Bleeding for Answers

core

Pay life for cards and tutors, then claw the life back with drain and lifegain.

Pay life×1Card draw×0.7Lifegain×0.7Drain×0.4

Sets your commander and theme, then adds about 25 cards that fit plus 20 lands. You fill in the rest.

High Impact Cards

5 picks from the top 40 of 837 cards that fit

View All High Impact Cards

Card drawPay lifeDrain
EDHREC #4,392 · $0.26 · art Thomas M. Baxa
Pay lifeCard draw
EDHREC #1,121 · $9.76 · art Tyler Jacobson
Hidden gemCard drawPay lifeDrain
EDHREC #6,339 · $1.03 · art Helge C. Balzer
Pay lifeCard draw
EDHREC #259 · $26.37 · art Bryan Sola
Hidden gemCard drawLifegainPay lifeDrain
EDHREC #8,100 · $2.18 · art Justyna Dura

Candidate pool (score = fit × commander × quality × popularity × art)

#	card	score	fit	cmd	q	pop	art	rank	matched
1	Sorin the Mirthless	1.971	0.87	1.10	0.85	2.08	1.25	8100	Card draw, Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
2	Preacher of the Schism	1.744	0.78	1.21	0.85	1.87	1.25	4697	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain
3	Necropotence	1.567	1.22	1.07	0.85	1.23	1.25	518	Pay life, Card draw
4	Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath	1.292	0.74	1.10	0.70	2.15	1.25	9658	Lifegain, Drain, Card draw, Pay life
5	The Speed Demon	1.231	0.87	1.08	0.70	1.99	1.13	6339	Card draw, Pay life, Drain
6	Ob Nixilis Reignited	1.218	0.72	1.03	0.85	1.85	1.13	4392	Card draw, Pay life, Drain
7	Ad Nauseam	1.094	1.11	1.07	0.65	1.40	1.25	1352	Pay life, Card draw
8	Professor Onyx	1.073	0.85	1.11	0.68	1.60	1.25	2403	Lifegain, Card draw, Drain, Pay life
9	Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber	1.007	0.93	1.08	0.70	1.71	1.00	2892	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain, Drain
10	Sheoldred, the Apocalypse	0.968	0.72	1.26	0.93	1.20	1.00	460	Lifegain, Card draw, Drain
11	Phyrexian Gargantua	0.924	0.71	1.05	0.65	2.09	1.13	15784	Card draw, Pay life
12	Dread Presence	0.922	0.78	1.10	0.75	1.67	1.00	2578	Card draw, Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
13	Bolas's Citadel	0.895	1.19	1.07	0.75	1.08	1.00	271	Pay life, Card draw, Drain
14	Doctor Doom, Unrivaled	0.890	0.90	1.10	0.60	1.77	1.10	11532	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain
15	Minions' Murmurs	0.869	0.83	1.08	0.60	1.84	1.13	15396	Card draw, Pay life
16	Meathook Massacre II	0.822	0.50	1.08	0.85	1.73	1.13	3058	Pay life
17	Pointed Discussion	0.810	0.78	1.05	0.60	1.69	1.25	8209	Card draw, Pay life
18	Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor	0.807	0.81	1.07	0.70	1.59	1.00	1999	Card draw, Pay life
19	Painful Truths	0.804	0.83	1.07	0.70	1.54	1.00	1720	Card draw, Pay life
20	Gwenom, Remorseless	0.803	0.95	1.25	0.60	1.46	1.00	2779	Pay life, Card draw, Lifegain
21	Vilis, Broker of Blood	0.798	0.88	1.21	0.60	1.29	1.25	1121	Pay life, Card draw
22	Tenacious Underdog	0.792	0.54	1.08	0.72	2.22	1.00	11419	Pay life, Card draw
23	Sylvan Library	0.792	0.88	1.07	0.85	1.07	1.00	259	Pay life, Card draw
24	Champion of Dusk	0.785	0.76	1.07	0.68	1.72	1.00	3581	Card draw, Pay life
25	Tivash, Gloom Summoner	0.777	0.74	1.28	0.60	1.76	1.00	10883	Pay life, Lifegain
26	Stinging Study	0.775	0.83	1.07	0.60	1.50	1.25	3384	Card draw, Pay life
27	Savanti Romero, Time's Exile	0.773	0.84	1.08	0.60	1.82	1.00	14218	Card draw, Pay life
28	K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth	0.764	1.04	1.10	0.60	1.28	1.13	1077	Pay life, Lifegain
29	Dark Confidant	0.758	0.90	1.07	0.65	1.37	1.10	1235	Pay life, Card draw
30	Kothophed, Soul Hoarder	0.746	0.71	1.05	0.60	1.71	1.25	8979	Card draw, Pay life
31	Rise of the Deathbringer	0.743	0.60	1.05	0.60	2.00	1.25	27993	Card draw, Pay life
32	Midnight Reaper	0.725	0.64	1.05	0.72	1.40	1.25	1051	Card draw, Pay life
33	Bloodgift Demon	0.712	0.70	1.05	0.68	1.72	1.00	3600	Card draw, Pay life, Drain
34	The One Ring	0.705	0.78	1.06	0.90	0.88	1.13	95	Card draw, Pay life
35	Doom Whisperer	0.704	0.60	1.09	0.78	1.57	1.00	1851	Pay life
36	M.O.D.O.K.	0.702	0.81	1.10	0.60	1.69	1.00	8183	Pay life, Card draw, Lifegain
37	Demonic Covenant	0.696	0.52	1.09	0.65	1.87	1.25	8055	Card draw, Pay life
38	Starving Revenant	0.683	0.80	1.10	0.55	1.51	1.25	7459	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain, Drain
39	Elder Gargaroth	0.683	0.47	1.09	0.88	1.63	1.00	2256	Card draw, Lifegain
40	Cosmos Elixir	0.669	0.60	1.09	0.72	1.69	1.00	2723	Card draw, Lifegain

