Elenda, the Dusk Rose - Drain and Gain

[RowanKeltizar]

ELENDA - DRAIN AND GAIN

~Weaponized Lifegain~

DECK PHILOSOPHY

I wanted to build a vampire tribal deck but didn't want to be like everyone else and build Edgar Markov. I already own a Mardu deck, and going purely Orzhov felt more flavorful. I also was very intrigued by building a lifegain deck that used that resource fully and even as a means to win, which didn't seem to require red at all to accomplish.

I'd like to find a few more excellent payoffs for a high life count of similar caliber to Bolas's Citadel. What are some great ways to spend life?

Elenda felt like she would be a challenging commander to build around. She is one of the few commanders that actually want to go to your graveyard rather than the command zone. I relish the opportunity to really find the best ways of getting the most consistent value out of her.

I found that one of the best ways to get counters on Elenda is to kill my opponents creatures. So, there are one sided or selective board wipes here for that purpose. Certainly room to grow here as well.

My choice of vampires definitely isn't perfect. Some of them I absolutely love, but others aren't feeling like they contribute to my overall gameplan. Bloodghast and Necropolis Regent both have performed perfectly. I started to notice my vampire count dwindle as I brought in more synergistic cards. Honestly, I'm ok with that because Elenda has no direct synergy with the creature type. Time will tell what the right number of vamps is for the deck.

WIN CONDITIONS

The main win con is to generate an arbitrarily large amount of mana with Ashnod's Altar then drain everyone out with Exsanguinate or Debt to the Deathless.

I can also win with commander damage fairly reliably as Elenda gets huge pretty quick. In fact, this deck has become more and more voltron as I play around with it. I plan to have an equipment subtheme, as there are several equipment that support her quite well. Stuff like Shadowspear or Nim Deathmantle are really good on Elenda.

Eventually, I will add in Exquisite Blood to combo with Sanguine Bond but I'm trying to make the deck function well without infinite combos before I go there.

DECKLIST

This list is posted exactly as I currently own it in paper. I will update the list as I make swaps.

Decklist

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

1 Elenda, the Dusk Rose

VAMPS

1 Butcher of Malakir

1 Champion of Dusk

1 Bloodlord of Vaasgoth

1 Necropolis Regent

1 Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle

1 Nirkana Revenant

1 Blood Artist

1 Kalastria Highborn

1 Bloodghast

1 Tithe Drinker

1 Twilight Prophet

1 Malakir Bloodwitch

RAMP/MANA

1 Azor's Gateway

1 Sol Ring

1 Talisman of Hierarchy

1 Black Market

1 Gilded Lotus

1 Worn Powerstone

1 Orzhov Signet

1 Coalition Relic

1 Ashnod's Altar

1 Nyx Lotus

1 Everflowing Chalice

1 Wayfarer's Bauble

TUTORS

1 Idyllic Tutor

1 Shred Memory

1 Diabolic Tutor

1 Diabolic Intent

MASS REMOVAL

1 Decree of Pain

1 Divine Reckoning

1 Kaya's Wrath

1 Tragic Arrogance

1 Merciless Eviction

1 Vona's Hunger

1 Force of Despair

1 Dictate of Erebos

SPOT REMOVAL

1 Go for the Throat

1 Swords to Plowshares

1 Despark

1 Utter End

1 Return to Dust

1 Mortify

1 Vindicate

CONTROL

1 Authority of the Consuls

1 Blind Obedience

1 Ghostly Prison

CARD ADVANTAGE

1 Skullclamp

1 Dark Prophecy

1 Read the Bones

1 Bolas's Citadel

1 Necropotence

SUPPORT/LIFEGAIN

1 Blade of the Bloodchief

1 Beacon of Immortality

1 Ivory Tower

1 Blood Tribute

1 Darksteel Plate

1 Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord

1 Call the Bloodline

WIN CONS

1 Exsanguinate

1 Debt to the Deathless

1 Sanguine Bond

LANDS (36)

1 Command Tower

1 Isolated Chapel

1 Fetid Heath

1 Concealed Courtyard

1 Godless Shrine

1 Silent Clearing

1 Tainted Field

1 Caves of Koilos

1 Reliquary Tower

1 Secluded Steppe

1 Evolving Wilds

1 Bojuka Bog

1 Phyrexian Tower

1 Barren Moor

11 Plains

11 Swamp

Approximate Total Cost:

WISH LIST

There are a ton of cards that would be good to acquire for this deck. It's one of my newer decks, so I haven't invested much in it yet till I get a good feel for what works and what doesn't.

Vampiric Tutor - big money, but I would drop it for this deck because it's on theme!!

Enlightened Tutor - derp! only goes in every white deck ever

Anointed Procession - although not fully utilized here as in other decks, I think it would still be worth having

Ancient Tomb - nice ramp on theme

Nim Deathmantle, Reanimate - should work well for what we are doing

Shadowspear - this one of the most efficient ways of giving Elenda trample that I can think of. Also grants us some other nice bonuses.

Martyr's Bond - I could see this card finding a home here

Ad Nauseam - this isn't explicitly a combo deck, but I feel that a lifegain deck could use this card anyway

Kindred Dominance - one of the better one sided wipes for the deck I think, although very high in mana cost.

Land Tax, Smothering Tithe - powerful tax cards that are on theme

Hatred - on the reserve list so this is definitely high on my priority list

Exquisite Blood - for obvious reasons

Austere Command - one of the best removal spells in the game

Patriarch's Bidding - certainly a card that would be good in this deck, however my vampire count is dwindling, so maybe not.

CHANGELOG