Return of the Life-gain Motors

[Duel]

Alright, looking through the prophecy sets coming out, a couple of cards caught my attention: Celestial Winds, which makes target player's life total 20, and the underpowered Divine intervention, for starters. Do I smell a deck? I remember the contemplation deck days, and I think thran foundry definately provides the material needed for another life gain deck. Avenger en-dal also would be good. But I never could build life gain decks, so I was wondering if anyone else could help me here? Life gain decks, anybody?

 

[Lady Re]

Hi everyone,

Well, I think it's even worse. I've not had the time to check out the Prophesy spoiler in detail yet, but from the Urza's Block, plus what we've seen in Masques & Nemisis, I was thinking a life gaining deck could easily be played, and be Type 2 tourney legal.

This would totally annoy the Pro players to be up against a deck who's sole purpose is to gain life, and maybe have like 1 Serra Avatar for the kill. At a tourment, you could spend the whole round on just the first game, and not even finish, thus forcing a draw unless you opponent gives up to you. I even think it would be way too fast for them to fight off, even against a Blue Counterspell deck...

It would sure be fun for me...

(As I die in real life combat against my bigtime pissed off ( ) opponent...)

But that's my evil side's opinion...

 

[Istanbul]

You MUST play Jasmine Seer. There's nothing like gaining 14 life to say 'Stompy, you can just get on your knees and suck it.'

 

[Seeker of Truth]

Lady Re:
While the deck may be T2 legal, I still think it can be disrupted way too easily to be a truly viable option. Even combined with dedicated life-gain, all that means nothing if the other card (don't know its name) is not in play after 7 turns. Disenchant, Duress, various blue bouncing cards...all of these can either totally disrupt or delay any deck that relies on this card as the kill-card.

This deck type is still very tempting to try and put together, since it is an unusual way to win. Angelic Chorus, Congregate, Scent of Jasmine/Jasmine Seer...there are so many ways to gain life. Perhaps in combination with Fountain Watch, maybe with Spiritual Asylum also, this deck could be strong after all.

 

[Lady Re]

Hello there Seeker of Truth and Welcome!

I have been tempted to put this kind of frustrating deck together, but my local crowd have often mentioned how cheesy it is to win that way, so I've been good....

So far...

 

[Dune Echo]

TAG GUARD

Wouldn't Spiritual Asylum, Ivory Mask, and Fountain Watch be good support cards then?

Quick question that just occured to me: Can someone mill you while you have Ivory Mask out? I can't remember the exact text of milling cards and I don't feel like going to look it up.

 

[Seeker of Truth]

Lady Re:
Since when has it been cheesy to win with life gain? I've yet to see a deck that wins through life gain that I would consider "cheesy". It's probably not any more cheesy than land destruction, and that's not considered cheesy at all. Plus, I think it's cool that there will be a new victory condition in play; it's one more thing people will have to think about.

Dune Echo:
Since Fountain Watch protects all enchantments, and Spiritual Asylum protects all creatures, nothing will be able to stop your combo (except for Wrath of God, maybe). The trick is getting them all out quickly and safely (without the threat of removal).

And in addition, since Millstone targets the player, Ivory Mask will prevent its use.