I thought I'd play mono-black for a few weeks. I spent some time looking over the black cards in standard, and remembered how good it felt to play Whip of Erebos and Gray Merchant of Asphodel last year, in the same deck. In addition I looked around at other deck lists for mono-black. While doing so, and talking to a friend about Jeskai Aggro and U/W Heroic as 75 card lists, it seemed to make sense to me to try and make a mono-black that can be Aggro, Heroic, and Devotion in the same match, based largely on draws. I like to side on Aggro, as it's easier to spend your first three turns doing something while digging for an out, and as this is a mono-colored deck, the mana base is fast and "flexible".
Fourteen one drops and no lands that come into play tapped allows for some really early damage, and remember : If you can lead with Bloodsoaked Champion and attack with him turn two, as the likely trade if he dies, or even eats removal on the second turn, its more worth while, as far as I can tell, to keep your cards in your hand, draw out your opponent's cards, while ending the day with two power seems best and can possibly play the tempo into your favor. Tormented Hero might be the most vanilla of your one drops. For one mana you place two power on the board, his heroic ability can be relevant, however small, he is the only one drop that can block. He enter's play tapped and this is more problematic to me now than it was last season. Gnarled Scarhide bonus is that he's not a bad draw late game, his bestow is relevant, even on a Mogis's Marauder turn seven, let's say. Stacking aggression keeps pressure on and if it should land on one of the eight heroic targets in the deck this adds advantage for you. Boon of Erebos is for protection as much as aggression. It helps to push through the Sylvan Caryatid and Courser of Kruphix decks early on and causing enough disruption to swing things into your favor.
I feel that black and red have a void of desirable two drops. As such I tried to skip them rather than play into them. Spiteful Returned is playable, I think, I just felt it was the weakest of the playable cards in my mind so I only tried him out, I never felt good playing him for anything but his bestow, he can be good, I might even come back to him. Bile Blight for early, efficient, removal seems fine I won't go into detail. (Edit: Tenuously Removed. Card: Pain Seer.) Pain Seer can help push you through, but most hopefully, eats removal like it's a contest. Nine times out of ten I feel like he was a distraction turn two so my three drop resolves, hopefully, and if not I draw an extra card. Not Bob, but that's fine.
The three drops are the point that should tie you over to the win or the late game. Grim Haruspex can offer a number of simple puzzles for you and your opponent to play through. Does it eat removal? If morphed: what is it? Can I afford to wait to find out? Does the black deck draw a card? Is it a 3/2? Etc. I love it when I can throw a card out and it makes my opponent scratch there head or question their plays, it won't work on everyone but that's fine, I'm throwing out a threat all the same. Herald of Torment, like the other two seems to read 3BB at the top for me. I really feel that unless you want to bestow something on it, you'll find the 3/3 flyer that drains you each turn won't really go in your swing every game. That said: The evasion is important, bestow is powerful, and devotion can be your end game. The card definitely fits mono-black. My namesake, Agent of the Fates I think is an underplayed card. He's easily answered, fair. Unlike most heroics this card doesn't get better. It doesn't even have an effect on you, per se. Removing a hexproof/indestructible creature is sweet, and perhaps well worth it for that current rarity, At the end of the day he is a 3/2 with deathtouch that you want to target and offer profitable blocks and attacks, he seems like an interaction with you're opponent with power attached. Most importantly, though at a three-of, is Mogis's Marauder the power this offers after you feel like you have lost steam is great, though he doesn't play well if you have four mana and a Tormented Hero in hand, and doesn't really help against the mirror. Most decks aren't playing enough black in the main for you to worry however, even dodging two creatures to get four more damage in can swing a game. I love this card more than I did last year and I can't express how happy I am if I see two in a game with one drops. (Edit: Speculation.) This card seems like a reason to play this deck with the popularity of Hornet Queen, Hornet Nest, and Jeskai Tokens rising. If you can't beat them, don't fight them, right?
At four we have one Whip of Erebos. This deck can't/won't block and is rather painful, on average. Sometimes whip can be great. Old tricks, new ones, and lifelink can turn a game around. Whip it, if you will. That said I don't mind never seeing it in some games. One in the main and one on the side seems fine to me.
Murderous Cut Seems like the best black hard removal for a deck that's running eleven 2/1's eight fetches. Hero's Downfall could be argued, but is played in the side for the best use it has, just like Silence the Believers. Gray Merchant of Asphodel is a butt. It doesn't haven't the lasting value of Siege Rhino, as a 4/5 trampler is short in a supply, but can still give you time. Minimum of a two point drain, and up, cool interaction with Whip of Erebos, and is a 2/4. It can close games or buy you time. I don't like banking on devotion, wrath seems oddly harsher to that strategy now, as compared to earlier. I'll stand by this as a two-of for now.
Adding a six drop. A new challenger appears! Soulflayer! I'm not sure he's great, but I'd like to try him out, the card seems to be full of potential. As the deck stands it's reasonable to see a four costed 4/4 flayer/death touch that adds two black devotion. Not exactly amazing, but good enough to win games, I think.
The land base is eight on color fetches. I can debate the math I have over the math others have, but that the end of the day, as a pilot, I will take %0.5 of "control" for one life. I feel that at eight I can use them as I see fit. Example: I have an opening hand of two fetches a swamp a one drop and two five drops. I lead with the swamp and hope to draw land before doing to the fetch. Same in the reverse. One Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth just on the off chance I have the choice/chance, those key things, to not fetch. Twenty-two lands seems right for me, season to taste.
The side board is under development and evolution. I want it to be an extension of the deck. If I feel I need to be more aggro, I side in Bile Blight, Pharika's Cure, and Mogis's Marauder. More devotion. Whip of Erebos fourth Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Mogis's Marauder, Thoughtseize. Working on the silver bullets and heroic side, (Edit: Tenuously Removed. Card: Empty the Pits) also I'm playing two Empty the Pits for my own enjoyment. I have no opinion at this time on how the card performs for me. I hope to change that someday.
Maybes? I really don't think it's a plan, as the card is low impact on its own, but Gurmag Swiftwing could, possibly, interact well with Soulflayer. I don't know how you get it in the graveyard in this list, I don't know if it's even worth looking at, but a five cost 4/4 with flying, haste, and first strike is very attractive to me right now, at least in my local meta.
I hope this deck list and guide helps to stir the mind and serves as a resource for some. I'm enjoying the deck more than I'd have thought a week ago, however I can't win a game against the Boss Sligh list (At the time, that is): Link Text It's frustrating. Blight doesn't stop the bleeding, no cure, I can't whip the game into shape, and whenever merchant comes around my friend ain't buyin' what he's sellin'. Personal problems. Good luck have fun. -AR
