A simple stax deck.
EDIT: Removed Competitive tag. Wish there was a semi-competitive tag. This is not the most competitive version of this deck possible, but is more competitive than casual.
Attrition would be great in here. Gate to Phyrexia acts similarly if you have a problem with artifacts, which black decks tend to have. Sorin Markov to bring someone down to 10 is always good, since most of your critters are little and won't attack for much. Smokestack would be awesome, since you can sac multiple creatures per turn and get them back and others would be saccing other permanents. I'd give Shirei indestructible with Darksteel Plate so when someone wraths you don't lose all your creatures. Diabolic Intent serves as Demonic Tutor #2. Bottle Gnomes gains you 3 life each upkeep. Soldevi Adnate is great for mana, and can sac itself and just come right back. Bone Shredder is by far the best piece of tech that's missing here though.
Attrition would be great in here. Gate to Phyrexia acts similarly if you have a problem with artifacts, which black decks tend to have. Sorin Markov to bring someone down to 10 is always good, since most of your critters are little and won't attack for much. Smokestack would be awesome, since you can sac multiple creatures per turn and get them back and others would be saccing other permanents. I'd give Shirei indestructible with Darksteel Plate so when someone wraths you don't lose all your creatures. Diabolic Intent serves as Demonic Tutor #2. Bottle Gnomes gains you 3 life each upkeep. Soldevi Adnate is great for mana, and can sac itself and just come right back. Bone Shredder is by far the best piece of tech that's missing here though.
Attrition: I like it. Might find it's way in.
Gate to Phyrexia: This is a must, will find space for it.
Sorin Markov: Feels too cheap.
Smokestack: This is a must, will find space for it. (I had it in my original list, before I cut down to 100, and don't even remember cutting it)
Darksteel Plate: Love this card, have since it came out. Couldn't find space for it though. Drops?? (Not a must, but I'd like it.)
Diabolic Intent: This is a must, will find space for it.
Bottle Gnomes: Already in deck.
Soldevi Adnate: Not my style. Decent card, though, if you like my list, and wanna run this, I'd cut Workhorse for it
Bone Shredder: This is a must, will find space for it.
What would you cut for the identified musts? EDIT: Found drops for everything.
Also, what if anything would you guys suggest I drop for Possessed Portal? I feel like I could easily play through it, and it absolutely wrecks people who aren't prepared.
In a four-way game, I was playing my Talrand deck, and one of my friends played it in his white Mikaeus deck, (He's pretty new to Magic, and thought the card looked fun.), no one could answer it, and it proceeded to destroy the entire table. It cost me a game I probably would have won, because by the time he finally sacced it to itself the only player who had enough resources to rebuild was the Riku player.
Myr Retriever and Junk Diver are great value engines on your key artifacts (i.e. Smokestack). They might not make sense now, since your artifact count is pretty low, but if you ever add more keep them in mind.
I feel like there are too many weak or non-synergistic choices in here to condone the [Competitive] tag.
-- Skirsdag High Priest - Contrivance just to get a 5/5 flyer isn't amazing in EDH.
-- Ob Nixilis, the Fallen - Not bad, not amazing, not really relevant to Shirei's game plan
-- Seizan, Perverter of Truth - Black has plenty of CA... not sure what the Howling Mine effect is really for.
-- I used to run Workhorse in my old Shirei deck but it got cut after a while, as the mana curve doesn't really demand much more mana once you're able to cast 6.
-- Death Cultist. Bit weak.
-- Overeager Apprentice. Shirei should have a nice curve... tossing cards to be in a rush doesn't seem worth it.
-- Chimney Imp. Expensive for what he does.
-- Ravenous Rats. Doesn't have its own sac outlet; one person tosses a card of their choice. Not really powerful in multiplayer.
-- Gnawing Zombie. Slow for what it does.
-- Gangrenous Zombies. Weak in most metas. Maybe not yours.
I feel like there are too many weak or non-synergistic choices in here to condone the [Competitive] tag.
-- Skirsdag High Priest - Contrivance just to get a 5/5 flyer isn't amazing in EDH.
