Life of Eternal Debt

Commander / EDH Combo Enchantment Extort Lifegain Lifelink Multiplayer Pillow Fort Tokens WUB (Esper)

AMN52

Land (41)

• 1x Adarkar Wastes
• 1x Azorius Chancery
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x Choked Estuary
• 1x City of Brass
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Darkwater Catacombs
• 1x Dimir Aqueduct
• 1x Drowned Catacomb
• 1x Fetid Heath
• 1x Glacial Fortress
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 2x Island
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Nimbus Maze
• 1x Opal Palace
• 1x Orzhov Basilica
• 6x Plains
• 1x Port Town
• 1x Prairie Stream
• 1x Reflecting Pool
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Seraph Sanctuary
• 1x Sunken Hollow
• 6x Swamp
• 1x Temple of the False God
• 1x Vault of the Archangel
• 1x Watery Grave

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath

Creature (18)

• 1x Accursed Witch  ^Flip
• 1x Ajani's Pridemate
• 1x Archangel of Thune
• 1x Clever Impersonator
• 1x Crested Sunmare
• 1x Daxos of Meletis
• 1x Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• 1x Karlov of the Ghost Council
• 1x Lone Rider  ^Flip
• 1x Resplendent Angel
• 1x Roiling Horror
• 1x Serra Ascendant
• 1x Serra Avatar
• 1x Treasury Thrull
• 1x Twilight Prophet
• 1x Wall of Limbs
• 1x Wall of Reverence
• 1x Wurmcoil Engine

Enchantment (10)

• 1x Angelic Accord
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Bloodchief Ascension
• 1x Cradle of Vitality
• 1x Exquisite Blood
• 1x Ghostly Prison
• 1x Path of Bravery
• 1x Phyrexian Reclamation
• 1x Sanguine Bond
• 1x Spirit Loop

Instant (6)

• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Congregate
• 1x Dromar's Charm
• 1x Lim-Dul's Vault
• 1x Slaughter
• 1x Swords to Plowshares

Commander (1)

Artifact (16)

• 1x Aetherflux Reservoir
• 1x Alhammarret's Archive
• 1x Bolas's Citadel
• 1x Chalice of Life  ^Flip
• 1x Crawlspace
• 1x Cryptolith Fragment  ^Flip
• 1x Fountain of Renewal
• 1x Phyrexian Processor
• 1x Pristine Talisman
• 1x Quietus Spike
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sun Droplet
• 1x Trading Post
• 1x Venser's Journal
• 1x Well of Lost Dreams
• 1x Whip of Erebos

Sorcery (7)

• 1x Curse of the Swine
• 1x Debt to the Deathless
• 1x Exsanguinate
• 1x Profane Command
• 1x Revoke Existence
• 1x Supreme Verdict
• 1x Toxic Deluge

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Sideboard

Enchantment (26)

• 1x Archmage Ascension
• 1x Arguel's Blood Fast  ^Flip
• 1x Aura of Silence
• 2x Dictate of Kruphix
• 1x Energy Flux
• 2x Ever-Watching Threshold
• 1x Gate to Phyrexia
• 2x Gravestorm
• 1x Haunting Wind
• 1x Kumena's Awakening
• 1x Luminarch Ascension
• 1x Monastery Siege
• 1x Night Dealings
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Phyrexian Etchings
• 1x Psychic Corrosion
• 1x Reparations
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Sphinx's Tutelage
• 1x Underworld Connections
• 1x Verity Circle
• 1x Words of Waste
• 1x Words of Wind

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Kaya, Ghost Assassin

Sorcery (20)

• 1x Ambition's Cost
• 1x Austere Command
• 1x Beseech the Queen
• 1x Buried Alive
• 1x Cleansing Nova
• 1x Dimir Machinations
• 2x Entreat the Dead
• 1x Extract
• 2x Hoarder's Greed
• 1x Mastermind's Acquisition
• 1x Mind Spring
• 1x Night's Whisper
• 1x Omen
• 1x Ponder
• 1x Read the Bones
• 1x Research the Deep
• 1x Sadistic Sacrament
• 1x Unearth

