[Updated list] of my Vampire list. Basically it is Spot removal and some forced sacrifice. Other then that its pretty straight forward get my Anowon, the ruin sage out, generating aggro like a boss, and let my opponents sacrifice all their creatures while i build my vampires up.
Ill take a look at it and see what direction you went. My first plan is to drop some of my lesser vampires for more spot removel and sacrifice utility.
K, I'm back with a little more time for comment now.
Here are some of my initial impressions about your build:
-Skeletal Vampire: Mana intensive. It's a fun card, but you need alot of mana to back it up.
-Gravedigger and Cadaver Imp: Not vampires. Besides, Victimize or Dread Return are way more effective, and reinforce the 'sac' theme if you have Grave Pact or Butcher of Malakir in play.
- Barony Vampire: vanilla. Vamps are all about multi-tasking. Not worth the slot, imo.
- Chancellor of the Dross: Doesn't provide enough. I know I have it in my list, but it's to abuse Sanguine Bond and other 'mass drain' synergies I have packed in the deck. Alone, it's a big fat dumb beater.
- Bloodlord of Vaasgoth: I still have to do a little more playtesting, but I've been finding it very difficult to get that damage through in order to abuse the bloodthirst. Sacrifice doesn't damage. I feel as though the card would be better suited in a black/red vamp deck.
- Vampire Interloper: A weak, near non-functional, non-blocker. Too limiting.
- Screeching Bat: Cool thematically, but too expensive for what you get, imo.
- Gloomlance: Expensive and a sorcery. Spot removal should be neither. Go with Rend Flesh or [card]Eyeblight's Ending[card].
- Disentomb and Ghoulcaller's Chant: It looks tempting, but it's not enough impact.
- Taste of Blood: um....edh. Granted, I see the thematic...but it's just a dead card. Swap it out for Exsanguinate and then watch the blood flow.
EDIT - Vampire Outcasts: It's been nagging me, so I gotta say it. This card has potential....IF it costed 3 mana. 4 is just too much for the impact it provides. imo.
Now I'll offer some of the cards of my build that I thought worked well.
- Quag Vampires: Can be put out earlygame or late game. Flexable beater with evasion. I've destroyed a player on more than one occasion with this guy.
- Pawn of Ulamog: Amazing boardwipe deterant. If you creatures are destroyed, you get a mana boost to help you restablize.
- Butcher of Malakir: No vampire deck is complete without this guy. There is no excuse.
- Promise of Power: 5 for 5mana + 5life is about as good as it gets. Should be included.
- Since you want a 'sac' theme, I'll recommend Consuming Vapors and Curse of the Cabal. The first for punishment, and the second for tax/control.
- Painful Quandary: Has been an allstar in my build. It's not quite enough of a threat to go out of your way to destroy, but you realize too late that it is crippling your every play. Oblivion Stone: because dealing with artifacts and enchantments is near impossible in mono-black...and sometimes you just NEED to deal with one. Spine of Ish Sah: See O-Stone. Yes, it's expensive, but I still feel it's worth it. Add in Phyrexia's Core for recurability. Also, Curse of the Cabal can recur it too, if suspended.
Further comments:
I'd have Vampire Nocturnus in my build if it wasn't so expensive, and as far as I'm concerned, it being mythic is the only reason why the price is so high. It's a lord. Simple. Granted, it's a little bit powerful as it also grants flying, but it's balanced since you have to play with your library revealed. Ascendant Evincar is way better imo.
Bloodline Keeper and Captivating Vampire are also awesome lords that should be included, but you mentioned that you are doing so already, so I'll give you a +1.
I didn't purchase Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief when I ordered my cards and I am beginning to regret it. It would take the place of Bloodlord of Vaasgoth in my build, giving additional spot removal and high threat aggro assault. I think you'll be pleased with her impact.
@shmnion
I started off with Brainspoil in my build, but eventually swapped it out for Demonic Collusion. Why transmute if you can tutor with buyback?
Here are some of my initial impressions about your build:
-Skeletal Vampire: Mana intensive. It's a fun card, but you need alot of mana to back it up. So I would just run more doublers. Blade of the Bloodchief is apparently evil with him.
-Gravedigger and Cadaver Imp: Not vampires. Besides, Victimize or Dread Return are way more effective, and reinforce the 'sac' theme if you have Grave Pact or Butcher of Malakir in play. Agreed.
- Barony Vampire: vanilla. Vamps are all about multi-tasking. Not worth the slot -> Agreed.
- Chancellor of the Dross: Doesn't provide enough. I know I have it in my list, but it's to abuse Sanguine Bond and other 'mass drain' synergies I have packed in the deck. Alone, it's a big fat dumb beater. My Drana list doesn't have a whole lot of late game dudes, so a flying lifelinker a) keeps me alive and b) gives me some beef.
