Ambition's Cost

Sorcery

You draw three cards and you lose 3 life.

Discussion (51)

Yugischmoe on Toshiro's Samurai Guide - Harikiri Those Instants!

1 month ago

triproberts12 thanks for commenting on the deck! I have some drawing spells in there already like Necrologia and Ambition's Cost but I do like your suggestions for lower cost draw spells. My concern with Skeletal Scrying is exiling potentially useful cards since my graveyard is basically the waiting area for all the instant recursion I'd like to see mid-game. I like Moonlight Bargain and am searching for a place to add that particular friend. Because I'm so creature light, I haven't really cared much to use a lot of anti-instant defense in this but I'm considering removing some of my current instants to incorporate some of your suggestions. After I play this a few more times as is, I'll see if some slots merit that defensive capability. For the other synergy options you suggested, some of them I thought the CMC cost too high for their effect or already had a means to do a similar thing ( like Mirari for example, I have Primal Amulet  ^Flip to offer spell copies and add the cost reduction beforehand!). Of your list, I loved the idea of adding Isochron Scepter and Runechanter's Pike ! Mixing Isochron with Dark Ritual or Cabal Ritual for mana, Thrilling Encore or Grim Return to add friends from other graveyards to Toshiro's party, or Liliana's Triumph , Snuff Out , or Go for the Throat for unending killing/sacrificing fun! And Runecrafter's just amps the crap out of (most likely) Toshiro for another avenue of commander damage FTW. Thank you for all your suggestions!

Optimator on Karloving it

2 months ago

You're off to a great start! I would recommend a bit more ramp though. Karlov draws a lot of hate, and rightfully so, so even though he's 2 CMC you'll have to recast him a fair amount. You're at 5 ramp pieces right now but I always aim for 8 in my decks, give or take a few depending on the curve of the deck. Crypt Ghast is great but expensive and delicate so it's worth running but can be unreliable. Try Wayfarer's Bauble , Star Compass , Prismatic Lens , Mind Stone , and/or Worn Powerstone .

One thing many new EDH-deck builders stumble on is not enough interaction/removal. It's usually best to focus on building your own board state than tearing down others but having some removal is very important still. I love it when I have a deck that can support heavy removal. That said, I think you might have a bit too much, especially considering you have removal in the Command Zone. Definitely keep all the enchantment/artifact removal you can (enchantments are some of the most powerful things in commander and the hardest to remove). I like the exile effects, since recursion is so common. Check out Return to Dust and Forsake the Worldly . Running 2-6 board wipes is great and you're there already.

I'd recommend replacing a few targeted-creature removal cards with some more utility cards, partucularly draw spells. Greed and Well of Lost Dreams are awesome. Try Read the Bones , Ancient Craving , Ambition's Cost , Phyrexian Arena , Arguel's Blood Fast  ^Flip, Erebos, God of the Dead , and Promise of Power .

Rhystic Tutor is a trap. I'd drop it.

Some cards to protect Karlov would be wise. Swiftfoot Boots , Lightning Greaves , Whispersilk Cloak , Kaya's Ghostform , and tricks like Undying Evil can be game-savers.

king-saproling on Near Death Wins

3 months ago

Cool deck! You might like these: Worship , Plea for Guidance , Mesa Enchantress , Axis of Mortality , Magus of the Mirror , Soul Conduit , Repay in Kind , Sphere of Safety , Wall of Blood , Necrologia , Damnable Pact , Promise of Power , Moonlight Bargain , Ancient Craving , Ambition's Cost

Leathable on Angels, Demons and Dragons, Oh My!

4 months ago

i see that you heavily focus on gaining life in your deck, but don't utilise it a lot (except for having a ton of life). the only cards that benefit from you having/gaining much life are, as far as i can see Resplendent Angel , Ajani's Pridemate , Dawn of Hope , Storm Herd and Ajani, Strength of the Pride .

if you really want to play around gaining life/having a ton of it, i would recommend Sanguine Bond , Felidar Sovereign , Greed , Ambition's Cost , Night's Whisper , Defiant Bloodlord , Phyrexian Arena , Epicure of Blood and/or Exquisite Blood .

remember that life is a resource in this game. just gaining a lot of it makes it harder for you to lose the game, yes, but you should also trie to use it to win the game.

if you are looking for any other kind of inspiration, feel free to check out my kaalia deck:

https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/03-09-19-kaalia-20/

Optimator on Kill The Poor

5 months ago

Final Parting might be good since you have a good reanimation suite.

Also, as a contoll-y deck, you should put down Torment of Hailfire and Insurrection in the Maybeboard for sure. Things like Comet Storm can be good finishers too. Vicious Shadows might be a win-con as well.

If you need extra pillow fort goodness there is always Koskun Falls . Wall of Shadows is like a worse Fog Bank but it can be a good blocker (along with Darksteel Myr , perhaps). There is also Queen Marchesa but the's quite expensive indeed. Silent Arbiter might be good too.

You might want to replace a single-target removal spell or two for boardwipes. I think you'll want an above-average number in a deck like this. Also, you're low on artifact and enchantment removal so perhaps Crush Contraband and others are worth considering for future updates. Cleansing Nova is dropping in price.

I'm trying to think of a reliable way to gain life but there aren't a ton of good, reliable life-gainers that don't rely on mass Lifelink or creatures in general (like Celestial Mantle or Loxodon Warhammer ) or aren't Exquisite Blood . Might not be necessary but it could be helpful in grinding out wins. I suppose playtesting will help.

Were it me, I'd switch Temple Bell out for Read the Bones or Ancient Craving / Ambition's Cost . That is, unless, you like the political stuff you can do with Temple Bell. It's definitely more political than Howling Mine .

xaarvaxus on Greven, Predator Captain Commander Damage

5 months ago

Any thoughts about using Chainer, Nightmare Adept and/or Phyrexian Reclamation to be able to recur the creatures you're saccing?

While your commander draws cards for saccing creatures, it's only when he attacks so if your only other creature gets removed prior to combat, Greven sits on his thumbs so additional draw; Ambition's Cost , Ancient Craving and Night's Whisper to go along with Sign in Blood . Not sure if I'd keep Faithless Looting here unless going more reanimator style strategy.

Some other equipment that you may want to consider: Tenza, Godo's Maul , Hammer of Nazahn [sorry, not exactly a budget suggestion], O-Naginata and Kusari-Gama .

PhotogenicParasympathetic on Chainer, Nightmare Adept

5 months ago

Can't overestimate Moonlight Bargain , since it fills both your hand and your graveyard at instant speed.

Black's got tons of burst draw, like Dark Bargain , Succumb to Temptation , Sign in Blood , Read the Bones , Night's Whisper , Ancient Craving , Ambition's Cost etc.

Black also has a bunch of steady-draw effects, like Greed , Arguel's Blood Fast  ^Flip, Erebos, God of the Dead , and the recent addition that I've liked a fair bit, (especially if you're going to be running sacrifice and reanimate tricks) Bloodtracker .

I'd also definitely recommend Harvester of Souls for your strategy, along with the red discard-draw spells like Faithless Looting , Tormenting Voice , Cathartic Reunion , etc. and the wheel effects like Reforge the Soul , Fateful Showdown , Wheel of Fate , Dark Deal etc.

SakuraStorm on Mono black good stuff/ comments suggested

6 months ago

Cool deck!

For carddraw you should add Night's Whisper , Sign in Blood , Ancient Craving and Ambition's Cost or Necropotence .

These are all way better options than Phyrexian Arena , as you instantly get access to the cards and aren't depending on waiting for value or worst case Arena eating removal.

Cheers!