Welcome
The will to take power no matter what, this is the Epitome of Mono-Black. This deck Archetype has been around for ages, but lately its been overshadowed by decks like Dragonstorm, Dralnu du Louvre, tron in it's many incarnations, Solarflare and other decks. With the Advent of Timespiral, and now Planar Chaos MBAC returns with avengeance.
This thread is PURELY for MONO BLACK, this is for all those Black Mages that are sick and tired of having to splash other colours, with the Timespiral Block, we get a whole lot more cards to play that are all very powerful.
Why Black? Ever since the shifting of the colour pie(pre-planar Chaos), which led to the removal of dark ritual and blacks total lack of enchantment removal, black has evolved in 2 ways:
1: It has developed into a highly offense-oriented colour, that is, it is more willing than other colours to do anything to get the upperhand. True that historically this is how black has always been, but now more than ever, because sacrifice for power fits with the flavour that WotC are looking for we as Black mages gain access to more efficient creatures and effects. Effects of this shift can be seen in cards like Garza's Assassin, Smallpox, Plague Sliver and Liege of the Pit. This usually means that we get alot of powerful creatures for pretty cheap, very good for Aggro.
2: Black has also become a very "Anti" colour. Black has become a colour that gains most advantage by disadvantaging opponents. It's great deal of creature removal allows Black to deal with aggro, Its Discard is the best Control killer in the game and a good way to gain relative card advantage. Now it's control aspect will be even greater, because we can utilize the classic board sweeper in the form of Damnation and Counterspell effects. Black gains the advantage by putting others at a disadvantage. Examples of this: Stupor, Phthisis, Persecute, Nightmare Void.
Because of the very nature of the colour, Black is the Ideal colour to mix Aggro and Control, the ability to not only shunt enemy creatures, but spells(whether by discard or incoming counter) as well. Black also has graveyard destruction, which is typically very limited/Non-existent in other colours. Black can reach all sorts of places that other colours cant. Now more so.
What is this Thread for?
This thread was made to Discuss Mono-Black Aggro-Control Decks in all its incarnations and variants, in an effort to bring about highly competitive Mono-Black Decks. Now this may cause confusion to many, but it's very simple. Only BLACK decks can be posted here, Strictly NO other colours. Pure Black, no splashing, nothing of that sort. However, because it was moved to Competitive, and Nan made the predecessor into the MBC thread, this thread will be concentrating only on Mono-Black Aggro-Control.
Guidelines 1: Please Card tag all card references so that it will be easier to discuss.
2: No Colours other than black is allowed here, Artifacts are ok.
This deck is what i've been running for awhile, although i have not tested it out as much, it's proven to play very well. It was able to hold its own against some of the best decks in the format just before Dralnu du louvre(i stopped playing due to exams for awhile). Anyway, feel free to use this as a base, post your latest incarnations, and i'll continue updating this post, so check back periodically to see whats new.
Cards For Occasions Here i'm going to list down cards that i think are suitable for varying situations, There may or may not be better cards for these categories, but if there are, please post them and we can discuss them.
Strategies and Tips With any Mono coloured deck, you'll always find that you are more limited in card choices than any other colour. Especially with mono-black because as of late our roles have been so squeezed to mere destruction of creatures and bringing them back. Only now, with the screwing of the colour pie, are we getting anything that helps makes us competitive. However, I digress. One lesson that i have taken from playing mono-black over the years(yes i was playing mono-black during ravnica) is that it is not the cards(having good cards is half the battle but...) or the colour we choose, It is very much the playstyle.
Most people who play multi-coloured decks are spoilt for choice in what they can do, but the truth is, every colour has the means to counter or defeat everything in magic. It just depends on how easy or obvious that solution is. So, Always be willing to try new cards, or old cards that others do not deem to be "competitive". The truth is, alot of times the solutions you find, will be the ones that no one expects. And in that there is strength. So, don't be disheartened and don't take everything said in this thread to be the absolute law. Remember, it's the player who wins games, not the deck.
Don't worry, more categories and tips are to come, if you'd like to help with the building of this list, just pm what you think should be in, or categories i should put in and i'll get to it as soon as possible.
Please Post Your comments, opinions, deck ideas and whatever. Just Make sure its MONO-BLACK.
Anyway, do you have any results from this? I'm wondering how you fare against burn. Also it looks alot like an aggro deck, but i can see where the control elements come in. Hmmm, doesn't look bad actually. Have you considered Loxodon warhammer? Maybe even the rack would be good.
Anyway, do you have any results from this? I'm wondering how you fare against burn. Also it looks alot like an aggro deck, but i can see where the control elements come in. Hmmm, doesn't look bad actually. Have you considered Loxodon warhammer? Maybe even the rack would be good.
I've played this deck at FNM a couple of times. I've gone 5-1, (4-0 in swiss rounds and 1-1 in T8.) and 3-2. (3-1 in swiss and 0-1 in T8.) Its a pretty good deck, but I seem to have trouble with Patriot Control. (the URW deck)
Svog, this is Aggro-Control, the thread you started is aggro. They're two different things. I've seen some of the decks in there, alot are very swingy. This is the middle ground between aggro and control.
