Hello everyone and if you are reading this I am appreciative of your support and hope you enjoy the articles. I have to get the original blogsters back on so I'm not the only one on but its still fun. I have a special treat for you today, I have a buddy who I am featuring in todays article. He recently won his first FNM with a very fun and even more importantly, very original deck. I have seen this thing in action and it is very kool! I asked him to send me the decklist and a quick write up on how it is supposed to work and he took it seriously and sent me a full article. I will share that with you today and hope you enjoy.
Here it is!!!
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MONO BLACK
Creatures
4 Nantuko Shade
4 Vampire Hexmage
4 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Skinrender
3 Moriok Replica
Spells
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Duress
3 Mind Sludge
3 Grim Discovery
Land
20 Swamp
4 Tectonic Edge
SB
2 Disfigure
3 Memoricide
3 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Ratchet Bomb
1 Duress
3 Black Night
1 Royal Assassin
Strategy:
This version of a Mono-Black deck tries to take advantage of all the creature decks in the meta with decent game against control decks. Many of creatures are two-for-ones in the form of:
· Gatekeeper of Malikir
· Skinrender
· Moriok Replica
Vampire Hexmage and Vampre Nighthawk serve two roles. While Hexmage is good at fighting planewalkers, Nighthawks allow the deck to race other aggro decks. Many times, Nighthawk is just another removal spell when the opponent is the beatdown deck. Other times, Hexmage is able to swing a couple times against opposing control decks and take down their plansewalkers. Duress is there for redundancy.
The main beater is Nantuko Shade. If he is able to slip under early counter magic, he can end games quickly if not answered.
The discard package can be strong if used in conjunction with an early beater. Against creature decks, I use the Inquisition of Koziilks as another removal spell and treat it as a cheaper Smother. The Mind Sludges are in there against ramp and control decks.
Tectonic Edges are in there to punish the 2-3 color decks that rely heavily on the dual lands for mana fixing. The ability to kill multiple lands early on, followed up by a Mind Sludge can be devastating for the opponent.
But what makes the deck “pop” are the Grim Discoverys. The ability to recycle Tectonic Edges and all of the two-for-one creatures is what helps the deck win attrition wars. Often, I am able to play Gatekeeper early on to make them sac a creature and then destroy a land. Rinse and repeat a few turns later and then eventually play a Mind Sludge to take out their hand. Often, the best play might only constitute getting back either a creature spell or a Tectonic edge. However, getting both back is awesome sauce.
So far at my FNMs, I have done well against all the creature decks from RDW, WW Quest, Poison and Allies. I have not faced Elves so I am not able to comment on this match up. Against creature decks, I board in the following:
OUT:
3 Mind Sludge
2 Vampire Hexmage
IN:
2 Disfigure
2 Ratchet Bomb
1 Royal Assassin
I wish I talk could more regarding the U/x control match ups. Not very many people are playing control at my local FNM but I tested against a U/B control list and I seemed to have a good match up since their Doom Blades were dead and I would attack the manabase. If I was able to get an early Nantuko Shade on board, then the game was over fairly quickly. I have also tested against U/W control and that match up is more challenging since many of their cards are also two for ones. Against U/W control, I board in the following:
OUT:
4 Skinrender
1 Gatekeeper of Malikir
2 Moriok Replica
IN:
1 Duress
3 Memoricide
3 Black Knight
Against U/B:
OUT:
4 Skinrender
1 Gatekeeper of Malikir
2 Moriok Replica
IN:
1 Duress
3 Memoricide
3 Nihil Spellbomb – Use this to foil their Elixir of Immortality plan
Since many control decks use big bombs as their finishers, I use the Memoricides to take them out if Jace the Mind Sculptor is not already on board.
I treat the ramp deck similar to the control decks. Board in a Duress, 3 Memoricides, the Royal Assassin and 2 Ratchet Bombs. If you get a Memoricide name Avenger of Zendikar since this deck is a dog against it. If not, then there is the hope to kill all the tokens with a Ratchet Bomb. Keep them off multiple Valakuts with Tectonic Edges and use Grim Discoverys to get them back. Even though many of your spells are not as powerful as the Valakut deck’s, you need to play the match up as if you are the control deck. Try to land a Mind Sludge as early as possible. Game two they will side in Obstinate Baloth. If I had to choose which creature I would rather fight between a Baloth or Avenger of Zendikar or Primeval Titan, I would choose the Baloth any day of the week. The life gain is negligible since you are the control deck in the match up.
This deck has also difficulties against Mimic Vat decks. If possible, make them discard the Mimic Vat or Memoricide it away games two and three. I try and combat Mimic Vat decks similar to ramp decks. Many times once you have the game under control, a couple swings from a Nantuko Shade will usually end the game.
I know there are other match ups I did not mention but at the moment, these are the decks I have played against at my local FNM. I imagine if Elves was a bigger deck in my meta, I would consider Marsh Causalities in the board as well.
Eloy Hernandez
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P.S. Eloy I would just like to thank you for your contribution and hope that we can talk about some more victories and new fresh ideas in the future. Great Job!!!!
