Suicide Black Mask

[Kangaxx]

Now that Illusionary Masks is unbanned I figured I'd throw down a deck list that I feel the card has potential in. I chose Sui black becuase of the potential first turn Dark Ritual > Illusionary Mask > Phyrexian Dreadnought on the first turn. Now that Masks is unbanned the Dreadnought combo isn't restricted to being played in just blue decks. Here's a sample list.

Creatures:16
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Nantuko Shade
4 Hunted Horror
4 Dark Confidant

Spells:24
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Dark Ritual
4 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Unmask
4 Diabolic Edict
4 Smother

Lands:20
4 Wasteland
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Ancient Tomb
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Cabal Pit
6 Swamp

SB:
4 Dystopia
4 Pithing Needle
(7) open slots (maybe ones that deal with artifacts such as Pithing Needle. Powder Keg comes to mind.

With Masks now unbanned we now have ways to put into play a 7/7 or 12/12 trample without any drawbacks. This is an untested list but a good starting point where the deck should start at.

Any cool ideas on how to make this archetype competitive feel free to express your thoughts.

EDIT: New Decklist.

// Lands
3 [DDE] Swamp (2)
4 [MPR] Wasteland
3 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 [TE] Ancient Tomb
3 [ZEN] Verdant Catacombs
4 [B] Scrubland

// Creatures
3 [ZEN] Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 [RAV] Dark Confidant
2 [LE] Skinthinner
4 [MI] Phyrexian Dreadnought
2 [DS] Eater of Days

// Spells
4 [FE] Hymn to Tourach (4)
4 [B] Illusionary Mask
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
4 [4E] Dark Ritual
2 [DS] Sword of Light and Shadow
2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
3 [ARE] Enlightened Tutor
2 [MPR] Sign in Blood

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [HOP] Oblivion Ring
SB: 2 [FNM] Seal of Cleansing
SB: 4 [HOP] Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 [M10] Pithing Needle
SB: 2 [AL] Dystopia
SB: 3 [DDD] Faerie Macabre

[Fons]

No Hymn to Tourach or Sinkhole?

[Kangaxx]

No Hymn to Tourach or Sinkhole?

Like I said, this is just a rough list. What do you suggest as an ideal Sui Black Mask list? I made this thread to generate ideas which was my main goal.

[Iare]

My suggestions -4 nantuko shade +4 gatekeeper of malikar -4 edicts +4 hymn to tourach
-2 unmask +2 something or another then test that and see how it goes (I'd use reanimate).

[Kangaxx]

My suggestions -4 nantuko shade +4 gatekeeper of malikar -4 edicts +4 hymn to tourach
-2 unmask +2 something or another then test that and see how it goes (I'd use reanimate).

How does Mask work with Gatekeeper out of curiosity? Can kicker costs still be played? I assume you favor Smother over Edict but is Edict really that horrible?

[Iare]

How does Mask work with Gatekeeper out of curiosity? Can kicker costs still be played? I assume you favor Smother over Edict but is Edict really that horrible?

No you just hardcast gatekeeper with the kicker and it gets rid of something and leaves a stick behind to beat/block with. Edict isnt bad per say but if they have noble heirach and tarmagoyf out guess which one they are gonna sack. If you think you need more than 4 edict effects I would look to the slots I reccomended for reanimate and stick a couple there . I have an unatural love for reanimate for being like swords to plowshares, in the matchups its good its often the best card in the deck though has the potential for being complete and total crap. Another note why the fetchlands they dont seem good without tombstalker and cabal pit isnt very good I wouldn't run anymore than 1.

Edit: Another option for the last couple slots is a couple tutors Beseech the queen will do the trick if you stay monoblack other colors give more options

[Kangaxx]

How do you guys feel about the idea though? I think that it beats the hell out of the Gatekeeper archetype.

[SpoCk0nd0pe]

How do you guys feel about the idea though? I think that it beats the hell out of the Gatekeeper archetype.
The two most abusive cards with illusionary mask are imho Fathom Seer and Skinthinner

[Kangaxx]

The two most abusive cards with illusionary mask are imho Fathom Seer and Skinthinner

Skinthinner seems incredibly good. Might be able to fit it in the nantuko shade slot. How does that sound?

EDIT: Fathom Seer sounds better actually in that slot. Wow what a house that would be. My biggest concern is that it's off color, but who cares right.

[Reckoner]

Do you think that there would be any benefit from adding the Hexmage/Depths combo?

[Kangaxx]

I think that a better list would look something like this.

4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Dark Ritual
4 Hunted Horror
4 Skinthinner
4 Dark Confidant
4 Thoughtseize
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Sinkhole
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir

4 Wasteland
2 Ancient Tomb
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
12 Swamp

That looks a bit better. I'm unsure about including Fathom Seer since it's off color. I think with x4 Wasteland it was dumb for me not to include Sinkhole as well. Gatekeeper and Skinthinner also seem like the perfect suite of creature kill since they're considered both targeted and untargeted creature destruction. But this is probably what I'd start with.

[SpoCk0nd0pe]

If you rely that much on illusionary mask I would add blue for brainstorm/ponder to find it+counterspells to protect it+farthom seer to abuse it further.

