My very first and most cherished commander has been Zedruu the Greathearted. I played with her for over a year now and she went from "donate matters" to "lifegain matters" theme. This is her current iteration.
In the back of my head, however, I felt like Esper will always be the better lifegain deck. Still, I felt that Zedruu was a really cool commander and somewhat unique in that she married lifegain with card advantage, so I stuck with her.
Whenever you gain life, you pay pay 1. If you do, draw a card and each opponent loses 1 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Oloro is in the command zone, you gain 2 life.
4/5
Oloro is without a doubt better than Zedruu. Zedruu struggles as high risk, low reward, demanding an enormous amount of mana for the hope of drawing cards and gaining life, though as a 2/4 with no protection she is killed by a stuff breeze.
Oloro draws cards easily, for 1 colorless mana. Even when he's not on the field, he's gaining life! What?!
So I went to my Zedruu list, took out the red and the donate stuff, and put in black. This is my first version:
Interesting. This is about halfway between the list I posted and the list kicks_422 is running but without much of the pillowfort stuff we are running.
I'd suggest maybe a little pillowfort package to help protect your life gain if you really want to try to win with the Felidar or Test.
I really like the interaction between Oloro and the Archangel of Thune. I really wanted to run her in my list but I'm really trying to stick with the idea that creatures don't matter in my build. I'd be really interested to see how your build works as potential aggro with her and Oloro powering everything up.
I'm hoping to be more creature-heavy than your typical esper deck. Lifegain = #1 target in most groups I run with so I may need to throw in some pillowfort cards, but for now I'm more interested in setting up big beefy creatures as my defense. Test of Endurance is just one way of many that I intend to win, and it's one of the weaker ways anyway since the Sanguine Bond combos usually win the turn it's cast.
Blood Baron of Vizkopa is on my radar as something I need to pick up and try. 10/10 flying, lifelink, pro black and white for 5mana?? Yeesh!
The thing is that he's got the Bloodghast drawback. How often is he going get the +6/+6 and flying bonuses unless you're already winning?
I was about to say "but I can get to 30 life so easy!" but then I read that an opponent has to be at 10. Never knew that! Okay, not bothering with him. What about Sphinx of the Steel Wind? Too expensive? Or Divinity of Pride?
What about him? I don't quite like him in the deck and while he could be annoying to deal with, I have ways of exiling him if necessary.
Difficulty of dealing with isn't the point. He can turn Oloro's life gain back into card draw on command. Plus, he stops opponents from recovering if you drain them. Not to mention, 4 mana and indestructible. He'd be great in an Oloro deck.
Divinity of Pride is okay in Orzhov lists, but I think you've got better options in Esper. Sphinx of the Steel Wind is a good beater, but whether or not he'll be effective is dependent on your meta. If you see Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile frequently, I'd leave him out. If not, I'd at least give him a try.
Difficulty of dealing with isn't the point. He can turn Oloro's life gain back into card draw on command. Plus, he stops opponents from recovering if you drain them. Not to mention, 4 mana and indestructible. He'd be great in an Oloro deck.
I think spending 6 mana to draw 1, 8 mana to draw 2, etc is pretty miserable. But if other lifegain decks start popping up then I'll consider him.
Divinity of Pride is okay in Orzhov lists, but I think you've got better options in Esper. Sphinx of the Steel Wind is a good beater, but whether or not he'll be effective is dependent on your meta. If you see Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile frequently, I'd leave him out. If not, I'd at least give him a try.
I think I'll give him a try. Thrull Parasite is looking unappealing so I have at least 1 slot free. I'll probably swap out Reanimate for something else too. Maybe more removal?
I think I'll give him a try. Thrull Parasite is looking unappealing so I have at least 1 slot free. I'll probably swap out Reanimate for something else too. Maybe more removal?
Since your list is more creature based then mine I'm not really sure how much removal you really need. Are there are fair amount of Iona's in your playgroup? If so I'd consider a Duplicant for that slot. That way you're filling the slot with removal AND a creature. I was considering running Duplicant in my list but with the wide variety of colors I have in my removal package I don't think I need him.
Nice deck list man. I forgot Angelic Accord so i'll have to pick one up for my Oloro deck.
How is Duskmantle Seer in the deck? I like the life drain idea but I don't like giving my opposites card draw. At the same time most people run a lot s 5cmc + cards and you can git them for a lot.
Nice deck list man. I forgot Angelic Accord so i'll have to pick one up for my Oloro deck.
