After initial testing with Steam Augury, it looks like I won't be running it. It's a better card than most people give it credit, but it just doesn't fit here. =|
Any suggestions for a draw spell to replace it? Preferably instant speed, but I'll listen to cases for sorceries. All I have in my mind right now are Stroke of Genius and Recurring Insight.
This may seem costly but I like Prophetic Bolt because it is an instant that does a finishing 8 damage with riku in the late game to either kill a big threat on the board or end your opponent; furthermore, it allows you to draw and dig cards.
Cerebral Vortex is also worth a mention. The downside is doing damage to yourself. However, you may force your opponent to card draws near the end of the game to do a bit of added damage.
A personal favourite is Browbeat, although it is not an instant, it is versatile at either doing damage or drawing you cards.
If you're running Dark Depths and Vampire Hexmage, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth let's you make a 20/20 on turn 2, so you should probably run at least one. It also just lets Dark Depths tap for mana which is useful.
Here is my idea for a Mono Black Vampire Deck. My current issue is that I have a total of 64 cards and I want to reduce it to only 60 cards. What should I drop?
Bump I really want suggestions. This is a deck I have been meaning to create, but I want to be absolutely sure before buying the cards. It was price-checked at around $150.00 CDN for all the cards.
I am going to see if I can implement those suggestions as I just bought all the cards today, so there may be a return policy if I come back to the card shop tomorrow.
I took your suggestion for increasing the amount of mana. Some cards you suggested I couldn't get a hold of as I already invested money in these cards. I may try my luck and revise in the future. However, I see your point about changing those cards. It would definitely make it faster.
This is an elf deck I am working on. I have yet to try it out, but I own all these cards. Any suggestions for improvement? Anything you like or dislike?
This may seem costly but I like Prophetic Bolt because it is an instant that does a finishing 8 damage with riku in the late game to either kill a big threat on the board or end your opponent; furthermore, it allows you to draw and dig cards.
Cerebral Vortex is also worth a mention. The downside is doing damage to yourself. However, you may force your opponent to card draws near the end of the game to do a bit of added damage.
A personal favourite is Browbeat, although it is not an instant, it is versatile at either doing damage or drawing you cards.
Would Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth make Rakdos Carnarium into a double swamp?
Original Thought: 64 cards
2 Dark Depths
4 Rakdos Carnarium
12 Swamp
4 Sol Ring
Creatures: 24
4 Guul Draz Vampire
4 Vampire Hexmage
2 Kalastria Highborn
2 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Bloodline Keeper
2 Vampire Nocturnus
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Anowon, the Ruin Sage
2 Nirkana Revenant
2 Despise
4 Go for the Throat
2 Night's Whisper
2 Mutilate
2 Sorin's Vengeance
Enchantments: 6
3 Sanguine Bond
3 Exquisite Blood
There are a couple ideas and combos for winning:
#1 Dark Depths + Vampire Hexmage = 20/20 creature
#2 Kalastria Highborn/Vampire Nighthawk + Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood = Loop of Life Gain/Opponent Life Lose
#3 Guul Draz Vampire + Vampire Nocturnus + Bloodline Keeper/Lord of Lineage = Nearly Unblockable 7/5 Vampire
#4 Anowon, the Ruin Sage + Go for the Throat = Creature removal
My thoughts to reduce the deck down from 64 to 60 cards:
-1 Sanguine Bond
-1 Exquisite Blood
-2 Sorin's Vengeance / Mutilate
Possible Additions:
+2 Bump in the Night and -2 Despise
Or to fix it from 64 to 60:
-1 Sanguine Bond
-1 Exquisite Blood
-2 Mutilate
-2 Despise
-2 Sorin's Vengeance
+4 Bump in the Night
Helps to make an easier combo with the life gain/opponent life lose loop
Revised Deck: 60 cards
2 Dark Depths
4 Rakdos Carnarium
12 Swamp
4 Sol Ring
Creatures: 24
4 Guul Draz Vampire
4 Vampire Hexmage
2 Kalastria Highborn
2 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Bloodline Keeper
2 Vampire Nocturnus
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Anowon, the Ruin Sage
2 Nirkana Revenant
4 Bump in the Night
4 Go for the Throat
2 Night's Whisper
Enchantments: 4
2 Sanguine Bond
2 Exquisite Blood
Or
Make it into a budget deck by:
-2 Dark Depths ($45 dollar card)
-4 Vampire Hexmage
+4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
Budget Deck: 60 cards
4 Rakdos Carnarium
14 Swamp
4 Sol Ring
Creatures: 24
4 Guul Draz Vampire
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
2 Kalastria Highborn
2 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Bloodline Keeper
2 Vampire Nocturnus
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Anowon, the Ruin Sage
2 Nirkana Revenant
4 Bump in the Night
4 Go for the Throat
2 Night's Whisper
Enchantments: 4
2 Sanguine Bond
2 Exquisite Blood
The main purpose is to lock down my opponents as fast as possible. The following cards: Trinisphere, static orb, winter orb, ensnaring bridge, meekstone, ghostly prison, aura of silence, and humility work together to prevent my opponent from doing anything.
