Competitive Mono-Black Vampires

Modern ricvieira21

SCORE: 81 | 104 COMMENTS | 76825 VIEWS | IN 48 FOLDERS


Scathain says... #1

It looks a bit high curve to be an aggro deck, its a bit closer to midrange. In particular, Sorin Markov is not an aggro card. You might want to consider Indulgent Aristocrat, at least on the sideboard.

September 24, 2016 12:42 p.m.

ricvieira21 says... #2

First of all thx for your comment Scathain.

I know that Sorin doesn't fit on an aggro deck but he can solve some games when i don't win the game at the beggining. I'm currently looking for a solution to take out Necropolis Regent bcuz, just as Sorin, this card comes up to late in the game and the ability does't rly change the game if i could't win the game until that moment.

Living End looks like the best option for now to end the game... but im looking to keep Sorin.

Indulgent Aristocrat is a good card but you need to sacrifice a creature to activate his ability and i tried that before on this deck and it just doesn't work.

Thx again for the comment and suggestion :)

September 24, 2016 3:55 p.m.

Didgeridooda says... #3

Have you tried to work in some hand disruption? IoK, or Thoughtseize.

September 24, 2016 4:26 p.m.

ricvieira21 says... #4

That's and intresting choice and i never tried to add some hand disruption to the deck. I just don't know if it will make any difference since i will be able to use only 2-3 cards with that effect

Thx for the suggestion and for the upvote Didgeridooda :)

September 24, 2016 5:03 p.m.

Didgeridooda says... #5

No problem. You said this has been a long term project. What hits you the hardest? Hand disruption can help against wipes. Not sure if it is a big deal for you, but seems like one of the things you would want to get rid of.

Hideous End seems like it could be replaced with something like that. 3 cost is inefficient with those restrictions. You already run the more useful downfall.

September 24, 2016 5:20 p.m.

ohmless says... #6

am thinking urborg would be an improvement over piranha marsh. is Voldaren Pariah  Flip on your radar? I also think the idea of adding Whip of Erebos to this deck to offset the life loss from the vampire lacerator. As for equipment how about Nightmare Lash? This deck looks like lots of fun. +1 from me. Sorry if my suggestions aren't very competitive, I mainly play standard and commander.

September 24, 2016 5:26 p.m.

ricvieira21 says... #7

Didgeridooda the biggest problems now are the burn and cancel decks so it would be cool to have something to prevent some of that spells. Izzet decks are a big trouble.

Hideous End is a rly old card and it was included on the original deck that I bought some years ago but im not using it anymore too...shouldn't even be on Sideboard :)

Hi ohmless thx for your comment as I said any suggestion is welcome and I appreciate every comment.

Voldaren Pariah  Flip is too expensive for this and if I used this card as a game-breaking card I would need at least 3 creatures to sacrifice to transform it (what probably wouldn't happen).

Nightmare Lash is a good one and i've been using a similiar artifact to that one for a long time but it doesn't help that much the deck.

Finnaly Whip of Erebos is also a good artifact but I don't think I need life that much and Vampire Lacerator objective is just to pressure the opponent at the beggining of the game and hopefully he will use spend something on him ;)

Thanks for the suggestions guys :)

September 24, 2016 5:58 p.m.

I would have more 4-ofs, maybe 1-2 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, and it's not a vampire but Gray Merchant of Asphodel is just a wonderful reward for going all black.

This is a nice casual modern deck but I feel you are more suited for Commander. You pick a legendary creature to and pick your colours to match it, you get to play high cost spells in a casual environment. Vampires are super cheap and fun in EDH, they aren't low tier either.

September 24, 2016 6:42 p.m.

I don't think that you're being economical with some of your deck space. Rather than running Sorin Markov and other cards that help in the late game, use those those spots to make sure you win early.

Have you considered a red splash? This would give you access to Lightning Bolt and other efficient removal.

I recommend removing Mirri the Cursed. She dies to most removal even after getting her first +1/+1 counter, which is not good for a 4-drop in an aggro deck. I recommend curving out at 4, with the four Nocturnus and two Keepers as the only four drops.

Glad to see someone trying Vampires. I played this deck when most of it was Standard-legal right after the release of Zendikar and it was a blast.

September 24, 2016 7:28 p.m.

MollyMab says... #10

This isn't a very competitive vampires list. Too many 2 to 3 ofs. A 6 mana walker. An enchantment that doesn't synergiese with the game plan. Expensive removal. Come into play tapped lands, etc.

