MTG Salvation

Oh, and for all the other adherents of MBC/Don Korleone Control, here's a sig banner for y'all.



Enjoy!

And -- just for the record, with all the Pro-Black going around with the Oversoul of Dusk, I'd recommend some Edicts in the sideboard.

Sacrificing: Gets around Indestructible. Wootage.

Match 1: R/g/w zoo
Game 1
I drop a turn 1 desert. His hand is 4 Tattermunge Maniac + land. He cries a little inside.

I side in Gnomes for Corrupt and 2 suddens deaths.

Game 2: Maniac trades with Epochrasite. Epoch comes back in time to trade with Tarmogoyf. Demigod of Revenge gets there.

1-0

Match 2: Mono U Merfolk
Game 1
He leads with Mothdust Changeling into the 2/1 card drawer.

I have Epochrasite Epoch gets flown over for a few points - he gets a Reejerry into play, He drops Unstable Mutation on his 2/1. Epoch blocks and gets removed.

My turn, I get Urchins into play and manage to sudden death his reejeery. Urchins blocks and trades with the huge mutant merfolk - fun times for me.

Next turn Demigod of Revenge. It flies in with a 4/4 epoch for a couple turns for the win.

I don't side anything in.

Game 2 and 3 were not so good for MBC. Game 2 Epoch and Bitterblossom get tapped down while damnation gets countered. 3 reejeries, 2 lords of atlantis and 2 other merfolk beat the living crap out of me. Game 3 I sat at 2 land for the entire game - Grimoire Thief kept removing the lands from the top of my library. >.<

1-1

Match 3: Dragonstorm
Game 1:
Epoch into Urchins (he tarfires it after the 2nd counter is put on... hurray!) into Demigod. He has to cast Rite of Flame to Tarfire and Incinerate Demigod. My next turn? Demigod of Revenge. Still, this only gets him to 1 life. My answer? Leechridden Swamp.

He shows me his hand after the match - he was able to win the next turn (off of Spinerock Knoll). Kinda surprising after everything he had to burn on my guys.

Out: 3 Sudden Death, 1 Bitterblossom, 1 Tendrils
In: 4 Thoughtseize, 1 Corrupt

Game 2
Epoch into Urchins into Korlash (Gradeur!!) into Demigod of Revenge.

2-1

Game 3: Swans Combo
Game 1:
I get an Epoch down. He Glittering Wishes for Swans. I have Sudden Death in hand. I Desert my own Epoch. He plays Seismic Assault. I play enough Epoch. He throws a land at it. He plays another swan - I Tendrils of Corruption it. I gain 6 life and draw 6 cards. One of those cards is Sudden Death. I kill his swans, and 4/4 epochs get there.

Out: 2 Tendrils, 1 Corrupt, 1 Bitterblossom
In: 4 Thoughtseize

Game 2: I get stuck on 3 land, but manage to get a 1/1 epoch in play. It stays 1/1, and he combos off with Swans, Assault, and 2 Dakmor Salvage.

Game 3:
I mulligan, and keep a hand of Swamp, Swamp, Swamp, Urborg, Leechridden, Sudden Death. It's a slow game - 2nd turn I draw a Thoughtseize which grabs Seismic Assault. 4th turn I get Korlash. He wishes for (and casts via Lotus Bloom) Teferi's Moat set to black.

Next card: Epochrasite. After that? Loxodon Warhammer. he tries to play Swans - sudden deathed. He then wishes for Zur, the Enchanter. Sudden Deathed. Meanwhile, a 4/1 trample lifelink epoch gets there.

3-1 - good enough for 4th place.

Finals: G/w mana ramp - - - - CRAP!
Game 1:
Early Treetop Village bloodies me a bit. 1 Demigod of Revenge is condemned. I play a second - it gets there for 5, but then dies to wrath of god, along with my board of urchins and epoch.

In comes Woodfall Primus, killing Urborg (I had 4 swamps, a leechridden swamp, urborg and 2 deserts at this point). I drop another demigod, which brings his buddy back - and swing for ten. He plays wrath. The leechridden swamp bites it.
The Primus proceeds to beat me up badly as he plays Primal Command, gaining 7 and looking for Akroma. I manage to play Damnation, but he finds another Woodfall Primus, killing a Loxodon Warhammer I got into play. I end up having to kill the Primus twice, losing a swamp.

