Athreos GoP - Life Drain Combo

Commander / EDH* Budget Combo Lifegain Multiplayer Primer WB (Orzhov)

Ziu

Lands (35)

• 1x Ash Barrens
• 1x Barren Moor
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Ghost Quarter
• 1x High Market
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Kabira Crossroads
• 1x Memorial to Folly
• 1x Mortuary Mire
• 1x Orzhov Basilica
• 1x Orzhova, the Church of Deals
• 2x Plains
• 1x Radiant Fountain
• 1x Scoured Barrens
• 1x Secluded Steppe
• 12x Swamp
• 1x Tainted Field
• 1x Temple of Silence
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse
• 1x Witch's Cottage

Mana (5)

• 1x Mind Stone
• 1x Orzhov Signet
• 1x Prismatic Lens
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Talisman of Hierarchy

Gain Life (3)

• 1x Daxos, Blessed by the Sun
• 1x Deathgreeter
• 1x Soul Warden

Tokens (3)

• 1x Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
• 1x Pawn of Ulamog
• 1x Sifter of Skulls

Drain Life (14)

• 1x Ayara, First of Locthwain
• 1x Blood Artist
• 1x Bontu the Glorified
• 1x Bontu's Monument
• 1x Cauldron Familiar
• 1x Cruel Celebrant
• 1x Falkenrath Noble
• 1x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• 1x Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• 1x Lampad of Death's Vigil
• 1x Serrated Scorpion
• 1x Vindictive Vampire
• 1x Wayward Servant
• 1x Zulaport Cutthroat

Draw/Card Quality (8)

• 1x Erebos, Bleak-Hearted
• 1x Graveborn Muse
• 1x Grim Haruspex
• 1x Midnight Reaper
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Smothering Abomination
• 1x Undead Augur
• 1x Viscera Seer

Return (7)

• 1x Cadaver Imp
• 1x Immortal Servitude
• 1x Rally the Ancestors
• 1x Return to the Ranks
• 1x Sun Titan
• 1x Vesperlark
• 1x Wake the Dead

Mass Removal (3)

• 1x Decree of Pain
• 1x False Prophet
• 1x Massacre Girl

Commander (1)

Damage (8)

• 1x Cliffhaven Vampire
• 1x Corpse Knight
• 1x Defiant Bloodlord
• 1x Epicure of Blood
• 1x Maggot Carrier
• 1x Plague Belcher
• 1x Syr Konrad, the Grim
• 1x Vizkopa Guildmage

Removal (7)

• 1x Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
• 1x Butcher of Malakir
• 1x Cavalier of Dawn
• 1x Fleshbag Marauder
• 1x Patron of the Vein
• 1x Reaper from the Abyss
• 1x Teysa, Orzhov Scion

Tutor (4)

• 1x Diabolic Tutor
• 1x Mastermind's Acquisition
• 1x Ranger of Eos
• 1x Rune-Scarred Demon

Defensive/Disruption (1)

• 1x Benevolent Bodyguard

Other (1)

• 1x Teysa Karlov

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Maybeboard

Removal (27)

• 1x Abyssal Gatekeeper
• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Ashen Rider
• 1x Avatar of Woe
• 1x Big Game Hunter
• 1x Deathbringer Liege
• 1x Dictate of Erebos
• 1x Enlightened Ascetic
• 1x Gatekeeper of Malakir
• 1x Generous Gift
• 1x Grave Pact
• 1x Heliod's Intervention
• 1x High Priest of Penance
• 1x Karlov of the Ghost Council
• 1x Kaya's Guile
• 1x Lieutenant Kirtar
• 1x Martyr's Bond
• 1x Merciless Executioner
• 1x Monk Realist
• 1x Mortify
• 1x Ronom Unicorn
• 1x Shriekmaw
• 1x Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
• 1x Utter End
• 1x Vindicate
• 1x War Priest of Thune
• 1x Wispmare

Tokens (11)

• 1x Doomed Traveler
• 1x Elenda, the Dusk Rose
• 1x Ghoulcaller Gisa
• 1x God-Eternal Oketra
• 1x Hunted Witness
• 1x Ogre Slumlord
• 1x Open the Graves
• 1x Pitiless Plunderer
• 1x Sengir Autocrat
• 1x Song of the Worldsoul
• 1x Xathrid Necromancer

Tutor (7)

• 1x Beseech the Queen
• 1x Dark Petition
• 1x Diabolic Intent
• 1x Diabolic Revelation
• 1x Ranger-Captain of Eos
• 1x Razaketh, the Foulblooded
• 1x Recruiter of the Guard

Mana (4)

• 1x Black Market
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Pristine Talisman
• 1x Worn Powerstone

Defensive/Disruption (19)

