[Legacy] Mono Black

[Whitebeard0o]

https://deckstats.net/decks/216768/2757447-mono-black

DECK STRATEGY
The basic idea was to put my opponent in tough positions from different directions. Sealing the graveyard, disrupting the hand, race against creatures, that can´t be blocked easily and some combo possibilties. In addition i know normaly a lot of my opponents hand through Duress and Thoughtseize.

Aggro: Attacking with Dauthi Voidwalker and Phyrexian Obliterator
Combo 1: Dauthi Voidwalker / Leyline of the Void + Helm of Obedience
Combo 2: SB : Opposition Agent + Maralen of the Mornsong

The Deck feels like doing many different stuff in an OK-way and i need help to smooth it.

CARD EVALUATION
Profane Tutor regulary seeks only for Helm of Obedience to win the game, aren´t three more Helms better?
Cabal Coffers + Castle Locthwain + Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth provide in a top deck situation the possibilty to draw and play every card, but I don´t have any expansive cards. Does it really help?

I need help 

[Whitebeard0o]

With the new Expansion "Brothers War", I get access to Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor. It is for me a more agressive option then the Phyrexian Arena and has a solid body. It interacts fine with the  Dauthi Voidwalker and the trample from the Phyrexian Obliterator. Even so, I removed the Cabal Coffers for Swamps.

 Thinking about that, i should start thinking about Sheoldred 

[Whitebeard0o]

Conclusion after a lot of Games, sometimes Gix is good and sometimes the Arena. So I take both Sholdred is nice but two Obliberator are often more useful. List is updated I´m hoping for some feedback.

Greetings

[eomereolsson]

I agree with you that Profane Tutor doesn't seem like a great card. Especially for a format as fast as legacy it seems really slow. The standard way of assembling the Helm of Obedience combo in my experience is to play a playset Karn, the Great Creator in the main deck and have them get your single helm out of the sideboard. The versatility and power of Karn could serve as a significant upgrade to your decks power level while also being cheaper than buying two more helms for the main deck.

In your mana base I would cut back a bit on your Castle Locthwain. Do you really need a playset of them? Instead I'd include a playset of Wasteland to give you at least some game against Dark Depths (and it's just generally a really good card) and maybe even some man lands like Hive of the Eye Tyrant or Mishra's Factory.

Lastly I'd consider Tourach, Dread Cantor as another threat for your aggro game plan. Protection from white is really good in a format where the best removal spell is Swords to Plowshares and Solitude and Prismatic Ending are close behind. He can come in for two mana if you just need a beater (and will grow if you later cast Thoughtseize or Hymn to Tourach) Or if you topdeck him later in the game you can kick him end get a hymn stapled to a body (that likely then is a 4/3 already).

[Whitebeard0o]

Thank you very much for your input. I updated the list and will give it some tests. First Impressions are, that through the change in the manabase, the Obliberator is harder to cast, if no Dark Ritual or Urborg is near.

[Whitebeard0o]

The actual plan goes without Wasteland. I dont want to cut the Phyrexian Obliberator, so the possibilty to pay BBBB is more useful for my deck.

I tried a version with Wasteland and Sheoldred... funny too 

https://deckstats.net/decks/216768/2852560-mono-black-2

[Whitebeard0o]

New Year, new matches. I have some new ideas for the deck, but i need a little bit help.

Drawing Cards. I have some options

First Questions: Best start move in the deck is playing Leyline of the Void and Dark Ritual together with heavy discard (Hymn to Tourach + Thoughtseize) or a draw-engine. Drawing Cards is good, but do i have the time for preparing it?

Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor = very nice together with Dauthi Voidwalker. Even later with Phyrexian Obliterator nice to play. Besides the synergy, Gix does not do really much. The second ability never comes.

Phyrexian Arena = 1 Card for 1 Life is nice, but normaly the game continiues only a few turns after that. I am not sure if cards like Sign in Blood are a better option. Costs fewer and the Arena gives it worth in comparison only after turn 2 after casting. The games  rarely go in these length.

Black Market Connections goes in the same direction. I tested some Versions, but I am not sure. Normaly I use only two turns for 3 Life to gain a card and the token for ramp. After that, normaly only for another token.

Castle Locthwain = Nice to know, but never used.

Part-Time-Questions:
If the slot for three Mana is so questionable, does it makes more sense just using Liliana of the Veil? Or something like Murderous Rider?

I need some orientation 

Actual version with Sheoldred + Obliterator
https://deckstats.net/decks/216768/2757447-mono-black

Actual Version with Wasteland+Sheoldred
https://deckstats.net/decks/216768/2852560-mono-black-2

Additional Question:
Castle Locthwain has a vacant position in the deck. 99% is it only purpose to make black mana. Wasteland was the first option, but I need the BBBB for the Obliberator. What do you think about:

Hive of the Eye Tyrant - Manland with menace
Creeping Tar Pit - Needs help from Treasure Token, but unbloackable
Mishra’s Factory / Mutavault
Faceless Haven - I only need to switch the Swamps with Snowcovered Swamps

Malakir Rebirth - protecting Key cards + still a Land
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire -
Lake Of The Dead - More Ramp?

