based on https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/instant-deck-tech-mono-black-smallpox-zombies-modern
This deck is essentially a zombie based
Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
build that runs
Smallpox
for shenanigans. I wouldn't say that it's better than the current Hogaak decks, but it's definitely different.
quick card by card overview:
Creatures:
One Drops:
Carrion Feeder
x4 - One of the most important cards in the deck being a sac outlet with the ability to get big makes it insanely valuable, with cards like
Undead Augur
for card draw,
Geralf's Messenger
to take it from 2 damage to 4 in a single turn, and
Relentless Dead
which enables some interesting recursion.
Cryptbreaker
x4 - Honestly one of my favorite cards of all times, played it in mono-black zombies back when it was in standard. It's solid card draw since it can activate its tap 3 ability when it comes down, and it can turn dead draws into zombie tokens.
Gravecrawler
x4 - Just an objectively great card putting it in the grave is no issue and it's a consistent threat allowing for a lot of flexibility as a sacrifice and discard option. It can combo with
Undead Augur
and
Carrion Feeder
to make it so you're effectively paying 1 black to draw a card. It also comes in untapped so it works well with
Cryptbreaker
.
Stitcher's Supplier
x 4 - The last, but not least one drop. Probably one of the most important cards in the deck. Puts cards in the grave with startling efficiency for
Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
, great sac option with
Carrion Feeder
and
Smallpox
, and an easy card to grab back with
Relentless Dead
.
Two Drops:
Relentless Dead
x 4 - Another relic from the good ol' mono-black zombies days, and probably one of the best zombies of all times. If it dies or gets sac'd with 2 mana up it goes back to your hand, and you get a
Carrion Feeder
,
Cryptbreaker
, or
Stitcher's Supplier
back on the field allowing you to either bring back your sac outlet, open yourself up to more card draw, or dig into your deck for
Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
. It meets a wide range and offers great synergy with the one drops.
Undead Augur
x 2 - not quite the combo superstar like
Relentless Dead
, but it can refill your hand and combos well with
Carrion Feeder
and
Gravecrawler
. All together a great card, just not so great to need 4 of them.
3 drops:
Geralf's Messenger
x2 - Direct damage, staying ability, and good with
Unearth
. My biggest complaint is it coming in tapped, but with
Carrion Feeder
it can do an immediate 4 damage face which is very nice.
Rotting Regisaur
x2 - it's a 7/6 for 3 in a deck where we don't mind discarding cards, if it had trample or menace it'd be ideal, but sometimes a big body is enough. I am considering replacing it with another old mono-black zombies staple
Diregraf Colossus
for the token synergy with the one drops, and it can get really big from the grave. Either would be good with
Unearth
because they'd effectively cost 1 to play from the grave then.
7 drop:
Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
x4 - Surprise, surprise, a graveyard deck is running
Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
. Reasoning is effectively: great wincon, doesn't care if it's in hand or the grave so no worries about discard, and more or less it's the reason this deck can be viable. If it gets banned I don't know if the deck could survive maybe it tries to sub in
Vengevine
, but it seems like wizards is still avoiding that so long live Hogaak.
I have considered running
Lotleth Troll
, but at the moment green is primarily a splash to deal with graveyard hate post sideboard, so reliably getting a forest turn 2 to cast
Lotleth Troll
isn't likely enough right now to be worthwhile, but if someone would like to tamper around with the deck that's an option.
Instants and sorceries:
1 drop:
Unearth
x4 - A way to play pretty much any creature in this deck except
Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
, you'll rarely if ever cycle, but it works great as a synergy piece to bring back any individual combo piece in the deck,
Geralf's Messenger
for direct damage value, or
Rotting Regisaur
for the big body.
2 drops:
Smallpox
x4 - The deck's namesake, it's land hate to slow down control, a sac outlet for creatures, and a discard you generally don't mind. The deck requires very few lands to run smoothly so sacrificing them really doesn't hurt us like it would other decks.
Assassin's Trophy
x2 - A little contrary to the land hate from
Smallpox
,
Assassin's Trophy
is here for whatever kind of removal you may need including ruining other people's mana fixing by blowing up their lands, but mostly targeting graveyard hate. It's also a card to cast
Force of Vigor
with post sideboard.
Side Board:
Artifact/enchantment hate (i.e. why we splash green):
Force of Vigor
x3,
Nature's Claim
x2, and
Collective Brutality
x3
Early game removal/anti-aggro:
Fatal Push
x2,
Collective Brutality
x3,
Liliana, the Last Hope
x2
Graveyard hate:
Leyline of the Void
x3
