Lifegain is Powerful Now?!? | Nyktos Exemplar | Modern Horizons 2 Spoiler | Commander | EDH | MTG

[@scykrai7969]

Next thing you know mono white will be playable

[@elliotthood1719]

*InconCEIvable*

[@august4476]

*Laughs in Balan, Wandering Knight*

[@dragomanpl1109]

Try standard

[@jumanjiman86]

Mark Rosewater would probably step down if that ever happened

[@20chanic]

There’s formats other than EDH. You do know that, right?

[@whaleofdarkness]

You forgot an interesting interaction. Swords to Plowshares. You play that card anyway because it's a great removal but with Nykthos Exemplar it becomes an instant speed massive boost for your army.

[@lightbearer313]

You would have to play the StP on one of your own creatures to gain the life, as it is the controller of exiled creature who gains life.

[@whaleofdarkness]

@@lightbearer313 I know. If you play a go-wide strategy - which Nykthos Exemplar rewards anyway - even exiling one of your 3 power creatures can mean loads of damage. You usually use other cards but if you see an opening it can be totally worth it.

[@jacquesdespadas]

@@whaleofdarkness A lot of people don't look for advantageous ways to use removal on their own stuff. I used to Fiend Hunter my creatures with good etb effects all the time. Instant board presence after a wipe, and/or flicker for value. 😁 This Swords interaction is just better. 👍👍

[@catoticneutral]

archangel of comically large spoon You can put counters on all of the creatures after life gain but ONLY ONCE PER TURN

[@sockcornnoodles]

This could fun in Rin and Seri. Make a lot of cats, pay RGW for health equal to the cats, boost the cat and dog army.

[@Zander2212]

I can't wait to put this in my Rin and Seri Lifegain deck. It'll be awesome.

[@flareinc7413]

I just made a Rin and Seri-deck and didn't understand the value of the life gain until now. :O Thanks.

[@Thorinox]

When I first seen this, it made me dig out my old life gain deck, some of the cards I mostly thought about with this was Boon Reflection, Heroes' Reunion, Ageless Entity and Test Of Endurance.

[@IAmKingTony]

I like that with Trostani, this basically has ETB add 6 +1/+1s

[@skirtsftw]

"lifegain is finally strong" Ghost council would like to know your location

[@jamesgratz4771]

Vito

[@Mister_Tedious]

I used to use vizkopa guildmages second ability then cast Congregate to kill the table.

[@pokeliciousnchill2932]

Lifegain has been my favorite mechanic since I've started playing magic so I'm happy to see this card being printed

[@SWNJim]

Definitely in consideration for my Licia deck. She does large lifegains on my turn, pre-combat, but also uses Ayli and Kambal to gain life on my opponent’s turns, thereby growing an army of angels and horses (Resplendent Angel, Angelic Accord, Crested Sunmare) for Nykthos Paragon to put counters on next turn.

[@jacquesdespadas]

Mitch: Lifegain is powerful now?!? Trostani: Where tf have you been dude?!

[@siliciaveerah9327]

Crested sunmare, and anything that makes saprolings at each upkeep is just delicious with trostani

[@JaimeAGB-pt4xl]

I've been saying for months now... don't sleep on life gain. I've been building a Lathiel deck too, turned out to be fun and powerful, specially with all the cards from Strixhaven...., and here comes yet Another card to put in :)

[@Froggy67823]

Thank goodness modern horizons 2 is not in standard...

[@markmarkson4455]

I think that's the point

[@DoomStarRequiem]

It's not very modern based either.

[@somethingknew9152]

@@DoomStarRequiem glorified commander set.

[@DoomStarRequiem]

@@somethingknew9152 yeah.. I play modern and edh, and although I stand to benefit from this set no matter what.. it still feels modern is getting shafted.

[@scotbush4338]

@@DoomStarRequiem disagree, modern is gonna be hugely shaken up by this set.

