[Primer/Deck] Pox

[zenitramleirdag]

i've goldfished with your list a little bit and it runs surprisingly smooth considering it has a very low land count and has 8 pox effects..
i agree with cutting 1 darkblast, 3 seems a bit too many..

i'm not sure why you have kaervek's spite in there, i'm not saying it won't work but it seems too situatonal..if you're looking for a fireblast effect in black you might wanna look at soul spike..but still, i think there are other more viable options..

since you're thinking of incorporating tha rack in your deck, may i suggest raven's crime and funeral charm, raven's crime is good since you're considering of adding another dakmore salvage, just be careful because having too many lands that CIPT might hurt your tempo ....these are very good since you're thinking of removing the dark rituals and these discard spells are cheap..i'm sure you're already aware that removing the rituals sacrifices explosiveness for consistency..

i totally agree with the inquisition of kozilek, there are never useless..about the only thing they can't hit are jace and FOW..

i'm interested to hear about your thoughts on arena after you've playtested with them..i tried incorporating them in my deck but they seem meh..
seems like pox decks(or most legacy decks) are built to run on very few mana that card draw seems awkward..i think thats the reason why there are very few card draw in legacy outside of BOB ..remember that brainstorm, ponder, etc are not card draw; they're card selection spells..anyway, off topic..

please pardon my english, i aint a native english speaker..

[Hardcore]

Me, I am from Sweden. So don't worry about language skills.

Some cards are there only to be discarded to Poxes. For example, I may not even play the Dakmor salvage normally, and I do not want to play Bloodghast from my hand but only by using the landfall ability.

I like the Rack. It is situational, but you have the control over that since it is you that play Hymn and pox.

[Hardcore]

This... 'Thing' lies on my bedside table.

"One foot in the Grave"


3 Tombstalker
3 Nihilith
4 Bloodghast
4 Negator
4 The Rack

4 Smallpox
4 Pox
4 Innocent Blood
4 Hymn to Tourach
1 Phyrexian arena (My only one)
2 Darkblast

20 Swamp
2 Dakmor Salvage


I got room for 2-3 cards. Perhaps liliana.

[zenitramleirdag]

i'm not sure if running 8 pox effects is good without rituals, i've tried it before but it seemed lacking without the exlosiveness dark ritual gives..i've seen succesful list that don't run rituals but the difference i've seen is that they don't run all 8 pox effects..
how's it going for you?

[Hardcore]

I know, it feels easier to play with rituals;
You can top deck and play big pox having only one land.
Otoh they do nothing to help you win.
I usually replaced them with something from the sideboard.
But I should add a land or two to compensate for reduction in mana sources.
Probably that third Dakmor salvage.

[Hardcore]

Should I run four Inquisition of Kozilek in my deck?
I get room if I cut one pox and one Innocent blood.

[beez]

Should I run four Inquisition of Kozilek in my deck?
I get room if I cut one pox and one Innocent blood.

Yes to Inquisition. You can catch the card that will help them play the first few turns. If they can't you get a couple more turns to disrupt them easier and out them into a bigger hole.

[beez]

I am most *always* happy to see Inqy in my opening hand (unless someone opened with Chalice, and even then you can snag the Chalice sometimes if you are on the play). If you feel you have enough creature destruction and sac effects in your deck you could run Duress instead and snag Jaces as well. I think the versitility of Inquisition gives it an edge to me though.

[plutajp]

Hey all, new here. Just wondering what your thoughts were on running a Necroplasm main/SB. He's been a total beast for me. I run a GB pox build that's very light on the green with just Abrupt Decay, Sylvan Library, and Life from the Loam. Hes won me more games than I count, but I don't think I've ever seen him mentioned before. I know he's a tad slow, but he does everything the pox deck loves to do, which is keep the board clean. In one full turn you clear all tokens and CC 1?! I think he's worth it. Thoughts?

[Hardcore]

I think I will try one. It has dredge after all.

[Yonthan]

do u guys think that MUD is a bad matchup, especially on the draw?

[Chatto]

do u guys think that MUD is a bad matchup, especially on the draw?

