Oona's Prowler allows you to combo out quicker since you can discard any card in your hand including lands. Lotleth troll is a good blocker since it has Regeneration, while at the same time letting you dump creatures in the yard. If you want to win quick I would play Oona's prowler if you want a little better long game plan troll would be better, I think. If you play Either check out some madness cards Like Reckless Wurm.
I was grieving on how weak Spark Elemental was. But then another card came into my mind that would give me better reason to play spark elemental over lightning bolt. It was Athreos, God of Passage. With him in play, the Spark Elemental deals up to 6 damage, 9 with Hellspark Elemental. It also gives Soulflayer indestructible, which is relevant in mardu list because of lack of hexproof.
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Here's a different version without tainted strike. It a control deck with no turn 3 kill combo, but it showed some result at LGS so I thought I should share.
Im playing the fast variant of the deck, hoping to dump 3 cards in the yard by turn 3 for a t3 soulflayer. Tainted strike has just been doing nothing, I prefer a simple aggro varient getting in with combat damage, seeing as with the elementals ill be chipping away at life totals in the early game. however, I don't like Prophetic Flamespeaker because he is really a do nothing card on his own. I want cards that I can play in case I don't draw soulflayer. Nighthawk is just an awesome card on its own so ill find room for that. Crypt Champion can reanimate almost anything for us.
Although the deck is aggro based, I still do like including Command and Inquisition, because they are simply catch-all type cards.
Haven't had much opportunity to play Darkblast, so i can't tell if its good. I tend to board it out often.
Faithless Looting and Lightning Axe are such efficient delve enablers that i'm seriously thinking of just throwing in a single Chromanticore (despite what i said earlier about wanted cards that can do stuff alone). EDIT: as fun as that would be, all the relevant abilities chromanticore gives Soulflayer can be found on better stuff for the deck, so scratch that idea.
haha I remember back when I ran 4 Drogskol Reaver, it wasn't terrible so I think adding 1 Chromanticore wont hurt.
for sideboard I recommend adding 2~4 Thoughtseize, 1~2 Rakdos Charm, and 2~3 board wipes! If you can't find room for Vampire Nighthawk in mainboard, I'd add it in sideboard against aggro match up.
Tainted strike has just been doing nothing, I prefer a simple aggro varient getting in with combat damage, seeing as with the elementals ill be chipping away at life totals in the early game.
I recommend trying Rancor instead in that case because technically you can turn 3 kill with it too (turn 1 loot droping haste and double strike, turn 2 soulflayer swing for 8 damage, turn 3 enchant rancor and swing for 12 damage). Checkout my updated Jund list on first page for reference.
This list looks to be the most focused. Definitely feel like Tainted Strike is too gimmicky, the Infect decks just do it way better. I'd just turn them into Lightning Bolt. Also, what do you think of 2x Cavern of Souls. Can guarantee the Soulflayer resolves against control decks, can also even name Elemental.
If there was a green splash as someone mentioned, instead of Rancor, Ghor-Clan Rampager maybe a better option. You can bloodrush it as an early combat trick, then delve it to the Soulflayer for its trample ability.
This list looks to be the most focused. Definitely feel like Tainted Strike is too gimmicky, the Infect decks just do it way better. I'd just turn them into Lightning Bolt. Also, what do you think of 2x Cavern of Souls. Can guarantee the Soulflayer resolves against control decks, can also even name Elemental.
If there was a green splash as someone mentioned, instead of Rancor, Ghor-Clan Rampager maybe a better option. You can bloodrush it as an early combat trick, then delve it to the Soulflayer for its trample ability.
Tainted Strike is awkward card to be realistic, you can swap it for almost anything and it might do better lol. It just way too situational.
I've run Cavern of Souls before, it definitely worth in 2 color but I got mana screwed often in 3 color. Ghor-Clan Rampager is interesting.. it still possible to turn 3 kill with it too. Turn 1 fetch and cast Faithless Looting discarding Spark Elemental and Crypt Champion, turn 2 cast Soulflayer and attack for 8 damage, turn 3 bloodrush targeting Soulflayer and attack for 16 damage. It also a valid target for Grisly Salvage.
