Are looking to play a deck that makes your opponent completely lost for the first few turns of the game? Do you want to see your opponent's face after wipping their board multiple times in one game? Or do you want to gain 100+ life in one game? If you said yes to any of these questions - look no further! Songs of the Damned is the deck for you!
Songs of the Damned is centralized around abusing your graveyard with the cycling ability and cards such as Grisly Salvage, Fume Spitter and Pit Keeper. You then go in for the kill with the namesake of the deck, Songs of the Damned and cards such as Consume Spirit and Crypt Rats. The deck does very well against most match ups and usually surprises players if you do play it.
Deck Construction
The deck is pretty straight forward after you understand how it works.
Cyclers
Monstrous Carabid This is one of the best cyclers you can have in the deck. It cycles for only 1 and it can be hardcast if need be. A 4/4 on the board is always an issue during a Pauper game. Deadshot Minotaur This is, in my honest opinion, is the best cycler in the deck. Reason being is that when you hard cast this bad boy, it kills Delver of Secrets. With Delver being so absurdly popular in the format, this guy is value across the board. Street Wraith This guy would be a 5 if the format was not so aggro heavy. Being able to cycle for 2 life is awesome no matter what. However, that 2 life can add up quickly if you end up grabbing this guys early in a game before you hit a Gnaw to the Bone. Hard casting him is easy as well, since you don't need the red mana to cast him. He is also key against one of our more difficult matchups in Mono Black Control. Krosan Tusker Talk about utility. Not only does he cycle, but he searches for a land when you do so. It helps thin out your deck, adds to your graveyard and you draw a card. Also, hard casting Tusker is one of the best feelings you can get when playing this deck. Viscera Dragger This card is debateable on a lot of lists for people. However, this guy can be very clutch for you. His Cycle for 2 isn't the greatest but his Unearth ability is extremely underrated. A lot of players will forget about this and leave themselves open for the 3 damage which can be crucial in late game. Also, you can't counter Unearth. THIS is huge against Delver. Architects of Will Played in the Blue version of the deck, this guy is put into the role that Deadshot Minotaur was in. The big plus with this guy is that his ETB ability is absurd. Jhessian Zombies The landcycling is pretty big here and the fear is sweet ability if you want to hardcast him. Very consistent in the Blue version. Glassdust Hulk The weakest cycler in the blue version. He does cycle for only 1 but you won't be able to hardcast him and if you do his ability is pretty much useless unless you cast another one. There are better options available but it does see play. Twisted Abomination I haven't played with him but he seems really strong. The only reason he isn't higher is that I have yet to play him. He might go up higher if he turns out to be tank. Shoreline Ranger This seems like a strong option in the Blue version. I haven't seen it played but the flying is a huge factor in the Pauper game. I would give this guy a shot if you haven't yet in your Blue version. Disciple of Malice This card was a staple in the deck until Street Wraith was printed as a common in Modern Masters. This might be a sideboard card in heavy White Weenie metas but you shouldn't play it otherwise. Valley Rannet He doesn't seem that bad at first but he has one thing going against him that the other cyclers (with the exception of Viscera Dragger) don't. He dies to lightning bolt if he hits the board. Viscera Dragger just seems more valuable for the 2 mana cycle. A one of for a list is not unheard I wouldn't tell you not to. Jungle Weaver A nice fattie to have as a sideboard option. Running one in the mainboard isn't that bad of an idea either. Reach is nice for the Delver matchup. Keeneye Aven Plausible option for the Blue version but I have yet to see it played. Pendrell Drake Plausible option for the Blue version but I have yet to see it played.
