I've been in love with Havengul Lich since it first came out, and the same goes for Heartless Summoning . I was reading Jacob Van Lunen's Heartless Summoning attempt (http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/boab/171), and while everybody likes 5/5 Squadron Hawk s, I'm addicted to combo!

Any comments for what to do post rotation? I'm looking for stuff from the core set that could be interesting. I'm contemplating white for Restoration Angel , green for Roaring Primadox and even staying with black for Disciple of Bolas .

Could be fun to use the primadox to get more uses out of those snapcasters.

One thing I think this deck needs is resilience to graveyard hate ie. card:Grafdigger's Cage. I'd consider running Ancient Grudge and a single forest in the board for the flashback...as if the mana base won't be enough of a mess already.

You don't have nearly enough cards that could be played from your graveyard to warrant using Burning Vengeance , even with the Lich.

You might as well just take it out for Searing Spear or Rewind .

Between the lich, the Snapcaster, Faithless Looting and Forbidden Alchemy you don't think there's enough?

You're probably only going to get 2 or 4 damage out of it in reality. 3-mana Sorcery-speed for 4 damage? Pff.

Fair...2 vengeance out, 2 Searing Spear s in?

Or something. Desperate Ravings , maybe?

My question then is what am I digging for? Desperate Ravings is a good card in the right deck, but that deck is a Burning Vengeance deck in this format so far. How about two Rewind and I cut a Heartless Summoning for a Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker .

More play testing is needed I think, stupid rotation...

I'd probably shy away from Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker . If you even miss just one land-drop, he's turn-9, best-case scenario.

I'm honestly now starting to question what good Heartless Summoning is for you.

Remnants of the combo deck this used to be...

Hrm. Yeah. I could see what was trying to be accomplished. But now, it's simply not doing much of anything.

I'm hoping for something good to abuse it in RTR. But it makes morbid easier to enable with a Snapcaster, flashing back a tragic slip for UB seems strong to me. And Brimstone Volley only gets better when I can kill a creature off first...

Charmbreaker Devils could be interesting with the number of instant and sorceries in this deck. Plus it's a strong way to put people away. Too bad it doesn't have evasion...but I'm sure I have enough removal to punch them through.

What about Flayer of the Hatebound and/or Undying Evil ?

Dreadbore will be a must.

Heartless Summoning seems pointless with so few creatures. You should either drop them, or add more creatures (specifically artifact creatures).

I'm starting to agree. I still like the potential for Tiago on the cheap, or to be able to cast a lich and recur the devil on turn five. I'll keep one and see. It may come out.

This is one of the most unique decks that I have seen in a while. It will take some time for me to find some good suggestions but I promise, I WILL HELP MAKE Havengul Lich PLAYABLE. He just looks to juicy to let him fall from view.

Thanks, it really needs work. As Ive been testing it I've contemplated giving up, but the lich is just so much of a threat that he never sticks. The deck around him needs to stand alone. Take your time I appreciate it.

I think that Chromatic Lantern is must with Havengul Lich . It effectively doubles the amount of value that the Lich has, and can help smooth out your own mana.

Burning Vengeance as a 1-of seems really pointless, and should be cut altogether. You will probably want many more creatures as well.

Some RTR and M13 cards that might be worth it to add: Thoughtflare , Hellhole Flailer , Disciple of Bolas , Blood Crypt , Dreadbore , Steam Vents , Ravenous Rats , Sign in Blood , Slum Reaper , and Vampire Nighthawk . Maybe Heartless Summoning , but you'd have to build around that more than anything else.

If you drop some of your instants and sorceries for a few of the above cards, you can go for a much stronger creature control deck. By continually recurring cards like, Relentless Rats and Slum Reaper you'll be able to keep your opponent from getting threats and having cards. Not to mention these cards also buy time to get out (and keep) Havengul Lich , which should win you the game.

@ UniTheDino

This deck began as a Heartless Summoning deck. It's actually still sleeved IRL 1100 kms away as a heartless Tezzeret deck. Slum Reaper is the kind of creature I could get some value out of, and I plan to throw the shocklands in as soon as I get some.

I think Black Cat will be a nice alternative to Ravenous Rats but I like your thinking. The Nighthawk is good, but I don't know if he quite fits, I may run him if I need some extra defense. I'm probably going to end up firmly control so I may end up cutting the Vexing Devil s.

Would it be better to run Burning Vengeance as a three-of? I really find that recurring burn with the lich is a nice bonus, or would Secrets of the Dead fit better?

If your plan is burn, then yes, the more Burning Vengeance the merrier. Secrets of the Dead might be okay, as a 1 or 2-of, but it really feels like a "win-more" kind of card.

The nice thing about Ravenous Rats over Black Cat , is that it has an ETB effect, meaning you can get value right when you cast it, instead of later. But, if you're on the Heartless Summoning route, Black Cat is far superior.

Also, Vexing Devil is an awesome creature to recur. Big threat, gives your opponent a lose-lose, and on turn one, will always put you 4 life ahead. I'd keep it in, especially if burn is your gameplan.