[@nightlights590]

Your magic gameplay was the best....when we gonna get more of that?👀

[@OmegaMTG]

I would definitely put it in the 99 of my wife's lathiel deck.

[@TheArcSet]

Ordeal of Heliod: "If you have 2 or more +1/+1 counters on a craeture, attack and gain 10 life."

[@TheArcSet]

@@WeebsUnite :)

[@MuscleCarsLoveMe]

Ghostly Flicker might be a decent include too. If I’m correct (and let me know if I’m not), you can pump your team with a huge life gain, flicker Nykthos, then do it again in the same turn due to it being a different Nykthos, technically.

[@Chaoslorden]

Will build a monowhite lifegain deck around Heliod with this one in the deck. I'm on a mission to build five monocolored decks at precon, easy to use level for family and friends that wants to get into the game. Lifegain is for sure a classic intro for many players!

[@theconlegend2718]

Can you guys do more commanders edh gameplay? Would really like to see some gameplay of you guys using the new overpowered commanders/cards

[@syrupbender]

I made a deck with this idea a couple months ago. Ikra Shidiqi and Tymna partner filled with cards like blood researcher, Ajani's pridemate, sunscorch regent and Karlov. It's pretty powerful and wins most games. Definitely my all time favorite deck.

[@zidanedager]

You forgot about a combo with ajani, wise counselor his first ability +2 gain life for every creature you control

[@yungo1rst]

Some cards for him as commander, spirit loop for proto lifegain. Sun droplet for lifegain on opponent turns. Shattered angel. Lone rider. Knight of meadowgrain. Goldenglow moth. Feudkiller's verdict. Angelic accord. Griffin aerie.

[@ComfyDents]

Does somebody remember the time when Ageless Entity with a Loxodon Warhammer seemed to be most possible escalating? 😅 Good times.😊

[@DoomStarRequiem]

I remember a time when my playgroup was still regular edh.. not cedh

[@ChonoRock1198]

@@DoomStarRequiem I like playing both

[@sinnaro13]

I'm glad you mentioned Licia, Sanguine Tribute! She's been one of my favorite decks!

[@929292Aaron]

I had to come back and comment on this card after I played with it. I use a proliferate deck starring Atrexa. Having Nykthos and Atrexa on the field was awesome, pumping up all my mana dorks was even better! Then proliferating them at the end step was just icing on the cake. Then, when I was attacked, I blocked with Atrexa and gain 4 more counters on my creatures. This card is under rated. It could be a game ender with the permanent buffs, especially if you build a lifegain deck. Its super cheap right now too, may be better than Sun Titan for the 6 drop spot in some decks.

[@keiharris332]

Been running oloro since he came out. Those were hard days. Now with all these triggers and multiple ways to gain life it is strong! Sometimes I wish he was green white black... but blue for interaction is important too

[@envysart797]

Also multiple copies stack. If you’re playing OG trostani and you make a token copy with mirrorpool, you trigger for 5 counters, then 5 more counters.

[@svenvannimwegen4936]

Lifegain has always been underestimated 😉

[@TheFoxlover93]

Budget Archangel for sure. I don't see decks like Karlov who are going to do small incidental life gain running this, namely cause one or two counters here and there. The bonus is that it does so every turn. It was a good call out to say may, cause if you play a Gary and have a Soul Sister, you go "nah I want the Gary to be the trigger". The bonus is that with something like Soul Sister, you are basically guaranteeing counters

[@davidroa2525]

Let's show some love to Evra, Halcyon Witness! I bet this card would be great in that deck too!

[@Dayyyjoey26]

Just took an “which EDH general are you?” quiz and got Oloro.... tis a sign

[@jamesgratz4771]

Expensive boi

[@klydewithak9456]

When I first saw the exemplar I thought it was ONE and 2 white and did that wow spit thing, you know like when you drink something, but then I realized it was a white card

[@newtpondskipper]

If it cost that low it would be green. Also it would be whenever you gain life, no once per turn nonsense.