Against patriot control, i rely on alot of discard to get him rushing to play his creatures. When he does that i use removal to take out his creatures. Perhaps side out something for your persecutes.
The undisputed champ of the deck is Loxodon Warhammer. I win nearly every game with a hammer-wielding bat/crusader/traitor. A Crusader carrying a hammer is game over against mono W or Glare. Against aggro you can almost always manage a Traitor carrying a hammer since Boros and Gruul tend to concentrate their burn on Hippys and Slayers. If you know your Hammers are going to be controlled in games 2 and 3 by Krosan Grip or Fetters, you can side them out for Tendrils.
Funeral Charms are also a fantastic tempo card whether they are killing a turn 1 bird or forcing EOT discard against control. You can also make your Slayers 4/1 or get a Plague Sliver swampwalking through against B/W or the mirror. The Gauntlets are a big surprise against many decks, they can be used to generate an obscene amount of bats and force the Wrath or simply beat face in the air. Don't forget the Gauntlet does not help anyone using shock dual lands so don't be too quick to SB them out - you might make your opponent's Council 5/5 but if you have a Vampire and 6 Swamps you're going to win.
I recently changed the SB (-2 Nightmare Void, -2 Sudden Spoiling, +4 Leyline of the Void) to contend with Louvre decks which seem to be exploding in popularity in MTGO. A pre-game leyline and 3 MB sudden deaths to kill Teferi/Dralnu usually means game over.
The worst matchup is discard (unless you can get an Arena down and live through the rack for a bit) or B/W with a couple of early Castigates and late Wraths. Also if you face anything that involves Tron and Spell Burst you are definitely facing an uphill battle.
The will to take power no matter what, this is the Epitome of Mono-Black. This deck Archetype has been around for ages, but lately its been overshadowed by decks like Dragonstorm, Dralnu du Louvre, tron in it's many incarnations, Solarflare and other decks. With the Advent of Timespiral, and now Planar Chaos MBAC returns with avengeance.
This thread is PURELY for MONO BLACK, this is for all those Black Mages that are sick and tired of having to splash other colours, with the Timespiral Block, we get a whole lot more cards to play that are all very powerful.
Why Black?
Ever since the shifting of the colour pie(pre-planar Chaos), which led to the removal of dark ritual and blacks total lack of enchantment removal, black has evolved in 2 ways:
1: It has developed into a highly offense-oriented colour, that is, it is more willing than other colours to do anything to get the upperhand. True that historically this is how black has always been, but now more than ever, because sacrifice for power fits with the flavour that WotC are looking for we as Black mages gain access to more efficient creatures and effects. Effects of this shift can be seen in cards like Garza's Assassin, Smallpox, Plague Sliver and Liege of the Pit. This usually means that we get alot of powerful creatures for pretty cheap, very good for Aggro.
2: Black has also become a very "Anti" colour. Black has become a colour that gains most advantage by disadvantaging opponents. It's great deal of creature removal allows Black to deal with aggro, Its Discard is the best Control killer in the game and a good way to gain relative card advantage. Now it's control aspect will be even greater, because we can utilize the classic board sweeper in the form of Damnation and Counterspell effects. Black gains the advantage by putting others at a disadvantage. Examples of this: Stupor, Phthisis, Persecute, Nightmare Void.
Because of the very nature of the colour, Black is the Ideal colour to mix Aggro and Control, the ability to not only shunt enemy creatures, but spells(whether by discard or incoming counter) as well. Black also has graveyard destruction, which is typically very limited/Non-existent in other colours. Black can reach all sorts of places that other colours cant. Now more so.
What is this Thread for?
This thread was made to Discuss Mono-Black Aggro-Control Decks in all its incarnations and variants, in an effort to bring about highly competitive Mono-Black Decks. Now this may cause confusion to many, but it's very simple. Only BLACK decks can be posted here, Strictly NO other colours. Pure Black, no splashing, nothing of that sort. However, because it was moved to Competitive, and Nan made the predecessor into the MBC thread, this thread will be concentrating only on Mono-Black Aggro-Control.
Guidelines
1: Please Card tag all card references so that it will be easier to discuss.
2: No Colours other than black is allowed here, Artifacts are ok.
Well, Here is an Example of MB Aggro-Control
Lands
3x Desert
20x Snow-Covered Swamp
Creatures
4x Nether Traitor
4x Dauthi Slayer
4x Garza's Assassin
4x Plagued Rusalka
3x Plague Sliver
4x Sudden Death
3x Gravepact
4x Soul Spike
4x Stupor
3x Phyrexian Etchings
4x Tendrils of Corruption
4x Shadow of Doubt
3x Leyline of the Void
3x Nightmare Void
1x Persecute
This deck is what i've been running for awhile, although i have not tested it out as much, it's proven to play very well. It was able to hold its own against some of the best decks in the format just before Dralnu du louvre(i stopped playing due to exams for awhile). Anyway, feel free to use this as a base, post your latest incarnations, and i'll continue updating this post, so check back periodically to see whats new.
