My goal is to build a simple, cheap yet competitive deck. I believe the deck doesn't require much explanation, as there are some many different vamp ally decks out there. Casting ally creatures to trigger life draining, and exile things that stand between you and victory.
Cliffhaven Vampire, Drana's Emissary, Kalastria Healer and Zulaport Cutthroat are the core of all lifedrain ally deck, so 4 each.
Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim, not an ally, but it's a 2 mana deathtouch with ability to gain life and possibility of exile engine mid-late game.
Lantern Scout, good rally ability. And when work with Cliffhaven Vampire the life gain from each creature equals one opponent's life lost each, a fact many ppl overlook surprisingly.
Anguished Unmaking Declaration in Stone, get rid of things you don't want to see again, including the indestructible ones. Will have problem against man-land but you can't win everything.
VS. aggro deck, I usually had to do sacrifice block early, sometimes even with Kalastria Healer, to last to turn 7+ plus. With life gaining normally it's never a big problem. Use March from the Tomb to bring back the suicide blockers.
VS. mid-range or mirror match. I had most problem in such matches, my opening hand dictates my approach. I can either bait them dropping multiple same-named creatures/tokens by playing slow and wipe them with Declaration in Stone, or pound them with Captain's Claws
+
Cliffhaven Vampire
+
Kalastria Healer
if I have the luck.
VS. control deck, go fast. Even though this deck is not aggro, it does have the potential to go ballistic if played right. One example:
turn 1: land turn 2: land, Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim turn 3: land, Lantern Scout turn 4: land, Kalastria Healer and/or Zulaport Cutthroat turn 5: Cliffhaven Vampire
In total 20+ dmg and 10+ lifegain. Even Languish wipes everything turn 4, Zulaport Cutthroat will still make sure opponent won't breath much longer. Pickoff their planeswalker/artifact/enchantments with Anguished Unmaking. Since this deck doesn't need to attack to be successful, bouncing my creatures sometimes hurts them more because rally effect, and board-wipe can trigger Zulaport Cutthroat. Sub in Duress Transgress the Mind and enjoy.