Technically, any pump spell that can give +2 or more attack to Soulflayer can be used as turn 3 kill combo piece. It can be permanent pump like Rancor or temporary buff like Titan's Strength.
Lightning Serpent is stronger than Spark Elemental late game, it worth replacing it for sure.
It seems jund is the best color combination for this deck IMO. Without Grisly Salvage this deck lacks speed and consistency as combo. Another reason to add green is Ghor-Clan Rampager. It is strictly better than Tainted Strike. Ghor-Clan is also better than Rancor since it can be searched with Grisly Salvage and this deck prefers burst damage than chipping away damage bit by bit. It can also be played as creature if necessary. Thank you streetMage for recommending Ghor-Clan!
Edit:
update 8/10/15
-4 Lightning Axe
-1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
+4 Lightning Bolt
+1 Kessig Wolf Run
update 8/12/15
-2 Grisly Salvage
+2 Lighting Axe
update 8/13/15
-4 Lightning Bolt
-1 Xenagos, God of Revels
+2 Lightning Axe
+2 Grisly Salvage
+1 Thrun, the Last Troll
I did a little testing with this list and it seems incredibly consistent. Through ten games, my slowest kill was turn 6. With tuning, I believe this could be a seriously competitive deck. First change I would make would be to go up to 4 Uktabi Drakes. They are mostly better than the elementals as 1 drops. The mana base also needs lots of work. The Soulflayer could use some protecting, either with Indestructible or Hexproof, I'm thinking Thrun, the Last Troll, Troll Ascetic and/or Xenagos, God of Revels. I didn't draw Liliana even once, so how/if she fits isn't clear.
I like Uktabi Drake! I like your list a lot too!
Some change i'm considering right now is removing removal spells and adding hexproof creature. Currently testing with this list.
I like Uktabi Drake! I like your list a lot too!
Some change i'm considering right now is removing removal spells and adding hexproof creature. Currently testing with this list.
I prefer to have as much creature fodder for Soulflayer as possible and I think Lotleth Troll is necessary as it is simultaneously an enabler, trample fodder and an alternate win condition. Maybe a 2/2 split with Lightning Axe. 6 seems to be the right number for ability giving fodder, with the order of importance being Haste, Double Strike, Flying, Trample, Hexproof. A couple Spark Elementals are necessary, just to get the Haste numbers up, though 3 quick damage is nothing to scoff at. Also, I have found Crypt Champion and Savageborn Hydra to be better as mid-level Double Strike fodder than Prophetic Flamespeaker. Sylvan Caryatid may be a necessary evil, but its inclusion means you can go lower on the land count. The deck tops out at 4 mana (since you NEVER cast Soulflayer for full price), and you have two potent digging spells which means you can go really low on mana. My current list has 21, which is feeling pretty good.
EDIT: I take back my assessment on Prophetic Flamespeaker, it is far better for what this deck wants to do than Crypt Champion. I still like Savageborn Hydra, since, barring other good plays, you can dump it into the yard for just 2 mana. Maybe a 2/2 split on them?
So far I switched out Thrun with spellskite. If splinter twin didn't exist I wouldn't bother adding removal spell mainboard but reality is harsh. For haste enabler I think Uktabi and Hellspark are the best. I would do either 2 uktabi and 4 hellspark or vise versa. For double strike enabler I would do 4 Viashino and 2 Flamespeaker or Savage Hydra.
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I am currently experimenting with some man-lands to add reach without significantly slowing the deck down. Main deck lifelink is necessary because of the painful manabase. Even with lifelink in the mainboard, burn is a tough match-up. I haven't tested against decks with graveyard hate, but I don't think it should be too backbreaking with Flamespeaker/Slaughtermaster + Pump as backup.
Manland can slow the combo but it is useful. I agree that main deck lifelink is necessity. Try Spellskite, it strong against burn and it protects Soulflayer and Flamespeaker/Slaughtermaster + Pump backup plan. How is Become Immense main deck?