Cards For Occasions
Here i'm going to list down cards that i think are suitable for varying situations, There may or may not be better cards for these categories, but if there are, please post them and we can discuss them.
Anti-Aggro
Assassinate
Cruel Edict
Dark Banishing
Darkblast
Disembowel
Garza's Assassin
Last Gasp
Sudden Death
Sudden Spoiling
Hissing Miasma
Stronghold Overseer (only against non-shadow creatures)
Smallpox
Grave Pact
Tendrils of Corruption
Anti-Control
Brain Pry
Curse of the Cabal
Funeral Charm
Stupor
Nightmare Void
Persecute
Blackmail
Nightcreep
Mindstab
Psychotic Episode
Wit's End
Win Conditions
Efficient Creatures
Utility
Reanimation
Graveyard Destruction
Useful Artifacts
Useful Lands
Strategies and Tips
With any Mono coloured deck, you'll always find that you are more limited in card choices than any other colour. Especially with mono-black because as of late our roles have been so squeezed to mere destruction of creatures and bringing them back. Only now, with the screwing of the colour pie, are we getting anything that helps makes us competitive. However, I digress. One lesson that i have taken from playing mono-black over the years(yes i was playing mono-black during ravnica) is that it is not the cards(having good cards is half the battle but...) or the colour we choose, It is very much the playstyle.
Most people who play multi-coloured decks are spoilt for choice in what they can do, but the truth is, every colour has the means to counter or defeat everything in magic. It just depends on how easy or obvious that solution is. So, Always be willing to try new cards, or old cards that others do not deem to be "competitive". The truth is, alot of times the solutions you find, will be the ones that no one expects. And in that there is strength. So, don't be disheartened and don't take everything said in this thread to be the absolute law. Remember, it's the player who wins games, not the deck.
Don't worry, more categories and tips are to come, if you'd like to help with the building of this list, just pm what you think should be in, or categories i should put in and i'll get to it as soon as possible.
Please Post Your comments, opinions, deck ideas and whatever. Just Make sure its MONO-BLACK.
Empires Rise and Fall, but Evil is Eternal
4x Nether Traitor
4x Nantuko Husk
4x Plagued Rusalka
4x Ravenous Rats
4x Garza's Assassin
4x Dauthi Slayer
4x Cruel Edict
4x Stupor
3x Sudden Death
4x Funeral Charm
4x Persecute
4x Smallpox
3x Seize the Soul
Anyway, do you have any results from this? I'm wondering how you fare against burn. Also it looks alot like an aggro deck, but i can see where the control elements come in. Hmmm, doesn't look bad actually. Have you considered Loxodon warhammer? Maybe even the rack would be good.
Good. I was joking of course.
I've played this deck at FNM a couple of times. I've gone 5-1, (4-0 in swiss rounds and 1-1 in T8.) and 3-2. (3-1 in swiss and 0-1 in T8.) Its a pretty good deck, but I seem to have trouble with Patriot Control. (the URW deck)
Against patriot control, i rely on alot of discard to get him rushing to play his creatures. When he does that i use removal to take out his creatures. Perhaps side out something for your persecutes.
3 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Nether Traitor
4 Dauthi Slayer
2 Withered Wretch
4 Stromgald Crusader
4 Hypnotic Specter
2 Plague Sliver
2 Skeletal Vampire
4 Phyrexian Arena
2 Sudden Death
2 Loxodon Warhammer
2 Tendrils of Corruption
2 Gauntlet of Power
3 Cruel Edict
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Shadow of Doubt
2 Withered Wretch
1 Sudden Death
2 Tendrils of Corruption
The undisputed champ of the deck is Loxodon Warhammer. I win nearly every game with a hammer-wielding bat/crusader/traitor. A Crusader carrying a hammer is game over against mono W or Glare. Against aggro you can almost always manage a Traitor carrying a hammer since Boros and Gruul tend to concentrate their burn on Hippys and Slayers. If you know your Hammers are going to be controlled in games 2 and 3 by Krosan Grip or Fetters, you can side them out for Tendrils.
Funeral Charms are also a fantastic tempo card whether they are killing a turn 1 bird or forcing EOT discard against control. You can also make your Slayers 4/1 or get a Plague Sliver swampwalking through against B/W or the mirror. The Gauntlets are a big surprise against many decks, they can be used to generate an obscene amount of bats and force the Wrath or simply beat face in the air. Don't forget the Gauntlet does not help anyone using shock dual lands so don't be too quick to SB them out - you might make your opponent's Council 5/5 but if you have a Vampire and 6 Swamps you're going to win.
I recently changed the SB (-2 Nightmare Void, -2 Sudden Spoiling, +4 Leyline of the Void) to contend with Louvre decks which seem to be exploding in popularity in MTGO. A pre-game leyline and 3 MB sudden deaths to kill Teferi/Dralnu usually means game over.
The worst matchup is discard (unless you can get an Arena down and live through the rack for a bit) or B/W with a couple of early Castigates and late Wraths. Also if you face anything that involves Tron and Spell Burst you are definitely facing an uphill battle.