I'm trying to build a mono black deck built around Phyrexian Obliterator since I just recently pulled two of them. My dilemma is either getting more Obliterators or trading them for some Grave Titans if possible.
I'm fairly new to Magic, so I'm going to have problems building my deck either way. Which route would you recommend? Any tips for a good deck for either of those main cards?
both ideally, grave titans if I could only choose one.
If you play against a lot of white decks, Obliterator getsa lot worse. I've been playing a black deck with both creatures the last two weeks, and Day of Judgments, O-rings, and Journey to Nowheres just ruin your day. Plus Grave Titan can't be Dismembered
2 Oblits is probably right. He's a great 4-drop, changes the board position drastically. Ultimately though, just just a beater for the most part and BBBB makes Spreading Seas hurt a lot (and there's plenty of those floating around). Lashwrith is also just a beater, effectively a Nightmare but for a lower CMC and if they kill it, you can move the ability somewhere else like Vampire Nighthawk or Wurmcoil Engine.
in a MBC list? You probably want a couple Obliterators, a couple Titans, and 3-4 Lashwrithes. Lash can be punishing in his own right, and his synergy with Inkmoth Nexus is disgusting.
Awesome. So maybe 4 Lashwrithes and a few Grave titans would be a good start? I'm debating holding on to the Obliterators or getting rid of them. I know they're fairly expensive, but if I can get a good start to a mono black, it'd be worth trading/selling.
Might as well keep the Obliterators if you really want to run mono black. They die to Dismember, O-Ring/Day/Dispatch, but are pretty solid if the opponent doesn't have such removal...I'm no expert on prices but aren't the cards for MBC comparatively cheap? Spot removal and discard... Basic swamps for your mana. Vault Skirge, Gatekeeper of Malakir, Vampire Nighthawk maybe as creatures.
both ideally, grave titans if I could only choose one.
If you play against a lot of white decks, Obliterator getsa lot worse. I've been playing a black deck with both creatures the last two weeks, and Day of Judgments, O-rings, and Journey to Nowheres just ruin your day. Plus Grave Titan can't be Dismembered
Dismember is the spot removal of choice right now, where nearly EVERY deck is running them. Day of Judgement, O-Rings, and Journey's aren't so prevalent. The biggest reason for this is it's a main deck answer for Splintertwin which is also great vs so many other decks. If you're dead set on one of these creatures, I'd go with the Titan for that reason alone.
I'm trying to build a mono black deck built around Phyrexian Obliterator since I just recently pulled two of them. My dilemma is either getting more Obliterators or trading them for some Grave Titans if possible.
I'm fairly new to Magic, so I'm going to have problems building my deck either way. Which route would you recommend? Any tips for a good deck for either of those main cards?
Thanks in advance guys.
I think that Obliterator is a good creature, but you should try to look at the bigger picture. What does your deck want to do, overall? Does it want to beat down aggressively, using Obliterator as the top end of the mana curve? Does it want to be very controlling, using Obliterator as a well-costed bomb that can hold down a defense (as well as applying pressure)? Or is it somewhere along the middle of that spectrum?
The more aggressive you want to play, the more you should work on threat density and playing disruption/removal which helps you kill your opponent before he can execute his gameplan. The more controlling you want to play, the more you should be looking to screw up your opponent's plans while producing card advantage with draw spells and incremental 2-for-1s/3-for-1s.
I agree with some of the other posters here that this creature is definitely flawed. Dismember has proven itself to be the real deal in this format, so you have to consider that. When you choose to cast a sorcery-speed 4-drop that can be killed for only one mana, you had better have some kind of plan to work around the spot removal. A good plan is to use Duress effects to rip Dismembers out of your opponent's hand, or to play Spellskite as an on-board counterspell to protect your 5/5 asset. Another good plan is to apply a lot of aggression, making that 2-4 life expenditure for Dismember a very costly one.
I agree.. GT and Obliterator are both good together. Different cmc so they really won't compete for mana. Lashwrithe is a definite as well... I have been running Apostle's Blessing and keeping a mana open to use it as a pseudo-counter to removal. Has been working very well. Protects my Nighthawks from getting removed in response to equipping Lashwrithe as well. Nighthawk + a Lashwrithe = Beatdown. If I think my opponent has removal and I have Oblit in hand I may wait until turn 5 so I have the mana for Blessing to protect it.
