The budget is irrelevant and totally depends on how much fun I have playing the deck. Bloodghast is one of the cards i've been mulling over, I think it's time to give him a try. Nether Traitor .. Maybe. I don't like BB cost and he's only a 1/1 with a little evasion. Stinkweed Imp is definitely worth a shot. As far as Survival of the Fittest .. I'd much rather play Fauna Shaman which is essentially the same thing and acts as a chump blocker when needed. I don't want to add more clunk to the clunky deck by cluttering it with more enchantments.
I thought about Festering Goblin many, many times. He is definitely one of my favorite zombies. I think adding him would be an excellent addition to the deadapult deck, I will try play testing him. Rakdos Guildmage is excruciatingly slow and seems like it would just disrupt the flow of the deck. I agree that Viscera Dragger, dregscape zombie, and shambling remains might be good additions, but why play them over Geralf's and Crawlers? Geralf's comes into play, burns for 2, deadapults for 2, comes back and burns for 2 more. That's a 6 burn for 4 mana that leaves you with a 4/3 zombie beater. Given that the cost is a little rough at BBB makes for an excellent dark ritual target.. t1 geralf's are sexy. As far as Corpse Connoisseur... eh. I'd much rather bury 3 Gravecrawlers and consistently recur them only to attack and then sac to deadapult. I had already playtested with Pyre Zombie and decided I didn't much care for him. The Undying mechanic is just too good not to abuse, Butcher Ghoul is a solid card for a 2 drop and recurs himself for free. Also, he does not exile himself upon dying a second time like Dregscape Zombie My only question with my next deck list is Crypt Champion, the double striking 3cmc recurring beater versus Vengeful Dead. With all being said, updated decklist:
**e/ Just did some playtesting.. the Undying mechanic and Gravecrawlers are definitely the way to go..**
Also, Mutilate with a few Geralfs out turns out to be a 4+ burn that buffs your creatures and clears their board. Next turn you just recur your crawlers..
Debating cutting the Grave Pacts and Crypt champions and dropping Geralfs down to 3 because I'd much rather play it from the Graveyard... 3B on turn 3 when I'd much rather play Deadapult on turn 3.
Any ideas or suggestions on how to speed it up? or maybe a better creature core?
Thanks for all the suggestions! I still feel like this deck is missing something.. I want to be able to run it without dredge. Fauna Shaman, the cycle on Undead Gladiator, the Buried Alive, I just don't know if it will be enough without the dredge.
Deck is based around control, but still has a few win conditions like Magister Sphinx and Sorin. Some fun combos with Yosei, Sunblast Angel, and several other tap and destroy effects. Zur will punch out just about every enchantment I have with a little avoidance and open the vaults brings it all back just in case Let me know what you think, or if you have any cards to suggest.
Revised and current decklist:
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Bloodghast
3 Shriekmaw
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
2 Dimir House Guard
4 Skullclamp
3 Bloodbond March
2 Life from the Loam
4 Putrefy
4 Darkblast
**e/ Just did some playtesting.. the Undying mechanic and Gravecrawlers are definitely the way to go..**
Also, Mutilate with a few Geralfs out turns out to be a 4+ burn that buffs your creatures and clears their board. Next turn you just recur your crawlers..
Creature Core[20]:
4 Festering Goblin
4 Gravecrawler
4 Butcher Ghoul
4 Geralf's Messenger
4 Crypt Champion
Sorcery/Instants[11]:
4 Dark Ritual
4 Terminate
3 Mutilate
2 Buried Alive
Enchantments[4]:
4 Deadapult
Land[23]:
4 Tainted Peak
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Bloodstained Mire
2 Blood Crypt
4 Graven Cairns
4 Swamp
3 Mountain
4 Gravecrawler
4 Butcher Ghoul
2 Geralf's Messenger
4 Venegeful Dead
4 Deadapult
4 Dark Ritual
4 Go for the Throat
4 Unearth
4 Buried Alive
2 Demonic Tutor
Recent edits: -4 Crypt Champion, -2 Geralf's Messengers, -2 Grave Pact, +4 Vengeful Dead, +4 Unearth
Lands are: Bloodstained Mire, Blood Crypt, Tainted Peak, Swamps.. the basics.
Debating cutting the Grave Pacts and Crypt champions and dropping Geralfs down to 3 because I'd much rather play it from the Graveyard... 3B on turn 3 when I'd much rather play Deadapult on turn 3.
Any ideas or suggestions on how to speed it up? or maybe a better creature core?
Debating some of the instants/sorceries:
Oversold Cemetery?
Dark Blast VS Nightmare Void
Is Buried Alive worth putting into the deck that dredges?
Mulch? Seems to be a pretty decent card, but doesn't help with removal at all.
e/ I also don't want to unearth anything and remove it from game.
Golgari Thug -- Good recurrence and excellent dredge
Undead Gladiator -- Discard, Cycling to Dredge, Returns to hand?! Awesome
I will be running 4 of each of the above cards and I'm thinking ALMOST of a Zombie Tribal theme as it would be fun to do, ie;
Carrion Feeder -- your sac outlet
Festering Goblin -- excellent sac fodder when done in multiples, which you will be doing
However, there are many good cards that are hard to pass up and would be missed if I went with the Zombie Tribal theme..
Fauna Shaman -- discard a creature... and search for a creature.. Hmm, the SAME ONE MAYBE?
Cards that are being highly considered..
Dripping-Tongue Zubera -- Could make tokens, fast.
Floating-Dream Zubera -- I'd have to splash blue though
Fecundity and Skullclamp for good draw advantage
Grave Pact .. Now that's just plain mean
Leave me some feedback guys! I'm REALLY looking for a good sac engine and good cards with CITP effects that could make some casual games fun.
E/
CURRENT DECKLIST
4 Putrid Imp
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Nether Traitor
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
2 Dimir House Guard
4 Skullclamp
3 Nightmare Void
4 Putrefy
2 Life from the Loam
1 Gravepact
3 Bloodbond March
4 Moldervine Cloak
General
Sen Triplets
Planeswalker - 4
Enchantments - 10
Creatures - 26
Artifacts - 9
Counterspells - 6
Removal - 7
Utility - 5
Tutors - 4
Lands - 31
5 Islands
3 Plains
1 Swamp
GENERAL
CREATURES
ENCHANTMENT
SPELLS
ARTIFACTS
PLANESWALKERS
LAND
Izzet Boilerworks
Dimir Aqueduct
Rakdos Carnarium
---Multicolor
Exotic Orchard
Crosis's Catacombs
Crumbling Necropolois
Command Tower
---Vivd
Vivid Creek
Vivd Crag
Vivd Marsh
---Shock
Watery Grave
Steam Vents
---Dual
Dragonskull Summit
Drowned Catacombs
Sulfur Falls
---Colorless / Utility
Ghost Quarter
Temple of the False God
Terramorphic Expanse
---Pay1
Darkwater Catacombs
---Legendary
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
---Nonbasic
6 Swamp
6 Island
3 Mountain