Dark Pox

Modern Competitive Control Discard Mono-Black

Jmonsturr

Creature (4)

• 4x Dark Confidant

Planeswalker (4)

• 4x Liliana of the Veil

Land (24)

• 1x Dakmor Salvage
• 1x Ghost Quarter
• 4x Mutavault
• 7x Swamp
• 3x Tectonic Edge
• 4x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 4x Verdant Catacombs

Enchantment (2)

• 2x Shrieking Affliction

Artifact (6)

• 2x Crucible of Worlds
• 4x The Rack

Instant (3)

• 3x Victim of Night

Sorcery (17)

• 1x Damnation
• 4x Inquisition of Kozilek
• 4x Smallpox
• 4x Thoughtseize
• 4x Wrench Mind

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Sideboard

Artifact (8)

• 2x Ensnaring Bridge
• 3x Grafdigger's Cage
• 2x Pithing Needle
• 1x Ratchet Bomb

Instant (7)

• 2x Bile Blight
• 2x Darkblast
• 3x Surgical Extraction

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Maybeboard

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Curse of Death's Hold
• 1x Necrogen Mists

Instant (2)

• 1x Dismember
• 1x Shadow of Doubt

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Damnation
• 1x Despise

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Allow me to introduce the newest addition to the metagame. I've pet named this Dark Pox (because of the addition of Dark Confidant) and you may find it's shell familiar, as it was played at GP Prague, and can be seen featured on YouTube by Robert Leva (aka Memory Lapse on mtgSalvations). It is also known as Reactive 8Rack.

This build, however, contains very crucial differences in card/curve choice, particularly addressing the weakness to non control deck matchups. Ensnaring Bridge is removable believe it or not, and Proactive 8Rack does little to gain control of the board state. One Abrupt Decay can quickly end the game where otherwise everything was in your favor. GR Tron, GB Midrange, Jund, and most fast aggro decks were previously very very bad matchups and a couple were berely winnable with any reasonable consistency, due to the auto inclusion of Abrupt Decay or just the sheer threat/removal volume in these decks. Occasionally they just draw bad, and Ensnaring Bridge was enough but I found myself getting more and more frustrated every time my opponent drew a removal spell.

The defining card to making this current version as dominant as it has become, for me anyway, was the addition of Tectonic Edge, and mainboarding Darkblast . These cards (mainly Tectonic Edge) have been pivotal in the ability to consistently run a resource denial strategy, and was the main factor in robbing numerous opponents of victory. Teconic Edge + Smallpox is a crippling 1-2-punch in Modern and is even worse with a follow up Dark Confidant or Liliana of the Veil

Anyways, enjoy leave comments, and criticisms or questions. Let's lift this archetype into contention. -Jmonsturr

Date added	10 years
Last updated	10 years
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	14 - 2 Mythic Rares 17 - 9 Rares 15 - 4 Uncommons 7 - 0 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	1.83