[Deck] Deadguy Ale (B/w Confidant)

I took a unique approach to the deck after playing it for a while. I constructed this version on a few principles:
1.I wanted to limit the number of white cards to resist weakening the manabase, especially since BBB is necessary for Gatekeeper.
2.I wanted to maximize the potential of Dark Ritual. The usual issue with Dark Rit is that it's dead in the mid or late game. In my build, Rit is rarely a dead card. Beyond the obvious benefit you get for explosivity, the equipment, Stoneforge Mystic, Dark Confidant and Shriekmaw all benefit from Dark Ritual by letting you equip/cast Shriekmaw/cast cards drawn off Confidant/activate Volrath's Stronghold. Plus, since you can gain CA from Garza's Assasin, Dark Ritual helps you re-cast him.
3.I wanted creatures that double as removal. Throw together 20 creatures that deal with other creatures, and you've got some seriously strong control over their ability to play creatures. I actually cut the maindeck StP in favor of bears that kill creatures, including targeted (Shriekmaw and Garza's Assasin) sacrifice effects (Gatekeeper) and good ol' Nighthawk, giving me more total creature removal than most builds. I cut the maindeck Vindicate because I usually found myself using it deal with creatures.
No Mother of Runes because the discard often undercuts her usefulness. Plus, she's slow compared to other turn 1 plays (Dark Ritual & Thoughtseize), and turn 2 and after, I'd rather be moving on to Hymn, Confidant or Stoneforge rather than worrying about protecting my creatures.

// Lands
1 [JGC] Bloodstained Mire
7 [6E] Swamp (3)
4 [ON] Polluted Delta
1 [SH] Volrath's Stronghold
1 [LRW] Plains (2)
2 [R] Scrubland
4 [ZEN] Marsh Flats

// Creatures
4 [ZEN] Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 [ZEN] Vampire Nighthawk
4 [RAV] Dark Confidant
4 [REL] Shriekmaw
4 [WWK] Stoneforge Mystic
4 [CS] Garza's Assassin

// Spells
2 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
1 [DS] Sword of Fire and Ice
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
1 [DS] Sword of Light and Shadow
4 [FE] Hymn to Tourach
4 [U] Dark Ritual

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [BRB] Swords to Plowshares
SB: 4 [AL] Dystopia
SB: 4 [JGC] Vindicate
SB: 4 [MBS] Phyrexian Revoker

Overall, I'm not sure if this list is better than a more traditional list, but it's a ton of fun to play. I may cut one of the Jittes for something else.

2 Umezawa's Jitte with 4 Stoneforge Mystics sure are too much. I'd run Swords to Plowshares main, and while I think Garza's Assassin is a nice find and an original card, I'm not convinced it's worth it.

I'm a bit unsure about the Assassin. The Recovercosts hurt more than a bit, and with tripple B its not a cheap creature as well.

also, your Curve is pretty high for using Bob, with 4 Cards at 5 and 10 at 3 Mana, could break your back if you can't win really fast, mainly cause you don't feature top to prevent you from commiting suicide^^



What came on my thought last night was, we win with one, maybe to equipped beater, what about the new black Zenith

Black Sun's Zenith

The curve, at least in relation to Bob, hasn't hurt me much. Nighthawk helps, and I've never been forced to grab a SoLS or Jitte just for the sake of gaining life. My opinion is that if they don't kill Bob, I win off the CA. Since there's so much removal, their creatures have a hard time getting through anyway. Since there's few cards that use white in the build, hitting BBB is pretty easy with Ritual and only one basic plains. As for Garza's Assassin, he's definitely an interesting card. On the positive side, I love his versatility. He's targeted removal that can carry equipment or you can play him and just have him wait around until you need to destroy something. The usefulness of the recover ability is matchup dependent, but it can be a lifesaver in the mid/late-game where you're low on cards in hand and at 9 life with a 5/6 goyf about to swing at you, or a 7/7 Knight of the Reliquary. Still not sure if he's worth it or not, but he's an interesting addition. He competes for the same slot as Gatekeeper, so it's worth consideration.

