About this deck
This list is to build a Relentless Rats combo deck. Damia, Sage of Stone is the commander for her colors while providing some late game draw. I built this deck for 5 person free for all with the intent to end the game with a combo. I have made many variations of rats and this list has ended up the most consistent.
You know what's gross when you have Thrumming Stone and Bloodbond March in play? Dream Halls.
Understanding that you intend to make tons of mana and exsanguinate to win (seems like there's easier ways to do that?) you may consider Concordant Crossroads and other ways to give haste and just go sideways.
Also. Aluren might be a good look at. Political for the board, late-game helps you but not your opponents. Also... Who doesn't love vomiting 5 rats on the board at the end of your opponent's turn.
I mean. Come on.
Private Mod Note
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EDH Decklists currently employed: BUGrimgrin's 3-Ringed CircusUB "Which would you like first? The insult or the injury?" BWNope! Chuck Teysa.WB "By the time your knees have worn through your robe, you may have begun to learn your place..." BGSpoiled Rotten.GB "When something dies, all things benefit. Alright... just our things." UUPrepare for Trouble, And make it DoubleUU "One good mimic deserves another."
I really like your deck. I have gone a little more comboish than you but...it is very much in line with what you have. Check it out...maybe you will get a few ideas.
I like this deck a lot, playful rat bombs - thanks for sharing. .. I was born in the year of the rat and was just joking around about making a rat deck.
DGM Update:
I've decided to include +Crypt Ghast. Extort is powerful in multiplayer, swamp doubler puts it over the top. I am removing -Ratcatcher. He just hasn't been that great and he works against Damia's ability when trying to draw more combo pieces.
I've also removed -Lurking Predators. Rats are just not good enough for how much hate it brings. It also throws combo pieces to the bottom of the library. It has been replaced with +Beast Within for more removal options.
Also, Sphinx of the Chimes is 2 blue. With Mind Grind the total is 3 blue. While black mana is plenty, blue is much harder to have available. I am considering picking up a Boseiju, Who Shelters All for resilience. When Mind Grind or Exsanguinate is stopped I actually enjoy it and the game can keep going. Although the idea of everyone going insane from Damia's rat powered Mind Grind does sound appealing, there are usually other options available to finish such as the classic Thrumming Stone.
That's the first time I've actually seen Cadaverous Bloom. Thanks for sharing it. I'm on the fence though about the exile factor. I wish it was discard to graveyard! I'll give it a shot and see how it turns out.
Dragon throne has some great synergy with rats. Phenax, God of Deception mills even faster. The trample combos nicely with the death touch from Ogre Slumlord. Deathtouch + trample means only one point of combat damage has to be assigned before it is considered lethal allowing the rest to trample over. So even if they have a 10/10 dude, my 9/9 rat does 1 deathtouch to the 10/10 and 8 to your face. Concordant Crossroads is great with Thrumming Stone, but I never choose stone as my first tutor target and the crossroads have seen less and less play.
This list is to build a Relentless Rats combo deck. Damia, Sage of Stone is the commander for her colors while providing some late game draw. I built this deck for 5 person free for all with the intent to end the game with a combo. I have made many variations of rats and this list has ended up the most consistent.
1 Damia, Sage of Stone
CREATURE (47)
40 Relentless Rats
1 Ogre Slumlord
1 Crypt Ghast
1 Pack Rat
1 Sphinx of the Chimes
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Skirge Familiar
1 Phenax, God of Deception
ARTIFACT (2)
1 Thrumming Stone
1 Dragon Throne of Tarkir
ENCHANTMENT (1)
1 Bloodbond March
INSTANT (3)
1 Putrefy
1 Songs of the Damned
1 Beast Within
1 Rise of the Dark Realms
1 Cultivate
1 Living Death
1 Increasing Ambition
1 Mind Grind
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Exsanguinate
PLANESWALKER (1)
1 Vraska the Unseen
LAND (38)
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Swarmyard
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Barren Moor
1 Svogthos, the Restless Tomb
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Golgari Rot Farm
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Mirrodin's Core
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Watery Grave
1 Dakmor Salvage
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Breeding Pool
10 Swamp
7 Forest
5 Island
Strategy
Thrumming Stone
Every Relentless Rats deck should run this. With 40 rats, the percentage is high for all rats in the deck to enter play.
Bloodbond March
The rats just keep coming back!
Sphinx of the Chimes
This card is GOOD. The goal here is to toss as many rats to the yard as possible to draw a win or a tutor for a win.
Pack Rat
The ability to put rats in the yard while creating tokens is great.
