Deatharmonicon: Teysa Karlov Aristocrats (EDH / Commander)

Hey everyone!

This is my take on a Teysa Karlov Aristocrats deck.

She is all the rage right now, but my version of the deck is a bit different.

While most Teysa decks seem to use creatures that have effects when they die (like Kokusho, Doomed dissenter, Solemn Simulacrum, etc.), this deck will focus on triggering our permanents by killing tokens. Cards that have one-off effects are disregarded to avoid this deck running out of gas, and instead we'll be focusing on effects that can be repeated to generate value; even moreso with our commander since she'll make those value engines even better. This will also make it so this deck doesn't shut down when our commander isn't on the board.

For example, cards like Skullclamp and Dark Prophecy are prioritized over cards like Solemn Simulacrum, since they can be used repeatedly to create draw engines. The same is true for Damage, with cards like Falkenrath Noble or Blood Artist (instead of cards like Kokusho) and the same applies to Removal (with Grave Pact, Dictate of Erebos, Teysa, Orzhov Scion) or Ramp/Mana (Revel in Riches, Pitiless Plunderer).

Teysa's Lifelink ability will also allow us to make good use of Dawn of Hope, for even more draw, as well as a way to ensure Regna will be generating tokens consistently (Krav and Regna are also a very strong engine on their own, creating tokens, giving draw, lifegain, and acting as a sac outlet).

While Orzhov usually lacks mana and ramp, we'll be using Land Tax to ensure we don't miss land drops, and Treasures to have access to more mana than our opponents (notably with Smothering Tithe). We can also kill creatures to buff Black Market, or create mana with Pitiless Plunderer, which both benefit from our Commander. Plunderer and Smothering Tithe also benefit from Anointed Procession, as it doesn't only affect creature tokens. We can then use that mana on Hangarback Walker, Martial Coup or Secure the Wastes for even more tokens.

As far as combos go:

Reassembling Skeleton and Bloodsoaked Champion both go infinite with Anointed Procession (or our commander) with Pitiless Plunderer and a free sac outlet, allowing us to win with Blood Artist and friends. Those cards can also be reanimated by themselves, so we can sacrifice them as many times as we want to fuel many of our engines (Black market, Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Skullclamp, name it) when we're out of tokens (for example after a board wipe).

Requiem angel goes infinite with Reassembling Skeleton or Bloodsoaked Champion with Phyrexian Altar. This also generates infinite tokens with our Commander or procession.

Nether traitor, Reassembling Skeleton and Bloodsoaked go infinite with Phyrexian Altar and Teysa, Orzhov Scion (again: infinite tokens with our Commander or procession).

Divine Visitation goes infinite with Requiem Angel and a free sac outlet and as such is another win-con with Blood Artist and friends. With a token doubler, this also generates infinite tokens.

Of course, Karmic Guide, Reveillark and a free sac outlet go infinite, which is another win con with Blood Artist and friends, and can also generate infinite tokens with Requiem Angel, or infinite mana with Pitiless Plunderer.

Spawning Pit + Pitiless Plunderer + Anointed Procession + 2 creatures/tokens = infinite mana.

Spawning Pit + Pitiless Plunderer + Nether Traitor + any other creature/token = infinite loop (and infinite mana with our Commander or Procession).

Budget variant of this deck, which I will be starting with and slowly upgrade: https://deckstats.net/decks/113264/1188446-teysa-aristocrats-budget-varia/en

Variant with Teysa, Orzhov Scion as the commander: https://deckstats.net/decks/113264/1206082--tithe-mistress-teysa-orzhov-s/en