Scoring cards for this theme…

Candidate pool (score = fit × commander × quality × popularity × art)

#	card	score	fit	cmd	q	pop	art	rank	matched
1	Sorin the Mirthless	1.971	0.87	1.10	0.85	2.08	1.25	8100	Card draw, Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
2	Preacher of the Schism	1.744	0.78	1.21	0.85	1.87	1.25	4697	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain
3	Necropotence	1.567	1.22	1.07	0.85	1.23	1.25	518	Pay life, Card draw
4	Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath	1.292	0.74	1.10	0.70	2.15	1.25	9658	Lifegain, Drain, Card draw, Pay life
5	The Speed Demon	1.231	0.87	1.08	0.70	1.99	1.13	6339	Card draw, Pay life, Drain
6	Ob Nixilis Reignited	1.218	0.72	1.03	0.85	1.85	1.13	4392	Card draw, Pay life, Drain
7	Ad Nauseam	1.094	1.11	1.07	0.65	1.40	1.25	1352	Pay life, Card draw
8	Professor Onyx	1.073	0.85	1.11	0.68	1.60	1.25	2403	Lifegain, Card draw, Drain, Pay life
9	Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber	1.007	0.93	1.08	0.70	1.71	1.00	2892	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain, Drain
10	Sheoldred, the Apocalypse	0.968	0.72	1.26	0.93	1.20	1.00	460	Lifegain, Card draw, Drain
11	Phyrexian Gargantua	0.924	0.71	1.05	0.65	2.09	1.13	15784	Card draw, Pay life
12	Dread Presence	0.922	0.78	1.10	0.75	1.67	1.00	2578	Card draw, Lifegain, Pay life, Drain
13	Bolas's Citadel	0.895	1.19	1.07	0.75	1.08	1.00	271	Pay life, Card draw, Drain
14	Doctor Doom, Unrivaled	0.890	0.90	1.10	0.60	1.77	1.10	11532	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain
15	Minions' Murmurs	0.869	0.83	1.08	0.60	1.84	1.13	15396	Card draw, Pay life
16	Meathook Massacre II	0.822	0.50	1.08	0.85	1.73	1.13	3058	Pay life
17	Pointed Discussion	0.810	0.78	1.05	0.60	1.69	1.25	8209	Card draw, Pay life
18	Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor	0.807	0.81	1.07	0.70	1.59	1.00	1999	Card draw, Pay life
19	Painful Truths	0.804	0.83	1.07	0.70	1.54	1.00	1720	Card draw, Pay life
20	Gwenom, Remorseless	0.803	0.95	1.25	0.60	1.46	1.00	2779	Pay life, Card draw, Lifegain
21	Vilis, Broker of Blood	0.798	0.88	1.21	0.60	1.29	1.25	1121	Pay life, Card draw
22	Tenacious Underdog	0.792	0.54	1.08	0.72	2.22	1.00	11419	Pay life, Card draw
23	Sylvan Library	0.792	0.88	1.07	0.85	1.07	1.00	259	Pay life, Card draw
24	Champion of Dusk	0.785	0.76	1.07	0.68	1.72	1.00	3581	Card draw, Pay life
25	Tivash, Gloom Summoner	0.777	0.74	1.28	0.60	1.76	1.00	10883	Pay life, Lifegain
26	Stinging Study	0.775	0.83	1.07	0.60	1.50	1.25	3384	Card draw, Pay life
27	Savanti Romero, Time's Exile	0.773	0.84	1.08	0.60	1.82	1.00	14218	Card draw, Pay life
28	K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth	0.764	1.04	1.10	0.60	1.28	1.13	1077	Pay life, Lifegain
29	Dark Confidant	0.758	0.90	1.07	0.65	1.37	1.10	1235	Pay life, Card draw
30	Kothophed, Soul Hoarder	0.746	0.71	1.05	0.60	1.71	1.25	8979	Card draw, Pay life
31	Rise of the Deathbringer	0.743	0.60	1.05	0.60	2.00	1.25	27993	Card draw, Pay life
32	Midnight Reaper	0.725	0.64	1.05	0.72	1.40	1.25	1051	Card draw, Pay life
33	Bloodgift Demon	0.712	0.70	1.05	0.68	1.72	1.00	3600	Card draw, Pay life, Drain
34	The One Ring	0.705	0.78	1.06	0.90	0.88	1.13	95	Card draw, Pay life
35	Doom Whisperer	0.704	0.60	1.09	0.78	1.57	1.00	1851	Pay life
36	M.O.D.O.K.	0.702	0.81	1.10	0.60	1.69	1.00	8183	Pay life, Card draw, Lifegain
37	Demonic Covenant	0.696	0.52	1.09	0.65	1.87	1.25	8055	Card draw, Pay life
38	Starving Revenant	0.683	0.80	1.10	0.55	1.51	1.25	7459	Card draw, Pay life, Lifegain, Drain
39	Elder Gargaroth	0.683	0.47	1.09	0.88	1.63	1.00	2256	Card draw, Lifegain
40	Cosmos Elixir	0.669	0.60	1.09	0.72	1.69	1.00	2723	Card draw, Lifegain