Mono Black Contamination

[kinda]

it's too bad that you're not running dark ritual, because i really like ill-gotten gains with 4 maindeck leyline.

That combo does seem fun but iggy is awful if you don't start with leyline unfortunately.

This is what I am thinking of running on Tuesday. I'm considering spore frog, abyssal gatekeeper, and augur of skulls too.

4 leyline of the void
2 helm of obedience
3 oath of ghouls
2 contamination
2 diabolic intent
4 cabal therapy
3 collective brutality
1 toxic deluge
2 sensei's divining top
23

4 Drs
2 shriekmaw
3 flesh bag marauder
1 ophiomancer
3 abyssal persecutor
3 bitterblossom
1 minister of pain
17


8 swamp
1 forest
1 overgrown tomb
8 fetch
2 sac lands (high market or phyrexian arena if I pick one up)
20

sb
4 thoughtseize
3 pithing needle
2 abrupt decay
2 innocent blood
2 trinisphere
1 toxic deluge
1 minister of pain

[jimmythegreek]

Has anyone suggested a mana base of urborg and sol lands?

[kinda]

Has anyone suggested a mana base of urborg and sol lands?

I think it has potential. I assume this would be to try and get a turn 2 contamination? It feels tough though since you need a turn 1 dude, contamination turn 2, and then some way to keep contamination alive like bitterblossom to play on turn 3. The list I played could go t1 drs, t2 use drs to play contamination, turn 3 sac drs and play bitterblossom or ophiomancer. You can stack the trigger so you make your dude and then sac it. But that is the dream scenario.

I got a deck tech at the end of this article btw...haha:

https://thelibraryatpendrellvale.com...thly-janurary/

[bruizar]

That combo does seem fun but iggy is awful if you don't start with leyline unfortunately.

This is what I am thinking of running on Tuesday. I'm considering spore frog, abyssal gatekeeper, and augur of skulls too.

4 leyline of the void
2 helm of obedience
3 oath of ghouls
2 contamination
2 diabolic intent
4 cabal therapy
3 collective brutality
1 toxic deluge
2 sensei's divining top
23

4 Drs
2 shriekmaw
3 flesh bag marauder
1 ophiomancer
3 abyssal persecutor
3 bitterblossom
1 minister of pain
17


8 swamp
1 forest
1 overgrown tomb
8 fetch
2 sac lands (high market or phyrexian arena if I pick one up)
20

sb
4 thoughtseize
3 pithing needle
2 abrupt decay
2 innocent blood
2 trinisphere
1 toxic deluge
1 minister of pain

I was brewing something similar except my engine was 4x Street Wraith 2x Faerie Macabre maindeck with Oath of Ghouls. There is enough BR reanimator, Snapcasters, Gurmag Anglers and other graveyard recursion going on to justify maindeck Faerie Macabres (They block delvers too) in addition to DRS. You use the Street Wraiths with Oath of Ghouls as a semi Dark Confidant. Macabres make sure your oath of ghouls triggers always work, and help get rid of particular cards. I don't think you need Leylines nor Helm of Obedience. I'd also swap the Abyssal Persecutors for Phyrexian Obliterators. I'd also consider a one-off Custodi Lich.

[kinda]

@bruizar: what is your list?

I went 2-2 today. Considering it was a normal event (no proxies) I was content with the result. I beat Shardless BUG 2-0, Noble BUG 2-1 and lost to miracles 1-2, and DNT 0-2. The miracles match feels very close. I am going to pick up 2 abrupt decays to put in my board for next week, maybe main. The DNT matchup feels bad...not sure what to put in the board or even how to board. Today game 2 vs dnt I sided out 4 leyline, 2 helm, 2 contamination, 1 oath.

4 leyline of the void
2 helm of obedience
3 oath of ghouls
2 contamination
2 diabolic intent
4 cabal therapy
3 collective brutality
1 toxic deluge
2 sensei's divining top
1 innocent blood
24

3 Drs
2 shriekmaw
3 flesh bag marauder
1 ophiomancer
3 abyssal persecutor
3 bitterblossom
1 minister of pain
16


9 swamp
1 forest
1 overgrown tomb
7 fetch
1 high market
1 phyrexian tower
20

sb
4 thoughtseize
2 pithing needle
3 innocent blood
2 trinisphere
1 toxic deluge
1 minister of pain
1 drs
1 collective brutality

[kinda]