I die to Treetop Village beats.

Out: Sudden Death, Corrupt
In: Thoughtsieze

Game 2:
Turn 1 thoughtseize grabs his Primus. I get 2 epochs into play, followed by Urchins. Urchins trades with Kitchen Finks. I get Korlash, he gets Mystic Enforcer. Korlash and Epochs race in for some damage (mystic keeping Korlash from really doing anything, but letting the epochs threw).

He plops down Akroma, Angel of Wrath. I take 6, but manage to Damnation the next turn.

I play Demigod of Revenge.

He plays Wrath of God.

We do this 3 more times!!! But, on the last one, Demigod's haste gets there FTW.

Game 3:
I go out with a whimper, stuck at 2 lands for awhile. I get an epoch out, but it chumps Kitchen Finks. He gets all 4 kitchen finks + Garruck Wildspeaker and 2 villages. Epoch and Urchins stall awhile, 3rd land is... Leechridden Swamp. I Beseech the Queen for a swamp... and promptly die.

I die with a hand of 4 Damnation, Tendrils of Corruption, Korlash, Heird to Blackblade, and Demigod of Revenge, having just gotten by 4th swamp like land. Grrr!

Still, that got me 4th place for the evening, $5 store credit, AND a foil Vexing Shusher. Apparently the store still had a few laying around. 1st and 2nd place had to make due with Pendlehaven.... and $22.50 in store credit (split).

MVP: Epochrasite. It was there to block early, and maybe trade with something (like Tattermunge Maniac). It got around Wrath, it got around Teferi's Moat. It even sealed the game a few times.
Runner up: Demigod of Revenge. When he shows up, people either deal with him, or lose.
I still like Korlash and Demigod hanging out together. Korlash would have made a superb blocker for Woodfall Primus, just for the regeneration. BUT, Korlash didn't win me any games (ok, that 2nd game against Dragonstorm was pretty sweet when I was able to Grandeur).

I only drew Bitterblossom a few games thanks to flaking out and only having one in the deck, but Epochrasite was awesome. Corrupt didn't see any play, but I never felt like I wanted it, since Profane Command could often finish the game too.

Tendrils of Corruption and Sudden Death were both very good, but maybe 3 of each is the right number.

Beseech the Queen was excellent. I actually used it to get the winning Demigod of Revenge in my 2nd game against GW Ramp. It fetched for land twice as well. Great card.

Dusk Urchins was also great. It was there when I needed it - blocking aggro, stalling into my win conditions and drawing me cards. I never regretted seeing them in my grip (or on my board for that matter!). They never managed to die without counters on them tonight.

Against G/W persist pro black "screw you and your MBC deck" style play, I think Sudden Spoiling would have helped a lot. It probably would have helped in my Merfolk matchup as well. I traded for 2 of them after the FNM was over. ;p Cruel Edict doesn't really work here thanks to persist guys.

Didn't get to test the faeries in the side tonight - not a single person ran Reveillark. Apparently Swans of Bryn Argoll was the combo of choice. Not as good as Reveillark, I think, since it either had the combo or... um, lands to the face? 4/3 flier? Yeah, basically nothing.

I am REALLY liking post-Shadowmoor MBC. I think it still needs a little tuning, but it looks great.

So Woodfall Primus got play? Woah. It's good to see that the Dusk Urchins and Beseech the Queen were worth using in a Mono Black deck now. Would using Nantuko Husk along with bitterblossom be worth a shot in Mono Black?

Looks good, we need to find some solid solutions to enchantments (but thats has always been a trouble for black).

Quote from Mr_Mikey

So Woodfall Primus got play? Woah. It's good to see that the Dusk Urchins and Beseech the Queen were worth using in a Mono Black deck now. Would using Nantuko Husk along with bitterblossom be worth a shot in Mono Black?

Probaly not. I dont know about anyone else but I usualy end up using the faeries as chumpers until i get hammer. Korlash is a better more permanent husk.

I agree, Husk don't got enough muscles to warrant a place in this deck. BitterAwesome serves a double duty as early-game protector and late-game kill con.

