I'm Back in Black BABY! ZOMBIES!
This is a Mono Black Devotion - ZOMBIES deck. Interestingly enough I had this idea way back during M15 core set - BUT I killed it because there wasn't enough support, and now IT HAS RISEN.....Risen Executioner. Go figure - even the idea was ZOMBIFIED!
I'M BACK IN BLACK! (not AC/DC either, although a slight pun intended, I cannot stand AC/DC. I much prefer direct current over AC. Ok I'm done. But it actually does sound pretty funny if you listen to it while playtesting.)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4EFddbHkRo
work in progress
PLEASE NOTE: The 1 copy of Empty the Pits is only in main deck to keep the Token Option in bottom left. Once I remove it to sideboard the token option goes away unfortunately, so you just remove empty the pits, put all cards from hand to deck, then shuffle, then proceed as normal. It is pretty inconvenient but there is no way around it. Sorry...
This is a Mono Black Zombie deck , but I am testing a tiny red splash to see if it gives me more versatility/playability. A few reasons it may be good are:
I can cast
Tymaret, the Murder King
if I don't draw Necromancer's Stockpile.
It gives me access to Kolaghan's Command which is nice.
It gives me access to Purphoros, God of the Forge and also the new card "Impact Tremors". Possibly even Outpost Siege. So making Zombie tokens actually turns into tiny fireballs - especially potent with Empty the Pits
With the red splash I could also use Mogis, God of Slaughter against heavy creature based decks like Mono Green Devotion, which would make the matchup even more favorable to me. Or use Mogis against Control decks with no creatures for extra pressure - combined with sideboard Duress to tear them apart.
With the sideboard options of B/R you can convert into more of a controlling deck if need be as well - with access to Deathbringer Regent, Mogis, God of Slaughter,
Ultimate Price
, Duress, etc. I can completely clean out the opponents hand and wipe their board so they are top decking in no time. You still can have one copy of Empty the Pits as an extra finisher, or you can finish them with
Palace Siege
and Mogis, God of Slaughter slowly but surely.
Please, if you have time, playtest this deck and let me know the results. After all, who doesn't want a Standard format Zombie deck?
A 1 of Empty the Pits for a surprise late game finisher - and with
Tymaret, the Murder King
in your graveyard, you have protection against enemy
Bile Blight
.
Key Combos:
Tymaret, the Murder King
+ Necromancer's StockpileTymaret is in this deck specifically for a recurring card draw/Zombie maker. And since you can pay 1B and sac a creature to return him to your hand, he can be used as protection against
Bile Blight
- if they try to
Bile Blight
your Zombie Tokens just sac the Targeted Token to fizzle the spell. Tymaret also gives protection against Exile effects - for instance if they try to exile your Risen Executioner you can just pay 1B and sac him, get Tymaret back to your hand, then recast Executioner later - all while making the opponent waste an Exile spell. Kill 2 birds with one stone.
Risen Executioner + Necromancer's Stockpile - he can be discarded to Stockpile for a card+zombie token, then next turn cast from your graveyard to the battlefield - PLUS he gives all your Zombies +1/+1. On a side note, he's a 4/3 that gives 2 Black Devotion for those big Gray Merchant of Asphodel.
Sidisi, Undead Vizier + a 'Zombie Token' or Risen Executioner or Gray Merchant of Asphodel - When Sidisi ETB, sac a Token for a free Tutor. Or you can sac Risen Executioner and then cast him from your GY next turn. You can also lay out Gray Merchant, next turn lay out Sidisi, sac Gray Merchant for tutor, then use Whip of Erebos to bring back Gray Merchant next turn for an even bigger drain.
Whip of Erebos + Gray Merchant of Asphodel and
Palace Siege
- between Gray Merchant and Palace Siege you can pretty much drain your opponent to death..
Tymaret, the Murder King
+ Gray Merchant of Asphodel +
Palace Siege
- you can choose Khans on Palace Siege, then repeatedly lay out Gray Merchant and pay 1R to sac him for 2 dmg to opponent, every turn Gray Merchant returns to your hand with Palace Siege so you can repeat the process. If you build up devotion with Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx then you can pull some serious shenanigans.
You can convert into more of a Controlling Deck - for instance, against Mono Green Devotion - 2/2 Zombies aren't that potent since the ground is usually cluttered with Courser of Kruphix, Sylvan Caryatid or Polukranos, World Eater. So you can take out most of your Zombie stuff and put in cards like Deathbringer Regent, and
Ultimate Price
. But you can keep Empty the Pits for an extra finisher because Mono Green Devotion can't do anything about that once you Deathbringer Regent the board.