Vampires is very much a deck that needs to curve out well. You need to be able to make a turn 1 2/2, and kinda ride the wave of vampires from there, because your creatures don't actually do a lot.

Have you considered playing Black Red Vampires, as well as access to Lightning Bolt, as removal and burn, you also get access to some more powerful madness plays with Falkenrath Gorger and similar, as well as a second and third set of powerful 1 drop to go with Lacerator. Cards like Olivia's Bloodsworn are evasive bodies who can give haste to let you make threats work, and Stromkirk Condemned is another anthem effect.

September 24, 2016 7:34 p.m.

ricvieira21 says... #11

Hi ducttapedeckbox and LeaPlath. First of all thx for the suggestions and I must say a lot of ppl told me to add some red splash to this deck but i've been using this as mono-black since i started playing with this.

I will create an aggro Black/Red vampires deck but I will not completely change this one just to add red. I will see if I can add some red to this to add some removals too.

I also changed the aggro to midrange because of the mana curve.

Again thx for the suggestions if you guys wanna suggest any red spells to add to this deck I would appreciate. Ty :)

September 25, 2016 4:53 a.m.

NinjaShank56 says... #12

Have you thought about trying Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet? He might be pretty good for this maybe.

September 25, 2016 5:09 a.m.

ricvieira21 says... #13

Hey NinjaShank56. Im thinking about that card and it is actually on my maybeboard, it is one option to trade for Necropolis Regent or Sorin. But just an option for now. Thanks

September 25, 2016 5:16 a.m.

MollyMab says... #14

This isn't midrange either. Like, the issue with vampires is still you really need to curve out hard. Otherwise your creatures are just worse than Goyf, Bob, Rhino, Scooze etc. As a midrange deck your cards don't help with that plan either.

How is a 2/1 that can't block going to help you control the board?

September 25, 2016 6:42 a.m.

ricvieira21 says... #15

So what is this? Any suggestion LeaPlath?

September 25, 2016 7:03 a.m.

MollyMab says... #16

This is a tribal deck that isn't doing any of the tribal stuff well.

What do you think midrange is, no googling.

September 25, 2016 7:16 p.m.

ricvieira21 says... #17

This is an original tribal deck that I modified...if you want to be helpful give me suggestions instead of of saying that.

Also, im looking for something to trade for Bloodchief Ascension, Necropolis Regent and even Sorin. Do you think i should add some red splash? any card suggestions?

This is a prototype for a future competitive deck and everything that you can say to help is welcome.

I know you are a great player and im not looking for conflits I just want improve this deck. Thank you :)

(Midrange is something between aggro and control)

September 26, 2016 7:54 a.m.

MollyMab says... #18

What I'm saying is this is in no way competitive.

Regent is 6 mana, doesn't protect herself in any way, requires you to telegraph it by playing it pre combat, and while the effect is powerful, it isn't good enough to win games when the format is looking to kill you much much earlier then turn 6-8, or at least establish proper board control. Sorin puts them to turn and burns for 2, in a format where turn 6 they should be below 10 and 6 mana for a shock isn't relevant. Bloodchief is a 1 mana card that needs a few turns to set up, and generally by the time it is relevant, it doesn't do much. At best, it is a bad Eidolon of the Great Revel. So unless you want them for EDH (and they are fine or even great in EDH) don't get them.

Like, to be competitive in modern you need to have a plan, be able to race or slow down/negate what the other deck is doing, and be able to execute that plan efficiently every game. A lot of these cards are slow or don't help your game plan, which should be to go face as early and often as possible, with creatures that semi-buff each other or have synergies.

So if I wanted to play mono-black vampires, this would be my "core"

  • 4 Bloodghast
  • 4 Stromkirk Condemned
  • 4 Kalastria Highborn
  • 4 Vampire Nocturnus
  • 4 Vampire Lacerator
  • 2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
  • 4 Mutavault
  • 16-18 swamps and fetches that fetch swamps to shuffle with Nocturnus

From thereAsylum Visitor, Heir of Falkenrath, Voldaren Pariah, Viscera Seer, might all be worth considering. A psudo bob with 3/1 and a relevant type for 2, a 3/2 flyer with relevant type and madness outlet, and a 3/3 flyer for 3 who can utterly fuck with the board state and a 1/1 who gets free scrys off Bloodghast and can trigger highborn might get a look in for other creatures to include.