[card]Jund Sojourners[card] Not terrible, but you have better options in the deck. Sandbar Merfolk Card can be an option in the Blue version but isn't that great Slipstream Eel Strictly a sideboard card against a deck that plays islands. Macetail Hystrodon Cycling for 3 isn't that great and to hardcast it seems a little much for a small body. The haste and first strike is nice but unnecessary. Wirewood Guardian Big guy but you have better options if you want a fattie in Krosan Tusker and Jungle Weaver. Ridge Rannet No. You can't hard cast him and Viscera Dragger is strictly better with this fact. You have no reason to play this card. Esper Sojourners The cycle ability is very underwhelming and you're not going to hard cast him. Just pass on this guy all together. Igneous Pouncer Easy to cycle and easy to cast but a small wind kicks his... well, you get the idea. Wild Dogs May be an option since we usually have more life than our opponent but he dies to our own Crypt Rats and doesn't sync well with the rest of the deck. Naya Sojourners Underwhelming cycle ability and you can't hardcast it. Pass. Sanctum Plowbeast Also, no. The landcycling is nice but that is about it. I dislike not being able to hardcast a cycler. Hardcasting a cycler late game is a very common way to win a grindy game. HundroogKrosan Tusker is just better. Don't play this guy unless you have to. Gempalm Polluter You're not playing Zombies so he is pretty much useless. (Yes, Viscera Dragger counts but not enough to play this card.) Pale Recluse Can't hardcast, you don't play plains and there are strictly better options. Grixis Sojourners You either play Red or Blue as your third color... not both. Makes it unplayable and the cycle ability is lackluster at best. Homing Sliver You don't play Slivers so this guy is just pointless. Disciple of Grace,Disciple of Law, Gempalm Avenger,Noble Templar, Yoked Plowbeast Not an option unless your deck runs White... which neither version does. Just avoid these guys. Vedalken Æthermage We're not playing Wizards... so... yeah.
Utility Creatures
Crypt Rats This is one of our major win conditions. With Songs of the Damned this guy deals major damage and wipes the board. Be careful playing him, though! Don't play him too early if you can't pop him off right away. A well timed Lightning Bolt can be Bad News Bears. Fume Spitter This guy is HUGE! Not only does he help us take care of early game aggro such as Delver of Secrets, Goblin Sledder, Liliana's Specter and others. Also, killing a Wellwisher is huge for us in the life race. He also adds to our graveyard count. Great card across the board. A must of in the deck and my personal favorite. You can grab a cycler," target="blank">Pit Keeper A must of in the deck and my personal favorite. You can grab a cycler, Fume Spitter, a Crypt Rats or my card of choice... another Pit Keeper. Pit Keeper into a Pit Keeper into a Pit Keeper is HYSTERICAL. Hapless Researcher Solid option for the blue version. Provides draw and the potential to add two creature cards to the graveyard. Mulldrifter Really strong card for the blue version. A definite in the deck and provides a body late game. Hardcasting this bad Larry is devastating late game. Cloud of Faeries Nice card for this deck. Provides a body early on and opens up the mana again so you can cycle creatures. This guy is practically free and provides a much needed defense before you hit a Crypt Rats. Augur of Skulls Sees play in some sideboards. Not a bad card by any means and meshes well with Pit Keeper. Try it out. Some people like him, some people don't. Death Cultist Meh. He is an option but Fume Spitter is the better choice. Alchemist's Apprentice Card isn't that bad. Try it at your own risk. I think there are better options for cycling. Blister BeetleFume Spitter is strictly better here. It costs less and you can sacrifice it instead of waiting for it to die.
Spells
Songs of the Damned The namesake of the deck is one of the most important cards in the deck. It helps provide the mana for the kill for cards such as Crypt Rats and Consume Spirit. The only downside is that you may toss them in the graveyard when you play Grisly Salvage. Gnaw to the Bone This card should be nicknamed Captain Stall. You gain 10 life on average from casting it and it has Flashback. The Flashback is huge since it doesn't hurt that bad if this card finds its way into your graveyard through Grisly Salvage. Consume Spirit One of our other win conditions. This card is pretty straight forward and the life gain can be huge if you somehow have missed a Gnaw to the Bone. Grisly Salvage The only thing that holds this card back is you can only run 2 in the deck. Running anymore than that causes issues where you lose your Songs of the Damned, Crypt Rats or other useful stuff. Use this card with caution if you haven't gotten what you need yet. Snuff Out This card is huge against decks such as Urzatron and Delver. It takes away their biggest threat and can be cast as early as turn 1 and without mana. Run them in the sideboard at the very least. Shrivel Big card against early game aggro decks such as Elves, Goblins, Weenies and even Delver. Not running these could be a huge problem. Moment's Peace Awesome card for aggro, especially Kiln Fiend decks. Blossoming Wreath Good sideboard card against burn. Nothing else really going on here. Durres Sideboard card that works well against burn, control and anything that tries to combo. Death Denied Smart sideboard card if you want to abuse your cycle effects or want to start hardcasting your stuff. Naturalize Strictly sideboard for Affinity and for graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus. Oona's Grace Decent card for the blue version but tossing lands can be bad when you need the extra mana for your win conditions. Annul, Steel Sabotage Sideboard against affinity if you play the blue version. Chronic Flooding Experimental card. Does well as it does in most Pauper decks but doesn't serve a real purpose. Blue Elemental Blast Sideboard for burn and other red heavy decks. Red Elemental Blast Sideboard for MUC and other blue heavy decks.
