Overview:

This Abzan lifegain/drain deck revolves around Betor, Ancestor's Voice, leveraging life manipulation to fuel +1/+1 counters and reanimation. The primary strategy focuses on incremental life gain through cards like Soul Warden, Ajani's Welcome, and Rhox Faithmender, amplified by payoff engines like Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, Sanguine Bond, and Dina, Soul Steeper to drain opponents. Secondary themes include +1/+1 counter synergies (Corpsejack Menace, Stalwart Successor) and big X-spell finishers (Exsanguinate, Debt to the Deathless). Betor acts as a critical engine, enabling both board development and recursion, but the deck can function without it using its standalone lifegain payoffs.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-4): Deploy lifegain enablers (Soul Warden, Ajani's Welcome) and ramp (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet). Use Blind Obedience to slow opponents.
2. Midgame Value (Turns 4-6): Resolve key payoffs like Vito, Sanguine Bond, or Rhox Faithmender. Activate Betor’s end-step triggers to distribute counters or reanimate creatures like Gray Merchant of Asphodel.
3. Win Conditions (Turns 6+):
   • Drain: Multiply lifegain with Vito/Sanguine Bond and burst lifegain via Exsanguinate or Revival // Revenge.
   • X-Spells: Close games with Debt to the Deathless or Bolas's Citadel.
   • Counters: Overwhelm with Corpsejack Menace-boosted creatures.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 3 lands (including color fixing), at least 1 ramp artifact, and 1 lifegain engine or payoff.
• Prioritize Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Soul Warden, or Dina.
• Avoid hands lacking early plays or color sources.

Key Tips:

• Use Vizkopa Guildmage’s second ability to turn lifegain into direct damage.
• Rhox Faithmender doubles life totals for Betor’s counter distribution.
• Sacrifice creatures to Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim for removal or to trigger Blood Artist.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Slow mana base (12+ tapped lands) delays key plays.
• Relies heavily on enchantments (Sanguine Bond, Blind Obedience) with limited protection.

Moderate

• Minimal graveyard recursion outside Betor.
• Struggles against fast combo decks due to low interaction density.

Minor

• Vulnerable to flyers without consistent deathtouch/blockers.
• Life-payment effects (Bolas's Citadel, Greed) risk self-damage.

Most Important Cards:

• Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose (Primary drain payoff)
• Sanguine Bond (Doubles lifegain damage)
• Rhox Faithmender (Lifegain multiplier)
• Exsanguinate (Game-ending X-spell)
• Corpsejack Menace (Counter synergy enabler)
• Gray Merchant of Asphodel (Recurring drain threat)
• Bolas's Citadel (Unrestricted card advantage)
• Kaya's Wrath (Board wipe with lifegain)
• Blind Obedience (Stax effect + extort)
• Diabolic Tutor (Key consistency tool)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10

• Wins typically around turns 8-10 via incremental drain or X-spells. Lacks fast combos.

Resilience: 6/10

• Multiple redundant lifegain payoffs but fragile to enchantment removal. Limited protection for key pieces.

Consistency: 6/10

• Moderate card draw (Phyrexian Arena, Well of Lost Dreams) and few tutors beyond Diabolic Tutor.

Interaction: 5/10

• Spot removal (Swords to Plowshares, Utter End) and board wipes, but minimal counterspells or stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a Casual/Precon level with focused lifegain synergies but lacks the speed and resilience of optimized builds. Its T8-10 win potential via drain effects and X-spells aligns with the 4.0-4.5 range, hindered by a slow mana base and reliance on vulnerable enchantments.

Power level: 4.0 - 4.5