This is my take on the Vizkopa Guildmage + Exquisite Blood combo. Since tappedout hasn't uploaded the picture of the guildmage yet, here is his effect:
Cost - BW
Creature - Human Wizard
1BW: Target creature gains lifelink until end of turn.
1BW: Whenever you gain life this turn, each opponent loses that much life
Activate his second ability with EB in play and either gain 1+ life or deal 1+ damage to an opponent and it set off an infinite, uncounterable combo draining your opponent to 0 life.
In my build this can be pulled off by turn 6. I have seen some decks using ramp through a combination of Farseek, Dawntreader Elk, Crypt Ghast, and/or keyrunes, quite a few trying to boost up to 8 mana for Griselbrand. I prefer, however, to go with lower cost creatures that can keep me alive long enough to pull off the combo.
I also pulled 2
Immortal Servitude
in the GTC prerelease which can reanimate the creature side of the combo, so I decided to throw them into the build along with a bunch of expendable 2 CMC creatures with beneficial effects. Here is some of the reasoning behind some of my choices:
Basilica Screecher
- if there is an option, he should be the first creature played mainly due to his extort ability since I am likely going to play another 2 cmc creature next turn. He also has a bit of a butt and evasion so a pretty good all around card. Besides, extort can set off the combo off of a Tragic Slip (5 total mana) or another creature coming in (6 mana).
Blood Artist - an obvious choice. Here is another way to set off the combo if one of my creatures dies. He also gives me an early blocker as well as benefit from throwing my other guys in front of the bus to keep me alive. He also works brilliantly with -
High Priest of Penance
- I'm not sure how well this is actually going to work, but seems pretty powerful. Pseudo-removal against aggro as well as triggering blood artist when he chumps.
Rhox Faithmender
- I haven't seen many variants using this guy, but he can lead to some ridiculous life gain & damage even without exquisite blood in play. He is a great blocker and provides me with an additional win-con and longevity.
Vampire Nighthawk - well duh. He's already a good all-around card besides going great with rhox faithmender and being a way to kick off the combo.
Obzedat, Ghost Council - not completely sure about this guy. He is obviously a great card, being overpowered for his cost, providing a life difference of at least 4 per turn and again going great with the faithmender, but his ability can't be used to set off the combo until the beginning of turn 7.
This is still a work in progress, I will be working out the kinks in the next few days before I can order all the cards. The sideboard is very tentative. I have listed most of the cards that I have ever considered for it in the maybeboard, my favorite being Tavern Swindler. With rhox faithmender in play and vizkopa guildmage's ability in effect, this has a much greater possible payout, (if you win, you net +9 life and your opponent loses 12). The coin flip is still probably too risky though.
Suggestions are of course welcome and appreciated!
