Introduction:
This deck features Teysa, Orzhov Scion in an aristocrats-style list with a mid-range curve. Sacrificing creatures for value is what this deck wants to do. With Teysa on the battlefield, all sacrificed black creatures produce 1/1 white spirit tokens, which can then be sacrificed to Teysa's first ability to exile creatures at instant speed. Thus, the deck runs a large amount of creatures that can produce black creature tokens. Examples include Marsh Flitter, Sengir Autocrat, and Ministrant of Obligation. Graveyard recursion is a strong sub-theme, and cards such as Victimize, Animate Dead, and Karmic Guide are included to re-use valuable creatures. The deck's primary win condition is combo-based, but the deck can also win with life drain effects from Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, and Vizkopa Guildmage.
Main Combos and Synergies:
Darkest Hour + Teysa, Orzhov Scion
With Darkest Hour on the battlefield, all tokens that Teysa produces will become black, meaning that they become self-replacing. When combined with any sacrifice outlet, the outlet can be activated an infinite number of times. Cards such as Blasting Station or Altar of Dementia can kill the table immediately, while Ashnod's Altar provides infinite mana. This is the deck's primary combo-based win condition, and can end games very quickly.
Karmic Guide + Reveillark + Teysa, Orzhov Scion
This combo is more convoluted, but very effective. When all three of these creatures are on the battlefield, they can all be sacrificed to Teysa's first ability. When all three of these creatures are sent to the graveyard this way, Teysa's "exile target creature" ability goes on the stack, and Reveillark's death trigger can be put above it on the stack. With the trigger from Reveillark, reanimate Teysa and Karmic Guide, and use Karmic Guide's ETB trigger to bring back Reveillark. Teysa's ability will resolve, exiling the creature, and your board is left identical to where it started. Effectively, this lets us exile all opposing creatures for as long as these three remain on the battlefield, and can also let us activate our Blood Artist and Zulaport Cutthroat repeatedly to kill the table.
Ashnod's Altar + Nim Deathmantle
with any creature that produces another creature (any black creature with Teysa out)
This combo is pretty simple, sacrifice the creatures to the altar to gain 2 mana each, and then bring back the nontoken creature with Nim Deathmantle. Ashnod's Altar will pay for the ability, so you can cause infinite death triggers this way. If the sacrificed creature produces enough tokens, infinite mana can also be generated. Infinite spirit tokens can also be generated if using the correct sac fodder and if Teysa is on the battlefield. This combo is very versatile, since many different creatures can be used. Nim Deathmantle can also sometimes combo with Pitiless Plunderer and another sacrifice outlet occasionally for the same effect.
Sun Titan + Animate Dead + Karmic Guide + Sac Outlet
This one's more complicated. Get Sun Titan and Animate Dead in the graveyard, then play Karmic Guide with its ability targeting Sun Titan. With the ability from Karmic Guide on the stack, sacrifice Karmic Guide and then let its ability resolve. Sun Titan will re-enter the battlefield and its ability will trigger, so target Animate Dead. With the Sun Titan ability on the stack, sacrifice Sun Titan, and then let its trigger resolve. Animate Dead will be brought back, so bring back Karmic Guide with it. Karmic Guide's trigger will go on the stack, so target Sun Titan. This loop can be repeated for infinite death triggers; good ones include Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Blood Artist, and Zulaport Cutthroat.
Nether Traitor + Phyrexian Altar + Teysa, Orzhov Scion
When these 3 cards are out, Nether Traitor can be sacrificed for a mana of any color and Teysa will make a spirit. Sac the spirit for a black mana, and then use that mana to pay for the trigger on Nether Traitor. Repeat forever for infinite mana and infinite death triggers. Pitiless Plunderer and another sac outlet can be used in place of Phyrexian Altar if needed
Playing the Deck:
This deck relies on obtaining sufficient sacrifice fodder and a reliable sacrifice outlet in the early game. Teysa ideally wants to be played after these have hit the battlefield, to minimize the chance that she will be removed before she can generate value. The mid-game is where this deck performs the best, as it can usually out-value EDH decks with steeper mana curves. In the late game, this deck needs to keep up with other decks by playing more cards per turn, as opposed to more expensive cards. Generally, it's correct to prioritize protecting your sacrifice outlets if possible, and to find a reliable life-drain effect or combo piece with the deck's tutors. As a side note, this deck is very resistant to creature destruction-based wrath effects such as Wrath of God and Damnation when Teysa is on the battlefield.
This deck was a lot of fun to build, and I will try to make improvements to it over time as my budget improves. Feedback would be greatly appreciated!