[Kangaxx]

If you rely that much on illusionary mask I would add blue for brainstorm/ponder to find it+counterspells to protect it+farthom seer to abuse it further.

I'm pretty sure we'll be able to stay on color for consistency. Just add stuff like Night's Whisper, Sign in Blood, etc.

[Kangaxx]

So I've been testing this deck extensively and I found that the white splash for enlightened tutor made the deck alot better. Here's the current list that I'm testing.

// Lands
3 [DDE] Swamp (2)
4 [MPR] Wasteland
3 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 [TE] Ancient Tomb
3 [ZEN] Verdant Catacombs
4 [B] Scrubland

// Creatures
3 [ZEN] Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 [RAV] Dark Confidant
2 [LE] Skinthinner
4 [MI] Phyrexian Dreadnought
2 [DS] Eater of Days

// Spells
4 [FE] Hymn to Tourach (4)
4 [B] Illusionary Mask
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
4 [4E] Dark Ritual
2 [DS] Sword of Light and Shadow
2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
3 [ARE] Enlightened Tutor
2 [MPR] Sign in Blood

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [HOP] Oblivion Ring
SB: 2 [FNM] Seal of Cleansing
SB: 4 [HOP] Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 [M10] Pithing Needle
SB: 2 [AL] Dystopia
SB: 3 [DDD] Faerie Macabre

This deck plays a toolbox from the SB. One of the coolest cards that I found to work with Mask is Eater of Day and I actually like it better than Hunted Horror.

I know I need to be running StP, but what to cut? I've won half of my games on MWS with this list against tier and I would of won more if it werent for play mistakes.

[Vacrix]

Looks decent. Is there a reason you want to limit it to Mono-B? I think it gets significantly stronger if you ran Stifle and some blue, maybe a more mana denial strategy with Sinkhole, Daze, Spell Pierce, etc. Also, if that strategy works out, maybe Divert to redirect removal away from your fatties.

[Kangaxx]

Looks decent. Is there a reason you want to limit it to Mono-B? I think it gets significantly stronger if you ran Stifle and some blue, maybe a more mana denial strategy with Sinkhole, Daze, Spell Pierce, etc. Also, if that strategy works out, maybe Divert to redirect removal away from your fatties.

Mono-black? As far as I'm aware this deck splashes white, specifically for E. Tutor and a toolbox. :really:

[Kangaxx]

So I've been testing this deck extensively and I found that the white splash for enlightened tutor made the deck alot better. Here's the current list that I'm testing.

// Lands
3 [DDE] Swamp (2)
4 [MPR] Wasteland
3 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 [TE] Ancient Tomb
3 [ZEN] Verdant Catacombs
4 [B] Scrubland

// Creatures
3 [ZEN] Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 [RAV] Dark Confidant
2 [LE] Skinthinner
4 [MI] Phyrexian Dreadnought
2 [DS] Eater of Days

// Spells
4 [FE] Hymn to Tourach (4)
4 [B] Illusionary Mask
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
4 [4E] Dark Ritual
2 [DS] Sword of Light and Shadow
2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
3 [ARE] Enlightened Tutor
2 [MPR] Sign in Blood

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [HOP] Oblivion Ring
SB: 2 [FNM] Seal of Cleansing
SB: 4 [HOP] Relic of Progenitus
SB: 2 [M10] Pithing Needle
SB: 2 [AL] Dystopia
SB: 3 [DDD] Faerie Macabre

This deck plays a toolbox from the SB. One of the coolest cards that I found to work with Mask is Eater of Day and I actually like it better than Hunted Horror.

I know I need to be running StP, but what to cut? I've won half of my games on MWS with this list against tier and I would of won more if it werent for play mistakes.

I guess people aren't awfully interested in the white splash? It's what actually makes the concept work. With E. Tutor I'm able to fetch every combo peice from Masks, to Dreadnought to even Eater of Days. I also feel that the list and idea is solid enough to become competitive and I'm surprised by the lack of interest. Further explanation is needed as to why this thread is being disregarded.

[kinda]

I'd cut skin thinner since it's only good with mask and even then not great...also I'd up the e-tutor count to 4 as finding a mask seems important. Top is better then sign when you have shuffle effects. The abyss plays nice with ur threats and could be a nice tutor target. You are fighting an uphill battle with this one though as a playset of masks is a good chunk of money...

[Kangaxx]

You're right about E. Tutor being an integral part of the deck so upping it to 4 is definitely a valid observation. Skinthinner has actually been decent in testing. I only run x2 and when I have one I usually have a Mask online. It's actually quite solid to be honest and I've never had a situation where it felt unneeded.


Top is better then sign when you have shuffle effects.

I've one upped both ideas. I replaced the Signs with Crucible of Worlds. A fetch target that can be played via Dark Ritual while complimenting the Wasteland and fetches.


The abyss plays nice with ur threats and could be a nice tutor target.

This seems worth testing. Maybe as a one of.


You are fighting an uphill battle with this one though as a playset of masks is a good chunk of money...

An uphill battle I've already won. :wink: I recently purchased x4 Unlimited Illusionary Mask at SCG.com and I should be receiving the package within two weeks. Lucky me, I guess. :smile: