Drain

[Thorn]

How viable is a control/life drain deck in EDH. Using cards like {No Mercy} to keep me alive and also using cards like {Blood Artist}, {Falkenrath Noble}, and all of those other black draining cards.
If you know of cards that support this strategy please let me know.
My favorite is {Polluted Bonds}
Thanks

[Juggalonoke]

Go discard control! Lots of discard spells like {duress} and such creatures like {lilianas specter} and enchantments like {megrim} and {lilianas caress}
Oh and {abyssal specter}

[Gorzo]

The only problem with life gain decks in Commander is that if you take 21 damage from any commander, you're dead, no matter how much life you have. And there's no way to restore that kind of damage. So if you go against a deck that relies heavily on its commander doing the lethal damage (like a {Uril, the Miststalker} deck) your life gain deck is neutered. But if you are against decks where the commanders are utility and don't really attack you ({Jhoira of the Ghitu}) then your life gain works very well.

Are you looking at mono {B}? If you have {W} too you have a bajillion more lifelink and life gain cards to choose from, and alternate win conditions like {felidar sovereign}.

[Thorn]

Well I have {Vorosh the Hunter} as my commander and I had a bunch of Drain cards so I didn't exactly know what to do with him. However now I have a deck with lots of removal and then vorosh hits his 21 damage quickly.
Thanks for all your help.
Also I have some tutors and I want to add {Leveler} + {Laboratory Maniac} so I can have an intant win!

[Juggalonoke]

Lol just added that instant win condition to a deck I have as well Cjust pulled it off for the first time tonight and then instant thought scour for the win the 3 guy I was playing just said wtf dude