It is, and it will take a lot of practise and good luck. I usually take a really hard beating round one and mostly just miss a bit of luck in round three. Postboard I always board in Needles against their equipment, and also Ratchet Bomb (which was slow by the way)

[OmniStrata]

Sounds like you have a nice, competitive circle of card-playing friends.

As for the Trinisphere, it would be what I would have two of if I ever decide on not having the two Crucibles. They are both VERY nasty cards.

I have considered splitting the difference and running one of each. Here is my question, Omni. You are obviously very experienced with your deck and I'm sure have tested the various options extensively, how comfortable are you with the chances of seeing a single card? I know that diluting the threats in Pox is a bad idea, but I like to feel there is a good chance I see a card to plan for it's likelyhood. I can see cutting down to one Crucible just for the occasional "SURPRISE! I can Wastelock you!" and Trinisphere for a similar soft lock. I do find that 2ofs in slow, grindy Pox are about the right number to have a likely chance of seeing one, but not a lot of chance of two of them. Top helps in these matters too. I agree with Chatto on that one. I like smoothing out my draws, choosing what to set up to play immediately or sac to Lilly*or a Pox effect.

Seems like with just one 3sphere, especially as you said you like to see it early, preferably with a Ritual, how often does that happen?

It happens more often than anyone would expect. But if my Poxing and even Liliana's ultimate go through without a hitch, a top decked 3sphere is nasty since they need 6 land to cast 2 spells. My LD can stall them out quite well for that in fact as long as they don't draw a land every TURN for 7 turns in a row. Though if that happens, my win cons should be killing him hard anyway. I've tested with more 3 spheres but when you top deck a 2nd one, you weep bitter tears of "I wish this was more disruption". sorry for late reply.

[OmniStrata]

Hey all, new here. Just wondering what your thoughts were on running a Necroplasm main/SB. He's been a total beast for me. I run a GB pox build that's very light on the green with just Abrupt Decay, Sylvan Library, and Life from the Loam. Hes won me more games than I count, but I don't think I've ever seen him mentioned before. I know he's a tad slow, but he does everything the pox deck loves to do, which is keep the board clean. In one full turn you clear all tokens and CC 1?! I think he's worth it. Thoughts?

That's 2 turns. The one he comes into play, assuming he lives, and then the turn he swings as a 2/2, again, assuming he lives. He does blow himself up ultimately but as a cute joke once, I gave him a +1/+1 counter to make him a 4/4, though I don't remember how. He became a massive 13/13 before I won with him, lol.

I'd play him in the sideboard personally due to his slowness. Necroplasm reminds me of a Ratchet Bomb that hits only creatures each turn for 4 turns and is reusable. However, if the creature is hella fast and punching you in the face already, I find him lacking. But if he works in your token based meta, then hell yeah, rip a new one with him.

Goofy combat trick i read about. Attack a Nether Spirit into their Man-Land and if their manland survives, kill it by casting Necroplasm. Silly but it works.

[beez]

It happens more often than anyone would expect. But if my Poxing and even Liliana's ultimate go through without a hitch, a top decked 3sphere is nasty since they need 6 land to cast 2 spells. My LD can stall them out quite well for that in fact as long as they don't draw a land every TURN for 7 turns in a row. Though if that happens, my win cons should be killing him hard anyway. I've tested with more 3 spheres but when you top deck a 2nd one, you weep bitter tears of "I wish this was more disruption". sorry for late reply.

I will keep experimenting with the supporting artifacts and the numbers of them for the build. I certainly want my opponents weeping bitter tears, not me.

[beez]

Hey all, new here. Just wondering what your thoughts were on running a Necroplasm main/SB. He's been a total beast for me. I run a GB pox build that's very light on the green with just Abrupt Decay, Sylvan Library, and Life from the Loam. Hes won me more games than I count, but I don't think I've ever seen him mentioned before. I know he's a tad slow, but he does everything the pox deck loves to do, which is keep the board clean. In one full turn you clear all tokens and CC 1?! I think he's worth it. Thoughts?

