Braids, Lock down.

[Namretaks]

Sup...

I recently won a local Type 2 tournament using a deck I wasn't sure would even work. It surprised the hell out of me and I went undefeated. Well... I lost one game in round one to a life horde millstone deck. I was a total idiot and sacked Braids to himself hoping to draw him again. Land. Land. Land. By this time he's milling me left and right and he's got too many lands for me to even hope of coming back. The next two games I got second and third turn Braids. Suddenly I was very impressed with my deck! Later on, I even beat a very good opposition deck. I realize the pairings were in my favor, since decks like millstone and opposition are both a little slow to unfold. Luckily all the Fires decks got knocked out before I had to play them. Well here's my deck. It's mono black sligh.

4 Blood Pet
4 Maggot Carrier
4 Innocent Blood
4 Mesmeric Fiend
4 Chainer's Edict
3 Cabal Ritual
4 Rancid Earth
2 Phyrexian Arena
2 Lord of the Undead
4 Braids, Cabal Minion
1 Ichorid

4 Cabal Pit
20 Swamps

Sideboard

4 Duress
4 Carrion Rats
2 Decaying soil
1 Cabal Ritual
2 Megrim????
????????????


I love this deck! I've hated opposition so much for so long. I finally found an antithesis and I didn't have to spend an arm and a leg. I would like your thoughts on this deck and a little help with my sideboard, please. Thanks! -Namretaks

 

[Loafing Giant]

...Ichorids that card is amazind and it never dies

you discard it and then get it back super fast

put 3 in the sideboard

heeeeeeheeeee

 

[Loafing Giant]

ditch the carrion rats all together because they blow goat

instead use either BONESARD SLASHER, PUTRID IMP, OR BOTH

they are much better weenies and get better as your grave hits seven

heeeeeeeeeeheeeeeeeeee

 

[Namretaks]

thanx for the responce... I'll take a look at those cards... I didn't want to use any more Ichorids because my deck is sligh format. I could fit one more in the curve though.... Cool, one more Ichorid in my side board. As for the rats... I put those in because I knew I was going up against a lot of decks that get a lot of fuel from the graveyard... such as phsychotog and that nasty white flashback card that gives you two life for every card in the graveyard. You'd hate the life horde decks I've seen made with that damn card. Thanx again for the help. -namretaks

 

[Gizmo]

The card you dont need in this deck is Cabal Ritual.

I think Duress and Nantuko Shade are compulsory.

Im playing this version, which is of similar inspiration:

4 Mesmeric Fiend
4 Ravenous Rats
4 Nantuko Shade
4 Phyrexian Rager
4 Braids, Cabal Minion
3 Ichorid
3 Shambling Swarm

4 Duress
3 Chainer`s Edict
4 Vindicate

1 City Of Brass
4 Caves Of Koilos
4 Tainted Field
14 Swamp

 

[Gizmo]

Good god, if you want to remove the graveyard as a resource at least drop Carrion Rats for Zombie Cannibals - at least then you get to CHOOSE which card to remove AND deal damage.

Carrion Rats are the worst black creature ever printed, pretty much. Certainly worse than Cyclopean Mummy.

 

[Dune Echo]

Gizmo, your deck reminds me of my Mad Watch deck, I'll post it elsewhere.

Gizmo is totally right about Carrion Rats, they are only good if played right before a 2nd turn Standstill. Otherwise, they're no good. Zombie Cannibal is better overall and has more synergy with your card choices.

Loafing Giant has a good idea about PIMP (Putrid Imp), but there are a lot more discard effects out there that might be better. However, it is a Zombie as well.

If you can pull off more discard/sacrifice abilities, Ichorid is definitely a strong card to use. I run four in mine and I love it.

Couple of questions for Namretaks:
Is Lord of the Undead really that helpful with only 4 Zombies (that I count) in your original build?

Also, I wouldn't call your deck mono-black sligh, it's more control than aggro. (Would you agree with that, Gizmo? You're the guy that keeps track of that information best.)

 

[Gizmo]

I think in this he was referring to his mana curve, which runs quite tightly to the Sligh pattern. Not that this is in any way a good thing in this case, I hasten to add.

This deck should have 0 one casting spells, IMHO, because those cards simply arent good enough to warrant inclusion and you wont be winning with quick weenie rushes.

 

[Dune Echo]

Gizmo: There is a guy that plays almost the exact same deck at the shop I have played Type II in. In place of Ragers, he's running Phyrexian Arena and he also runs Gerrard's Verdict. Can you tell me the why's of some of your choices? Thanks. You may want to put this in a PM.

 

[Gizmo]

It sounds a perfectly viable version.

I actually prefer an Arena/Addle engine to either the above listing, or the Arena/Verdict engine... but Arena/Addle cant really support a Braids too well and it becomes a different (and possibly better( deck.