OVERVIEW
The point of this deck is to keep threats off the board with spells (Dreadbore, Hero's Downfall, etc.) as well as creatures (Mogis, Desecration Demon) all while slowly draining away at the opponent's life (Mogis, Chandra, Gray Merchant of Asphodel.)
CARD CHOICES Rakdos Cackler: 2 power for a 1 drop. In a deck like this where the opponent's board is usually pretty empty, a turn one Rakdos Cackler can attack 4-5 times unblocked throughout the game. Hellhole Flailer: 4 power for a 3 drop, and can throw itself at the enemy. For it's low cost, it can really do some damage. Desecration Demon: Great 4 drop, one of the centerpieces of the deck. Mogis, God of Slaughter: Another great 4 drop, works very similar to Desecration Demon, except it's more reliable in the 2 damage, yet less reliable in dealing combat damage. Usually won't get turned on, but in this deck, he won't need to be most of the time. Gray Merchant of Asphodel: Top of the mana curve, doesn't drain for as much as it does in Mono-Black Devotion, but still can hit the opponent for 4-6 easily. Works wonderfully with Whip of Erebos.
Dreadbore: Great removal. Hero's Downfall: More great removal. Drown in Sorrow: A little sweeper for things like white weenie and other aggressive strategies. Rakdos's Return: Pretty great against control, helps against longer lasting games.
Underworld Connections: Our draw card. Great for devotion, too, in case we can actually turn Mogis on. Hammer of Purphoros: If we draw too many lands (which can definitely happen in this deck) this helps us make use of our dead lands. Also, haste on Desecration Demon and others is great. Chandra, Pyromancer: Can deal with pesky 1 toughness cratures, can help (kinda) draw cards, and slowly drains away at the opponent's life. Just what we need. Whip of Erebos: Gives us some needed life gain. Bringing creatures back is helpful too.
I worry that you have too few creatures. I would consider adding in a few cards. Rakdos's Return should be in here as it just hoses control decks and could be a great finisher. I also think Erebos should be in here. You have lots of great black enchantments and permanents that could make him go online, but more importantly he gives more card advantage and prevents decks from gaining life like UW, esper, BW midrange and mono-B.
Otherwise it looks like a fun deck. You may consider the hammer of Purphoros too since you don't have a lot high cost creatures, the golems could be handy. Also a hasty desecration demon or hound would be nasty.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks
Modern
No idea because my favorite decks keep getting banned or having the rules changed against them
4 Mogis seems excessive, even if it's good in this deck.
Also Contaminated Ground seems real bad. If I T1 Thoughtseize my opponent and see that I'm probably just going to bust out laughing, then T2 Pack Rat you and roll you over. My Swamp is now a...Swamp? Cool.
Nighthowler looks like it would be mediocre, and almost actively bad, against control. My suggestion would be something along the lines of Underworld Cerebus or some other finisher that wouldn't be dead vs control. It's also solid devotion for Mogis, God of Slaughter. Also, Rakdos, Lord of Riots looks really inconsistent without any burn in the main or any other way to deal damage outside of combat on your turn so that you can cast it, given that Mogis activates on their turn.
Updated. Put in Hellhole Flailer in favor of Nighthowler, and put in Drown in Sorrow in favor of Anger of the Gods. We run more black, so DiS will be easier to cast. Also, it won't kill our Hellhole Flailer. Also found room for a Rakdos's Return (as well as one in the Side Board too) and put Underworld Cerberus back in instead of Rakdos, Lord of Riots due to the difficulty of casting him.
One thing that I'm worried about is this deck running low on life too quickly and dying to Aggro decks. Any ideas to block early game creatures, or for gaining life later? I'm thinking of splashing white for Blood Baron of Vizkopa or Obdezat, Ghost Council. Blood Baron would be easier to cast, but I feel that Ghost Council will end up being better in this deck. Both are great options, however, they would be coming in too late to help deal with hyper aggressive strategies. Thoughts?
Update: Took Cerberus out for Master of Cruelties. Didn't make sense to run both Cerberus and Whip, but I'm thinking that there's gotta be a better 5 drop out there. Stormbreath Dragon, maybe? Yes, that's what I'm doing. Also tweaked the sideboard considerably.
