Everyone wants to build this deck. This is how I plan on making it work. I'll fix the lands once we work out a spell list.
Creatures
One-Drop fodder
Footlight Fiend
and
Hunted Witness
are both one Mana guys with instant upside the moment that they die, making them great fodder for the sac engine.
Gutterbones
has built in recursion, although it can be difficult to get the value since he returns himself to your hand before you can play him. Definitely one of the worse
Bloodsoaked Champion
clones, but worth a few slots.
Two-drop Sac Outlets
Pittiless Pontiff can be a very powerful sac outlet. For one Mana we can turn an exile into a death at instant speed. It's also worth noting that a 2/2 deathtouch indestructible is a POWERFUL entity. It would be good to have a repeatable free sac outlet, but without
Nantuko Husk
in the format, this will have to do.
Fireblade Artist
is a VERY aggressive sac outlet. He himself has haste, and he can throw some fodder through a wall of blockers for two free damage.
Other Two-drops
Tithe Taker
is surprisingly aggro friendly. Two Mana two power is good. Taxing control when they try to counter us or
Settle the Wreckage
is that push we need to sure up that matchup. Against aggro it trades and leaves behind a flier. Plus it makes great fodder since we can sac it twice. I'm sold.
Three-drops
Judith, the Scourge Diva
This is the whole reason to go Mardu. A three Mana anthem with a sacrifice payoff on a stick? She's got some power for sure.
Midnight Reaper
Card draw on an aggressive body. Our life total doesn't matter, we're aggro!
Four-Drops
Demon of Catastrophes
is just a powerful flample creature with a sac outlet. Of course we want to play it.
Eight-Drops? In aggro? Yep
Torgaar, Famine Incarnate
is a BEAST of an arriatocrats payoff. In testing I've gotten this down on turn three! If they are over ten, this drops them down to it and then swings in for seven! Yes it's scary to put all your eggs in one basket, but Torgaar is one hell of a basket. It's also worth noting that it says sacrifice any number of creatures, meaning that you can sac even more than three if you want.
Non-Creature Spells
Bankrupt in Blood
Yes, this is probably too much of a pull back for they payoff. But I'm in the deck for it and I love the art enough that I'm gonna run the one copy.
Costly Plunder
Instant speed means I can do this in response to a guy dying or being exiled. And as always, I can just sac something with upside on death to draw two cards. It's a strong effect. You gotta run some number of it and I think that number should be four.
Revival / revenge
can get back almost anything we sac for just two Mana. Revenge doesn't seem that good, but when it helps, it helps.
Banefire
Sometimes you just gotta burn something out.
Considerations
Teysa Karlov
I want to like her and I may experiment with her some, but she almost wants to be in a more mid-range Abzan token aristocrats strategy instead of this build. Her token buff almost works against
Judith, the Scourge Diva
, and her doubling of death triggers doesn't synergize with Flameblade Artist
Priest of the Forgotten Gods
is a wonderful sac outlet and payoff, but she's just not aggressive enough for this build.
Final Payment
will get a few slots in the side for sure.
