Orzhov Pontiff

Creature — Human Cleric

Haunt (When this card is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, exile it haunting target creature.)

When Orzhov Pontiff enters the battlefield or the creature it haunts is put into a graveyard, choose one

• Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
• Creatures you don't control get -1/-1 until end of turn.

Legality

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

Discussion (51)

lagotripha on Finally dead? I don't think so! (Budget)

2 years ago

I like the list. It has real potential.

I'm not a fan of doomed and null priest unless they are cheating out big creatures - the only big cleric I can think of is Mikaeus, the Unhallowed. Resurrecting multiple other clerics can be done in easier, less disruptable ways.

Many of the most powerful sideboard cards (mainboardable in many metas) are clerics, and that means that with 75 cards including sideboard, something that can really kick butt in a metagame is out there.

The option to ressurect Children of Korlis, Containment Priest, Ethersworn Canonist, Fiend Hunter, Grand Abolisher, Leonin Arbiter, Auriok Champion, Leonin Relic-Warder, Remorseful Cleric, Sanctifier en-Vec, Sin Collector - there are too many great clerics for this not to become something. Even stuff like Orzhov Pontiff and True Believer has seen sideboard play in the kind of creature-led deck it would be.

You have access to all the tools from soul sisters, with Soul Warden also getting Marauding Blight-Priest as another piece. Vizier of Remedies threatens a combo line. Efficient 1 drops means that tools like Orzhov Charm, Ranger-Captain of Eos and Proclamation of Rebirth look a lot better. Order of Whiteclay and oddities like Hanweir Militia Captain  ^Flip it offer more options than you'd expect, and it only takes one good interaction with them to turn them into powerhouse engines.

All of that before looking at w/b getting the best removal in the game means that some variant of this list will make a dent in a major tournament, once someone figures it out.

GearsGames on Modern Abzan Delerium Midrange

3 years ago

I like what Abzan is capable over Jund this list seems to be pulling too much from Jund play style for me though. Have you considered using white or even some green to have more interaction? Cards like Abrupt Decay, Abzan Charm, Eldritch Evolution and Murderous Cut come to mind. Some good creatures you could play around with as well even if only as a Sideboard option for some match ups Cloudshift for protection/extra ETB's, Kitchen Finks, and Orzhov Pontiff.

DatFluffy711 on Haunt

4 years ago

seshiro_of_the_orochi my only problem with Night of Souls' Betrayal is that it makes Belfry Spirit and Orzhov Pontiff useless.

OOBS on A More Modern Maverick

4 years ago

I would consider playing Orzhov Pontiff over Zealous Persecution in the sideboard since Eladamri's Call give you virtually 5-6 copies of it.

nobu_the_bard on HeavenSent

5 years ago

Regarding some of the cards in the deck... By the way of course you don't have to cut these, just my opinions.
- Pestilent Spirit - None of the instants or sorceries in your deck right now deal damage, so this doesn't do anything.
- Necrotic Ooze - I count 10 creatures with activated abilities, most are self-sacrifice or defensive in nature. Was this a deliberate inclusion so he can replicate some of those effects if you can't get the creatures back out of the graveyard for some reason? Maybe I'm overlooking a specific synergy.
- Pull from Eternity - I consider this a pretty weak effect in this deck. Is this to try to get back a combo piece that someone exiles? If nothing's exiled it is a dead card though - why not just get one of your other things? And you can only do it once normally. Maybe worth keeping since you have a graveyard focus, but I do not think it is as good a fit as a tutor would be.
- Entreat the Angels - While this is a very powerful card, I normally associate it with decks that do a lot of topdeck manipulation (such as using Scroll Rack ) or decks that intend to draw a lot of cards on other peoples' turns (such as Temple Bell ). It is pretty neat though.
- Orzhov Pontiff - I don't have much experience playing this guy. He seems like he has a really weak effect for the work involved and he self-exiles as part of it so you can't keep doing it.

Surprised you have no extort creatures. Pontiff of Blight seems right up your alley...

AllForTix on Ad Naus Earthcraft Lean

5 years ago

Hi Lerker. I think Orzhov Pontiff is meant to be an Anafenza, the Foremost right?

QKey on Anafenza Combo

5 years ago

Hi, wenn Du schon Viscera Seer und Carrion Feeder spielst, würde ich definitiv auch noch Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit sowie eventuell Melira, Sylvok Outcast mitnehmen. Das ganze wurde auch so in Melira-Company in Modern gespielt. Ich hab dazu mal früher einen Primer geschrieben. In den Primer sind auch noch einige weitere Karten die ich Dir ans Herz legen könnte, einige davon ergeben aber nur im Modern-Kontext Sinn. Karten die meiner Meinung nach, auf jeden Fall ins Deck sollten: Collected Company, Abrupt Decay, Ravenous Chupacabra, Survival of the Fittest, Green Sun's Zenith und Orzhov Pontiff

Außerdem könnte man versuchen Tainted Pact in das Deck zu bauen, da bin ich mir abe rnicht so ganz sicher drüber. Dafür müsste aber noch einig was in der Manabase passieren.

Da du ein Kreaturendeck bist, würde ich auf Languish und Toxic Deluge verzichten. Auch würde ich auf Auriok Champion verzichten, da das Deck eigentlich keine Probleme gegen mono Rot haben sollte. Ebenso überzeugt mich nicht Reyhan, Last of the Abzan, wenn dann könnte ich mir den als Commander zusammen mit Tymna the Weaver vorstellen. Sakura-Tribe Elder passt auch nicht so ganz ins Deckkonzept. Genauso wie Siege Rhino und Sun Titan. Beide Karten unterstützen nicht wirklich den Gameplan. Stoneforge Mystic ergibt momentan auch nicht so viel sinn, da Du nur Umezawa's Jitte finden kannst.

Das waren vorerst meine Gedanken zu dem Deck, eventuell fällt mir aber noch mehr ein :D

Venturub on B/W Clerics

5 years ago

I may be wrong, since I did't test this deck enough, but I don't think things like Cover of Darkness are necessary. I do not attack with the clerics but with the Demons from Skirsdag High Priest. In order to have them, I have to have a creature dying in a turn: thus, the Selfless Spirit or the Orzhov Pontiff (killing your opponent creatures when it enters the game, and when the Haunt ability is activated with Starlit Sanctum).

The Demons from Skirsdag High Priest are 4/4 flying creatures, and I may have 6 flying 4/4 in turn 6: 1 in turn 3, 1 in turn 4, 2 in turn 5, 2 in turn 6. Those are to be boosted to 5/5 creatures with Zealous Persecution.

It is worth to note that your opponent should not normally have any blocking creature with all the Orzhov Pontiff, the Zealous Persecution and the Make Obsolete. If a Swords to Plowshares aims one Demon, the Mother of Runes or a Selfless Spirit will protect it.