How is Duskmantle Seer in the deck? I like the life drain idea but I don't like giving my opposites card draw. At the same time most people run a lot s 5cmc + cards and you can git them for a lot.
I dig the list! Quite a few cards on your list that I want to add to mine. Budget will be a factor though. I'm definitely adding ashen rider, but as much as I want mana crypt I'm going to pass on it for now.
Duskmantle seer is one of my favorite cards ever in edh. It's a pet card so I'm biased but I think it does great work, usually burning down my opponents for ~6life each turn. Everyone drawing is fine with me.
Finally got around to testing Oloro.
Wizard warns you right in the deck description that you as the Oloro player will be the archenemy at the table for gaining life. It's true. You gotta prepare for people prioritizing you first.
So I probably will have to add Ghostly Prison / Propaganda, maybe more. They are great deterrent.
Taking out Trinket Mage and Treasury Thrull. Mage is a great tutor but paying extra for the 2/2 body is meh here, I don't have blink effects or anything. Treasury Thrull is fine but again 1/1 body is too fragile.
Kor Cartographer looks pretty weak too. I'm sure I can do better than that, not sure what yet though. Leyline of Anticipation could be fun, setting up an insta-win much easier. Or maybe it's time to add the propaganda and ghostly prison so I don't get crushed early.
I tried very hard to make WUR lifegain work. And it did. UW is a fine base for lifegain decks and Red surprisingly had some nice additions to the shell, such as Searing Meditation and Zedruu herself. I did nasty things such as Pyrohemia / Manabarbs / Inferno combined with Gisela, Blade of Goldnight / Rune-tail, Kitsune Ascendant / Avacyn, Angel of Hope.
In the back of my head, however, I felt like Esper will always be the better lifegain deck. Still, I felt that Zedruu was a really cool commander and somewhat unique in that she married lifegain with card advantage, so I stuck with her.
Then Oloro was spoiled and rendered Zedruu obsolete.
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic 3WUB
Legendary Creature - Giant Soldier
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
Whenever you gain life, you pay pay 1. If you do, draw a card and each opponent loses 1 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Oloro is in the command zone, you gain 2 life.
4/5
Oloro is without a doubt better than Zedruu. Zedruu struggles as high risk, low reward, demanding an enormous amount of mana for the hope of drawing cards and gaining life, though as a 2/4 with no protection she is killed by a stuff breeze.
Oloro draws cards easily, for 1 colorless mana. Even when he's not on the field, he's gaining life! What?!
So I went to my Zedruu list, took out the red and the donate stuff, and put in black. This is my first version:
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Command Tower
1 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Forbidden Orchard
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Godless Shrine
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Homeward Path
1 Island
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Kor Haven
1 Mistveil Plains
1 Orzhov Basilica
14 Plains
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Sejiri Refuge
3 Swamp
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Watery Grave
Ramp / Land Fetch (16)
1 Land Tax
1 Tithe
1 Sol Ring
1 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
2 Azorius Signet
2 Dimir Signet
2 Orzhov Signet
2 Fellwar Stone
2 Knight of the White Orchid
3 Coalition Relic
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Pristine Talisman
4 Crypt Ghast
4 Kor Cartographer
4 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Serra Ascendant
4 Angelic Accord
4 Test of Endurance
5 Archangel of Thune
6 Felidar Sovereign
Life Drain (9)
1 Bloodchief Ascension
2 Blood Artist
2 Vizkopa Guildmage
4 Falkenrath Noble
5 Kokusho, the Evening Star
6 Pontiff of Blight
6 Sorin Markov
Life Gain (6)
1 Soul Warden
1 Soul's Attendant
2 Auriok Champion
4 Rhox Faithmender
5 Elspeth Tirel
5 Exquisite Blood
Life Loss (1)
5 Sanguine Bond
Draw (6)
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Necropotence
4 Well of Lost Dreams
4 Duskmantle Seer
6 Consecrated Sphinx
7 Drogskol Reaver
Disruption (10)
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Swords to Plowshares
3 Absorb
3 Toxic Deluge
4 Leyline of the Void
4 Faith's Fetters
4 Return to Dust
6 Austere Command
6 Merciless Eviction
6 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
8 Ashen Rider
1 Reanimate
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Demonic Tutor
3 Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant
4 Ranger of Eos
6 Treasury Thrull
8 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
The categories are a bit loose but I tried to put cards under their primary purpose.
You can use lifegain a bunch of ways to win:
1) Power up creatures such as Serra Ascendant and Archangel of Thune to win with combat damage.
