Darksteel Lich

[rawbert]

Hey all! I've been a long time reader and decided to finally start posting and share a deck I've been developing with some friends. This deck has provided me with tons of fun the past few weeks.

I feel like Phylacerty Lich has the potential to be so good. Help is appreciated.

The key is to drop the relic + lich asap and use misstep/fow to protect it.

Lands
4x Underground Sea
4x Polluted Delta
8x Swamp
4x Verdant Catacombs

Creatures
4x Phylacerty Lich
4x Bloodghast
2x Dark Confidant
2x Trinket Mage

Artifacts
4x Darksteel Relic
4x Sensei's

Spells
4x Dark Ritual
4x Mental Misstep
4x Force of Will
4x Brainstorm
4x Thoughtseize


Sideboard is in works now.

[Prkchpsndwiches]

I don't agree with Bloodghast without a sacrifice outlet to take adv of him. I don't think he is a strong enough attacker and he cant block. Also I would play with 4 Dark Confidant. It's like putting only 2 Brainstorms in a deck ;).

I also don't like using Dark Ritual in a non-combo deck. It's just such a dead draw in the mid-late game without something to pump it into. I know your are using it to power out Lich, but don't think it's worth it.

Also I dont know if 8 artifacts is enough to support him consistantly. Vault of Whispers could be good, but it's a REAL bad two-for-one taking out a beefy dude and a land. Darksteel Axe is the other decent option. Other thoughts are Accorder's Shield, Bonesaw, Basilisk Collar. Maybe even Aether Vial?

I also think you need to run some creature removal maindeck. Damnation seems really good with an Indestructible.

Also UB Tezz seems good with darksteel relic. Turn a useless artifact in a 5/5 indestructible of it's own. Swords/Path would two for one on creatures though, but thats why you have counterspell and discard effects.

A mono black variant may be more suitable to the BBB cost.

Just my opinions. I do like that your are trying to use Lich. I just think there may be a better way to abuse him. I'll brew myself and see what I can come up with.

[TheG]

yhea i would run monoblack with Darksteel Axe/Citadel (more lich's targets [citadel depending on manabase]) with the Phyrexian Obliterator too... the problem is avoiding Path/sword/removals.... indestructibility doesn't do very much...

a solution it would be runining chalice but without :2: lands isn't effective and with :b::b::b:/:b: costs doesn't work very well... only Urborg, tomb of y. can save the situation but is legendary

[rawbert]

Thanks for the advice! About to try out Damnantion and Tezz. Also going to work on a mono-black build and see what works best.

[TheG]

i've tryed goldfishing with :0::B: manabase and Lich/Obliterator, and chalice but doesn't works.
chalice blocks duress, thoughtseize, sensei and ritual.. too much important spells for a mono B. i think spalshing for blue or only with missteps and A LOT of drawing we will be fine :D

try also The Abyss and Call to the Grave to decimate opp creatures (yes is a litte bit mana intensive :S )

[Brushwagg]

I've been think of doing something like this for a while. But instead of Darksteel Relic, which does nothing I was thinking of using Darksteel Citadel and Darksteel Axe. At least they do something other then just sit there.

You could also go with Stoneforge Mystic instead of blue. This gives you Sword of protection of your choice.

[entity]

I'd say you should incorporate 4 Darksteel Citadel and several Urborgs (to make the BBB cost easier).
Indestructible artifacts are the way to go, otherwise you might just lose all your efforts to a random EE or something (happended to me...).
Also, adding Chrome Mox accelerates the deck, produces black mana and is an artifact in the bad case you don't have anything indestructible.
And up Confidants to 4. Also - you really need a backup win condition, be it SFM plus Batterskull, Phyrexian Obliterator or whatever. You shouldn't put all the in a single basket.
Overall, i'm interested in how it turns out :)

[Barook]

Why don't you run artifacts like SoFI? They're additional counter targets and provide protection.

[Hanni]

I think the better direction would be to go more artifact aggro based, if you really want to get the most out of the Lich. That means things like Vault Skirge, Flayer Husk, etc.

Basically, you're looking at taking oldschool Suicide Black aggro, still running the equipment and discard, but running artifact creatures instead. The deck doesn't purely need artifact creatures of course, as you can also some regular black creatures and such.

Turn 1 Vault Skirge, turn 2 Dark Ritual into Jitte + equip sounds pretty good. Cranial Plating is another really good equipment spell, and Snuff Out sounds attractive in here as well.

Staying mono black would be the easiest route. If you plan to splash, you need a really good reason to, like Master of Etherium or Tezzeret. You don't need Force of Will, it's going to dilute your strategy. Just stick with Thoughtseize and Hymn to Tourach.

[rawbert]

New List

4x Darksteel Citadel
3x Urbog, Tomb of Yawgmoth
9x Swamp
4x Verdant Catacombs

4x Phylacerty Lich
4x Dark Confidant
4x Phyrexian Obliterator

4x Thoughtseize
4x Go for the Throat
4x Hymn to Tourach
2x Damnation

4x Darksteel Axe
4x Chrome Mox
2x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of Fire and Ice


I tried a Tezz build as well, but I've found this mono black build much more consistant.

Urbog/Darksteel- This mana base has proved to be pretty effective. Along with Mox I've yet to be in a situation where black mana was not available. I've found Citadel to be the best lich counter target as well.

Obliterator - Play testing with him has been excellent. What a wrecking ball.

Damnation has pulled me out of a few tight situations, but I dont if I should MB two.

[Prkchpsndwiches]

Like this list alot better! :)

[rawbert]

Trying a W/B build with stoneforge now. Reports soon.

[Brushwagg]

Looking good. With the Stoneforge Mystics you could cut down on the Darksteel Axes and add in some utility eqiptment also.

[Jay_Gatz]

Has anyone tried out Darksteel Ingot as a lich target/accel?

[Qweerios]

I have recently had success playing Phylactery Lich in a monoblack affinity deck:


Creatures (30)
4 Memnite
2 Ornithopter
4 Signal Pest
4 Arcbound Ravager
4 Vault Skirge
4 Dark Confidant
4 Phylactery Lich
4 Frogmite

Artifacts (14)
3 Mox Opal
3 Springleaf Drum
4 Darksteel Axe
4 Cranial Plating

Lands (16)
4 Darksteel Citadel
4 Vault of Whispers
8 Swamp


It is very fast and fun to play. Since there are 8 equipments in this deck, cheap flyers become pretty powerful.

[rawbert]

Here is the Stoneforge build. This has produced the best results so far.

2x Swamp
1x Plains
4x Scrubland
3x Darksteel Citadel
3x Urbog, Tomb of Yawgmoth

4x Phylacerty Lich
4x Phyrexian Obliterator
4x Dark Confidant
4x Stoneforge Mystic

4x Sensei's
4x Darksteel Axe
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
1x Sword of Feast and Famine

4x Thoughtseize
4x Swords to Plowshares
4x Hymn to Tourach
1x Damnation