A Better Kambal, Consul of Allocation

Commander / EDH Combo Competitive Infinite Combo Primer Reanimator WB (Orzhov)

DragonLordJippy

Land (30)

• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Arid Mesa
• 1x Blast Zone
• 1x Bloodstained Mire
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Fetid Heath
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Geier Reach Sanitarium
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Lake of the Dead
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Phyrexian Tower
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 1x Scrubland
• 1x Silent Clearing
• 2x Snow-Covered Plains
• 5x Snow-Covered Swamp
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Verdant Catacombs
• 1x Windswept Heath

Artifact (11)

• 1x Chrome Mox
• 1x Grim Monolith
• 1x Lotus Petal
• 1x Mana Crypt
• 1x Mana Vault
• 1x Mox Amber
• 1x Mox Diamond
• 1x Orzhov Signet
• 1x Scroll Rack
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Talisman of Hierarchy

Instant (19)

• 1x Abeyance
• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Cabal Ritual
• 1x Culling the Weak
• 1x Dark Ritual
• 1x Disenchant
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Entomb
• 1x Imp's Mischief
• 1x Isolate
• 1x Mana Tithe
• 1x Orim's Chant
• 1x Plunge into Darkness
• 1x Pull from Eternity
• 1x Sacrifice
• 1x Shred Memory
• 1x Silence
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Vampiric Tutor

Creature (13)

• 1x Aven Mindcensor
• 1x Blood Artist
• 1x Blood Celebrant
• 1x Dark Confidant
• 1x Garza's Assassin
• 1x Leonin Relic-Warder
• 1x Overeager Apprentice
• 1x Phyrexian Delver
• 1x Putrid Imp
• 1x Ranger-Captain of Eos
• 1x Recruiter of the Guard
• 1x Street Wraith
• 1x Vilis, Broker of Blood

Commander (1)

Sorcery (19)

• 1x Bitter Ordeal
• 1x Buried Alive
• 1x Cabal Therapy
• 1x Collective Brutality
• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Diabolic Intent
• 1x Exhume
• 1x Fragmentize
• 1x Grim Tutor
• 1x Imperial Seal
• 1x Night's Whisper
• 1x Open the Armory
• 1x Praetor's Grasp
• 1x Reanimate
• 1x Scheming Symmetry
• 1x Sign in Blood
• 1x Toxic Deluge
• 1x Unearth
• 1x Yawgmoth's Will

Enchantment (7)

• 1x Animate Dead
• 1x Aura of Silence
• 1x Dance of the Dead
• 1x Dark Tutelage
• 1x Necromancy
• 1x Necropotence
• 1x Smothering Tithe

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Sideboard

Creature (3)

• 1x Fiend Hunter
• 1x Karmic Guide
• 1x Loyal Retainers

Artifact (2)

• 1x Demonmail Hauberk
• 1x Lashwrithe

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Join the team over on The 99 as we discuss the deck. Let's make a better Vilis, Broker of Blood!

The 99 - Part One - Core Strategy w/Kambal in the Command Zone

How to Win in Three Easy Steps!

1. Reanimate Vilis
2. Begin the Blood Ritual
3. Fulfill the Pact

What is "the Pact" I hear you asking yourself? Well, Vilis's request was simple: Leonin Relic-Warder is damned to an eternity of never-ending death, a limbo we produce with Dance of the Dead (among the likes). It's a favor Kambal owes Vilis and one we'll complete within a game of Commander. Let's talk about how we can help Kambal finish the task so that he doesn't break his Pact with the Devil.

Beginning the Blood Ritual

The Blood Ritual process consists of reanimating our Host Vilis and using his help to Draw through (most of) the Deck. For we cannot seek to complete this task without brokering the help of our Demon friend and though reluctant he's willing to help get Kambal's plan underway.

Reanimating Vilis:

• Burying Vilis: Entomb , Buried Alive & Putrid Imp (or any Discard Utility)
• Core Reanimation: Reanimate & Phyrexian Delver
• Secondary Options: Animate Dead , Dance of the Dead , Necromancy & Exhume

Once our Host Vilis has arrived the Blood Ritual can begin. There are a number of ways we can Draw through the Deck for the desired ingredients for our ritual, gradually with Cards like Street Wraith and Sign in Blood , or completely with the following...

The Blood Ritual:

• Bloodletting (Gradual): Blood Celebrant & Lashwrithe
• Exsanguination (Sudden): Plunge into Darkness , Garza's Assassin & Toxic Deluge

With either the Celebrant or Lashwrithe, we're able to continuously pay life until we find the Leonin who is to be punished or dig deep into our list with Plunge, the Assassin or Deluge to procure multiple elements for the damnation to begin. Most of these methods have a catch: Deluge will kill Vilis if we dig any deeper than seven Cards (paying seven Life), Celebrant needs one Black Mana to continue bloodletting & the Assassin needs to be Buried Alive to enable his Recovery. However, there are several elements brewed into this list to enable these actions. To find them we use the following.

