The problem the Abyss faces is that black decks that would want it aren't hurting for powerful 4 drops. In general I prefer Smokestack, Braids, or Nether Void to the Abyss, and there's only so many 4 drops you need.
It's not that it isn't good enough, it's that there are other things that are better.
Well Smokestack is an artifact so they dont compete at all for a slot, though I admit that its obviously best in a recursive black build. Braids can be worked around because they can sack any permanent, is harder to splash and is more vulnerable to removal as a creature. Nether Void is a totally different card really, a curve topper to aggro, though Abyss could be used this way against creature light control decks it would be risky and there is probably another 22nd-23rd card thats better in my pile. All in all, for a control deck that has at least a few partner cards, Id want Abyss over all your other examples. I will agree that it can be oprressive and unfun, so the folks making that argument wont get any guff from me, and it wont always pull out games the way a sweeper might help stabilize your position, but thats actually what i like most about it. Really powerful, but dependent on other cards to be broken.
http://cubetutor.com/cubeblog/993
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/23690
Well Smokestack is an artifact so they dont compete at all for a slot, though I admit that its obviously best in a recursive black build. Braids can be worked around because they can sack any permanent, is harder to splash and is more vulnerable to removal as a creature. Nether Void is a totally different card really, a curve topper to aggro, though Abyss could be used this way against creature light control decks it would be risky and there is probably another 22nd-23rd card thats better in my pile. All in all, for a control deck that has at least a few partner cards, Id want Abyss over all your other examples. I will agree that it can be oprressive and unfun, so the folks making that argument wont get any guff from me, and it wont always pull out games the way a sweeper might help stabilize your position, but thats actually what i like most about it. Really powerful, but dependent on other cards to be broken.
http://cubetutor.com/cubeblog/993
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/23690