MB Type 2 Budget Upgrade Help

[Crackdown]

I've been playing a budget deck made by Chris Romeo a little while ago. It's name is Pest-icide and it cost me about $10 to get some of the cards I didn't have. So far, it's been quite playable at the local card shop as long as it doesn't have to play against a bunch of Type 1.5 decks sporting Force of Will.

I replaced the Rend Flesh with Dark Banishing as the article indicated and because I had them left over from Tempest.

Chris Romeo’s
Pest-icide V.2.0

4 Ravenous Rats
4 Ashen-skin Zubera
3 Phyrexian Plaguelord
4 Abyssal Specter
2 Kiku, Night’s Flower
3 Nekrataal

4 Lose Hope
3 Echoing Decay
2 Soulless Revival
4 Dark Banishing
3 Consume Spirit

22 Swamp
2 Stalking Stones

Assuming that it would be possible to add some rares to this deck while keeping it Standard, what choices would really add some zest to it (without totally breaking the bank I might add)?

 

[f-6]

There are some nice options for this one:
Grave pact - Nice extra effect for the CIP and "is put into graveyard" creatures.
Nezumi shortfang - More discard and a kill method later on.
Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker - Bring the rats and Zuberas back for another spin.

However, even though above effects are nice, I am not sure that they will actually make the deck better. It is a very nice deck as it is!

Some more interesting cards are Barter in blood, Eradicate, Hideous Laughter and an old favorite of mine, Mind Slash (combos with Grave pact and Rats/Zuberas). Oh, and Nezumi Bone-Reader as well.

//Fred

 

[Crackdown]

Some more interesting cards are Barter in blood, Eradicate, Hideous Laughter and an old favorite of mine, Mind Slash (combos with Grave pact and Rats/Zuberas). Oh, and Nezumi Bone-Reader as well.

I also looked at Eradicate and Laughter, as well as Nezumi Shortfang. As you stated, though, not sure if they really add to the deck. It's pretty nice for Standard.

I always liked Skittering Horror/Gravedigger in my older budget decks. I'm easy to please.

I'll keep looking at possible replacements for KiKu though. As nice as she is, I'm just not sure she's what I want in this deck.

 

[Limited]

How about replacing Kiku with throat slitters? Will give you creature removal and possible bounce for the ravenous rats.. I don't how often creatures get through, but i can imagine opponents not blocking the zubera; taking one damage over discarding a card..

edit: perhaps oversold cemetery could work?

 

[Crackdown]

How about replacing Kiku with throat slitters? Will give you creature removal and possible bounce for the ravenous rats.. I don't how often creatures get through, but i can imagine opponents not blocking the zubera; taking one damage over discarding a card..

edit: perhaps oversold cemetery could work?

The Throat Slitters are a good idea, but I really like the Nezumi Shortfang x 2 or x 3 in the deck. Eradicate is also an awesome card against Elves. Playtesting so far indicates an ability to empty opponent's hand pretty easily (not tried it against MUC yet) and the Nezumi would be a real advantage.

Of course, Kokusho, the Evening Star is an awesome choice as well since you can recur it with Soulless Revival if it's not removed from play.

 

[Captain Caveman]

(not tried it against MUC yet)

I've played it online a few times. Against creature deck I've done pretty well. However, playing against Mon0-blue control(MUC)is a difficult matchup. Well, I had trouble with Shackles. Once it hit play there wasn't much I could do. It could be me though. I guess you could side in another color or use O.Stones if you wanted to remain mono black. Like I said though, thats just _my_ personal experience you may play it better then I do.