i never heard of it being possible to have negative life. I don't think that's a rule, guys. It would be cool, but no. It doesn't work that way.

Dreno33: You should check up the ruling on Death's Shadow , it states clearly that it's possible c:

i stand corrected. however, i find that to be kind of dumb. oh well, cheers to ya

After playing a lot of modern I suggest just more fetchlands if you can afford (Verdant Catacombs , plus maybe one Forest to fetch for) rather than City of Brass /Gemstone Caverns . Seems like a really fun deck although if you run out of Angel's Grace you'll probably just get a Lightning Bolt thrown at you.

You commented about Essence Scatter and honestly it doesn't see very much play, if you're concerned about counterspells you'd want Cavern of Souls , but your creatures don't seem to really share any subtypes

i need to ask Femme_Fatale what ecactly are you planing to do with this deck?

taking it to tournenments? games with fellow modern players for fun? if you dont want to anwser thats fine

@ Colgate, Infral, Dreno33 and timothy130130

Many people seem to be getting the idea for this deck wrong. This is a tempo deck, meaning its sole purpose is to build up my board presence and decrease my opponents at the same time in order to win. All the cards synergize with each other in some form of way, but what people have been suggesting are combos, not overall deck synergy. I do not want a card that requires for me to have another card on the field nor in my hand. Such cards become dead cards too frequently. While I normally do enjoy combos a great deal, it's not what this deck wants, and it doesn't work with this deck. If a card's purpose is to only work with one other card in this deck than don't suggest it, as the cards I have chosen work to increase my tempo on their own, but have additional effects that create this deck's synergy. As such a card that relies only on working with other cards, does not apply to the tempo theme of this deck.

For a better idea on tempo, this WotC article should shine some light on this deck as my explanations aren't always good.

Did I create this tempo deck after reading this article? No, I found Death's Shadow and wanted to make a deck around it. But what I found during play-testing, was it required a certain type of cards and playing style to work. I quickly realized that I had no knowledge on tempo as to the best definitions of it, but from proper research (a weeks worth or so) and play-testing I was able to determine how this deck should be built.

A new deck description may be in order. It seems I should focus on the tempo aspect for this description rather than the function aspect.

When I say Essence Scatter , miloguy, I mean Mana Leak , Delay , Dissolve , Remand , Cancel , Pact of Negation , Dissipate , Counterflux , so on and so forth. Also about the fetches, this deck runs a lot better without the green fetches. If you look at the updates, you'll see. City of Brass is any mana AND includes deck synergy whenever I want. It is also more important mid-late game than early game. Early game I want to fetch into an untapped shock. Taking 3 damage puts me closer to an earlier Death's Shadow . Late game I have already lost too much life from fetch -> shock and just need to control and limit my life loss while still having a large portion of mana open, City of Brass is just that. Gemstone Caverns is also any mana, but as I frequently find myself with 6+ mana if the games get to long I don't have to worry about having lands die. If it gets tedious I'll put back in the green fetches and shocks.

@ timothy130130

Phyrexian Unlife prevents DAMAGE, not LOSS OF LIFE. Those are two different terms. Also, you have to know how to play against each archetype of deck. Against control, you aggro. For aggro you abuse this deck's synergy. For mid-range you play mid-range. While yes mid-range will be the toughest opponent as mid-range is "like a tempo deck" and tempo decks can easily keep up with other tempo decks, but it would be difficult for them as well because I too house removal, I too house powerful creatures, I too know how to play around my opponent's deck to win the game. I played limited style when I first started Magic, so playing a deck a completely different way to match another deck is what I can do easily. You just have to learn when certain cards are best used and how you should use them. As for the life-gain, life-gain is anti-synergy. I used to run Vault Skirge but lost many a game because I didn't lose enough life. So I took it out. If you can find me a kicker option however, that would be greatly appreciated, as just Angel's Grace isn't enough at times. I do think that you'll be hard-pressed to find one I'm interested in main-boarding though.

8/15/2010 Your "opening hand" is the hand of cards you decide to start the game with after taking any mulligans.8/15/2010 After all players have decided not to take any more mulligans, if the starting player has any Leylines in his or her hand, he or she may put any or all of them onto the battlefield. Then each other player in turn order may do the same.