The finisher is having creepy doll, and memnite equipped with cranial plating to destroy my opponent.
4 Ancient Den
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Strip Mine
2 Plains
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
1 Tower of the Magistrate
Creatures: 12
4 Needlebug
4 Memnite
2 Creepy Doll
2 Stuffy Doll
2 Static Orb
2 Winter Orb
2 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Meekstone
2 Cranial Plating
2 Myr Turbine
4 Sol Ring
4 Gilded Lotus
2 Wrath of God
2 Armageddon
Enchantment: 6
2 Ghostly Prison
2 Aura of Silence
2 Humility
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Ghost Quarter
12 Island
2 Jace, Memory Adept
2 Geralf's Mindcrusher
2 Nemesis of Reason
4 Jace's Phantasm
4 Dream Twist
2 Mind Funeral
2 Sol Ring
4 Tome Scour
4 Memory Sluice
2 Wash Out
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Simic Growth Chamber
12 Island
4 Forest
Planeswalkers: 2
2 Jace, Memory Adept
2 Jace's Mindseeker
2 Geralf's Mindcrusher
4 Ambush Viper
4 Birds of Paradise
Instants: 10
2 Thought Scour
4 Dream Twist
2 Archive Trap
2 Dream Salvage
2 Sol Ring
Sorceries: 10
4 Tome Scour
4 Memory Sluice
2 Traumatize
1 Pendelhaven
1 Nissa Revane
1 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Drove of Elves
4 Imperious Perfect
4 Elvish Archdruid
2 Jagged-Scar Archers
2 Elvish Visionary
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Ezuri's Archers
2 Joraga Warcaller
2 Elvish Promenade
2 Eldrazi Monument
1 Pendelhaven
1 Nissa Revane
1 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
4 Drove of Elves
4 Elvish Champion
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Timberwatch Elf
2 Jagged-Scar Archers
2 Elvish Visionary
4 Priest of Titania
4 Ezuri's Archers
2 Joraga Warcaller
2 Elvish Promenade
2 Coat of Arms
2 Eldrazi Monument
Any Suggestion?
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
12 Mountain
1 Sarkhan Vol
2 Balefire Dragon
2 Flameblast Dragon
2 Thunder Dragon
2 Hellkite Tyrant
2 Utvara Hellkite
4 Dragonspeaker Shaman
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Seething Song
4 Rampant Growth
16 Plains
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Sol Ring
Creatures: 24
2 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Angel of Serenity
1 Aegis Angel
1 Herald of War
1 Admonition Angel
2 Adarkar Valkyrie
2 Angel of Jubilation
4 Sublime Archangel
4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Serra Avenger
2 Akroma's Memorial
2 True Conviction
4 Brave the Elements
4 Path to Exile
2 Austere Command
1 Indomitable Archangel
2 Oblivion Ring
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
1 Sunblast Angel
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Selesnya Sanctuary