How to Play Betor, Ancestor's Voice Lifegain in Commander

Bracket 3 · Our Betor, Ancestor's Voice decklist · Lifegain

Our Betor list is Abzan life gain and life loss. Betor turns life gained into +1/+1 counters and life lost into reanimation, every end step.

The deck gains life with Soul Warden, Archangel of Thune and Rhox Faithmender, pays life with Dark Confidant, Bolas's Citadel and Vilis, and drains the table with Sanguine Bond and Vito.

Strategy
Lifegain
Bracket
3
Avg. mana value
2.95
Lands
34
Shop the deck · $45See the decklist

01The Commander

Betor, Ancestor's Voice is a five-mana Spirit Dragon with flying and lifelink.

At the beginning of your end step, put +1/+1 counters on up to one other creature you control equal to the life you gained this turn. Then return a creature card with mana value up to the life you lost this turn from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Both halves care about the same turn, so a turn where you gain and lose life gives you a big creature and a free reanimation.

02How This Deck Wins

  1. 1

    Gain and lose life

    Soul Warden, Essence Warden and lifelinkers gain life, while Dark Confidant, Phyrexian Arena and Bolas's Citadel pay it.

  2. 2

    Grow and reanimate

    Betor, Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn and Archangel of Thune turn life gain into counters, and Betor returns creatures from the graveyard.

  3. 3

    Drain the table

    Sanguine Bond, Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose and Enduring Tenacity make every point of life gain hit an opponent.

03Deck at a Glance

Bracket 3 · Lifegain · 100 cards

Composition

  • Commander1
  • Creatures35
  • Instants & sorceries16
  • Artifacts & enchantments14
  • Planeswalkers0
  • Lands34
  • Tokens4

Mana Curve

00
131
182
163
64
55
46
37+

Color Split

89colored
symbols
  • White 29%
  • Black 45%
  • Green 26%

By the Numbers

2.95avg. mana value
34lands (11 basic)
1Game Changer
4token types included

Cards by Role

Life Gain Engines17
Life Loss for Value17
Drain Payoffs6
Recursion8
Removal and Mana17

04Life Gain Engines

Gain life every turn to grow your creatures.

Archangel of ThuneA +1/+1 counter on each creature you control whenever you gain life.
Rhox FaithmenderDoubles all your life gain.
Soul WardenGain 1 life whenever any creature enters.
Lathiel, the Bounteous DawnSpreads counters equal to your life gained at each end step.
Heliod, Sun-CrownedA counter whenever you gain life, and gives lifelink.

Also in this role

Essence Warden
Soul's Attendant
Authority of the Consuls
Serra Ascendant
Envoy of the Ancestors
Exemplar of Light
Dragonlord Dromoka
Celestine, the Living Saint
Children of Korlis
Haywire Mite
Beledros Witherbloom
Kami of Whispered Hopes

05Life Loss for Value

Losing life sets up Betor's reanimation.

Bolas's CitadelCast spells off the top of your library by paying life.
Vilis, Broker of BloodDraw a card for every point of life you lose.
Dark ConfidantDraws an extra card every upkeep at the cost of life.
Phyrexian ArenaAn extra card and 1 life lost every upkeep.
Niv-Mizzet, Ghost CounselPay life equal to life gained to draw that many cards.

Also in this role

Darkstar Augur
Doom Whisperer
Sylvan Library
Black Market Connections
Ripples of Undeath
Scheming Silvertongue
Staff of Compleation
Terrasymbiosis
Talisman of Hierarchy
Talisman of Resilience
Talisman of Unity
Elves of Deep Shadow

06Drain Payoffs

Turn life gain into damage.

Sanguine BondAn opponent loses life whenever you gain life.
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk RoseSame drain on a creature, and gives your team lifelink.
Enduring TenacityDrains on life gain and returns as an enchantment when it dies.
Bloodthirsty ConquerorGain life whenever an opponent loses life.
Moseo, Vein's New DeanReanimates at end step after you gain life.

Also in this role

Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar

07Recursion

Fill the graveyard and bring threats back.

Eerie UltimatumReturns any number of permanents with different names.
ReanimateOne mana to return any creature, and the life loss sets up Betor.
Buried AlivePuts three creatures in your graveyard for Betor to return.
Priest of Fell RitesPay 3 life to reanimate a creature.
Eternal WitnessReturns any card to your hand.

Also in this role

Disciple of Freyalise
Selfless Spirit
Witch Enchanter

08Removal and Mana

Abzan answers and ramp.

Swords to PlowsharesOne-mana creature removal.
Assassin's TrophyDestroys any opponent's permanent.
Anguished UnmakingExiles any nonland permanent, and the life loss helps Betor.
Toxic DelugeA wipe that also sets up a big reanimation.
Heroic InterventionSaves your board from a wipe.

Also in this role

Path to Exile
Infernal Grasp
Bitter Triumph
Fell the Profane
Feed the Swarm
Birds of Paradise
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Sol Ring
Arcane Signet
Cultivate
Farseek
Nature's Lore

09Combos and Key Interactions

+

Sanguine Bond + Archangel of Thune

Each life gain drains an opponent and grows your whole team.

+

Bolas's Citadel + Betor, Ancestor's Voice

Pay life to cast spells, then Betor reanimates a creature with mana value up to the life you lost.

+

Rhox Faithmender + Soul Warden

Every creature that enters gains you 2 life, doubling Betor's counters.

