Despoiler of Souls

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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
Legacy Legal
Leviathan Legal
Limited Legal
Modern Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Pioneer Legal
Planechase Legal
Quest Magic Legal
Tiny Leaders Legal
Vanguard Legal
Vintage Legal

Despoiler of Souls

Creature — Horror

Despoiler of Souls can't block.

, Exile two other creature cards from your graveyard: Return Despoiler of Souls from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Red_X on Mono-Black ETB

4 years ago

This would be an example of one of the best midrange decks in Modern right now, Jund: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-jund-46470#paper

A midrange deck wants to have the strongest cards at each point on the mana curve, and wins by having cards that are just better than your opponents. In the case of Jund, your mono red opponent's Monastery Swiftspear gets embarrassed by Tarmagoyf, and Wrenn and Six is a whole lot better than something like Snapcaster Mage from azorious control.

Now, as for changes, I will tell you what I would do, but you can take only some of the suggestions and make the deck your own.

First, remove anything that costs 5 or more mana except possibly Gray Merchant of Asphodel, along with all of your ramp or land search cards like Armillary Sphere and Cabal Stronghold. You want to put on pressure early and destroy your opponent's creatures, and you can't do that if you are spending mana trying to ramp or have big creatures stuck in your hand.

Second, remove all of the artifacts you have left, with the possible exception of Panharmonicon. Panharmonicon is really fun and I would up it to 3 copies if you really want to go all out on the ETB abilities, but just know that it won't be the most competitive. The rest of your artifacts are really only good when you're already winning, and the majority of the time they would be better as another creature or a piece of disruption.

Third, remove some of your weaker creatures. Fourth Bridge Prowler is decent if your local scene has a lot of decks like spirits and bant snowblade where decks have a lot of creatures with one toughness, but it's a lot weaker if your opponent's are playing big creatures or no creatures at all. Burglar Rat and Yarok's Fenlurker are often weaker than Brain Maggot or Kitesail Freebooter since opponent's can choose the weakest card in their hand to give up with your current line up, but with a switch you get to choose what to get rid of (Yes, they get their card back if your creature dies, but they generally have to use a removal spell on a 1/2 creature and don't get to play their card as early as possible, so you end up ahead). If you decide to play a lot of those, Wasteland Strangler can be a cheaper Skinrender and prevent your opponent from getting those cards back when your disruption dies. Quag Vampires is never an impressive card, and Cauldron Haze is really awkward to play because you really want to be using all of your mana each turn to deploy threats, and you very rarely will have 2 mana open, haze in hand, and not want it to be removal or disruption.

Fourth, add more disruption and removal. Cards like Inquisition of Kozilek and Victim of the night will help supplement your creatures ETBs by either being cheaper or at instant speed. Disruption is essential against control and combo decks so that you can get rid of sweepers like Supreme Verdict, win conditions like Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, or their combo spell like ad nauseum. Removal is required to deal with creatures from aggro and midrange, along with big beaters like Primeval Titan in big mana decks (Tron, Amulet Titan, etc.)

Finally, play multiples of the stronger cards, go up to at least 23 lands, and fill out the rest of the deck with meta game cards. Wrench Mind and Despoiler of Souls can be solid against control, Gifted Aetherborn and Nyxathid are good against aggro, and things like Sign in Blood and Pack Rat give the edge in midrange matches. Pick whichever ones best address your local meta/ you like the best, and then you'll use your sideboard to cover other matches.

You'll also want a sideboard if you're actually playing at a local tournament, but start with the main deck first to figure out what you actually need to sideboard for.

A couple of additional resources: For figuring out how many lands: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/brewer-s-minute-how-many-lands. For a more in depth explanation of Mid range decks: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/how-build/how-build-midrange-2017-02-07

Finally, if you're looking for ideas, just google " modern mono-black midrange budget" and you'll find a decent number of options.

I hope this helps.

TheVectornaut on

4 years ago

By using your own spells to kill off a Gray Merchant of Asphodel just to reanimate him, you'll be giving up a ton of card advantage and losing tempo. If you're really interested in abusing the Merchant's ability by getting it to trigger multiple times, I'd consider running blue for bounce effects like Unsummon , or better yet, white for flicker like Cloudshift . You could also set up a Panharmonicon to double the trigger automatically. However, there really isn't any need to do so. The better option is to just invest in the mono-black devotion plan enough that Gray Merchant will kill in one hit. I recommend looking up black devotion lists to get an idea of cards to add. I've had a lot of fun with a devotion zoo deck using 1 drops like Gravecrawler , Gutterbones , and Bloodsoaked Champion with Midnight Oil and Phyrexian Arena to refill. In general, you just want to include the most black mana symbols for the lowest cost (while also bearing card power level in mind). Vampire Nighthawk and Despoiler of Souls are two cards you already have that fit the bill. Some other favorites are Gatekeeper of Malakir , Phyrexian Obliterator , Gifted Aetherborn , Dread Shade , and Geralf's Messenger . These decks can be a little pricey, especially if you include a set of Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx . If you're looking for a more gradual form of life drain, Orzhov lists are a popular way to do so. They run cards more in the vein of Obzedat, Ghost Council , Wall of Limbs , and Kambal, Consul of Allocation . They might also take advantage of lifegain with Ajani's Pridemate , Felidar Sovereign , or the Sanguine Bond / Exquisite Blood combo. One of the reasons these decks are so popular is that they can easily be built on a budget. As a final note, I'd like to point out that you're currently lacking the mana needed for the curve you have. I'd want at least 20 lands here and maybe as many as 25 to avoid constant mana screw. Good luck with your build!