Here it is!!!
___________________________________________________________
MONO BLACK
Creatures
4 Nantuko Shade
4 Vampire Hexmage
4 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Skinrender
3 Moriok Replica
Spells
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Duress
3 Mind Sludge
3 Grim Discovery
Land
20 Swamp
4 Tectonic Edge
SB
2 Disfigure
3 Memoricide
3 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Ratchet Bomb
1 Duress
3 Black Night
1 Royal Assassin
Strategy:
This version of a Mono-Black deck tries to take advantage of all the creature decks in the meta with decent game against control decks. Many of creatures are two-for-ones in the form of:
· Gatekeeper of Malikir
· Skinrender
· Moriok Replica
Vampire Hexmage and Vampre Nighthawk serve two roles. While Hexmage is good at fighting planewalkers, Nighthawks allow the deck to race other aggro decks. Many times, Nighthawk is just another removal spell when the opponent is the beatdown deck. Other times, Hexmage is able to swing a couple times against opposing control decks and take down their plansewalkers. Duress is there for redundancy.
The main beater is Nantuko Shade. If he is able to slip under early counter magic, he can end games quickly if not answered.
The discard package can be strong if used in conjunction with an early beater. Against creature decks, I use the Inquisition of Koziilks as another removal spell and treat it as a cheaper Smother. The Mind Sludges are in there against ramp and control decks.
Tectonic Edges are in there to punish the 2-3 color decks that rely heavily on the dual lands for mana fixing. The ability to kill multiple lands early on, followed up by a Mind Sludge can be devastating for the opponent.
But what makes the deck “pop” are the Grim Discoverys. The ability to recycle Tectonic Edges and all of the two-for-one creatures is what helps the deck win attrition wars. Often, I am able to play Gatekeeper early on to make them sac a creature and then destroy a land. Rinse and repeat a few turns later and then eventually play a Mind Sludge to take out their hand. Often, the best play might only constitute getting back either a creature spell or a Tectonic edge. However, getting both back is awesome sauce.
So far at my FNMs, I have done well against all the creature decks from RDW, WW Quest, Poison and Allies. I have not faced Elves so I am not able to comment on this match up. Against creature decks, I board in the following:
OUT:
3 Mind Sludge
2 Vampire Hexmage
IN:
2 Disfigure
2 Ratchet Bomb
1 Royal Assassin
I wish I talk could more regarding the U/x control match ups. Not very many people are playing control at my local FNM but I tested against a U/B control list and I seemed to have a good match up since their Doom Blades were dead and I would attack the manabase. If I was able to get an early Nantuko Shade on board, then the game was over fairly quickly. I have also tested against U/W control and that match up is more challenging since many of their cards are also two for ones. Against U/W control, I board in the following:
OUT:
4 Skinrender
1 Gatekeeper of Malikir
2 Moriok Replica
IN:
1 Duress
3 Memoricide
3 Black Knight
Against U/B:
OUT:
4 Skinrender
1 Gatekeeper of Malikir
2 Moriok Replica
IN:
1 Duress
3 Memoricide
3 Nihil Spellbomb – Use this to foil their Elixir of Immortality plan
Since many control decks use big bombs as their finishers, I use the Memoricides to take them out if Jace the Mind Sculptor is not already on board.
I treat the ramp deck similar to the control decks. Board in a Duress, 3 Memoricides, the Royal Assassin and 2 Ratchet Bombs. If you get a Memoricide name Avenger of Zendikar since this deck is a dog against it. If not, then there is the hope to kill all the tokens with a Ratchet Bomb. Keep them off multiple Valakuts with Tectonic Edges and use Grim Discoverys to get them back. Even though many of your spells are not as powerful as the Valakut deck’s, you need to play the match up as if you are the control deck. Try to land a Mind Sludge as early as possible. Game two they will side in Obstinate Baloth. If I had to choose which creature I would rather fight between a Baloth or Avenger of Zendikar or Primeval Titan, I would choose the Baloth any day of the week. The life gain is negligible since you are the control deck in the match up.
This deck has also difficulties against Mimic Vat decks. If possible, make them discard the Mimic Vat or Memoricide it away games two and three. I try and combat Mimic Vat decks similar to ramp decks. Many times once you have the game under control, a couple swings from a Nantuko Shade will usually end the game.
I know there are other match ups I did not mention but at the moment, these are the decks I have played against at my local FNM. I imagine if Elves was a bigger deck in my meta, I would consider Marsh Causalities in the board as well.
Eloy Hernandez
___________________________________________________________
P.S. Eloy I would just like to thank you for your contribution and hope that we can talk about some more victories and new fresh ideas in the future. Great Job!!!!
2 Mimic vats would round out this deck rather nicely with all the removal you have... oh yeah, not to mention the Hexmages too.
ReplyDeleteIt would probably work well, but it almost seems like overkill, lol. But I'm starting to get the feeling that anything that runs removal or creatures could run mimic vat!!!
ReplyDelete