Creature (10)

• 1x Aeon Chronicler
• 1x Azor, the Lawbringer
• 2x Chasm Skulker
• 1x Indulgent Tormentor
• 1x Isperia, Supreme Judge
• 1x Kami of the Crescent Moon
• 1x Maralen of the Mornsong
• 1x Senate Guildmage
• 1x Thada Adel, Acquisitor

Artifact (15)

• 1x Arcane Encyclopedia
• 1x Bloodletter Quill
• 1x Citanul Flute
• 2x Credit Voucher
• 1x Farsight Mask
• 1x Howling Mine
• 1x Mangara's Tome
• 1x Mindlock Orb
• 1x Orzhov Locket
• 1x Pendant of Prosperity
• 1x Ring of Three Wishes
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Silent Gravestone
• 1x Ward of Bones

Instant (10)

• 1x Ancient Excavation
• 1x Azorius Charm
• 1x Bone Harvest
• 2x Brainstorm
• 1x Clutch of the Undercity
• 1x Long-Term Plans
• 1x Necrologia
• 1x Perplex
• 1x Succumb to Temptation

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Maybeboard

Creature (17)

• 1x Augury Adept
• 1x Baleful Strix
• 1x Blood Artist
• 1x Bloodthirsty Aerialist
• 1x Drogskol Reaver
• 1x Erebos, God of the Dead
• 1x Evil Twin
• 1x Felidar Sovereign
• 1x Indulgent Tormentor
• 1x Loxodon Lifechanter
• 1x Nyx-Fleece Ram
• 1x Psychosis Crawler
• 1x Rhox Faithmender
• 1x Soul's Attendant
• 1x Tree of Perdition
• 1x Vizkopa Guildmage
• 1x Vona, Butcher of Magan

Enchantment (9)

• 1x Chainer's Torment
• 1x Dark Tutelage
• 1x Font of Agonies
• 1x Land Tax
• 1x Necropotence
• 1x Palace Siege
• 1x Unspeakable Symbol
• 1x Vile Consumption
• 1x Words of Worship

Artifact (6)

• 1x Azor's Gateway  ^Flip
• 1x Etherwrought Page
• 1x God-Pharaoh's Statue
• 1x Nihil Spellbomb
• 1x Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1x Wand of Denial

Land (7)

• 1x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Darkslick Shores
• 1x Miren, the Moaning Well
• 1x Mystic Gate
• 1x Seachrome Coast
• 1x Silent Clearing
• 1x Sunken Ruins

Instant (6)

• 1x Beacon of Immortality
• 1x Condemn
• 1x Mortify
• 1x Reckless Spite
• 1x Skeletal Scrying
• 1x Suffer the Past

Sorcery (5)

• 1x Death Grasp
• 1x Merciless Eviction
• 1x Psychic Drain
• 1x Revival / Revenge
• 1x Torment of Hailfire

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Theme: Oloro, Ageless Ascetic as the commander gains life and turns that life into card draw. Other cards in the deck play off this and turn the incidental Lifegain into other forms of value, such as more opponent life loss, +1/+1 counters, more card draw, etc. Which also includes a little bit of paying life for stuff on the side. All the while taxing players in the form of life till they die or are weak enough to finish off by other means.

I do not make commander decks very often, and have a fare amount of Magic the Gathering cards, so I'm very open to suggestions. Though keep in mind that I am looking for viable, potentially not-so-expensive, options. Although the maybe category contains an array of varying card prices, it is more like a wish list as I own some but not all of those cards. I plan to get those cards if I ever feel/see the need to switch out a card for something better or figure out what I want in my sideboard.

Also, this deck does have one infinite combo: Show

Exquisite Blood and Sanguine Bond . Although I personally avoid plying both of these cards in every game I play as I do not care to win this way. It is also possible to sideboard either Exquisite Blood or Sanguine Bond as either one is good on its own, and if I had to choose one to stay in the deck then it would be Sanguine Bond as this deck relies heavily on Lifegain.

