Introduction
Drain 'em dry was created for a casual/modern mutliplayer game that favors control decks and building board position into the mid-game. It would, in all likelihood, fare poorly in a mano a mano duel against an aggro-weenie "smash and burn" deck. Its designed to have an easy to manage mana-base (all black), a strong tribal / thematic aesthetic (vampire life drain), and several of internal synergies / combos that can clear the field and put you ahead against multiple opponents. In fact, with the exception of Diabolic Tutor, every non-mana card in this deck combos with several other cards therein. It also contains a "double wammy" effect (to boost those combos) and a "one shot one kill" effect.
Double Wammy
Both Sanguine Bond and Defiant Bloodlord have the effect "whenever you gain life, target opponent loses that much life." That means you have eight chances to put at least one instance of that ability - this deck's fulcrum of power - into play. Both cards have synergy with Vampire Nighthawk, Bloodbond Vampire, Blood Tithe, Blood Tribute, Feast of Blood. If Sangromancer is on the battlefield, their ability will activate when Victim of Night or Feast of Blood. Don't forget: with Feast of Blood you get to double-dip!
One Shot, One Kill
The "double wammy" effect in this deck is brutal enough to keep you ahead, but in a multiplayer game being able to remove an opponent or two mid-game is a strategic boon. To do this you need a vampire to tap andBlood Tribute + Sanguine Bond
or Blood Tribute
+
Defiant Bloodlord
. Kicking Blood Tribute means your opponent loses 50% of their life (rounded up) while you gain that much life. Because you gained that much life Defiant Bloodlord and / or Sanguine Bond kicks in and causes them to lose the other 50% of their remaining life-total. Diabolic Tutor renders this "dirty trick" combo more likely.
Don't forget to kick Blood Tribute!
Synergies
Vampire Nighthawk: Bloodbound Vampire + Vampire Nighthawk, Defiant Bloodlord
+
Vampire Nighthawk
, Sanguine Bond
+
Vampire Nighthawk
.
Bloodbond Vampire: Bloodbond Vampire
+
Vampire Nighthawk
, Bloodbond Vampire
+
Sangromancer
, Bloodbond Vampire
+
Defiant Bloodlord
, Bloodbond Vampire
+
Sanguine Bond
, Blood Tithe
+
Bloodbond Vampire
, Blood Tribute
+
Bloodbond Vampire
(kicked), Bloodbond Vampire
+
Feast of Blood
.
Sangromancer: Feast of Blood
+
Sangromancer
, Sangromancer
+
Victim of Night
, Sangromancer
+
Sanguine Bond
, Defiant Bloodlord
+
Sangromancer
, Bloodbond Vampire
+
Sangromancer
. And, of course, any kill by a creature on the battlefield will also activate Sangromancer's special ability.
Defiant Bloodlord: Defiant Bloodlord
+
Vampire Nighthawk
, Bloodbond Vampire
+
Defiant Bloodlord
, Defiant Bloodlord
+
Sangromancer
, Blood Tithe
+
Defiant Bloodlord
, Blood Tribute
+
Defiant Bloodlord
, Defiant Bloodlord
+
Feast of Blood
Help!
I could use some help with side-boarding in the event I need a faster, early-game fix for my mana curve for one-on-one play.
