1. i understand that ghasts' inability to block sucks, but being a relentless attacker, is not the only reason why its ran; it also creates incremental card advantage when you discard it to lili, dredge it in the yard, etc because you don't actually lose any resources when you pitch them...its also more interesting now with cards like collective brutality..i also wouldn't be worried too much about playing them together with a lone nether spirit, they hardly interact with each other..but if you don't wish to run a purely offensive card you might add some more removal or utility..you might wanna try top, deed, another lili,
2. there's no reason not to run abrupt decay when you're splashing green, it improves the miracles matchup..i like a copy of deed in the main if i'm running green..you may experiment with nev's disk if you're looking for a quasi-effect in mono black..
3. here's a list running rotations: http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=13558&d=279780&f=LE i'm not sure about running a full-4 though..
4. if you wish to run deeds in the main, you may want to skip on the diamonds..
5. reanimator decks are probably the ones utilizing it the most lately, i've been seeing a lot of lists run it as a 1 or 2-of..but in pox, i think it has more synergy with the green splash..
6. i also like a singleton worm harvest in loam pox, another card i've being seeing in some lists lately is Vraska the Unseen..
7. 1 or 2 is good in a meta full o' DnT..dread of night is also good against them albeit a little more narrow..
1)I wanted to increase the threat density and Bloodghast do the job pretty well. I think you can get away with playing just 3 copies. One thing I had to do was increase the removal to allow them to get through. Nether Spirit, while it does block just felt undwewhelming.
2)I was playing one Innocent Blood and moved it up to 2x. Not sure a third Lili is needed.
3)Crop Rotation is good as it allows us to find other utility lands. I didnt want to go to deep into the combo and needed slots for other cards...so I just play it as a 1-of.
4) For me I think the Mox Diamonds are what give this deck the edge it needs. With Mox Diamonds you can go turn one Hymn to Tourach or Wasteland into Mox into IOK, or Innocent Blood, sometimes IOK into Sensei's Diving Top, etc...It also helps break the parity of Smallpox by allowing us to play an "extra" land. Its virtually a mana dork that doesnt die to SmallPox. Mox Diamond has also helped me to cast spells through Blood Moon. If you are playing mono-black, the role of Mox Diamond is fulfilled with Dark Ritual. So far I really like them...and of course you can get the land you discarded back with Life From the Loam....
5) So far Collective Brutality has been good. I think I want another, but in the sideboard for the Burn match-up. It plays well with Bloodghast and Life From the Loam.
6) Worm Harvest is a card I go back and forth on, right now I just play with 2x Garruk Relentless in the sideboard. At 5cmc, Harvest is too much to cast.
7) Massacre is a great, I'd add another if DNT/Maverick was heavy in my meta.
Either way, I definitely recommend Sensei's Diving Top and/or Sylvan Library somewhere in the main.
Thank you. I totally missed that. Great point.
As far as reanimate pox goes. There is a Japanese guy who tried out a list. Who top 8'd a 72 man event. Here is the link to the list. http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=13314&d=278162&f=LE
Basically it looks like Pox, but takes out the land destruction for reanimate package. I also like the Thoughtseizes over Inquisitions here simply because it allows you to take away Force of Wills despite the life loss. Necessary to get reanimate/animate dead off. It also allows us to Thoughtseize ourself to get a fatty into the yard.
Personally, my list would play:
+1 Hymn to Tourach, +1 Grim Tutor
-1 Fatty, -1 Diabolic Tutor
Simply because they are cards I already own, Diabolic tutor is fine otherwise. And I have the Hymn to Tourach, but I don't have the last Grave Titan. I don't think it would make a huge difference.
I also like the sideboard where if you're expecting the graveyard hate, you bring Leyline, Helm combo. Probably taking out the white creatures, and a few reanimate spells. Hoping to hard cast the bigger creatures in the long run, while controlling the opponents hand and creatures if you cant find the leyline helm combo.
Seems interesting. I may run it when I have to take my Pox deck apart to play Lands. Yet, I still like my mono-black pox list otherwise. I don't think I am going to take it apart anytime soon.
