Hmm, I had some thoughts about this too. Seriously, don't count out Rune-Scarred Demon just yet. If you ran Consume Spirits, it's basically a two card combo. At the very least, you can stick 3 in your deck, and just tutor up your second and then third Rune Scarred Demon. I think it's more like a beefy Squadron Hawk with benefits. Heck, remember you can easily play one and tutor up a sword.
Bloodghast and MBC really don't mix due to the entire, "can't block" aspect of it. At that CMC I would rather play nighthawk. Granted, it makes smallpox better...... but I think I'd much rather have a 2/3 flying deathtouch lifelinker than a 2/1 that can "occasionally" be sacked to smallpox.
I remembered I used it as tech back vs rebels when I played my MBC Wumpus deck. Unless T2 sees Rebels again, I can really see no point to use it.
Don't get me wrong, I do love the thirst. Vicious Hunger was probably one of my favorite funtime cards right behind Pestilence. However, a BB creature kill spell that probably won't kill what you need it to is not a great card.
Come on wizards! Give me arena and coffers. I want to make MBC with RSDemon!!!
Sorin's thirst is kinda janky when you have Geth's Verdict.
I'd say Rune Scarred Demon should be in your list, however unless there is some serious acceleration for black, *coughcabalcoffersdarkritualcough*, it will be too expensive to see play.
I gotta say, I am starting to REALLY love this card. If you don't know what it is:
Rune-Scarred Demon
5BB
Flying
When " comes into play, search your library for a card, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library.
6/6
Reasons I love it:
1- It appeases everyone.
2- It's a fatty beater
3- it's great in MBC
4- it's part of a 2 card legacy/Vintage combo, (buried alive and living death. I'll explain in a sec)
5- it's flavorful
6- playable in many formats.
7- It can be played like an expensive squadron hawk, or it can tutor up a consume spirit for the win.
8- It's the perfect balance of power and simplicity.
The two card legacy combo is Buried Alive, and Living Death. You stick 3 of these in your graveyard, and next turn living death. You search for Rite of Flame, Lotus petal, and a goblin Bushwhacker. Play petal, play rite of flame, play kickered bushwhacker for 3 7/6 flying and a 2/1 hasted beaters. If you have spare mana, you can always tutor up a protection spell, (force of will, discard, etc).
I'm pretty sure MBC hasn't been viable as a decklist since darksteel. And even then I'm pretty sure back then people splashed a lot with it. I haven't seen a tier 1 deck packing corrupt or other drain spells since Torment.
I really don't get wizards: They keep making staple MBC cards that scream, "you must build me for a mono black control deck", however they rarely ever print cards that a MBC "actually" needs. It's as if their entire R&D department has never played a MBC deck. I'd trade Phyrexian Obliterator for Phyrexian Arena or Cabal Coffers any day.
As of right now in standard, MBC is missing exactly two cards to make it viable:
1- A decent card drawing engine. Why didn't they just print Phyrexian Arena in M11 or NPH? What the heck is with Dark Tutelage? Did they REALLY think Phyrexian arena was too powerful of a card? I mean, It's probably one of the most flavorful and balanced cards they've ever created. I've been praying for a functionally reprinted or fixed Necropotence ever since 5th edition rotated. Heck, would Necropotence even be an issue if it was reprinted? There's no Dark Ritual, and it's banned in Legacy.
2- Mana acceleration. This is where R&D has completely missed the point. they turned green into ramp and completely removed all black mana acceleration. Cabal Coffers is in no way broken. The new coffers that adds B for creatures in your graveyard is just garbage. I love dark Ritual. I have so many fond memories of the card. However, if I had a choice I'd definitely pick Cabal Coffers. It's perfectly balanced, can't be broken, and makes all those bomby black spells decent.
