E Tu, Bontu? (Budget Mono-Black Aggro)

Standard Phenn

SCORE: 6 | 4 COMMENTS | 1554 VIEWS | IN 2 FOLDERS

2-2 FNM —Sept. 1, 2017

0-2 v Temur Energy

My first match with the deck into strong meta builds, and it did alright all things considered. I was reminded that the only point of health that matters is the last one. Lost both games with my opponent low enough to kill next turn, but didn't have the removal necessary to deal with his creatures. Bontu's Monument did massive work both games.

Big lesson from the match was one I anticipated: this deck needs better and faster removal. Harsh Scrutiny is good, but slow, and forces you to spend mana proactively hoping to hate out a potential threat. I'll probably end up putting in the full playset of Fatal Push.

1-2 v Gearhulk Reanimator

First game was over pretty fast because my opponent got mana screwed and I managed to get out three Bone Picker on turn 4. Games two and three lasted longer, and I had the same race going that I had versus Temur energy, but couldn't do anything once they got God-Pharaoh's Gift out. The Gearhulks just kept coming.

I made the mistake of keeping Wretched Camel in my deck for games two and three, even though I knew what he was running. Between that and Harsh Scrutiny, I just helped him win faster. I should have sided in Noxious Gearhulk, but didn't think to.

This was a matchup that Ruin Rat would have been huge in. It's potentially going in for Doomed Dissenter (see below) after tonight.

2-0 v RG Pummeler

My opponent was running the budget version of the Pummeler deck, so no Rhonas the Indomitable or Glorybringer to worry about. Even still, it turned into a beat down race trading blows all the way to the end.

If I had better removal, the games would have ended far sooner. Into creature decks, the discard mechanics in this deck worked well and kept things even.

2-0 v RB Scarab Nest

The hand hate really shone in this matchup. the Camels and Harsh Scrutiny came through big in screwing with my opponent's opening plays. They were running big monsters, with few midrange creatures. So the games were over before my opponent could really get anything out on the field that was threatening.

Yahenni, Undying Partisan got huge in the second game (an 8/8) due to my Menace creatures being blocked by all the scarab tokens.

Lessons Learned

1. Deathtouch is very powerful, as is the threat of an opponent having to discard a card. But my opponents were far more willing to take the hit than I anticipated. Once my opponents learned what I was trying to do with the deck, they weren't blocking my attacks.

2. Doomed Dissenter just doesn't jive well in the deck. The synergy with Plague Belcher is awesome without a doubt. But Dissenter just doesn't synergize with any of the other creatures in the deck. It becomes pure sac fodder. Ruin Rat is definitely going in the deck in his place.

3. Plague Belcher is a great card when it comes out on an already-filled board. But in most of my games tonight, it was a standalone or paired with Bontu, which made for a tricky situation. I'll most likely drop it to a 3-of or 2-of, alongside some other tweaks.

4. Bontu herself was trickier to play than I anticipated. She's not much of an attacker by herself, and, because she needs sac fodder, is often by herself. I only won one game specifically thanks to her sac-to-drain ability, which brought my opponent within kill range. She may drop to a 2-of.

5. Yahenni, Undying Partisan was also trickier. Once I get some more removal in the deck, she'll be in better shape. As it was, she only got counters in one game.

6. I'll be testing this deck with some white added in next week.