Legacy
&
Vintage
That's a very interesting list
It's very similar to another mono-black reanimator list from GP Kyoto 2015:
The changes are1 Lake of the Dead
15 Swamp
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Wasteland
1 Ashen Rider
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
2 Grave Titan
1 Griselbrand
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
4 Dark Ritual
4 Entomb
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Reanimate
4 Smallpox
4 Thoughtseize
4 Animate Dead
4 Liliana of the Veil
Side:
2 Engineered Plague
2 Helm of Obedience
3 Innocent Blood
3 Leyline of the Void
2 Pithing Needle
3 Ratchet Bomb
-2 Urborg
-4 Wasteland
+1 Lake of the Dead
+3 Swamp (-2 Land overall)
+1 Grave Titan
+1 Wurmcoi
+4 Collective Brutality
+1 Diabolic Tutor
+2 Duress
-4 Liliana of the Veil
-2 Smallpox
-1 Hymn to Tourach
It's an interesting kind of strategy. Collective Brutality seems like it goes better with the Reanimator plan than Liliana does. I wonder what the BR Reanimator players think of this deck. The only advantage seems to be the ability to hardcast Grave Titans with lake of the dead and I'm not sure that's really worth it. I agree that Diabolic Tutor is probably not good enough (though whether it should be a Grim Tutor or something else entirely I'm not sure).
Legacy
&
Vintage
Hello, been a while since I posted but since you're building on from my list (I'm Teodor Sundberg, in my first list the judge misspelled my lastname to Suntburg) which is based on jredelstein from this forum, I figured I could give some input in how i approached building the current iteration and my problematic match-ups.
1. I always disliked the bloodghast as a value card, I instead have my entomb package as a foucs. If you're going more aggresive I can see them working (and ofc cutting back on entombs) Nether spirit is also one of the best cards vs eldrazi.
2. the Number of innocent blood can be increased but I would not go beyond 3, I wouln't either in the current meta play full 4 lili but 3 is probably for the best.
3. crop rotation is critical and I think 2 is the minimum with the toolbox aspect of being able to get what you need in certain matchups.. I played 0-4 in my time and in my current meta I settled on 2. But if eldrazi continues to be big I would move up to 3 again (it just so bad vs miracles mainly to play the full 4 for the focuses win although it gives a much better game 1 vs burn and storm).
4., 5. I like the inlcusion of mox diamond in theory, but I don't have any real input. Same with collective, seems really good vs burn.
6. Worm harvest a really good card in the deck, it's however not solving any problems with a matchup you're having.
decks boarding in graveyard hate just get more out of it, RIP becomes RIP for the game. I played vraska here instead and I generally recommend her and board her in vs Most non-combo deck as an answer to walkers and being able to win.
7. Massacre is good vs certain starts of DnT but genreally to narrow and Engineered plague usually does more in the long run.
If you have any questions I should have a pile of cards i tried earlier and cards I'm currently trying out more.
The current card I'm trying to use more is contagion to have answer without mana up. Since people currently aren't afraid of me being tapped out.
What i'm afraid of is mostly: storm, Shardless bug and BR reaninmator.
Match-ups I think are good: Miracles, Creature aggro, Delver and Eldrazi.
My current Pox Loam list (updated 22 November 2016)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing
Awesome to get a response, congrats on those tournament placings!
1. I like that Nether Spirit can block, but without Cursed Scroll or The Rack, I feel like there aren't enough treats. I am assuming you rely more on the Dark Depths combo...I see it as an oops I win, but less of something I actively try to accomplish. Idk if thats the right call, but so far Bloodghast has been really good. I saw J. Edelstein run them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPf0vnusXx8 to some success and thought they were a nice edition. Also I don't have that much to Entomb for, usually I'm just grab Life From the Loam.
3. Crop Rotation is good, but I decided to go with the 2nd Innocent Blood instead. I can see going to another Rotation if my meta is more combo heavy for cards like Bojuka Bog, Maze of Ith or just getting Dark Depths combo online more reliably.
4. Mox Diamond and Collective Brutality have been good additions.
6. Yea, idk about Worm Harvest...you prefer Vraska instead of Garruk Relentless?
I might try Contagion aswell, kills Deathrite Shaman which is good against us.
Out of these Shardless is the toughest, they just get so much value with Shardless Agent and Ancestral Visions. Storm is a toss up, but another reason I like 3x Bloodghast, you can disrupt them with Hymns etc, but they build back up pretty fast and just need one turn to go off...What i'm afraid of is mostly: storm, Shardless bug and BR reaninmator.
Are there any matchups where you board out Smallpox completely?
I usually board them out against Burn, Delver and Shardless and bring in the extra Collected Brutality...
I gave up my burn match up.
My two ways to win are combo and after board smallpox + sphere effects.
i board out loams, thoughtseize and some removal vs burn mostly, I can win but I decided not to give any consideration to it.
I never board out smallpox vs delver. Maybe a couple vs pyromancer versions but really, if I get them off lands with a tabernacle they are dead.
Shardless is mostly about my marit lage plan or raven's criming them to death (raven's crime being a virutal 4 copies with 4 entomb). In the raven's crime vs ancestal visions game you win.
I board out 1 smallpox vs people being really aggressive with wasteland as well. mainly DnT.