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Originally Posted by CorpT

This is the list I am currently running. It is basically Deadgy + Goyf. It has been very solid for me in testing and weekly tournaments.

[cards]3 Mother of Runes
4 Dark Confidant
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Serra Avenger
4 Tidehollow Sculler

4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Aether Vial
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Umezawa's Jitte

4 Marsh Flats
2 Verdant Catacombs
2 Windswept Heath
4 Scrubland
2 Bayou
2 Savannah
1 Plains
1 Swamp
4 Wasteland

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Doesn't quite seem 100% Deadguy, but I came back and looked at this list and liked it. Had a few thoughts I wanted to run by you.

How about Pridemage? Makes Vial even more efficient, plus the exalted and the ability to deal with troublesome artifacts/enchantments seems good.

Also thought I'd want to include Hymn. instead of Inquistion/Sculler?

In my mind it looks like this.

4x Bob
4x Goyf
4x Mystic
4x Avenger
3x Pridemage

4x Thoughtseize
4x Hymn
4x StP
4x Vial
1x Jitte
1x SoFaI
1x SoLaS

Manabase is the same as yours but -1 Scrudland, +1 Forest.

Really wanted to try and fit some Tops in there, but wasn't quite sure where I wanted to start or if it was even necessary.

I have been running Bitterblossom along with Vampire Nighthawk recently and although I like them, I have been paying attention to Mirrian Crusader. I think Bitterblossom is the go to card against control once you sneak it in but if I am anticipating a more agro field, would the crusader be a better choice? If so, what would I drop Bitterblossom for? Am I investing too much salt into Bitterblossom? Here is what I am running now but I am also new to the format (not magic though).
4 Dark Confidant
3 Tidehollow Sculler
4 Vampire Nighthawk
3 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Thoughseize
3 Hym to Tourach
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Vindicate
3 Bitterblosom
4 Sinkhole
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Rishadan Port
2 Verdant Catacombs
4 Marshflats
4 Scrubland
4 Wasteland
1 Plains
5 Swamp

It is also possible that I am really jacking this list up as it seems to be more centered against control and open to agro (sinkhole, bitterblosom, etc). Any help would be greatly appreciated since there has always been a special place in my heart for the Black White combination.

I don't know about Bitterblossom in here, man. We already have a lot of stock in killing ourselves as it is.

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Originally Posted by CorpT

Sculler is very good. ...

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When you take their cretures and make them burn Sculler it is almost exactly like another Inquisition that took the removal, only that you pay 2 Mana/ a Vial activation and they 1 instead if 1 Mana and 0. Except that the creature wouldn't come back with Inquisition if the opponent chooses so. When you take their removal it is also like Inquisition. On the other hand it beats and carries equipment. To me the disadvantages were too much. Especially that it gets killed by "collateral damage" like Firespout, Explosives or Qasali Pridemages/ Grips with no other good target.

On a general note, in lists with Vial and Mystic, I recommend playing Epochrasite. It is a great Equipment carrier, has nice synergy with Vial and is a great blocker vs. Aggro and survives Explosives, Deed and Firespout vs. control.

I'm not sure if my B/W deck qualifies as a Deadguy Ale but it uses many similar cards and puts en emphasis on lands destruction and card advantage. I have posted a thread about it on developing competitive but it didnt spark many ideas. This is the deck I have been playing for the past week:


Creatures (18)
2 Mother of Runes
4 Leonin Arbiter
4 Dark Confidant
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Abyssal Persecutor

Spells (18)
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Sinkhole
4 Hymn to Tourach
2 Gerrard's Verdict
4 Vindicate

Artifacts (2)
2 Umezawa's Jitte

Lands (22)
4 Wasteland
4 Scrubland
4 Godless Shrine
4 Tainted Field
6 Swamp

Sideboard (15)
3 Tormod's Crypt
3 Pithing Needle
3 Perish
4 Duress
2 Engineered Plague


Playing two colors and being completely stifle proof feels great. So far the combo matchup is quite good, the aggro matchup is OK but wish I could stabilize quicker against zoo, and the aggro/control matchup is surprisingly good. Notable problems are the lack of first turn plays, opposing Aether Vials, and Wastelocks. Anything running 6+ fetchlands or little to no basic lands usually dislike the deck. Also, opponents seem to never have enough removal to get rid of Percy as most of it is spent on MoR, Bob, and Arbiter.