The solution to anything other than a creature is usually to hit it in their hand.

Thats why alot of us have Thoughtseize and Extirpate in SB.

BB tokens are definitely not something you want to be saccing, as Foil Vampire said, they are used to stall creatures until answers are found.

I noticed noone commented on my decklist at the top. Would be greatly appreciated if someone could suggest wheren to fit 2-3 sudden spoiling in side board. Take out the terror aaaand?? ...

I would be ill qualified to comment on the deck mainly because I play a slightly different version than most of you by using 4x BtQ to get whatever I need.

I do have one suggestion though, replace Urza's Factories with Deserts, they help immensely against all sorts of decks and factory will rarely come online to be that useful. Mutavaults are also subpar to Deserts. You don't want to give them a chance to kill a land of yours.

I would not run Terrors because there are way too many decks that use black that its a dead card to often for my taste.

This is what I am currently running.....

Snow engine proved to not be worth it.

I would love to run deserts in place of the mutavaults but haven't been able to get any. People only want my mutavaults for them which is a NO. lol.

Quote from Foil_Vampire

I would love to run deserts in place of the mutavaults but haven't been able to get any. People only want my mutavaults for them which is a NO. lol.

Well, They work WAY better in this deck. On another note, you could remove the terrors and add 2 spoiling and another Bitterblossom.
Actually, now that I think about it, Mutavault could work wonderfully alongside Sudden Spoiling as removal.

EDIT: removing the snow engine and redoing my mana base in the deck above...

I wouldn't run 4 BB, 3 seems the right number to me. Running 4 I found that I would draw into a second too often which effectively made it a dead card since I wouldn't want to BB in play. Too painful.

Quote from Foil_Vampire

I wouldn't run 4 BB, 3 seems the right number to me. Running 4 I found that I would draw into a second too often which effectively made it a dead card since I wouldn't want to BB in play. Too painful.

I only run 4 because people love to kill/bounce/counter it and it helps immensely to have one out against almost everyone.

BB and Desert and Spoiling are crazy CA tools if used correctly.

I'm more then happy for people to counter BB, means korlash and Demi god are more likely to see play. I badly want deserts now.

I run Deserts AND Mutavaults, works for me so far.

In regards to a sideboard I am thinking something along the lines of:

3 Thoughtseize
3 Extirpate
3 Fulminator Mage
4 Deathmark
2 Sudden Spoiling

Quote from Oxido

Are deathmarks so effective? i think terror fits the role better, can manage red and blue creatures, and is instant.
I don't understand Fulminator Mages... maybe for slowing down red burn? Bottle gnomes seems better to me

Death mark is one mana less, so can be used to slow down the turn one birds, turn 2 (card) openings. Also, It takes care of doran current, with is a huge threat. You already have a lot of instant speed destruction with sudden death, inversion and tendrils.

As Im playing a REG sunday, Id searched lots of foruns looking for the perfect MBC list, so I came up with 2 ideas. Not sure abou yet.

Wich from this 2 is the best one

25 Lands, no Signets

Land: 25
17 Snow-Covered Swamp
2 Scrying Sheets
2 Urborg Tomb
4 Desert

Creatures: 12
4 Dusk Urchins
4 Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
4 Demigod of Revenge

Instant: 7
4 Sudden Death
2 Terror
1 Grim Harverst

Sorcery: 11
4 Damnation
3 Corrupt
1 Profane Command
2 Beesech the Queen
1 Mind Shatter

Miscellaneous: 5
4 Bitterblossom
1 Loxodon Warhammer

Or

Quote from AstralEclipse

I run Deserts AND Mutavaults, works for me so far.

In regards to a sideboard I am thinking something along the lines of:

3 Thoughtseize
3 Extirpate
3 Fulminator Mage
4 Deathmark
2 Sudden Spoiling

I quite like ur Side, but why not just use Terror over Deathmark?

Its Instant and can kill the nasty faries and u always can wait for a Garruk overrun and kill the ugly BIG GOYF!

I thinking going like

4 Bottle Gnomes Too many monoreds in my envoirment
3 or 4 Thoughtseize
2 or 3 Sudden Spoiling or Terror
2 Extirpate
2 Fulminator Mage or Neddle

Nevertheless, I see that almost no one are using signets or mind stones, why that?