[@sadfrog2575]

I feel like wizards keeps getting soooooo close to giving white good cards, but then they put some stipulations on it that make it just okay.

[@JoseC29]

DAMN, insta slot in my Heliod, Sun Crowned deck. Who btw is offended you didn't include him as a potential commander. (yes I play a mono-white edh lol)

[@overgrowndwarf1628]

"Let's talk about Commanders who would probably want this kind of card..." Ah yes, Brion Stoutarm.

[@QuantumRunnerXX]

Thought: Since Exemplar is an enchantment, put it in Enchantress to grow your board on your “When cast enchantment, gain life” procs.

[@franciscovilches4358]

12:46 in my lifegain deck I combine Ayli with the tree of perdition and is a masive nuke to the oponent, and with the Alhamarret Archives you’ll gain +50 life in one turn. Soo, yes I’m gettin Nykthos Exemplar

[@EvilShade82]

I was so sure that you would bring up "Evra Halcyon Witness", but your ideas were as usual stellar nonetheless.

[@AbyssArray]

Lately I've been Lifegain strategies a lot, specifically when paired with "taxing" effects, been really liking Liesa, Shroud of Dusk. While Lifegain isn't the primary strategy, I need just enough to outlast my opponents

[@darkwolf780]

I was thinking of Heliod and Authority of the Consuls since everytime you gain life you activate heliods ability to give your creatures +1/+1 plus heliod has the ability to give up 2 mana and one other creature gets lifelink.

[@timeskip0300]

Ikra shidiqi, the usurper Bruse tarl, boorish herder. As commanders doing a creature base life gain deck. Sounds like the perfect "not blue" deck to me.

[@justinwycoff1334]

Why Hello! Just going to say that the exemplar will be a nice addition to any token deck.

[@christianyeet8860]

White is a good color now???? What has the world come to?

[@jaxsonbaerg8178]

Loving mh2 so far!

[@AdamGoldbergOmaha]

Light of promise does this as many times per turn as you want, but only to the enchanted creature. Similar effect though

[@jumanjiman86]

HEY MITCH MAKE A VIDEO ON CAPTAIN RIPLEY VANCE. 2R FOR A 3/2 HUMAN PIRATE LEGEND WITH “WHENEVER YOU CAST YOUR THIRD SPELL EACH TURN, PUT A +1+1 COUNTER ON VANCE AND IT DEALS DAMAGE EQUAL TO ITS POWER TO ANY TARGET.” Hi Mitch if you ever actually read this ima build around this cool lil uncommon from mh 2 anyway but I thought you would appreciate a nice mono red storm voltron burn deck if anyone could. Not voltron in that there’s a lot of equipment just power boosting instants and some sorceries if they’re good enough

[@toddfromhoen]

Ooo I've always wanted to make a life gain deck. And to keep up what I've been doing, I think a drizzt quick take would be cool

[@yugiohdecktek8572]

Don’t forget that if a 6/6 blocks baneslayer while nykthos is on the field you get first strike Lifelinker powering up baneelayer to a 10/10 before it takes damage so it doesn’t die

[@ecos889]

Six mana, needs a very specific board state and is only once per turn, makes it kinda naff unless you are in a big life gain deck. Usually decks like that are more control builds, as combat based builds depends more so on multiple triggers, by swinging with a bunch of life linkers or during your upkeep like effects.

[@cteal2018]

You have never seen Atraxa and Lathiel out at the same time

[@ecos889]

@@cteal2018 No but that feels real specific and fringe to ever be the case. Also as a frequent cEDH and high (like between power levels 7-10) player I do confess I rarely see combat damage being a win con unless it's godo infinite combats are the monstrosity that is Zada token and draw a butttonne of cards cantrip deck.

[@williamwh810]

Well I know this is going in my Evra deck so I can just start swapping my life with its power to trigger big life gain on the second swap. Even after the other modern horizons 2 spoilers I have seen I was still surprised to see white get such a powerful creature.

