Sylvok Lifestaff

Artifact — Equipment

Equipped creature gets +1/+0.

Whenever equipped creature is put into a graveyard, you gain 3 life.

Equip {{1}}

Combos

• Skirk Prospector + Sylvok Lifestaff

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Pauper Duel Commander	Legal
Pauper EDH	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (51)

Henchman31 on Notorious B: Ready to Die [Remastered]

2 years ago

Gattison: Thanks again for the tips on updating the decks. To celebrate getting out of quarantine, last night I took this deck to my LGS to test it out with the other Pauper players. I made some minor changes beforehand:

Lands: +2 Mortuary Mire, +2 Barren Moor Instants: +4 Deadly Dispute

Sideboard: 2 Nihil Spellbomb, 2 Sylvok Lifestaff, 3 Tragic Slip, 4 Dash Hopes, 2 Feed the Swarm, 2 Shrivel

We're normally a small group but that night we were only 4: myself, another Pauper regular, and two others who are very active in the competitive Modern league. We settled into 3 rounds and... oof: 5 losses, 1 win, and one undecided due to overtime. Here's how it went down:

Round 1: vs. BG Dredge/ Tortured Existence 0-2-0 Not a good matchup at all, I'm afraid. Spore Frog made the combat step irrelevant, Thoughtpicker Witch kept me drawing lands and exiling my answers, and saccing his chump blockers to the deck's namesake kept me from activating any beneficial death triggers. All my card-draw got shuffled to the bottom in both rounds and there wasn't much I could do until he got a couple Gurmag Angler out to end my misery. On a side note: I hate playing against Dredge almost as much as Blink or Tron--all of which are beloved in this local meta. Maybe it's just ze Germans -_-. I'm always on the lookout for answers against these.

Round 2: vs. UB Looting/Control 0-2-0 Things were looking hopeful while I was developing my board and he was just casting different versions of Preordain for the first few turns. His main beater turned out to be Shipwreck Sifters, which got uncomfortably swole thanks to repeatable looting. Dross Golem was a star in this round and almost killed him in the first match. However after sideboarding, his removal became much more aggressive and I wasn't even left with blockers. Missing answers and sigh card draw, he took it home with some beefy spirits.

Round 3: vs. Temur Cascade or Gruul Walls + Mulldrifter -_-' 1-1-1 This was a weird one: aggressively defending and ramping with Tinder Wall, Overgrown Battlement, and Tuktuk Rubblefort until he could cascade into Boarding Party and other beaters. By turn 3 he had at least 6 walls out, each with at least 3 toughness that brushed off anything I could turn sideways. We were both surprised when my card draw engine started working in match 2 and I could slap out my own beaters with multiple rituals and disputes in a single turn. While he was missing his {R} and Winding Way, I managed a Soulcage Fiend and Mortis Dogs by turn 2. After taking the 5-life hit from Dash Hopes twice, I had him on turn 5; clinching it with Howl from Beyond. Although the last round was undecided and he was prepared to kill me with hasty Pirates again, I was still pleased to pull off the primary wincon at least once.

Overall thoughts: This was my first outing with the deck so I still need to play it more to see the clear differences between the inherent weaknesses and my own misplays. I like aggressive decks and when this got going, I was down to clown. All-stars of the night were Mortis Dogs, Dross Golem, and especially Deadly Dispute. So much value. Add a dash or two of Dark Ritual and Sign in Blood in a single turn? chef's kiss That being said, I still think some adjustments are in order: First, that Mortuary Mire got to go. It slowed down the deployment of creatures and messed with my draws. Silly me. Unearth is much better recursion hands down. Second, sadly the goblins and newts must make room for another 1 or 2 Festering Mummy and a full set of Shambling Ghast. The latter does the same thing as the others but gives the option to ramp--which is especially relevant in my meta where creature decks are scarce. Third, better quicker removal? I left out Innocent Blood this time but either that or the asymmetrical Geth's Verdict could work. Fourth, mass removal or damage-dealing ala Crypt Rats or Pestilence? Sure, it would kill our forces but isn't that the point?

After looking at some other Suicide Black lists, I've seen what makes this deck unique and I'm still interested in making it work. I like the focus on death triggers and I'd love to find more ways to exploit them. Other creature-based lists use beaters like Guul Draz Vampire, Dauthi Slayer, and Carnophage to drop that life total to the floor. Pumping beaters like these and/or giving them lifelink seems appealing, but I'd like to stay true to the spirit of this deck as much as I can.

Sorry for the wall of text, I just wanted to get this all out now while it was still fresh. I hope this proves interesting to you or any others looking to try this deck out.

philktoken8998 on Yorion Brew Sideboard Help

2 years ago

Thanks. I think my thinking is just how do Yorion, Sky Nomad players adjust their sideboard options considering the 80 card main and how that dilutes the potency of sideboard choices generally. Ie is a plan of having tutorable targets in the sideboard a good idea vs. still playing non tutorable but more flexible/powerful cards?

1.) Solitude and Batterskull reasoning: - Solitude and higher CMC spells doesn't work with Experimental Synthesizer particularly well. You CAN cast it if exiled with synthesizer, but you're generally having to do a 2 for 1 and hoping for a really good target right when that happens. For this card, I'm specifically thinking vs. reanimator, titan decks, and murktide. It can also help vs. hammer as well.

• Batterskull is brought in against aggro decks and burn since I think this and Sylvok Lifestaff are probably better than non tutorable cards like Blossoming Calm.Batterskull also can provide pseudo card advantage when fighting vs. control/omnath but generally can be a clunky card in a lot of other matchups. Kaldra Compleat basically fulfills the role of Batterskull in the main deck of giant beatstick to a better level.