- Bloodlord of Vaasgoth: I still have to do a little more playtesting, but I've been finding it very difficult to get that damage through in order to abuse the bloodthirst. Sacrifice doesn't damage. I feel as though the card would be better suited in a black/red vamp deck. My Drana list runs all 4 lords, so that's why he's in my build. Not sure how worth it he was/is, but eh /shrug
- Vampire Interloper: A weak, near non-functional, non-blocker. Too limiting. Agreed.
- Screeching Bat: Cool thematically, but too expensive for what you get, imo. Agreed. My Olivia list runs it, but its my janky vampire deck.
- Gloomlance: Expensive and a sorcery. Spot removal should be neither. Go with Rend Flesh or Eyeblight's Ending. Agreed, especially with Flesh. Not a whole of spirits are priority targets, it seems.
- Disentomb, Ghoulcaller's Chant, Taste of Blood, What he said, I guess.
Now I'll offer some of the cards of my build that I thought worked well.
- Quag Vampires: Can be put out earlygame or late game. Flexable beater with evasion. I've destroyed a player on more than one occasion with this guy. So he's worth a spot, you think? I have a foil that I threw into Olivia I think.
- Pawn of Ulamog: Amazing boardwipe deterant. If you creatures are destroyed, you get a mana boost to help you restablize.
- Butcher of Malakir: No vampire deck is complete without this guy. There is no excuse.
- Promise of Power: 5 for 5mana + 5life is about as good as it gets. Should be included.
- Since you want a 'sac' theme, I'll recommend Consuming Vapors and Curse of the Cabal. The first for punishment, and the second for tax/control.
- Painful Quandary: Has been an allstar in my build. It's not quite enough of a threat to go out of your way to destroy, but you realize too late that it is crippling your every play. I've been meaning to pick up a few of these, they work well for you? Oblivion Stone: because dealing with artifacts and enchantments is near impossible in mono-black...and sometimes you just NEED to deal with one. Spine of Ish Sah: See O-Stone. Yes, it's expensive, but I still feel it's worth it. Add in Phyrexia's Core for recurability. Also, Curse of the Cabal can recur it too, if suspended. Agreed on this, eight mana is nothing when you have a mana doubler out.
Hope this helps.
My assessments, and a few questions as well.
Also, GFirefly, I finally responded to your post on my Drana list a little while ago. I was distracted at the end of last calendar year by Skyrim.
- Painful Quandary: Has been an allstar in my build. It's not quite enough of a threat to go out of your way to destroy, but you realize too late that it is crippling your every play. I've been meaning to pick up a few of these, they work well for you?
Yes, I've really enjoyed this tax card is all of the builds I've ran it in. Originally had Polluted Bonds which turned out to be pretty dull and not enough impact. PQ is way better.
[Updated list] of my Vampire list. Basically it is Spot removal and some forced sacrifice. Other then that its pretty straight forward get my Anowon, the ruin sage out, generating aggro like a boss, and let my opponents sacrifice all their creatures while i build my vampires up.
I'm surprised You aren't running Blood Tribute. When I was playing Anowon My favorite way to kill the combo player (Sharuum deck) was Blood Tribute with Sanguine Bond out.
1x Captivating Vampire
1x Mephidross Vampire
1x Sengir Vampire
1x Ascendant Evincar
1x Crovax the Cursed
1x Vampire Nocturnus
1x Vampire Aristocrat
1x Malakir Bloodwitch
1x Vampire Nighthawk
1x Gatekeeper of Malakir
1x Blood Seeker
1x Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet
1x Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
1x Nirkana Cutthroat
1x Reassembling Skeleton
1x Quag Vampires
1x Sangromancer
1x Entomber Exarch
1x Bloodline Keeper
1x Rune-Scarred Demon
1x Bloodrage Vampire
1x Vampire Outcasts
1x Pawn of Ulamog
1x Falkenrath Noble
1x Markov Patrician
1x Grave Pact
1x Baneful Omen
1x Demonic Appetite
1x Sanguine Bond
Sorcery (18)
1x Smallpox
1x Consume Spirit
1x Stitch Together
1x Diabolic Tutor
1x Corrupt
1x Beseech the Queen
1x Rite of Consumption
1x Sign in Blood
1x Victimize
1x Rise from the Grave
1x Feast of Blood
1x Black Sun's Zenith
1x Exsanguinate
1x Sorin's Vengeance
1x Morbid Plunder
1x Dread Return
1x Consuming vapors
1x Curse of cabal
1x Grasp of Darkness
1x Go for the Throat
1x Geth's Verdict
1x Tribute to Hunger
1x Altar's Reap
1x Victim of Night
1x Gauntlet of Power
1x Extraplanar Lens
1x Caged Sun
1x Spin of ish sah
38x Swamp
1x cabal coffers
1x Phyrexia's Core
B Anowon, the ruin sage
G Azusa, lost but Seeking
| B Erebos, God of VampiresB | GYeva SmashG | RBosh ArtifactsR | GURAnimar +1 BeatsGUR | RBVial's Secret Hot SauceRB | UBRNekusar, Draw if you DareUBR | RGBDarigaaz'z DragonsRGB | GBSlimeFEETGB | UBOn-Hit LazavUB | URBrudiclad's Artificer InventionsUR | GUBMuldrotha's ElementalsGUB | WUGKestia's EnchantmentsWUG | GUTatyova - Draw, Land, Go!GU | WGArahbo's EquipmentWG | BUWVarina's ZOMBIE HORDESBUW | WLyra's Angelic SalvationW | WBChurch of TeysaWB | UAzami...WizardsU
B Anowon, the ruin sage
G Azusa, lost but Seeking
B Anowon, the ruin sage
G Azusa, lost but Seeking
Here are some of my initial impressions about your build:
-Skeletal Vampire: Mana intensive. It's a fun card, but you need alot of mana to back it up.