Shadow29870 on Golgari Graverush

5 years ago

For any number of reasons, that didn't come to mind. They exist more-so to cast Narcomoeba , though I was thinking, should I just replace that with Nether Traitor or Despoiler of Souls ?

triproberts12 on Elenda, Mistress of Death

5 years ago

Props for not going easy mode with Edgar Markov.

As for suggestions, the best thing I think you could do to improve this deck is to make it more explosive. The way to do that would be to add free sacrifice outlets, along with creatures that provide you multiple bodies.

For bodies, I would add Hallowed Spiritkeeper, Lightning Coils, Belfry Spirit, Promise of Bunrei, Teysa, Orzhov Scion, Sorin, Lord of Innistrad, Sorin, Solemn Visitor, and Pawn of Ulamog.

For sac outlets, Viscera Seer, Indulgent Aristocrat, Bloodthrone Vampire, Bloodflow Connoisseur, Cartel Aristocrat, Blood Bairn, Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter, Vampire Aristocrat, and Yahenni, Undying Partisan are good vampire options. Sadistic Hypnotist, Dimir House Guard, Spawning Pit, Hidden Stockpile, Mind Slash are also good. What's important is that you can go off all at once. You want to sac a bunch of creatures to grow Elenda and sac her the same turn.

The other challenge you'll want to keep in mind is that Elenda, the Dusk Rose must go to your graveyard to get the trigger. That means If you want to recast her, you'll have to reanimate her or exile her from your graveyard. Bojuka Bog, Relic of Progenitus, Angel of Finality, God-Pharaoh's Gift (and Gate to the Afterlife!), Skeletal Scrying, Rescue from the Underworld, Necromancer's Covenant, Cremate, Seance, Planar Void, Goryo's Vengeance, Postmortem Lunge, Purgatory. Despoiler of Souls, Mistmoon Griffin, Purify the Grave, Offalsnout, Coffin Purge, Drudge Spell, Cryptwailing, Treacherous Vampire, and Consecrate / Consume, Angelic Renewal, Karmic Guide, Reveillark (the prior two being an infinite loop combo), Dread Return, Nim Deathmantle (there are combos with it and Ashnod's Altar, which you also want), Palace Siege, Bloodline Necromancer, Profane Command, Unburial Rites, Faith's Reward, Ever After, Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants, Hell's Caretaker. Apprentice Necromancer, Wake the Dead, Second Sunrise, Infernal Offering, Corpse Dance, Zombify, Resurrection, No Rest for the Wicked, and Footsteps of the Goryo, are all good options.

The final piece of the puzzle is making your sacrifices devastating. Dictate of Erebos, Butcher of Malakir, Grave Pact, Black Market, Harvester of Souls, Midnight Reaper, Grim Haruspex, Zulaport Cutthroat, Open the Graves, Blade of the Bloodchief, Ogre Slumlord, Athreos, God of Passage, and Dark Prophecy will help with that.

Teysa Karlov could also be very good in this deck with all the death triggers. Nothing wrong with good old value creatures like Solemn Simulacrum, either.

You could also use a few tribal things like Kindred Dominance, Konda's Banner, Cover of Darkness, Vampire Nocturnus, Vanquisher's Banner, Path of Ancestry, and Metallic Mimic.

Bad_Wolf on Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper

6 years ago

Hi!

I chose Despoiler of Souls over Scrapheap Scrounger simply because the Despoiler can be Skullclamped. Maybe I should give the Scrounger another look.

I love Stalking Vengeance, but it's just so much Mana! Maybe I could find some room though.

CharonSquared on Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper

6 years ago

Cool deck. I think you'd be happier with Scrapheap Scrounger than Despoiler of Souls. Nether Traitor also makes for good sac fodder.

Mike94 on mono black devotion

6 years ago

Also I would recommend playing Mutavault 4x and 4x Relentless Dead instead of Despoiler of Souls. I would play Bloodghast over Liliana of the Veil, don't get me wrong because you can't go wrong with Lilie but I feel like she doesn't fit in this kinda deck. You want to hit face and finish your opponents of with Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Bloodghast is pretty good at hitting face. You should also find a way of putting 4x Inquisition of Kozilek in the deck, you're mono-black hand disruption is your trade! If you would run Bloodghast, Inquisition and the seize then you can cut back on lands to. Last some cheap extra removal wouldn't hurt like Disfigure or Bile Blight which is really good against token decks.

landofMordor on

6 years ago

Love this jank. I've got a similar build at Devotion to Insanity ($14 Budget), but I used Despoiler of Souls and Vampire Hexmage to literally defeat my own deck so I could make profitable trades using Bone Splinters.

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