In Attendance:

• Host & Guests: Demonic Tutor , Diabolic Intent , Grim Tutor , Imperial Seal , Scheming Symmetry , Plunge into Darkness & Vampiric Tutor
• The Host (Vilis): Entomb , Buried Alive & Pull from Eternity (if in Exile)
• The Guests: Enlightened Tutor , Open the Armory , Ranger-Captain of Eos , Recruiter of the Guard , Shred Memory & (Honorary) Yawgmoth's Will

Those invited to the Blood Ritual include the aforementioned Blood Celebrant , Garza's Assassin , Lashwrithe , Putrid Imp and lastly Blood Artist .

How can Vilis be certain the Pact is complete unless there's a witness or two? You'll notice that amongst our guest list we have the Blood Artist in attendance. After we've necessitated the Blood Ritual and have found the Leonin Relic-Warder , it's time to complete the Pact.

Kambal's Pact

Not only does our Deck feature guests, but so does the Table: three as a matter of fact. After the Ritual is complete, it's no longer necessary they remain with us... Here's how we eliminate them.

Completing the Pact:

• Cast Blood Artist or hold onto Bitter Ordeal
• Bury Leonin Relic-Warder
• Reanimate the Leonin with Animate Dead , Dance of the Dead or Necromancy
• Target the Aura with Leonin to Bury Leonin again, creating an Infinite Loop of ETB/LTB death cycles
• Damage out the board with Blood Artist Triggers or end the Loop by Targeting any other Enchantment or Artifact with Leonin and Casting Bitter Ordeal

If we're Mana deficient while completing the Pact, we have the aid of all our Mana (Positive) Rocks and Rituals to assist us. Note, none of the required Mana for this task is White, so with that in mind.

• Mana Rocks: Chrome Mox , Grim Monolith , Lotus Petal , Mana Crypt , Mana Vault , Mox Amber , Mox Diamond , Mox Opal & Sol Ring
• Rituals: Cabal Ritual , Culling the Weak , Dark Ritual & Sacrifice on Vilis, Broker of Blood
• Unearth / Exhume Mana: Priest of Gix & Overeager Apprentice

If we're somehow still down on Mana, remember that a well-played Yawgmoth's Will can help us Ramp into the Mana needed to complete Kambal's Pact.

Having trouble piecing together how we can complete Kambal's Pact? Here are all the Cards you should be looking for to help you Sacrifice, Discard and Pay Life to finish the deal.

Sacrifice, Discard & Pay Life

Sacrificing is important to Trigger the Recover Ability on Garza's Assassin as well as provide us valuable Unearth Targets during gameplay.

• Sacrifice: Phyrexian Tower , (Removing) Lashwrithe , Cabal Therapy , (-2/-2) Collective Brutality , Diabolic Intent , Overeager Apprentice , Culling the Weak & Plunge into Darkness

Discard is essential in this list, as Burying both Vilis and Leonin are a major component of how this Deck functions.

• Discard: Cabal Therapy , (Escalate) Collective Brutality , Overeager Apprentice & Putrid Imp

Paying Life enables Vilis's Triggered Ability: Drawing Cards. This is easily one of the most important effects of the Deck.

• Paying Life: All Lands w/"Pay Life," Lashwrithe , Grim Tutor , Imperial Seal , Night's Whisper , Sign in Blood , Toxic Deluge , Blood Celebrant , Garza's Assassin , Street Wraith , Anguished Unmaking , Plunge into Darkness & Vampiric Tutor

So I've repeated a few here and omitted certain Cards - such as Mana Vault and Dark Confidant - as to stress the importance of the Cards that can be used on a Combo Turn. Every "Pay Life" Card mentioned here can be manipulated with Vilis out to net a Win. For Instance: Cast Scheming Symmetry , Tap Silent Clearing , Draw the Tutored Card... You get the picture. It will be valuable seeing these synergies early on as you begin to Pilot the Deck yourself, so look for them!

If "Paying Life" as a resource is valuable in your Deck, then the inverse must be true: having a lot of Life to be able to Pay. Kambal, Consul of Allocation makes for the perfect Commander of a Vilis, Broker of Blood reanimation list. Four reasons why: 1. Kambal is easily playable, 2. Demands Removal, 3. Stops numerous Infinite Combos that require a "Cast" of anything "Noncreature," and 4. Provides us the Life we need to have a stronger Combo Turn. I have been waiting for a truly excellent, Mono-Black Commander and then Vilis came along... Not truly excellent on his own, but within the 99 a force to be reckoned with. How are you Brewing with Vilis? I'd love to see some other Commander strategies. Stay tuned for upcoming gameplay featuring Kambal's Pact and videos guiding you through the list. Be well and Happy Brewing, babies!

Patrick Marlett, The 99

Date added	4 years
Last updated	3 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	9 - 0 Mythic Rares 50 - 2 Rares 18 - 3 Uncommons 16 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	1.99
Tokens	Phyrexian Germ 0/0 B, Treasure
Folders	cEDH, edh, Other Decks, Linked Decks