Ascension of the Dusk Apostle

Standard* Competitive Tribal Vampires WB (Orzhov)

Bjornis

Lands (22)

• 1x Arch of Orazca
• 4x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Field of Ruin
• 4x Isolated Chapel
• 4x Plains
• 2x Shefet Dunes
• 2x Swamp
• 4x Unclaimed Territory

Turn 1-2 (15)

• 4x Adanto Vanguard
• 4x Dusk Legion Zealot
• 3x Legion's Landing  ^Flip
• 4x Skymarcher Aspirant

Removal (6)

• 1x Cast Out
• 3x Fatal Push
• 2x Ixalan's Binding

Pay-Offs (6)

• 1x Champion of Dusk
• 3x Sanctum Seeker
• 2x Twilight Prophet

Lords (7)

• 4x Legion Lieutenant
• 3x Radiant Destiny

Turn 3-4 (4)

• 2x Forerunner of the Legion
• 2x Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle

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Sideboard

Other (15)

• 2x Authority of the Consuls
• 3x Cast Out
• 1x Champion of Dusk
• 2x Dusk / Dawn
• 1x Fatal Push
• 4x Gifted Aetherborn
• 2x Ixalan's Binding

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Vampire deck that aims to fill the board with as many vampires as possible before slamming down a lord-effect with Legion Lieutenant or Radiant Destiny, or hitting a pay-off in the form of Sanctum Seeker, Champion of Dusk and Twilight Prophet.

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Turn 1-2 Show

Early plays that get us ahead and sets up for next part of the game-plan.

Legion's Landing   get a token and an enchantment on board for 1 = VALUE. This card is great for getting to ascension. Getting the transformation to Adanto, the First Fort generates tokens in instant speed.

Skymarcher Aspirant is a nice aggressive 2/1, that stays relevant late game by gaining flying through ascend. It also is good to have a creature checking for ascension on board, as the board state may go but the blessing stays.

Adanto Vanguard a 2-drop that gains indestructible is really powerful. The price of paying 4 life is usually not a problem with the decks ability to regain it with lifelink. If opponent plays too aggro we switch this guy out with Gifted Aetherborn.

Dusk Legion Zealot pay two mana and one life get a vampire and a card. I was not initially not very excited about this card. But in my play-testing I've found that the card draw this humble zealot provides consistency in early game and gives a better chance to stabilise against control.

Turn 3-4 Show

The cards that get us into a more threatening board-state and gains value for the pay-offs

Forerunner of the Legion a tutor that pumps other vampires = super utility. Most of the time this envoy will get Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle to the top. If this is not necessary he can find us the pay-off vamps. His pump ability is surprisingly strong especially good with tokens with lifelink.

Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle makes tokens when vampires attack. If opponent doesn't have an answer this vampire can get completely out of hand.

Pay-Offs Show

The big drops that close out the game and gain value from a wide board.

Twilight Prophet a must answer threat that draws and drains.

Sanctum Seeker breaks stalemates and wins games.

Champion of Dusk instant value top end, a big body and card draw.

Lords Show

+1/+1 effects that make our board more aggressive and more protected.

Legion Lieutenant 2/2 that gives the board +1/+1. This creature often gains most value as a later play that gets down before attacks and makes the vampires deal more damage and gain more life.

Radiant Destiny +1/+1 to our vampires and checks for ascend to give vigilance. When this hits the board it sticks and is hard to get rid of.

Removal Show

Fatal Push is premium creature removal. It's only sided out if opponent does not play creatures.

Cast Out & Ixalan's Binding are able to hit every threat. The deck runs 2x Binding and 1x Cast Out, with the rest of the playsets in the sideboard. If our opponent is playing threats like The Scarab God, Anointed Procession or Rekindling Phoenix siding in more of these cards has proven to be a quite efficient strategy.

Utility Lands Show

Field of Ruin has the potential to fix our mana and take out our opponents utility lands and flipped double sided cards.

Arch of Orazca in games where opponents stall the game with counter spells and removal this land can net us a ton of cards.

Ifnir Deadlands and Shefet Dunes having can swing the game back into our favor in those situations where nothing else is getting it done.

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Top Ranked	Achieved #45 position overall 6 years ago
Date added	6 years
Last updated	5 years
Legality	This deck is not Standard legal.
Rarity (main - side)	2 - 0 Mythic Rares 21 - 5 Rares 27 - 10 Uncommons 4 - 0 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.42
Tokens	City's Blessing, Vampire 1/1 W
Folders	Standard