Lands
Swamp, Forest, Mountain, Island This all depends on what version you run. If you play the typical version, make sure you are running at least 1 Mountain so you can hardcast some of your guys. Evolving Wilds, Terramorphic Expanse Helps thin out your deck and help you find your 1 of Mountain. Barren Moor Utility card that I have personally decided against. It works great either way but I would rather play a Guildgate since cycling the land doesn't help your graveyard targeted spells. Golgari Guildgates and other Guildgates This is just a personal preference. Some decks run them, some don't. Just experiment with the manabase as much as you can. Some people like different options over others. There is no real wrong answer when it comes to the lands.
Hi there.
First of all, I like your deck - I only know the cycling strategy from Cascade into Living End decks.
I should probably point you to the correct forum: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/forumdisplay.php?f=461
You said you play MTGO Pauper, but this is the PAPER Pauper Subforum.
MTGO has different cards available and a different banlist (PAPER Pauper doesn't have a banlist at all).
Now, I don't know your meta, but in Paper Pauper it is possible to run into speed problems.
Especially when you are on the draw, a good burn or Kiln Fiend deck can spit out 20 damage as early as Turn 3.
Obviously Snuff Out is King against the latter, but against Burn Life-Gain is a valid strategy.
Now in my described scenario, the burn deck actually has its 3 turns before you even come to the 3 mana necessary for Gnaw to the Bone.
You might therefore want to evaluate Blossoming Wreath - maybe as a sideboard option.
Other than that I hope that the Barren Moors don't slow you down too much. Death Cultist came to my mind when I saw the Fume Spitter, but his effect is most likely neglible.
€dit: Not saying you should add another color, but after looking through some cards, Mulldrifter seems awesome in this kind of deck. Alchemist's Apprentice basically cycles for 1U which seems reasonable.
Whether you add blue or not, I'd consider scrapping red.
Architects of Will cycles for B - which you will most likely have.
€dit2: Adding Blue also allows for Elemental Blasts VS red as well as Oona's Grace to basically give any of your late land draws cycling. Since all your cycling happens at instant speed, you might even go Annul/Steel Sabotage against Affinity.
Oops, my b. This is a paper pauper deck that was inspired by a deck I faced on MTGO. I should have been more specific. I do like the idea of Blossoming Wreath in the sideboard. I have also thought of running Steel Wall or Pestillence for aggro match ups.
EDIT: Blue seems like it might work but it does create a bit of a mess when it comes to the mana pool. I only splash in 1 Mountain so I can case Deadshot Minotaur and Monstrous Carabid late game if need be. Adding blue as a full on color slows down the deck since I will most likely have to add a couple Guildgates. I would then replace the prevoiusly mentioned cycling cards with Architects of Will and maybe a Mulldrifter or two. The downside to Esper Sojourners is that I can't hard cast it if need be. Also, the Esper Sojourners and Architects of Will are both at the mercy of a Lightning Bolt unlike Monstrous Carabid and Deadshot Minotaur. I am gonna think about it though... but it is going to make things tricky.
Also, should I run a Golgari Guildgate or two in this deck? It has done fine without it but I have come in trouble with a mana base once or twice.
I think this deck needs Twisted Abomination. He can grab you a swamp plus he has very cheap regeneration that makes him a big threat once he's on the field.
I've played a fair number of versions of the deck.
1 - You always want 4 crypt rats. You also probably want to strip your cyclers down to the one and zero-mana options plus a couple tuskers - disciple and draggers are not so good. The one land hand is your natural enemy and you need ways to draw out of it. Kind of sucks that you can't cast architects, but you've got a lot of cards that you can cast so it's not that bad.
2 - Haven't tested it, but I think 4 grisly salvage is too many; would probably cut to 2 or 3. You don't want to mill too many songs/consumes into the yard or you'll eventually be sorry.
3 - Death Denied is pretty awesome here, maindeck or maybe in the board for control.
