MtG: A Black Direct Damage Deck, help needed

[Az-the-Wolf-Boy]

I've been trying to steer my deck into a more direct-damage theme, and the best thing that I can find that seems to work are imps. Now, this deck isn't tournament legal or anything, and its not meant to be, just casual play.

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Mana:
Swamp x20

Monsters:
exclaim The Fallen Apart x3 (low mana cost 4/4 that grows weaker if it takes damage)
mrgreen Soot Imp x4 (1/2 Flying; Whenever a player plays a nonblack spell, that player loses 1 life)
exclaim Cackling Imp x2 (2/2 Flying; "Tap, target player loses 1 life" wink
exclaim Severed Legion x2 (2/2 Fear)
mrgreen Avatar of Woe x1 (6/5 with a mana reduction of "6" if there are 10 or more creatures in all graveyards, collectively. Cannot be blocked except by artifact and black creatures. Also has "Tap, destroy target creature, it cannot be regenerated)
exclaim Maga, Traitor of the Mortals (0/0 with XBB mana cost, its power and toughness appear from X in the form of +1/+1 counters. When it comes into play, target player loses life equal to the number of counters on it)
exclaim Restless Apparition (low mana cost 2/2 with "Pay 3 black/white mana, this creature gains +3/+3 until end of turn)
exclaim Sootfeather Flock (3/2 Flying)
exclaim Netherborn Phalanx (2/4, when it comes into play your opponent loses 1 life for each creature he controls)
exclaim Undercity Shade (1/1 Fear; Pay one black mana to give it +1/+1)
exclaim Infectious Horror (2/2, when it attacks, each opponent loses 2 life)
exclaim Highway Robber (2/2, when it comes into play you gain 2 life and target opponent loses 2 life)
exclaim Squirming Mass (1/1, can't be blocked except by artifact and black creatures)

Magic:
exclaim Howl From Beyond x2 (Target creature gets +X/+0 for one turn, paid in mana plus one.)
exclaim Misery Charm x2 (Target player loses 2 life)
exclaim Dark Banishing x2 (destroy target nonblack creature)
exclaim Swallowing Plague x2 (deal X samage to target creature and gain that much life)
exclaim Disembowl x1 (destroy target nonblack creature)
exclaim Hand of Death x1 (Destroy Target nonblack creature)
exclaim Wretched Banquet x1 (Destroy target creature with the least power in play)
exclaim Soul Reap x1 (Destroy target nongreen creature, its controller loses 3 life if you played another black spell this turn)
exclaim Terror x1 (Destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature.)
mrgreen Plaguewindx1 (Destroy all creatures you don't control. They cannot be regenerated)
exclaim Vicious Hungerx1 (deal 2 damage to target creature, you gain 2 life)
exclaim Dark Suspicions (At the beginning of every turn, your opponent loses life equal to the number of cards he has in his hand, more than you do)
exclaim Unmake (Remove target creature from the game)
exclaim Morbid Hunger (Deal 3 damage to target creature or player, you gain 3 life)
exclaim Soul Feast (Target player loses 4 life and you gain 4 life)
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As you can see there are some old, old cards in there, and some that are brand new. Since its a solid black deck I can take advantage of the rather nasty Soot Imps. But, as with any deck there is room for improvement.

The general theme of the deck is to instantly destroy monsters without doing battle, and to use fear/flying/abilities to cause direct damage. Initially this would have been a red deck, but everyone and their mother has a red direct damage deck, so I wanted to try something different.

If you guys know of any cards that might help the general theme of this deck, post them up for me? My local game shop is sure to have it, no matter how old or new it is.

Thanks a bunch! biggrin heart

[iLL iNTENT]

I'm a big fan of Dash Hopes. It's the only mono black counterspell I know of. They can either accept the loss and counter the card, or if they really really want to keep it, they have to pay 5 life. Not sure how handy it would be with this deck though. You have so much creature kill that counterspells seem a bit redundant. Though, you could use it for a little punishment if they decided to play a card that would throw a wrench into your works.

And direct damage is fun XP My favorite direct damage deck I made was monoblue, utilizing Prodigal Sorcerer and Horseshoe Crab with Psionic Gift.

[Lord Ishka]

It's not damage, but Eradicate is the bees-knees when it comes to creature removal. Check it out. It will rock your world.

[Megiddo]

oh god please reformat your lists

like:

Land:
7x Forest
4x Island
3x Plains

Creatures:
4x Tarmogoyf
4x Baneslayer Angel

Noncreature Spells
4x Swords to Plowshares
4x Megrim

How does this deck work for you? My recommendations would be to add at least 2 swamps, and to cut out a lot of your huge CMC cards. Get more copies of the best cards, instead of 1- and 2-ofs, and try to make the most streamlined deck you can.

Cards you might like: Doom Blade, Tendrils of Corruption

Cards I think you should keep:
Soot Imp
Severed Legion
Avatar of Woe
Maga
Restless Apparition
Squirming Mass

Howl from beyond
Dark Banishing
Swallowing Plague
Wretched Banquet
Terror
Vicious Hunger
Unmake

Some of the rest are ok, but you could benefit from adding in some stronger, harder hitting cards.

Just off the top of my head (and thinking on a budget)
Ashenmoor Gouger (super cheap beater)
Ashling, the Extinguisher (replaces your fallen apart. Same cost to p/t, better effect.)
Black Knight (Solid creature. Really good.)
Shriekmaw (Removal, evasion, AND a 3/2 body? Sign me up.)
Carnophage (?)



