Thranduil the Strategist + Faces of the Past + Nim Deathmantle + Umbral Collar Zealot

Thranduil the Strategist

Faces of the Past

Nim Deathmantle

Umbral Collar Zealot

How it works

1. Activate at least four Elves other than Thranduil by tapping them, adding at least four in any combination of and/or .
2. Activate Umbral Collar Zealot by sacrificing Thranduil.
3. When Thranduil dies, Nim Deathmantle and Faces of the Past trigger.
4. Resolve the Nim Deathmantle trigger, causing you to pay 4 to return Thranduil from your graveyard to the battlefield and attach Nim Deathmantle to it.
5. Resolve the Faces of the Past trigger, untapping all Elves and Nobles.
6. Resolve the Umbral Collar Zealot ability.
7. Repeat.

This crafty loop turns Thranduil the Strategist into a mana-generating engine, leaning on his own landfall ability to constantly replenish your board with fresh Elf tokens. By tapping those Elves for green or blue mana thanks to Thranduil the Strategist's static ability, you build the required funds to feed Nim Deathmantle whenever Umbral Collar Zealot sacrifices Thranduil the Strategist. Simultaneously, Faces of the Past triggers upon Thranduil's death to untap your entire squad of Elves, allowing them to tap right back into the mana pool.