I've realized that with the notable exception of show and tell (where fleshbag/shriekmaw/discard help) plague seems good in pretty much every matchup that leyline/drs are not. So I'm thinking of running the following list next week:

4 leyline of the void
2 helm of obedience
2 oath of ghouls
2 contamination
2 diabolic intent
4 cabal therapy
3 collective brutality
1 toxic deluge
2 sensei's divining top
1 abrupt decay (if I can borrow shop is out)
1 engineered plague
24

3 Drs
2 shriekmaw
3 flesh bag marauder
1 ophiomancer
3 abyssal persecutor
3 bitterblossom
1 minister of pain
16


9 swamp
1 forest
1 overgrown tomb
7 fetch
1 high market
1 phyrexian tower
20

sb
4 thoughtseize
2 pithing needle
3 engineered plague
2 trinisphere
1 toxic deluge
1 dread of night (if I can borrow shop is out)
2 abrupt decay (if I can borrow shop is out)

[Von]

Hey gents,

Here's a zombie brew I've been working on.

4x Cryptbreaker
4x Relentless Dead
4xDrs
4xDark Confidant
4xGrave Crawler
4x Liliana of the Veil
4xThoughtseize
4x Cabal Therapy
4x Containmatin
2x Scourage of Nel Toth

Lands
4x Cavern of Souls
Fetches + basics of your choice.

The deck started out as a zombie tribal/stompy deck that locked with containmation/trinisphere and was resliant to counter magic because of caverns. Since then I realized the the clock isn't fast enough to win under a trinisphere. Containmation however, just wrecks people.

Comes with the standard discard package to make sure you don't just auto lose to combo decks. Gravecrawler +therapy is also pretty brutal.

It can also pull out t2 locks without much effort.

T1: Fetch, DRS
T2: Land, Containmation
T3: Sack DRS, drop Cryptbreaker or Relentless dead, play a land. That's hard lock if they can't don't have nonland mana or black removal.

So far the problems I've ran into are:
It's weak to grave hate.
It's low on removal and big creatures. I've been stonewalled by Goyf many a times. It's extremely hard to fight off a decent sized goyf and try to keep the lock. Once the lock breaks you're in trouble, because all their creatures are going to be better than yours.
It's inconsistant. Like all non blue decks.

The upside of course is that it can put up a decent fight even without the combo since it has resilient threats, and Miracles will hate caverns and Cryptbreaker. An early Scourage of Nel Toth can also just randomly steal games.

[kinda]

Ancient tomb/Urborg seem like they would be great in your list. You can play gravecrawler or cryptbreaker turn 1 and then contamination turn 2 using the ancient tomb. With ancient tomb you could also easily play abyssal persecutor. Turn 2 even with a turn 1 drs. You already have 12 main deck sac outlets. This would help with your lack of big creatures and graveyard dependency. Have you flipped scourge to bob yet ? I would also consider doing a thoughtseize/collective brutality split. Unlike thoughtseize it doesn't stop being useful and the life gain can be relevant. We're not running brainstorm so it's nice to have something to do with late lands or other dead cards. Have you played in any tournaments?

[Von]

Ancient tomb/Urborg seem like they would be great in your list. You can play gravecrawler or cryptbreaker turn 1 and then contamination turn 2 using the ancient tomb. With ancient tomb you could also easily play abyssal persecutor. Turn 2 even with a turn 1 drs. You already have 12 main deck sac outlets. This would help with your lack of big creatures and graveyard dependency. Have you flipped scourge to bob yet ? I would also consider doing a thoughtseize/collective brutality split. Unlike thoughtseize it doesn't stop being useful and the life gain can be relevant. We're not running brainstorm so it's nice to have something to do with late lands or other dead cards. Have you played in any tournaments?

That's a good idea, I think I will try the tomb/urborg set. No I haven't flipped scrouge yet haha, I imagine the day I do is the day I cut him for something more reasonable like maybe a lord of some sort or abyssal persecutor like you said.

I've only played in one major with this deck and went I believe 2-2 drop (it's been a while).
Games I won were miracles, which had no outs to contamination pre or post board, and Storm which lost to Cabal therapy more than anything.
Games I lost were 12-post, first game I won with contamination. Second and third game I either didn't get the lock, or I got the lock and he dropped Wurmcoil by getting to 6 lands, which I had no answer to.
Lost to RUG delver. Multiple Goyf comes in and there's nothing I can do to kill it. Post board he brought in the non-flying pyroclasm which just wipes my board and kills me.

