Pay in Blood

core

Life is your mana. Lifelink refills the tank so you can keep paying eight or nine life a spell.

Pay life×1Lifegain×0.8Drain×0.5

Sets your commander and theme, then adds about 25 cards that fit plus 20 lands. You fill in the rest.

High Impact Cards

5 picks from the top 40 of 495 cards that fit

View All High Impact Cards

Pay life
EDHREC #1,235 · $3.48 · art Immanuela Crovius
LifegainDrain
EDHREC #277 · $0.30 · art Carl Critchlow
DrainLifegain
EDHREC #505 · $5.26 · art Jaime Jones
Pay lifeDrain
EDHREC #271 · $9.26
Pay lifeLifegain
EDHREC #1,077 · $1.11 · art Chase Stone

Candidate pool (score = fit × commander × quality × popularity × art)

#	card	score	fit	cmd	q	pop	art	rank	matched
1	Sorin the Mirthless	1.491	0.63	1.08	0.85	2.08	1.35	8100	Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
2	Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath	1.385	0.73	1.11	0.70	2.15	1.35	9658	Lifegain, Drain, Pay life
3	Preacher of the Schism	1.131	0.47	1.21	0.85	1.87	1.35	4697	Lifegain, Pay life
4	Necropotence	1.086	0.90	1.11	0.85	1.23	1.13	518	Pay life
5	Professor Onyx	0.852	0.78	1.08	0.68	1.60	1.13	2403	Lifegain, Drain, Pay life
6	Meathook Massacre II	0.842	0.50	1.10	0.85	1.73	1.13	3058	Pay life
7	The Speed Demon	0.836	0.57	1.11	0.70	1.99	1.13	6339	Pay life, Drain
8	Tivash, Gloom Summoner	0.823	0.81	1.24	0.60	1.76	1.00	10883	Lifegain, Pay life
9	Ad Nauseam	0.811	0.80	1.10	0.65	1.40	1.25	1352	Pay life
10	Sheoldred, the Apocalypse	0.803	0.62	1.20	0.93	1.20	1.00	460	Lifegain, Drain
11	K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth	0.797	1.06	1.12	0.60	1.28	1.13	1077	Pay life, Lifegain
12	Revenge of Ravens	0.786	0.55	1.07	0.70	1.71	1.35	2871	Lifegain, Drain
13	Bolas's Citadel	0.786	1.00	1.12	0.75	1.08	1.00	271	Pay life, Drain
14	Vein Ripper	0.752	0.50	1.07	0.72	1.69	1.35	2732	Lifegain, Drain
15	Doom Whisperer	0.738	0.60	1.14	0.78	1.57	1.00	1851	Pay life
16	Dread Presence	0.702	0.60	1.08	0.75	1.67	1.00	2578	Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
17	Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber	0.701	0.57	1.23	0.70	1.71	1.00	2892	Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
18	Aetherflux Reservoir	0.680	0.94	1.23	0.65	1.13	1.00	370	Lifegain, Pay life
19	Vilis, Broker of Blood	0.646	0.60	1.33	0.60	1.29	1.35	1121	Pay life
20	Batterskull	0.622	0.31	1.07	0.92	1.90	1.13	4993	Lifegain
21	Falkenrath Noble	0.615	0.50	1.07	0.80	1.59	1.00	2018	Lifegain, Drain
22	Gwenom, Remorseless	0.613	0.80	1.13	0.60	1.46	1.00	2779	Pay life, Lifegain
23	Phyrexian Processor	0.611	0.70	1.10	0.60	1.70	1.00	8501	Pay life
24	Tenacious Underdog	0.582	0.40	1.07	0.72	2.22	1.00	11419	Pay life
25	Kokusho, the Evening Star	0.581	0.50	1.07	0.70	1.63	1.13	2286	Lifegain, Drain
26	M.O.D.O.K.	0.573	0.66	1.10	0.60	1.69	1.00	8183	Pay life, Lifegain
27	Palace Siege	0.573	0.47	1.07	0.70	1.96	1.00	5867	Lifegain, Drain
28	Exsanguinate	0.567	0.59	1.07	0.72	1.09	1.35	277	Lifegain, Drain
29	Murderous Rider // Swift End	0.561	0.42	1.08	0.80	1.54	1.13	1670	Lifegain, Pay life
30	Arguel's Blood Fast // Temple of Aclazotz	0.559	0.76	1.12	0.50	1.37	1.35	8431	Pay life, Lifegain
31	Lorcan, Warlock Collector	0.559	0.60	1.12	0.60	1.79	1.00	12156	Pay life
32	Graveyard Trespasser // Graveyard Glutton	0.556	0.41	1.12	0.65	2.11	1.10	16749	Lifegain, Drain
33	Bloodthirsty Conqueror	0.553	0.59	1.20	0.70	1.34	1.00	829	Lifegain, Drain
34	Sling-Gang Lieutenant	0.536	0.35	1.07	0.75	1.96	1.13	5948	Lifegain, Drain
35	Gray Merchant of Asphodel	0.533	0.58	1.07	0.80	1.06	1.13	245	Lifegain, Drain
36	Valley Rotcaller	0.524	0.50	1.07	0.70	1.66	1.00	2492	Lifegain, Drain
37	Sanguine Bond	0.524	0.45	1.20	0.70	1.22	1.35	505	Drain, Lifegain
38	Dark Confidant	0.523	0.60	1.10	0.65	1.37	1.10	1235	Pay life
39	Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor	0.523	0.50	1.12	0.70	1.59	1.00	1999	Pay life
40	Epicure of Blood	0.517	0.42	1.20	0.60	1.65	1.35	6974	Drain, Lifegain

