Shared Commander deck
Betor, Ancestor's Voice - Gaining and losing life in the same turn for counters and reanimation
Betor, Ancestor's Voice · BGW · 100 cards · 37 lands
Want a deck like this for your commander?
Grimoire builds a full 100-card list from the whole card pool or just the cards you own.
Bracket 3 - UpgradedCommander 1Creatures 38Instants 9Sorceries 12Enchantments 3Lands 37
Export this deck
Plain decklist format - works with Moxfield, Archidekt, Deckstats, TappedOut, Cockatrice and most phone apps.
Open somewhere else - the list is copied for you, then paste it in:
Show the raw list
Strategy
Betor pays you twice for the same turn: counters on your creatures scaled to the life you gained, and a free reanimation scaled to the life you lost. Most lifegain decks only do one half of that, so this build deliberately runs cards that cost life alongside the ones that gain it. Doing both every turn is what makes the end step enormous.
Early: Start with cheap lifegain bodies and ramp that costs life. Soul Warden, Essence Warden and Soul's Attendant tick life up off every creature, while Dark Ritual, Dark Confidant and Black Market Connections push the turns forward at a price in life.
Mid: Betor lands and the loop starts mattering. Unspeakable Symbol converts life straight into counters at will, K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth lets you pay life instead of black mana, and Willowdusk, Essence Seer moves the life total around on demand. Vilis, Broker of Blood turns every payment into cards.
Late: Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose and Enduring Tenacity turn gained life into drain, and Bloodthirsty Conqueror makes every point an opponent loses hit all three of them. Priest of Fell Rites recurs the best creature in the yard while Betor's own trigger does the same for free.
Win conditions: Drain, usually. With Vito or Bloodthirsty Conqueror out, a single big lifegain turn kills the table outright. Failing that, the counters from Betor's end step build a board that simply attacks, and Toxic Deluge or Damn clears the way.
- Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose - Turns gained life into table-wide drain
- Unspeakable Symbol - Converts life directly into counters
- Enduring Tenacity - Every life gain drains an opponent
- Willowdusk, Essence Seer - Moves life around to trigger both halves
~$279.10
estimated to build this deck
Commander (1)
Betor, Ancestor's Voice
Legendary Creature — Spirit Dragon
Flying, lifelink
At the beginning of your end step, put a number of +1/+1 counters on up to one other target creature you control equal to the amount of life you gained this turn. Return up to one target creature card with mana value less than or equal to the amount of life you lost this turn from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Creatures (38)
Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn
Legendary Creature — Unicorn
$0.42
Lifelink
At the beginning of each end step, if you gained life this turn, distribute up to that many +1/+1 counters among any number of other target creatures.
Doom Whisperer
Creature — Nightmare Demon
$5.93
Flying, trample
Pay 2 life: Surveil 2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
Rhox Faithmender
Creature — Rhino Monk
$1.78
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead.
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Creature — Snake Shaman
$0.29
Sacrifice this creature: Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Children of Korlis
Creature — Human Rebel Cleric
$0.27
Sacrifice this creature: You gain life equal to the life you've lost this turn. (Damage causes loss of life.)
Beledros Witherbloom
Legendary Creature — Elder Dragon
$1.27
Flying
At the beginning of each upkeep, create a 1/1 black and green Pest creature token with "When this token dies, you gain 1 life."
Pay 10 life: Untap all lands you control. Activate only once each turn.
Tavern Swindler
Creature — Human Rogue
$0.07
{T}, Pay 3 life: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, you gain 6 life.
Savanti Romero, Time's Exile
Legendary Creature — Demon Wizard
$0.29
Trample
At the beginning of combat on your turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Savanti Romero. Then you draw X cards and lose X life, where X is the number of counters on Savanti Romero.
Madame Null, Power Broker
Legendary Creature — Demon Advisor
$0.31
Deathtouch
Whenever another creature you control enters, you may pay life equal to its power. If you do, put that many +1/+1 counters on it.
Willowdusk, Essence Seer
Legendary Creature — Dryad Druid
$6.34
{1}, {T}: Choose another target creature. Put a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the amount of life you gained this turn or the amount of life you lost this turn, whichever is greater. Activate only as a sorcery.
K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Horror Minion
$1.12
({B/P} can be paid with either {B} or 2 life.)
Lifelink
For each {B} in a cost, you may pay 2 life rather than pay that mana.
Whenever you cast a black spell, put a +1/+1 counter on K'rrik.
Vona, Butcher of Magan
Legendary Creature — Vampire Knight
$0.33
Vigilance, lifelink
{T}, Pay 7 life: Destroy target nonland permanent. Activate only during your turn.
Vilis, Broker of Blood
Legendary Creature — Demon
$9.77
Flying
{B}, Pay 2 life: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Whenever you lose life, draw that many cards. (Damage causes loss of life.)