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After testing, man-lands just slow you down too much. I could see putting a couple Spellskites in the sideboard for certain match-ups. Become Immense is very hit or miss because of having to share fodder with Soulflayer. I will try switching is out for Brute Force/Giant Growth and/or Vines of Vastwood.
Have you tried Rancor? I used to run few of them maindeck before we found out about Ghor-clan. Not as great as Ghor-clan, but if you are looking for more pump spells, I really recommend it. If you are running rancor, I recommend Monastery Swiftspear for haste enabler and Thrun for hexproof.
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Im playing the fast variant of the deck, hoping to dump 3 cards in the yard by turn 3 for a t3 soulflayer. Tainted strike has just been doing nothing, I prefer a simple aggro varient getting in with combat damage, seeing as with the elementals ill be chipping away at life totals in the early game. however, I don't like Prophetic Flamespeaker because he is really a do nothing card on his own. I want cards that I can play in case I don't draw soulflayer. Nighthawk is just an awesome card on its own so ill find room for that. Crypt Champion can reanimate almost anything for us.
Although the deck is aggro based, I still do like including Command and Inquisition, because they are simply catch-all type cards.
Haven't had much opportunity to play Darkblast, so i can't tell if its good. I tend to board it out often.
Faithless Looting and Lightning Axe are such efficient delve enablers that i'm seriously thinking of just throwing in a single Chromanticore (despite what i said earlier about wanted cards that can do stuff alone). EDIT: as fun as that would be, all the relevant abilities chromanticore gives Soulflayer can be found on better stuff for the deck, so scratch that idea.
Any ideas for sideboard cards?
I'm liking this version a lot and I run something similar to it. It may lack the versatility of the 3 colored versions but it's just what I'm looking for personally. The only thing I miss is having a hexproof creature Oona's Prowler is an all star for all versions of the deck.
Im playing the fast variant of the deck, hoping to dump 3 cards in the yard by turn 3 for a t3 soulflayer. Tainted strike has just been doing nothing, I prefer a simple aggro varient getting in with combat damage, seeing as with the elementals ill be chipping away at life totals in the early game. however, I don't like Prophetic Flamespeaker because he is really a do nothing card on his own. I want cards that I can play in case I don't draw soulflayer. Nighthawk is just an awesome card on its own so ill find room for that. Crypt Champion can reanimate almost anything for us.
Although the deck is aggro based, I still do like including Command and Inquisition, because they are simply catch-all type cards.
Haven't had much opportunity to play Darkblast, so i can't tell if its good. I tend to board it out often.
Faithless Looting and Lightning Axe are such efficient delve enablers that i'm seriously thinking of just throwing in a single Chromanticore (despite what i said earlier about wanted cards that can do stuff alone). EDIT: as fun as that would be, all the relevant abilities chromanticore gives Soulflayer can be found on better stuff for the deck, so scratch that idea.
Any ideas for sideboard cards?
I'm liking this version a lot and I run something similar to it. It may lack the versatility of the 3 colored versions but it's just what I'm looking for personally. The only thing I miss is having a hexproof creature Oona's Prowler is an all star for all versions of the deck.
I have played around with a Standard version of this deck that was Rakdos rather than Jund. It has access to Hexproof in Xathrid Slyblade and Prophetic Flamespeaker is better than Crypt Champion as both fodder and on its own, being cheaper and being able to draw through your deck. The Standard version is significantly slower, lacking any good 1-drops outside of Haste-fodder, but is still an okay deck. Long story short, black has access to Hexproof and it is vital to being competitive in a Modern environment loaded with removal.
Have you tried Rancor? I used to run few of them maindeck before we found out about Ghor-clan. Not as great as Ghor-clan, but if you are looking for more pump spells, I really recommend it. If you are running rancor, I recommend Monastery Swiftspear for haste enabler and Thrun for hexproof.
Rancor does work, but in terms of speeding up the clock, nothing I have tried is better than Mutagenic Growth.
Nice thread everyone, great ideas. I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that people have been having success with Uktabi Drake. I remember considering that card when I was thinking about this deck a few months ago.
