The Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond combo is one of Magic: The Gathering’s most iconic two-card win conditions. Together, these enchantments create an infinite loop: Sanguine Bond drains the opponent whenever you gain life, and Exquisite Blood gains you life whenever an opponent loses life.

A deck built around this combo typically focuses on survival and setup. Since the combo requires assembling two five-mana enchantments, the deck needs ways to stall the game—through removal, board wipes, or early blockers—until it can safely cast both pieces. Control shells, especially in Orzhov (white–black), are popular because they naturally support lifegain, recursion, and disruption. Tutors or strong card selection further increase the chances of finding each half of the combo. The game plan is simple: play defensively, hit your land drops, and deploy the combo when the opponent is low on resources.

Once the enchantments are assembled, the deck’s goal is to trigger the loop. This can be done with even the smallest effect: a single point of damage to the opponent, a lifegain trigger from a creature entering the battlefield, or even a ping from a cheap spell. Many decks include redundant lifegain or incremental-damage sources, so the combo isn’t dependent on drawing a specific card to start. Once the trigger occurs, the loop resolves fully before the opponent can respond, instantly draining them to 0. The simplicity of the win condition makes the deck very consistent and difficult to disrupt when both pieces are online.

To support the combo, decks often run redundancy and resilience tools. Cards that protect enchantments—like counterspells, hand disruption, or indestructible effects—help ensure the combo stays intact. Lifegain engines, such as Soul Warden-type creatures or dedicated drain cards, give you alternative ways to stabilize and occasionally win without assembling the full loop. Black’s strong removal suites keep opposing threats in check, while white’s enchantment synergies and recursion options help retrieve combo pieces if they are destroyed. This combination of protection and value makes the strategy robust even against aggressive opponents.

Finally, Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond decks reward patience and timing. The strongest pilots know when to commit the enchantments, when to hold removal, and when to bait the opponent’s interaction. Some opponents will save removal specifically for the combo, so sequencing becomes crucial—deploying one piece early to force a response, then landing the second unopposed later, is often the winning line. Overall, the deck blends control, inevitability, and explosive finishing power, making it a favorite for players who enjoy long-term strategy and dramatic, game-ending combos.

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