Competitive Angelic Accord?

For the last two days my friend (@blackserbian) and I have been testing different color combinations of angelic accord. At this point (in a competitive sense) I think it's impossible to get a 3 color angelic accord deck that's not just a worse version of another, better deck. For example, esper angelic accord decks should just forgo the angelic accord and play a single aetherling or elspeth. Dega ones should just run desecration demons. Trostani based ones should just run voice of resurgence. The problem is that the best things to do with angelic accord are in all different colors. So I finally just threw in the towel and just decided that it was time for a 5 color angelic accord deck. The funny thing is that it's actually pretty good.

When I was building an angelic accord deck, I was trying to keep in mind that if it only worked if angelic accord was on the table then I was building a gimmicky combo deck that wouldn't see play. So my immediate approach was to make a lifegain synergy deck. It kind of worked, but it was still worse than most standard decks. So to increase it's competitiveness to the highest point I can imagine for an angelic accord deck, I realized it had to be less reliable and more explosive. This 5 color value lifegain ended up being capable of really nut draws and all the things have pretty interesting synergy.

The cons are that it is a little clumsy early and has trouble against control, but it turned out good against most other things and really is very fun to play.

Every single card in this besides land, mana fixing, and read the bones can give you an angel. That means that they all gain you 4 life as well. In fact, it is very likely you will gain more than 8 life a turn. This doesn't trigger accord twice, but it makes the deck really hard to race. When I was trying to make the deck rely less on accord i looked for other good interactions with gaining life (come back to me chalice of life). Although there are no pridemates in standard, there is blood baron of vizkopa. He is actually the most valuable card in the deck. He provides you an angel per turn and he is an alternate way to profit off of all the lifegain.

Next up is trostani. She is actually the best thing you can possibly get if you can land an angelic accord. Between her static ability and her populate activation, she gets real crazy real fast.

The third best thing is probably sphinx's revelation, for obvious reasons. I also like the fact that there are enough mana producers outside of lands that the sphinx's revelation comes out that much bigger, that much sooner.

Azorius charm and warleader's helix are both valuable, versatile instants that together provide the reason that this deck was originally conceived as america control. They honestly hold the deck together.

Read the bones and scry lands- because you are playing an inconsistent 5 color deck. Also, read the bones and shocklands are nothing to you. you can take 2- 4 damage a turn from your own shit, you're a little busy gaining stupid amounts of life. NOTE: if you gain 4 life and lose 7 in a turn, you still get the angel from accord. It doesn't count net life change, just the sum of your life gain.

fall of the gavel and spark trooper will make your opponent never feel safe again and both get you an angel! huzzah!


Sideboard things

Bubbling Cauldron has been in most variations of the deck for obvious reasons. The reason it's not in this is that you actually don't need it. Since the rest of the deck nets you positive angels, you don't need to sac your own creatures. However, it is good against control to a degree. Turning all your creatures they target with removal into angels can't be denied. And you can target an angel with the cauldron, but it won't result in a gain of angels. Just 4 life and untapping the angel at the end step basically.

crypt incursion for any graveyard love that might be floating around, it's also an inordinately large amount of life to gain usually

last breath is an old maindeck from the esper version. Besides the fact that it deals with voice of resurgence or other small annoyances, you can use it on anything small enough that's on your own side for an angel (used to be sin collectors)

solemn offering and verdict I really don't think I need to explain.


Thanks for reading everyone! Enjoy!

• Standard
• Angelic Accord
• Lifegain