4 - Moment's Peace is crazy crazy good versus aggro. I like 1 in the main and 2 in the board. Being able to go peace - peace for two turns of lethal attacks can be the difference between gnawing for survival and dropping one of those big 24-point gnaws that just wipes out everything your aggro opponent was trying to do.
BUG version is somewhat different - it does get the combo kill a lot faster thanks to being able to go songs -> mystical teachings -> songs -> flashback teachings -> songs and thereby work up to 20+ mana more easily to rat the world away. However, as you noted, you lose the beatdown plan B, which is both hilarious (nothing like your opponent realizing that his efficient 2/2s and 2/3s are just going to lose to your 5-mana 3/4s) and pretty effective. Note that the BUg plan is a small green splash just for gnaw. You want to dump the green cyclers and stick with blue/black looting types.
I've played with exhume, but can't recommend it - generally, people are able to take care of one threat and you don't usually have anything to follow up with. I've also messed with a BUg version that uses Chronic Flooding - again can't recommend it but it is kind of fun; it really weakens you too much versus control though, as they can easily just let you deck yourself as you lose too many of your threat cards to the yard.
I playtested the deck a bit, and I really liked how it played out.
didn't work perfectly (salvaged 2 Songs of the Damned before finally drawing one), but the beatdown-plan b worked quite well as my opponent didn't really have creatures.
Kind of went like
cycle - salvage - salvage - cycle - cycle - cycle - cycle
Pit Keeper into Deadshot Minotaur
Salvage, cycle, attack for 5
Pit Keeper into Pit Keeper into Deadshot Minotaur shooting a Firemane Angel from the skies, attack for 5
opponent: Supreme Verdict
me: songs of the damned into consume spirit for 12 damage.
Needless to say, I had fun there.
But I also felt the 2-mana cyclers were too slow to matter.
Here's an example of the blue variant. I don't think there's any real changes to be made between paper and online. Note that this deck is from before Street Wraith was printed at common. I would probably pull the researchers and maybe a strategic planning and a 1-mana cycler for 4 wraiths.
Here's an example of the blue variant. I don't think there's any real changes to be made between paper and online. Note that this deck is from before Street Wraith was printed at common. I would probably pull the researchers and maybe a strategic planning and a 1-mana cycler for 4 wraiths.
They deck list looks kind of fun actually, minus the Strategic Planning because I'm not droppin' $140 on a play set of those... lol. (It is also an uncommon in Paper Pauper.) I'll probably do the following to my current build.
-1 Grisly Salvage, + 1 Crypt Rats
-2 Disciple of Malice, + 1 Street Wraith, + 1 Fume Spitter
-1 Viscera Dragger, +1 Snuff Out
+3 Naturalize to SB
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red Legacy
Burn Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves Commander
Lin Sivvi
They deck list looks kind of fun actually, minus the Strategic Planning because I'm not droppin' $140 on a play set of those... lol. (It is also an uncommon in Paper Pauper.)
Whoops. At least that makes it easy to figure out what to swap out for the Street Wraiths.
4 Crypt Rats is a MUST in the mainboard. Tom the Scud, you were right. It is a more useful than Consume Spirit unless I am playing Burn. Also, 2 Grisly Salvage seems like a good number. I was ditching Songs of the Damned too much when there was 4 in the deck.
What do you guys think of the new list?
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red Legacy
Burn Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves Commander
Lin Sivvi
No no no, I wasn't going to cut Songs of the Damned. What I mean was when I played Grisly Salvage I would always hit a SotD. I brought to GS count down to 2 to avoid this being a bigger issue.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red Legacy
Burn Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves Commander
Lin Sivvi
Songs of the Damned has won me a good share of games as well as hard casting some of the fatties. If I resolved more than 3 Gnaw to the Bone then I usually win one way or another. The only issue I have had is graveyard removal and that is still not that big of an issue for me.
Private Mod Note
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Modern
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red Legacy
Burn Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves Commander
Lin Sivvi
Team Wyrmwood
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Songs Of The Damned
Are looking to play a deck that makes your opponent completely lost for the first few turns of the game? Do you want to see your opponent's face after wipping their board multiple times in one game? Or do you want to gain 100+ life in one game? If you said yes to any of these questions - look no further! Songs of the Damned is the deck for you!
