So here I have a really fun and competitive midrange black control build. It's a deck that I've struggled with for a long time, mostly because I couldn't decide on which direction it could take. Building around Aggro was too slow, and fizzled too often, while pure Devotion was too janky, and couldn't keep up pace most of the time. Those two renditions led me to rethinking my strategy entirely.
Rather than trying to race the opponent with creatures, instead I began focusing on early game tempo control, through hand and board destruction, and utilizing creatures that had effects immediately when they were played.
Here's the current layout.
Non-Creatures:
Despise
- Fantastic turn one drop. Most often the first step to slowing down tempo with this deck is removing the first creature your opponent is/will be able to play. Also hits planeswalkers? Icing on the cake.
Victim of Night- Simple kill spells with broad utility. This one in particular hits the vast majority of creatures played in the current modern meta.
Collective Brutality- While individually, the effects seem subpar, when used together with the escalate cost, they become incredibly powerful. Being able to attack two or three zones at once with a single card is just bonkers. The discard cost is practically negligible.
Creatures:
Gatekeeper of Malakir- He's a bear. He kills things. Unless your opponent is playing tokens, or no creatures at all, they'll generally be hurting when this guy hits the field, especially after control on turns 1 and 2.
Geralf's Messenger
- Another superb turn 3 creature that hits as he enters the battlefield, recurs himself, and hits again after recursion. The Messenger also has some great synergy with Disciple of Bolas and boosts Gray Merchant of Asphodel's ability.
Disciple of Bolas- Normally a 2/1 for 4 cmc is way below standard, but her ETB ability more than makes up for that deficit. Not only do you gain card advantage off of the creature she sacrifices, but the lifegain can be very handy as well, especially against aggro.
Erebos's Titan
- The main beatstick of the deck, Titan is a very intimidating threat everytime he hits the board and either forces your opponent to remove him, or face the harsh consequences of not doing so. His ability to recur himself fits well with the mainboard Bojuka Bogs and he also synergizes superbly with Puppeteer Clique
erebos, god of death
- The main man himself makes a utility appearance in this deck. While he won't always establish himself as the beatstick he wants to be, his other two abilities more than make up for that issue. Preventing opponent lifegain in itself can lend to game wins, and his card draw ability can give you that edge in card advantage you're needing mid-game.
Puppeteer Clique- After being reminded of this card, I absolutely HAD to include it in this deck. Just a powerhouse utility creature that can swing games in your favor in an instant. Puppeteer evades, recurs itself, pulls more board presence to your side, and even synergizes with
Erebos's Titan
and Disciple of Bolas.
Blood Baron of Vizkopa- The secondary beatstick of the deck. This guy is a sleeping POWERHOUSE for Modern. Not only does he evade a TON of removal in the format, he heals you, and even gains evasion and more power if you can get his second ability to trigger. Just about every time the Baron hits the board, you're going to hear your opponent groan.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel- The final link, the Merchant is, at his worst, a blocker that damages on entry, and at his best, a game swinger or finisher. Just perfect for this deck.