To make it GREAT (tier 1), it needs:
1- A DECENT planeswalker. What the hell wizards? you print new versions of all other walkers, print Gideon, (who is fantastic), and give black SORIN? He's complete garbage outside of EDH! I'm guessing they gave black Sorin, because they are going to make Lilian Vess really powerful in Inn
2- *maybe some decent cheap control cards. Functional reprint of one of my favorite cards: Yawgmoth's Will would make my eyes water. I loved Death cloud.
The only problem with this, is WOTC has shown on numerous occasions they are only willing to push blue and white.
I'm thinking about getting into Vintage. I've been setting aside a lot of money, and at this point, I think it's a great investment. I remember when a beta black lotus cost 400$!
Anyways, I want to buy from a store and not ebay. I'm afraid of purchasing fakes, especially when I am thinking about getting the whole power 9. Is there a store out there that has a very large collection of T1 cards for sale? I'm having trouble finding one other than ABUgames. I like how they have the cards, but I don't care about paying 10,000$ because that black lotus is "10 gem mint, THE ONLY 10 BLACK LOTUS IN EXISTANCE!"
Interesting idea. I would think hitting 5 0/1 tokens would be a chore especially round 2. Black Sun's Zenith destroys this combo.
Also, I don't like the idea of drawing the critters without a way to put them back in my library. Hard-casting them is a possibility, however the deck would need a lot more control. As a cursory glance the deck looks like a subpar ramp control deck with a possible combo wincon. I would think the splinter/deceiver combo would be better in most ways.
Full ack...and then people wonder why artists (the real ones) are pissed about "the others".
People using MY stuff at work and replace my name with theirs get stomped. Big time!
I'd give this post more credit if they were an actual artist who's had their card altered.
Personally, I had Mark Tendin sign a bunch of cards I bought online that were alters of his. He stopped, looked at them closely, and we had a 5 minute conversation about how great altered art cards are.
And as a professional painter, I can tell you no professional gets angry "when their name is covered up", when they sell their image to a print company such as wizards, because it's a common occurrence of the trade. I can't tell you how many times my paintings were "re-framed" by someone who commissioned them, and they cut off my flipping signature. Oh well, that's still 2k in my pocket. Feel free to wipe your butt with it. I've altered some of my cards for fun, however they just don't resell for enough to really take seriously. Besides, if I made a magic card art I would be pretty honored if other artists bought my prints, altered them, and resold them. More money in my pocket.
And finally, this thread would have more merits if people paid the exact same amount for foils as they did for non foil magic the gathering cards. Not to mention those textless FNM cards wizards made. Altered art cards are cool, (when painted well. there's a LOT of poorly painted ones online. you have to be careful!), pretty, and buying them supports local artists. Not to mention a good alter DRASTICALLY increases the value of some magic cards. I've personally traded some binder garbage for 1000X it's price due to a really great alteration.
PS: Yeah the entire anime girl thing is kind of stupid, but just take a look at the average magic player...
I'd go 4 Tezzeret's Gambit. It's card draw, creature removal, and an extra poison counter all wrapped into a 3cc sorcery, (opponents creatures will have infect counters on them). If your running a lot of infector artifacts, you might as well put in Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, and run UB infect. Playing him turn 4 and turning a 1/1 infector into a 5/5 is really powerful. Not to mention his ultimate is good if you need life.
I want to activate Spike Feeder's gain 2 life ability to gain 4 life in total. If I activate Spike Feeder's remove a counter ability to gain 2 life, can an opponent respond by burning the spike feeder with... lets say a Lightning Bolt, and effectively "counter" one of the lifegain abilities?
yeah I agree. We need a simulation draft. I was able to pick best pick every time, and I don't even play drafts. Last time I played was at MBS pre release where I won those packs!
By far the easiest. nothing comes close to a bomb rare. Chances are your opponent has 2-3 poison counters at least when this hits. Dealing with 3 1/1 infect critters a turn is game over.