Songs of the Damned is centralized around abusing your graveyard with the cycling ability and cards such as Grisly Salvage, Fume Spitter and Pit Keeper. You then go in for the kill with the namesake of the deck, Songs of the Damned and cards such as Consume Spirit and Crypt Rats. The deck does very well against most match ups and usually surprises players if you do play it.
Monstrous Carabid This is one of the best cyclers you can have in the deck. It cycles for only 1 and it can be hardcast if need be. A 4/4 on the board is always an issue during a Pauper game.
Deadshot Minotaur This is, in my honest opinion, is the best cycler in the deck. Reason being is that when you hard cast this bad boy, it kills Delver of Secrets. With Delver being so absurdly popular in the format, this guy is value across the board.
Street Wraith This guy would be a 5 if the format was not so aggro heavy. Being able to cycle for 2 life is awesome no matter what. However, that 2 life can add up quickly if you end up grabbing this guys early in a game before you hit a Gnaw to the Bone. Hard casting him is easy as well, since you don't need the red mana to cast him. He is also key against one of our more difficult matchups in Mono Black Control.
Krosan Tusker Talk about utility. Not only does he cycle, but he searches for a land when you do so. It helps thin out your deck, adds to your graveyard and you draw a card. Also, hard casting Tusker is one of the best feelings you can get when playing this deck.
Viscera Dragger This card is debateable on a lot of lists for people. However, this guy can be very clutch for you. His Cycle for 2 isn't the greatest but his Unearth ability is extremely underrated. A lot of players will forget about this and leave themselves open for the 3 damage which can be crucial in late game. Also, you can't counter Unearth. THIS is huge against Delver.
Architects of Will Played in the Blue version of the deck, this guy is put into the role that Deadshot Minotaur was in. The big plus with this guy is that his ETB ability is absurd.
Jhessian Zombies The landcycling is pretty big here and the fear is sweet ability if you want to hardcast him. Very consistent in the Blue version.
Glassdust Hulk The weakest cycler in the blue version. He does cycle for only 1 but you won't be able to hardcast him and if you do his ability is pretty much useless unless you cast another one. There are better options available but it does see play.
Twisted Abomination I haven't played with him but he seems really strong. The only reason he isn't higher is that I have yet to play him. He might go up higher if he turns out to be tank.
Shoreline Ranger This seems like a strong option in the Blue version. I haven't seen it played but the flying is a huge factor in the Pauper game. I would give this guy a shot if you haven't yet in your Blue version.
Disciple of Malice This card was a staple in the deck until Street Wraith was printed as a common in Modern Masters. This might be a sideboard card in heavy White Weenie metas but you shouldn't play it otherwise.
Valley Rannet He doesn't seem that bad at first but he has one thing going against him that the other cyclers (with the exception of Viscera Dragger) don't. He dies to lightning bolt if he hits the board. Viscera Dragger just seems more valuable for the 2 mana cycle. A one of for a list is not unheard I wouldn't tell you not to.
Jungle Weaver A nice fattie to have as a sideboard option. Running one in the mainboard isn't that bad of an idea either. Reach is nice for the Delver matchup.
Keeneye Aven Plausible option for the Blue version but I have yet to see it played.
Pendrell Drake Plausible option for the Blue version but I have yet to see it played.
[card]Jund Sojourners[card] Not terrible, but you have better options in the deck.
Sandbar Merfolk Card can be an option in the Blue version but isn't that great
Slipstream Eel Strictly a sideboard card against a deck that plays islands.
Macetail Hystrodon Cycling for 3 isn't that great and to hardcast it seems a little much for a small body. The haste and first strike is nice but unnecessary.
Wirewood Guardian Big guy but you have better options if you want a fattie in Krosan Tusker and Jungle Weaver.
Ridge Rannet No. You can't hard cast him and Viscera Dragger is strictly better with this fact. You have no reason to play this card.
Esper Sojourners The cycle ability is very underwhelming and you're not going to hard cast him. Just pass on this guy all together.
Igneous Pouncer Easy to cycle and easy to cast but a small wind kicks his... well, you get the idea.
Wild Dogs May be an option since we usually have more life than our opponent but he dies to our own Crypt Rats and doesn't sync well with the rest of the deck.
Naya Sojourners Underwhelming cycle ability and you can't hardcast it. Pass.
Sanctum Plowbeast Also, no. The landcycling is nice but that is about it. I dislike not being able to hardcast a cycler. Hardcasting a cycler late game is a very common way to win a grindy game.