[kinda]

I picked up abrupt decays and played my proposed list in post 26 except with 3 lost legacy in the board over 3sphere (lost legacy is terrible btw). I went 2-2 again unfortunately. Beat UWbg delver 2-0, Miracles 2-1, Elves 1-2, Infect 0-2. The elves matchup is frustrating and game 3 I think I lost due to my own lost legacy. I want to make the deck more aggressive and able to deal with planeswalkers better. I am thinking adding in revokers and factories.

I'm thinking this:

4 leyline of the void
2 helm of obedience
2 oath of ghouls
2 contamination
4 cabal therapy
3 collective brutality
2 sensei's divining top
2 abrupt decay
21

3 Drs
2 shriekmaw
3 flesh bag marauder
1 ophiomancer
3 abyssal persecutor
3 bitterblossom
2 phyrexian revoker
1 minister of pain
18


8 swamp
1 forest
1 overgrown tomb
6 fetch
1 high market
1 phyrexian tower
3 Mishra's factory
21

sb
4 thoughtseize
2 pithing needle
4 engineered plague
1 phyrexian revoker
1 minister of pain
3 fatal push

Matchups: (some predicted)

HGY: heavy graveyard usage
GY: some graveyard dependency

Very Good:
Dredge HGY
BU reanimator HGY
RB reanimator HGY
Lands HGY
Tin Fins HGY

Good:
Shardless BUG HGY
Goblins
Aluren

Even: 45-55% Win Rate
Miracles GY
DNT
ANT HGY
BUG Delver GY
Canadian HGY
Show and Tell (no but Leyline helm is still good here since u can drop the second piece in with show and tell)
Grixis GY
Stoneblade GY usually
Noble BUG GY

Bad:
Infect
Elves just drs and they don't need him
UR delver GY
Burn

[kinda]

I'm trying to figure out what the best option out of tombstalker/gurmag/tasigur is to make the deck more aggressive. Right now I am on 1 tombstalker but would like a second something. Versus non graveyard dependent decks except show and tell my plan is to board into something like landstill with: -4 leyline, -2 helm, -2 oath, +8 threats and protection. Trying out a new manabase Tuesday to help with planeswalkers/being more aggressive in general assuming I can get all the cards, really not sure if it'll work though?

4 leyline of the void
2 helm of obedience
2 oath of ghouls
2 contamination
4 cabal therapy
3 collective brutality
2 sensei's divining top
1 abrupt decay
20

3 Drs
2 shriekmaw
2 flesh bag marauder
1 ophiomancer
3 abyssal persecutor
3 bitterblossom
2 phyrexian revoker
1 minister of pain
1 tombstalker
18


8 swamp
1 forest
1 overgrown tomb
6 fetch
1 high market
1 phyrexian tower
4 Mishra's factory
22

sb
4 thoughtseize
1 phyrexian revoker
1 abrupt decay
4 engineered plague
1 minister of pain
3 fatal push
1 Garruk Relentless

[kinda]

Odd magic day with a poor result. Got belched and lost a game to hardcast gurmag angler after I turn 0 leyline'd. Beat bug delver, lost to belcher, countertop stoneforge thing and bUrg delver. List in last post. I've been stalling out a lot.

Next time thinking:

4 leyline of the void
3 helm of obedience
3 contamination
4 cabal therapy
3 collective brutality
3 sensei's divining top
2 engineered plague
1 abrupt decay
2 fatal push
25

1 ophiomancer
3 abyssal persecutor
4 bitterblossom
2 phyrexian revoker
1 tombstalker
2 minister of pain
13


8 swamp
1 forest
1 overgrown tomb
6 fetch
1 high market
1 phyrexian tower
1 sac land or factory?
3 Mishra's factory
22

sb
4 thoughtseize
1 phyrexian revoker
2 engineered plague
2 fatal push
2 abrupt decay
1 faerie macabre
2 ob nixilis
1 garruk relentless

[kinda]

Went 2-1-1 today! I beat grixis delver 2-1, UR delver 2-1, went 1-1-1 against lands with countertop, and then lost to Rb goblins with 4 maindeck chalice 1-2. G1 against goblins he had turn 1 chalice on 1 off a chrome mox and I had a bunch of 1 drops in my hand. G3 I think I punted. My opening hand was 2 swamp, marsh flats, Mishra's factory, 2 bitterblossom, and 1 engineered plague on the draw. He plays a land and passes, I do the same. Turn 2 he plays goblin lackey. I play factory and pass, but I think the correct play was bitterblossom. He ends up swinging and killing my factory with pyrokinesis, dropping a warchief. He is joined by 2 piledrivers soon and I lose. The lands decks managed a turn 1 exploration into turn 2 jace which was pretty crazy. It was loam/crop rotation/thespian stage depths combo/jace/brainstorm/top/counterbalance/entreat/terminus. My list is in the previous post except -1 garruk and -1 faerie macabre in the board +2 drs. The only change I'm thinking for next week is swap a maindeck plage for a sb decay right now. Thoughts?

