{"ops":[{"insert":"Introduction"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I love the color black in Magic. \nThere's no better color from a fun standpoint. I enjoy having cheap and effective removal, I adore the selection of creatures that black has, and, most of all, I absolutely love paying life for resources. What a way to give the decisions weight and meaning.\nLong story short, I've built enough mono black decks that my reputation for them proceeds my meeting of people from time to time.\n\nWhen I set out to build "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor"}},{"insert":" I wanted to do a big mana deck. Mono-black land ramp, if such a thing could exist. It has gone through a ton of iterations and has morphed into some sort of sorcery specific deck but I'm very happy with where it landed.\nIt tiptoe's around having huge game changing plays and sitting back in the shadows playing king-maker allowing for a lot of space for politicking. A lot of games with it make me feel like I'm role playing Grima Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings.\n\nIt starts slow but generally finishes extremely strong. As of right now the deck feels very strong, it's no cEDH deck but it's a solid bracket 3 deck that has a lot of space for fun.\n\nPros & Cons"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Pros"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Big plays - Lots of fun high-impact sorceries"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Lots of card draw - always having a full hand never get's old"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Great political threat management - it's easy to appear to be in a much worse position then you are actually in"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Cons"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Very slow. You need to sandbag until you have the mana to swing big."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Weak against high aggro decks"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Counterspells can cross it up very hard"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe Gameplan"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Stage 1: A Strong Start.\nYou'll want to start with at least 3 lands to get "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor"}},{"insert":" out as fast as possible. Ideally, along with some unblockable creature to start getting card draw off Gix as fast as possible.\n\nStage 2: Build Your Base.\nGet 1 or 2 small creatures (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dauthi Slayer"}},{"insert":") out on turn 1 or 2 followed by the commander on turn 3 and spend the early game getting as many attacks in as possible. Pay life to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor"}},{"insert":"'s ability EVERY time. The low life will allow you to convince people not to attack you and use this time to draw into as many usable cards as possible. Seek big drain spells (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Drain Life"}},{"insert":") that are the game enders, cards that copy them (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mirari"}},{"insert":"), and mana doublers (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cabal Coffers"}},{"insert":"). These are utilities to get you to lethal faster. Also, try to never miss a land drop and cards that net you lands are priorities as well (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wayfarer's Bauble"}},{"insert":").\n\nStage 3: Engage in politics.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor"}},{"insert":" is wonderful because it triggers for your opponents as well. I spend combat on pretty much everyone else's turns painting beautiful pictures of how many cards they could be getting if they attacked other players. Spend your life so you're the lowest and not a threat but be prepared to gain some via a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Corrupt"}},{"insert":" or similar card if needed. By now you should be holding onto cards that mean the death of at least one person if not 2 and have ways to make upwards of 30 mana. Bide your time until the time is right.\n\nStage 4: The Time is Now. Step Out of the Shadows and Seek Your Crown.\nIt's the late game now. There's been back stabbings, board wipes, some players have probably saved another player from dying. Resources are getting low, tricks have been mostly spent, and life totals are getting lower. It's time to strike. By now you should be holding the end of most of the players in your hand and have a few ways to copy them or turn the life gain into damage on the board. The biggest concern here is dodging counterspells but I find it's best to follow your heart. Truly, any good mage must follow the heart of the cards and lay it all down on the line to secure the victory. Fortune favors the bold. End them all. "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000158672079-0gbvsi-t500x500.jpg"},"insert":"Do it."},{"insert":"\n\nPackages and Single Card Discussion"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Ramp"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wayfarer's Bauble"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sword of the Animist"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Canoptek Wraith"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Terrain Generator"}},{"insert":" can all ramp up additional lands to get ahead of the curve."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Extraplanar Lens"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cabal Coffers"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crypt Ghast"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nirkana Revenant"}},{"insert":" all act as mana doublers. These get you to wins but be careful about when you play them, they draw a lot of threat and are usually unnecessary to have until you want to try to win."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bubbling Muck"}},{"insert":" should be saved for the killing move late in the game as well."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nCard Draw"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The main card draw package is the commander + any number of little evasion creatures like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Canoptek Wraith"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Changeling Outcast"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dauthi Ghoul"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vampire Cutthroat"}},{"insert":", etc. that are unblockable, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vault Skirge"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Qarsi Revenant"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vampire Nighthawk"}},{"insert":", etc. that are flying, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Obliterator"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gifted Aetherborn"}},{"insert":" that people just don't want to block at all. There's enough of these that getting a turn 3 repeatable draw engine up should happen every game."