Defiler of Faith + Ayara, First of Locthwain + Whitemane Lion + Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

Defiler of Faith

Ayara, First of Locthwain

Whitemane Lion

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

How it works

1. Cast Whitemane Lion by paying 0 and 2 life due to Defiler of Faith and Grand Arbiter Augustin IV.
2. Defiler of Faith triggers, creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token.
3. When the Soldier enters, Ayara triggers, causing you to gain life.
4. Resolve Whitemane Lion. When it enters, it and Ayara trigger.
5. Resolve the Whitemane Lion trigger, returning it from the battlefield to your hand.
6. Resolve the Ayara trigger, causing you to gain life.
7. Repeat.

This clever loop works by turning the self-bouncing nature of Whitemane Lion into a completely free casting engine, thanks to the cost-reducing power of Grand Arbiter Augustin IV and Defiler of Faith. By paying life instead of mana for the Lion's reduced cost, you can cast it repeatedly while its entry trigger bounces it right back to your hand. Meanwhile, every iteration leverages Defiler of Faith's triggered ability to flood the board with 1/1 Soldier tokens, which in turn feed Ayara, First of Locthwain to steadily drain your opponents' life totals while padding your own.