brandonkillen says... #2
Think of the possibilities with Falkenrath Aristocrat, Geralf's Messenger, and Blood Artist. Basically doing a whole lot of damage in a row, especially if Gravecrawler gets involved, and thats a 1, 2, 3, and 4 drop so the curve can work out pretty well, since ol crawler will be coming back.
March 6, 2013 4:07 p.m.
That changes the entire archetype of the deck. I want creatures that can stand on there own and give me solid field presence turn 3-6 (messenger coming in tapped did really screw with me). Id rather have Basilica Screecher over Blood Artist atm because i constantly have card advantage and 2 drop kill spells (also it flies). Also that's like 60+ dollars to add cards that don't really fit (i'd make a different deck if i had those cards).
March 6, 2013 4:40 p.m.
montazum10 says... #4
I think Gloom Surgeon would be nice for the sideboard here against creature heavy decks or maybe even mainboard. Have you looked at Conley Wood's Black Control list?
March 6, 2013 5:32 p.m.
I've seen Wood's deck....mexiling my win cons with Gloom Surgeon just doesn't sit well with me. I've tested them....and its wholly not to my taste. And aggro decks aren't that scary....if i board in Elixir of Immortality alongside my 10 2 drop insta kills....I live forever...or at least long enough to turn the tides with a big fat demon :) Though after i get the Blood Crypt i can add some aoe burn if need be.
March 6, 2013 6:15 p.m.
jokersam9806 says... #6
I know you probably aren't interested in blue, but Consuming Aberration is total face-fuck if you're playing lots of spells. You just so happen to be doing so, so I suggest it.
March 6, 2013 7:21 p.m.
Its a good suggestion, though atm I'm leaning towards splashing red (see above) and splashing white is a very close runner up ( Blind Obedience, Obzedat, Ghost Council, Restoration Angel to name a few reasons).
March 6, 2013 7:25 p.m.
jokersam9806 says... #8
Yeah that's why I wasn't sure, but it was just a thought
March 6, 2013 7:27 p.m.
Psychonautical says... #9
Better than before, but still could be improved by lowering your high number of high-costers.
If planeswalkers are your reasoning for Witchbane Orb and Basilica Screecher is a source of Extort, you can kill two birds with one stone by using Thrull Parasite.
2 mana for just a 1/2, even with flying, is still kind of steep when compared to other things you could spend that much mana on. Thrull Parasite can remove counters from planeswalkers, and in the instances where they have used an ability that drains them to one or with multiple Thrulls, can kill them.
Lord of the Void is okay, but by the time you can bring him out and have him attack, you will have the upper hand enough to where there isn't any need to steal an opponents creature. You'd benefit more from a third Bloodgift Demon.
Also, I see you are still set on using Staff of Nin. I am telling you, from experience, that it isn't nearly as great as it seems. Especially running just 1. It is almost pointless to run 1 of any card, with very few exceptions. I use just 1 Griselbrand in my similar deck, deck:The-Taxman simply because I also use 2 Diabolic Revelation, essentially giving me three opportunities on top of numerous other draw cards to bring him out when the timing is right.
You may have used this deck in real play and found it successful at times, but I don't believe you if you claim you don't often have situations where you either don't have a Crypt Ghast, it gets removed, or you don't draw a 4th mana in time to bring him out and cast your fatties, only to have a hand full of several creatures that are too big to play.
I really suggest, if you are going for the power of demons and larger creatures, a setup more like this to bring some balance to your early and late game:
3x Desecration Demon3x Bloodgift Demon2x Griselbrand4x Crypt Ghast4x Thrull Parasite4x Vampire Nighthawk
Even this setup is risky since all but four total creatures cost under 3 mana, and it isn't one you want to attack or defend with except in desperate situations. You can counterbalance this by using plenty of cheap removal spells to slow down your opponent and give you time to bring out the big guys.
You are on the right track maxing out Victim of Night and Ultimate Price, but consider swapping your 2 Liliana of the Dark Realms, your 1 Staff of Nin, and your 2 Devour Flesh for 3 Tragic Slip and 2 of either Duress or Undying Evil.
I know Liliana looks appealing, I paid full-price for her when she came out. But she is trash. The BEST thing she can offer your deck is to thin the number of Swamps so the extra cards your draw from other effects are less likely to be more Swamps, but that is the extent of her usefulness.
With plenty of draw cards and cheap removal, you will be able to stay in the game long enough to where even if you lose or don't get your Crypt Ghast, you will still be able to play what you need later in the game. There is little reason to spend as much mana as a Ghast on a card just to keep pulling Swamps out since you have plenty of draw sources, and you won't need her removal effect because you will have huge creatures, Vampire Nighthawks, and all of your removal.
Undying Evil and Duress are to protect your creatures. Either one works, though I lean towards Duress for its versatility. On one hand, you can surprise them by ruining their attempt at removal and bring back a useful creature. But on the other, you can remove their removal OR things that give them a card advantage such as draw cards of their own, and even better is that you get to look at their hand. I can not emphasize how big of an advantage knowing your opponent's hand is.
March 6, 2013 11:21 p.m.