Darkstar Augur
Creature — Bat Warlock
$0.73
Offspring {B} (You may pay an additional {B} as you cast this spell. If you do, when this creature enters, create a 1/1 token copy of it.)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to its mana value.
Tivash, Gloom Summoner
Legendary Creature — Human Warlock
$0.36
Lifelink
At the beginning of your end step, if you gained life this turn, you may pay X life, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn. If you do, create an X/X black Demon creature token with flying.
Soul Warden
Creature — Human Cleric
$3.03
Whenever another creature enters, you gain 1 life.
Priest of Fell Rites
Creature — Human Warlock
$0.24
{T}, Pay 3 life, Sacrifice this creature: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery.
Unearth {3}{W}{B} ({3}{W}{B}: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
Legendary Creature — Vampire Cleric
$8.78
Whenever you gain life, target opponent loses that much life.
{3}{B}{B}: Creatures you control gain lifelink until end of turn.
Essence Warden
Creature — Elf Shaman
$7.89
Whenever another creature enters, you gain 1 life.
Kami of Whispered Hopes
Creature — Spirit
$4.29
If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on a permanent you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters are put on that permanent instead.
{T}: Add X mana of any one color, where X is this creature's power.
Dark Confidant
Creature — Human Wizard
$3.55
At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to its mana value.
Celestine, the Living Saint
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
$24.83
Flying, lifelink
Healing Tears — At the beginning of your end step, return target creature card with mana value X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.
Haywire Mite
Artifact Creature — Insect
$0.5
When this creature dies, you gain 2 life.
{G}, Sacrifice this creature: Exile target noncreature artifact or noncreature enchantment.
Moseo, Vein's New Dean
Legendary Creature — Bird Skeleton Warlock
$0.68
Flying
When Moseo enters, create a 1/1 black and green Pest creature token with "Whenever this token attacks, you gain 1 life."
Infusion — At the beginning of your end step, if you gained life this turn, return up to one target creature card with mana value X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.
Enduring Tenacity
Enchantment Creature — Snake Glimmer
$12.3
Whenever you gain life, target opponent loses that much life.
When Enduring Tenacity dies, if it was a creature, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control. It's an enchantment. (It's not a creature.)
Exemplar of Light
Creature — Angel
$0.91
Flying
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Whenever you put one or more +1/+1 counters on this creature, draw a card. This ability triggers only once each turn.
Soul's Attendant
Creature — Human Cleric
$5.57
Whenever another creature enters, you may gain 1 life.
Dragonlord Dromoka
Legendary Creature — Elder Dragon
$1.77
This spell can't be countered.
Flying, lifelink
Your opponents can't cast spells during your turn.
Selfless Spirit
Creature — Spirit Cleric
$0.42
Flying
Sacrifice this creature: Creatures you control gain indestructible until end of turn.
Elves of Deep Shadow
Creature — Elf Druid
$4.48
{T}: Add {B}. This creature deals 1 damage to you.
Bloodthirsty Conqueror
Creature — Vampire Knight
$34.15
Flying, deathtouch
Whenever an opponent loses life, you gain that much life. (Damage causes loss of life.)
Envoy of the Ancestors
Creature — Human Cleric
$0.3
Outlast {W} ({W}, {T}: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Outlast only as a sorcery.)
Modified creatures you control have lifelink. (Equipment, Auras you control, and counters are modifications.)
Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar
Legendary Creature — Cat Warrior
$2.34
Your opponents can't cast spells during your turn.
Whenever one or more creatures you control each with power greater than its base power deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Heliod, Sun-Crowned
Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
$19.1
Indestructible
As long as your devotion to white is less than five, Heliod isn't a creature.
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature or enchantment you control.
{1}{W}: Another target creature gains lifelink until end of turn.
Haliya, Guided by Light
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier
$2.98
Whenever Haliya or another creature or artifact you control enters, you gain 1 life.
At the beginning of your end step, draw a card if you've gained 3 or more life this turn.
Warp {W} (You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)
Karlov of the Ghost Council
Legendary Creature — Spirit Advisor
$11.73
Whenever you gain life, put two +1/+1 counters on Karlov.
{W}{B}, Remove six +1/+1 counters from Karlov: Exile target creature.
Instants (9)
Swords to Plowshares
Instant
$0.89
Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power.
Path to Exile
Instant
$0.64
Exile target creature. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Assassin's Trophy
Instant
$1.02
Destroy target permanent an opponent controls. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Bitter Triumph
Instant
$0.31
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card or pay 3 life.
Destroy target creature or planeswalker.
Inspiring Call
Instant
$0.28
Draw a card for each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it. Those creatures gain indestructible until end of turn. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy them.)
Grisly Salvage
Instant
$0.13
Reveal the top five cards of your library. You may put a creature or land card from among them into your hand. Put the rest into your graveyard.