Is not good to have a Demigos on turn 3 or even a damnation to kill doran, birds or something togheter? In my case a Corrput for turn 5.

Any way, Im wondering, to cut out for

If I play terror main, I`ll play a sideboard Masticore, too big and awnsome against Oversouls and Chamaleons.

i play with terror md, ive realised that my meta is mainly blue, white or green so having nameless is counter productive especially against goyf. Fulminator mage is for against control, slow them down by destroying a land sounds good to me, if RDW was more prevalent in my area I'd have gnomes in instead.

@ The_Joker: What is the difference between the two decks? To Coldsteel Heart or not to Coldsteel Heart?

I haven't been running mana acceleration. Instead, I've been relying on a tight curve to move seamlessly from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 to 6 mana, hopefully ending by dropping a game winning fatty (or just riding Epochrasite to victory).

I think a lot of us have discovered:
1. the snow engine isn't worth the effort - the deck rarely has extra mana available to activate sheets and doesn't run enough snow to make it effective
2. Corrupt ain't what it used to be - and in this high speed high stakes environment, sitting on Corrupt in hand is a bad thing.
3. Grim Harvest isn't worth it. Profane Command gets you guys back and does other stuff. Demigod is already coming back into play (probably). 4. Mind Shatter isn't worth it. Try Stupor.
5. Two Loxodon Warhammers. This deck really wants one in play. Yeah, you can tutor for it, but redundancy is good here - you don't want to have your plans stymied by one Oblivion Ring or Creeping Mold.

Looking good on the sideboard.

For those interested in Fulminator Mage:
1. He kills all man lands. Probably while trading with a mutavault while doing it.
2. He kills dual lands, which almost every deck plays. Swans combo hates to see him.
3. He kills Urza's Factory (while trading with a token!), which can be problematic for us against Ramp.
4. He kills Spinerock Knoll, against those Dragonstorm holdouts.
5. He kills opposing Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth so we can lay our own. ;p

He seems pretty good. He is kinda our Magus of the Moon that doesn't hose our own stuff.

Another thing I have found is that its worth it to have 4 Beseech the Queen and a couple of copies of situational cards. Like Corrosive Mentor, a lot of decks hate to see that when you have a BB out. I was using Midnight Banshee but while it proved worthwhile every time it was in play it did not come online early enough for some matchups.

I just got eaten alive by a BUW Enchanted Evening/Patrician's Scorn deck with lots of draw and lots of recovery ability.

Not to mention those rare glorius moments when Korlash is coming at them weilding TWO hammers. *drool*

Quote from Foil_Vampire

Not to mention those rare glorius moments when Korlash is coming at them weilding TWO hammers. *drool*

Overkill IMO, if you get a second, keep it in hand in case of removal. Playing more than is needed to kill them/stay alive is not a good thing for a deck with so little card draw. We rely on CA to get the job done, we can't be handing them opportunities for CA.

Quote from Arcadianemetai

Overkill IMO, if you get a second, keep it in hand in case of removal. Playing more than is needed to kill them/stay alive is not a good thing for a deck with so little card draw. We rely on CA to get the job done, we can't be handing them opportunities for CA.

What are they going to do? Fracturing Gust you?

But I guess Return to Dust could be a threat.

Quote from Arcadianemetai

Overkill IMO, if you get a second, keep it in hand in case of removal. Playing more than is needed to kill them/stay alive is not a good thing for a deck with so little card draw. We rely on CA to get the job done, we can't be handing them opportunities for CA.

There are those rare situations he would need the +3/+0 boost to kill or to get over a big creature, and double lifelink its awesome imagine hitting for 14 and gaining 28 life man u wreck a persons morality with that they just summit to you xD, they bent down and say "master please i give up"

True story

I won 1st place at a small tournament with this deck. I plan on running 3 Mutavaults when I get them. The deck is about 90% complete at this point.
I beat a W Knight deck, a Bridge deck, a RG burn/aggro deck, and lost to a Shaman deck. I beat Kavu justice and then the Shaman deck in the finals. All of my wins were 2-0 except the Bridge deck.

Other than 4 deathmark, 2 Sudden Spoiling, and 2 Extirpate in my sideboard, the rest sucked.