{"ops":[{"insert":"This deck is part of my personal vendetta against my least favorite character from FF13. I despise this sad child so much that all I can do is spread that hate to anyone I play EDH with. With that out of the way, here's "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hope Estheim"}},{"insert":", what he's trying to do, and what tools we're using to do it.\n\nHope's gameplan is very straightforward:\nGet Hope on the board(and keep him there)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Gain a ton of life(on your turn when possible)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Survive the chaos that ensues"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Wait until your opponents draw from empty decks"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nEasy, right? Well, there have been a LOT of cards printed that gain life and mill cards. There's also many distractions available in blue and white in the form of subthemes and generically powerful cards that might do more harm than good for your gameplan. While I doubt this list is the absolute peak optimal solution, I've put a lot of thought into it and believe it's worth sharing and discussing. I organized my cards and thoughts using the template laid out in this video and found it to be very helpful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSNV6224cHg I didn't feel like applying multiple categories, so anything that didn't fall explicitly into another category became a Plan Card and anything that fit multiple categories went to its most common use case.\n\nGame Changers - \n\nI'm not going to put too much discussion into these as they're all strong enough to be on a list of cards that determine the strength of your deck. Game Changers are good and you should want to play as many as are applicable to your deck. I avoided "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Force of Will"}},{"insert":" because I found myself not having enough blue cards when I wanted to cast it due to the amount of white cards and the lack of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brainstorm"}},{"insert":" effects in the deck. If you want to go down a bracket, I would keep "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rhystic Study"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Smothering Tithe"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cyclonic Rift"}},{"insert":" due to their overwhelming impact on most games.\n\nPlan Cards - \n\nAs mentioned previously, these are the cards that don't fall into the other categories of Card Advantage, Ramp, Targeted Disruption, or Mass Disruption. I think it's important to outline how many cards in your deck are only there to push you from neutral to winning. Separating the cards this way also makes it easier for me to identify \"win more\" cards as they share visual space with cards that actually help you win when the game is otherwise even. I outlined the gameplan earlier so we could break down this section into its component parts.\n\nGet Hope on the board(and keep him there). These are your protection spells that keep your gameplan alive through your opponents' interaction. I like where this ratio of cards is at, but you may need to add or remove some depending on your play group's level of interactivity."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dawn's Truce"}},{"insert":" - Of all the \"make your board indestructible\" cards I chose this one due to its low mana cost and the fact that it protects everything, not just creatures. You can also gift the card to a less threatening player in order to get more players on the board dealing with the current threat."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flawless Maneuver"}},{"insert":" - You had me at \"free\". In all seriousness, Hope is the most important piece as the deck doesn't have very many ways to win without him. Keeping him alive is the priority."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Restoration Magic"}},{"insert":" - One thing I haven't mentioned is that all of these cards can be used offensively to push attacks through, gain more life, and possibly win the game off of the mill that turn. This card is the best for doing that since it comes packaged with 6 life on it's highest mode. You'll use it defensively 90% of the time, but the offence case is worth noting."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swiftfoot Boots"}},{"insert":" - We're tragically in the worst color for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Commander's Plate"}},{"insert":", the Swords of X and Y give power, which shuts off some synergies in the deck, and I'd rather spend one mana for Hexproof than get Shroud from "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lightning Greaves"}},{"insert":" , but this choice is entirely up to player preference."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Gain a ton of life(on your turn when possible). Pretty straightforward, but we're a life gain deck and gaining life is what we need to do. The important part here is that Hope only triggers on OUR end phase, so off-turn life gain doesn't forward the win condition of the deck."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Continuous Effects - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cleric Class"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Doctor Strange, Surgeon"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Heron of Hope"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rhox Faithmender"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Alhammarret's Archive"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Wind Crystal"}},{"insert":" all increase your life gain effects, quickly spiraling Hope's mill effect out of control. The key with these cards is to not be greedy. If you overplay your hand, you will trigger sweepers from other players, not to mention making yourself the target of attacks. Besides "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cleric Class"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Wind Crystal"}},{"insert":" , I wouldn't play these without a way to gain life on the board. I would also only play two doublers if you're going to win that turn. "},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Key note on "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cleric Class"}},{"insert":"; do NOT level it to 2 unless you are planning to level it to 3 within one turn or you absolutely need to power to finish the game this turn. The counter effect is not optional and will kill synergies within the deck. A lot of your cards will be worse with this level active, so you want it to stay at level one for as long as possible. This is also why I don't run "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leyline of Hope"}},{"insert":". "},{"attributes":{"indent":2,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spirit Loop"}},{"insert":" - This ability stacks with Lifelink since it's not the actual keyword, and the enchantment doesn't die unless it's countered, discarded, or exiled."