Retrograded Convalescence

Legacy Aikido Combo WB (Orzhov)

Balaam__

Land (20)

• 2x Brightclimb Pathway  ^Flip
• 4x Godless Shrine
• 2x Isolated Chapel
• 4x Plains
• 4x Scrubland
• 4x Swamp

Instant (20)

• 4x Enlightened Tutor
• 4x Entomb
• 4x Ephemerate
• 4x False Cure
• 4x Swords to Plowshares

Enchantment (12)

• 4x Animate Dead
• 4x Dance of the Dead
• 4x Tainted Remedy

Creature (8)

• 4x Laquatus's Champion
• 4x Wall of Shards

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Sideboard

Instant (7)

• 4x Dismember
• 3x Surgical Extraction

Sorcery (8)

• 4x Inquisition of Kozilek
• 4x Thoughtseize

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Maybeboard

Creature (4)

• 4x Soul Scourge

Sorcery (4)

• 4x Death Wish

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While working on a Black/Green deck with Tainted Remedy as it’s centerpiece, I happened upon a handful of white cards that seemed to synchronize rather well with what I was trying to accomplish. With each one eliciting a “Too bad it’s off color” reaction, after a while I decided to just build a Black/White variation of the same deck. Here’s what I ended up with.

The Mana Base

Standard fare here, nothing too outlandish. We need Black, and to a lesser degree White; some basics, fetches and duals are all we require.

•The journey of one aspiring to learn forbidden arts begins in the foul and brackish waters of the Swamp . Traversing the festering mire, one shall eventually reach the rolling hillocks of the Plains . From there, one sojourns ever upward, scaling the Brightclimb Pathway  . As the very life drains from the land and a once effulgent road transitions to a Grimclimb Pathway , one is reminded of the malevolent intent of the journey. Reaching the Isolated Chapel , parsonage of heathens ordained to minister at the Godless Shrine , the expanse stretches out before you as an endless Scrubland ...

Some Assembly Required

We’re looking to already have specific cards in hand, ideally by Turns 2 and 3. It doesn’t always happen of course, but ‘best laid plans’ and all that.

• Enlightened Tutor will set us up with our key card, Tainted Remedy . Use it just prior to Turn 3 and you’re golden. This tutor can also be used to locate a reanimation spell to cheat in the pricier of our two creatures.

• Entomb will find either creature in the deck and tuck them safely in the graveyard until called for.

• Animate Dead and Dance of the Dead , when combo’d off Entomb , will disinter said creatures. Why these specific spells, over say Exhume or Reanimate ? It’s all about the fine print. Each of the necromantic antics has its own particular drawback. Since neither of our creatures need to tap for any reason, it doesn’t matter that Dance of the Dead causes them to enter tapped. Since we’re going to be deliberately blinking/removing/returning one creature, while the other is a wall, Animate Dead ’s -1 to power downside is immaterial. Compared to the drawbacks of Exhume or Reanimate , the other spells are preferred.

The Soft Cell

Life gain is a thing, and it can be frustrating. Blood Artist decks abound; Zulaport Cutthroat + Kalastria Healer combos are abundant; Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond can be demoralizing. There’s no better feeling in the world than letting the opponent do all the work for you while you play a single card to completely reverse their fortunes.

• Wall of Shards is an ideal Turn 2 play. The initial life gained by the opponent through our wall’s cumulative upkeep cost is negligible at best, but we absolutely want to play this card as early as possible. The benefit is twofold; for one, we gain a very durable blocker that’s extremely effective in the early game. An 8 Toughness flying blocker for two mana? Yes, please. The second reason it’s imperative to play it early is that we want that cumulative upkeep cost ramping up as fast as possible. In just a handful of turns we’ll be turning any elated laughter at heavy life gain into the anguish of despair as life points hemorrhage.

• Tainted Remedy is the lynchpin of the deck and we aim to have it hit the table Turn 3. Once cast, every point of life the opposing player gains will be just another nail in their coffin.

• False Cure is a backup. The enchantment is prone to removal, and while we come fully loaded at 4 copies... Surgical Extraction and Extirpate exist. Better to have a contingency plan than be caught off guard. A word of warning: If Tainted Remedy is in play, False Cure is useless. Just hang onto it.

Gain & Pain

Sometimes you just can’t count on anyone, and if you want something done right you’ve got to do it yourself.

•Remember Wall of Shards ? Time to reap the windfall. By now the cumulative upkeep should be getting out of hand, guaranteeing massive life gain (loss?) for our opponent.

• Laquatus's Champion is our finisher. Entomb him; Reanimate him; Blink him. Each time he enters or leaves the battlefield he will carve chunks out of the opponent’s life total.

• Swords to Plowshares can wear many hats. Use it early game to remove an imminent threat; play it after Tainted Remedy is afield to remove an opposing creature, draining life in the process; target your own creature in a pinch to gain a chunk of life back, knowing you can cast another to replace it with minimal effort.

TL;DR

•Cast Wall of Shards as soon as possible.

•Cast Tainted Remedy .

• Entomb and reanimate Laquatus's Champion , then blink him repeatedly using Ephemerate .

•Cast Swords to Plowshares if necessary.

The Sideboard

I only recently built this deck so for now I’ve just cobbled together a makeshift sideboard. I’m open to suggestions, but I will not be including cards like Refreshing Rain or Reverent Silence . I’m aware of their potential, but as I said earlier I’m also working on a Black/Green variation of this deck. I’m not interested in cross contaminating, so to speak.

”...for you will die; you will not recover.”

Date added	3 years
Last updated	3 years
Key combos	Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond
Legality	This deck is Legacy legal.
Rarity (main - side)	36 - 7 Rares 12 - 8 Uncommons 4 - 0 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.10
Folders	Legacy, Legacy Decks