Anyway this is the list I've been playing. It's not that great - it mainly is good for surprising people. But it's fun!
Nice thread everyone, great ideas. I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that people have been having success with Uktabi Drake. I remember considering that card when I was thinking about this deck a few months ago.
Anyway this is the list I've been playing. It's not that great - it mainly is good for surprising people. But it's fun!
Interesting list, but I have a couple notes. While I am normally a big fan of targeted discard, I don't like it in this deck. There are other things you want to be doing on turn one and they are horrible top decks late. The one drops from other lists Uktabi Drake, Spark Elemental and Lightning Serpent put early pressure and serve as skill fodder for Soulflayer which is kind of the point of the deck. The only way you have to protect a resolved Flayer is a 1-of Vines of Vastwood, when it is possible to give it hexproof naturally. Adding Thrun, the Last Troll/Troll Ascetic will give you hexproof fodder while also giving you a more resilient late game. Speaking of late game, Lightning Serpent is great as a scaling card that you don't mind dying as is Savageborn Hydra or Mistcutter Hydra. Alternatively, having more 1-drops could enable you to run an additional wincon like Vengevine or Cairn Wanderer.
Interesting list, but I have a couple notes. While I am normally a big fan of targeted discard, I don't like it in this deck. There are other things you want to be doing on turn one and they are horrible top decks late. The one drops from other lists Uktabi Drake, Spark Elemental and Lightning Serpent put early pressure and serve as skill fodder for Soulflayer which is kind of the point of the deck. The only way you have to protect a resolved Flayer is a 1-of Vines of Vastwood, when it is possible to give it hexproof naturally. Adding Thrun, the Last Troll/Troll Ascetic will give you hexproof fodder while also giving you a more resilient late game. Speaking of late game, Lightning Serpent is great as a scaling card that you don't mind dying as is Savageborn Hydra or Mistcutter Hydra. Alternatively, having more 1-drops could enable you to run an additional wincon like Vengevine or Cairn Wanderer.
Thanks for the feedback! I guess the idea of the targeted discard is that it serves as protection in place of having hexproof creatures. You play it before Soulflayer to take their path, remand, etc. Still, I think that you're right that Thrun or some card like it deserves some spots in the deck. This deck definitely is trying to play for a little more of a long game than other decks here, which makes the spark creatures more suspect.
I really think that this deck needs more consistency. I see it as an aggro deck with high capabilities of bursting on oponent down with soulflayer, but if we don'g get to draw it, our creatures need to still be good on their own.
I've tried diferent lists (only once in a real tournament), first of all in a Vengevine shell, and then pure Soulflayer-focused lists. In my playtest, Tainted Strike was a dead card in most situations. I'd rather have Ghor-Clan Rampager, which is more reliable and can be cast as a 4/4 body. It also halps in trades.
For creature choices, I really like Vampire Nighthawk, as it's a quality card on its own and also useful for the Soulflayer strategy. The same for a singleton Thrun, the last Troll.
For the interactive cards, I don't think targeted discard is the way to go. I've been playing with some number of Abrupt Decay (It also helps dealing with post-board hate) and performed well. Right now I'm also trying a 1-of Murderous Cut.
I'm still not sure of what 1 drop creature I like most, but Uktabi Drake is a really nice add for the deck.
And there's no way I'd run a Soulflayer list without a playset of Grisly Salvage. It digs for Soulflayer and fills our graveyard for casting it and to get value of our GY creatures, if we run them. I'll work on a solid list, thanks for all the ideas and feedback!
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2x Soulflayer
4x Prophetic Flamespeaker
4x Dark Confidant
Spells x27
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Path to Exile
4x Lingering Souls
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Liliana of the Veil
2x Thoughtseize
2x Terminate
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Bitterblossom
4x Bloodstained Mire
4x Marsh Flats
4x Blackcleave Cliffs
2x Vault of the Archangel
2x Godless Shrine
2x Blood Crypt
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2x Swamp
1x Plains
2x Thoughtseize
2x Wear // Tear
2x Rakdos Charm
3x Lightning Helix
2x Timely Reinforcements
2x Fulminator Mage
1x Sowing Salt
Here's a different version without tainted strike. It a control deck with no turn 3 kill combo, but it showed some result at LGS so I thought I should share.