I could go on. Look for creatures on the caliber of Black Knight or Ashenmoor rather than on the level of Undercity Shade. As for spells? Drop the sorcery speed removal, replace it with stuff like Terror or Doom Blade, and go to town.

If you have a big budget, there are a lot of other options for a mono-black deck.

[htapocysp]

you might want to add doom blade and creatures with deathtouch like Moonglove Winnower and becuase its pure black add a demons horn which says "Whenever a player casts a black spell, you may gain 1 life." so thats good

[Krooton]

I'd put the soot imps in your side board actually if you play a non black deck they are a waste of space

[Bearorist]

iLL iNTENT

I'm a big fan of Dash Hopes. It's the only mono black counterspell I know of. They can either accept the loss and counter the card, or if they really really want to keep it, they have to pay 5 life. Not sure how handy it would be with this deck though. You have so much creature kill that counterspells seem a bit redundant. Though, you could use it for a little punishment if they decided to play a card that would throw a wrench into your works.

And direct damage is fun XP My favorite direct damage deck I made was monoblue, utilizing Prodigal Sorcerer and Horseshoe Crab with Psionic Gift.

*coughcoughcoughcoughcoughcoughcoughcough*

Also, Dash Hopes is kinda weak because it always gives the opponent what they need more. It's a merciful card, since black direct damage is mostly mid range or inefficient. Red punisher cards are actually good, since the opponent won't like either outcome.

[Megiddo]

Designer Genes

iLL iNTENT

I'm a big fan of Dash Hopes. It's the only mono black counterspell I know of. They can either accept the loss and counter the card, or if they really really want to keep it, they have to pay 5 life. Not sure how handy it would be with this deck though. You have so much creature kill that counterspells seem a bit redundant. Though, you could use it for a little punishment if they decided to play a card that would throw a wrench into your works.

And direct damage is fun XP My favorite direct damage deck I made was monoblue, utilizing Prodigal Sorcerer and Horseshoe Crab with Psionic Gift.

*coughcoughcoughcoughcoughcoughcoughcough*

Also, Dash Hopes is kinda weak because it always gives the opponent what they need more. It's a merciful card, since black direct damage is mostly mid range or inefficient. Red punisher cards are actually good, since the opponent won't like either outcome.

I guess the best thing to call Dash Hopes is win more. Only good if they are already weak, whereas Counterspell helps you if you're behind (or, at the least, maintains the status quo).
It's kind of useful at the end of the game, but i'd rather have a spell I can just play.

[iLL iNTENT]

Designer Genes

iLL iNTENT

I'm a big fan of Dash Hopes. It's the only mono black counterspell I know of. They can either accept the loss and counter the card, or if they really really want to keep it, they have to pay 5 life. Not sure how handy it would be with this deck though. You have so much creature kill that counterspells seem a bit redundant. Though, you could use it for a little punishment if they decided to play a card that would throw a wrench into your works.

And direct damage is fun XP My favorite direct damage deck I made was monoblue, utilizing Prodigal Sorcerer and Horseshoe Crab with Psionic Gift.

*coughcoughcoughcoughcoughcoughcoughcough*

Also, Dash Hopes is kinda weak because it always gives the opponent what they need more. It's a merciful card, since black direct damage is mostly mid range or inefficient. Red punisher cards are actually good, since the opponent won't like either outcome.

Well woulda look at that. Learn something new every day.

Out of all of those I would still prefer Dash Hopes. Most of them are limited by color and the one that isn't is Withering Boon, which only works on summons. Black is loaded with creature kill as it is. Though it'd be handy for getting rid of creatures that have build in protection from the kill cards.

Strong as red punishment may be, he's building a monoblack deck. You're right though, regardless, there are probably better that one could use in its place. However that doesn't make me love it any less. They're free to do what ever but Dash Hopes will still have a home in my Orzhov deck.

[Az-the-Wolf-Boy]

Krooton

I'd put the soot imps in your side board actually if you play a non black deck they are a waste of space

The deck is solid black.

[TheTrueShado]

Just off the top of my head...

Onyx Goblet
Tendrils of Corruption (Creature kill only)
Corrupt
Consume Spirit
Snake Cult Initiation (Always fun when you're running evasion ninja )
Bad Moon (?)

I'm sure there're others I'm forgetting, but those are the base suggestions.

[Az-the-Wolf-Boy]

TheTrueShado

Just off the top of my head...

Onyx Goblet
Tendrils of Corruption (Creature kill only)
Corrupt
Consume Spirit
Snake Cult Initiation (Always fun when you're running evasion ninja )
Bad Moon (?)

I'm sure there're others I'm forgetting, but those are the base suggestions.

*picks up a few onyx goblets* eek

[Zeddicuus]

Az-the-Wolf-Boy

Krooton

I'd put the soot imps in your side board actually if you play a non black deck they are a waste of space

The deck is solid black.

I do believe Krooton meant if the OP was playing against a black deck. Having them in your deck when you're playing against a black deck is rather pointless, so I would have them in the sideboard.

Deck looks alright otherwise for Casual silliness though.

[Az-the-Wolf-Boy]

Zeddicuus

Az-the-Wolf-Boy

Krooton

I'd put the soot imps in your side board actually if you play a non black deck they are a waste of space

The deck is solid black.

I do believe Krooton meant if the OP was playing against a black deck. Having them in your deck when you're playing against a black deck is rather pointless, so I would have them in the sideboard.

Deck looks alright otherwise for Casual silliness though.

Thanks. I liek silliness. heart