Just replaced Kothophed, Soul Hoarder with Shadowborn Demon, and replaced Endless Obedience with Skull Catapult. I needed more removal, and another non-creature sac outlet

no Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth?

Bojuka Bog?

Marshmist Titan?

Mogis's Marauder?

now i know you want a budget deck but not knowing how much you are willing to pay per card these are some of the best utility in black and it wouldnt hurt to have a couple of extra devotion cards in the deck

Bitterblossom?

Cabal Coffers?

Phyrexian Tower?

In the end, the deck would probably be more likely to win with life drain than with combat, so not the marauder. I'd love an Urborg. I'll have to check prices at the store... I already run Agent of Erebos, I don't need another graveyard exile. Besides, how can I use their stuff if I get rid of it? I'd love a cabal coffers, but I'm really not sure how easy that'll be to get a hold of.

Maybe Phyrexian Reclamation?
Also how is your card draw? Check out my budget sidisi deck if you want, I think it has nice card draw. Sidisi Tutors Lifelink & Removal mono-black $30

No Mercy

They have some promise... what would I remove, that's the next question

First things first, it isn't truly a commander deck unless you have Sol Ring. It isn't truly a mono-black commander deck unless you have Phyrexian Arena. They are both commander staples and should be in any deck that runs the colour of them. One other thing I would recommend is adding the Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond combo because one damage to anyone kills everyone but you. I understand that this is a budget brew and some of these aren't as cheap as you'd probably like, but I think these cards would really strengthen the deck, even though they don't fit the sacrifice theme.

First things first. No card has to be in any commander deck. That's the whole point. To be sure, some cards are damn useful in any deck, regardless of colour or thematic construction, but nobody has to put anything anywhere that they don't wish to. Moving on.

I like Phyrexian Arena. I'll have to find one.

The combo you mentioned, I don't wish to use in this deck. I used to have an Orzhov deck commanded by Obzedat, Ghost Council which had it, and I decided I didn't like winning with it. I would prefer winning in 'fair' ways than comboing and and scooping with an, "Oops, I guess I win." Combo win is all well and good, but you miss out on subsequent drama later on, is my way of looking at it. Actually, one thing I've found is that when the end looks inevitable, and you're about to win, and your opponent at the last moment makes a play that reverses everything and pulls a win out where you thought it was impossible? That's almost better than winning myself. Hence, not that combo. Also, I'm not running enough life gain in the deck to justify Sanguine Bond in a vacuum.

Fair enough though, and I appreciate the thoughts. Keep sending them, by all means. I'll try to justify my choices... even if sometimes, like Sol Ring, any argument other than "I don't have another one" sounds a little flimsy (which I don't, by the way, hence its absence).

Sorry if you misunderstood me, I wasn't trying to say that you had to add them in or anything, just that they were staples that are very useful and good, as you said, regardless of theme.

I appreciate that you don't want to add the combo in.

I'll give it a +1 because I actually love the idea and theme of the deck.

Hooray! Thank you. And thank you for understanding. I struggle with the difficulty of wording things online in a fashion that will be less likely to be misinterpreted in the other person's mind when they read it in a vacuum. Any other good cheap sac targets you can think of? I especially look for effective etb and death triggers... I might rely on triggered abilities too much, but so help me I love them.

Filth is always a good sac target as it benefits your creatures whilst in the graveyard itself, (although it doesn't work as well unless you have Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth or are playing against black). Also, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed could fit in well here because of giving everything undying so you can sac them again. Retribution of the Ancients would work well if you decide to add Mikaeus, the Unhallowed because you can remove the counters and sac them over and over again. Unfortunately however, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed is quite expensive.

No Grave Betrayal?

I lost with Grave Betrayal one time to having an opponent sac Phage the Untouchable... it's sort of scared me off using it. Plus, it takes a lot of mana to get out... but I may have to reconsider anyway.

You are definately going to want to save up for all the fancy lands, Cabal Coffers, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx for sure, maybe Thespian's Stage, Deserted Temple, and Rogue's Passage as well.

Honestly, Cabal Coffers and Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx are the only ones of the lands mentioned that I would particularly care for. They'd be amazing! But they'll be later additions, after the appropriate saving.

Maybe consider Gate to Phyrexia for artifact removal? Also, I could see some synergy with sac outlets, so maybe consider Ashnod's Altar, and Viscera Seer, along with Grave Pact.

Ashnod's Altar is now in, having pulled it in a small-scale sealed event of Eternal Masters. Turns out, it's good. Go figure... never know fully how good something is until you see it in action. Instead of Viscera Seer, I included a win-con that has a similar activated ability - Flesh-Eater Imp. With Dictate of Erebos out, it's a potential one-hit kill.

Mortal Combat

Well that would sure bring out the graveyard hate... wow, that would be awesome, but I might have trouble actually meeting that condition because I have so much recursion that it might not stay put properly long enough. But I'll give it a look. Thanks Cicjose!