Denethor, Ruling Steward (LTR)

Denethor, Ruling Steward
Casting Cost: {1}{W}{B}
Card Type: Legendary Creature - Human Noble
Power/Toughness: 2/4
Card Text:
At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.
2, Sacrifice another creature: Each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Flavour Text:
"Much must be risked in war."
Artist: Campbell White

Card Strengths and Weaknesses:

• Strengths:
  • Excellent in sacrifice-themed decks.
  • Decent toughness makes it hard to remove with damage-based effects.
  • Provides incremental advantage in the form of 1/1 tokens and life manipulation.
• Weaknesses:
  • Requires other creatures to be sacrificed for the second ability.
  • The first ability only triggers if a creature died under your control.

Deck Utility:

• Sacrifice Synergy: Fits naturally in decks that use sacrifice as a strategy, generating tokens that can be sacrificed later.

• Life Gain and Drain: Can be used in decks focused on life manipulation.

• Commander: A potential commander for Orzhov (White-Black) sacrifice or life-drain strategies.

• Aggro-Control: In a midrange deck, Denethor provides a steady stream of small creatures and can help tip the scales in life totals.

• Aristocrats: Would be right at home in an Aristocrats deck, which focuses on sacrificing your own creatures for value.

Denethor, Ruling Steward is versatile and can be the cornerstone of various deck archetypes that utilize sacrifice mechanics or life gain/drain strategies. With a body that's solidly statted for blocking, this card is a persistent threat that can give you incremental advantages over the course of a game.