ORZHOV CONTROL, PERFECTED by acebuzzkill

Format: Commander

Commander: Karlov of the Ghost Council

Bracket: 4

Deck overview

This Orzhov lifegain deck wins by assembling a two-piece lifegain/drain loop where any life gain triggers Marauding Blight-Priest, Starscape Cleric or Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose to drain opponents, which then triggers Bloodthirsty Conqueror or Exquisite Blood to gain life again for infinite damage. Aetherflux Reservoir provides a secondary outlet that converts infinite life or storm count into 50-damage shots. Karlov of the Ghost Council is not the engine; he grows from the same lifegain triggers and offers repeatable exile removal, while the true hidden commanders are Bloodthirsty Conqueror and Vito that the tutors consistently find. Secondary paths include combat with a huge Karlov, Exemplar of Light, or Serra Ascendant and incremental drain from Elas il-Kor, Kambal, and Lunar Convocation.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Aetherflux Reservoir
  • 1 Anguished Unmaking
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archon of Emeria
  • 1 Auriok Champion
  • 1 Black Market Connections
  • 1 Bleachbone Verge
  • 1 Bloodchief Ascension
  • 1 Bloodthirsty Conqueror
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway
  • 1 Case of the Uneaten Feast
  • 1 Castle Locthwain
  • 1 Caves of Koilos
  • 1 City of Brass
  • 1 Clever Concealment
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Daxos, Blessed by the Sun
  • 1 Deadly Rollick
  • 1 Delney, Streetwise Lookout
  • 1 Diabolic Tutor
  • 1 Drannith Magistrate
  • 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
  • 1 Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim
  • 1 Elenda's Hierophant
  • 1 Enlightened Tutor
  • 1 Esper Sentinel
  • 1 Exemplar of Light
  • 1 Exotic Orchard
  • 1 Exquisite Blood
  • 1 Fabled Passage
  • 1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
  • 1 Fetid Heath
  • 1 Flawless Maneuver
  • 1 Generous Gift
  • 1 Giver of Runes
  • 1 Godless Shrine
  • 1 Heliod, Sun-Crowned
  • 1 Impassioned Orator
  • 1 Isolated Chapel
  • 1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
  • 1 Kambal, Profiteering Mayor
  • 1 Karlov of the Ghost Council
  • 1 Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff
  • 1 Lunar Convocation
  • 1 Lunarch Veteran // Luminous Phantom
  • 1 Lurrus of the Dream-Den
  • 1 Mana Confluence
  • 1 Mangara, the Diplomat
  • 1 Marauding Blight-Priest
  • 1 Marsh Flats
  • 1 Minas Tirith
  • 1 Mother of Runes
  • 1 Necrologia
  • 1 Opposition Agent
  • 1 Orim's Chant
  • 1 Path to Exile
  • 5 Plains
  • 1 Plaza of Heroes
  • 1 Prismatic Vista
  • 1 Profane Tutor
  • 1 Ranger-Captain of Eos
  • 1 Seraph Sanctuary
  • 1 Serra Ascendant
  • 1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
  • 1 Shineshadow Snarl
  • 1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
  • 1 Sign in Blood
  • 1 Silent Clearing
  • 1 Skrelv, Defector Mite
  • 1 Snuff Out
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Sorin of House Markov // Sorin, Ravenous Neonate
  • 1 Soul Warden
  • 1 Soul's Attendant
  • 1 Speaker of the Heavens
  • 1 Starscape Cleric
  • 1 Sunscorch Regent
  • 1 Suture Priest
  • 3 Swamp
  • 1 Swords to Plowshares
  • 1 Tainted Field
  • 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
  • 1 The One Ring
  • 1 Tymna the Weaver
  • 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
  • 1 Vampiric Tutor
  • 1 Vault of Champions
  • 1 Vault of the Archangel
  • 1 Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
  • 1 Voice of the Blessed
  • 1 Wayfarer's Bauble
  • 1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow
  • 1 Witch of the Moors