Ok.. I got this thing hummin' now. I have been working on this deck all week.. at least 50+ games. I'm pretty proud of it. I'm about to leave for 2+ weeks to go on back to back fishing trips, and I really wanted to get this thing as close to perfect as possible.
The last hurdle was figuring out how to get in some more draw besides Kothophed, and how to stop flooding out. I had
INSANE flood issues with this deck the whole time until the end list I'm about to type. Bitter Revelation and Evolving Wilds saved the day. Wilds thinned the deck and Revelation gave me the late game gas I needed while allowing me to filter out (annoying) big clumps of land.
This deck has incredible staying power. The lifegain will keep you alive vs aggro and it mitigates the downside of Bitter Revelation and Kothophed. You have answers for everything except enchantments that don't need to be activated (Thopter Spy Network, Valor in Akros, Shadows of the Past, etc.) but Suppression Bonds is your out to Evolutionary Leap.. and it's tutorable. The removal package had to get slimmed down to fit in Bitter Revelation, but I think it's worth it since you can dig for removal now.
I present to you: Orzhov Midrange/Lifegain/Control/Auras/Flyers.. thing. I dunno.. what would you call it? Orzhov Value? Mega Orzhov? It does a lot of things.
4x
Topan Freeblade (Great with Nimbus Wings, dominant.. probably the best opener in the deck)
4x
Child of Night (Great with Nimbus Wings, races like a boss.. second best opener)
4x
Nimbus Wings (Great on Freeblade, Child, Knight, Spirits, Winnower, Irregulars. So good in this list. Gets our guys out of Languish/Reave Soul range except Child of Night)
3x
Reave Soul (Our answer to key creatures like Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen, Chief of the Foundry, Willbreaker, Jorubai, Planeswalkers, Llys Alana Huntmaster, etc.)
2x
Blessed Spirits (If you can find a better fit for this slot.. be my guest, but the extra flying body that grows a little has been relevant)
2x
Heliod's Pilgrim (Great in this list, I'd like to see one every game.. but not more than one)
3x
Blood-Cursed Knight (Excellent creature, shuts down most aggro, races like a king, great clock with Nimbus Wings)
1x
Archangel of Tithes (Pure quality)
2x
Kytheon's Irregulars (More quality, lets you push through damage)
2x
Suppression Bonds (Severely underrated card here, if I were to cut anything.. it would be to get a 3rd copy of this back in the list)
4x
Bitter Revelation (Maybe this could be 3x.. but it's been superb.. I'm never sad to see one, or even two)
1x
Hixus, Prison Warden (This is our sweeper, he is a blowout.. always happy to see him. We can take the hit, because of all the lifegain)
2x
Gilt-Leaf Winnower (This has been a mediocre performer, probably bc I see lots of Elf decks.. but the removal+menace+a 4/3 body is just too much value)
2x
Kothophed, Soul Hoarder (The king himself, he is an absolute all-star in this deck. All the lifegain negates his drawback)
8x
Plains6x
Swamp2x
Isolated Chapel4x
Orzhov Guildgate4x
Evolving Wilds (This card is such a blessing here. Flood WRECKS this deck unless you have Kytheon's Irregulars on the board. The thinning is super helpful)
Please.. give this thing some play. You won't regret it.