Negator is there for flavor. I know he isn't optimal.
Spite isn't removal, there is none main deck. Spinning Darkness will probably become GftT in the board.
I want to see Tombstalker early, hence running 4 of him. With early disruption and Dark Ritual getting him out the first few turns isn't hard.
If I were to add removal I think I'd lose the Sinkholes. The idea was that between all the disruption they wouldn't get much to stick on the board though, so I wouldn't need removal.
I'm thinking traditional because I will add the splash over time as money allows. Home remodeling and future move, career advancement, wine and firearms are ahead of MTG when it comes to monetary priority.
On paper or just looks like the deck HAS to resolve an early Chalice to stand a chance. Can you explain how the deck typically plays out?
Also, changing subjects for a bit. I built the following for a weekly casual tourney, but I'm curious at how it'd fair in the Legacy meta. I thought you'd be a great one to ask.
Thinking I'm going to build a mono red version of this due to budget reasons, and then add to it as money allows. I have no problem putting $1000 - $1500 into the deck over time, just can't afford to do that now. Wife and I are remodeling our current home and saving for a down payment to purchase a second.
Anyhow, what would the "optimal" mono red list be? I'll add color splashes and fetches later on.
And yes, I know the deck isn't well positioned currently. It's a deck that looks like loads of fun to play though, has great flavor, and will be playable for years if the past tells us anything.
So I've been out of magic quite awhile, though when I played I played competitive standard and limited. I considered myself a fairly good deck builder, but there have been quite a few new sets since I've last played, and I don't have the time to invest in standard. Luckily my local shop does a weekly casual tournament, and there is this thread to help me out.
I had built this roughly but can't find to give you the whole list. It started when I bought a pack and opened a Civilized Scholar. I fell in love with the flavor of the card and decided to build with it. Before long the deck ended up being built around Splinterfright. The following cards were the core.
This version is the one I like the looks of most. I was wondering if it's still a viable option, or if everyone has gone the Young Pyromancer route. I also read a few of you were testing Gamble, how has that been workout out?
If someone wanted to put a couple hundred extra dollars into the deck, how would you do it? Obviously the mana base could be improved, but not counting that, what would you do?
Eventually I will fork out the cash for the Bobs, but until then, I will run Scrivener. With Shriekmaw and the like anyhow, I'm a bit hesitant on Bob.
So, more discard is needed. Avatar of Discord fits this bill nicely. I would love to squeeze in Lili and Smallpox, but that is really taking the deck in a different direction.
Additionally, cutting Ghoul for DRS, the power and utility he provides is just worth so much.
Troll doesn't make scrivener iffy, having just one discard outlet does. Bob is superior unless it's pretty much certain your hand will be empty by turn 2-3.
Avatar of discord doesn't look like a bad option except it means scrivener starts gaining you card advantage turn 4 which might turn out to be too slow for your aggro strategy.
As for the diregraf ghoul: slitherhead is a better 1-drop zombie, especially for this deck
I hate to be the guy who keeps suggesting the same staples everyone is playing, but DRS is probably strictly better...
I like'd Ghoul's 2 power over Slitherhead's ability to scavenge, but I'll look into it. DRS is awesome, but he screams to be hit with removal, and I think I would rather be swinging every turn than holding him back to use his abilities. He would add some serious utility to the deck though.
Is the overall idea sound? Just a few card choices and what not are the issue?
I have to question whether some of your choices are made for power reasons or budget reasons, such as diregraf ghoul and blood scrivener...
Is there a better 1 drop zombie other than Gravecrawler, which I'm already playing?
Scrivener is there for a few reasons. One, he is a zombie. Two, this deck will be emptying its hand more often than not. Three, the life loss is substantially less than with Bob, and with so many aggro decks in the format, that life could win or lose the game. And four, yes, $5 beats $80.
I mentioned Avatar of Discord in the OP. Do you think that would be a good discard outlet? I considered Liliana, but she doesn't fit the theme of dumping dudes quickly and swinging out. I'm afraid it'd make the deck more grindy and just slow it down.
Spite isn't removal, there is none main deck. Spinning Darkness will probably become GftT in the board.
I want to see Tombstalker early, hence running 4 of him. With early disruption and Dark Ritual getting him out the first few turns isn't hard.
If I were to add removal I think I'd lose the Sinkholes. The idea was that between all the disruption they wouldn't get much to stick on the board though, so I wouldn't need removal.
Also, changing subjects for a bit. I built the following for a weekly casual tourney, but I'm curious at how it'd fair in the Legacy meta. I thought you'd be a great one to ask.
4 Sarcomancy
4 Gravecrawler
4 Nantuko Shade
4 Phyrexian Negator
4 Tombstalker
Other Spells - 22
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Dark Ritual
4 Sinkhole
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Kaervek's Spite
14 Swamp
4 Wasteland
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Engineered Plague
3 Spinning Darkness
4 Vampire Nighthawk
Anyhow, what would the "optimal" mono red list be? I'll add color splashes and fetches later on.
And yes, I know the deck isn't well positioned currently. It's a deck that looks like loads of fun to play though, has great flavor, and will be playable for years if the past tells us anything.
Also, you say Obliterator in your Gate list but they're running Percy.
Inquisition of Kolizek?
4 copies of the rack?
I had built this roughly but can't find to give you the whole list. It started when I bought a pack and opened a Civilized Scholar. I fell in love with the flavor of the card and decided to build with it. Before long the deck ended up being built around Splinterfright. The following cards were the core.
Splinterfright
Civilized Scholar
Ghoultree
Kessig Cagebreaker
Faithless Looting
Merfolk Looter
My favorite play was typically T1 BoP, T2 Scholar, T3 Splinterfright and begin beating face.
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Badlands
2 Bayou
2 Scrubland
2 Polluted Delta
2 Swamp
1 Undiscovered Paradise
//Creatures
4 Bloodghast
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Gravecrawler
3 Carrion Feeder
2 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Rotting Rats
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Thoughtseize
3 Faithless Looting
3 Lingering Souls
2 Entomb
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Goblin Bombardment
1 Liliana of the Veil
1 Bridge from Below
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Disenchant
1 Bitterblossom
1 Darkblast
1 Koth of the Hammer
1 Meekstone
1 Null Rod
1 Pithing Needle
1 Rakdos Charm
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Abrupt Decay
This version is the one I like the looks of most. I was wondering if it's still a viable option, or if everyone has gone the Young Pyromancer route. I also read a few of you were testing Gamble, how has that been workout out?
So, more discard is needed. Avatar of Discord fits this bill nicely. I would love to squeeze in Lili and Smallpox, but that is really taking the deck in a different direction.
Additionally, cutting Ghoul for DRS, the power and utility he provides is just worth so much.
So,
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
8 Swamp
2 Forest
4 Gravecrawler
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Lotleth Troll
4 Blood Scrivener
4 Bloodghast
2 Dreg Mangler
4 Geralf's Messenger
3 Avatar of Discord
4 Vengevine
2 Shriekmaw
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Rancor
I would really like to squeeze in Dismember as well, but I'm not sure what to cut.
I like'd Ghoul's 2 power over Slitherhead's ability to scavenge, but I'll look into it. DRS is awesome, but he screams to be hit with removal, and I think I would rather be swinging every turn than holding him back to use his abilities. He would add some serious utility to the deck though.
Is the overall idea sound? Just a few card choices and what not are the issue?
Is there a better 1 drop zombie other than Gravecrawler, which I'm already playing?
Scrivener is there for a few reasons. One, he is a zombie. Two, this deck will be emptying its hand more often than not. Three, the life loss is substantially less than with Bob, and with so many aggro decks in the format, that life could win or lose the game. And four, yes, $5 beats $80.
How does troll make Scrivener iffy?
I mentioned Avatar of Discord in the OP. Do you think that would be a good discard outlet? I considered Liliana, but she doesn't fit the theme of dumping dudes quickly and swinging out. I'm afraid it'd make the deck more grindy and just slow it down.