Crypt Rats

Creature — Rat

{X}: Crypt Rats deals X damage to each creature and each player. Spend only black mana on X.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Historic Brawl	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Pauper Duel Commander	Legal
Pauper EDH	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (44)

Zigen on EDH NecroPotentence

1 month ago

OH dont I know it :-D
I do have a few in the deck for countering the life lost, mainly Drain Life and a few functional reprints as well as Exsanguinate for a table effect mixed with Feast of Sanity. so it would play like this.

~~If the Commander is out on the field~~ I make sure that there is a bunch of cards in exile (say half the deck) ie. I would have till the end of my turn to gain life.

I would discard enough cards to feed Skirge Familiar then cast Exsanguinate each opponent would lose 40 life, and I would gain 40x amount of players (Friday it was 3) and since Feast of Sanity is a triggered effect I would be able to distribute 1 point of damage per card discarded to any target giving myself 40 additional life.

~~if the Commander were to be in the graveyard~~ Necrotic Ooze would be in play as well as Skirge Familiar (in or out of the graveyard) I would do the same thing however since the commander is in the graveyard the binding contract is not effected I would draw the cards with out the penalty of losing life from Asmodeus the Archfiends second ability. (correct me if I am wrong on this).. then I would cast Exsanguinate or Drain Life or a functional.

one fall back would be to add in Crypt Rats or Pestilence and have out Darksteel Myr and have Magebane Armor on the Necrotic Ooze for a repeatable effect... this plan would be a last ditch effort.

you know I like playing glass cannons :-D

Apoptosis on All my life

5 months ago

Added the following: Ivory Tower Marauding Blight-Priest Mystic Veil Crypt Rats Glacial Chasm Mortify Starscape Cleric Slaughter Spirit Link Cyclonic Rift Robe of Mirrors Lunar Convocation Void Rend Darkstar Augur Dawn of Hope Damn Farewell Karlov of the Ghost Council Splendor Mare Pestilence Drogskol Reaver

Squee_Spirit_Guide on Mono B control

6 months ago

I do love non-blue control :) I think Dark Ritual would be a good addition, helping you power into your high cmc spells quicker. If you want to attack your opponent's hand Hymn to Tourach and Duress are very strong. No one expects Withering Boon and it can get rid of black creatures. Depending on the kind of creatures you find yourself up against Nekrataal, Crypt Rats, and Pestilence can be very good. Corrupt and Kaervek's Spite are fun finishers late on. Kaervek's Spite may be the most satisfying, all-in way to win in {B}. I'm sure there are better cards out there, but around the kitchen table those are some of my favourites for mono black!

leovolt884_ on Songs of the Damned BGr (2024)

9 months ago

Blood Pet pays for itself, puts itself into the grave, and is an additional mana if sacrificing it on a later turn. Not sure how much the deck needs it, but sac for black then casting Songs of the Damned seems pretty good for Crypt Rats, Consume Spirit, or playing out a cycling creature as a beater as early as possible. Not really sure what to cut if anything is the issue. Deadshot Minotaur doesn't seem great to me because you'll hardly play it as a creature or benefit from its etb? Not sure how consistent getting off its cycle is without playtesting myself so it could be good, but based on just looking at the deck it feels like the least consistent of the 1 mana cyclers you have. It could be a good contender for adding in spore frogs, discard, or other utility main board

DreadKhan on Obosh doubling damage

11 months ago

Any reason you don't use Brash Taunter? It's great with damage based wipes, suddenly your Blasphemous Act family spells also dome an opponent, if you can double that you'll probably eliminate someone.

In a list that has a decent number of creatures that can deal damage you might look into Basilisk Collar, it's good with many of your creatures, similarly Scavenged Brawler can turn a mediocre creature into a real problem. I'll never forget putting those counters onto a Brash Taunter!

It's probably not the best thing you can be doing, but Crypt Rats and similar effects are endless fun. There is also Exocrine, this weird guy can generate a lot of damage if you've got the mana, yet it also will draw you a card and leave a huge creature. Also, what the heck, Thrashing Wumpus exists too, and can Pestilence twice every turn without croaking, which could add up/cripple your opponents' boards. Very good if you've got Whip out obviously!

Do people run a lot of Blue in your meta? I liked Citadel of Pain a bit in a deck like this, normally this is symmetrical, but with your synergy it might play a lot better. I like Citadel in decks that feature a fairly high MV, where you don't want people to be able to bluff by holding up mana.

Since you don't run a ton of lands, maybe Acidic Soil? That could be 3 mana to win on the spot in some games.

Would Descent into Avernus work in here? It'll speed up games, not sure if your deck is usually one of the faster ones in your pod, if so it should help, if you're normally a slower deck then it's probably going to get you killed.

Fires of Mount Doom is a dual purpose card, offering you a way to slow down a Voltron deck, yet also a way to draw cards. I normally wouldn't bother with Impulse draw, but if your deck isn't really into combos then it plays well enough. Another nifty way to get cards in hand that opponents probably can't take advantage of with Obosh out is Wheel of Misfortune, a card I normally don't like. If you can double that damage (or better), then opponents will be very wary of trying to wheel.

HeavenlyAxe on

1 year ago

indieinside, without play testing my immediate thoughts are, not enough ramp/draw...

I'd take out a few creatures, 37 is a lot for some more utility.

In the maybe board specifically...

Adaptive Automaton is good but again you have a lot of creature

Bloodline Pretender only buffs himself not worth imo

Crypt Rats - again if you can give this infect its a great wincon

The other rats are all ok and on theme but if anything can replace a relentless rat...

