Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord

Legendary Planeswalker — Sorin

+1: Target creature you control gains deathtouch and lifelink until end of turn. If it's a Vampire, put a +1/+1 counter on it.

+1: You may sacrifice a Vampire. When you do, Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord deals 3 damage to any target (creature, player, planeswalker or battle) and you gain 3 life.

-3: You may put a Vampire creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (49)

legendofa on im lost

1 month ago

CrimsonMist4204 Yeah, Rakdos Vampires is top tier in Pioneer right now. I don't think the Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord + Vein Ripper is is inherently "too" powerful--it's definitely strong, but you have to have both cards available. Sorin's an engine by itself, but the Ripper probably isn't going to come out by itself. It's only a (very strong) Sorin payoff, and this only works in Vampire decks. Put this in a discard shell or something, and it's a wasted card slot.

But I'm not a Pioneer player, so this is guesswork on my part. Is it reasonable to hardcast Vein Ripper? Can it find a home in other decks?

Gidgetimer on im lost

1 month ago

You can link cards by enclosing their name in double brackets.

The only card that is clearly named in here is Vein Ripper. And from context I'm going to assume that of the 6 Pioneer legal Sorins that you are talking about Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord.

If you use the +1 on Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord with only Vein Ripper out you are correct that sacrificing the Vein Ripper will trigger the "whenever a creature dies" ability causing another drain for 2 on top of the drain for 3 causing a total between the two abilities of 5 points drained.

You seem to be mistaken on how ward works. "Ward- (COST)" means that whenever the creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless they pay (COST). It doesn't matter if Vein Ripper's controller doesn't have any other creatures. The spell is countered unless the person targeting Vein Ripper sacrifices a creature.

I can't make out what you are asking about the Top 8 game. I don't know what card you are calling "chopper", how Vein Ripper is sacrificing anything, or what you mean by "the ability to gain ward says 2-2". If you can provide clarification I may be able to help you understand that game as well.

CR reference on how Ward works:

702.21a Ward is a triggered ability. Ward [cost] means “Whenever this permanent becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless that player pays [cost].”

Swing4Lethal on Esper Control 3.0

1 month ago

I am very excited to hear you have been playing my list and enjoying it! I still believe the deck is very powerful and consistently better than straight Azorius Control.

I'll address Oath of Kaya first - It is way too slow. You can't afford to be tapping out for a single target sorcery speed removal effect. Especially not with Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord + Vein Ripper dominating like it is. You need to have 2-3 mana available for counter spells the turn they can drop Sorin. Temporary Lockdown is good enough in the 3 mana removal slot and clears most of the things you care about early.

Second, Get Lost is a great catch all option that bridges the small gaps in utility amongst Fatal Push, Vanishing Verse, and Void Rend. The map tokens the opponent gets are mostly irrelevant with only the Amalia Combo decks caring about them. Theoretically you should be able to control the board enough that they never get to use them. With that said, Vein Ripper presents a threat with a protection ability this deck has not had to deal with before, so you could get away with a second copy of Void Rend over Get Lost you just lose an effect that can hit land creatures.

Third, I agree whether you like the card or not, Reckoner Bankbuster is a great card. It gives the deck extra reach that it desperately needs. Deduce is fine, if you absolutely do not want to play Bankbuster but you lose the imminent body and damage threat that Bankbuster gives. The token would give you revolt, but you'd need to run 4 copies for that to be consistent and casting a 3 mana Fatal Push feels not great. Mazemind Tome is far too little impact to make it in the list. Your life gain is handled by The Wandering Emperor and Shambling Vent. Search for Azcanta  ^Flip is too slow and is really bad in Pioneer due to all of the graveyard exile effects being used.

Fourth, If you personally prefer to run 1 basic and 1 Otawara, Soaring City that's fine too. It's really just personal preference and relevant to your area's meta. I find that Dovin's Veto and Void Rend are good enough in the control match up that Otawara is not necessary. The biggest drawback is that Otawara always costs 4 mana game 1 and has a small chance to cost less in games 2/3. The very first iteration of the deck had both Otawara and Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire but I found I was being wastelanded by Field of Ruin too often and utilizing the channel abilities so rarely that I just cut them in favor of basics.

Finally, yes The End made it into the deck. It is the best possible removal option against so many creatures that decks rely on to win. Greasefang, Okiba Boss, Arclight Phoenix, Mayhem Devil, Vein Ripper (if you can pay the ward), and Amalia Benavides Aguirre are all game winning targets for it. Honestly I have even been considering cutting the Rest in Peace for a second copy of the end. I also swapped Make Disappear out for No More Lies. It is just a far better card in every way.

Vessiliana on What is a Man? (a hyper aggro Edgar Markov EDH)

5 months ago

YamishiTheWickedOne, I have been doing well, though playing less Magic than I might like! I would say the purpose of Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord is cheat out more expensive vampires, so he exists to play only those that cost more than 3. So you would not want to play him unless you have a lot of those. I ended up cutting him from my Edgar list. But if you want him, I would replace Florian. For the signet, maybe cut Bloodtithe Harvester? I don't see enough blood token support for him to be all that useful.

YamishiTheWickedOne on What is a Man? (a hyper aggro Edgar Markov EDH)

6 months ago

Vessiliana hey, how you been?

Wanted your input. If I were to slot Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord and Arcane Signet what do you recommend I cut?

Grends27 on Edgar Markov Upgraded

10 months ago

Welcoming Vampire is an auto-include for Edgar Markov as well (so much card draw) and I’d take a look at Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord to cheat out the big vamps while Edgar goes wide

Kingtao on Edgar's Dega Vampires

11 months ago

Hi, I'm running Markov and I was wondering what made you stick with Sorin, Solemn Visitor instead of going with other options such as Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord ?

YamishiTheWickedOne on

1 year ago

Well, the vampire decks that do well in Pioneer typically have a small white splash for Edgar, Charmed Groom  ^Flip and sideboard options.

You don't need Sheoldred, she does nothing to synergize with vamps despite being a great card on her own.

I'd up the Zealots to at least 3, same for Champion. Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord is the reason to play Vampires, so he needs to be a 4-of.

Move Meathook Massacre to sideboard, get some more Fatal Push. You also could drop Vito.

Your deck is decent, you could pretty easily adapt this into the established meta for vamps. Whether you splash white is your call.