Songs of the Damned
After the rats hit the yard, this is how we finish.
Crypt of Agadeem
Same idea as Songs of the Damned. Repeatable mana generation for rats in the yard.
Skirge Familiar
After Sphinx has gone off, we use this to generate mana from all the extra lands we draw.
So what do we do with all this black mana?
Exsanguinate
This card has a bad stigma, but it is good here. I justify it by playing a Relentless Rats deck.
Mind Grind
Another more fun option to end the game.
Crypt Rats
Mortal Combat
Ashnod's Altar
Dream Halls
Concordant Crossroads
Patriarch's Bidding
Aluren
Cover of Darkness
Also, ashnods, or phrexyain alter?
Understanding that you intend to make tons of mana and exsanguinate to win (seems like there's easier ways to do that?) you may consider Concordant Crossroads and other ways to give haste and just go sideways.
Also check out this thread http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=483588&page=2 on Relentless Rats.
I mean. Come on.
BUGrimgrin's 3-Ringed CircusUB
"Which would you like first? The insult or the injury?"
BWNope! Chuck Teysa.WB
"By the time your knees have worn through your robe, you may have begun to learn your place..."
BGSpoiled Rotten.GB
"When something dies, all things benefit. Alright... just our things."
UUPrepare for Trouble, And make it DoubleUU
"One good mimic deserves another."
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Lands: 36
1 Ancient Tombs
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Polluted Delta
1 Temple of the False God
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
10 Forest
12 Swamp
1 Marrow-Gnawer
40 Relentless Rats
1 Skirge Familiar
Enchantments: 4
1 Alluren
1 Bloodbond March
1 Concordant Crossroads
1 Cover of Darkness
Spells: 13
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Brainspoil
1 Demonic Collusion
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Exsanguinate
1 Increasing Ambition
1 Living Death
1 Necropotence
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Songs of the Damned
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Akroma's Memorial
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Thrumming Stone
[EDH] Ob Nixilis the Fallen
Also, Cover of Darkness seems better than Intimidation
[EDH] Ob Nixilis the Fallen
[EDH] Ob Nixilis the Fallen
I think Earthcraft (Maybe with Gaea's cradle?), and possibly Turnabout would be good here. Phyrexian Altar is similar to Ashnods Altar and worth consideration if you go for the Patriarch Bidding route.
Gitrog Lands
Merieke Ri Berit Flicker
Ramos, Dragon Engine Storm
I've decided to include +Crypt Ghast. Extort is powerful in multiplayer, swamp doubler puts it over the top. I am removing -Ratcatcher. He just hasn't been that great and he works against Damia's ability when trying to draw more combo pieces.
I've also removed -Lurking Predators. Rats are just not good enough for how much hate it brings. It also throws combo pieces to the bottom of the library. It has been replaced with +Beast Within for more removal options.
Rise of the Dark Realms looks exciting out of M14. I expect to include Concordant Crossroads when I get my hands on a copy of Rise of the Dark Realms .
The main thing to keep in mind is the goal is to put Relentless Rats in the graveyard. I'd rather have a board full of Pack Rat tokens and graveyard full of Relentless Rats to take advantage of black mana generators such as Crypt of Agadeem and Songs of the Damned.
Also, Sphinx of the Chimes is 2 blue. With Mind Grind the total is 3 blue. While black mana is plenty, blue is much harder to have available. I am considering picking up a Boseiju, Who Shelters All for resilience. When Mind Grind or Exsanguinate is stopped I actually enjoy it and the game can keep going. Although the idea of everyone going insane from Damia's rat powered Mind Grind does sound appealing, there are usually other options available to finish such as the classic Thrumming Stone.
Rafiq of the Many UWG
Sedris, the Traitor King URB
Kaalia of the Vast RWB
Savra, Queen of Golgari GB
Trostani, Selesnya's Voice GW
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails EquipmentW
EDIT: Just found out about Wood Sage. Can't wait to test it out!
EDIT2: Added Phenax, God of Deception
+ Dragon Throne of Tarkir
Dragon throne has some great synergy with rats. Phenax, God of Deception mills even faster. The trample combos nicely with the death touch from Ogre Slumlord. Deathtouch + trample means only one point of combat damage has to be assigned before it is considered lethal allowing the rest to trample over. So even if they have a 10/10 dude, my 9/9 rat does 1 deathtouch to the 10/10 and 8 to your face. Concordant Crossroads is great with Thrumming Stone, but I never choose stone as my first tutor target and the crossroads have seen less and less play.
my mono black version
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/voltronkozilek-butcher-of-trust/