Uncle Karl Voltron Lifegain *Advice Welcome*

Commander / EDH

specter_fanatic13

Creature (26)

• 1x Bastion Protector
• 1x Blood Artist
• 1x Bloodgift Demon
• 1x Crypt Ghast
• 1x Disciple of Bolas
• 1x Divinity of Pride
• 1x Drana's Emissary
• 1x Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• 1x Knight of the White Orchid
• 1x Mother of Runes
• 1x Nyx-Fleece Ram
• 1x Obzedat, Ghost Council
• 1x Oreskos Explorer
• 1x Ranger of Eos
• 1x Recruiter of the Guard
• 1x Solemn Simulacrum
• 1x Soul Warden
• 1x Soul's Attendant
• 1x Stoneforge Mystic
• 1x Sun Titan
• 1x Sunscorch Regent
• 1x Suture Priest
• 1x Tithe Drinker
• 1x Vampire Nighthawk
• 1x Wall of Reverence
• 1x Wurmcoil Engine

Enchantment (8)

• 1x Aura of Silence
• 1x Authority of the Consuls
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Greed
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Phyrexian Reclamation
• 1x Righteous Cause
• 1x Unquestioned Authority

Land (36)

• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Fetid Heath
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Orzhov Basilica
• 10x Plains
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Scoured Barrens
• 1x Seraph Sanctuary
• 1x Shambling Vent
• 1x Springjack Pasture
• 11x Swamp
• 1x Temple of Silence
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Vault of the Archangel

Sorcery (9)

• 1x Ancient Craving
• 1x Austere Command
• 1x Black Sun's Zenith
• 1x Day of Judgment
• 1x Gift of Estates
• 1x Proclamation of Rebirth
• 1x Read the Bones
• 1x Steelshaper's Gift
• 1x Wrath of God

Instant (5)

• 1x Benevolent Offering
• 1x Orzhov Charm
• 1x Return to Dust
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Utter End

Commander (1)

Artifact (15)

• 1x Aetherflux Reservoir
• 1x Animation Module
• 1x Haunted Cloak
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Loxodon Warhammer
• 1x O-Naginata
• 1x Orzhov Keyrune
• 1x Orzhov Signet
• 1x Panharmonicon
• 1x Pristine Talisman
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots
• 1x Sword of War and Peace
• 1x Well of Lost Dreams
• 1x Whispersilk Cloak

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Maybeboard

Instant (5)

• 1x Ad Nauseam
• 1x Mortify
• 1x Path to Exile
• 1x Snuff Out
• 1x Unmake

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Austere Command
• 1x Demonic Tutor

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For anyone who'd like to give some advice,

I'm putting together a voltron Uncle Karl edh focused on using lifegain to pump Karl and then swing with a couple of equipments put on him. The issue is balancing life gain, voltron gear, protection for karl, removal, tutors, card draw, etc.

Any advice, deck lists, card advice is appreciated.

Explanations on exclusions:

I know people like to run Karl as a life drain deck, but I don't think it's the most efficent way to use him. Exsanguinate and Debt to the Deathless are good finishers, but this deck doesn't generate enough mana to make use of 'em. Sanguine Bond and Exquisite Blood also get bandied around as a wincon combo but they are both very expensive and when most people see them, they know what you are doing and tend to shut it down.

The most important 3 things are 1) getting soul sisters online. The trio of Soul's Attendant, Soul Warden, and Suture Priest are very powerful. They cost little but provide most of the counters for Karl. Mother of Runes, Proclamation of Rebirth, Sun Titan and Phyrexian Reclamation are mostly there to bring them back, with Ranger of Eos and Recruiter of the Guard to get them into your hand. While I have redundant cheap life givers, those 3 are my prime picks.

Uncle Karl is a powerful creature, but often you need to soften the enemy up before you can swing for the win. This is why I am running about 5 sweepers to deal with lots of targets and a bunch of extra mana smoothers to help make sure he can use his second ability.

Karl is usually a pretty big fattie, but he lacks evasion and protection. Most of the supporting cards are designed to give him something to get past chump blockers. O-Naginata isn't perfect, but it does give karl trample and even more heft. It will probably be the first to go. Whispersilk Cloak, Unquestioned Authority, and Sword of War and Peace are my favorites since they give Uncle Karl evasion AND protection. Loxodon Warhammer synergizes perfectly with Karl and gives him a mean hook.

I also have some backups/ shenanigan engines. Nothing quite infinite but the ability to get some value. Panharmonicon synergizes very well with Soul Sisters, giving the trio the option to put more counters on Karl via more lifegain triggers. Animation Module can basically make any amount of tokens and +1/+1 counters for Karl.

Anyway, that's all I have for my thoughts. Please let me know what you think, I can use any feedback you throw at me.

Date added	7 years
Last updated	7 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	6 - 0 Mythic Rares 36 - 0 Rares 26 - 0 Uncommons 10 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.98
Tokens	Goat 0/1 W, Servo 1/1 C, Spirit 1/1 W, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Deathtouch, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Lifelink