@ Dreno33 ... dammit Dreno, remove the numbers from your name! I spent 10 minutes trying to figure out why T/O wouldn't link your name!

Never suggest Rogue's Passage . Never! In modern there are soo many better alternatives to it that you should never be wasting a land slot in your deck for a turn 5-7 ability proc. However I do understand your concerns with blocking and heavy removal. I am running Golgari Charm for the token and chump block and toughness one in aggro and ramp. Though Lightning Greaves and Canopy Cover are good suggestions. However, Canopy Cover isn't hexproof, it's better than hexproof Enchanting it onto my opponent's creature means that they can't target their own creature anymore. Also, it isn't a keyword, so the ability can't be prevented by Glaring Spotlight . I do however believe that it should only be used in certain scenarios, as I have reanimator with Orzhov Charm as well. So I think I'll remove Surgical Extraction and Extirpate from the sideboard for Canopy Cover and Lightning Greaves as I have enough removal to not worry too much about combo decks, for the moment that is.

This is just a deck amishrambo, I play Magic really for the deck-building. As for actual playing with others, I don't really, besides OCTGN. My LGS doesn't do modern too much and most play only standard. I make decks for the challenge that is making them, and it helps keep my mind active against the false life that is video games, shows and literature.

and Femme_Fatale is easier to type off of memory? lol

and yes i understand Canopy Cover , hex proof is just so much quicker to type haha.

but anyways, i DOUBT you would want to enchant their creature with Canopy Cover since you have no blockers once its in enchanted, because i'm pretty sure 99% of the time they are targeting their own creature because it is a hitter. Not smart to make that creature in its current state unblock able. just kill that bitch, lol

cool thanks! I have always wondered how someone would make a deck where Death's Shadow is at his best.

If you change your mind and take off the green splash you could put the Ratchet Bomb to deal with artifacts and enchantments. Andfi youre willing to loose life fast also Vendetta might be useful.

Death's Shadow decks are very intriguing to play Grabnar, they teach you the best ways to make the most out of every bit a card has to offer, and it teaches you how to effectively use your life as a resource.

Unfortunately Strosso89, Ratchet Bomb is way too risky for me to use. I can't be having my board presence be wiped out along with my opponents, as that can easily cost me the game. A lot of people suggest Vendetta , but my question to them is how is it better than what I have now? Orzhov Charm does the same thing to any creature and has bonus effects added to it, and Path to Exile out-right ... exiles anything. I have to maintain a balance between life-loss, and damage from my opponent, as if I lose too much life, it doesn't take much to kill me. At the moment most of my life-loss is done from my lands and Dark Confidant , and it is fairly effective in that regard.

Ratchet Bomb is good, in your case, for all the creatures that cost 3 or more mana and you meet a lot of them during the games. Of course sometimes you might have to destroy your own creatures so has to be used carefully. Anyway I see your point and Abrupt Decay is just perfect, so if you feel comfortable with the green splash you dont need the Ratchet Bomb , but consider that used properly has the effect of Abrupt and Maelstrom Pulse , so just think about it.Concerning Vendetta , the thing that has more then the Orzhov Charm is that costs 1 mana less (which is the white one btw); that said the Charm* has other two powers which is very good, as well Path to Exile , imao in the best three removal of modern, and yes you have already good stuff to make you loose some life, but, my point is about the priorities you may have about the mana you want to spend for the spell. thats why Vendetta . I always think that there are ways to use as less splashes as possible. Again, that said, it is your choice, the cards are good, just since Im the unpteenth guy that suggests Vendetta maybe you should give a try, of course if you havent done already.

...Consider also some Hero's Downfall , it takes down those planeswalkers that Abrupt Decay would not and is instant which is not the Maelstrom Pulse .

People suggest Vendetta because it has synergy with Death's Shadow , Strosso89. I'm just using cards that copy that synergy, to a better level. Splashing green for two of the best removal spells in modern, Abrupt Decay and Maelstrom Pulse is really good because now I have an answer for a lot of the shenanigans people will throw at me. Both of those are extremely versatile in that they can hit any non-land permanent, not just creatures. Therefore, for a little more mana I get a lot more value and use out of my cards, and considering all of my draw, I don't have to worry about a 2 cmc spell that has an extremely high utility in terms of being mana-screwed.

