The deck is a Selesnya lifegain-and-counters shell splashing red, with Shalai and Hallar converting every +1/+1 counter placed on its creatures into direct damage to an opponent. A large suite of creatures that grow whenever life is gained turns each lifelink hit, drain or incidental lifegain into a burst of counters, and so into burn from the commander. Giving Shalai and Hallar itself lifelink closes the loop: its damage gains life, the life gained adds more counters, and those counters deal more damage. How it wins: It burns opponents out through Shalai and Hallar's counter triggers, either by repeatedly chaining lifegain into counters or by setting up a self-sustaining loop where a lifelinked commander's damage feeds a "gain life, add that many counters" engine for unbounded damage. Key roles: - Infinite loop engines: Turn each instance of lifegain into counters equal to the life gained (or spread across many creatures). Once Shalai and Hallar has lifelink, each damage trigger gains life, which places more counters, which deals more damage, without end. (Light of Promise, Heroic Feast) - Lifelink enablers: Auras, tricks and soulbond grant lifelink to the commander or other attackers, both to arm the loop and to make combat damage generate lifegain triggers. Several also protect or pump the creature. (Rune of Sustenance, Sheltered by Ghosts, Nearheath Pilgrim) - Lifegain-counter creatures: A dense pool of creatures put +1/+1 counters on themselves whenever life is gained, so a single lifegain event triggers Shalai and Hallar many times. Some add card draw, evasion or anthem effects along the way. (Ajani's Pridemate, Christine Chapel, Combat Medic, Exemplar of Light) - Incidental lifegain sources: Cheap ways to gain life outside combat keep the counter creatures growing and the damage flowing. (Prosperous Innkeeper, Revitalize, Vigorbloom Charm) - Direct counter placers: Instants, lands and spree effects put +1/+1 counters onto creatures directly, each one an instant ping from the commander. Many double as protection or removal. (Snakeskin Veil, Take Up the Shield, Requisition Raid) - Commander protection: Protection-from-color, hexproof and indestructible effects keep Shalai and Hallar alive through removal, since the whole damage plan depends on it. (Gods Willing, Collective Resistance, Enter the Avatar State)

Schadenfreude decklist

• 3× Mountain
• 6× Plains
• 4× Forest
• Arcane Signet
• Charming Prince
• Command Tower
• Fabled Passage
• Ajani's Pridemate
• Ash Barrens
• Avacyn's Pilgrim
• Beast Within
• Farseek
• Gods Willing
• Harmonize
• Jungle Shrine
• Krosan Verge
• Llanowar Elves
• Mortal's Ardor
• Path to Exile
• Sol Ring
• Swords to Plowshares
• Light of Promise
• Mazemind Tome
• Mangara, the Diplomat
• Revitalize
• Spirit Link
• Moment of Heroism
• Exotic Orchard
• Forge of Heroes
• Path of Ancestry
• Myriad Landscape
• Brushland
• Karplusan Forest
• Llanowar Reborn
• Elvish Mystic
• Swift Justice
• Shelter
• Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
• Sentinel's Mark
• Abrade
• Lifecrafter's Bestiary
• Ondu Rising
• Battlefield Forge
• Paladin of Prahv
• Utopia Sprawl
• Generous Gift
• Prepare // Fight
• Valorous Stance
• Sapseep Forest
• Lifelink
• Splendor Mare
• Nearheath Pilgrim
• Dromoka's Command
• Enter the Unknown
• Sejiri Shelter // Sejiri Glacier
• Vastwood Fortification // Vastwood Thicket
• Snakeskin Veil
• Rune of Sustenance
• Prosperous Innkeeper
• Trelasarra, Moon Dancer
• Celestial Unicorn
• Blessed Defiance
• Voice of the Blessed
• Take Up the Shield
• Plaza of Heroes
• Tocasia's Welcome
• Bushwhack
• The Night of the Doctor
• Elenda's Hierophant
• Requisition Raid
• Collective Resistance
• Tender Wildguide
• Essence Channeler
• Sheltered by Ghosts
• Exemplar of Light
• Qala, Ajani's Pridemate
• Aerith Gainsborough
• MJ, Rising Star
• Enter the Avatar State
• Leonardo, Cutting Edge
• Tigra, Feline Fury
• Heroic Feast
• Titanbones, Towering Heart
• Lyra, Archangel of Dawn
• Vigorbloom Charm
• Unflinching Hortimancer
• Feat of Resistance
• Bretagard Stronghold
• Christine Chapel, Combat Medic