2) Infinite combo with Exquisite Blood / Vizkopa Guildmage / Sanguine Bond
3) Bleed them out with cards like Duskmantle Seer, Crypt Ghast, and Exsanguinate
4) Upkeep win with Felidar Sovereign or Test of Endurance
What do you guys think?
UBRThraximundar, Tribal ZombiesUBR
WURZedruu's Great TradesWUR
I'd suggest maybe a little pillowfort package to help protect your life gain if you really want to try to win with the Felidar or Test.
I really like the interaction between Oloro and the Archangel of Thune. I really wanted to run her in my list but I'm really trying to stick with the idea that creatures don't matter in my build. I'd be really interested to see how your build works as potential aggro with her and Oloro powering everything up.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
Blood Baron of Vizkopa is on my radar as something I need to pick up and try. 10/10 flying, lifelink, pro black and white for 5mana?? Yeesh!
UBRThraximundar, Tribal ZombiesUBR
WURZedruu's Great TradesWUR
The thing is that he's got the Bloodghast drawback. How often is he going get the +6/+6 and flying bonuses unless you're already winning?
stuff
..
Azusa - Derevi - Glissa - Mizzix - Sharuum - Wanderer - Wort
I was about to say "but I can get to 30 life so easy!" but then I read that an opponent has to be at 10. Never knew that! Okay, not bothering with him. What about Sphinx of the Steel Wind? Too expensive? Or Divinity of Pride?
What about him? I don't quite like him in the deck and while he could be annoying to deal with, I have ways of exiling him if necessary.
UBRThraximundar, Tribal ZombiesUBR
WURZedruu's Great TradesWUR
Difficulty of dealing with isn't the point. He can turn Oloro's life gain back into card draw on command. Plus, he stops opponents from recovering if you drain them. Not to mention, 4 mana and indestructible. He'd be great in an Oloro deck.
GGG [Primer] Omnath, Big Green Beatstick Machine GGG
Divinity of Pride is okay in Orzhov lists, but I think you've got better options in Esper. Sphinx of the Steel Wind is a good beater, but whether or not he'll be effective is dependent on your meta. If you see Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile frequently, I'd leave him out. If not, I'd at least give him a try.
stuff
I think spending 6 mana to draw 1, 8 mana to draw 2, etc is pretty miserable. But if other lifegain decks start popping up then I'll consider him.
I think I'll give him a try. Thrull Parasite is looking unappealing so I have at least 1 slot free. I'll probably swap out Reanimate for something else too. Maybe more removal?
UBRThraximundar, Tribal ZombiesUBR
WURZedruu's Great TradesWUR
Since your list is more creature based then mine I'm not really sure how much removal you really need. Are there are fair amount of Iona's in your playgroup? If so I'd consider a Duplicant for that slot. That way you're filling the slot with removal AND a creature. I was considering running Duplicant in my list but with the wide variety of colors I have in my removal package I don't think I need him.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
How is Duskmantle Seer in the deck? I like the life drain idea but I don't like giving my opposites card draw. At the same time most people run a lot s 5cmc + cards and you can git them for a lot.
I have my Oloro deck here. If you could check it out that would be awesome :] maybe we can get a Primer for this guy soon http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=552769&highlight=oloro+ageless+ascetic
EDH
UWB Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
URG Animar, Soul of Elements
GGG Azusa, Lost but Seeking
I dig the list! Quite a few cards on your list that I want to add to mine. Budget will be a factor though. I'm definitely adding ashen rider, but as much as I want mana crypt I'm going to pass on it for now.
Duskmantle seer is one of my favorite cards ever in edh. It's a pet card so I'm biased but I think it does great work, usually burning down my opponents for ~6life each turn. Everyone drawing is fine with me.
Finally got around to testing Oloro.
Wizard warns you right in the deck description that you as the Oloro player will be the archenemy at the table for gaining life. It's true. You gotta prepare for people prioritizing you first.
So I probably will have to add Ghostly Prison / Propaganda, maybe more. They are great deterrent.
Taking out Trinket Mage and Treasury Thrull. Mage is a great tutor but paying extra for the 2/2 body is meh here, I don't have blink effects or anything. Treasury Thrull is fine but again 1/1 body is too fragile.
Adding Ashen Rider and Toxic Deluge instead.
Kor Cartographer looks pretty weak too. I'm sure I can do better than that, not sure what yet though. Leyline of Anticipation could be fun, setting up an insta-win much easier. Or maybe it's time to add the propaganda and ghostly prison so I don't get crushed early.
UBRThraximundar, Tribal ZombiesUBR
WURZedruu's Great TradesWUR