Reanimating creatures the very turn they die for just two generic mana transforms ordinary creature trades and sacrifice loops into an unstoppable recursion engine. On Moxfield’s high-power and cEDH tables, Othelm, Sigardian Outcast (paired with Hargilde, Kindly Runechanter via Friends Forever to unlock the Bant color identity) serves as a potent combo commander capable of looping board-wiped or sacrificed creatures directly back to the battlefield.
As a 2/2 Human Soldier legend costing three mana (), Othelm tap-activates or mana-activates for to return target creature card in a graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn back to play tapped. By combining Othelm with sacrifice outlets like Phyrexian Altar and ETB reanimators like Karmic Guide or Reveillark, this deck establishes deterministic loops that drain or flood the board in an instant.
Here is the strategic operational blueprint of Moxfield’s premier Othelm list, detailing how to leverage graveyard recursion, protect your combo pieces, and close out games.
1. Core Mechanics & Strategic Phases
Succeeding with Othelm requires fast Bant mana acceleration, low-cost sacrifice outlets, ETB/death trigger creatures, and instant-speed interaction.
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Early Game (Turns 1–2): Establish ramp using Birds of Paradise, Noble Hierarch, and fast rocks. Cast Othelm early to keep activation mana available.
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Mid Game (Turns 3–4): Deploy sac outlets like Ashnod’s Altar or Viscera Seer. Use Othelm to pull back key value creatures like Solitude or Endurance right after they trigger.
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Late Game (Turns 4+): Loop Karmic Guide or Reveillark with a sacrifice engine and Othelm’s activation to generate infinite mana, infinite ETB triggers, and secure immediate victory.
2. Moxfield Highlights: Sacrifice Engines & Recursion Loops
The highest-rated community lists on Moxfield optimize Othelm by pairing cheap graveyard recursion with high-yield sacrifice outlets and Bant protection.
Phyrexian Altar / Ashnod’s Altar
Core sacrifice engines. Generates the exact mana required to pay for Othelm’s activation cost whenever a creature is sacrificed, forming self-sustaining loop pipelines.
Karmic Guide / Reveillark
Reanimation loop anchors. Together with Othelm, these creatures create infinite recursion loops that bring back your entire graveyard to the battlefield simultaneously.
Fiend Hunter
Removal and infinite ETB loop piece. Sacrificing Fiend Hunter in response to its ETB trigger permanently exiles an opposing creature while letting Othelm pull Fiend Hunter back for repeated triggers.
Fierce Guardianship / Heroic Intervention
Bant defensive engine. Protects Othelm and your sacrifice outlets from opposing spot removal or board wipes while you execute loop lines.
3. Copy & Paste Othelm, Sigardian Outcast 100-Card Decklist
Use the text box below to copy the complete highly-optimized community list. It contains exactly 2 Commanders (Othelm + Hargilde) and 98 mainboard cards (78 singletons + 20 basic lands = 98 mainboard cards), calibrated for an error-free import into Moxfield.
1 Othelm, Sigardian Outcast
1 Hargilde, Kindly Runechanter
1 An Offer You Can't Refuse
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Arcane Signet
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Avacyn's Pilgrim
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Birthing Pod
1 Boseiju, Who Endures
1 Breeding Pool
1 Chord of Calling
1 City of Brass
1 Command Tower
1 Crop Rotation
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Delighted Halfling
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Eldritch Evolution
1 Endurance
1 Esper Sentinel
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Fabled Passage
1 Fierce Guardianship
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Finale of Devastation
1 Flooded Strand
1 Force of Negation
1 Force of Will
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Heroic Intervention
1 Imperial Seal
1 Karmic Guide
1 Kiora's Follower
1 Knight of Autumn
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Confluence
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Drain
1 Mana Vault
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Mox Amber
1 Mox Diamond
1 Mox Opal
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Otawara, Soaring City
1 Path to Exile
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Polluted Delta
1 Reanimate
1 Recruiter of the Guard
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Reveillark
1 Rhystic Study
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Sol Ring
1 Solitude
1 Spell Pierce
1 Sun Titan
1 Swan Song
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Sylvan Library
1 Tainted Pact
1 Temple Garden
1 Thassa's Oracle
1 Three Visits
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Tropical Island
1 Tundra
1 Veil of Summer
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Viscera Seer
1 Walking Ballista
1 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Worldly Tutor
1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
12 Island
8 Forest
Summary: Recur from the Grave, Loop to Victory
Moxfield’s top deck builders prioritize Othelm, Sigardian Outcast because he transforms creature death into an immediate reanimation opportunity for just two mana. By combining sacrifice engines, ETB reanimators, and zero-cost Bant protection, Othelm controls the board with relentless graveyard recursion. Copy the flawless 100-card decklist above, recur your creatures, and dominate your next Commander pod.