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Originally Posted by Qweerios

I'm not sure if my B/W deck qualifies as a Deadguy Ale but it uses many similar cards and puts en emphasis on lands destruction and card advantage. I have posted a thread about it on developing competitive but it didnt spark many ideas. This is the deck I have been playing for the past week:

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This is like The Gate with white :)

The only thing I would suggest is to find room for Thoughtseize (or Inquisition of Kozilek), since targeted discard is so good.

Edit: I realized that you don't have uncounterable discard outlets. This could be a problem in the control matchup. Maybe 2x Cabal Therapy?

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Originally Posted by makochman

This is like The Gate with white :)

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I thought the same^^

I would cut the Moms and Gerrards Verdict for TS. Gerrards hits two, but as said above, targeted Discard is really good

I hate to stir up the vindicate pot again but... There has been a lot of show and tell floating around. Is O-Ring a better option if you expect to be looking strait down the barrel of Emrakul? I main deck 1 Karakas, but I cant waste SB spots on more and I really dont want to get crushed by that guy. Thoughts?

The issue with O-Ring is that it's too slow for us to deal with Emrakul. After he's cast they'll have a chance to atk and use his Annihilator. This deck isn't like Enchantress where they can afford to lose 6 permanent before casting O-Ring. I would suggest maybe 3 Duress and 3 Dibolic Edict. Duress helps in the combo MU and against decks like Show and Tell (letting us ping their cheat cards) and then the Edict actually let's you get rid of Emrakul.

Beyond that there's not much you can do.

Forlorn Egoist

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Originally Posted by ForlornEgoist

The issue with O-Ring is that it's too slow for us to deal with Emrakul. After he's cast they'll have a chance to atk and use his Annihilator. This deck isn't like Enchantress where they can afford to lose 6 permanent before casting O-Ring. I would suggest maybe 3 Duress and 3 Dibolic Edict. Duress helps in the combo MU and against decks like Show and Tell (letting us ping their cheat cards) and then the Edict actually let's you get rid of Emrakul.

Beyond that there's not much you can do.

Forlorn Egoist

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They only get the extra turn if they cast Emrakul. Show and Tell puts Emrakul into play. Additionally, you get to put something into play as well.

So you put Oring into play via their show and tell naming Emmy.. thats priceless ;) gotta love it

I would actually remove sinkhole for Thoughtseize. I would much rather be able to remove a spell than get rid of one land.

@Uly: I completely agree with Forlorn Egoist. Sneak and Tell and Hive Mind decks have been very prevalent in my meta for a long time, and Diabolic Edict is our best answer to the huge dudes. If you expect to see it, I'd recommend 3-4 in the board. Oblivion Ring is useless against Sneak Attack, as any semi-savvy player won't drop it until they can get at least one activation, and your land is all gone by the time it's your turn again...

Guys Im having huge problems agains Folks anyone have any SB card really strong to manage this match ?

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Originally Posted by novatinhu

Guys Im having huge problems agains Folks anyone have any SB card really strong to manage this match ?

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Engineered Plague, Thoughtseize, Swords, Dark Confidant, Jitte and SoFaI are not enough?

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Originally Posted by CorpT

Engineered Plague, Thoughtseize, Swords, Dark Confidant, Jitte and SoFaI are not enough?

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E. Plague: only if you put 2 on table and against 8 counters its hard.

Swords: Against 11 counters not make too much diference

Jitte: i have 1 in Deck, Folks runs 3 after SB

SoFaI: the real 1 that makes diference but when you put into game Folks probably will have a massive table than you.

Seize: i run IoK and its good but not win games.