I agree Oblitz isn't perfect, but I run it for board disruption and not so much as an aggro creature (I also run it as a 2-of) and it does exactly what I need it to do. It can function as a finisher with a Lashwrithe onboard if needed as well. Turn 5 10/10 Trampler with a serious drawback to anyone trying to block it...
From a reasonably experienced MBC player, i would definately play grave titan over obliterator. Obliterator dies very easily against pretty much any deck, even elves can kill it with beast within now. Grave titan is less easy to kill, and even if it is killed yous till have 2x 2/2 zombies in play.
I play 2x Grave Titan, 2x Wurmcoil Engine and occasionally 1x Massacre Wurm if there's a lot of weenie decks about.
I also like one or two Phyrexian Metamorphs as they can become titans, wurms, lashwrithes, or something from your opponents field.
I'm fairly new to Magic, so I'm going to have problems building my deck either way. Which route would you recommend? Any tips for a good deck for either of those main cards?
Thanks in advance guys.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=10507340#post10507340
Youtube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/MtgMcQuacks
If you play against a lot of white decks, Obliterator getsa lot worse. I've been playing a black deck with both creatures the last two weeks, and Day of Judgments, O-rings, and Journey to Nowheres just ruin your day. Plus Grave Titan can't be Dismembered
2 Oblits is probably right. He's a great 4-drop, changes the board position drastically. Ultimately though, just just a beater for the most part and BBBB makes Spreading Seas hurt a lot (and there's plenty of those floating around). Lashwrith is also just a beater, effectively a Nightmare but for a lower CMC and if they kill it, you can move the ability somewhere else like Vampire Nighthawk or Wurmcoil Engine.
If you hate the deck, I'm probably playing it!
If you're doing it just for Grave Titan, he's not restricting you to mono-black. You can easily splash and make your deck stronger overall.
Join the Poetry Running Contest!
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?p=10507340#post10507340
Youtube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/MtgMcQuacks
Dismember is the spot removal of choice right now, where nearly EVERY deck is running them. Day of Judgement, O-Rings, and Journey's aren't so prevalent. The biggest reason for this is it's a main deck answer for Splintertwin which is also great vs so many other decks. If you're dead set on one of these creatures, I'd go with the Titan for that reason alone.
I think that Obliterator is a good creature, but you should try to look at the bigger picture. What does your deck want to do, overall? Does it want to beat down aggressively, using Obliterator as the top end of the mana curve? Does it want to be very controlling, using Obliterator as a well-costed bomb that can hold down a defense (as well as applying pressure)? Or is it somewhere along the middle of that spectrum?
The more aggressive you want to play, the more you should work on threat density and playing disruption/removal which helps you kill your opponent before he can execute his gameplan. The more controlling you want to play, the more you should be looking to screw up your opponent's plans while producing card advantage with draw spells and incremental 2-for-1s/3-for-1s.
I agree with some of the other posters here that this creature is definitely flawed. Dismember has proven itself to be the real deal in this format, so you have to consider that. When you choose to cast a sorcery-speed 4-drop that can be killed for only one mana, you had better have some kind of plan to work around the spot removal. A good plan is to use Duress effects to rip Dismembers out of your opponent's hand, or to play Spellskite as an on-board counterspell to protect your 5/5 asset. Another good plan is to apply a lot of aggression, making that 2-4 life expenditure for Dismember a very costly one.
I agree Oblitz isn't perfect, but I run it for board disruption and not so much as an aggro creature (I also run it as a 2-of) and it does exactly what I need it to do. It can function as a finisher with a Lashwrithe onboard if needed as well. Turn 5 10/10 Trampler with a serious drawback to anyone trying to block it...
I play 2x Grave Titan, 2x Wurmcoil Engine and occasionally 1x Massacre Wurm if there's a lot of weenie decks about.
I also like one or two Phyrexian Metamorphs as they can become titans, wurms, lashwrithes, or something from your opponents field.
Here's my deck.
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Vault Skirge
4 Vampire Nighthawk
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Grave Titan
2 Wurmcoil Engine
3 Lashwrithe
2 Go for the throat
2 Doom Blade
3 Dismember
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Despise
3 Sign in Blood
22 Swamp
2 Inkmoth Nexus
Sideboard
2 Vampire Hexmage
1 Skinrender
3 Disfigure
2 Duress
3 Memoricide
2 Black Sun's Zenith
2 Mimic Vat
Hope this helps