Lifegain decks build around engines like Amalia Benavides Aguirre, Haliya, Guided by Light, and Case of the Uneaten Feast, so Duress is crucial for stripping key noncreature pieces like Ajani Resolute or Lunar Convocation before they snowball. Maelstrom Pulse answers any problematic nonland permanent including Case of the Uneaten Feast or Lunar Convocation. Stir Up Trouble and The Misty Mountains Cold are too slow and resource-intensive against a deck that will simply outlast us on raw life total, so proactive disruption is prioritized over grindy plans.