ok, if you're gonna play mono Black, then you HAVE to have http://tappedout.net/mtg-card/geralfs-messenger/ in there. I would replace 3x http://tappedout.net/mtg-card/bloodgift-demon/ with 3x http://tappedout.net/mtg-card/geralfs-messenger/. Now that you have a faster deck you can lower the Land count to help speed it up. I would also replace 1x Swamp with another http://tappedout.net/mtg-card/black-cat/. 4x will definately cause some quick discard. Actually this is a really awesome deck, I'm gonna bookmark it and give it a run at a FNM. cool deck dude +1

EDIT:My apologies, those links came out funky as balls. Here's a clear version to read.ok, if you're gonna play mono Black, then you HAVE to have Geralf's Messenger in there. I would replace 3x Bloodgift Demon with 3x Geralf's Messenger. Now that you have a faster deck you can lower the Land count to help speed it up. I would also replace 1x Swamp with another Black Cat. 4x will definately cause some quick discard. Actually this is a really awesome deck, I'm gonna bookmark it and give it a run at a FNM. cool deck dude +1

I considered card:Geralf's Messenger, but I have a few issues with it. Mainly, taking out the Bloodgift Demon s for it will screw up my mana curve and getting rid of the demons removes some late game draw power if I'm stuck in a standstill. However, card:Geralf's Messenger is absurdly broken, so I will definitely try out your suggestion! I was already considering dropping one of the demons or a Ghost Quarter for another Black Cat , they're so useful.

Hey man, I'm building my own variation of a discard and Ravenous Rats and Drainpipe Vermin are both really nice. Pack Rat is going to be mean as well. Just thought I'd give some input. Trade +1's with ya ;)

The problem I have with Ravenous Rats over Black Cat is that, while the discard occurs faster, it's not a random discard, which is extremely useful and hard to find without red cards(and those usually involve drawing as well). I'm not really looking to run a Rat deck here, but I'll definitely check your deck out and I'll consider Drainpipe Vermin .

Thanks!

Heya,

Love the idea of the deck, always been a fan of discard.

A few Ideas for you to take or leave:

An interesting way for you to keep the discard up whilst drawing cards would be to use card:Altar's Reap on Black Cat // Drainpipe Vermin .

Underworld Connections is a good late game draw, and Desecration Demon may be that beat stick you were looking for.

My suggestion:

+4 Drainpipe Vermin // +3 card:Altar's Reap // +1 Mutilate // +2 Swamp

-3 Sign in Blood // - 3 Ultimate Price // -3 Victim of Night // -1 Tragic Slip

Cheers,

Ix

Trying out:

+3 card:Altar's Reap // +4 Drainpipe Vermin // +2 Murder // +2 Desecration Demon

-3 Sign in Blood // -3 Victim of Night // -3 Mind Rot // -2 Shimian Specter

I really like the effectiveness of Ultimate Price in playtesting so far, and it's handy to keep around a lot of removal in this creature heavy meta, but I'll have to see after I get in some more RTR games on cockatrice, but Desecration Demon is definitely a star of the new set, so he's certainly worth testing. card:Altar's Reap has been something I've been looking at for a while, as it's instant speed and a sacrifice outlet.

Thanks for all the input, I'll update after more playtesting!

I would suggest Cremate for some card draw as well as to get rid of any pesky flashbackable spells or reanimate creature targets you could have made them discard. Same could be said for Vile Rebirth but you'd get a zombie instead of a card draw.

Desecration demon seems to be one of the few things capable of dealing with sigarda, so yea he's a good idea. I would also like to point out that Loxodon Smiter could be an issue for you. Personally i'd target their removal and drop a big threat without a hitch. I'd add in Distress to help remove their removal and side in Appetite for Brains against re-animator decks, you wouldn't want to be helping them now would you? Maybe have two or one maindecked. Drainpipe Vermin aren't that good, they might deter an opponent from attacking but you'd need to leave mana open for that to be of use. You might need a few more threats. Liliana of the Veil may or may not come in handy... give it a test-run, o and maybe card:Grafdigger's Cage against zombies or spirit tokens. They have a nasty way of using their graveyard against you

I love ur loyalty to black, but i think u would b alot more better off splashing red for Dreadbore and card:Rakdos's Return, but whether you splash red in or not, i would suggest putting in some Bump in the Night when i was playtesting against friends i had a hard time getting those last points of damage in after they had eventually taken out the Shrieking Affliction

@MisterRoach,

Cremate is a decent looking card, I'll definitely consider it and try it out.

@gheridarigaaz

Yeah, I'm definitely keeping Desecration Demon in the deck.

Loxodon Smiter is certainly a problem, but I'm not sure if it's worth the inclusion of Victim of Night which fumbles horribly against the overly common zombie decks- maybe find room for another Murder or two? Appetite for Brains is definitely a good sideboard card, I will see about rearranging the sideboard.

I'm already using Liliana of the Veil , though she seems to be underperforming a bit and card:Grafdigger's Cage is in my sideboard.

@Zahris

I'd only be splashing red if I decided to up the money I'm putting into this deck, but I'll definitely try it out on Cockatrice. Also thanks for bringing up Bump in the Night , that could definitely replace Drainpipe Vermin as a one drop.

+4 Dragonskull Summit s.

+1 from me! Looks really close to a deck I just helped make :D

Cremate is a wonderful card for draw power. I would also say the whole Drainpipe Vermin Black Cat -- card:Altar's Reap combo is a very good thing you have going for yourself. (also good with card:Geralf's Messenger). Block/sacking with card:Altar's Reap is total win. Drainpipe Vermin , in my opinion, is better to have than Bump in the Night . Mainly because of the synergy Drainpipe Vermin has with your deck. This doesnt seem like a deck that should run the bump.

I have seen Bump in the Night used a bit, but I'm still not sold on it. Especially with the flashback so high, for your deck specifically. If you're going the control route, i would suggest trying out Stensia Bloodhall for a "nothing-left-to-do" damage outlet. Both cost a lot of mana, however, getting a stensia is my personal preference.

But its up to you, play-test and see which you like best.

Obviously, card:Rakdos's Return when you can get some.

What about Shimian Specter ?

I highly recommend 4x Sign in Blood . card:Altar's Reap isn't doing anything for you with only 9 creatures. Instead of duress, why not cut some for Appetite for Brains ? It can target creatures, mainly big problematic creature like Thragtusk .

Really great deck idea. +1 from me! I'm loving the mono-black. A few things that stood out to me while playtesting was sometimes I wouldn't have a sac outlet for card:Altar's Reap and I would be left open to attacks, Lotleth Troll with Rancor on turn 3-4 hurts to much. Have you considered splashing Plains for cards such as Doomed Traveler and/or Lingering Souls ? Also, I'm aware that card:Grafdigger's Cage is in the sideboard, but how do you deal with strong Reanimator Decks? Ones that can turn 4-5, or if assisted by Liliana of the Veil and discard an Unburial Rites to flashback for a Griselbrand , Angel of Serenity or Stormtide Leviathan ? I see that you do have a lot of spot removal, but if they can Unburial Rites it again, what could you do? No bashing on the deck, I think its great, just giving my 2. I look forward to seeing your reply!

I forgot to add Mind Rot , being a great 3CMC 2 discard card, is there a specific reason you're not running it?