Commander's Dark Angel

Posted on November 17, 2020

How sweet of Wizards of the Coast to make a card in Commander Legends just for me. Or at least, that's how it feels for myself and many others. The Professor got Sengir, the Dark Baron, and odds are you found a legend within the set that seems like a wish come true.

How amazing to see Liesa printed, how improbable and unexpected. This is the little-known fourth angelic sister of Innistrad, among Sigarda, Bruna, Gisela, and Avacyn. Liesa consorted with "vampires and witches, even demons and devils." She claimed this was to learn how best to defeat them. But maybe she was simply more chill than the leaders of the other angelic flights. Liesa might've liked to party with vampires, take vengeance with witches, and split the sky alongside powerful demons.

Whatever her motivations, she mortified her kin when she made a demonic pact. Her other sisters looked the other way while Avacyn smited her. I theorized that like demons on Innistrad, angels might overcome death by in time rematerializing. (Hence the need to trap them permanently in the Helvault.) Well, Liesa, Shroud of Dusk has returned. In fact, coming back from death is one of her specialties. She may have learned a thing or two from her vampire friends because all it costs is a little life to bring her back from the command zone, and once you do, she's out for blood.

This decklist focuses on keeping her in play as long as possible, taxing opponents' life totals while bolstering your own. Later in the article we'll talk about alternate cards, but first I wanted to build something flavor-true to Innistrad.

Liesa's Revenge | Commander | AE Marling

Commander (1)
1 Liesa, Shroud of Dusk

Clearly, not all these cards are from the Innistrad block. I tried to select ones that didn't break me out of the mood of Gothic horror. For instance, I avoided Phyrexian Arena in favor of Underworld Connections, which might well represent the Erdwal tunnels where stitchers buy fresh components for making skaab zombies. For the same reason, I chose Emerge Unscathed over Gods Willing.

Some cards are questionable. I really want the bloodthirsty synergy of Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, and he didn't seem too far removed from the decadence of Innistrad's vampires. However, Defiant Bloodlord took me out of the setting of the misty moorlands and dark castles. You may feel differently. Again, I have alternate card options later.

Besides attention to flavor, this list is distinct from the norm in the number of cards that protect my dark angel from dying, again. True, she can come back, but the longer I can keep her alive, the more life I can drain. Cards like Selfless Spirit will thwart opposing sweepers and may even allow me to safely cast your own. Avacyn, Angel of Hope may even have a change of heart, standing shoulder to shoulder with her sister against a common foe.

In the story, Avacyn wiped out all memory of her sister, even her name. I didn't know it was Liesa until now. In fact, she likely was trapped in the Helvault, a fact hidden from her sisters. When Thalia destroyed the silver prison it could have freed Liesa to regain a corporal form.

We have some savory lifegain synergies with cards like Angelic Accord and Dawn of Hope. That's typical angel fare. What makes this deck more interesting is seeing those holy beings flying alongside vampires like Bloodthirsty Aerialist. And we found Liesa's witch friend.

It's one thing to toast blood chalices with vampires, another for an angel to dance with demons. I picked a potent multiplayer one in Sower of Discord. I also had to include another unlikely romance, between Krav, the Unredeemed and Regna, the Redeemer. Not only do these cards work well with Soul Warden and your other lifegain, but also they show Liesa isn't alone in her curious interest toward the demonic. Maybe they can go out together with Liesa for a double date in the Ashmouth.

Focusing on these sorts of whimsical narratives is important element of multiplayer politics. If you decide to adopt a similar list, also stress this deck focuses on flavor. I also avoided tutors and infinite damage combos, and I would state this at the beginning of the match. Why? To lower my table aggro. Liesa has the potential to annoy opponents, and if they see you as getting in the way of their fun, they may well gang up against you. Playing more flavorful cards, rather than universally powerful and oppressive ones, will make the gameplay more fresh. Your opponents will be less obligated to attack you first. You might just have more fun and win more games, thanks to weaker cards.

You certainly don't have to play that way. I've included options below that may better fit your preferences.

Alternates | Commander | AE Marling

You may be shocked to see Exquisite Blood in the alternates. Many would consider that card a must-play in lifegain strategies. It certainly is strong. It's even flavorful, but at the same time it's expensive. It has the habit of ending the game suddenly in an infinite combo, and I decided to go with more variety. Instead I included an old favorite, Hatred. It can more easily kill a single opponent, and casting it on a lifelinker allows you to regain your hit points. Yes, it's risky, but you are playing multiple protection spells. And if there's one thing I strive for, it's finding new and exciting ways to kills foes in Commander.