---
name: "Pontiff of Blight"
mana_cost: "{4}{B}{B}"
cmc: 6
type_line: "Creature — Zombie Cleric"
colors: []
color_identity: ["B"]
keywords: ["Extort"]
set: "CLB"
set_name: "Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate"
collector_number: "768"
rarity: "rare"
artist: "Seb McKinnon"
oracle_id: "f5a95092-fb71-4b55-bc54-782bd1c603e1"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/pontiff-of-blight-clb"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "legal"
---

# Pontiff of Blight
- **Mana Cost:** `{4}{B}{B}` (CMC: 6)
- **Type:** Creature — Zombie Cleric
- **Keywords:** Extort

## Oracle Text
Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay {W/B}. If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)
Other creatures you control have extort. (If a creature has multiple instances of extort, each triggers separately.)

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [Syndic of Tithes](/printing/syndic-of-tithes-clu.md) — Creature — Human Cleric
2. [Vizkopa Confessor](/printing/vizkopa-confessor-gtc.md) — Creature — Human Cleric
3. [Crypt Ghast](/printing/crypt-ghast-rvr.md) — Creature — Spirit
4. [Syndicate Enforcer](/printing/syndicate-enforcer-clu.md) — Creature — Human Rogue
5. [Thrull Parasite](/printing/thrull-parasite-gtc.md) — Creature — Thrull
6. [The Kingpin of Crime](/printing/the-kingpin-of-crime-msh.md) — Legendary Creature — Human Villain

## Printing Details
- **Set:** Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB) #768
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Artist:** Seb McKinnon

## Format Legalities
Commander: `legal` | Standard: `not_legal` | Modern: `legal` | Pioneer: `legal` | Legacy: `legal` | Vintage: `legal` | Pauper: `not_legal` | Penny: `legal`

## Official Rulings
- *(2024-01-12)* The amount of life you gain from extort is based on the total amount of life lost, not necessarily the number of opponents you have. For example, if your opponent's life total can't change (perhaps because that player controls Platinum Emperion), you won't gain any life.
- *(2024-01-12)* The extort ability doesn't target any player.
- *(2024-01-12)* You may pay {W/B} a maximum of one time for each extort triggered ability. You decide whether to pay when the ability resolves.
- *(2024-01-12)* The extort ability resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. The ability resolves even if that spell is countered.