@ catmurderer: in the situation you described serra ascendant would live. lifelink is a static ability that gives you life at the same time that damage is dealt, so by the time state based actions are checked the ascendant is already 6/6
@TheMoustacheCame: outside of maybe edh this card does nothing, it's 1/1 with lifelink... when are u ever at 30 life and when has lifegain ever been a viable strategy in any format? this card is far far far away from being broken
also, why does this urban legend that vintage games end turn 0 or 1 still persist? vintage games are virtually never won turn 1, even full-blown combo decks like TPS are geared towards resilience rather than maximum speed, because that would be too fragile
and if you want to play an eternal format but don't like vintage ther's still legacy
Posted By:
WeAreTheFury
(7/12/2010 4:14:47 AM)
Archenemy is great, and I love Felidar Sovereign. Put those two facts together, and it should be obvious I love this lady like I've loved no other monk since Azusa, Lost but Seeking.
Posted By:
A3Kitsune
(7/15/2010 1:03:25 AM)
I've consistently won tournament matches with this deck. Thoughts welcome. Weakness against All of Dust - I'm still working on that matchup. Gideon, Baneslayer, and Ajani all help with the white v white matchup. Against red/black you sideboard those out for the Celestial Purges.
Lifegain deck by Heitah (Steven Pope)
2 Felidar Sovereign
1 Ajani Goldmane
3 Plains
4 Plains
4 Wall of Omens
4 Soul's Attendant
2 Plains
2 Journey to Nowhere
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
4 Serra Ascendant
3 Plains
2 Plains
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Ajani Goldmane
1 Plains
1 Gideon Jura
4 Soul Warden
1 Plains
4 Path to Exile
4 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Ajani's Pridemate
3 Ajani's Pridemate
2 Oblivion Ring
3 Plains
1 Plains
Sideboard
4 Celestial Purge
3 Leyline of Sanctity
4 Kor Firewalker
2 Devout Lightcaster
2 Oblivion Ring
Posted By:
Heitah
(8/24/2010 8:55:21 PM)
This card + 30 life + Serra Aviary + Serra Advocate = 1 mana with +9/+9. Monk indeed ;)
Posted By:
VegaSecureA
(9/24/2010 10:23:47 AM)
So some say pinging someone and gaining life early doesn't mean anything? Serra Ascendant challenges these ideas.
Somebody played this in EDH and I immediately found a use for Vapor Snag that bounced it and took 1 life, putting them at 29. :)
Posted By:
jfre81
(7/27/2011 6:16:32 PM)
This card is amazing. you can have 30+ by turn 3 easy. Not only that but its a freaking one drop. I already built my life gain deck with 4 of these in it. 5/5
Posted By:
bluelaser
(7/9/2010 11:02:28 AM)
She's gonna be so much fun in EDH :D
Posted By:
henz90
(7/8/2010 1:30:59 PM)
yes...umm...edh?
if they're going to ban emrakul, the aeons torn in edh why don't they ban this guy. he costs 14 less mana!!
Posted By:
Arachibutyrophobia
(8/11/2011 7:30:09 PM)
@Tenkaze: "Ascendant" is actually both a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it means either "a state or position of dominant power or position". It can also refer to the part of the zodiac that is rising above the horizon at any given time.
Posted By:
RexManningDay
(10/31/2011 11:22:00 AM)
@WeAreTheFury
Tell that to the Modern Mono White Martyr decks which make use of this, Martyr of Sands, Proclamation of Rebirth, Ranger of Eos, and various one mana weenies and a removal/protection suite. Grand Prix Turin.. an aggressive version of the deck that ran the sisters and Pridemates took SECOND. With proper sideboarding: Firewalkers for RDW and Storm( and even then, if you get your Martyr out early enough.. usually neither just can't do enough damage), Ghostly Prison to slow down Affinity, Jund, and Faeries and you've got a more than viable tier 1 deck. I've had ridiculous amounts of success with it on MTGO.
Posted By:
Brufff
(4/25/2012 9:09:51 AM)