IOK is definitely maindeck material, however I think you answered your own question with "dealing with Surgical Extraction maindeck" all by yourself. All of those cards you said to cut either A: deal damage to the opponent, B: Help the combo, (by either dealing damage, or digging cards), or c: protect your combo. I would much rather have a mental misstep in my opening hand vs an IOK. Even if your opponent goes first, IOK won't protect from surgical extraction, while MM cost you 2 life.
putting red in the deck seems like a waste. bu seems powerfull enough, especially with sacklands, Sign in Blood, etc. I really can't see needing red other than control, (you only need to do 2 damage once, and just proliferate the rest in), and at that point I would much rather have a consistent BU deck packing counters/discard vs the overwhelming hate this deck will undoubtedly create. With a proliferate engine, you really only need one "activation" on bloodchief for this to start going. I'd consider maindecking the new U free counter because it stops nearly all the hate vs this deck, (inqusition, duress, same U counter, crush, etc). I could see this either being straight control (UB tez control with these two cards as finishers is tier 1 possible imo), or combo control, (cheap accel artifacts with throne of geth to try and get consistent turn 3-4 activations?). I'm not even going to START with legacy and extended....
A fairly consistent turn 4 combo/control deck with legacy - standard possibilities? Wizards really overlooked this one...
* Didn't read volt charge properly. I guess adding that and pyroclasm would seal the deck. Straight UBR control featuring this 1-2 knockout punch, and Tezzeret's just seems very powerful.
1- It has a 2 card combo, (true, it requires some additional parameters, however with at LEAST 8 cards proliferating, and 8 damaging, I can't see that being an issue).
2- It's using the best anti-disruption/counter colors, (BU)
3- Worst case scenario, it becomes a pretty consistant UBR tez-control deck.
Bloodghast and MBC really don't mix due to the entire, "can't block" aspect of it. At that CMC I would rather play nighthawk. Granted, it makes smallpox better...... but I think I'd much rather have a 2/3 flying deathtouch lifelinker than a 2/1 that can "occasionally" be sacked to smallpox.
And finally, I really don't like Dark Tutelage.
Seriously, Incinerate is NOT a bad card.....
Don't get me wrong, I do love the thirst. Vicious Hunger was probably one of my favorite funtime cards right behind Pestilence. However, a BB creature kill spell that probably won't kill what you need it to is not a great card.
Come on wizards! Give me arena and coffers. I want to make MBC with RSDemon!!!
I'd say Rune Scarred Demon should be in your list, however unless there is some serious acceleration for black, *coughcabalcoffersdarkritualcough*, it will be too expensive to see play.
Rune-Scarred Demon
5BB
Flying
When " comes into play, search your library for a card, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library.
6/6
Reasons I love it:
1- It appeases everyone.
2- It's a fatty beater
3- it's great in MBC
4- it's part of a 2 card legacy/Vintage combo, (buried alive and living death. I'll explain in a sec)
5- it's flavorful
6- playable in many formats.
7- It can be played like an expensive squadron hawk, or it can tutor up a consume spirit for the win.
8- It's the perfect balance of power and simplicity.
The two card legacy combo is Buried Alive, and Living Death. You stick 3 of these in your graveyard, and next turn living death. You search for Rite of Flame, Lotus petal, and a goblin Bushwhacker. Play petal, play rite of flame, play kickered bushwhacker for 3 7/6 flying and a 2/1 hasted beaters. If you have spare mana, you can always tutor up a protection spell, (force of will, discard, etc).
Copyright ME! 2011!
I really don't get wizards: They keep making staple MBC cards that scream, "you must build me for a mono black control deck", however they rarely ever print cards that a MBC "actually" needs. It's as if their entire R&D department has never played a MBC deck. I'd trade Phyrexian Obliterator for Phyrexian Arena or Cabal Coffers any day.
As of right now in standard, MBC is missing exactly two cards to make it viable:
1- A decent card drawing engine. Why didn't they just print Phyrexian Arena in M11 or NPH? What the heck is with Dark Tutelage? Did they REALLY think Phyrexian arena was too powerful of a card? I mean, It's probably one of the most flavorful and balanced cards they've ever created. I've been praying for a functionally reprinted or fixed Necropotence ever since 5th edition rotated. Heck, would Necropotence even be an issue if it was reprinted? There's no Dark Ritual, and it's banned in Legacy.