Sideboarding Options: Please Note that these depend whether you are on the play or the draw. You will sideboard accordingly.
Card weak against U/B or Sultai Control:
Silence the Believers
- little or no creatures
Ultimate Price
- same as above
Gray Merchant of Asphodel - too slow, not that hard of a hitter by himself (2 power), devotion will probably be low anyways from slogging through counters/removal, plus can be countered easily to negate ETB effects.
Palace Siege
- same as Gray Merchant, but can also be destroyed by Sultai Charm or exiled by Ugin, the Spirit Dragon.
Cards strong against Control:
Duress - obvious reasons - it hits all the important spells in their deck and gives you hand info.
Stain the Mind - a nice 1 of to hit a pesky card that you don't want to play around - like Ugin, the Spirit Dragon.
Mogis, God of Slaughter -they have no creatures, so 2 dmg every turn. He can't be killed by Sultai Charm enchant destroy. 2 dmg per turn is not a whole lot but that is a 10 turn clock by itself, so with added pressure of resilient creatures like Risen Executioner who shrugs off removal it could present lethal fairly quickly. Plus it is possible to get him active at 7 devotion to red/black. And one thing they don't want is an active Mogis - the dude is a monster 7/5 indestructible, hits like a train.
Read the Bones - to help dig for what you need and replace cards that got countered or removed.
Erebos, God of the Dead - again, like Mogis, he is very hard to remove. Takes very little to activate him (4 black + Him), then he becomes a 5/7 indestructible. The only answers they have are Ugin, the Spirit Dragon or to land an early Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver and exile him. Ashiok is the more likely, which is why I add an extra copy of Erebos just in case. He also lets you pay 2 mana + 2 life for 1 card. Which isn't incredible value, but it's good against control because there is no pressure on your life total. There is also the added bonus of preventing them from gaining life - which is not a huge deal BUT if they use Courser of Kruphix and lands like
Dismal Backwater
it can actually make a big difference by preventing it.
Empty the Pits - just remember if you use empty the pits in response to their tap out to cast Dig Through Time, keep up at least 2 mana for
Tymaret, the Murder King
in your Graveyard so you can Sac a Token in case they target one with
Bile Blight
. Preferably keep up 4 mana and 2 tymarets in GY but AT LEAST 1 tymaret in GY and 2 mana up to protect from bile blight.
Cards Bad against Jeskai Aggro:
After match 1, they will probably board in Erase to hit your Whip of Erebos,
Palace Siege
, and Necromancer's Stockpile. They will probably board in some Disdainful Stroke, more Valorous Stance,
Ashcloud Phoenix
, or Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker. They also might board in some extra card draw like Treasure Cruise or Dig Through Time.
Necromancer's Stockpile - too slow, 2/2 tokens will just be picked off by burn, resulting in tempo loss. Plus they will board in [erase]] once they see you have quite a few enchantments.
Cards good against Jeskai Aggro:
Drown in Sorrow - kills everything in the deck except Mantis Rider and gives a Scry 1. Nuff said.
Pharika's Cure
- Again, kills everything except Mantis Rider AND gives us 2 life. Perfect.
Duress - strips all their important spells and countermagic.
Silence the Believers
- late game 2 for 1 that evades Valorous Stance and hits either
Ashcloud Phoenix
or Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker.
Stain the Mind
Empty the Pits - late game end step bomb. They have no sweepers or way to deal with mass amounts of creatures. End Step empty the pits. Untap, lay out Risen Executioner. Attack for Lethal.
Cards Bad against Mono Green Devotion:
After Match 1, they will probably bring in Reclamation Sage, more Genesis Hydra if they don't run 4 copies, Nissa, Worldwaker, and maybe
Nylea's Disciple
.
Bile Blight
- pretty low impact. It can kill a mana dork or maybe Eidolon of Blossoms but so can Drown in Sorrow, which I could see bringing in a couple copies.
Cards good against Mono Green Devotion:
Silence the Believers
- perfect answer to Genesis Hydra. Slams genesis and polukranos, Cast Silence, Strive, Exile both.
Deathbringer Regent - my board sweeper of choice. I may not like it as much as I think, I will have to playtest. But the reason I chose this over Crux of Fate is because it allows me to wipe the board PLUS get a FAT flyer - which everyone knows Mono Green is weak to flyers. And most likely, if they don't have
Arbor Colossus
mainboard for Game 1, they won't board him in because I have no flyers Main Deck.