[@th3on3thatb3atu]

My man Mitch been ON POINT with the clickbait this week 😂😂😂

[@CaptainUrielVentris7]

The new 6 mana Angel of Thune feels like it will win some casual games and nothing else. Tuning a deck for lifegain usually wants lots of triggers, not big slabs of life. If there becomes a suitable mass of cards that interact with huge slabs of lifegain and enough good cards that gain life that way rather than causing a dozen individual triggers then sure it might be nice.

[@resurrecsean]

I personally like to use Teysa Karlov as my commander, making a bunch of tokens with vigilance and lifelink, and buffing them all with Nykthos Paragon

[@mightyone3737]

...Well, I guess that kinda works with Reward the Faithful, which is about as good as you're gonna get for 1 mana lifegain with no drawbacks, and with the perk of being able to help any of your opponent's you'd like to also help out. Cabal Conditioning makes it seem very White in comparison, making each opponent lose their hand is usually a better effect. I don't bother running Reward in my Reaper King deck, but I'm seeing if Cabal Conditioning can come down early enough to matter.

[@VitronEspada]

Oh my gawd, my Heliod deck needs this soooooooooooooo much!

[@jamesgratz4771]

Sun crowned or god of the sun?

[@VitronEspada]

@@jamesgratz4771 The Always Sunny in Theros kind...

[@fenixmeaney6170]

Mono white soldier? I'm tempted to add this to Darien, but I can absolutely see this breaking backs in Licia

[@keantully-mclelland1383]

Going in my evra halcyon witness deck for sure

[@xero1134]

The ajani ult to give your board +100/+100 before you sweep

[@thesleepershark4265]

Honestly a mono white counters and life gain deck could be viable with this new card and the ramp spells. Either using white partner commanders or Heliod.

[@joebaumgart1146]

Weather the storm is a life gain card. Imagine turning a grape shot deck into a beneficial deck for you.

[@Matengu55]

I might put this in to my Krav and Regna deck, which is mostly angel and demons, but it might be too good to pass up

[@itszaque]

Me, with my favorite deck being Ikra shidiqi the usurper partnered with Tymna the weaver: “Lifegain wasn’t powerful?”

[@brettbarrett9423]

Starts any Commander's Quarters videos, then immediately skips to @2:00 for actual video content

[@pianojoker2]

This goes straight to my Ayli deck, love this card !

[@pokeliciousnchill2932]

Run ephemerate in the deck or other blinking mechanics to get his ability off multiple times in one turn

[@freezingfire127]

i'm building a selesnya lifegain deck where i can gain 10k life in 5 turns the whole key is just doubling my life many times per turn, so towards the end of all the life i can gain per turn, i'll just put about 20k +1/+1 counters on all my creatures

[@bastionsea2829]

I'm reading that as 'each turn' which means simple +2/+2 each round, gain 1 life on your turn, and 1 life on the opponent's turn I don't think damage works as 'first strike' effects, 'normal damage'

[@BlueGriffin20]

Even food tokens can be great on your opponents turn.

[@danielgubler96]

im surprised Evra wasn't mentioned in this video, Gaining 40 life in a turn and getting 40 +1/+1 counters on all your counters seems pretty fun

[@kevinhaen2763]

Interesting way to run the table, if you can get it off right.

[@WildMageMadness]

Looking at this for my Krav and Regna deck

[@Malketor]

cool card in the set! some crazy white cards in the set! love it^^

[@cowboyrocker2570]

TBH i'm surprised you didn't comment about the cards that double the life you gain that would pair extremely well with this card "Alhammerret's Archive", "Boon Reflection", and "Rhox Faithmender". All three of them Doubles the life you gain and are all roughly under ten dollars i currently have a Sylesnya lifegain deck and have the first two in that deck.

[@carldooley9344]

With all the other Circles of Protection, when are we going to get Circle of Protection: Poison?

[@jordanpearson6446]

Ajani, Mentor of Heroes ult gaining 100 life. Or Ajani Goldmane if you can give the avatar token lifelink.

