Orzhov Karlov life gain by MrGchuk

Format: Commander

Commander: Karlov of the Ghost Council

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 39

Deck overview

This deck is an Orzhov Lifegain Midrange strategy commanded by Karlov of the Ghost Council. The primary game plan revolves around deploying inexpensive lifegain triggers—such as Soul Warden, Authority of the Consuls, and Auriok Champion—to rapidly scale Karlov into a formidable combat threat that simultaneously provides repeatable, on-demand creature exile. While Karlov applies significant midgame pressure and keeps opposing commanders in check, the deck accumulates a massive life total buffer to fuel draw engines like Bolas's Citadel, Ad Nauseam, and Black Market Connections. To close out multiplayer games, the deck transitions into lethal drain engines and infinite combos, specifically pairing Bloodthirsty Conqueror with Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, Sanguine Bond, or Enduring Tenacity, alongside alternate win conditions such as Felidar Sovereign and Aetherflux Reservoir. Supported by extensive permanent removal and selective tutors, the deck excels at grinding out opponents through superior life economy and decisive late-game bursts.

Decklist (100 cards)

• 1 Ad Nauseam
• 1 Adventurer's Inn
• 1 Aetherflux Reservoir
• 1 Alhammarret's Archive
• 1 Amalia Benavides Aguirre
• 1 Ancient Tomb
• 1 Angel of Destiny
• 1 Anguished Unmaking
• 1 Arcane Lighthouse
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Archaeomancer's Map
• 1 Auriok Champion
• 1 Austere Command
• 1 Authority of the Consuls
• 1 Black Market Connections
• 1 Bleachbone Verge
• 1 Blood Artist
• 1 Bloodthirsty Conqueror
• 1 Bolas's Citadel
• 1 Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway
• 1 Caves of Koilos
• 1 Comeuppance
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Concealed Courtyard
• 1 Dark Ritual
• 1 Deathbringer Liege
• 1 Decorum Dissertation
• 1 Defiling Daemogoth
• 1 Demonic Tutor
• 1 Elenda, the Dusk Rose
• 1 Enduring Tenacity
• 1 Enlightened Confidant
• 1 Erebos, God of the Dead
• 1 Exemplar of Light
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Farewell
• 1 Felidar Sovereign
• 1 Generous Gift
• 1 Germinate Recruits
• 1 Gift of Estates
• 1 Godless Shrine
• 1 Goldmire Bridge
• 1 Heliod's Intervention
• 1 Imp's Mischief
• 1 Infernal Grasp
• 1 Inkshield
• 1 Insatiable Avarice
• 1 Inside Information
• 1 Isolated Chapel
• 1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• 1 Karlov of the Ghost Council
• 1 Kaya's Wrath
• 1 Liesa, Forgotten Archangel
• 1 Lightning Greaves
• 1 Marsh Flats
• 1 Monologue Tax
• 1 Orzhov Basilica
• 1 Orzhov Signet
• 1 Path to Exile
• 1 Phyrexian Arena
• 7 Plains
• 1 Rhox Faithmender
• 1 Rogue's Passage
• 1 Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence
• 1 Sanguine Bond
• 1 Scheming Silvertongue // Sign in Blood
• 1 Scoured Barrens
• 1 Serra Ascendant
• 1 Shattered Sanctum
• 1 Shineshadow Snarl
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Soul Warden
• 1 Soul's Attendant
• 1 Stroke of Midnight
• 1 Suture Priest
• 7 Swamp
• 1 Swords to Plowshares
• 1 Tainted Field
• 1 Talisman of Hierarchy
• 1 Test of Endurance
• 1 The Meathook Massacre
• 1 The Wind Crystal
• 1 Vampiric Tutor
• 1 Vanishing Verse
• 1 Vendetta
• 1 Vindicate
• 1 Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
• 1 Wall of Reverence