From my experience Surgical Extraction had many benefits but once at 0 life it became a lower version of Extirpate (since you can't pay life anymore).
Extirpate ends up costing 
but because of the Split Second, it's really effective against Counterspell decks (which are a pain to play against)
May 25, 2015 3:51 p.m.
Do you still get the card draw from Phyrexian Arena at 0 life?
August 29, 2015 11:30 a.m.
@xweto I believe you still draw, because you're not paying to draw, you're drawing then losing 1 life.
September 21, 2015 4:26 p.m.
Love this idea. My biggest concern is that many decks may have removal to get rid of your enchantment. Just seems risky to me. Is there anything available to help protect your Phyrexian Unlife from being removed after you've gone into the negative?
November 16, 2015 3:05 p.m.
I love the deck, it's creative and awesome - the only thing I feel unsure about is the Herald of Torment , it feels a bit overwhelming..sure, it shares the theme with the deck because of the self life-loss, etc. -but in the end it's just a 3/3 flyer
What do you think about replacing it with a similarly costing Dimir Machinations ? it jives well with the forced discards etc. , and has the flexibility of being used to fetch phyrexian life in games where you direly need it but haven't got it yet.
April 4, 2016 2:24 p.m.
thijmnesoy says... #12
Axis of Mortality maybe this? and maybe Adanto Vanguard for getting rid of your lifetotal when you have Phyrexian Unlife already in play
Kryzis says... #1
Gotcha. Also, is Extirpate better as Surgical Extraction, it seems you'd want to have another place to pay life, and though extraction doesn't have split second, you can cast it for free, and catch the opponent by surprise.
May 25, 2015 12:34 p.m.