Spellwise, Victim of Night kills everything relevant, bar some weird bits of tech (Olivia Voldaren out of Jund, Huntmaster of the Fells  Flip out of RUG/Jund), Inquisition of Kozilek is another turn 1 play that lets you snipe combo pieces/threats out of hand, Sign in Blood is refill/reach and stuff.

Then for sideboard, Pariah if it isn't main. Duress/Thoughtsieze and more removal. Heroe's Downfall for example for Nahiri decks that some metas have. Leyline of the Void as a way to beat dredge/gy decks.

That would be a mono-black vampire deck with some midrange elements but is mostly looking to lay down beats and keep the beats going.

If you go Red/Black you have more 1 drops and a more aggro game plan, mixed in with Madness. Gorger/Lacerator/Noble or Neonate on 1. Heir, Bloodghast and condemned on 2. The 4/3 haste on 3 as well as Bloodhall Priest and the Occultist. Bolt, and other burn spells to flurry them dead.

September 26, 2016 8:27 a.m.

ricvieira21 He may be a bit crass but here is trying to help.

September 26, 2016 8:33 a.m.

ricvieira21, when you say you want this deck to be competitive, what do you mean? Do you just want it to be the best Vampire tribal deck it can be, or have the opportunity to win an FNM or do well at a larger event?

I think that at best, Vampires can be something you can occasionally place with at FNM. Beyond that, however, it lacks the utility that other aggressive decks do. Take Merfolk for example - it has multiple 2-drop lords that also give evasion, card draw and control elements built into some of its creatures, and access to other sideboard tech to deal with top decks in the format. That's what makes it so good.

Vampires lack cheap lords - all of them cost 3+ mana to cast, making AEther Vial slow for the deck (though still worth considering). By splashing red, you get access to:

I think that the red splash is your best option to make this deck as strong as it can be. As an additional note, Vampire Hexmage is also possible sideboard tech for dealing with Scooze and Planeswalkers.

September 26, 2016 9:11 a.m.

ricvieira21 says... #21

Thanks a lot man LeaPlath.

ducttapedeckbox I want to improve this deck as much as I can and i want to make it a competitive one so i can use it on some FNMs. Thx for the suggestions too :)

Im working on this deck now and i will try to add some red splash... I will add some Lightning Bolt and Stromkirk Captain

I will think about Olivia Voldaren but idk if I should add Falkenrath Gorger or Stromkirk Condemned to this deck since they both work with madness.

Victim of Night looks like a good option but I was thinking about Dreadbore.

I will also see if I can add Inquisition of Kozilek or some hand disruption, Mutavault looks like a good option too.

Thank you guys! :)

September 26, 2016 9:32 a.m.

MollyMab says... #22

Gorger is a 2/1 for 1, which is a good statline and gives all creatures madness. Condemned lets you ditch lands and have some synergy with gorger.

On top of that, you have Bloodhall Priest, who on its own, is great when madness cast cause of the shock attached and gets better. Asylum Visitor as a 3/1 is good and the ability makes it better. Heir of Falkenrath  Flip transforms into a 3/2 flyer for minimal cost and is an outlet for madness. Olivia's Bloodsworn can be a 1RB haste flyer, as well as making stuff you play that turn be able to attack, which while not over the top relevant, is still relevant. Stromkirk Occultist is another aggressive CA engine. Incorrigible Youths can be played precombat cheaply and still attack.

Olivia is much more midrange card and is best in a Jund shell, not vampires because of her high cost.

Dreadbore is bad because it is sorcery speed. You can't kill stuff at the end of their turn to force a counterspell or react well to their stuff.

Mono-Black is slightly slower but you can do stuff with Bloodghast and saccing for lategame, and is the closer midrange deck. Cards like Bloodghast are also hell for control decks to deal with.

RB is a far more madness based aggro deck, that is about getting hellbent and stuff as early as possible and relying off top of deck for more burn/creatures or discard outlets to filter away bad cards like lands.

September 26, 2016 9:42 a.m.

ricvieira21 says... #23

LeaPlath Do you think there is a way I can mix some red with this without using the madness mechanic?

September 26, 2016 10:05 a.m.

MollyMab says... #24

Not worth it really without IMO

September 26, 2016 10:13 a.m.

I'm just wondering why you wouldn't want madness, helps with Jund, 8-rack, the early play to a lot of control decks, and allows cool plays with vampires.

September 26, 2016 10:19 a.m.

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