[DECK]Lurking Shadow

[Top Deck]

why play this deck? this deck is similar to monoblack pox or symmetrical resource denial decks, but takes advantage of synergy of low life and death's shadow. the deck is very strong against combo decks since it is primarily based on discard and symmetric balance type effects.

with dark ritual, the deck can kill as early as turn 3 or 4 while maintaining sweeper effects. a turn 3 kill would look like:
turn 1: dark ritual + lurking evil
turn 2: activate lurking evil and drop out death's shadow... swing with evil.
turn 3: activate lurking evil a few times until your life is at exactly 1. death's shadow is a 12/12. swing with the team or for style points and/or blockers... berserk death's shadow through.

here's the list:

3x berserk
4x death's shadow
4x lurking evil
4x bloodghast

4x infernal contract
4x sign in blood

3x inquistion of kozlek
4x pox
4x smallpox

4x bayou
1x forest
9x swamp
4x marsh flats
4x verdant catacombs


what made the deck for me was the lurking evil. it offered a few things that the deck lacked before in the past. it gave us a reliable way to go to 1 life quickly to turbo power up death's shadow since you can activate the ability if it is in an enchantment state or creature state. it doesn't lose this ability. it also has evasion from pox and wrath effects and basically can win on it own much like tombstalker.

pox and smallpox keep opponents in line with symmetrical resource loss effects; however, our guys like death's shadow can take tremendous advantage of our lifeloss, and of course sign in blood is a great card draw mechanism or finisher.

[NukeMoose]

Nice deck!

However I don't see Dark Ritual in the decklist but you mention it above.

I would suggest running Thoughtseize over Inquisition since its lifeloss is a very minimal drawback for this deck and it can grab FoW, Emrakul, Natural Order, and other bombs that Inqusition can't.

I would switch out an Infernal Contract for a 4th Thoughtseize.

Sign in Blood should be Night's Whisper, as I'd also suggest Wasteland so the colorless mana helps. Perhaps not a full playset is needed but I'd say at least 2 would definitely make your resource denial strategy stronger.

I'm not sure how often it will come up, but:
Swing with Evil
Swing with Evil, berserk + berserk can be gg

You might want to put in a 4th berserk to try and draw 2 berserks more often.

[Iare]

why play this deck? this deck is similar to monoblack pox or symmetrical resource denial decks, but takes advantage of synergy of low life and death's shadow. the deck is very strong against combo decks since it is primarily based on discard and symmetric balance type effects.

with dark ritual, the deck can kill as early as turn 3 or 4 while maintaining sweeper effects. a turn 3 kill would look like:
turn 1: dark ritual + lurking evil
turn 2: activate lurking evil and drop out death's shadow... swing with evil.
turn 3: activate lurking evil a few times until your life is at exactly 1. death's shadow is a 12/12. swing with the team or for style points and/or blockers... berserk death's shadow through.

here's the list:

3x berserk
4x death's shadow
4x lurking evil
4x bloodghast

4x infernal contract
4x sign in blood

3x inquistion of kozlek
4x pox
4x smallpox

4x bayou
1x forest
9x swamp
4x marsh flats
4x verdant catacombs


what made the deck for me was the lurking evil. it offered a few things that the deck lacked before in the past. it gave us a reliable way to go to 1 life quickly to turbo power up death's shadow since you can activate the ability if it is in an enchantment state or creature state. it doesn't lose this ability. it also has evasion from pox and wrath effects and basically can win on it own much like tombstalker.

pox and smallpox keep opponents in line with symmetrical resource loss effects; however, our guys like death's shadow can take tremendous advantage of our lifeloss, and of course sign in blood is a great card draw mechanism or finisher.

I am kinda wondering how Lurking Evil is better than just blowing your life load quick with other stuff. You are basically a two and a half card combo since you need to have low life in order to win. Hymn to Tourach should be played to help mitigate losing to burn. Why play your list over this:


4x berserk
4x death's shadow

4x Dark Ritual
4x infernal contract
4x sign in blood
4x Thoughtsieze
4x Cabal Therapy
4x Gixian Probe
4x Mental Misstep
4x Hymn To Tourach

4x bayou
1x forest
7x swamp
2x Underground Sea
4x marsh flats
4x verdant catacombs



Still don't think it's really tier one material.

[Greenpoe]

Sign in Blood is bad. Either Bob or Phyrexian Arena is better. Berserk with 12 creatures is bad. What might be decent is throwing all the powerful lifeloss cards together. Bitterblossom, Bob, and Thoughtseize are excellent, and Infernal Contract and Snuff Out are pretty solid, too. Put those in a deck with Death's Shadow and Phyrexian Unlife and perhaps some Vampire Nighthawks to manage your life total (and since Phyrexian Unlife ignores life loss), then you might have a deck. (Of course, Hymns as well.)

[ateu89]

I tried something like this and not succeded, but I never tought about Lurking Evil.

Some cards you cold try:

Rite of Consumption
Mutagenic Growth


Rite of Consumption seems very good with Death's Shadow, when you need some life to continue playing as a plan B or for the main propouse, attack and finish.

[Top Deck]

Lurking evil allows you to control your life loss and get to 1 life quickly since you can activate it whether it is a creature or enchantment. Also it is a threat with evasion and finishes well with or without berserks.

Also yes I forgot to include dark ritual in my list but they are there.

I am kinda wondering how Lurking Evil is better than just blowing your life load quick with other stuff. You are basically a two and a half card combo since you need to have low life in order to win. Hymn to Tourach should be played to help mitigate losing to burn. Why play your list over this:


4x berserk
4x death's shadow

4x Dark Ritual
4x infernal contract
4x sign in blood
4x Thoughtsieze
4x Cabal Therapy
4x Gixian Probe
4x Mental Misstep
4x Hymn To Tourach

4x bayou
1x forest
7x swamp
2x Underground Sea
4x marsh flats
4x verdant catacombs



Still don't think it's really tier one material.