[@friedsputnik2710]

I think what life gain lacks is ways to turn it into other more useful resources. Cards like this and Evra, Halcyon Witness are good strong examples but even something like Markov Purifier from VOW makes me feel like life gain is actually becoming a playable strategy.

[@harleybaker4684]

This makes my Elenda deck VERY happy.

[@TheHandsomestMale]

"Activate only once each turn" "Activate only as a sorcery" WotC have an absolute fetish for these sentences, they should just let the silly combos happen man, it's not going to break any formats!

[@patrickhelm8352]

Ajanti, mentor of hero's. Nuke gains 100 life. New card grants 100 +1/+1 counters.

[@hans.m.j]

wooo sunbeam spellbomb is useful with this! and white can get it back easy

[@noblemansrose5511]

Honestly this won’t do much for life gain as a strategy in commander. Commander damage still stumps any kind of life gain strategy. I’ve been saying for a while that white needs a card that increases the amount of commander damage you can take. “As long as (this creature) is in play and your life total is 60 or more, you can survive up to 40 commander damage.” Before anyone complains about the numbers I chose, that’s just an example.

[@nicholaszelina2919]

when i get this card I'm for sure throwing in celestial mantle

[@SpiderMitchX]

Celestial Mantle would be fun, idk the price but would be fun

[@lyssalux3115]

I'm trying to build a Lathiel the Bounteous Dawn lifegain deck and I can find almost nothing online about it. I'm a bit new to MTG and I don't know past cards well enough to be able to construct a deck on my own knowledge alone. I'd love if you did a budget deck tech around Lathiel 🙏

[@CasPer-co2dv]

I am going to put this in my Atraxa deck!!

[@cteal2018]

Will be going into my Atalya deck

[@crovax1375]

One of my favorite janky ways to gain lots of at once is with Soulgorger Orgg and Children of Korlis

[@goblin5496]

I'm just waiting for your take on captain ripley vance

[@Denny1026]

Elenda, the dusk rose would be good with this card.

[@randommindz6782]

sweet! Angel of Thune needs a crime partner in my Zacama deck

[@GrimSoulBanisher]

Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn is a good card with Lifegain, though it doesn't do it on each creature.

[@alexandredesbiens-brassard9109]

And I was just considering making a WB Orzhov Lifegain. I was looking at Kambal Consul of Allocation as a commander. What do people think? Would he work? Mitch did not mention him so now I'm unsure.

[@friendlyostrich9526]

Ethereal Champion and Axis of Mortality let's go.

[@cycle1990]

first card i was thinking of was Evra, Halcyon Witness XD haha gg

[@ChaosLord2737]

...I can't help but feel Evra, Halcyon witness is probably the scariest creature with this card

[@meliodasescavor8506]

Bruce Tarl and Ikra would be op as the commander's of this deck

[@Nemissis4265]

Pretty sure lifegain has always bean powerfull

[@cowboyrocker2570]

I understand over looking certain cards but you have to at least Mention "Congregate" it's usually under a dollar for this card and states "Target Player gain 2 life for each creature on the battlefield." so let's say each player has about 5-10 creatures each on their respective sides of the field that's at least 20 life total

[@Dubi264]

That's what I was thinking of too. One of the few cards that heals big and synergizes with the go wide strat.

[@reverbstarlight3405]

Wow ok with this in play Angel’s Mercy goes from bad to incredible. 7 +1/+1 counters on every creature you control for 4 mana? That’s instant speed too so you can do it on an opponents turn and save the trigger on your turn for a big sorcery or something, or just do it right before your turn if you saved lands so your opponents will have less time to react.

[@telph3223]

You forgot evra holycron witness for commanders that could use this card. Yes id like to gain back 40 life and give all my creature +40/+40.

[@cowboyrocker2570]

has "Alhammarret's Archive" "Rhox Faithmender" and "Boon Reflection" on the field and uses the final ability of Ajani Mentor of heroes to gain 100 life and proceeds to gain 800 life from all the doubles