Obzedat drains an opponent for 2 on every entry, and its end-step exile and return at the next upkeep means it re-enters each turn to drain again while dodging sorcery-speed removal. The deck is built around lifegain: Obzedat's recurring drain, lifelinkers and other incidental gain feed a large group of creatures and engines that turn each life-gain event into counters, card draw, tokens, or life loss for opponents. How it wins: Repeated life-gain triggers drain opponents (Enduring Tenacity, Vito, Starscape Cleric and the other pingers) while lifelink creatures and counter-growing threats like Archangel of Thune attack, backed by Obzedat's drain every turn. Key cards: - Life-gain drain payoffs: These make every point of life gained cost opponents life, so Obzedat's own drain snowballs; Enduring Tenacity and Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose turn the full amount gained into life loss. - Life-gain growth threats: These creatures grow with each life-gain event and become large evasive attackers; Archangel of Thune pumps the whole team while Elenda's Hierophant leaves tokens behind. - Opponent life-loss converters: These give life back whenever opponents lose life, creating a loop with the drain effects; Bloodthirsty Conqueror and Exquisite Blood both gain life equal to what opponents lose. - End-step token makers: These create big bodies at each end step when you gained life, and with Obzedat's drain that is nearly every turn; Crested Sunmare and Ob Nixilis, the Ascended make 5/5 Horses and 4/4 Angels. - Life-gain card draw: These convert life gained into extra cards to keep the engine fueled; Well of Lost Dreams and Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel draw off each gain.

Orzhov Life shenanigans decklist

• Torment of Hailfire
• Witch of the Moors
• Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel
• Crested Sunmare
• Starscape Cleric
• Fiendish Panda
• Authority of the Consuls
• Inspiring Overseer
• Marauding Blight-Priest
• Restoration Magic
• Split Up
• Battle Menu
• Sheltered by Ghosts
• Enduring Tenacity
• Bloodthirsty Conqueror
• Essence Channeler
• Adventurer's Inn
• Qarsi Revenant
• Divinity of Pride
• Sol Ring
• Scoured Barrens
• Fight On!
• Excalibur II
• Cliffhaven Vampire
• Elenda's Hierophant
• Archangel of Thune
• Kabira Crossroads
• Exquisite Blood
• Phyrexian Arena
• Eye of Vecna
• Merciless Eviction
• Greed
• Mangara, the Diplomat
• Desecration Demon
• Bitter Triumph
• Pearl Medallion
• Path to Exile
• Aid the Fallen
• Command Tower
• Tainted Field
• Orzhov Signet
• Despark
• Fetid Heath
• Fracture
• Night's Whisper
• Voice of the Blessed
• Exemplar of Light
• Vindicate
• Aerith Gainsborough
• Caves of Koilos
• Arcane Signet
• Indulging Patrician
• 10× Swamp
• Utter End
• Desolate Mire
• Obscura Storefront
• Seraph Sanctuary
• Bojuka Bog
• Bleachbone Verge
• 11× Plains
• Isolated Chapel
• Vault of Champions
• Godless Shrine
• Serra Ascendant
• Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• Talisman of Hierarchy
• Soul Warden
• Jet Medallion
• Radiant Fountain
• Black Market Connections
• Fellwar Stone
• Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal // Temple of the Dead
• Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
• Creeping Bloodsucker
• Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
• Well of Lost Dreams
• Markov Purifier
• Anguished Unmaking
• Rhox Faithmender
• Ob Nixilis, the Ascended