The fastest version of this archetype that I can make.
This deck is my favorite in the format, and is very consistent while goldfishing. Typically takes the opponent to 0 by turn 4, about 80-90% of the time. Had to exclude it from my battlebox because it sets up too fast.
Main board:
Can mull comfortably to 4 if on the draw, and a no-land at 6 or 7 isn't an instant loss if you have a dark rit and feel the heart of the cards for a swamp on your first draw. I have been adding cards, such as street wraith and barren moor, to help this deck not need such drastic mulligans but it happens from time to time.
I would say that I typically have my opponent down to 14 or 12 (sometimes even 10 or 8!) By turn 2 with either a fresh cresture hitting the board or a sorc burn spell in hand.
Tips for powering the freighter: 1) Remember that lookout and thornbow only have 1 power. Powering the train with two lookouts feels great because of their effect damaged triggering on tapping not attacking.
2) If you have the train in your opener, but no ritual, toss the hand, bury the train for mulls, or just plan on never playing it.
3) If you do get ritual and train in your opener but not enough power to activate it, pitch the train as a mull or pray to the heart of the cards.
4) The train in general is ONLY good if you land it turn 1 from a dark ritual. Maybe turn 2 if the stars align. This harkons back to the all-or-nothing of the deck as a whole.
Typically, I play my pump spells as early as possible to reduce the chance of the opponent drawing or playing an answer, though there is a case to be made about playing them defensively, though that goes entirely against what the deck is trying to do. You need to always be prepared to swing, with your only blockers being a creature or two you just played after swinging.
Don't be afraid of your life total being low from paying so much life, it's either worth it or it isn't. Either way, the game is over soon and you can try again!
OH! Remember that sign in blood is TARGET player, not just yourself like night's whisper, so you have extra burn in your pocket for a surprise end game.
Sideboard:
Dash hopes and Gurmdaddy come in when the deck needs to slow down and stabilize a bit, such as against burn. Swap out rouses or mutagenic growths for dash, and the trains for the zombie fish. Dash is a little expensive for this deck at 2 mana, which can be a lot to ask for some times. Gague whether or not a critical counter or damage would be worth it against your opponent before putting it in.
Icequake and Faerie are for Tron for obvious reasons. Faeries are good against other graveyard diving matchups like reanimator and quake is good for all the reasons it's in other side boards- nuking low land decks.
Snuff is for if I'm going up against decks that have solo creatures such as inside out tribe or other champion decks.
The sideboard is pretty generic, so feel free to adjust as you need to.
Conclusion:
this deck is fun to play and feels manic to play because you don't know for sure if taking 10 damage from your own spells on turn 2 is worth it until you see the payoff.
I would say that those who live for the pounding of their hearts when fishing for the nut opening hand. The all-or-nothing philosophy of this deck, along with expendable gribblies and burn makes this a mono-black Rakdos deck at its finest.
If you aren't comfortable with the idea of dumping most of, if not your whole hand by turn 2 with only the creatures on your board to keep you company, and top decking to keep you going, you should probably stay away from this deck unless you are trying to branch out.
Coincidentally this deck is fun to watch play just because of the ridiculous levels of damage it can pump out quickly.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this deck!
