MB Rats for legacy?

[memnarch]

Hand Eaters

Well this is kinda the idea taken from a kamigawa/mirrodin era deck. The idea I had was to leave everything at 2 which does of coarse leave you vulnerable to EE@2 but thats what discards for, also you get a steady supply of creatures. And volrath's stronghold.

land 19

1 volrath's stronghold
1 cabal pit (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=29904)
4 mishra's factory
3 polluted delta
7 swamp
3 chrome mox

creature 26

4 Skull Collector (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=88797)
4 dark confidant
4 ravenous rats
4 mesmeric fiend (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=32211)
4 corrupt court official (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=10595)
2 nezumi shortfang (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=78679)
4 Chittering Rats (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=46096)

spells 18

1 umezawa's jitte
4 dark ritual
4 Chainer's Edict (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=29603)
4 aether vial
3 chrome mox
2 relic of progenitus

sideboard

4 engineered plague
3 leyline of the void
2 pithing needle
2 relic of progenitus
4 thorn of amethyst


I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to pumping the creatures more or using a good evasion technique, or is chainer's edict and discard enough? relic helps keep goyfs weenes kinda like merfolk. I do like nezumi shortfang
because he for sure gets in damage every time when he flips. This isn't so much a tribal deck and infact rats wasn't really a tribal deck it just happened to use a lot of rats although it did use the legendary guys. I just like the idea of being able to keep vial on two its perfect.

[ScatmanX]

Love to see Rats decks around. Though there aren´t many rats in there.
I´ll just pop a thought I had right now. I guess Chrome Mox and Vial are desinergetics. Vial is to drop T1, so you can drop creatureless spells in the next turns, while Chrome Mox actually take that card you want to play off your hand.
If you start with Mox, you´ll want to do some insane plays T1 and T2, so vial will be much much harmed...
And, above everithing, you have Dark Ritual.

I´d suggest you to cut some acceleration, or add some more draw power besided Dark Confidant.

[Roman Candle]

I think Skull Collector/Chittering Rats is the best way to go with this deck.

[memnarch]

OK I had just added some accel after a bit of testing. The way I felt this deck could do its best is by being as explosive as possible to destroy your opponents hand. Also like I was saying it never really was a tribal deck. Maybe it should be called hand eaters lol.

[memnarch]

I think Skull Collector/Chittering Rats is the best way to go with this deck.

!!!

I forgot about that. real nice combo there. I will try skull collector definitely. That would help with more CA too. Should I take out shade for that guy? Or is it overkill? Might be nice to get some 3CC in there counterbalance etc.

[THEchubbymuffin]

This is the Team MKM's list. It does look pretty good. Its the same main deck as Marit played when he got 4th in a MTG salvation tourney.

creature [30]
4 Balthor the Defiled
4 Chittering Rats
3 Crypt Rats
4 Ravenous Rats
4 Shriekmaw
4 Skullsnatcher
4 Street Wraith
3 Throat Slitter

sorcery [4]
4 Cabal Therapy

artifact [7]
4 Aether Vial
3 Umezawa's Jitte

land [19]
16 Swamp
3 Swarmyard

Sideboard:
3 Extirpate
3 Duress
3 Innocent Blood
3 Bitterblossom
3 Pithing Needle

[gamegeek2]

Needs moar Goyf. Goyf would be amazing in this deck. And Maelstrom Pulse and K-Grip come right with it, conveniently.

[memnarch]

what do you think about this with green splash for goyf:

1 volrath's stronghold
3 mishra's factory
2 polluted delta
2 windswept heath
3 bayou
1 forest
5 swamp
2 chrome mox

4 dark confidant
4 mesmeric fiend
4 corrupt court official
4 tarmogoyf
3 bone shredder
2 chittering rats
2 ravenous rats
2 skull collector
1 nezumi shortfang

1 krosan grip
2 sensei's divining top
2 umezawa's jitte
2 dark ritual
4 aether vial
4 maelstorm pulse

edit -1 krosan grip -2 chittering rats -1 chrome mox +3 Bone Shredder +1 swamp

[rufus]

I really like this concept:
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9000&highlight=Rats

[Sek'Kuar]

I like the concept, but it strikes me as a more casual-type deck. This is mainly because swarm-style decks don't usually fare so well in legacy with the exception of goblins.

[rufus]

I like the concept, but it strikes me as a more casual-type deck. This is mainly because swarm-style decks don't usually fare so well in legacy with the exception of goblins.

But aggro-control strategies do do pretty well in a lot of forms.

[Arctic_Slicer]

I remember rat control; that deck was awesome! Though I think that it's probably a bit too slow to be competitive in legacy. If you are going to play I suggest adding Dark Ritual, Hymn to Torach and Thoughtseize so that you can get them playing off the top of their deck sooner giving you the opportunity to establish the vial/rat lock. Also The Rack might make a good win condition in this deck as you will keeping their hand empty.

[memnarch]

Well that first list is more explosive and probably less prone to non-basic land hate. That list has 4 rituals. The second list is an amalgam of sourcers' ideas from this thread splashing green for goyf. I actualy think the green splash might be the way to go, goyf is sick in this deck. and maelstorm pulse is the ultimate board control. I played og thresh with moongoose and won that match up!! I couldn't believe it, I was just doing this as a tier 1.5-2 type of casual deck. Some people were saying cut some accel all-though I agree barfing up an early discard is a great way to go. Both list also have chrome mox wich may be better for this list. Often you just need 2 turn 1. Mesmeric fiend is pretty awesome and a must counter. Having the ability to vial discard is great. Keep in mind chittering rats + skull collector is a pretty sweet lock if they don't have top out, or any kind of draw or cantrip, it still kinda sets em back. So 2 dark rituals which is great for casting and then equiping the same turn, or going bozonkers turn one.

Im sure this deck probably does inherently have problems. I'm guessing it might get plowed by uber control. But its good against combo I know that. For SB I really recommend grave hate, even relic might be good, even for the goyf version.

other cards to consider
swarm yard
cabal therapy
thoughtseize
relic of progenitus
Shriekmaw
Street Wraith
rats:
Nezumi Graverobber (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=78678)
Okiba-Gang Shinobi (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=74576)
Marrow-Gnawer (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=50253)
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=74626)

BC's similar deck "The Rat Pack" creatures:
Bone Shredder (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=12400)
Balthor the Defiled (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=20842)
more rats:
Throat Slitter (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=74108)
Skullsnatcher (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=81983)

also Bone Shredder seems like a particularly awesome card with vial and skull collector. it would also team up great with cabal therapy. I almost want to throw in opposition with this deck discard there hand then tap them out could be brutal. Thats a whole other deck. Oath of Ghouls might be good too especially with grave hate, but can also be disrupted easier and thats a whole new deck idea.