Usafmunk

Update from FNM results: 0-2

I took this deck to FNM and only got to play it twice. It was a low turnout so it was only 4 rounds. My second round was a bye so was a default win and my fourth was were someone wanted to drop but did not let the shop know. So I could only play 2 rounds that night, and each one I went 0-2. I knew this deck's weakness was control and round 1 was Grixis removal and round 3 was American control\midrange. I used my side board for Duress in each game, but it was not enough to contend with the removal of the first game and the control\counter of the third. It seems that I will need to change this deck quite a bit in order for it to be able to respond to these types of decks...

I understand what you mean. This deck originally had a few Crypt Ghast when I first started to build it to have more mana ramp options than just Heartless Summoning. I took it out because they were not really effective without a Heartless Summoning in play already. I also had 2 Necropolis Reagent in there which I have always been wanting to put back in to help build threat if I could not get a Heartless Summoning out in the first couple of turns. Maybe I can find a spot for the Necropolis Reagent or maybe something like Lord of the Void to put in there to justify the 4 Heartless Summoning. Either that or maybe go down to 3 like you say and bring one more utility card up to 4.

Sorry but I do not understand what you mean. The only creature that does not really get a benefit from Heartless Summoning is Emancipation Angel and there are only 3 of them. That is is 1/9 of my creatures rather than 1/3.

Also, since I took out Alms Beast, Treasury Thrull is the only Multi-Color I have in the deck. Do you think I should look into Renounce the Guilds?

I hear what your saying about Shrivel. Curse of Death would be a decent card if it was a lower cost, but as it sits now it just would not give enough by the time I could drop it.
One enchantment that I was really looking into was Triumph of Cruelty. Low cost and my ability to bring out creatures fast almost made the cut. The problem was the negative impact on the tempo of the deck. There are many things that I would hope to have in play by turn 3 and it does not take effect until the next turn. I did so want it to work though.

liliana of the veil is always a great choice, but alas, I do not own any. The card is still expensive and will be rotating out in a few weeks so I must leave it out.

Thanks for the suggestions though!

@Ifonly & ciaranhorrex. Again, great points and thanks for the input.
I went with Soul Tithe because of A. It can be used on any non-land permanent and B. It can really slow down the enemy if they decide to pay the cost. Pacifism can only be used on creatures and it does not help with creatures like Guttersnipe, Elite Arcanist, ect... Also, If they do sacrifice the creature, I could get Soul Tithe back and use it again with Treasury Thrull.

That being said, you are both right about Pacifism being the better choice. It will benefit Sphere of Safety as well as Ethereal Armor. If Treasury Thrull was a bigger part of this deck I may still stick with Soul Tithe. I still think Soul Tithe is the better choice for Mid-End Game, but the idea was to replace Angelic Wall and have defense for the early game. Thanks again guys. +1 to both of you.

@ifonly. I hear what you are saying about the Tutor. What would you suggest I take out to make room for it and how many?

I had thought about Ajani's Chosen but if I happen to have 2 Heartless Summoning's out on the field the cat tokens would die as soon as they were made.

So here are the changes I am thinking of making in an I/O format:

I - 4 Pacifism (SB 4 Oblivion Ring)/ O- 4 Angelic Wall
+
I - 3 Emancipation Angel / O - Alms Beast

or

I - 4 Soul Tithe (SB 4 Oblivion Ring) / O - Angelic Wall
+
I - 3 Emancipation Angel / O - Alms Beast

EDIT: Decided on option 2

Yeah, the biggest threat to this deck is control thus the sideboard is focused almost entirely to it. If I was to swap out for Duress, what would you take out for it?

Yet another very useful clarification about the Angelic Walls. I can see many reasons why they are good for this deck in the first few hands, but I did not think of the negative impact they will have if drawn later in the game.

I thought about Banisher Priests or Fiendslayer Paladins for early game but the -1/-1's have a huge negative impact on their usefulness and so do not sync very well with this deck.