Sorceries (12)
Toxic Deluge
Sorcery
$5.15
As an additional cost to cast this spell, pay X life.
All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn.
Farseek
Sorcery
$0.4
Search your library for a Plains, Island, Swamp, or Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Cultivate
Sorcery
$0.38
Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal those cards, put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand, then shuffle.
Nature's Lore
Sorcery
$1.61
Search your library for a Forest card, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Three Visits
Sorcery
$5.54
Search your library for a Forest card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Rampant Growth
Sorcery
$0.39
Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Kodama's Reach
Sorcery — Arcane
$1.55
Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal those cards, put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand, then shuffle.
Damn
Sorcery
$1.79
Destroy target creature. A creature destroyed this way can't be regenerated.
Overload {2}{W}{W} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")
Stargaze
Sorcery
$0.25
Look at twice X cards from the top of your library. Put X cards from among them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. You lose X life.
Vicious Rivalry
Sorcery
$0.28
As an additional cost to cast this spell, pay X life.
Destroy all artifacts and creatures with mana value X or less.
Diresight
Sorcery
$0.17
Surveil 2, then draw two cards. You lose 2 life. (To surveil 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
Enchantments (3)
Black Market Connections
Enchantment
$10.47
At the beginning of your first main phase, choose one or more —
• Sell Contraband — Create a Treasure token. You lose 1 life.
• Buy Information — Draw a card. You lose 2 life.
• Hire a Mercenary — Create a 3/2 colorless Shapeshifter creature token with changeling. You lose 3 life. (It is every creature type.)
Ripples of Undeath
Enchantment
$8.82
At the beginning of your first main phase, mill three cards. Then you may pay {1} and 3 life. If you do, put a card from among those cards into your hand.
Unspeakable Symbol
Enchantment
$1.28
Pay 3 life: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Lands (37)
Bojuka Bog
Land
$0.99
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, exile target player's graveyard.
{T}: Add {B}.
Vault of the Archangel
Land
$1.02
{T}: Add {C}.
{2}{W}{B}, {T}: Creatures you control gain deathtouch and lifelink until end of turn.
Rogue's Passage
Land
$0.29
{T}: Add {C}.
{4}, {T}: Target creature can't be blocked this turn.
Castle Locthwain
Land
$1.38
This land enters tapped unless you control a Swamp.
{T}: Add {B}.
{1}{B}{B}, {T}: Draw a card, then you lose life equal to the number of cards in your hand.
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
Legendary Land
$10.68
{T}: Add {B}.
Channel — {3}{B}, Discard this card: Mill three cards, then return a creature or planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand. This ability costs {1} less to activate for each legendary creature you control.
War Room
Land
$0.74
{T}: Add {C}.
{3}, {T}, Pay life equal to the number of colors in your commanders' color identity: Draw a card.
Ifnir Deadlands
Land — Desert
$0.27
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}, Pay 1 life: Add {B}.
{2}{B}{B}, {T}, Sacrifice a Desert: Put two -1/-1 counters on target creature an opponent controls. Activate only as a sorcery.
Hashep Oasis
Land — Desert
$0.19
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}, Pay 1 life: Add {G}.
{1}{G}{G}, {T}, Sacrifice a Desert: Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Activate only as a sorcery.
Shefet Dunes
Land — Desert
$0.28
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}, Pay 1 life: Add {W}.
{2}{W}{W}, {T}, Sacrifice a Desert: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. Activate only as a sorcery.
Shifting Woodland
Land
$6.93
This land enters tapped unless you control a Forest.
{T}: Add {G}.
Delirium — {2}{G}{G}: This land becomes a copy of target permanent card in your graveyard until end of turn. Activate only if there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
Susur Secundi, Void Altar
Land — Planet
$4.78
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {B}.
Station (Tap another creature you control: Put charge counters equal to its power on this Planet. Station only as a sorcery.)
12+ | {1}{B}, {T}, Pay 2 life, Sacrifice a creature: Draw cards equal to the sacrificed creature's power. Activate only as a sorcery.
The Black Gate
Legendary Land — Gate
$9.36
As The Black Gate enters, you may pay 3 life. If you don't, it enters tapped.
{T}: Add {B}.
{1}{B}, {T}: Choose a player with the most life or tied for most life. Target creature can't be blocked by creatures that player controls this turn.
Command Beacon
Land
$8.34
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}, Sacrifice this land: Put your commander into your hand from the command zone.
Command Tower
Land
$0.24
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
Caves of Koilos
Land
$0.28
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {W} or {B}. This land deals 1 damage to you.
Llanowar Wastes
Land
$0.58
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {B} or {G}. This land deals 1 damage to you.
Basic lands: 10 Swamp 5 Forest 4 Plains
Built with Grimoire — Commander deck building from your collection.
Try it free