Psychonautical says... #10
If you REALLY want to use a planeswalker, Liliana of the Veil is a MUCH better option. Especially since you will have 23 lands and a high draw ratio, you will often have a Swamp you can spare for her discard effect. Just remember to switch her out when going against G/W, because you may get unlucky and use it on an opponent holding a Loxodon Smiter.
March 6, 2013 11:27 p.m.
Thanks for advertising your deck a second time....
I am doing fine with this current build even when i do not draw a Crypt Ghast. I understand the Thrull Parasite to Basilica Screecher comparison..but comparing it to Witchbane Orb is ridiculous.
I have been using Staff of Nin to get uber card advantage and to clear out some of my opponent's spirit tokens in control decks (so my flying creatures get to swing freely quicker). Also when SoN hits...it usually stays, where Bloodgift Demon is very subject to removal.
I am going to directly replace Liliana of the Dark Realms with Liliana of the Veil as soon as i get them on friday (though thinning your deck and getting guaranteed mana is never bad, no matter which way you cut it).
Devour Flesh is staying in until i get Lilly of the veil because hexproof creatures win games if unchecked. I haven't had an issue with keeping field presence, i play fairly conservatively so i always keep a heavy hitter in hand for post wipe against a deck playing control.
I would only put Tragic Slip in the deck in the place of Basilica Screecher..because i intend on splashing red after friday (Dreadbore will replace Devour Flesh if i get lillies of the veil).
Duress is staying sideboarded for now. (id rather have kill cards JiC it is aggro...i switch in 4 duress if it isn't early game aggro). Id sooner add Ring of Xathrid in for protection.
Lord of the Void is a 7/7 flyer for 7, with an I win proc...even against aggro decks i can stall the game easily to turn 10-14...i can play him easily anywhere in that time frame.
March 6, 2013 11:37 p.m.
Also, you don't play creatureless control decks much...do you?
March 6, 2013 11:59 p.m.
Boarding Knight of Infamy again....just for FNM testing. If he does what i want to against esper control...he'll probably stay there.
March 7, 2013 1:47 a.m.
On top of other changes...2x Ghost Quarter were added to remove trick lands...and to mess up opponent mana flow early game.
March 9, 2013 3:27 a.m.
Also acquired 1x Olivia Voldaren for funsies. She may find a spot in after i splash red.
March 9, 2013 3:31 a.m.
RedCloud2012 says... #16
I would play this deck..good job its actually my edit to Collins deck in gatecrash pro tour.
March 9, 2013 3:35 a.m.
AyeDavanita10 says... #17
looks pretty solid! ever thought of splashing red for Rakdos's Return? imagine making a huuuge one with Crypt Ghast
March 10, 2013 5:57 p.m.
Yup. The maybeboard is what i would integrate when i get Blood Crypt. I have the other cards lying in wait.
March 10, 2013 6:17 p.m.
Got a 75 dollar gift card for amazon for my 21st birtday. Two Liliana of the Veil are going in!
March 12, 2013 6:40 p.m.
The question is...does a 2x of Liliana of the Veil replace 2 x Devour Flesh, 1x Sign in Blood/Devour Flesh, or 2x Liliana of the Dark Realms? I like the idea of having 4 planeswalkers in deck.
March 12, 2013 6:45 p.m.
Don't have 4 planeswalkers just because you can. You need to make sure that they're all performing a function that's very important to the deck.
March 12, 2013 6:47 p.m.
hawgdriver says... #24
I'm going to take my version of the mono-swamp Ghast concept ( deck:learning-to-control ) to FNM this week (I run tutor and Nico Bolas, and fewer fatties).
What gives you trouble? The single card that gives me the most trouble is Geralf's Messenger. After that, it's Jace's mill. Like you, I have trouble with artifacts and enchantments, but at least Nico can help somewhat.
I'm thinking about adding more 2-drop chumps into mainboard, especially Blood Artist. I added one copy of blood artist to mb the other day. My first Blood Artist / Mutilate combo went off for a 6 life swing. It's got me thinking about adding gloom surgeon and another artist.
I had Cremate in sb but removed it. I'd like to know your results with it. Like you, my worst game 1 matchup is mill, after that it's aggro zombies.
March 12, 2013 7:17 p.m.
Im fine against mill (sideboard is mill paranoid). And i went 2-1 out of 3 rounds (see above). I have enough lifegain to deal with messenger so far. Also i cant play bolas because i dont have the lands...and dont wish to add gilded lotus because i already have enough late game drops.
@ChiefBell. I dont want to drop liliana of the dark realms because her -3 consistently wins me games and her mana grab will be especially useful after splashing red. Im going to test with her and without whenever i have internet again (in vegas....for 21st....the internet is expensive lol). Ill see how i manage without her. I am mainboarding Rakdos's Return and kinda want her ult as an option. Im willing to drop Dark realms...i just feel like losing my other avenue of mana gain/pseudo card advantage will hurt me slightly
Bababad says... #1
Going to FNM this week...have about 300 dollars in trade fodder. Hoping to get 2x Liliana of the Veil and a set of Blood Crypt so i can MB 2x Rakdos's Return 2x Dreadbore and sideboard 2x Slaughter Games and 2x Skullcrack. If i get those...that will probably be the finalized version of this deck.
March 6, 2013 12:12 a.m.