I don't use Ratchet Bomb because of the potential for it to hit my 2 cmc creatures which I can't reanimate, or my vital Phyrexian Unlife . That is a big no-no.

The only planeswalker that I ever really see being played in modern is Liliana of the Veil . And as such my Abrupt Decay can easily deal with it. The others either don't have enough effect to them to be a threat, take to long to charge up, or cost way too much for by the time they can cast them they are pretty much dead already. This is the sole reason why you'll never really see me running any planeswalkers, they take too long for a format that goldfish wins to turn 4.

Vendetta : I suggested myself for the same purpose :).
In general I think is a good deck, I +1 it even, and if you manage to play your green splash without problems then you should stick to it, mine were suggestions in order to not to be depending on a third color just for two magics, even if still respect for them.
I was also concerned about Liliana of the Veil as the only planeswalker threat in modern, before to see playing a W/U deck that plays Jace, Memory Adept and an Elspeth* which I dont remember, and trust me, that deck did a good job taking time (and my cards from the library to the cemetery) enough to play the blu planeswalker and I have quite similar discards and removal amount as you ( take a look to my TENEBRA).

Ah, but against a lot of Planeswalkers, Leyline of Sanctity works quite well Strosso89.

I forgot to mention also Karn Liberated in the Tron deck (that can come even at turn 4).
Yes it does, but it's an enchantment, so will alway be less effective then an instanct - like Hero's Downfall , at least in the side-board.

The main reason why I won't run Hero's Downfall Strosso89 is because what I am running right now not only can deal with planeswalkers easily, but can deal with a lot more than what Hero's Downfall can. Maelstrom Pulse can deal with Birthing Pod , Splinter Twin and a token army as well as deal with planeswalkers and creatures. Hero's Downfall can't do that. Leyline of Sanctity not only can deal with the targeting effect planeswalkers have, but it can also deal with mill, burn, discard and numerous infinite combos. As such, I choose to use cards that have a better advantage against numerous different types of decks rather than have one card for one specific situation. Unless I am EXTREMELY weak against that situation and I see that situation all to often.

The Leyline of Sanctity has a bigger range then Hero's Downfall , I get your point and i agree, so if you prefer it go on, especially if you think you have enough creatures removals.
Mybe though, Pithing Needle would be a good alternative for the mana cost at least, or you could add a couple and take a Leyline of Sanctity off.

I was going to suggest a green card last time I looked at this deck, and now I can't think of it now that you splashed green...It might have been Sylvan Library but I don't think I was going to suggest a non-legal card...oh well.

You should probably throw in 1 or 2 more black fetches to assure you can grab the white/green mana you need right away, as right now only 10/21 lands are any color. The 1 life doesn't really hurt you too much either.

Anyway, now that you splashed green, would Revenge of the Hunted be a good sideboard for creature heavy decks? It clears chump blockers and let's you swing through, pretty good card provided it's not in your opening hand (always has to be that drawback haha)...

I'm actually pretty good on the lands nbarry223, shifting some lands around for a Verdant Catacombs is all I'll probably do though.

None of the miracle cards are all that good except Terminus in my opinion really. They cost too much to be of much use to the board state, and I have too much draw to ever be able to get the miracle on them. A better green equivalent would either be Rancor or Canopy Cover . But as for evasion, I'm running Faith's Shield in my sideboard.

would Dryad Militant / Isamaru, Hound of Konda be a viable replacement for Vampire Lacerator (only 1 of Isamaru, Hound of Konda since it's legendary) or is the loss of life something you actually want? It's the only card where the loss of life isn't really gaining you anything.

You're right about the Vampire Lacerator , nbarry223. Both of those are good alternatives, and I'll use them both, along with adjusting my mana base.

If you are adjusting your landbase so every land isn't able to produce black, I'd run Night's Whisper over Sign in Blood . But if you are just putting in a few more fetches instead of Swamp or something, keep Sign in Blood because it can double as a kill spell.

I think you should put in someway to deal with Blood Moon .

You should try Varolz in this deck, he just seems too perfect in this build to pass up