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"No respectable black mage would come to a party without his or her "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Necropotence"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Confidant"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Spell based draw: "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Decorum Dissertation"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sign in Blood"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Night's Whisper"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Insatiable Avarice"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Promise of Power"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ancient Craving"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Read the Bones"}},{"insert":" all allow you to dig but can also be copied and trigger "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sphinx-Bone Wand"}},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nPower Matters"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blackblade Reforged"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lashwrithe"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nightmare Lash"}},{"insert":" can all be equipped onto a life link creature to gain lost life back or, better yet, onto an unblockable creature to go for the kill. These also lead to weird victories with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose"}},{"insert":" out."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Susur Secundi, Void Altar"}},{"insert":" is there to sacrifice something with one of the equipment on it for big draw."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nGame Enders"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Drain Life"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Soul Burn"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Consume Spirit"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Profane Command"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Exsanguinate"}},{"insert":" represent the main ways to kill utilizing mana doublers and spell copy effects."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sphinx-Bone Wand"}},{"insert":" is a sleeper. Expensive and bad, most people will underestimate it but it can get to lethal quite quick if you are tactical about how you cast your spells around it. Casually get it up to 4-6 counters hitting creatures and then pile up 3 spells to cast at once and you can hit players for 20+ to finish them off."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pestilence"}},{"insert":" is best held until you have the most life and then played and used to kill everyone at once. In a pinch it can double as a board wipe."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose"}},{"insert":" can kill easily because of all of the ways to gain a bunch of life at once."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Notable exclusion is "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sanguine Bond"}},{"insert":". I left it out of the deck because I feels like it draws too much threat, people see it and expect "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Exquisite Blood"}},{"insert":" to follow and immediately target you. You could add these but they didn't fit the style I wanted to bring to this build."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nFun Sorceries and Instants"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Choice of Damnations"}},{"insert":" is just straight fun on a card."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fraying Omnipotence"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gix's Command"}},{"insert":" can calm things down mid game while "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Decree of Pain"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mutilate"}},{"insert":" can stop a steamroll."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Corrupt"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tendrils of Corruption"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Consuming Corruption"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crypt Incursion"}},{"insert":" can all gain a big grip of life at once while removing threats. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Archenemy's Charm"}},{"insert":" can as well if paired with a creature that is equipped."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nUtility"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Masticore"}},{"insert":" is such a powerhouse if you have card draw coming in and access to lots of mana. He can control the board if the board needs controlling."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mirari"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Primal Amulet // Primal Wellspring"}},{"insert":" are the copy spell package. "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Invoke Despair"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Defile"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Feed the Swarm"}},{"insert":" are great catch-all removal cards"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Expedition Map"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urza's Cave"}},{"insert":" exists to find "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cabal Coffers"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Susur Secundi, Void Altar"}},{"insert":", or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Terrain Generator"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Maybeboard "},{"insert":"- There's a lot of other potentials in the maybeboard that all work in the deck extremely well. I would sub any of them in based on the pilots personal taste\n\nEpilogue"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I imagine there's a million ways to make this deck more competitive but I think it's in a nice place to maximize fun while still punching way above it's perceived weight class.\nIf you take the time to try the deck or feel inspired by it to make your own version, please feel free to drop a comment and let me know how it went.\nAs always, have fun!\n"}]}