-Gravedigger and Cadaver Imp: Not vampires. Besides, Victimize or Dread Return are way more effective, and reinforce the 'sac' theme if you have Grave Pact or Butcher of Malakir in play.
- Barony Vampire: vanilla. Vamps are all about multi-tasking. Not worth the slot, imo.
- Chancellor of the Dross: Doesn't provide enough. I know I have it in my list, but it's to abuse Sanguine Bond and other 'mass drain' synergies I have packed in the deck. Alone, it's a big fat dumb beater.
- Bloodlord of Vaasgoth: I still have to do a little more playtesting, but I've been finding it very difficult to get that damage through in order to abuse the bloodthirst. Sacrifice doesn't damage. I feel as though the card would be better suited in a black/red vamp deck.
- Vampire Interloper: A weak, near non-functional, non-blocker. Too limiting.
- Screeching Bat: Cool thematically, but too expensive for what you get, imo.
- Gloomlance: Expensive and a sorcery. Spot removal should be neither. Go with Rend Flesh or [card]Eyeblight's Ending[card].
- Disentomb and Ghoulcaller's Chant: It looks tempting, but it's not enough impact.
- Taste of Blood: um....edh. Granted, I see the thematic...but it's just a dead card. Swap it out for Exsanguinate and then watch the blood flow.
EDIT - Vampire Outcasts: It's been nagging me, so I gotta say it. This card has potential....IF it costed 3 mana. 4 is just too much for the impact it provides. imo.
Now I'll offer some of the cards of my build that I thought worked well.
- Quag Vampires: Can be put out earlygame or late game. Flexable beater with evasion. I've destroyed a player on more than one occasion with this guy.
- Pawn of Ulamog: Amazing boardwipe deterant. If you creatures are destroyed, you get a mana boost to help you restablize.
- Butcher of Malakir: No vampire deck is complete without this guy. There is no excuse.
- Promise of Power: 5 for 5mana + 5life is about as good as it gets. Should be included.
- Since you want a 'sac' theme, I'll recommend Consuming Vapors and Curse of the Cabal. The first for punishment, and the second for tax/control.
- Painful Quandary: Has been an allstar in my build. It's not quite enough of a threat to go out of your way to destroy, but you realize too late that it is crippling your every play.
Oblivion Stone: because dealing with artifacts and enchantments is near impossible in mono-black...and sometimes you just NEED to deal with one.
Spine of Ish Sah: See O-Stone. Yes, it's expensive, but I still feel it's worth it. Add in Phyrexia's Core for recurability. Also, Curse of the Cabal can recur it too, if suspended.
Further comments:
I'd have Vampire Nocturnus in my build if it wasn't so expensive, and as far as I'm concerned, it being mythic is the only reason why the price is so high. It's a lord. Simple. Granted, it's a little bit powerful as it also grants flying, but it's balanced since you have to play with your library revealed. Ascendant Evincar is way better imo.
Bloodline Keeper and Captivating Vampire are also awesome lords that should be included, but you mentioned that you are doing so already, so I'll give you a +1.
I didn't purchase Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief when I ordered my cards and I am beginning to regret it. It would take the place of Bloodlord of Vaasgoth in my build, giving additional spot removal and high threat aggro assault. I think you'll be pleased with her impact.
@shmnion
I started off with Brainspoil in my build, but eventually swapped it out for Demonic Collusion. Why transmute if you can tutor with buyback?
Hope this helps.
| B Erebos, God of VampiresB | GYeva SmashG | RBosh ArtifactsR | GURAnimar +1 BeatsGUR | RBVial's Secret Hot SauceRB | UBRNekusar, Draw if you DareUBR | RGBDarigaaz'z DragonsRGB | GBSlimeFEETGB | UBOn-Hit LazavUB | URBrudiclad's Artificer InventionsUR | GUBMuldrotha's ElementalsGUB | WUGKestia's EnchantmentsWUG | GUTatyova - Draw, Land, Go!GU | WGArahbo's EquipmentWG | BUWVarina's ZOMBIE HORDESBUW | WLyra's Angelic SalvationW | WBChurch of TeysaWB | UAzami...WizardsU
My assessments, and a few questions as well.
