Updating Crypt Rats + Test of Endurance Deck

Hey Community,

I'm looking to update one of my favorite legacy decks but haven't been in the loop for almost 15 years - a lot of new cards and mechanics to sort through. I've done some research, but I'm sure most of you could rattle off some cards that would enhance the deck and fit the strategy.

The general strategy is to build up a solid defense of cheap walls early game, with deck thinning cards like Marsh Flats and Wall of Omens, then play Crypt Rats or Thrashing Wumpus and give it life link and additional survivability to nuke the board and gain large amounts of life.

If I dont win within a few turns by dealing damage, I search the deck for Test of Endurance (auto-win if at 50+ life). When the combo works, it's not uncommon for me to end the game with 100+ life.

Let me know what your thoughts are - looking forward to feedback!


3 Wall of Hope
3 Angelic Wall
4 Wall of Omens
4 Crypt Rats
2 Thrashing Wumpus
2 Felidar Sovereign

2 Basilisk Collar
2 Enlightened Tutor
4 Spirit Link
2 Hero's Resolve
4 Unquestioned Authority
2 Pestilence
2 Test of Endurance

4 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
4 Scrubland
4 Tainted Field
4 Swamp
4 Plains

Fun for casual play but this won’t be competitive. You’re putting together a two card combo that doesn’t win the game, that’s an issue.

You’d be better off playing white weenie with the en-kor life combo. At least there you are always playing aggro then and can threaten a combo out of no where.

Agreed, definitely not winning any tournaments with this one. But it's a hell of a lot of fun in casual settings, especially large multiplayer games where it can slip under the radar until it's too late and I'm getting 20+ points of life per mana spent on crypt rats' ability.

Any thoughts on how to optimize the deck using the existing strategy?

Even for casual play, cut these cards:
-4 Spirit Link
-2 Hero's Resolve
-3 Unquestioned Authority

-3 Wall of Hope
-3 Angelic Wall
-4 Wall of Omens

They are either card disadvantage or don't help advance your gameplan in a meaningful way. Auras and Walls are usually bad. If you're playing multiplayer, keep Wall of Omens. It's at least card parity and deters people from picking on you with the early opportunistic attacks.

Add
+4 Stoneforge Mystic to find your 2 Basilisk Collar, which should be all the lifelink you need once you can find them.
+1 Batterskull, to stall the early game and also because Lifelink.
+1 Sword of Light and Shadow or Sword of Feast and Famine. They're good equipment to find with Stoneforge and they also give your Rats/Wumpus protection from Black so they don't suicide!

For maximum cheese with the Rats/Wumpus combo, play
+4 Obsidian Acolyte for more ways to give your Rats/Wumpus pro-Black. Acolyte also combos with Pestilence (never dies).

Another good creature is Mirran Crusader, which is just a good beatdown threat, carries a Sword well, and is pro-Black.

If you're playing multiplayer, the best way to gain life though is the Extort mechanic. e.g. Blind Obedience. You just gain an obscene amount of life from casting normal spells.

Finally you want some card draw. Maybe Skeletal Scrying or Read the Bones. Maybe Phyrexian Arena, since you have lifegain. Especially in multiplayer, you win by just having more cards.

Thanks for the advice, WTF!

It addresses a lot of the problems I've had with the deck in the past - having too many auras without a rat/wumpus to put it on.

With the addition of all of the pro-black creatures, it gives me the additional win condition of good-old-fashioned 'attacking with creatures' too.

I've always been of the school of thought that I should carry at least 2 copies of a given card in the event that one gets destroyed. Would you specifically recommend only keeping 1 batter skull and 1 sword?

Another card I've been considering adding is Vindicate - do you think there'd be much need for the extra control beyond the obvious 'creature-control' afforded by pestilence/crypt rats/wumpus?