More Deck Description

• Accursed Witch  - Good for one-on-ones and helps with Lifegain trigger abilities.
• Archangel of Thune - Hits the mark with Lifegain but also the ability to beef up other creatures with that Lifegain, and has great synergy with Oloro, Ageless Ascetic .
• Aetherflux Reservoir - An ace in the hole, while having more than 50 life due to all the Lifegain, for a one-on-one match with an opponent that should have less than 50 life due to all the life sucking.
• Ajani's Pridemate - Great way to build up a beefy creature early in the game, and goes great with Spirit Loop .
• Alhammarret's Archive - Mid-game boost to all Lifegain and card draw effects.
• Angelic Accord - Starts populating the board with angles on almost everyone's turn paring nicely with Resplendent Angel and allows more Lifegain with Seraph Sanctuary .
• Anguished Unmaking - Used for basic board control when an opponent has something out that just needs to go away.
• Blind Obedience - Most obvious choice for using the extort ability and slowing the execution of opponent's plans.
• Bloodchief Ascension - Good for multiplayer as it gives and takes life over the course of the game.
• Bolas's Citadel - This speeds up the game and potential brings it to a close if paired with Debt to the Deathless or Exsanguinate .
• Chalice of Life  - This is surprisingly effective and bleeds opponents dry a little faster.
• Clever Impersonator - Lets any card in this deck become twice as effective (i.e. Angelic Accord , Crested Sunmare , Sanguine Bond , etc.) if already on the battlefield or can copy an opponent's card if it will prove useful.
• Congregate - For a great boost in life if there are many creatures on the board.
• Cradle of Vitality - Using the Lifegain to beef up creatures which will hopefully cause more Lifegain if those creatures have the lifelink ability.
• Crawlspace - Helps keep most of your opponent's creatures at bay.
• Crested Sunmare - Great for populating the battlefield with indestructible horses and pairs well with Whip of Erebos .
• Cryptolith Fragment  - Not really meant to be flipped as it used more for mana and draining the life of opponents.
• Curse of the Swine - For dealing with one or more creatures that won't stay destroyed.
• Daxos of Meletis - Allows for using an opponents deck against them while also causing sporadic Lifegain.
• Debt to the Deathless - When used in multiplier games this can net a lot of Lifegainwhich can end the game when paired with either Exquisite Blood or Sanguine Bond .
• Dromar's Charm - A versatile counterspell that if need be can be used for a boost of Lifegain or dealing with a small creature.
• Exquisite Blood - Allows for more Lifegain from opponent life loss which cause more card abilities to trigger.
• Exsanguinate - Just a backup for Debt to the Deathless .
• Fountain of Renewal - Good for early game Lifegain to reach the 4 or 5 Lifegain threshold with Angelic Accord and Resplendent Angel .
• Ghostly Prison - Holds back your opponent from attacking with too many creatures or even at all unless they want to spend mana.
• Kambal, Consul of Allocation - Slowly drains opponents for each card they play while granting Lifegain.
• Karlov of the Ghost Council - Used for a more consistent way of dealing with creatures as long as there is a steady flow of Lifegain.
• Lim-Dul's Vault - Can be used to find a specific card in the deck (i.e. Bolas's Citadel , Whip of Erebos , Well of Lost Dreams , etc.) that could help change the tide of the game or ensure victory.
• Lone Rider  - Used for early game Lifegain and can pair well with Cradle of Vitality over time.
• Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath - Can be used for life suck, creature creation, and with the final ability can eat tokens from Phyrexian Processor to cause large Lifegain and card draw.
• Path of Bravery - Lifegain when attacking mainly used when there are many tokens out due to various cards in the deck (i.e Angelic Accord , Crested Sunmare , Sanguine Bond , etc.).
• Phyrexian Processor - A one time life payment that can continually pump out large creatures as long as mana is available.
• Phyrexian Reclamation - Used for the recursion of creatures that have been sent to an early grave.
• Pristine Talisman - Controlled incremental Lifegain plus mana all in one.
• Profane Command - A versatile spell that can fit most situations as long as mana is available.
• Quietus Spike - A good way to drain half your opponents life totals and can pair well with Accursed Witch   early game.
• Resplendent Angel - Used mainly for the angle tokens but can be paired with Spirit Loop and other cards in the early game to produce an army of angels.
• Revoke Existence - Removal for pesky artifacts or enchantments.
• Roiling Horror - Can be a big creature late game or use Suspend in the early game for incremental Lifegain to reach the 4 or 5 Lifegain threshold with Angelic Accord and Resplendent Angel .
• Sanguine Bond - Can help finish opponents off when in control of large creatures with lifelink or when receiving large amounts of life during the game.
• Serra Ascendant - Almost always start the game off with this in hand as it is great for Lifegain from turn two going forward, or just uses up an opponents early game destroy spell.
• Serra Avatar - Late game winning card that can be paired with Spirit Loop or Whip of Erebos if it needs to pack more of a punch.
• Slaughter - A recurring destroy spell is great until countered.
• Spirit Loop - Lifelink enchantment that does not go away easily.
• Sun Droplet - Early to mid-game Lifegain to help with other Lifegain triggers.
• Supreme Verdict - If for some reason things are not going your way then try again.
• Swords to Plowshares - Early game, or at any point really, removal of creatures.
• Toxic Deluge - When there are too many creatures on the board and the weak ones need to go.
• Trading Post - It makes goats, gains life, and recurs artifacts which is very useful and surprisingly versatile.
• Treasury Thrull - Works for returning cards from the graveyard and has the added bonus of the extort ability.
• Twilight Prophet - Normally a late game card that just stacks on-top of everything else going on but can sometimes be the push needed to win.
• Vault of the Archangel - If the Whip of Erebos is present and there are lots of tokens on the baord then this card can help bring the game to a close.
• Venser's Journal - Used for larger Lifegain when in control of Well of Lost Dreams in mid-game.
• Wall of Limbs - If used in the early game this can grow to a big blocker by late game and can be used to finish an opponent off as a last resort.
• Wall of Reverence - Good for early game Lifegain or late game when paired with Phyrexian Processor or Serra Avatar .
• Well of Lost Dreams - Drawling lots of cards mid-game or late game, but requires Venser's Journal or at least Reliquary Tower , otherwise can cause a lot of discarding overtime.
• Whip of Erebos - For when a hoard of tokens, or future hoard of tokens will spawn from Angelic Accord , Crested Sunmare , and/or Resplendent Angel .
• Wurmcoil Engine - Obviously good for the deck, but also plays really well with Trading Post .