[Claymore]

Wtf is that Miracle Lands list.

I wouldn't count out Lost Legacy yet. It's more for dedicated combo decks (ANT, Show and Tell), decks with few win cons (Lands - Loam; Miracles - Entreat/Jace/Mentor) or decks that have very limited ways to interact with your own win con or lock (Swords, Krosan Grip, Wear/Tear). It's not great against the likes of Elves or DnT that can grind out a win in any number of ways.

I think you need some Toxic Deluges.

[kinda]

Wtf is that Miracle Lands list.

I wouldn't count out Lost Legacy yet. It's more for dedicated combo decks (ANT, Show and Tell), decks with few win cons (Lands - Loam; Miracles - Entreat/Jace/Mentor) or decks that have very limited ways to interact with your own win con or lock (Swords, Krosan Grip, Wear/Tear). It's not great against the likes of Elves or DnT that can grind out a win in any number of ways.

I think you need some Toxic Deluges.

The miracles list was pretty crazy. I had 2 deluges in the 75 originally, but they are awful with bitterblossom. They might need to go back in the sideboard though, not sure yet. I've been trying engineered plague and minister of pain (also a sac outlet for persecutor) instead. Legacy might go back in if my meta gets more combo, lots of midrange right now though. I was also considering hymn to tourach in the board as extra combo hate.

[bobomb]

Here's what I'm running right now:

4 dark confidant
4 vampire nighthawk
2 phyrexian obliterator
2 soulflayer

4 thoughtsieze
4 hymn to tourach
4 innocent blood
4 dismember

2 umezawa's jitte

4 bitterblossom
4 contamination

11 swamp
4 bloodstained mire
4 polluted delta
2 phyrexian tower


Some thoughts:

- The fetches were nice when I ran 2x SDT alongside Dark Confidant, but with the ban, they don't offer much utility. I'm considering adding DRS for the synergy with the fetches.

- I might playtest Scroll Rack in place of SDT.

- I'd like to make room for 2x Liliana, maybe cutting 1 each of Hymn to Tourach and Dismember, or both Soulflayer.

- Flipping Soulflayer hurts with Bob. Baiting for counter or removal with a Nighthawk then delving into Soulflayer is quite fun. 50/50 on this guy right now.

So maybe something like:

-4 Nighthawk
-2 Soulflayer
+4 Deathrite Shaman
+2 Liliana of the Veil

[kinda]

Those changes look good. Any results? I just played on Tuesday for the first time since Quinn got banned. Went 0-2 drop vs burn and ant.

Why innocent blood and dismember over push?

[bobomb]

I cut all my fetches to swamps, so Fatal Push is lee likely to trigger the revolt mechanic. I also don't own Fatal Push :)

It's probably better than Dismember though, but I like Innocent Blood. It plays along exactly with the early game strategy of the deck. Some decks spend a lot of resources to trick a single fatty into play and to have to sacrifice it is a big setback.

I also cut the 2 soulflayer and am running Oona's Blackguard as a 2 of for now. I like that it creates pseudo hypnotic spectre's.

I'll do some playtesting vs BUG Delver, Elves, UB Reanimator, and MUD this weekend so I'll have a better idea of how things are running.

[tescrin]

I think it's a little crazy that Bloodghast and/or Gravecrawler never found a spot in here. DRS is also fine here; not only because his better half is active, but because T2 contamination saccing him is convenient.

I'd consider Collective Brutality too, as a way to discard the garbage you'll draw when you're online.

[bobomb]

I think it's a little crazy that Bloodghast and/or Gravecrawler never found a spot in here. DRS is also fine here; not only because his better half is active, but because T2 contamination saccing him is convenient.

I'd consider Collective Brutality too, as a way to discard the garbage you'll draw when you're online.

I'd be interested in a list running Gravecrawler. What do you have in mind?