Scoring cards for this theme…

Candidate pool (score = fit × commander × quality × popularity × art)

#	card	score	fit	cmd	q	pop	art	rank	matched
1	Sorin the Mirthless	1.491	0.63	1.08	0.85	2.08	1.35	8100	Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
2	Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath	1.385	0.73	1.11	0.70	2.15	1.35	9658	Lifegain, Drain, Pay life
3	Preacher of the Schism	1.131	0.47	1.21	0.85	1.87	1.35	4697	Lifegain, Pay life
4	Necropotence	1.086	0.90	1.11	0.85	1.23	1.13	518	Pay life
5	Professor Onyx	0.852	0.78	1.08	0.68	1.60	1.13	2403	Lifegain, Drain, Pay life
6	Meathook Massacre II	0.842	0.50	1.10	0.85	1.73	1.13	3058	Pay life
7	The Speed Demon	0.836	0.57	1.11	0.70	1.99	1.13	6339	Pay life, Drain
8	Tivash, Gloom Summoner	0.823	0.81	1.24	0.60	1.76	1.00	10883	Lifegain, Pay life
9	Ad Nauseam	0.811	0.80	1.10	0.65	1.40	1.25	1352	Pay life
10	Sheoldred, the Apocalypse	0.803	0.62	1.20	0.93	1.20	1.00	460	Lifegain, Drain
11	K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth	0.797	1.06	1.12	0.60	1.28	1.13	1077	Pay life, Lifegain
12	Revenge of Ravens	0.786	0.55	1.07	0.70	1.71	1.35	2871	Lifegain, Drain
13	Bolas's Citadel	0.786	1.00	1.12	0.75	1.08	1.00	271	Pay life, Drain
14	Vein Ripper	0.752	0.50	1.07	0.72	1.69	1.35	2732	Lifegain, Drain
15	Doom Whisperer	0.738	0.60	1.14	0.78	1.57	1.00	1851	Pay life
16	Dread Presence	0.702	0.60	1.08	0.75	1.67	1.00	2578	Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
17	Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber	0.701	0.57	1.23	0.70	1.71	1.00	2892	Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
18	Aetherflux Reservoir	0.680	0.94	1.23	0.65	1.13	1.00	370	Lifegain, Pay life
19	Vilis, Broker of Blood	0.646	0.60	1.33	0.60	1.29	1.35	1121	Pay life
20	Batterskull	0.622	0.31	1.07	0.92	1.90	1.13	4993	Lifegain
21	Falkenrath Noble	0.615	0.50	1.07	0.80	1.59	1.00	2018	Lifegain, Drain
22	Gwenom, Remorseless	0.613	0.80	1.13	0.60	1.46	1.00	2779	Pay life, Lifegain
23	Phyrexian Processor	0.611	0.70	1.10	0.60	1.70	1.00	8501	Pay life
24	Tenacious Underdog	0.582	0.40	1.07	0.72	2.22	1.00	11419	Pay life
25	Kokusho, the Evening Star	0.581	0.50	1.07	0.70	1.63	1.13	2286	Lifegain, Drain
26	M.O.D.O.K.	0.573	0.66	1.10	0.60	1.69	1.00	8183	Pay life, Lifegain
27	Palace Siege	0.573	0.47	1.07	0.70	1.96	1.00	5867	Lifegain, Drain
28	Exsanguinate	0.567	0.59	1.07	0.72	1.09	1.35	277	Lifegain, Drain
29	Murderous Rider // Swift End	0.561	0.42	1.08	0.80	1.54	1.13	1670	Lifegain, Pay life
30	Arguel's Blood Fast // Temple of Aclazotz	0.559	0.76	1.12	0.50	1.37	1.35	8431	Pay life, Lifegain
31	Lorcan, Warlock Collector	0.559	0.60	1.12	0.60	1.79	1.00	12156	Pay life
32	Graveyard Trespasser // Graveyard Glutton	0.556	0.41	1.12	0.65	2.11	1.10	16749	Lifegain, Drain
33	Bloodthirsty Conqueror	0.553	0.59	1.20	0.70	1.34	1.00	829	Lifegain, Drain
34	Sling-Gang Lieutenant	0.536	0.35	1.07	0.75	1.96	1.13	5948	Lifegain, Drain
35	Gray Merchant of Asphodel	0.533	0.58	1.07	0.80	1.06	1.13	245	Lifegain, Drain
36	Valley Rotcaller	0.524	0.50	1.07	0.70	1.66	1.00	2492	Lifegain, Drain
37	Sanguine Bond	0.524	0.45	1.20	0.70	1.22	1.35	505	Drain, Lifegain
38	Dark Confidant	0.523	0.60	1.10	0.65	1.37	1.10	1235	Pay life
39	Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor	0.523	0.50	1.12	0.70	1.59	1.00	1999	Pay life
40	Epicure of Blood	0.517	0.42	1.20	0.60	1.65	1.35	6974	Drain, Lifegain