Personally I would not use Shadowborn Demon because you don't wanna sac your own creatures do you? With Whip of Erebos are you planning to exile the Shadowborn Demon ?

Magiclover318 I've always loathed Shadowborn Demon but with whip it seems like a legit way to destroy creatures and swing for 5. I'm conflicted though in that he is pricey for a Doom Blade , but the potential to swing with him and Desecration Demon in one turn for 11 to your opponent is brutal.

Magiclover318 I'm thinking I might run the Gray Merchant of Asphodel instead for using the ability twice with Whip of Erebos . If you think about it, I should have plenty of devotion to hit hard with his ability while going all out beat down with Desecration Demon Lifebane Zombie and Nightveil Specter

I'm not a big fan of Ultimate Price , I think Doom Blade or Devour Flesh is a better choice. with Devour Flesh being the optimal one, can get rid of hexprroof, with the rest of your kill spells, it's almost targeted.

But I might add in the Gray Merchant of Asphodel or Thoughtseize in it's place, because you have 6-8 kill spells (considering Corrupt as 2 of them to make 8), then both demon's act as kill spells also. Personally, I'm a huge fan of Thoughtseize in MBC, I don't think Duress is as important, unless you're doing some crazy jund/bug build and running Scavenging Ooze and/or Deathrite Shaman also, just to eat their cards.

gufymike I put in the description that Thoughtseize is optimal, problem is it's pricey atm lol. I plan on running it once I get my hands on it. Devour Flesh is something I completely forgot about. That is a great idea, I might split the difference between it and Ultimate Price .

gufymike I just realized with Devour Flesh and Erebos, God of the Dead they wouldn't gain life.

scizzler, don't expect to fall under 15, if we're lucky, it'll drop below 18. Also, I read that, I was making the case (badly) for you to splurge for it and a case (better) why you wouldn't want to run both ts and Duress together.

scizzler XD, yup. Though the gain life for them with Devour Flesh is rarely important (as a person who plays it regularly). I've never won or lost a close game, where the life gained from df was the difference. Eithrr I win solidly or I lose because I had a bad game, misplays and/or not drawing what I want.

gufymike I understand where you're coming from, I'd be pissing away potential to run both, but Duress is the substitute until I can get my hands on Thoughtseize . This guy at the pre-release pulled 3 out of his sealed box and I wanted to strangle him.

I pulled 2 myself this weekend and pre-ordered 4 and have a lowryn playset I love the card that much I'm hording them till I have 4 playsets (for 4 decks), then trading anything above that. (decks are one legacy, one modern and 2 standard).

gufymike much love to anyone else who runs Mono-black control, thanks for the advice, I'm having a hard time coping with the loss of Tribute to Hunger and Mutilate . Also, what do you think about possibly trimming some edges and running a couple of Sanguine Bond considering Whip of Erebos gives lifelink and it's a double punch with Gray Merchant of Asphodel , but at the same time it's a bunch of "ifs" with all the enchantment and artifact removals, I feel like it would slow down the tempo.

I would run the gorgon queen, Hythonia the Cruel that board wipes before the bond, just because board wipe wand she's deathtouch already, plus you're ramping with lili and I would at that nyx land to ramp just a tad bit more. But I could see what you're describing as a fun combo.

gufymike Hythonia the Cruel seems pricey for a board wipe, but I guess you can swing for 7 after that and use Nighthowler and Liliana of the Dark Realms to get beefy-er

Why not Killing Wave in lieu of Mutilate ?

the5ervant Killing Wave is being rotated out.

scizzler I really like this deck and think it will work wonders for you haha I agree with your comment above

Magiclover318 I appreciate all of the input! It's definitely the first time I've posted a deck and gotten this much feedback, and I'm very thankful :). After talking with you guys yesterday I feel like it has improved soooo much.

Good I am glad I could help :) Please check out my decks! I am posting this from my phone or I woud link them here. I am most concerned about my deck named NAYA as it is the deck I am using post rotation

scizzler, which sets are rotating out, and when? I thought it was just m13 in Sept.

Magiclover318 when I get home I will!

the5ervant The following card sets are permitted in Standard tournaments:

Innistrad (until September 27, 2013)Dark Ascension (until September 27, 2013)Avacyn Restored (until September 27, 2013)Magic 2013 (until September 27, 2013)Return to RavnicaGatecrashDragon's MazeMagic 2014Theros (effective September 27, 2013)

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=judge/resources/sfrstandard

gufymike and Magiclover318 what are your opinions of dropping 1x Nighthowler and 1x Hero's Downfall for 2x Dark Prophecy I'd be getting the extra draw and would be feeding into my devotion, but is it worth dropping a kill spell and a beefy creature/enchant.

You want to be careful with that, because you don't wanna lose too much life. basically I am asking how you would plan to recover the life you lose, and the creatures. I agree black needs card draw pretty bad and that is a good card for it.

Magiclover318 you gain life from lifelink Whip of Erebos , Corruption and Gray Merchant of Asphodel so I'm not as worried about the life loss.

Okay I know it is a small amount of life, but I just am making sure you have some sort of lifegain to counteract it.