Follow the link for nice cheap clothing.
Playing:
Death's Shadow Jund
Played:
Kiki Chord, Zoo variants, Goblins, Burn
My deviantART; if you're interested in alters, PM me!
4x Hellspark Elemental
1x Spellskite
4x Crypt Champion
4x Soulflayer
3x Tainted Strike
4x Faithless Looting
2x Gitaxian Probe
4x Lightning Axe
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
3x Kolaghan's Command
Im playing the fast variant of the deck, hoping to dump 3 cards in the yard by turn 3 for a t3 soulflayer. Tainted strike has just been doing nothing, I prefer a simple aggro varient getting in with combat damage, seeing as with the elementals ill be chipping away at life totals in the early game. however, I don't like Prophetic Flamespeaker because he is really a do nothing card on his own. I want cards that I can play in case I don't draw soulflayer. Nighthawk is just an awesome card on its own so ill find room for that. Crypt Champion can reanimate almost anything for us.
Although the deck is aggro based, I still do like including Command and Inquisition, because they are simply catch-all type cards.
Haven't had much opportunity to play Darkblast, so i can't tell if its good. I tend to board it out often.
I will probably start testing out Liliana of the Veil.
Faithless Looting and Lightning Axe are such efficient delve enablers that i'm seriously thinking of just throwing in a single Chromanticore (despite what i said earlier about wanted cards that can do stuff alone). EDIT: as fun as that would be, all the relevant abilities chromanticore gives Soulflayer can be found on better stuff for the deck, so scratch that idea.
Any ideas for sideboard cards?
My deviantART; if you're interested in alters, PM me!
Since it seems like you are only using black and red, I want to ask if you were to choose a third color what would it be?
Green for Grisly Salvage, Abrupt Decay, Birds of Paradise, Sylvan Caryatid, Rancor etc or
White for Path to Exile, Mirran Crusader, Lingering Souls, Athreos, God of Passage, etc
or do you think keeping it 2 color is better? I can't decide the right combination..
I actually really like Prophetic Flamespeaker! It has nice synergy with Vault of the Archangel, Rancor, Sword of Feast and Famine, and Tainted Strike to cripple their blocker.
haha I remember back when I ran 4 Drogskol Reaver, it wasn't terrible so I think adding 1 Chromanticore wont hurt.
for sideboard I recommend adding 2~4 Thoughtseize, 1~2 Rakdos Charm, and 2~3 board wipes! If you can't find room for Vampire Nighthawk in mainboard, I'd add it in sideboard against aggro match up.
EDIT: I recommend trying Rancor instead in that case because technically you can turn 3 kill with it too (turn 1 loot droping haste and double strike, turn 2 soulflayer swing for 8 damage, turn 3 enchant rancor and swing for 12 damage). Checkout my updated Jund list on first page for reference.
If there was a green splash as someone mentioned, instead of Rancor, Ghor-Clan Rampager maybe a better option. You can bloodrush it as an early combat trick, then delve it to the Soulflayer for its trample ability.
Edit: Lightning Serpent?
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
Tainted Strike is awkward card to be realistic, you can swap it for almost anything and it might do better lol. It just way too situational.
I've run Cavern of Souls before, it definitely worth in 2 color but I got mana screwed often in 3 color.
Ghor-Clan Rampager is interesting.. it still possible to turn 3 kill with it too. Turn 1 fetch and cast Faithless Looting discarding Spark Elemental and Crypt Champion, turn 2 cast Soulflayer and attack for 8 damage, turn 3 bloodrush targeting Soulflayer and attack for 16 damage. It also a valid target for Grisly Salvage.
Technically, any pump spell that can give +2 or more attack to Soulflayer can be used as turn 3 kill combo piece. It can be permanent pump like Rancor or temporary buff like Titan's Strength.