I can answer some on 1, 3 and 6
1. I rely more on the combo or setting up raven's crime loam and mishra (they can never answer it since they never have a card in hand when you activate it). The most important part about the win is not going for it but that they have to respect it.
3. Crop rotation is also semi wasteland protection, but I understand cutting it.
4. will try to get some mox diamonds in.
6. Vraska is the boss, she's a win con with vindicate attached. Garruk basically has 2 modes in my opinion. Make 2/2 or make 1/1 deathtouch, I tried him and I don't know what he's good against still.
My current Pox Loam list (updated 22 November 2016)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing
Garruk is easier to cast, sometimes his "bolt" is useful...although I really wish he had a +1 ability. I may try Vraska as a 1:1 split. Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver would be awesome, could cast her thru Mox Diamond...but Idk if the slash is worth it...
Do you have any plans to try Collective Brutality?
My current Pox Loam list (updated 22 November 2016)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing
As someone who has tested it, let me assure you that collective brutality is very good. It excels in the shardless bug, storm, and burn matchups, and is passable basically everywhere else except lands and eldrazi. Burn specifically has a lot of difficulty with one copy at .3 modes hitting the stack, and scoops to the second unless you've let them land a sulfuric vortex. Also, if you're on loan pox, a very simple way to up your burn win rate (assuming 3 or more entomb/crop rotation effects) is to find room for one nomad stadium and one scrubland. If you plan on going to a gp, try to have a strong plan vs miracles, storm, eldrazi, lands, D&T, delver variations, and shardless bug, since that seems to be where the meta is heading at the moment.
Great losses often bring only a numb shock. To truly plunge a victim into misery, you must overwhelm him with many small sufferings."
—Ratadrabik of Urborg
I believe you, though my meta is currently with around different 50 players
Is something like this with alot of players owning additional decks.
1 burn player
Few storm (at least 20 players own storm , they just don't play it)
2-3 eldrazi
3+ mud, 12-post and similar.
3 + Maverick
Many (5+) Miracles
Many Delver all different variants
Many land players
Many infect
2-3 Stoneforge decks
2 Merfolk
3 reanimator
2 DnT
1 Elves (we had 2 good elves players a year ago, so we hate it out whenever a bad person picks it up)
1 sneak and show
and alot of other various decks. If i'm going to a GP i will pick up some copies in the sideboard but so far my focus lies in beating Eldrazi more reliably, currently thinking of replacing 1 raven's crime in the sideboard for 1 collective as a start however
My current Pox Loam list (updated 22 November 2016)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing
30 person tourney a couple weeks ago and I ran the list below. Went 2-3, no point in staying for more, beer:30 called, drop.
Report might be a little hazy.
R1: DnT
G1: They mull to 4, concede.
G2: Smallpox early. Factory beats with Nether Spirit trading off little damage. He plays Silver Blade Paladin. Vials in Flickerwisp. He's at 1 I'm at 8. He soulbounds for 10. gg
G3: Dread of Night. Collective Brutality dropping Spirit. Engineered Plaugue. Pretty much ends any tricks. I'm at 21. He can't do much, I make Marit Lage. gg
2-1 | 1-0
R2: Infect (blech)
This is why playing with no Sinkholes feels so weird (wrong) to me.
G1: I Smallpox. He just stomps me after that with flying poison lands and an elf.
G2: Pretty much more of the same. Counters and poison. Never landed a plague. Got Garruk down to nuke a critter. Next turn he just takes out Garruk.
0-2 | 1-1
R3: Goblin Storm
G1: He goes all in and fails. I just Factory and Spirit him for several turns.
G2: Combos for 10 tokens. I collective Brutality for 3 killing a token netting 2 life. Deed for 0. gg
2-0 | 2-1
R4: Eldrazi (the only time I've ever played against Eldrazi)
G1: I take G1 with multiple Factories and Wastelands.
G2: He Relic of Progenitus my grave, casts Oblivion Sower. Kills me with my own stuff. Neat.
G2: Kind of more of the same. I do hold off his creatures more. Stage in play. he casts Oblivion Sower. I joke that my first reveal will be Wasteland. It is.
1-2 | 2-2
R5: Burn (I swear it's like my R5 opp every time)
G1: I eat a lot of his hand. 2 damage back and forth until I end up getting multiple Factories.
G2: Get Tabernacle and Sphere of Resistance in play slows him down. but hurts me too as I can't draw an Urborg. I get Fireblasted an PoP'ed.
G3: I can't take out enough or slow him soon enough and he drops Sulfuric Vortex and Pillar. Weeee Fireblast.