2.) Decks that are giving grief or I believe could give grief are big mana (omnath, tron, and titan) and then all in combo decks (living end, belcher) since the deck isn't running counterspells in the main/side.Experimental Synthesizer and counters nonbo but if you think it's worth adding some amount into the board I'm all ears.

whono-scribble on Black Bulk Deck

2 years ago

Thank you AmoeboidChangeling!

That’s totally on me for missing that Cranial Plating is banned. I was able to find 3 Barren Moor in my bulk collection, and have swapped them in.

As for the other two cards you’ve suggested, I don’t have either of those but I’ll definitely keep them under consideration.

For swapping out Cranial Plating I’m thinking of reworking the Artifacts in the deck (perhaps more of them?).

For now I’ll replace it with Bladed Bracers, though I think the following could be interesting to try and incorporate: - Sylvok Lifestaff - Vanguard's Shield - Spidersilk Net

hungry000 on Zombie Attack!

4 years ago

I recommend Sylvok Lifestaff as your lifegain card of choice in the sideboard. It has the obvious synergy with Carrion Feeder, but also aligns well with the aggro plan.

passimo on Golgari feeding grounds

4 years ago

hey Boza, thanks for your opinion. I was already thinking about adding one more land, or maybe two, but definitely not more. Adding also Loam Dryad wouldn't really do because I'm not looking to ramp up some big crature, and actually having only three lands in play can let you play a good match. What's more, you'll get the lands you'll need with Viridian Emissary, and with Altar's Reap. About the "needing a big creature" (actually only 4 cards do), yeah, having a Bloodthrone Vampire down on the board it's not always granted, but you can easily make up for her using Hunger of the Howlpack on a 3/3 Boar token, or on Viridian Emissary, which lets you play at least a 5/5 paying only 3 mana with Miming Slime or leeching 5 life with Essence Harvest (and it can often be game ending or game changing). Anyway, what would you suggest removing to add in more lands? I was thinking about moving Sylvok Lifestaff to the sideboard. I'll think about adding Loam Dryad (or some Llanowar Elves, which I prefer) instead of the two lands, to add more possible sacrifices

triproberts12 on Is there any card that …

4 years ago

Aetherflux Reservoir , Aethersphere Harvester , Prism Ring , Umezawa's Jitte , Dragon's Claw , Tablet of the Guilds , Staff of the Flame Magus , Batterskull , Loxodon Warhammer , Wurmcoil Engine , Delif's Cone , Soul Net , Sylvok Lifestaff , Basilisk Collar , Bubbling Cauldron , and Profane Memento are probably about as close as you'll get.

In other words, it doesn't seem like a great plan, but I would go with Umezawa's Jitte , Wurmcoil Engine , Loxodon Warhammer , Aethersphere Harvester , Batterskull in that order of priority.

Joe_Ken_ on Laken's Eldrazi's

4 years ago

Prismatic Lens you could swap out for Manalith since you never need colored mana.

Sisay's Ring and Ur-Golem's Eye I would say are two more mana rocks that you could swap out for cards that just don't seem very good like Sylvok Lifestaff and Deserter's Quarters Powerstone Shard

I would say some cards you will want to add in are Clock of Omens , Unwinding Clock , and Lux Cannon but some of those do start to get into the pricy range.

Your commander does take out players in 2 hits with commander damage so Manifold Key could be something to pick up.

Colorless is not a color so you can remove Diamond Mare

Some good card draw options for the deck would be Endbringer and Mind's Eye

Whispersilk Cloak will be good to keep your commander from being destroyed by single target removal and it makes it so much easier for him to potentially kill a player.

Brutal_B on Rotten Replications

5 years ago

Thanks a lot ThallionDarkshine. As far as focus goes, it's pretty simple: I just want to have my graveyard be an extension of my hand and be able to play "answers" to pesky permanents. I'd rather not spend over $20 on a single card.

I chose to run 33 lands cuz I found myself "fetching" lands often and even more often with Muldrotha on the board. I don't cast her until my graveyard has a good amount of permanents in it anyway so I'm not worried about playing her asap. I do tend to cycle some lands for draw when the opportunity arises cuz I know I will play them later from the yard. Circuitous Route, Burnished Hart, Sakura-Tribe Elder, and Shefet Monitor all help with a bit of ramp.

I like the idea of Manglehorn replacing Acid Web Spider, and Noxious Dragon is merely a place holder as I found it in my bulk and threw it in. Both spider and dragon are mainly flying blockers with a lil bonus; but I do agree that they are mana spendy.

I did splash a bit of sacrificing in cuz why not? Caustic Caterpillar and Thrashing Brontodon (removal), Burnished Hart and Sakura-Tribe Elder (land), Scribe of the Mindful to get back some value instant/sorcery, and some more options. Plus you put Sylvok Lifestaff on a creature before you sac it for the proverbial icing. Sac outlets also include Bone Splinters, Ruthless Disposal, Victimize, Burnished Hart, Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord and Whisper, Blood Liturgist. And the sacrificing trigger from Liliana, Heretical Healer  ^Flip! Then turn around and cast those sacrificees from the yard which would trigger Desecrated Tomb for more sac fodder, chumps, or aerial assualt.

I have to mention a great pairing: Ravenous Chupacabra enchanted with Followed Footsteps. I was contemplating putting Progenitor Mimic in as well.

This was a bit winded but this is the jist of the deck. It's not a fast starter but chugs along just fine when it picks up momentum. I'm aware there are a few kinks to work out and thus the reason I called for help. I appreciate any and all feedback, so again.. thank you!