Milking the hell out of Xathrid Necromancer and Mogis's Marauder is a dirty fun idea, but it does make me sad to see Tormented Hero and no way to activate its heroic. Yes, I understand that's not the point of having it in here, but still.

Pain Seer will be a joy to have as well, but I foresee (pun unintended, but totally keeping it) many a rakdos deck being undone by a bad luck draw with the seer pulling a 4 cmc or more, ha. I suspect, however, seer will get blocked all day and die before the inspire can be activated.

Two things jump to mind:

1. In mirror match ups, red aggo and black devotion decks Marauder is gimped as hell. How do you shift your wincon? I don't see your sideboard, but I assume there's some Dark Betrayal at least.

2. I read why you like Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch and why your planning on keeping it. I get that it fits the strat perfectly and is powerful all on its own. However (and you knew there was going to be a caveat, ha) I have to wonder if it's such a linchpin that you need to run a playset of this legendary. Seems like Mogis/Xathrid are your most trusty finishers, so I wonder what would happen if you decrease exava to two copies and bring in another couple cards that act to support your early pressure. That would go a nice ways to both quicken when you drop your finishers, including Exava, and cause the opponent to waste removal/other answer on less important minions.

Personally I like Madcap Skills for the job, as it makes that little 1 drop a pain and a half to deal with on turn two. It will die by turn three or four sure, but by then you've laid down more creatures and are gearing up for your Mogis finish, your Xanthrid army or Exava threat to come down and they've wasted removal on a red harring wincon. It also gives late game a new method of finishing things, as it allows yet another way to swing past defenders with a bonus to damage. However, Madcap Skills does slow down how many creatures you lay down by a bit, even if it makes up for the damage.

But judging by the previous comments your pretty set on Exava, but just thought I'd throw a suggestion out there. There are many worst legendaries than Exava, so it's hard for me to say too much against it, heh.

Then again, you could always go with the Esper, control hating Rakdos's Return as well... but I believe that may just be my own bias shining through. I may not be the most synergetic fit in this particular deck, but man when it hits hard it does wonders.

I agree with the above poster. Good advice!

4 copies of Exava seems excessive. She is legendary after all. Consider Hellhole Flailer for more unleash action, plus a handy bomb effect that stacks well with Madcap skills. (Ever seen a Flailer swing for 7, then explode for 7 on the same turn? It's a beautiful sight.)

@Schwonga I agree with your points about exava and was considering cutting two for an extra necromancer and murder king to lower average cmc. However madcap skills is almost always worse then thoughtsieze and alot of guys at my store play U/W/x control or mono-black making it a much worse choice. My sb is not on here and i have 4 dark betrayal in it. @SpaghettiViking 4 copies is not excessive and although i have skilled a flailer before i prefer exava.

Read the Bones to draw more creatures! I run a very similar deck and Read the Bones helps me draw into more creatures when I play them all.

Compare and contrast my deck 1, 2, 3 Don't Die On Me! to yours, we can help each other out.

@Hellriding_Spitfire Read the bones is one of my favorite cards from theros but it just doesnt work in this deck because it is not a threat and it doesnt get damage through. When i pay 3 mana i want to lay down the hurt with Xathrid Necromancer or Mogis's Marauder . In short this is not the right deck for Read the bones

Add in Pack Rat for this deck or at least add him in the sideboard he is really good! Another good I idea is to take out a Bile Blight for another Hero's Downfall . I'm running something similar but not the human theme and I'm not running the Herald of Torment . I don't like pain seer because he deals damage other wise he is good run something like 2 Gray Merchant of Asphodel and 2 Dark Prophecy .

@mtg_playa the rat is a very good card however my deck runs 21 lands no mutavualts (budget issues) which make packrat pretty bad in this deck. again citing 21 lands gray merchant is a tad heavy on the mana and is awful against rev control. pain seer>dark prophecy both draw cards for life but one deals damage and costs 2 mana. i would love to get more hero's downfall. i won 1 at fnm and traded for one. in the meantime bile blight stays mb.

Maybe a Lifebane Zombie or two in the sideboard? Blood Scrivener might have a use if you play late and don't have card advantage.

@Hanzo lifebane zombie would be great but not to cheap and all my 3 drops are all really good. painseer does what the scrivener does but better.

@mtg_playa

yeah

Since it's mono black why not run Gray Merchant of Asphodel ?

@grindfkr because decks that run gray merchant maximise mana symbols have high mana curves and run 26 lands. All opposites of this deck that curves out at 3

Like it man, I was planning this but without the Thoughtseize cause I only have one and can't afford the other three for ($60//45) think there is any alternate to it??

Hey Jcatreid thoughtsiese isn't neccesary for this deck to be good. Swap 3 for extra mb removal or 3 brain maggot from the SB and add 3 duress to the SB

your budget alternatives to Thoughtseize are Duress and Brain Maggot , not quite as good, but still pretty solid cards.