This Karlov isn't getting shot by a Turk

Commander / EDH Combo Lifegain Multiplayer Necropotence WB (Orzhov)

Camel-Senpai

Creature (28)

• 1x Archangel of Thune
• 1x Athreos, God of Passage
• 1x Auriok Champion
• 1x Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
• 1x Blood Artist
• 1x Burnished Hart
• 1x Crypt Ghast
• 1x Dark Confidant
• 1x Drana's Emissary
• 1x Erebos, God of the Dead
• 1x Frontline Medic
• 1x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
• 1x Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• 1x Knight of the White Orchid
• 1x Mother of Runes
• 1x Nyx-Fleece Ram
• 1x Obzedat, Ghost Council
• 1x Reassembling Skeleton
• 1x Serra Ascendant
• 1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
• 1x Soul Warden
• 1x Soul's Attendant
• 1x Sunscorch Regent
• 1x Suture Priest
• 1x Vampire Nighthawk
• 1x Vizkopa Guildmage
• 1x Wall of Reverence
• 1x Weathered Wayfarer

Planeswalker (4)

• 1x Ajani Steadfast
• 1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
• 1x Karn Liberated
• 1x Kaya, Ghost Assassin

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Wrath of God

Land (34)

• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Arcane Lighthouse
• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Cabal Coffers
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Fetid Heath
• 1x Ghost Quarter
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 1x Orzhov Basilica
• 5x Plains
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Scoured Barrens
• 1x Scrubland
• 1x Shizo, Death's Storehouse
• 5x Swamp
• 1x Temple of Silence
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Vault of the Archangel
• 1x Volrath's Stronghold

Instant (6)

• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Dark Ritual
• 1x Path to Exile
• 1x Scout's Warning
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Tragic Slip

Commander (1)

Enchantment (13)

• 1x Ajani's Mantra
• 1x Authority of the Consuls
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Contemplation
• 1x Exquisite Blood
• 1x Gate to Phyrexia
• 1x Haunted Crossroads
• 1x Land Tax
• 1x Necropotence
• 1x Retreat to Hagra
• 1x Righteous Cause
• 1x Solitary Confinement
• 1x Sunbond

Artifact (12)

• 1x Aether Vial
• 1x Aetherflux Reservoir
• 1x Batterskull
• 1x Expedition Map
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Scroll Rack
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sun Droplet
• 1x Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1x Umezawa's Jitte
• 1x Whip of Erebos

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Start:

"Camel why would you ever run Karlov?"

There's a mechanic in this format called the "general" and many decks revolve around the usage of it. Karlov removes that problem by handing generals the big L.

Most of your constant lifegain triggers are two to five mana. Anything above that mana cost is really more luxury than anything else, and I didn't want to put more lifegain triggers since I feel like there's such a thing as too much lifegain with this deck and you'll start getting focused by things that aren't creatures.

Personal favorites in the deck?

After searching through every single card that isn't an instant or sorcery and gives you life consistently, my personal favorites are Authority of the Consuls, Nyx-Fleece Ram , Kambal, Consulate of Allocation and Vizkopa Guildmage . With a proper starting hand, you should be able to trigger Karlov's passive three times a turn by turn 4.

Another cool combo is Aetherflux Reservoir and Exquisite Blood. So long as you have more than 50 life, you can shoot someone with reservoir and gain most of that life back.

So what's an ideal starting hand for this deck? Surprisingly enough, it has almost nothing to do with our commander so much as the colors. Just by having both Vizkopa Guildmage and Exquisite Blood in your starting hand, you can board kill on turn 5 if you draw into a Sol Ring and have a few lands in hand.

"Camel why isn't Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim your commander instead?"

Ayli decks and Karlov decks are two completely separate matters. Ayli cares about having tokens to sacrifice and constantly staying at 50 life or above. In a format where Sorin Markov sees consistent play, you'll be hard pressed to keep your commander relevant if you aren't amassing lifegain. Karlov doesn't care about how much life you gain, he just cares that you gain life at all.

"How do I win if I'm not ending the game on turn 5?"

Exile their shit and turn Karlov sideways. A decent attack combo comes with Celestial Mantle, Sunbond, and either Rogue's Passage or Shizo, Death's Storehouse. You swing for lethal every turn and have enough counters to massacre their board if they even think about using a creature to screw you over. (March 3, 2017) I gutted Mantle for Dark Ritual because I like turn 1 Necropotences.

Until you reach the point where you just swing for lethal every turn with no repercussions, you have to roleplay as the Orzhov Syndicate. What does this mean?

If your opponents end the turn without praying to the sun, you exile their shit.

If your opponents talk shit, they get hit.

Make no allies unless they can do something for you in return. If they don't pay you back for saving them, you end their existence.

Make sure they're minding the fact that you exist; and if they dare make a move against you, you go full oracle text of Merciless Eviction and ruin everything.

"Why not run Teysa?"

Teysa is a traitor to the guild, and has no place for citizens loyal to the Vizkopa Church. Also she's just better in a token deck.

"When's a good time to concede?"

At my LGS there's a house rule where you can't gain life after an hour. I sometimes choose to concede then. If you don't have Gate to Phyrexia , Karn Liberated Anguished Unmaking, or Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim in your hand when Torpor Orb is out, that may also be a good time.

"The planeswalkers?"

Ajani has always been a good combat planewalker. Elspeth is tight with Ajani and her +1 pretty much guarantees some sort of lifegain trigger. Karn removes problems that aren't creatures. Kaya gives me a card advantage and occasionally pushes Karlov to the third lifegain trigger.

"Wrath of God?"

I hope to god that I never have to use this before I have Athreos, God of Passage out. He would actually be a stupidly good threat if he had flash. (Feb 27, 2017) He can be flashed in now.

"You ever think about SDT?"

Divining top doesn't work out that well in this deck. Scroll Rack fits a lot better.

Date added	8 years
Last updated	7 years
Exclude colors	URG
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	18 - 0 Mythic Rares 39 - 0 Rares 23 - 0 Uncommons 9 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.79
Tokens	Emblem Ajani Steadfast, Emblem Elspeth, Sun's Champion, Phyrexian Germ 0/0 B, Soldier 1/1 W, Zombie 2/2 B
Folders	Decks, Interesting decks