Optimized / 100-CARD BUILD

Hope Estheim

Azorius

A little life. A lot less library.

Their milled creatures pay for the next turn. Browse the optimized’s cards and rules.

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MEET YOUR COMMANDERHope Estheim

Hope Estheim · Featured commander

STRATEGY · 3 PHASES

How this build plays

Optimized adds mill replacements, creature-card mill payoffs and a life-total upkeep finish. Hope still measures life gained this turn, but the graveyard and the library now interact more directly.

01SET THE STAGE
Let every creature help the count
Soul Warden gains life for another creature entering, and Rhox Faithmender doubles life you would gain. With Hope in play at your end step, the total life gained that turn becomes the amount each opponent mills. Losing life later does not subtract from that gain tally.
- Hope Estheim
- Soul Warden
- Rhox Faithmender
Rules text for these cards
Hope Estheim
Lifelink At the beginning of your end step, each opponent mills X cards, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.
Soul Warden
Whenever another creature enters, you gain 1 life.
Rhox Faithmender
Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead.
02BUILD THE ENGINE
Their milled creatures pay for the next turn
Hope’s end-step mill can put creature cards into opponents’ graveyards, triggering Profane Memento to gain you life. Bruvac doubles opposing mill. Life gained after Hope’s trigger has already resolved does not retroactively enlarge that same mill event; another trigger or a later turn needs its own gain tally.
- Hope Estheim
- Profane Memento
- Bruvac the Grandiloquent
Rules text for these cards
Hope Estheim
Lifelink At the beginning of your end step, each opponent mills X cards, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.
Profane Memento
Whenever a creature card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, you gain 1 life.
Bruvac the Grandiloquent
If an opponent would mill one or more cards, they mill twice that many cards instead. (To mill a card, a player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.)
03CARRY IT THROUGH
Keep damage and milling distinct
The Mindskinner replaces damage your sources would deal to opponents with mill, so that prevented damage does not gain life through lifelink. Felidar Sovereign offers a separate upkeep win condition at forty life or more. This gives a reason to preserve the life-gain plan rather than assuming every mill source also feeds Hope.
- Hope Estheim
- The Mindskinner
- Felidar Sovereign
Rules text for these cards
Hope Estheim
Lifelink At the beginning of your end step, each opponent mills X cards, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.
The Mindskinner
The Mindskinner can't be blocked. If a source you control would deal damage to an opponent, prevent that damage and each opponent mills that many cards.
Felidar Sovereign
Vigilance (Attacking doesn't cause this creature to tap.) Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 40 or more life, you win the game.

Explore this build

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Hope Estheim

Lifelink At the beginning of your end step, each opponent mills X cards, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.

Adarkar Wastes

{T}: Add {C}. {T}: Add {W} or {U}. This land deals 1 damage to you.

Aetherflux Reservoir

Whenever you cast a spell, you gain 1 life for each spell you've cast this turn. Pay 50 life: This artifact deals 50 damage to any target.

Aetherize

Return all attacking creatures to their owner's hand.

Aerith Gainsborough

Lifelink Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on Aerith Gainsborough. When Aerith Gainsborough dies, put X +1/+1 counters on each legendary creature you control, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters on Aerith Gainsborough.

Ajani, Strength of the Pride

+1: You gain life equal to the number of creatures you control plus the number of planeswalkers you control. −2: Create a 2/2 white Cat Soldier creature token named Ajani's Pridemate with "Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on this token." 0: If you have at least 15 life more than your starting life total, exile Ajani and each artifact and creature your opponents control.

Alhammarret's Archive

If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead. If you would draw a card except the first one you draw in each of your draw steps, draw two cards instead.

Altar of the Brood

Whenever another permanent you control enters, each opponent mills a card.

Arcane Denial

Counter target spell. Its controller may draw up to two cards at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep. You draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

Arcane Signet

{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.

Archangel of Thune

Flying Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.

Authority of the Consuls

Creatures your opponents control enter tapped. Whenever a creature an opponent controls enters, you gain 1 life.

Beacon of Immortality

Double target player's life total. Shuffle Beacon of Immortality into its owner's library.

Boon Reflection

If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead.

Bruvac the Grandiloquent

If an opponent would mill one or more cards, they mill twice that many cards instead. (To mill a card, a player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.)

Buried Ruin

{T}: Add {C}. {2}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.

Celestine, the Living Saint

Flying, lifelink Healing Tears — At the beginning of your end step, return target creature card with mana value X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn.

Children of Korlis

Sacrifice this creature: You gain life equal to the life you've lost this turn. (Damage causes loss of life.)

Cleric Class

(Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.) If you would gain life, you gain that much life plus 1 instead. {3}{W}: Level 2 Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. {4}{W}: Level 3 When this Class becomes level 3, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. You gain life equal to that creature's toughness.

Command Tower

{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.

Congregate

Target player gains 2 life for each creature on the battlefield.

Counterspell

Counter target spell.