Now I may have missed some combos or other card uses so please let me know in the comments down below. Also, as I play this deck more I will update the various ways things can assist each other. Though some cards are just good at pairing with everything and so I will only list the things that are not outright apparent.

More Sideboard Description

This will be used to figure out what cards can be interchanged with what to help balance out or modify the deck to face a variety of opponent decks.

Example: (until I actually change the deck)

• Sword of Light and Shadow to replace Chromatic Lantern : If less multicolored mana is needed and more Lifegain or creature return is needed.

More Maybeboard Description

This will be used to figure out what cards could be acquired to add to the sideboard or main deck depending on what the deck is lacking overall or in a given situation.

• Augury Adept - If more card draw and Lifegain is desired, but it is a hit or miss on triggering the ability.
• Azor's Gateway   - You have to get rid of 5 cards permanently, though if completed then there is almost infinite mana available.
• Baleful Strix - Good for more card draw and dealing with opponents flying creatures.
• Beacon of Immortality - A boost to life late or mid-game and can be done more than once, but not entirely necessary.
• Blood Artist - Can be useful mid-game when there are lots of creatures coming and going on the battlefield.
• Bloodthirsty Aerialist - Becomes bigger with Lifegain and is flying.
• Chainer's Torment - Would be great for the two turn life suck but losing half life to create a creature on the third turn is not appealing.
• Condemn - Cheap creature removal, but not permanent.
• Dark Tutelage - Not bad for drawing an additional card if reveling cards is not a problem.
• Death Grasp - Not the best creature removal spell, but depending on the mana spent can cause some Lifegain.
• Drogskol Reaver - Good creature for the deck with the Lifegain and all but is kind of repetitive.
• Erebos, God of the Dead - Would be good for the prevention of opponent Lifegain.
• Etherwrought Page - Can be versatile allowing either Lifegain, opponent life loss, or card cycling.
• Evil Twin - Can deal with creatures or commanders that are hard to remove.
• Felidar Sovereign - If used in the deck could cause the game to end when played, though not sure if that is a fun way to win.
• Font of Agonies - If more creature destruction is desired then this may be a practical solution.
• God-Pharaoh's Statue - Can prevent opponents from casting too many spells in the early game and cause more opponent life loss.
• Indulgent Tormentor - Not the best for card draw in this deck but could cause opponents to lose more life.
• Land Tax - If land in the early game is in an issue then this would be the card to go with.
• Loxodon Lifechanter - Would more so be used to create a temporary giant creature.
• Merciless Eviction - A little mana expensive but should be able to deal with any big problems on the field.
• Miren, the Moaning Well - Could pair nicely with some of the token generators in this deck.
• Mortify - If a little more enchantment or creature removal is needed.
• Necropotence - Would be great for more card draw, just make sure not to discard anything.
• Nihil Spellbomb - If opponents are digging in their graveyards too much this can fix that.
• Nyx-Fleece Ram - If more steady Lifegain during upkeep is needed.
• Palace Siege - A mid to late game card that can cause life suck or creature return depending on the situation.
• Psychic Drain - Not a huge fan of mill, and can be a little mana expensive but is effective.
• Psychosis Crawler - Can be a big creature with all the card draw and increased hand size cards in the deck, also causes opponents to lose life.
• Reckless Spite - More creature destruction at the cost of life.
• Revival / Revenge - Returning a creature to the battlefield or doubling life and having an opponent lose half life is always nice too.
• Rhox Faithmender - Doubles down on the Lifegain, which is nice but not exactly necessary.
• Seachrome Coast - If more mana is needed.
• Silent Clearing - If more mana and card draw is needed.
• Skeletal Scrying - Drawing cards at the cost of life, though exiling cards from the graveyard is not so good.
• Soul's Attendant - Is good for early game Lifegain or late game when spawning creatures tokens.
• Suffer the Past - Great for lie suck as long as mana if available.
• Sunken Ruins - More mana is always good.
• Sword of Light and Shadow - Can cause Lifegain and creature recursion.
• Torment of Hailfire - Could help clear the board or cause opponent life loss.
• Tree of Perdition - Could cause one or more opponents to have less life depending on how it is used.
• Unspeakable Symbol - Paying life for +1/+1 counters.
• Vile Consumption - Slow drain of everyone's life throughout the game for each creature they own.
• Vizkopa Guildmage - Versatile for Lifegain or opponent life loss.
• Vona, Butcher of Magan - Can cause Lifegain and allow for paying life to destroy nonland permanents.
• Wand of Denial - Could be useful in specific cases to remove troublesome cards from opponents decks, though not preferred.
• Words of Worship - Can cause lots of Lifegain or card draw depending on the situation and the mana available.

Updates To Cards

This is where I will post all card changes, whether a card has been moved to the sideboard, added, removed, etc.

Example: (until I actually change the deck)

08/09/2019

• Removed Sphinx of the Steel Wind from main deck to sideboard. - Too mana expensive for a potential tide turning card.
• Added Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts to main deck. - One mana less and has more potential.

I am currently using this deck in various different commander game types, one vs. one, two headed giant, free for all (2-6 players), etc. and have had varying success. I will edit this deck more as I play it and as I find/see better card combos.

Please leave your thoughts and comments below as to what I could add/change to the deck to make it more effective.

Date added	4 years
Last updated	3 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	12 - 4 Mythic Rares 44 - 43 Rares 22 - 24 Uncommons 8 - 11 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.41
Tokens	Angel 4/4 W, Angel 4/4 W w/ Vigilance, Boar 2/2 G, City's Blessing, Demon 5/5 B, Emblem Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath, Goat 0/1 W, Horse 5/5 W, Minion X/X B, Squid 1/1 U, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Deathtouch, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Lifelink
Folders	Work in Progress, Using/Completed