10How to Play

Opening hand

Keep hands with three lands, a mana creature or rock, and a cheap life-gain or card-draw piece.

1

Early gameturns 1-3

Play Soul Warden, Essence Warden and Dark Confidant, and ramp with Birds of Paradise.

2

Mid gameturns 4-7

Cast Betor and add Archangel of Thune, Sanguine Bond or Phyrexian Arena.

3

Late gameturn 8+

Gain and lose life every turn so Betor grows a threat and reanimates your best creature each end step.

Tips

  • Betor counts both life gained and life lost during the same turn.
  • Paying life for Toxic Deluge or Bolas's Citadel raises Betor's reanimation limit.
  • Betor's counters go on another creature, not Betor.
  • Kami of Whispered Hopes adds one to every counter placement.

Common mistakes

  • Paying too much life with Citadel, Arena and Dark Confidant at once.
  • Forgetting to target a creature with Betor's counters.
  • Casting Toxic Deluge for more than you need.
  • Leaving the graveyard empty when Betor could reanimate.

Watch out for

  • Effects that stop life gain.
  • Graveyard hate.
  • Aggressive decks when your life is low.
  • Removal on Archangel of Thune or Sanguine Bond.

11Bracket and Rule 0

1Exhibition
2Core
3Upgraded
4Optimized
5cEDH
Bracket3

Our list runs 1 Game Changer (Bolas's Citadel), within the Bracket 3 limit of three.

The deck wins through counters, recursion and drain, and has no two-card infinite combos.

12Full Decklist

Every card in our Betor, Ancestor's Voice proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.

Commander

  • 1Betor, Ancestor's Voice2WBG

Creatures (35)

  • 1Birds of ParadiseG
  • 1Children of KorlisW
  • 1Elves of Deep ShadowG
  • 1Essence WardenG
  • 1Haywire Mite1
  • 1Serra AscendantW
  • 1Soul WardenW
  • 1Soul's AttendantW
  • 1Dark Confidant1B
  • 1Priest of Fell RitesWB
  • 1Sakura-Tribe Elder1G
  • 1Scheming Silvertongue1B
  • 1Selfless Spirit1W
  • 1Darkstar Augur2B
  • 1Envoy of the Ancestors2W
  • 1Eternal Witness1GG
  • 1Heliod, Sun-Crowned2W
  • 1Kami of Whispered Hopes2G
  • 1Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar1GW
  • 1Moseo, Vein's New Dean2B
  • 1Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose2B
  • 1Enduring Tenacity2BB
  • 1Exemplar of Light2WW
  • 1Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn2GW
  • 1Rhox Faithmender3W
  • 1Witch Enchanter3W
  • 1Archangel of Thune3WW
  • 1Bloodthirsty Conqueror3BB
  • 1Celestine, the Living Saint4W
  • 1Doom Whisperer3BB
  • 1Disciple of Freyalise3GGG
  • 1Dragonlord Dromoka4GW
  • 1Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel2WWBB
  • 1Beledros Witherbloom5BG
  • 1Vilis, Broker of Blood5BBB

Instants (8)

  • 1Path to ExileW
  • 1Swords to PlowsharesW
  • 1Assassin's TrophyBG
  • 1Bitter Triumph1B
  • 1Heroic Intervention1G
  • 1Infernal Grasp1B
  • 1Anguished Unmaking1WB
  • 1Fell the Profane2BB

Sorceries (8)

  • 1ReanimateB
  • 1Farseek1G
  • 1Feed the Swarm1B
  • 1Nature's Lore1G
  • 1Buried Alive2B
  • 1Cultivate2G
  • 1Toxic Deluge2B
  • 1Eerie UltimatumWWBBBGG

Artifacts (7)

  • 1Sol Ring1
  • 1Arcane Signet2
  • 1Talisman of Hierarchy2
  • 1Talisman of Resilience2
  • 1Talisman of Unity2
  • 1Staff of Compleation3
  • 1Bolas's Citadel3BBB

Enchantments (7)

  • 1Authority of the ConsulsW
  • 1Ripples of Undeath1B
  • 1Sylvan Library1G
  • 1Black Market Connections2B
  • 1Phyrexian Arena1BB
  • 1Terrasymbiosis2G
  • 1Sanguine Bond3BB

Lands (34)

  • 1Bojuka Bog
  • 1Brushland
  • 1Caves of Koilos
  • 1City of Brass
  • 1Command Tower
  • 1Exotic Orchard
  • 3Forest
  • 1Godless Shrine
  • 1Indatha Triome
  • 1Isolated Chapel
  • 1Llanowar Wastes
  • 1Lush Portico
  • 1Marsh Flats
  • 1Nurturing Peatland
  • 1Overgrown Farmland
  • 1Overgrown Tomb
  • 4Plains
  • 1Sandsteppe Citadel
  • 1Sunpetal Grove
  • 4Swamp
  • 1Temple Garden
  • 1Undergrowth Stadium
  • 1Vault of the Archangel
  • 1Verdant Catacombs
  • 1Windswept Heath
  • 1Woodland Cemetery
Betor, Ancestor's Voice proxy deck cover

Get the deck

Betor, Ancestor's Voice Lifegain proxy deck

Betor turns every swing in your life total into value. Gain, lose, grow, and reanimate.

Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.

Shop the deck · $45

Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.