• 1x Aegis of the Gods
• 1x Angelic Arbiter
• 1x Blazing Archon
• 1x Deafening Silence
• 1x Drannith Magistrate
• 1x Grand Abolisher
• 1x Mardu Woe-Reaper
• 1x Mind Slash
• 1x Mindslicer
• 1x Peacekeeper
• 1x Remorseful Cleric
• 1x Resolute Watchdog
• 1x Selfless Spirit
• 1x Sin Collector
• 1x Spirit of the Labyrinth
• 1x Thoughtpicker Witch
• 1x True Believer
• 1x Windborn Muse
• 1x Yarok's Fenlurker

Return (14)

• 1x Apprentice Necromancer
• 1x Auramancer
• 1x Blood for Bones
• 1x Brought Back
• 1x Debtors' Knell
• 1x Doomed Necromancer
• 1x Karmic Guide
• 1x Monk Idealist
• 1x Phyrexian Reclamation
• 1x Revival / Revenge
• 1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
• 1x Tragic Poet
• 1x Victimize
• 1x Whip of Erebos

Mass Removal (7)

• 1x Cleansing Nova
• 1x Day of Judgment
• 1x Fumigate
• 1x Kaya's Wrath
• 1x Merciless Eviction
• 1x Reiver Demon
• 1x Wrath of God

Other (6)

• 1x Blood Pet
• 1x Fume Spitter
• 1x Heliod, Sun-Crowned
• 1x Mortician Beetle
• 1x Priest of Forgotten Gods
• 1x Priest of Gix

Lands (2)

• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Leechridden Swamp

Draw/Card Quality (17)

• 1x Bolas's Citadel
• 1x Charming Prince
• 1x Dark Prophecy
• 1x Dusk Legion Zealot
• 1x Erebos, God of the Dead
• 1x Harvester of Souls
• 1x Infernal Tribute
• 1x Mentor of the Meek
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Shadows of the Past
• 1x Solemn Simulacrum
• 1x Species Specialist
• 1x Vampiric Rites
• 1x Vanquisher's Banner
• 1x Vilis, Broker of Blood
• 1x Wall of Omens
• 1x Well of Lost Dreams

Gain Life (15)

• 1x Ajani's Welcome
• 1x Ashes of the Abhorrent
• 1x Cathedral Sanctifier
• 1x Dross Harvester
• 1x Exquisite Blood
• 1x Goldenglow Moth
• 1x Lone Missionary
• 1x Perimeter Captain
• 1x Pride Guardian
• 1x Sangromancer
• 1x Savannah Sage
• 1x Soul's Attendant
• 1x Sunscorch Regent
• 1x Suture Priest
• 1x Temple Acolyte

Drain Life (10)

• 1x Bastion of Remembrance
• 1x Bloodchief Ascension
• 1x Curse of Fool's Wisdom
• 1x Death Cultist
• 1x Drana's Emissary
• 1x Kokusho, the Evening Star
• 1x Night Market Lookout
• 1x Pious Evangel  ^Flip
• 1x Revenge of Ravens
• 1x Wall of Limbs

Damage (5)

• 1x Archfiend of Despair
• 1x Bile Urchin
• 1x Painful Quandary
• 1x Sanguine Bond
• 1x Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose

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This commander deck is designed for multiplayer games as it has lots of "each opponent/player" effects. The strategy is to constantly get out creatures and sacrifice some of them to trigger "when creature enters the battlefield/dies" effects. Besides Athreos, God of Passage, plenty of draw and return effects shall help not to run out of cards to play and to get a couple of triggers each round. "Drain/gain life" effects help to stay alive at the beginning of the game. In later stages of the game, a combination of those creatures with mass return spells like Rally the Ancestors can potentially deal a lot of damage to all opponents, especially if creatures like Cliffhaven Vampire or Teysa Karlov are involved. I think that the deck is not easy to shut down because widely used chain effects that e.g. prevent creatures from attacking do not stop it from doing what it is supposed to do. In some situations cards like Angel of Jubilation or counterspells can slow it down but the only way to really stop it is exiling creatures. This is not too easy because as long as there are cards like Viscera Seer on the battlefield, every creature can be sacrificed in response to an attempt to exile it. I have put my longlist in the Maybeboard. It is definitely not complete but I found it difficult already to choose around 60 nonland cards. Even though there are lots of great enchantments like e.g. Sanguine Bond, I did not choose any of them because there are creatures with similar effects that are easier to get back from graveyard after they died. Suggestions on how to make the deck as consistent as possible are appreciated, be free to comment and/or upvote, if you like the idea :) Thanks!

Top Ranked	Achieved #65 position overall 3 years ago Achieved #49 position in Commander / EDH 3 years ago Achieved #3 position in Commander / EDH Primer 3 years ago
Date added	3 years
Last updated	3 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	6 - 0 Mythic Rares 30 - 0 Rares 26 - 0 Uncommons 23 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.23
Tokens	Eldrazi Scion 1/1 C, Eldrazi Spawn 0/1 C, Golem 3/3 C, Morph 2/2 C, Spirit 1/1 W, Thrull 1/1 B
Folders	=Budget EDH=, Following, Commander decks, Community decks, Other People's Decks (EDH), Drain life commander