Lifegain spells are one of the most consistently bad archetypes in Magic. From Whitesun's Passage to Sunspring Expedition, your one-time-use spells that say "Gain X life" are almost always at the bottom of the pick order. It's because gaining life doesn't effect the control of the board at all. Some creatures can block, some can attack. Some spells take out enemy creatures, others make yours evasive. Lifegain, besides the occasional save against an aggro or burn deck, doesn't do much. But there's still a point where a lifegain spell would be totally a first pick. "1W: Gain 5 life" obviously isn't playable, but "1W: Gain 500 Life" is just as obviously broken. So where's the sweet spot for a vanilla lifegain spell where it'd be a solid pick in draft without being too overpowered?
No cantrips or other special bonuses allowed: just pay X mana, gain Y life.
Some Solid Lifegain X
[Instant or Sorcery] Common
You gain Y life.
Fill in the blanks. all X's and Y's approximate. Metagames may vary.
I do not think you can make a generic life gain spell that is a reasonably high pick and is not overpowered against certain aggressive decks. For example, I probably wouldn't play an instant that reads "W: Gain 10 life" in my deck, but at the same time, such spells would render RDW-strategies obsolete.
The Reason Lifegain is not good is because it is not a win condition. Cards that don't help you to a win condition are just preventing the in-evadable. Counters and removal against aggressive decks work because they actually deal with the threat instead of slowing it down. Lifegain will never win you a game (except with Felidar Sovereign etc.)
Indeed. The only way Lifegain is REMOTELY viable is if:
a.) It happens more than one shot, and,
b.) You gain an additional benefits from the life, either be it the life itself, or for the life trigger.
Soul Sisters has taught us that life gain CAN be relevant, but it needs a reason.
I have a modified Soul Sisters deck that uses Serra Ascendant, Sun Titan, and Ajani's Pridemate in addition to Felidar Sovereign. I almost always win with the beaters as opposed to the Sovereign. That said, I'm able to get the beaters because two of them take advantage of the life gain, and the life I am gaining allows me to stall.
I don't actually use any "vanilla" life gain cards, though. =/
I am kind of amazed at [...] the fact that somebody on this thread called Mind's Eye, Mirari's Wake, Decree of Pain, Desertion, AND Scroll Rack, all before they were officially spoiled. I will edit this post VERY shortly with the username of this user who deserves at least all of the cookies. Probably more cookies than that.
I'd like to add that life gain onto another ability can sometimes be nice. Lightning Helix was great in Ravnica block
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Originally Posted by Massive Marc
You know back in the old days, when there wasn't EDH, these "griefer" cards in decks were the norm. If you played a Winter Orb when you're opponents were tapped out, it was a good play. Now, you get people tell you they wanna punch you ? It's really sad how carebare this format is, to the point that some loser has to rip up your cards.
Frankly, I think one of the problems with life gain is more the fact that life isn't used as a resource by its main provider. What I mean is something like this, to use a card example:
Vital Power (Rare)
4WW
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may gain 10 life.
Pay 20 life: Target creature gets +5/+5 and gains flying and vigilance until end of turn.
^ Yes, using life is something we've been led to believe as black, but what about sharing your power with others? Seems like a selfless/white thing to me.
Martyr's Will 3WWW
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a player casts a spell, any player may life equal to the converted mana cost of that spell. If a player does, counter that spell.
Frankly, I think one of the problems with life gain is more the fact that life isn't used as a resource by its main provider. What I mean is something like this, to use a card example:
Vital Power (Rare)
4WW
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may gain 10 life.
Pay 20 life: Target creature gets +5/+5 and gains flying and vigilance until end of turn.
^ Yes, using life is something we've been led to believe as black, but what about sharing your power with others? Seems like a selfless/white thing to me.
Hmmm...
Spending Life is still pretty black...I wonder if one adds a life threshold (Can't activate if you have less than, say, 20 life, as over 20, it's more than you naturally have, or something.) Then lower the lifegain, and the payout.
No cantrips or other special bonuses allowed: just pay X mana, gain Y life.
Some Solid Lifegain X
[Instant or Sorcery] Common
You gain Y life.
Fill in the blanks.
all X's and Y's approximate. Metagames may vary.
a.) It happens more than one shot, and,
b.) You gain an additional benefits from the life, either be it the life itself, or for the life trigger.
Soul Sisters has taught us that life gain CAN be relevant, but it needs a reason.
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
I don't actually use any "vanilla" life gain cards, though. =/
Commanders:
Basandra, Battle Seraph | Diaochan, Artful Beauty | Mayael the Anima | Nath of the Gilt Leaf | Oona, Queen of the Fae | Raksha Golden Cub | Rayne, Academy Chancellor | Roon of the Hidden Realm
You know back in the old days, when there wasn't EDH, these "griefer" cards in decks were the norm. If you played a Winter Orb when you're opponents were tapped out, it was a good play. Now, you get people tell you they wanna punch you ? It's really sad how carebare this format is, to the point that some loser has to rip up your cards.
Vital Power (Rare)
4WW
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may gain 10 life.
Pay 20 life: Target creature gets +5/+5 and gains flying and vigilance until end of turn.
^ Yes, using life is something we've been led to believe as black, but what about sharing your power with others? Seems like a selfless/white thing to me.
Past Ruminations
Links are broken, will fix in near future.
- Kaladesh
- Zendikar
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Alara Reborn
- Innistrad <- Personal Favorite
- Dark Ascension
- Avacyn Restored
- Theros
- Return to Ravnica
- Tarkir
Martyr's Will 3WWW
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a player casts a spell, any player may life equal to the converted mana cost of that spell. If a player does, counter that spell.
Hmmm...
Spending Life is still pretty black...I wonder if one adds a life threshold (Can't activate if you have less than, say, 20 life, as over 20, it's more than you naturally have, or something.) Then lower the lifegain, and the payout.
Just my 2 cents.
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!