-- Ob Nixilis, the Fallen - Not bad, not amazing, not really relevant to Shirei's game plan
-- Seizan, Perverter of Truth - Black has plenty of CA... not sure what the Howling Mine effect is really for.
-- I used to run Workhorse in my old Shirei deck but it got cut after a while, as the mana curve doesn't really demand much more mana once you're able to cast 6.
-- Death Cultist. Bit weak.
-- Overeager Apprentice. Shirei should have a nice curve... tossing cards to be in a rush doesn't seem worth it.
-- Chimney Imp. Expensive for what he does.
-- Ravenous Rats. Doesn't have its own sac outlet; one person tosses a card of their choice. Not really powerful in multiplayer.
-- Gnawing Zombie. Slow for what it does.
-- Gangrenous Zombies. Weak in most metas. Maybe not yours.
Based on these comments, I removed the competitive tag. Also, around this time I had a discussion with my playgroup about Contamination, because I was contemplating it here, and we decided to ban it, for the same reasons we banned Blood Moon, Back to Basics, and Ruination, being that it does the same thing as all of these, but in most cases will be stronger.
Also, in the interest of making the deck more functional and closer to [Competitive] made these changes
EDIT: Removed Competitive tag. Wish there was a semi-competitive tag. This is not the most competitive version of this deck possible, but is more competitive than casual.
Contamination is house-banned in my playgroup.
1 Thoughtpicker Witch
1 Blood Artist
1 Abyssal Gatekeeper
1 Reassembling Skeleton
1 Nether Traitor
1 Soldevi Adnate
1 Mindless Automaton
1 Harvester of Souls
1 Viscera Seer
1 Pentavus
1 Triskelavus
1 Big Game Hunter
1 Apprentice Necromancer
1 Bone Shredder
1 Golgari Thug
1 Hell's Caretaker
1 Martyr of Bones
1 Rotting Rats
1 Skirsdag High Priest
1 Stinkweed Imp
1 Crypt Ghast
1 Sadistic Hypnotist
1 Rune-Scarred Demon
1 Magus of the Coffers
1 Braids, Cabal Minion
1 Anowan, the Ruin Sage
1 Falkenrath Noble
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Xiaohu Dun, the One-Eyed
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Seizan, Perverter of Truth
1 Bloodgift Demon
1 Nirkana Revenant
1 Liliana of the Dark Realms
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Venser's Journal
1 Skullclamp
1 Surveyor's Scope
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Smokestack
1 Possessed Portal
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Necropotence
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Grave Pact
1 Gate to Phyrexia
1 Attrition
1 Mind Slash
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Grim Tutor
1 Diabolic Intent
1 Dread Return
1 Beacon of Unrest
1 Damnation
1 Plague Wind
1 Killing Wave
1 Do or Die
1 Ashes to Ashes
1 Deathcloud
1 Consuming Vapors
1 Hex
1 Hero's Downfall
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Lake of the Dead
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Buried Ruin
1 Leechridden Swamp
1 High Market
1 Strip Mine
1 Terrain Generator
1 Scrying Sheets
24 Snow-Covered Swamp
+ Diabolic Intent
- Demonic Collusion
+ Smokestack
- Whip of Erebos
+ Gate to Phyrexia
- Smallpox
+ Bone Shredder
- Blood Pet
12/15/13
+ Possessed Portal
- Abyssal Gatekeeper
+ Terrain Generator
+ Scrying Sheets
- 2 Snow-Covered Swamp
12/18/13
+Abyssal Gatekeeper
+Reassembling Skeleton
+Attrition
+Mind Slash
+Nether Traitor
+Soldevi Adnate
+Mindless Automoton
+Harvester of Souls
+Darksteel Plate
-Skirsdag High Priest
-Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
-Workhorse
-Overeager Apprentice
-Chimney Imp
-Ravenous Rats
-Gnawing Zombie
-Gangrenous Zombies
-Bottle Gnomes
12/31/13
+Apprentice Necromancer
-Death Cultist
Anyways, my Shirei has a small subtheme of poison. Perhaps you may wanna incorporate that in yours.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
Fixed. I hate poison in this format.