[eomereolsson]

I agree with your asessment that Phyrexian Arena is too slow. You are spending three mana and need to untap twice with it to net a single card in advantage. Especially since the printing of Prismatic Ending enchantments pretty much have lost their status as '*hard to interact' permanents in legacy. The same logic of course also applies to Black Market Connection.

Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor has the upsides over Phyrexian Arena of drawing a card the turn it entered the battlefield (if you already have a creature in play that can attack) and himself contributing a 3/3 body to the board. Though that second "upside" also means that he is even more unlikely to stick around as he also can be Lightning Bolt'ed, Swords to Plowshares'd etc.
I think when evaluating that card you can just ignore the second ability as the activation cost is way too high. I can see Gix more than arena, though I am still sceptical about it. Especially as you currently only have Dauthi Voidwalker to play before it and trigger the draw.

Sign in Blood or Night's Whisper I think are reasonable cards to be played maybe as a one or two of. You cannot afford to spend your early turns doing nothing and only want to topdeck them in the late game. Since Sign in Blood has the marginal advantage of being a bad burn spell in addition to its normal card advantage mode, I would prefer that in your non-Wasteland version. However if you are utilizing colorless utility lands (and I absolutely think you should in your mono-color legacy deck), then I'd prefer Night's Whisper as it is easier on your mana.

A buddy of mine plays Castle Locthwain in his mono-black Smallpox deck. A few games he actually did win off its back, but his deck is even more focused on resource denial than yours so it is more likely to go to a long game where it does matter. And even then it only was good in a few games. And in a format with Wasteland, Back to Basics, Price of Progress etc you should really consider if it is even better than a basic Swamp.

Murderous Rider I think is a trap. Sure it is technically a two for one. But the 2/3 lifelink body will oftentimes be irrelevant. And when it isn't you will loose tempo again when it is removed after you have in all likelyhood already lost tempo when you spent three mana to remove a threat your opponent spent less mana on.

Liliana of the Veil is from all the cards you have mentioned my favorite. She is a powerful card that has an immediate impact on the board without needing other cards. In a similar vein Liliana, the Last Hope could also be a consideration.

Dark Confidant is a classic black card advantage engine. True, you also need to untap with it, but at least it also attcks and is a mana cheaper than Phyrexian Arena. And that is a lot in a format as fast as legacy. While your current mana curve maybe seems too high for Bob , he would also be another two-drop creature too make Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor better in your deck.

My previously mentioned pox-buddy also runs two Sedgemoor Witch'es. She is more cute than good. But I thought I'd tell you so you can decide if you want to try her.

Lastly you could also expand a bit on your Karn-package. Of course if you can assemble the combo the game is just over. But when you can't (or your opponent breaks it up) you really only have Liquimetal Coating to get. Possible one-offs to get from the sideboard are:

• specific hate cards like Grafdigger's Cage, Pithing Needle etc
• creatures; Notably Walking Ballista kills creatures with protection from black if that is relevant to your meta
• a land like Darksteel Citadel; This could come especially in handy if you don't have the 5th land to cast and activate Helm of Obedience or if you have powered out Karn through Dark Ritual and just need your next land drop

[Whitebeard0o]

a land like Darksteel Citadel; This could come especially in handy if you don't have the 5th land to cast and activate Helm of Obedience or if you have powered out Karn through Dark Ritual and just need your next land drop

Damn it, so obvious and never considerd  . Realy thanks a lot for this much input. You are big help.

I took your input and some friends of me yesterday to figure out, which changes are worth working out.

Main realization
Adding Darksteel Citadel has the biggest impact. Starting the combo with a lot of more stability.

Matchups where I has to be more agressiv, adding 2-3 Liliana of the Veil and 2-3 Sign in Blood /  Night's Whisper gives more advantage, but here comes the funny part. Starting hands with Dark Ritual + Black Market Connections feels like it gives more value. But in Turn 2-3 I want rather draw Lili or something else. On this point I have to admit, that if I play for fun, I play with Black Market Connections and if I would play in a tournament, I play Lili+Whisper

Adding Sedgemoor Witch is realy fun, if she goes turn 1. Some Damage, some blockers and lifegain + ward. Realy cool. I considerd to make a "light" version of my Deck. We have some rounds, where we play Decklimit=100€. Good option for that.

Playing Bob doesn´t seems to change the main direction of this deck enough. Yeah, he can block and do some damage sometimes, but never in a way I see it as a critical difference. And drawing second Bob / playing second Bob feels weird. Rollercoaster suicide of emotions.

Liliana, the Last Hope feels nice to play (maybe option for light version) but to often i need the hard edict-effect.

I love playing Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, Castle Locthwain or even Cabal Coffers. I love the flavour behind it, but reality comes down. Swamp does the job and makes every Wasteland from an opponent less scarier. On this point I am even consider fetchlands, but I don´t know if it realy pumps up the maths. So first comes first.

Last thoughts, Sheoldred makes the smoothest synnergy in the Deck. Drawing cards in black with little or no lifeloss doesn´t feel right

https://deckstats.net/decks/216768/2882615-mono-black-fun-version

https://deckstats.net/decks/216768/2882618-mono-black-tournament-version

https://deckstats.net/decks/216768/2852560-mono-black-wasteland