Court of Cunning

When this enchantment enters, you become the monarch. At the beginning of your upkeep, any number of target players each mill two cards. If you're the monarch, each of those players mills ten cards instead. (To mill a card, a player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.)

Dawn of Hope

Whenever you gain life, you may pay {2}. If you do, draw a card. {3}{W}: Create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token with lifelink.

Daxos, Blessed by the Sun

Daxos's toughness is equal to your devotion to white. (Each {W} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to white.) Whenever another creature you control enters or dies, you gain 1 life.

Dovin's Veto

This spell can't be countered. Counter target noncreature spell.

Drogskol Reaver

Flying Double strike (This creature deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.) Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) Whenever you gain life, draw a card.

Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire

{T}: Add {W}. Channel — {2}{W}, Discard this card: It deals 4 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. This ability costs {1} less to activate for each legendary creature you control.

Exotic Orchard

{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.

Felidar Sovereign

Vigilance (Attacking doesn't cause this creature to tap.) Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 40 or more life, you win the game.

Fellwar Stone

{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.

Generous Gift

Destroy target permanent. Its controller creates a 3/3 green Elephant creature token.

Haliya, Guided by Light

Whenever Haliya or another creature or artifact you control enters, you gain 1 life. At the beginning of your end step, draw a card if you've gained 3 or more life this turn. Warp {W} (You may cast this card from your hand for its warp cost. Exile this creature at the beginning of the next end step, then you may cast it from exile on a later turn.)

Hallowed Fountain

({T}: Add {W} or {U}.) As this land enters, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, it enters tapped.

Heliod, Sun-Crowned

Indestructible As long as your devotion to white is less than five, Heliod isn't a creature. Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature or enchantment you control. {1}{W}: Another target creature gains lifelink until end of turn.

Heliod's Intervention

Choose one — • Destroy X target artifacts and/or enchantments. • Target player gains twice X life.

Jidoor, Aristocratic Capital

This land enters tapped. {T}: Add {U}. Target opponent mills half their library, rounded down. (Then exile this card. You may play the land later from exile.)

Live Long and Prosper

This spell can't be countered. Double your life total. Draw cards equal to the number of cards in your hand. You have no maximum hand size until your next turn.

Lunarch Veteran

Whenever another creature you control enters, you gain 1 life. Disturb {1}{W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard transformed for its disturb cost.) Flying Whenever another creature you control leaves the battlefield, you gain 1 life. If Luminous Phantom would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.

Martyr of Sands

{1}, Reveal X white cards from your hand, Sacrifice this creature: You gain three times X life.

Mind Stone

{T}: Add {C}. {1}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.

Mystic Gate

{T}: Add {C}. {W/U}, {T}: Add {W}{W}, {W}{U}, or {U}{U}.

Nimbus Maze

{T}: Add {C}. {T}: Add {W}. Activate only if you control an Island. {T}: Add {U}. Activate only if you control a Plains.

Profane Memento

Whenever a creature card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, you gain 1 life.

Propaganda

Creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays {2} for each creature they control that's attacking you.

Psychic Corrosion

Whenever you draw a card, each opponent mills two cards.

Reliquary Tower

You have no maximum hand size. {T}: Add {C}.

Reprieve

Return target spell to its owner's hand. Draw a card.

Rhox Faithmender

Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead.

Righteous Valkyrie

Flying Whenever another Angel or Cleric you control enters, you gain life equal to that creature's toughness. As long as you have at least 7 life more than your starting life total, creatures you control get +2/+2.

Riot Control

You gain 1 life for each creature your opponents control. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you this turn.

Ruin Crab

Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, each opponent mills three cards. (To mill a card, a player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.)

Scavenger Grounds

{T}: Add {C}. {2}, {T}, Sacrifice a Desert: Exile all graveyards.

Sea of Clouds

This land enters tapped unless you have two or more opponents. {T}: Add {W} or {U}.

Serra Ascendant

Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) As long as you have 30 or more life, this creature gets +5/+5 and has flying.

Skycloud Expanse

{1}, {T}: Add {W}{U}.

Sol Ring

{T}: Add {C}{C}.

Soul Warden

Whenever another creature enters, you gain 1 life.

Soul's Attendant

Whenever another creature enters, you may gain 1 life.

Soul-Guide Lantern

When this artifact enters, exile target card from a graveyard. {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Exile each opponent's graveyard. {1}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.

Space-Time Anomaly

Target player mills cards equal to your life total.

Supreme Verdict

This spell can't be countered. Destroy all creatures.

Suture Priest

Whenever another creature you control enters, you may gain 1 life. Whenever a creature an opponent controls enters, you may have that player lose 1 life.

Swiftfoot Boots

Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. It can attack and {T} no matter when it came under your control.) Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Swords to Plowshares

Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power.

Talisman of Progress

{T}: Add {C}. {T}: Add {W} or {U}. This artifact deals 1 damage to you.

The Gaffer

At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 3 or more life this turn, draw a card.