Gate to Phyrexia: This is a must, will find space for it.
Sorin Markov: Feels too cheap.
Smokestack: This is a must, will find space for it. (I had it in my original list, before I cut down to 100, and don't even remember cutting it)
Darksteel Plate: Love this card, have since it came out. Couldn't find space for it though. Drops?? (Not a must, but I'd like it.)
Diabolic Intent: This is a must, will find space for it.
Bottle Gnomes: Already in deck.
Soldevi Adnate: Not my style. Decent card, though, if you like my list, and wanna run this, I'd cut Workhorse for it
Bone Shredder: This is a must, will find space for it.
What would you cut for the identified musts? EDIT: Found drops for everything.
Also, what if anything would you guys suggest I drop for Possessed Portal? I feel like I could easily play through it, and it absolutely wrecks people who aren't prepared.
R.I.P. Sundering Titan (6/20/12) and Braids, Cabal Minion (9/12/14)
-- Skirsdag High Priest - Contrivance just to get a 5/5 flyer isn't amazing in EDH.
-- Ob Nixilis, the Fallen - Not bad, not amazing, not really relevant to Shirei's game plan
-- Seizan, Perverter of Truth - Black has plenty of CA... not sure what the Howling Mine effect is really for.
-- I used to run Workhorse in my old Shirei deck but it got cut after a while, as the mana curve doesn't really demand much more mana once you're able to cast 6.
-- Death Cultist. Bit weak.
-- Overeager Apprentice. Shirei should have a nice curve... tossing cards to be in a rush doesn't seem worth it.
-- Chimney Imp. Expensive for what he does.
-- Ravenous Rats. Doesn't have its own sac outlet; one person tosses a card of their choice. Not really powerful in multiplayer.
-- Gnawing Zombie. Slow for what it does.
-- Gangrenous Zombies. Weak in most metas. Maybe not yours.
Playtesting | Karador, Ghost Chieftain | Narset, Enlightened Master | Ephara, God of the Polis
Established | Gahiji, Honored One | Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker | Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | Rubinia Soulsinger
Retired | Medomai the Ageless | Diaochan, Artful Beauty
-- Abyssal Gatekeeper. More stax.
-- Reassembling Skeleton. Eats Skullclamp like a boss. Holds Nightmare Lash like a boss. Feeds every sac outlet in the deck like a boss. He's just a boss. Don't assume you have Shirei out all the time.
-- Bitterblossom. One of the better token producers known to man.
-- Attrition. Nice sac outlet/removal
-- Mind Slash. Sac/advantage
-- Helm of Possession. Sac n' steal.
-- Soldevi Adnate. Sac/acceleration
-- Jar of Eyeballs. Nice card advantage.
-- Aborrent Overlord. Nice token producer and a fattie.
-- Mindless Automaton. Absurd card advantage in Shirei.
-- Harvester of Souls. The Blood Artist of card advantage.
-- Disciple of Phenax. Giving her a try but I like her so far.
Playtesting | Karador, Ghost Chieftain | Narset, Enlightened Master | Ephara, God of the Polis
Established | Gahiji, Honored One | Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker | Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo | Rubinia Soulsinger
Retired | Medomai the Ageless | Diaochan, Artful Beauty
Based on these comments, I removed the competitive tag. Also, around this time I had a discussion with my playgroup about Contamination, because I was contemplating it here, and we decided to ban it, for the same reasons we banned Blood Moon, Back to Basics, and Ruination, being that it does the same thing as all of these, but in most cases will be stronger.
Also, in the interest of making the deck more functional and closer to [Competitive] made these changes
+Reassembling Skeleton
+Attrition
+Mind Slash
+Nether Traitor
+Soldevi Adnate
+Mindless Automoton
+Harvester of Souls
+Darksteel Plate
-Skirsdag High Priest
-Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
-Workhorse
-Overeager Apprentice
-Chimney Imp
-Ravenous Rats
-Gnawing Zombie
-Gangrenous Zombies
-Bottle Gnomes
Champion of Stray Souls
Drown in Sorrow
Thoughts?