Hundroog Krosan Tusker is just better. Don't play this guy unless you have to.
Gempalm Polluter You're not playing Zombies so he is pretty much useless. (Yes, Viscera Dragger counts but not enough to play this card.)
Pale Recluse Can't hardcast, you don't play plains and there are strictly better options.
Grixis Sojourners You either play Red or Blue as your third color... not both. Makes it unplayable and the cycle ability is lackluster at best.
Homing Sliver You don't play Slivers so this guy is just pointless.
Disciple of Grace,Disciple of Law, Gempalm Avenger,Noble Templar, Yoked Plowbeast Not an option unless your deck runs White... which neither version does. Just avoid these guys.
Vedalken Æthermage We're not playing Wizards... so... yeah.
Fume Spitter This guy is HUGE! Not only does he help us take care of early game aggro such as Delver of Secrets, Goblin Sledder, Liliana's Specter and others. Also, killing a Wellwisher is huge for us in the life race. He also adds to our graveyard count. Great card across the board.
A must of in the deck and my personal favorite. You can grab a cycler," target="blank">Pit Keeper A must of in the deck and my personal favorite. You can grab a cycler, Fume Spitter, a Crypt Rats or my card of choice... another Pit Keeper. Pit Keeper into a Pit Keeper into a Pit Keeper is HYSTERICAL.
Hapless Researcher Solid option for the blue version. Provides draw and the potential to add two creature cards to the graveyard.
Mulldrifter Really strong card for the blue version. A definite in the deck and provides a body late game. Hardcasting this bad Larry is devastating late game.
Cloud of Faeries Nice card for this deck. Provides a body early on and opens up the mana again so you can cycle creatures. This guy is practically free and provides a much needed defense before you hit a Crypt Rats.
Augur of Skulls Sees play in some sideboards. Not a bad card by any means and meshes well with Pit Keeper. Try it out. Some people like him, some people don't.
Death Cultist Meh. He is an option but Fume Spitter is the better choice.
Alchemist's Apprentice Card isn't that bad. Try it at your own risk. I think there are better options for cycling.
Blister Beetle Fume Spitter is strictly better here. It costs less and you can sacrifice it instead of waiting for it to die.
Gnaw to the Bone This card should be nicknamed Captain Stall. You gain 10 life on average from casting it and it has Flashback. The Flashback is huge since it doesn't hurt that bad if this card finds its way into your graveyard through Grisly Salvage.
Consume Spirit One of our other win conditions. This card is pretty straight forward and the life gain can be huge if you somehow have missed a Gnaw to the Bone.
Grisly Salvage The only thing that holds this card back is you can only run 2 in the deck. Running anymore than that causes issues where you lose your Songs of the Damned, Crypt Rats or other useful stuff. Use this card with caution if you haven't gotten what you need yet.
Snuff Out This card is huge against decks such as Urzatron and Delver. It takes away their biggest threat and can be cast as early as turn 1 and without mana. Run them in the sideboard at the very least.
Shrivel Big card against early game aggro decks such as Elves, Goblins, Weenies and even Delver. Not running these could be a huge problem.
Moment's Peace Awesome card for aggro, especially Kiln Fiend decks.
Blossoming Wreath Good sideboard card against burn. Nothing else really going on here.
Durres Sideboard card that works well against burn, control and anything that tries to combo.
Death Denied Smart sideboard card if you want to abuse your cycle effects or want to start hardcasting your stuff.
Naturalize Strictly sideboard for Affinity and for graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus.
Oona's Grace Decent card for the blue version but tossing lands can be bad when you need the extra mana for your win conditions.
Annul, Steel Sabotage Sideboard against affinity if you play the blue version.
Chronic Flooding Experimental card. Does well as it does in most Pauper decks but doesn't serve a real purpose.
Blue Elemental Blast Sideboard for burn and other red heavy decks.
Red Elemental Blast Sideboard for MUC and other blue heavy decks.
Evolving Wilds, Terramorphic Expanse Helps thin out your deck and help you find your 1 of Mountain.
Barren Moor Utility card that I have personally decided against. It works great either way but I would rather play a Guildgate since cycling the land doesn't help your graveyard targeted spells.
Golgari Guildgates and other Guildgates This is just a personal preference. Some decks run them, some don't. Just experiment with the manabase as much as you can. Some people like different options over others. There is no real wrong answer when it comes to the lands.
