A few days before Standard's bans, Orzhov Lifegain was gaining more ground in the Metagame. The combination of recursive effects and Lunar Convocation put the deck in a very favorable position, and even after the format's pillars were removed, Lifegain had a very solid post-ban week with The Hobbit, proving itself a potential long-term competitor for the remainder of the season.The DecklistMaindeckOur strategy revolves around our ability to gain life to take advantage of some payoffs. Therefore, we need enablers that benefit us for executing the primary plan of playing creatures. Hinterland Sanctifier is the most basic, complemented by Aunt May as one-drops that trigger life gain effects while themselves triggering other cards with similar effects.Case of the Uneaten Feast also falls into the one-drop category, but trades the extra body for the ability to reuse creatures in the late game once solved. In the card advantage category, Haliya, Guided by Light provides more triggers and extra draws if we gain three or more life in a turn.The payoffs include distinct effects. The most classic are Amalia Benavides Aguirre and Starscape Cleric, which increase board pressure or drain the opponent's life with each life gain trigger. Moseo, Vein's New Dean was the biggest benefit to the archetype in recent years, reusing creatures as they are destroyed, while also being a two-for-one when it enters.Players overlooked Lunar Convocation for quite some time, but this version does an excellent job of turning it into a mix of card advantage source and Bitterblossom. If we have any instance of life gain in the turn, we just need to activate its ability and pay life to draw a card, then in the end step, create a 1/1 token that will trigger the other cards.Voice of Victory shuts down the opponent's interaction on your turn, but its main role in the list is to create two tokens on each attack, triggering our other cards twice at no extra cost beyond the combat phase.Deep-Cavern Bat provides another instance of life gain on attack while delaying the opponent by a turn, removing a key piece or removal spell, while also triggering Zoraline, Cosmos Caller, our complementary option for returning creatures to the battlefield.For board interaction, Emptiness triggers our cards twice if we pay two white mana, or handles smaller threats for two black mana. In the late game, we take advantage of both effects combined with another body on board, although 3/5 is virtually irrelevant in many cases.Erode deals with any threat at the lowest possible cost. The extra land matters in some matches, but we need ways to answer problems when our clock is not enough.Dalkovan Encampment turns any creature into a half-Voice of Victory when attacking, guaranteeing two more life gain triggers and a bit more pressure on board.SideboardRequiting Hex is essential in the mirror and against Aggro decks. It can come in against Dragons if we want to hold off Momo, Friendly Flier and Sarkhan. Pyrrhic Strike can handle larger creatures in a slot that also deals with artifacts and enchantments, adding flexibility. We have no trouble paying the Blight cost for either card.We have a poor matchup against Reanimator, and a full set of Leyline of the Void becomes our best tool to establish a setup without losing on turn four. We complement the combo hate with Ancient Vendetta to remove Superior Spider-Man or even as a targeted card to handle Jeskai Revelation in Control matches.Strategic Betrayal also works as graveyard hate, but it is exceptional against Spellementals and Dimir Excruciator.Clarion Conqueror shuts down Planeswalkers and mana abilities, while also being a powerful piece against Simulacrum Synthesizer decks. It was more important before, but it still deserves some slots. Cathar Commando answers artifacts and enchantments while pressuring the opponent and generating more life gain triggers with the other cards.Finally, Decorum Dissertation is a recurring card advantage source whose drawback is easy to work around with our list.Sideboard GuideMono Green LandfallINOUTDimir MidrangeINOUTJeskai/Four-Color ControlINOUTSultai ReanimatorINOUTOrzhov LifegainINOUTWrapping UpThat's all for today!If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!Thanks for reading!
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