2- Mana acceleration. This is where R&D has completely missed the point. they turned green into ramp and completely removed all black mana acceleration. Cabal Coffers is in no way broken. The new coffers that adds B for creatures in your graveyard is just garbage. I love dark Ritual. I have so many fond memories of the card. However, if I had a choice I'd definitely pick Cabal Coffers. It's perfectly balanced, can't be broken, and makes all those bomby black spells decent.
To make it GREAT (tier 1), it needs:
1- A DECENT planeswalker. What the hell wizards? you print new versions of all other walkers, print Gideon, (who is fantastic), and give black SORIN? He's complete garbage outside of EDH! I'm guessing they gave black Sorin, because they are going to make Lilian Vess really powerful in Inn
2- *maybe some decent cheap control cards. Functional reprint of one of my favorite cards: Yawgmoth's Will would make my eyes water. I loved Death cloud.
The only problem with this, is WOTC has shown on numerous occasions they are only willing to push blue and white.
I'm thinking about getting into Vintage. I've been setting aside a lot of money, and at this point, I think it's a great investment. I remember when a beta black lotus cost 400$!
Anyways, I want to buy from a store and not ebay. I'm afraid of purchasing fakes, especially when I am thinking about getting the whole power 9. Is there a store out there that has a very large collection of T1 cards for sale? I'm having trouble finding one other than ABUgames. I like how they have the cards, but I don't care about paying 10,000$ because that black lotus is "10 gem mint, THE ONLY 10 BLACK LOTUS IN EXISTANCE!"
Thanks!
Also, I don't like the idea of drawing the critters without a way to put them back in my library. Hard-casting them is a possibility, however the deck would need a lot more control. As a cursory glance the deck looks like a subpar ramp control deck with a possible combo wincon. I would think the splinter/deceiver combo would be better in most ways.
I'd give this post more credit if they were an actual artist who's had their card altered.
Personally, I had Mark Tendin sign a bunch of cards I bought online that were alters of his. He stopped, looked at them closely, and we had a 5 minute conversation about how great altered art cards are.
And as a professional painter, I can tell you no professional gets angry "when their name is covered up", when they sell their image to a print company such as wizards, because it's a common occurrence of the trade. I can't tell you how many times my paintings were "re-framed" by someone who commissioned them, and they cut off my flipping signature. Oh well, that's still 2k in my pocket. Feel free to wipe your butt with it. I've altered some of my cards for fun, however they just don't resell for enough to really take seriously. Besides, if I made a magic card art I would be pretty honored if other artists bought my prints, altered them, and resold them. More money in my pocket.
And finally, this thread would have more merits if people paid the exact same amount for foils as they did for non foil magic the gathering cards. Not to mention those textless FNM cards wizards made. Altered art cards are cool, (when painted well. there's a LOT of poorly painted ones online. you have to be careful!), pretty, and buying them supports local artists. Not to mention a good alter DRASTICALLY increases the value of some magic cards. I've personally traded some binder garbage for 1000X it's price due to a really great alteration.
PS: Yeah the entire anime girl thing is kind of stupid, but just take a look at the average magic player...
A fairly consistent turn 4 combo/control deck with legacy - standard possibilities? Wizards really overlooked this one...
* Didn't read volt charge properly. I guess adding that and pyroclasm would seal the deck. Straight UBR control featuring this 1-2 knockout punch, and Tezzeret's just seems very powerful.
1- It has a 2 card combo, (true, it requires some additional parameters, however with at LEAST 8 cards proliferating, and 8 damaging, I can't see that being an issue).
2- It's using the best anti-disruption/counter colors, (BU)
3- Worst case scenario, it becomes a pretty consistant UBR tez-control deck.