3 Barren Moor
1 Mountain
3 Forest
6 Swamp
4 Deadshot Minotaur
4 Monstrous Carabid
3 Street Wraith
4 Pit Keeper
3 Crypt Rats
2 Krosan Tusker
2 Disciple of Malice
3 Viscera Dragger
2 Fume Spitter
4 Gnaw to the Bone
4 Grisly Salvage
2 Snuff Out
2 Consume Spirit
4 Duress
4 Augur of Skulls
2 Fume Spitter
2 Snuff Out
1 Crypt Rats
1 Krosan Tusker
1 Consume Spirit
What do you guys think? I'm on the fence about keeping the Disciple of Malice and putting in 1 more Street Wraith and maybe a 4th Crypt Rats main board.
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red
Legacy
Burn
Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves
Commander
Lin Sivvi
First of all, I like your deck - I only know the cycling strategy from Cascade into Living End decks.
I should probably point you to the correct forum:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/forumdisplay.php?f=461
You said you play MTGO Pauper, but this is the PAPER Pauper Subforum.
MTGO has different cards available and a different banlist (PAPER Pauper doesn't have a banlist at all).
Now, I don't know your meta, but in Paper Pauper it is possible to run into speed problems.
Especially when you are on the draw, a good burn or Kiln Fiend deck can spit out 20 damage as early as Turn 3.
Obviously Snuff Out is King against the latter, but against Burn Life-Gain is a valid strategy.
Now in my described scenario, the burn deck actually has its 3 turns before you even come to the 3 mana necessary for Gnaw to the Bone.
You might therefore want to evaluate Blossoming Wreath - maybe as a sideboard option.
Other than that I hope that the Barren Moors don't slow you down too much.
Death Cultist came to my mind when I saw the Fume Spitter, but his effect is most likely neglible.
€dit: Not saying you should add another color, but after looking through some cards, Mulldrifter seems awesome in this kind of deck. Alchemist's Apprentice basically cycles for 1U which seems reasonable.
Whether you add blue or not, I'd consider scrapping red.
Architects of Will cycles for B - which you will most likely have.
The amount of good cyclers in Blue is actually astounding:
Both, Cloud of Faeries and Esper Sojourners, work quite well with Guild-Karros and Depletion lands.
Blue also offers chump-blocking VS pesky fliers, which might be the reason you went with Deadshot Minotaur.
€dit2: Adding Blue also allows for Elemental Blasts VS red as well as Oona's Grace to basically give any of your late land draws cycling. Since all your cycling happens at instant speed, you might even go Annul/Steel Sabotage against Affinity.
Cockatrice is still going strong over at http://www.woogerworks.com[/B]
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EDIT: Blue seems like it might work but it does create a bit of a mess when it comes to the mana pool. I only splash in 1 Mountain so I can case Deadshot Minotaur and Monstrous Carabid late game if need be. Adding blue as a full on color slows down the deck since I will most likely have to add a couple Guildgates. I would then replace the prevoiusly mentioned cycling cards with Architects of Will and maybe a Mulldrifter or two. The downside to Esper Sojourners is that I can't hard cast it if need be. Also, the Esper Sojourners and Architects of Will are both at the mercy of a Lightning Bolt unlike Monstrous Carabid and Deadshot Minotaur. I am gonna think about it though... but it is going to make things tricky.
Also, should I run a Golgari Guildgate or two in this deck? It has done fine without it but I have come in trouble with a mana base once or twice.
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red
Legacy
Burn
Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves
Commander
Lin Sivvi
1 - You always want 4 crypt rats. You also probably want to strip your cyclers down to the one and zero-mana options plus a couple tuskers - disciple and draggers are not so good. The one land hand is your natural enemy and you need ways to draw out of it. Kind of sucks that you can't cast architects, but you've got a lot of cards that you can cast so it's not that bad.
2 - Haven't tested it, but I think 4 grisly salvage is too many; would probably cut to 2 or 3. You don't want to mill too many songs/consumes into the yard or you'll eventually be sorry.
3 - Death Denied is pretty awesome here, maindeck or maybe in the board for control.
4 - Moment's Peace is crazy crazy good versus aggro. I like 1 in the main and 2 in the board. Being able to go peace - peace for two turns of lethal attacks can be the difference between gnawing for survival and dropping one of those big 24-point gnaws that just wipes out everything your aggro opponent was trying to do.