1-2 | 2-3
Maindeck (yes 61)
1 Nether Spirit
3 Liliana of the Veil
1 Collective Brutality
1 Engineered Plague
3 Entomb
3 Hymn to Tourach
1 Innocent Blood
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Raven's Crime
4 Smallpox
1 Thoughtseize
1 Toxic Deluge
2 Crop Rotation
2 Life from the Loam
4 Abrupt Decay
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Barren Moor
4 Bayou
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Cabal Pit
1 Dark Depths
1 Forest
3 Mishra's Factory
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
2 Swamp
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
2 Thespian's Stage
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 Verdant Catacombs
3 Wasteland
1 Wooded Foothills
Sideboard
1 Engineered Plague
1 Choke
1 Dread of Night
1 Extirpate
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Golgari Charm
1 Krosan Grip
2 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Null Rod
1 Pithing Needle
2 Sphere of Resistance
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Trinisphere
Hey folks! I've just switched back to mono black pox after a long period of playing loam pox. I'm super excited, and the deck is performing pretty well, but I have a few struggles.
First of all, my list.
4 thoughtsieze
4 sinkhole
4 hymn to Tourach
4 smallpox
4 Liliana of the veil
4 innocent blood
4 cursed scroll
4 Dark ritual
1 inquisition of kozilek
1 shadow of Doubt
1 pox
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Night of Soul's Betrayal
4 Wasteland
4 mishra's factory
3 urborg, tomb of Yawgmoth
12 swamp
4 Leyline of the void
4 trinisphere
2 Pithing needle
2 engineered plague
1 Perish
1 Toxic Deluge
1 delerium skeins
The fun-ofs are partly because I like them, and partly to be flex slots for adjustment.
I've had fairly good success with this list, beating up on d&t, infect, Delver, and lands in my meta. My problems are Burn and Omnitell.
Against burn I cut deluge, shadow of Doubt, pox, and 2 thoughtsieze for trinisphere and delerium skeins.
Against Omnitell, I cut innocent blood and deluge for the same.
Both decks are able to function from such a low base that I can't prevent them from winning. My only thought was more way to get them hellbent.
Is it worth running dedicated anti burn sideboard tech? Leylines of sanctity or Sun droplet? I've tried spinning darkness, and it helps a little vs Eidolon. I don't currently have access to nether voids. I feel like two of them might do the trick. Any experience with them?
Does surgical extraction help vs Omnitell? I don't have access to chains of mephistopheles either, but I expect they help vs all the cantrips. Any suggestions while I save my pennies?
Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk
Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
Nether void isn't usually my go to vs burn. On average their spells are cheaper and they can potentially play through a nether void more effectively than you can. Trinisphere is fine though. You could run sun droplet but I don't personally find it necessary. Your best bet is honestly being more aggressive and running things like the rack.
Against omnitell your best bet is just making them discard show and tell and hopefully extract it. Pithing needle can be good for sneak attacks if it is that variant. Once you get there it's all about your clock to kill them before they can pull something off.
I have said it before, I'll say it again. Collective brutality is a god-send against burn. The first one sets them back by at least three turns and the second one is borderline lights out. Trinisphere is handy, and upping your clock is also reasonable, spinning darkness and chalice of the void are also both going to give burn fits. Vs omni tell, you want chalice, trinisphere, more discard, surgicals, and the expensive enchantments (namely chains and nether void. Chains they have a huge problem with, nether void is usually lights out unless they're on the emrakul kill. If that's the case you can also consider ensnaring bridge.)
Side note, I feel like 4 cursed scrolls might be a bit much. How's that doing for ya?
Great losses often bring only a numb shock. To truly plunge a victim into misery, you must overwhelm him with many small sufferings."
—Ratadrabik of Urborg
Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
My updated list.
Mainboard:
1 nether spirit
1 black sun's zenith
3 dark ritual
1 entomb
3 hymn to tourach
4 innocent blood
4 inquisition of kozilek
4 sinkhole
4 smallpox
2 toxic deluge
2 nether void
2 cursed scroll
1 crucible of worlds
4 liliana of the veil
4 Mishra's factory
4 Wasteland
1 Bojuka Bog
1 The tabernacle at pendrell vale
10 swamp
4 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Sideboard:
2 Chains of Mephistopheles
2 engineered plague
3 leyline of the void
1 the abyss
1 Crucible of worlds
3 ensnaring bridge
3 pithing needle
-1 sinkhole, + 1 hymn to tourach..
but that's just me..
the singleton entomb feels a bit lackluster too, i think you're better of with a more high-impact card like a tombstalker(a must-answer threat), night of soul's betrayal(gives virtual card advantage by making their 1/1 critters dead draws), or perhaps the 3rd cursed scroll, etc..
and 3 ensnaring bridges seems like a lot, 2 seems fine..use that as a flex spot for cards like trinisphere, etc..
the rest of the list looks good though..
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