The Mindskinner

The Mindskinner can't be blocked. If a source you control would deal damage to an opponent, prevent that damage and each opponent mills that many cards.

The Water Crystal

Blue spells you cast cost {1} less to cast. If an opponent would mill one or more cards, they mill that many cards plus four instead. {4}{U}{U}, {T}: Each opponent mills cards equal to the number of cards in your hand.

The Wind Crystal

White spells you cast cost {1} less to cast. If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead. {4}{W}{W}, {T}: Creatures you control gain flying and lifelink until end of turn.

Vanquish the Horde

This spell costs {1} less to cast for each creature on the battlefield. Destroy all creatures.

War Report

You gain life equal to the number of creatures on the battlefield plus the number of artifacts on the battlefield.

War Room

{T}: Add {C}. {3}, {T}, Pay life equal to the number of colors in your commanders' color identity: Draw a card.

Well of Lost Dreams

Whenever you gain life, you may pay {X}, where X is less than or equal to the amount of life you gained. If you do, draw X cards.

Will, Scion of Peace

Vigilance {T}: Spells you cast this turn that are white and/or blue cost {X} less to cast, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn. Activate only as a sorcery.

Windfall

Each player discards their hand, then draws cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.

Y'shtola Rhul

At the beginning of your end step, exile target creature you control, then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control. Then if it's the first end step of the turn, there is an additional end step after this step.

Island

({T}: Add {U}.)

Plains

({T}: Add {W}.)

Commander

1 card

1×Hope EstheimLegendary Creature — Human Wizard · Printing not specified

Land

37 cards

Artifact

14 cards

Instant

12 cards

Creature

23 cards

Planeswalker

1 card

1×Ajani, Strength of the PrideLegendary Planeswalker — Ajani · Printing not specified

Enchantment

7 cards

1×Authority of the ConsulsEnchantment · Printing not specified 1×Boon ReflectionEnchantment · Printing not specified 1×Cleric ClassEnchantment — Class · Printing not specified 1×Court of CunningEnchantment · Printing not specified 1×Dawn of HopeEnchantment · Printing not specified 1×PropagandaEnchantment · Printing not specified 1×Psychic CorrosionEnchantment · Printing not specified

Sorcery

5 cards

1×Live Long and ProsperSorcery · Printing not specified 1×Space-Time AnomalySorcery · Printing not specified 1×Supreme VerdictSorcery · Printing not specified 1×Vanquish the HordeSorcery · Printing not specified 1×WindfallSorcery · Printing not specified

PREGAME CONVERSATION · Planned

Commander Bracket Assessment

Rules-Based Bracket: No raised minimumEstimated Power Bracket: High 3

Based on the 100-card main deck; sideboard excluded. The Rules-Based Bracket is the lowest bracket this card list allows under Commander bracket rules. The Estimated Power Bracket is a personal estimate of how strongly the deck plays. It is not an official rating.

Evidence and limitations

Rules-Based Bracket · minimum

No raised minimum found in the checked restrictions. This does not establish Exhibition intent, Core fit or absence of every possible combo.

Exact Game Changers: None.

Mass land denial registry: None identified in the checked registry. Modal or repeated-land targeting still requires a pregame discussion.

Your extra-turn cards: None identified in the checked registry. Opponent turns from Emrakul or gifts are not counted as your own chain.

Confirmed early two-card lethal or turn-chain flags are not inferred from keywords. This is a lower bound, not a complete combo solver or permission to delay a consistently early line until turn seven. Agreed Rule Zero / Exhibition exceptions are outside this ordinary-restriction check.

Estimated Power Bracket · High 3

Estimated from the card list alone, not from tracked win rates or game results.

Added mill replacements and Memento overlap with the lifegain core, while Sovereign adds a separate finish. Tutor access is still limited, so piece density should not be mistaken for guaranteed assembly.

Assembly and timing: The Mindskinner replaces damage and therefore stops lifelink gain from that damage. Sovereign needs an upkeep at forty life; no measured early line or frequency is claimed.

Recovery and constraints: Multiple ways to amplify mill help redundancy, but graveyard replacement/hate can alter Memento returns and board removal can stop the upkeep threat.

Curve: 2.98 average nonland mana value. Cheap mana/land-search text: Arcane Signet · Fellwar Stone · Mind Stone · Sol Ring · Talisman of Progress. This text-derived reading aid is not an official score.

Search-library evidence: None identified in the checked registry. This includes restricted and land searches; efficient tutor overlap is reviewed separately above. There is no official tutor-count cap.

Fast mana indicators: Sol Ring. Conditional free interaction: None identified in the checked registry. Conditions and resource costs still apply.

Key cards: Bruvac the Grandiloquent · Profane Memento · The Mindskinner · Felidar Sovereign.

Official sources checked 2026-10-31; criteria update 2025-10-21, Game Changers update 2026-02-09. Method and official source links. Brackets 4 and 5 share structural freedom; competitive intent cannot be inferred from these counts.