BUG version is somewhat different - it does get the combo kill a lot faster thanks to being able to go songs -> mystical teachings -> songs -> flashback teachings -> songs and thereby work up to 20+ mana more easily to rat the world away. However, as you noted, you lose the beatdown plan B, which is both hilarious (nothing like your opponent realizing that his efficient 2/2s and 2/3s are just going to lose to your 5-mana 3/4s) and pretty effective. Note that the BUg plan is a small green splash just for gnaw. You want to dump the green cyclers and stick with blue/black looting types.
I've played with exhume, but can't recommend it - generally, people are able to take care of one threat and you don't usually have anything to follow up with. I've also messed with a BUg version that uses Chronic Flooding - again can't recommend it but it is kind of fun; it really weakens you too much versus control though, as they can easily just let you deck yourself as you lose too many of your threat cards to the yard.
didn't work perfectly (salvaged 2 Songs of the Damned before finally drawing one), but the beatdown-plan b worked quite well as my opponent didn't really have creatures.
Kind of went like
cycle - salvage - salvage - cycle - cycle - cycle - cycle
Pit Keeper into Deadshot Minotaur
Salvage, cycle, attack for 5
Pit Keeper into Pit Keeper into Deadshot Minotaur shooting a Firemane Angel from the skies, attack for 5
opponent: Supreme Verdict
me: songs of the damned into consume spirit for 12 damage.
Needless to say, I had fun there.
But I also felt the 2-mana cyclers were too slow to matter.
Cockatrice is still going strong over at http://www.woogerworks.com[/B]
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1 Dimir Guildgate
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Forest
1 Golgari Guildgate
5 Island
1 Simic Guildgate
5 Swamp
3 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Architects of Will
2 Crypt Rats
4 Glassdust Hulk
2 Hapless Researcher
2 Jhessian Zombies
4 Monstrous Carabid
4 Mulldrifter
4 Pit Keeper
2 Forbidden Alchemy
3 Gnaw to the Bone
2 Mystical Teachings
4 Songs of the Damned
4 Strategic Planning
3 Brindle Boar
1 Death Denied
2 Duress
1 Hindering Touch
1 Mnemonic Wall
3 Snuff Out
4 Spreading Seas
They deck list looks kind of fun actually, minus the Strategic Planning because I'm not droppin' $140 on a play set of those... lol. (It is also an uncommon in Paper Pauper.) I'll probably do the following to my current build.
-1 Grisly Salvage, + 1 Crypt Rats
-2 Disciple of Malice, + 1 Street Wraith, + 1 Fume Spitter
-1 Viscera Dragger, +1 Snuff Out
+3 Naturalize to SB
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red
Legacy
Burn
Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves
Commander
Lin Sivvi
Whoops. At least that makes it easy to figure out what to swap out for the Street Wraiths.
3 Forest
2 Golgari Guildgate
1 Mountain
6 Swamp
2 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Songs of the Damned
2 Consume Spirit
2 Grisly Salvage
2 Moment's Peace
4 Gnaw to the Bone
1 Snuff Out
4 Pit Keeper
4 Crypt Rats
3 Viscera Dragger
4 Deadshot Minotaur
4 Monstrous Carabid
4 Street Wraith
2 Krosan Tusker
4 Fume Spitter
1 Consume Spirit
3 Naturalize
3 Shrivel
3 Snuff Out
1 Krosan Tusker
Taking out the Barren Moor for a couple Golgari Guildgate and a 4th Street Wraith has payed off a lot. Also, running 4 Fume Spitter main board is key a very aggro heavy meta that I play in. The sideboard Snuff Out comes in for them in different match ups, such as Tron. Fume Spitter is also a huge thorn in the side for Delver of Secrets.
4 Crypt Rats is a MUST in the mainboard. Tom the Scud, you were right. It is a more useful than Consume Spirit unless I am playing Burn. Also, 2 Grisly Salvage seems like a good number. I was ditching Songs of the Damned too much when there was 4 in the deck.
What do you guys think of the new list?
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red
Legacy
Burn
Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves
Commander
Lin Sivvi
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red
Legacy
Burn
Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves
Commander
Lin Sivvi
Bogles / BW Tokens / Skred Red
Legacy
Burn
Pauper
Songs of the Damned / Elves
Commander
Lin Sivvi