Lightning Serpent is stronger than Spark Elemental late game, it worth replacing it for sure.
4x Soulflayer
4x Viashino Slaughtermaster
4x Prophetic Flamespeaker
4x Monastery Swiftspear
4x Ghor-Clan Rampager
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
Spells x16
4x Faithless Looting
4x Lightning Axe
4x Grisly Salvage
2x Rancor
2x Kolaghan's Command
4x Bloodstained Mire
4x Verdant Catacombs
4x Blackcleave Cliffs
2x Raging Ravine
2x Overgrown Tomb
2x Blood Crypt
1x Stomping Ground
2x Swamp
1x Forest
1x Kessig Wolf Run
1x Engineered Explosives
4x Thoughtseize
1x Spellskite
3x Abrupt Decay
2x Rakdos Charm
2x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Fulminator Mage
It seems jund is the best color combination for this deck IMO. Without Grisly Salvage this deck lacks speed and consistency as combo. Another reason to add green is Ghor-Clan Rampager. It is strictly better than Tainted Strike. Ghor-Clan is also better than Rancor since it can be searched with Grisly Salvage and this deck prefers burst damage than chipping away damage bit by bit. It can also be played as creature if necessary. Thank you streetMage for recommending Ghor-Clan!
Edit:
update 8/10/15
-4 Lightning Axe
-1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
+4 Lightning Bolt
+1 Kessig Wolf Run
update 8/12/15
-2 Grisly Salvage
+2 Lighting Axe
update 8/13/15
-4 Lightning Bolt
-1 Xenagos, God of Revels
+2 Lightning Axe
+2 Grisly Salvage
+1 Thrun, the Last Troll
4 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Crypt Champion
4 Faithless Looting
1 Forest
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Grisly Salvage
1 Lightning Serpent
1 Liliana, Heretical Healer
4 Lotleth Troll
2 Mountain
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Soulflayer
3 Spark Elemental
3 Stomping Ground
2 Swamp
3 Uktabi Drake
1 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Viashino Slaughtermaster
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Cairn Wanderer
4 Faerie Macabre
1 Gurmag Swiftwing
2 Hellspark Elemental
3 Vampire Nighthawk
2 Vault Skirge
1 Wrecking Ogre
I did a little testing with this list and it seems incredibly consistent. Through ten games, my slowest kill was turn 6. With tuning, I believe this could be a seriously competitive deck. First change I would make would be to go up to 4 Uktabi Drakes. They are mostly better than the elementals as 1 drops. The mana base also needs lots of work. The Soulflayer could use some protecting, either with Indestructible or Hexproof, I'm thinking Thrun, the Last Troll, Troll Ascetic and/or Xenagos, God of Revels. I didn't draw Liliana even once, so how/if she fits isn't clear.
Some change i'm considering right now is removing removal spells and adding hexproof creature. Currently testing with this list.
4x Soulflayer
4x Viashino Slaughtermaster
4x Prophetic Flamespeaker
4x Ghor-Clan Rampager
4x Sylvan Caryatid
4x Uktabi Drake
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
4x Faithless Looting
4x Lightning Axe
4x Grisly Salvage
I prefer to have as much creature fodder for Soulflayer as possible and I think Lotleth Troll is necessary as it is simultaneously an enabler, trample fodder and an alternate win condition. Maybe a 2/2 split with Lightning Axe. 6 seems to be the right number for ability giving fodder, with the order of importance being Haste, Double Strike, Flying, Trample, Hexproof. A couple Spark Elementals are necessary, just to get the Haste numbers up, though 3 quick damage is nothing to scoff at. Also, I have found Crypt Champion and Savageborn Hydra to be better as mid-level Double Strike fodder than Prophetic Flamespeaker. Sylvan Caryatid may be a necessary evil, but its inclusion means you can go lower on the land count. The deck tops out at 4 mana (since you NEVER cast Soulflayer for full price), and you have two potent digging spells which means you can go really low on mana. My current list has 21, which is feeling pretty good.