Also, GFirefly, I finally responded to your post on my Drana list a little while ago. I was distracted at the end of last calendar year by Skyrim.
--- Meren of Clan Nel Toth --- Jhoira of the Ghitu --- Prime Speaker Zegana ---
--- Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief --- Ghoulcaller Gisa --- Akroma, Angel of Fury --- Titania, Protector of Argoth ---
- Painful Quandary: Has been an allstar in my build. It's not quite enough of a threat to go out of your way to destroy, but you realize too late that it is crippling your every play. I've been meaning to pick up a few of these, they work well for you?
Yes, I've really enjoyed this tax card is all of the builds I've ran it in. Originally had Polluted Bonds which turned out to be pretty dull and not enough impact. PQ is way better.
| B Erebos, God of VampiresB | GYeva SmashG | RBosh ArtifactsR | GURAnimar +1 BeatsGUR | RBVial's Secret Hot SauceRB | UBRNekusar, Draw if you DareUBR | RGBDarigaaz'z DragonsRGB | GBSlimeFEETGB | UBOn-Hit LazavUB | URBrudiclad's Artificer InventionsUR | GUBMuldrotha's ElementalsGUB | WUGKestia's EnchantmentsWUG | GUTatyova - Draw, Land, Go!GU | WGArahbo's EquipmentWG | BUWVarina's ZOMBIE HORDESBUW | WLyra's Angelic SalvationW | WBChurch of TeysaWB | UAzami...WizardsU
Thanks for your input I greatly apprectiacte it the cards you suggested will work very well. The following Changes are pending.
-Dropping Gloomelance for Sanguine Bond
-Dropping Disentomb for Victimize
-Dropping Ghoulcaller Chant for Dread Return
-Dropping Barony Vampire for Quag Vampires
-Dropping Taste of Blood for Exanguinate
-Dropping Bloodlord of Vaasgoth for Bloodline Keeper
-Dropping Screaching Bat for Pawn of Ulamog
-Dropping Gravedigger for Captivating Vampire
-Dropping Cadaver Imp for Rend Flesh
-Dropping Vampire Interloper for Curse of Cabal
-Dropping Chancellor of the Dross for Spin of Ish Sah
-Dropping Skeletal Vampire for Cunsuming Vapors
-Dropping 1 Swamp for Phyrexia's Core
I am looking Forward to playtest as soon as I can get these changes made. I will Repost my updated list once ive made all neccessary changes.
B Anowon, the ruin sage
G Azusa, lost but Seeking
1x Captivating Vampire
1x Mephidross Vampire
1x Sengir Vampire
1x Ascendant Evincar
1x Crovax the Cursed
1x Vampire Nocturnus
1x Vampire Aristocrat
1x Malakir Bloodwitch
1x Vampire Nighthawk
1x Gatekeeper of Malakir
1x Blood Seeker
1x Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet
1x Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
1x Nirkana Cutthroat
1x Reassembling Skeleton
1x Quag Vampires
1x Sangromancer
1x Entomber Exarch
1x Bloodline Keeper
1x Rune-Scarred Demon
1x Bloodrage Vampire
1x Vampire Outcasts
1x Pawn of Ulamog
1x Falkenrath Noble
1x Markov Patrician
1x Grave Pact
1x Baneful Omen
1x Demonic Appetite
1x Sanguine Bond
Sorcery (17)
1x Smallpox
1x Consume Spirit
1x Stitch Together
1x Diabolic Tutor
1x Corrupt
1x Beseech the Queen
1x Rite of Consumption
1x Sign in Blood
1x Victimize
1x Rise from the Grave
1x Feast of Blood
1x Black Sun's Zenith
1x Exsanguinate
1x Sorin's Vengeance
1x Morbid Plunder
1x Dread Return
1x Consuming vapors
1x Grasp of Darkness
1x Go for the Throat
1x Geth's Verdict
1x Tribute to Hunger
1x Altar's Reap
1x Victim of Night
1x Gauntlet of Power
1x Extraplanar Lens
1x Caged Sun
1x Spin of ish sah
38x Swamp
1x cabal coffers
1x Phyrexia's Core
B Anowon, the ruin sage
G Azusa, lost but Seeking
B Anowon, the ruin sage
G Azusa, lost but Seeking
1x Exquisite Blood
1x Barter in blood
1x Blood artist
1x Dark Imposter
1x Killing wave
1x Unhallowed pact
B Anowon, the ruin sage
G Azusa, lost but Seeking