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Beacon of Immortality"}},{"insert":" - While the high casting cost and requirement that you already have a bunch of life may make this look like a \"win more\" card, it's actually a \"win now\" card. With Hope and any effect doubler on the field, you should win the game at the end phase after casting this card."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Angel of Destiny"}},{"insert":" - Another card that signals the end of the game coming up fast. She also represents one of the few ways to win without Hope on the board. Take note that her \"lose the game\" effect only needs her to attack, not to hit or deal damage to a player. "},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sun Droplet"}},{"insert":" - The most criminally underrated life gain card in this whole format. This card eventually erases all damage dealt to you and the effect gets completely out of hand with any life gain increaser on the board. Remember the trigger happens on each player's upkeep and it gets a counter for each damage, regardless of where it came from. "},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Claws of Gix"}},{"insert":" - This should go in the next section, but it does technically gain life, so I'll go ahead and put it here. This card is primarily used to avoid having your permanents get exiled or stolen, but it can be used after declare blockers for incidental value and during your turn if you're trying to push for game."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Survive the chaos that ensues - A harsh reality of any mill deck is that we are giving our opponents extra resources on our way to winning the game. As a lifegain deck, we're also likely to be the main attack target due to the perceived fairness of attacking the player with the most life. With this in mind, not only do we need ways to survive the onslaught, but we also have a responsibility to the table to have interaction with the graveyards since we're the ones filling them up. We don't want to be a kingmaker. The goal of this deck is to win, specifically by making all of our opponents lose. This section includes all of our protection, interaction, and life gain cards. But two of those have already been listed and one is in a later section. I'll do a general gameplay writeup at the end, but wanted to highlight this part of the strategy here."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Wait until your opponents draw from empty decks - This might sound like a passive plan, but there are several cards that help our opponents draw their last pathetic cards a little more quickly."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Delney, Streetwise Lookout"}},{"insert":" - The main reason we want to avoid extra power when possible. Not only does this give evasion to all of our unmodified creatures, but doubles the triggers of almost every creature in the deck, most notably "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hope Estheim"}},{"insert":". Important to note that lifelink is a triggered ability, but continuous effects are not. Also, any ability that says \"this only triggers once per turn\" overrules "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Delney, Streetwise Lookout"}},{"insert":" since they specifically say the ability triggers again. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Welcoming Vampire"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Enduring Innocence"}},{"insert":" will NOT trigger twice. On that note, this card will trigger the beginning of combat ability from "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Doctor Strange, Surgeon"}},{"insert":" twice since he will have 2 power when the ability initially triggers."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wizard's Staff"}},{"insert":" - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hope Estheim"}},{"insert":" is a wizard, as it turns out. Everything I said before about doubling triggers, with the additional note that prowess will also trigger twice, so be sure to calculate power correctly. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wizard's Staff"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Delney, Streetwise Lookout"}},{"insert":" do not work together very well, but you should only need one of them on the board to win the game. I would not play both at the same time unless it guaranteed a win that turn. You can wait to equip staff until after you've cast all your non-creature spells that turn to avoid the power gain and still get the double trigger since "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hope Estheim"}},{"insert":" triggers at the end of turn."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Excalibur II"}},{"insert":" - The purpose of this card is to make some lifelinker(preferably Hope) have 11+ attack so you can gain a ton of life, subsequently milling your opponent for a ton of cards. While this creates the synergy problems I mentioned earlier with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cleric Class"}},{"insert":", the payoff here is much higher than a few +1/+1 counters. Play this as soon as you get it, but don't equip it until it's big enough to matter. Represents a non-mill win condition in the form of commander damage with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hope Estheim"}},{"insert":" or just damage with anyone else."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Water Crystal"}},{"insert":" - The last way to win without the commander in play. Extremely effective early when you're not gaining much life, but would like to start the clock. Probably the worst ramp piece in the deck due to the ratio of white and blue cards, but +4 mill on a card with any other effects is good enough for me. Sometimes it's nice to just pay 6 and mill 11."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Tutors - Anything that searches cards is helping you win, or at least it should be."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nMass Disruption - \n\nAs mentioned in part 3 of our plan, we have to stay alive and interrupt graveyard shenanigans if we actually want to win instead of simply fueling the person with the most reanimation or cards with flashback to an overwhelming victory. Most of these cards are pretty familiar and one-dimensional, so I won't go into too much detail.