle and just go ignored, while it keeps you at a manageable life total. For example;
Sunscorch Regent
Kambal, Consul of Allocation
Palace Siege has some versatility in that if your life total doesn't seem in danger then you can do the 'Khans' recursion instead of the life gain.
Wall of Reverence is like a super safe option, as it's good at blocking and gaining a little bit of life each turn.
Another safe option is Obzedat, Ghost Council, but the life gain is minimal and 5 mana is quite a bit.
Sun Droplet is surprisingly good at keeping a steady flow of life gain, but not great if it comes late in the game and you want to push yourself ahead of a low life total.
Pretty much if you want to get the biggest guaranteed life gain out of a single card then Resolute Archangel or Exquisite Archangel are the most reliable.
I've found the Exquisite Archangel is the worst of them, as opponents can remove it before you get effect, where at least Resolute Archangel you get the life gain.
If your Sen Triplets has some good mana production, then Sphinx's Revelation could be worth a slot.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
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---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Thank you! I will definitely look into the Wall and Kambal.
I most definitely forgot I was already running Daxos for steal reasons, but thanks for the Augury Adept! I did not know about that one.
xMage: Jankmaster
Commander - Now Playing
WUBSen Triplets - "If you shake my hand, better count your fingersBUW RHomura, Human AscendantR RGBorborygmos EnragedGR URMelek, Izzet ParagonRU
Commander - Still Brewing
BRGGyrus, Waker of CorpsesGRB URSaheeli, the GiftedRU WRJor Kadeen, the PrevailerRW
Its shortcoming is probably it gets prioritized by removal because of its reputation in other formats (yes it deserves some of its reputation, but in Commander all its effects are somewhat diminished so I would still say it's generally over-prioritized to some degree), so it's rather meta dependent (by now probably a good number of metas mellowed out on its overvalued reputation and do assess its threat-level more appropriately now.)
EDH decks: 1. RGWMayael's Big BeatsRETIRED!
2. BUWMerieke Ri Berit and the 40 Thieves
3. URNiv's Wheeling and Dealing!
4. BURThe Walking Dead
5. GWSisay's Legends of Tomorrow
6. RWBRise of Markov
7. GElvez and stuffz(W)
8. RCrush your enemies(W)
9. BSign right here...(W)
Faith’s Fetters is the definition of incidental life gain and is flexible enough as a Pacifism-variant to be good in Commander.
If you want to get more serious about gaining life, running some repetitive sources of life gain that also get you more “stuff” that you need like Twilight Prophet, or perhaps some beefy Lifelinkers like Divinity of Pride.
Jalira, Master Polymorphist | Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder | Bosh, Iron Golem | Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Brago, King Eternal | Oona, Queen of the Fae | Wort, Boggart Auntie | Wort, the Raidmother
Captain Sisay | Rhys, the Redeemed | Trostani, Selesnya's Voice | Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight | Obzedat, Ghost Council | Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind | Vorel of the Hull Clade
Uril, the Miststalker | Prossh, Skyraider of Kher | Nicol Bolas | Progenitus
Ghave, Guru of Spores | Zedruu the Greathearted | Damia, Sage of Stone | Riku of Two Reflections
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!