Update: Took Cerberus out for Master of Cruelties. Didn't make sense to run both Cerberus and Whip, but I'm thinking that there's gotta be a better 5 drop out there. Stormbreath Dragon, maybe? Yes, that's what I'm doing. Also tweaked the sideboard considerably.
Update: Took Cerberus out for Master of Cruelties. Didn't make sense to run both Cerberus and Whip, but I'm thinking that there's gotta be a better 5 drop out there. Stormbreath Dragon, maybe? Yes, that's what I'm doing. Also tweaked the sideboard considerably.
OVERVIEW
The point of this deck is to keep threats off the board with spells (Dreadbore, Hero's Downfall, etc.) as well as creatures (Mogis, Desecration Demon) all while slowly draining away at the opponent's life (Mogis, Chandra, Gray Merchant of Asphodel.)
4x Rakdos Cackler
1x Herald of Torment
1x Hellhole Flailer
4x Desecration Demon
3x Mogis, God of Slaughter
4x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
INSTANTS / SORCERIES
2x Thoughtseize
3x Dreadbore
4x Hero's Downfall
1x Rakdos's Return
4x Underworld Connections
1x Hammer of Purphoros
3x Chandra, Pyromaster
2x Whip of Erebos
LANDS
4x Blood Crypt
4x Temple of Malice
11x Swamp
6x Mountain
2x Thoughtsieze
2x Searing Blood
3x Mizzium Mortars
3x Drown in Sorrow
2x Fate Unraveler
2x Nighthowler
1x Rakdos's Return
CARD CHOICES
Rakdos Cackler: 2 power for a 1 drop. In a deck like this where the opponent's board is usually pretty empty, a turn one Rakdos Cackler can attack 4-5 times unblocked throughout the game.
Hellhole Flailer: 4 power for a 3 drop, and can throw itself at the enemy. For it's low cost, it can really do some damage.
Desecration Demon: Great 4 drop, one of the centerpieces of the deck.
Mogis, God of Slaughter: Another great 4 drop, works very similar to Desecration Demon, except it's more reliable in the 2 damage, yet less reliable in dealing combat damage. Usually won't get turned on, but in this deck, he won't need to be most of the time.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel: Top of the mana curve, doesn't drain for as much as it does in Mono-Black Devotion, but still can hit the opponent for 4-6 easily. Works wonderfully with Whip of Erebos.
Dreadbore: Great removal.
Hero's Downfall: More great removal.
Drown in Sorrow: A little sweeper for things like white weenie and other aggressive strategies.
Rakdos's Return: Pretty great against control, helps against longer lasting games.
Underworld Connections: Our draw card. Great for devotion, too, in case we can actually turn Mogis on.
Hammer of Purphoros: If we draw too many lands (which can definitely happen in this deck) this helps us make use of our dead lands. Also, haste on Desecration Demon and others is great.
Chandra, Pyromancer: Can deal with pesky 1 toughness cratures, can help (kinda) draw cards, and slowly drains away at the opponent's life. Just what we need.
Whip of Erebos: Gives us some needed life gain. Bringing creatures back is helpful too.
Otherwise it looks like a fun deck. You may consider the hammer of Purphoros too since you don't have a lot high cost creatures, the golems could be handy. Also a hasty desecration demon or hound would be nasty.
Also Contaminated Ground seems real bad. If I T1 Thoughtseize my opponent and see that I'm probably just going to bust out laughing, then T2 Pack Rat you and roll you over. My Swamp is now a...Swamp? Cool.
One thing that I'm worried about is this deck running low on life too quickly and dying to Aggro decks. Any ideas to block early game creatures, or for gaining life later? I'm thinking of splashing white for Blood Baron of Vizkopa or Obdezat, Ghost Council. Blood Baron would be easier to cast, but I feel that Ghost Council will end up being better in this deck. Both are great options, however, they would be coming in too late to help deal with hyper aggressive strategies. Thoughts?
If your heading towards devotion for Mogis by playing 4 Underworld Connections and the Desecration Demons why not run Gray Merchant of Asphodel in your 5cmc spot to complement those? That's the only 5 drop I can really think of.
Not sure why I didn't think of this. Great call.