Lightning Greaves is a great call but i see you have already added it.

Necrogen Communion seems strong and worth an include

Death Denied seems to inefficient. your paying to return them to hand then still have to recast...just use Yawgmoth's Will

My valuation could easily be off since this is 1v1 focused and I am used to building with multiplayer in mind, but that's my thoughts.

HeavenlyAxe on

1 year ago

Hey Indie,

First off I really like the lands you have assembled and the suggestions from SufferFromEDHD are all good.

You are definitely going to want an artifact ramp package.

Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Arcane Signet, Fellwar Stone, Gilded Lotus, Thran Dynamo

Special Mention to Nyx Lotus, it could be good being in mono black. and Jeweled Lotus, pays for your commander for free on turn 1 even.

Sword of the Animist is not bad ramp at all and buffs yours rats

Commander's Plate might be cute.

Liliana of the Dark Realms, makes sure you always get a land drop and could make your swamps tap for four.

Chittering Witch if your playing with more opponents.

Crypt Ghast is sort of ramp, but doubles your swamps. Very good in mono black.

Dauthi Voidwalker is not on theme at all but is just sooo much value in a two cost card I have to recommend it.

God-Eternal Bontu is excellent draw power in the right situation.

Dont forget you can run any number of Relentless Rats

Gray Merchant of Asphodel will heal you up a lot and hurt your opponents

Krav, the Unredeemed is also great card draw.

Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, has card draw, removal, and proliferate all on one card

Deadly Rollick, potentially free removal

Defile, cheap good removal

Thrilling Encore saves you from a board wipe or lets you bring everything back after sacrificing it all to like God-Eternal Bontu

Phyrexian Arena some ok card draw.

Bojuka Bog if you are worried about graveyards

Mutilate, a good board wipe in mono black

Night's Whisper, Read the Bones, Sign in Blood, are a great draw package for mono black

Toxic Deluge a great board wipe for when things need resetting, and you could follow with Thrilling Encore and get it all back

Syphon Mind is great draw if your playing with more players

Victimize - is really really strong, get rid of one weak thing for two of your best things

Yawgmoth's Will - lets you treat your graveyard like your hand for a turn

Lord Skitter, Sewer King makes rats

Marrow-Gnawer - lets you make lots of rats

Infectious Inquiry - good draw and gives poison

Ogre Slumlord - makes rats when your creatures or your opponents creatures die.

Tangled Colony - if your opponent has to block it or it dies to like Blasphemous Act will make you rats

Vraska's Fall removal and poison counter

Drown in Ichor removal and poison

Bontu's Monument all your creatures cost less

Rat Colony can have any number and they buff themselves, and cost less mana than Relentless Rats

Typhoid Rats deathtouch rat opponents wont want to block

Crypt Rats can board wipe but can also win the game if you give it infect, doesnt work with your commander because toxic specifies combat damage but does work if you give it infect and deal damage with it's ability.

Ratcatcher tutors rats, and gives you card advantage

Ashcoat of the Shadow Swarm - buffs your rats and lets you get rats back

Wave of Rats has blitz and reanimates itself

Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni rat that steals opponents stuff

Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion rat that steals opponents stuff

Adaptive Automaton is a rat and buffs rats

Okiba-Gang Shinobi rat makes opponents discard and has ninjutsu

Filth gives all your rats swampwalk pairs well with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Dark Ritual lets your get a head start or some extra mana a turn you need it

Tainted Strike instant speed infect, funny in multiplayer because you can use it on anyone's creatures.

Phyresis Outbreak gives poison and might kill opponents creatures

Feed the Swarm enchantment removal in black

Vat Emergence gets a creature back and proliferates

Spread the Sickness destroys a creatures and proliferates

Pact of the Serpent strong tribal card draw

Living Death swap graveyards with battlefields, great after sacrificing your whole board to draw cards

Skullclamp sack small rats for card draw

Thrumming Stone if you go the Relentless Rats or Rat Colony route

Coat of Arms your rats will be huge

Bolas's Citadel this card is dumb lol, lots of casting power and then you hit Gray Merchant of Asphodel and keep going lol

Icon of Ancestry kinda draw buffs rats...is ok

Contagion Engine proliferate twice each time you activate

Eldrazi Monument gives creatures flying indestructible and +1/+1

Grafted Exoskeleton gives a creature infect, great with Crypt Rats

Sword of Truth and Justice proliferate sword

Bad Moon buff all black creatures, opponents too

Phyresis gives infect again good with Crypt Rats

Greed card draw

Vraska, Betrayal's Sting proliferate planes walker

I know that's a lot but hopefully gave you some ideas to work with!

luizfpa on Skitter Budget Rats

1 year ago

The deck looks good for casual play, though you should consider removing most or all of the Rat Colonies. Since you do not have most of the high-sinergy cards, such as Thrumming Stone, maybe your deck would benefit from more of the utility rats and rats with deathtouch or other form of evasion. For exemple, if I were you, I'd include Tangled Colony as it turns Crypt Rats (already in your deck) into a really uneven boardwipe.

Also, it is important to remember that any shapeshifter with "changeling" is also a rat and there are some good black ones with deathtouch or unblockable.

If you want to up the discard angle, you may include Locust Miser and Nezumi Bone-Reader. This last one goes great together with cards such as Syr Konrad, the Grim. Keeping the oponent's hands in check is a good way to build your boardstate without disruption.

Finally, the deck could benefit of more anthem effects, such as Bad Moon or Coat of Arms, and enchantment removal, such as Debt to the Kami or Bone Shards. Unfortunatelly, black does not have reliable ways for dealing with artifacts.