All right! Latest idea to try out a Zombie deck with a Rakdos twist. Would like to get this in order before the next FNM standard. After the event I'll be sure to post results. All help, comments and +1 are very much welcome!
Card evaluations:
Manabase: 4x
Blood Crypt
- invaluable enabler to cast the red spells, a must have playset.
4x Dragonskull Summit - since we're not running Mutilate this is a perfect addition to get that extra red mana.
2x Mutavault - A good addition in my opinion. It acts as all creature types, so it can dig up Gravecrawler if things go sour with a wrath effect we don't have any zombies in hand. Screws the mana a bit. With only two the effect is marginal and it won't be a dead land pull later in the game.
12x Swamp - the rest is just dumped into swamps, so that we'd get to roll with 22 lands in total.
Core:
4x Gravecrawler - another core element. Absolutely wonderful. It can combo with Blood Artist and is very hard to kill. With Falkenrath Aristocrat and Blood Artist out, this card will enable to dump all mana into an extort effect.
4x Geralf's Messenger - absolutely wonderful, combos with a ton of cards and kicks the hell out of the opponent (provided he untaps!). Sadly a prime target for Pillar and other sorts of exile.
4x Falkenrath Aristocrat - a 4 drop that has haste and flying and is indestructible provided you have at least one creature on the field. Can sac gravecrawlers merrily all day long. Deals great damage, provides a sac outlet for Blood Artist and Geralf's Messenger. What's not to love!
4x Blood Artist - a very impressive card. Combos very well with the cards mentioned above.
4x Lifebane Zombie - great all-rounder. Takes care of pesky Thragtuskes, Reckoners and whatnot before the hit the field. Has intimidate, hits well. A superb card while white and green are as dominant as they are now.
3x Tragic Slip - this removal is too good to ignore. Takes care of indestructible and creatures of any color.
1x Dreadbore - sometimes you just need that extra planeswalker hate.
4x Mizzium Mortars - although we probably won't get to use the overload ability, this is a great 4 damage removal to have. Although it's counterpart
Searing Spear
is also wonderful, this takes the cake since there's an abysmal card that demolishes this deck. Yes, it's Blood Baron of Vizkopa. Also takes care of Resto Angel.
4x Vampire Nighthawk - a splendid card that always gets a groan out of an opponent. A flyer, decent stats, deathtouch and lifelink. All that for 3 mana. A great deal!
Additions (this is what will get sideboarded out most often):
Since there needs to be another one-drop the choice pretty much comes down to
Rakdos Cackler
or Diregraf Ghoul. You can try out either but I'd usually go with the ghoul to back your Gravecrawlers up.
2x Underworld Connections are to help with long games or when the opponent got a lot of discard effects. Also helps to keep the pressure going with a marginal life loss.
Sideboard:
3x Duress to fight heavy control decks 2x Dreadbore vs planeswalker heavy deck 3x Cremate for some graveyard hate4x
Pillar of Flame
vs other Zombie decks, Voices and pesky Undying mobs. 3x Slaughter Games these will probably name Sphinx's Revelation in games.
