Aggressive 1v1 Karlov EDH

Commander / EDH* Aggro Lifegain Soul Sisters WB (Orzhov)

Septimius

21Damage (19)

• 1x Battle Mastery
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Crypt Ghast
• 1x Drana's Emissary
• 1x Exquisite Blood
• 1x Ivory Tower
• 1x Nyx-Fleece Ram
• 1x Path of Bravery
• 1x Prism Ring
• 1x Pristine Talisman
• 1x Scoured Barrens
• 1x Seraph Sanctuary
• 1x Serra Ascendant
• 1x Soul Warden
• 1x Soul's Attendant
• 1x Suture Priest
• 1x Tithe Drinker
• 1x Unspeakable Symbol
• 1x Wall of Reverence

Discard (3)

• 1x Duress
• 1x Inquisition of Kozilek
• 1x Thoughtseize

Evasion (7)

• 1x Dauthi Embrace
• 1x Gift of Orzhova
• 1x Mother of Runes
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Shizo, Death's Storehouse
• 1x Spirit Mantle
• 1x Whispersilk Cloak

Finishers (9)

• 1x Blood Tribute
• 1x Bond of Agony
• 1x Essence Harvest
• 1x Felidar Sovereign
• 1x Hatred
• 1x Identity Crisis
• 1x Mind Shatter
• 1x Mind Twist
• 1x Sanguine Bond

Mana (32)

• 1x Bloodstained Mire
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x City of Brass
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Fetid Heath
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1x Orzhov Guildgate
• 7x Plains
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Reflecting Pool
• 1x Snow-Covered Plains
• 1x Snow-Covered Swamp
• 8x Swamp
• 1x Tainted Field
• 1x Temple of Silence
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Midgame (5)

• 1x Archangel of Thune
• 1x Baneslayer Angel
• 1x Battlegrace Angel
• 1x Blood Baron of Vizkopa
• 1x Divinity of Pride

Removals (13)

• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Disenchant
• 1x Hero's Downfall
• 1x Mortify
• 1x Necrotic Sliver
• 1x Oblation
• 1x Return to Dust
• 1x Revoke Existence
• 1x Sinkhole
• 1x Strip Mine
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Utter End
• 1x Vindicate

Utility (8)

• 1x Arcane Lighthouse
• 1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
• 1x Dark Petition
• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Grand Abolisher
• 1x Necropotence
• 1x Scroll Rack
• 1x Vampiric Tutor

Wipes (3)

• 1x Cataclysm
• 1x Hallowed Burial
• 1x Toxic Deluge

Commander (1)

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I try this deck for 1v1 EDH. Please let me know if you see something wrong or any idea of improvement.

You will find Lands in other categories as well. I run 38 Lands + Strip Mine + 1 Mana Artifact.

Summary : Karlov goes big or goes home, beginning turn 2 . Meanwhile you slow down the other guy by removing everything he plays, including birds, rocks, commander, even lands if lucky, and of course blockers. And/or (depending on your match-up and your starting hand) you look at his hand, forcing key discards and fast.

The deck mainline is to play Karlov of the Ghost Council turn 2 and trigger his first ability with many 1-drop 2-drop 3-drop cards that are supposed either to give him counters or help him deal 21-commander damage in general.

Small Discard spells that may be played turn 1 or 3, or later for Extort purposes.

Good suite of Spot Removals to keep the way clean for Karlov. Helped by Arcane Lighthouse.

If Karlov can't go big enough, fast enough, or is countered, removed, or if he can't deal damage, or any other reason that should prevent me from playing the mainline strategy :

• a bunch of solid midrange Creatures that have synergies with Karlov but also can do pretty well on their own. Battlegrace Angel gives Lifelink to Karlov on turn 5, Archangel of Thune is just perfect in the deck and good on his own.

• a few Combos, namely Blood Tribute kicked (the deck features a good numer of Vampires) and Sanguine Bond, or the classic infinite lifeloss loop, which I did include first for the cards themselves and then only for the combo.

• and Finishers : Bond of Agony , or Hatred with unblockable, both do the job very brutally, Mind Twist, Mind Shatter and Identity Crisis generally help winning the game in the next turns. Felidar Sovereign sometimes wins a game on its own, especially if the opponent doesn't have cards left to play in his hand. Harvesting Karlov's big power with Essence Harvest drains life for 3 mana way more than a cut Exsanguinate, which is better (and necessary) in multiplayer.

Tutors to help mid/late-game and Utiliy Cards so that Bond of Agony or Hatred don't get countered... : Boseiju, Who Shelters All and Grand Abolisher to get past Control Decks if possible.

Karlov will survive a Cataclysm and even survive a Toxic Deluge easily if he's strong enough.

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I don't mind playing below-average cards as long as the fare well with Karlov triggered ability : hence Pristine Talisman, Prism Ring , neither do I reluct playing a few Auras (I usually don't) if it can help achieving 21 commander damage : Gift of Orzhova , Battle Mastery etc.

Please leave suggestions

Thanks

Date added	8 years
Last updated	2 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	5 - 0 Mythic Rares 41 - 0 Rares 23 - 0 Uncommons 13 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.92
Folders	Compare to....