I could simply swap out the 4 walls for some Emancipation Angels, a 3/3 is assuredly more useful than a 0/4. The double white is a concern as well as the negative effect on the tempo as stated earlier.

Perhaps I can do some trimming down and include some O-Rings or Pacifism like you said. I really like the idea of using an O-Ring on an early threat and then, when I have built up some defenses, use Emancipation Angel to bring the O-Ring back to be able to use it on something else as the need arises.

Either way I am going to be taking a much closer look at some alternatives. Keep those suggestions coming!

I had tried to build some decks prior to this that focused on Black removal spells and though they work, I seemed to have a lot of problems vs the fast paced Gruul\Jund decks. I found i had to use removal a lot of early creatures when I did not draw any decent creatures of my own which left me open for the bigger creatures they had by turn 4 or 5. I really do love removal spells, but this deck cant have any creatures out until turn 4 unless I have a Heartless Summoning and then I can play one by turn 3.

Since this deck focuses on defense it just seemed like a safer choice. Though I am still kinda new to deck building so I may be way off here. Either way thanks for the input!

I hear what you are both saying and I may keep a sideboard of Emancipation Angel around to give it a shot. The one thing I am concerned of with this route is the effect on the tempo of the deck. Having the ability to play nearly any creature by turn 3 and all creatures by turn 4 and bring a 6/6 down to a 5/5 or 4/4 vs adding an extra turn to give a the creatures a +1/+1 and then possibly needing to play Heartless Summoning yet again to play a 6/8 drop creature. Both scenarios have their pros and cons.

If I were to include the Emancipation Angel what would you suggest I swap it out for?

I did not even think about bouncing Heartless Summoning back to my hand after getting the creatures out. I do like that idea! Though I purposely chose creatures with high stats to so they could stand to take a -1/-1 or even a -2/-2 hit, thus the Desecration Demons and Alms Beasts.

To take your idea into this deck, I could even think about Blood Baron of Vizkopa to complement Angelic Accord and if any Heartless Summonings are in play I could use Solemn Offering to remove and make a 4/4 at the same time.

This does kinda seem risky though. A lot of things need to be in place for those types of combos to work. The way it is set up now seems to be a bit safer to me: Have big enough creatures that a -1/-1 wont matter. I don't know, you've definitely given me some food for thought so thank you :)

As far as the duel land costs, I have the Godless Shrines but not the Isolated Chapels, though I hear they are really dropping in price the closer we get to rotation.

Update: Took out Frontline Medic in favor for Alms Beast

Update: Removed 1 Planes and added 1 Indestructibility

Well Treasury Thrull is a bit expensive for this deck. Corpse Hauler is not a bad card for this format though. I would still hold off on putting it in though as there are 4 Newts in the deck, with 4 Orzohv Charms that can bring them right back as well as 2 chances to bring out Immortal Servitude for 1 and bring any that are in the graveyard along with any Doomed Travelers or Drainpipe Vermin that are in there with him.

Also you have many other choices to sacrifice in the Bubbling Cauldron or Trading Post besides the Festering Newt. Any of the other 1 drops, the vamps that Sorin makes, the goats that Trading Post makes, or rat from Ogre Slumlord. If need be, you can even sacrifice one of the free angles you got from Angelic Accord.

This is very much like a deck I have but with slightly different focus. The inclusion of Angelic Accord really helps with any Bubbling Cauldron build. Take a look a my deck below.

http://www.mtgvault.com/usafmunk/decks/fear-the-salamander/

Yeah I actually put them back in. I left them out originally because I thought I may need something for none creature decks, but they are just too good.

Yes I think you are right on that. What do you think I should swap it out for? do you think I should bump it up to 3 and swap out for Azorius Charm?

Strange I know. I was on the fence for Supreme Verdict but as the cornerstone of the mid-game/endgame is my own creature, I opted to ditch Supreme Verdict. There are so many other individual options out there even without a board-wipe. I don't know, maybe Ill throw a few in the sideboard at least till I can try this deck out at a FNM or something.