\n\n\nOne-sided sweepers - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ajani, Strength of the Pride"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dusk // Dawn"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Battle of Bywater"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cyclonic Rift"}},{"insert":" all serve to reset our opponents' boards while leaving ours alone. This counts as both mass disruption and card advantage since we keep our cards and usually get to attack afterwards, triggering lifelink and getting those mills."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Prisons - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ghostly Prison"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Propaganda"}},{"insert":" stop us from dying to swarms. It also messes with Goad abusers since technically the opponent is unable to attack us if they choose not to pay the cost, allowing the goaded creature to go at someone else. DO NOT PLAY BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. Save one in hand unless the cost difference stops you from dying this turn cycle."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Meekstone"}},{"insert":" - An incredibly powerful card with equally incredible misplay potential. Understand, this card will paint a target on you that will not wear off until someone else tries to win the game. Do not play this card until it is keeping something locked down. Preferably whatever you lock down is enough of a threat that the rest of the table is willing to tolerate their things staying tapped until it's dealt with permanently. To be very clear, if you play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Meekstone"}},{"insert":" pre-emptively, you will almost always lose the game due to becoming everyone's target for the rest of the game."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Teferi's Protection"}},{"insert":" - More impactful than just another protection piece. This can negate a combat, flip an opponent's sweeper against them, and cause big spells to fizzle with no target."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Graveyard Hate - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Containment Priest"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sanctifier en-Vec"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scavenger Grounds"}},{"insert":" all give us ways to deal with opposing graveyards as we fill them up on the way to winning. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Containment Priest"}},{"insert":" has extra value against blink decks and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sanctifier en-Vec"}},{"insert":" can block red and black commanders to keep us out of danger."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nTargeted Disruption - \n\nCounter magic - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fierce Guardianship"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mana Drain"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Muddle the Mixture"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swan Song"}},{"insert":", and technically "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs"}},{"insert":" are there to stop cards that are too powerful to come off the stack. They key to using counter magic in commander is to properly evaluate your targets. Does this make you lose? Does it make your opponent win? Do you have another answer before it does either of those things? If you answered \"yes\" to one of the first two questions and \"no\" to the last one, fire off the counterspell."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Muddle the Mixture"}},{"insert":" can be used to find a lot of good targets, so really consider the above when deciding to counter with it."},{"attributes":{"indent":1,"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" Creature Removal - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swords to Plowshares"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Path to Exile"}},{"insert":" are probably best used on commanders since their damage isn't something you can heal away, but can also be pointed at creatures you really never want to see again."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Artifact/Enchantment Removal - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Loran of the Third Path"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Land Disruption - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Strip Mine"}},{"insert":" Able to be used again with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crucible of Worlds"}},{"insert":" if too many threatening lands are running around. I would not use this to oppress people's mana bases as they will hard target you for it. Just answer consensus threats with it."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nRamp - \n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pristine Talisman"}},{"insert":" goes crazy with a life gain increaser on the board."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Talisman of Progress"}},{"insert":" will trigger "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sun Droplet"}},{"insert":" which can be helpful if other players aren't attacking you."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crucible of Worlds"}},{"insert":" is not exactly a ramp card, but I put it here because it lets you play a land every turn if you've played a fetch this game. You can also use "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Claws of Gix"}},{"insert":" to recur \"enters play\" effects of your lands like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Meticulous Archive"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kabira Crossroads"}},{"insert":". With even just "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cleric Class"}},{"insert":", using "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Claws of Gix"}},{"insert":" to recycle "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kabira Crossroads"}},{"insert":" is worth 5 life for just one mana and a land drop you weren't using anyways. Don't sleep on it."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\nLands(40 with MDFC) - \n\nAny lower and I found myself not having the resources to compete at every stage of the game. I really wouldn't push this number lower unless you have absolutely have to as your modal lands are very strong if you don't need the land drops. This is easily the most flexible section based on player preference and budget, so as long as it produces blue and/or white, or does something very important, you can probably sub it for any of these. \n\n\nWork in progress. Writeup to come later.\n\n"}]}