EDIT: I take back my assessment on Prophetic Flamespeaker, it is far better for what this deck wants to do than Crypt Champion. I still like Savageborn Hydra, since, barring other good plays, you can dump it into the yard for just 2 mana. Maybe a 2/2 split on them?
2 Become Immense
3 Blackcleave Cliffs
3 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Faithless Looting
1 Forest
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Grisly Salvage
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Lightning Axe
1 Mountain
3 Overgrown Tomb
3 Prophetic Flamespeaker
4 Soulflayer
2 Spark Elemental
1 Swamp
1 Treetop Village
4 Uktabi Drake
2 Vault Skirge
4 Viashino Slaughtermaster
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Sylvan Caryatid
2 Avalanche Riders
3 Faerie Macabre
2 Liliana, Heretical Healer
3 Nature's Claim
2 Smallpox
1 Tainted Remedy
2 Vault Skirge
I am currently experimenting with some man-lands to add reach without significantly slowing the deck down. Main deck lifelink is necessary because of the painful manabase. Even with lifelink in the mainboard, burn is a tough match-up. I haven't tested against decks with graveyard hate, but I don't think it should be too backbreaking with Flamespeaker/Slaughtermaster + Pump as backup.
I'm liking this version a lot and I run something similar to it. It may lack the versatility of the 3 colored versions but it's just what I'm looking for personally. The only thing I miss is having a hexproof creature Oona's Prowler is an all star for all versions of the deck.
I have played around with a Standard version of this deck that was Rakdos rather than Jund. It has access to Hexproof in Xathrid Slyblade and Prophetic Flamespeaker is better than Crypt Champion as both fodder and on its own, being cheaper and being able to draw through your deck. The Standard version is significantly slower, lacking any good 1-drops outside of Haste-fodder, but is still an okay deck. Long story short, black has access to Hexproof and it is vital to being competitive in a Modern environment loaded with removal.
Rancor does work, but in terms of speeding up the clock, nothing I have tried is better than Mutagenic Growth.
Anyway this is the list I've been playing. It's not that great - it mainly is good for surprising people. But it's fun!
4x Bloodstained Mire
1x Copperline Gorge
1x Forest
4x Gemstone Mine
1x Mountain
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Stomping Ground
1x Swamp
4x Wooded Foothills
2x Avalanche Riders
4x Birds of Paradise
3x Ghor-Clan Rampager
2x Mantis Rider
4x Prophetic Flamespeaker
4x Soulflayer
4x Viashino Slaughtermaster
3x Become Immense
1x Vines of Vastwood
4x Grisly Salvage
4x Faithless Looting
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Thoughtseize
3x Blood Moon
3x Duress
1x Kitchen Finks
1x Rending Volley
1x Spellskite
1x Swamp
2x Darkblast
Thanks for the feedback! I guess the idea of the targeted discard is that it serves as protection in place of having hexproof creatures. You play it before Soulflayer to take their path, remand, etc. Still, I think that you're right that Thrun or some card like it deserves some spots in the deck. This deck definitely is trying to play for a little more of a long game than other decks here, which makes the spark creatures more suspect.
I've tried diferent lists (only once in a real tournament), first of all in a Vengevine shell, and then pure Soulflayer-focused lists. In my playtest, Tainted Strike was a dead card in most situations. I'd rather have Ghor-Clan Rampager, which is more reliable and can be cast as a 4/4 body. It also halps in trades.
For creature choices, I really like Vampire Nighthawk, as it's a quality card on its own and also useful for the Soulflayer strategy. The same for a singleton Thrun, the last Troll.
For the interactive cards, I don't think targeted discard is the way to go. I've been playing with some number of Abrupt Decay (It also helps dealing with post-board hate) and performed well. Right now I'm also trying a 1-of Murderous Cut.
I'm still not sure of what 1 drop creature I like most, but Uktabi Drake is a really nice add for the deck.
And there's no way I'd run a Soulflayer list without a playset of Grisly Salvage. It digs for Soulflayer and fills our graveyard for casting it and to get value of our GY creatures, if we run them. I'll work on a solid list, thanks for all the ideas and feedback!