I boarded in a Necroplasm last year for awhile, and maindecked it in the past when I had a more budget build. It could be good situationally. I liked it as a card I didn't mind pitching to Liliana or Pox effects. During one memorable match he came in against a Stoneblade deck and helped me wipe out his Lingering Souls tokens a couple of times, and later in the game it did a lot of work against the Batterskull token as well, holding it at bay for awhile. The problem was, I was dredging a lot while he kept drawing cards so eventually, without me drawing LD or Pox effects as much, he was able to get out 5 mana (unconscionable for a proper Pox deck) for enough turns to keep returning and hardcasting the Batterskull, so I lost anyway. I think dredging a lot more than situationally in the mono black control is not ideal. OK situationally or in aggro or graveyard oriented builds, and could very well be good in GB Loam Pox, but you will have to ask the Loam Poxers about that. Omni is correct that the Necroplasm is still a bit slow even when effective, beyond tokens. A Goyf will still attack you at least twice after you play Necroplasm, which still costs one more than Goyf at 3cc. Also, if you don't dredge him he can keep your Nether Spirit from returning. Nonetheless, Necroplasm has some positives too, so in the right deck and right metagame he can be useful.

[beez]

That's 2 turns. The one he comes into play, assuming he lives, and then the turn he swings as a 2/2, again, assuming he lives. He does blow himself up ultimately but as a cute joke once, I gave him a +1/+1 counter to make him a 4/4, though I don't remember how. He became a massive 13/13 before I won with him, lol.

Way back, I had a deck when I was collecting the original Ravnica block that involved (and let me be the first to say it was TOO involved, but hey it was a casual deck) playing Necroplasm with Hunted Horror or Hunted Phantasm early and then playing him to wipe out the creature tokens granted the opposing player and then saccing the Necroplasm somehow, bringing him back if I lost board control. Fun Necroplasm tricks.

[Hardcore]

some valuable insights in this evenings tourney.


4 Tombstalker
3 Nihilith
4 Bloodghast
3 Negator
4 The Rack

4 Smallpox
4 Pox
4 Innocent Blood
4 Hymn to Tourach
1 Phyrexian arena
3 Darkblast
1 Umesawa's jitte

20 Swamp
2 Dakmor Salvage


SB


4 Inquisition of kozilek
4 Chalice of the void
3 Perish
4 Surgical extraction



First opponent played BW Blade something I think. SFM, Lingering souls etc. I killed him game one with The rack. The second I nearly got him with two the Rack, but he survived, just, by getting jitte into play.
Third game was never finished because of time.

Second match was aginst elves. Darkblast made his life miserable.

Third match was vs Lands with Loam. He won game one. I mulliganed to five in the second, and drew my Surgical extractions too late.

Fourth round I got a bye.

So 2-1-1.


The rack is as good as a I remembered it. My opponents could not remove it, unlike my creatures that ate swords to plowshares.
For maximum Rack effect all Pox effects should be played. Pox is brutal in combination with the rack.
Two Raven's crime should be a nice complement to Hymn to Tourach since i use Dakmor salvage and Darkblast.

Arena is a good card, but not when playing The rack. This because you want to play big Pox whenever you can.

Lastly I had less use for Innocent blood than Darkblast. This means I will replace them with other cards; most likely Dark rituals.



This is how i modified my deck after todays games:


4 Tombstalker
3 Nihilith
4 Bloodghast
3 Negator
4 The Rack

4 Smallpox
4 Pox
4 Hymn to Tourach
3 Darkblast
4 Dark ritual
2 Raven's crime

20 Swamp
2 Dakmor Salvage


SB


4 Inquisition of kozilek
4 Leyline of the void
4 Perish
3 Surgical extraction


The SB is not that good. But then it never is.

[Koby]

Why not consider Funeral Charm?

It provides two effects for the price of one: creature removal (+2/-1) and discard to keep The Rack in line. I'm also really surprised to see that you don't have Liliana of the Veil which is a huge card in Rack Pox. Is this a budget consideration? If so, then Funeral Charm is likely even more important. Instant Speed discard + creature removal is very nice here.

[Hardcore]

Well, Funeral charm has its charm, but i cannot dredge it up with my other cards. So it is not that great. If it had been -2/-2, a Deathrite shaman killer, THEN...

As for Liliana, she is not needed to make kills with the rack. Besides I am short of room; Maybe if I removed the Dark rituals again