I have been trying to make a B/W deck for a long time, but I was finding it was not good enough against top tier decks. I have added Blue and I found that has added some much needed consistency. Here is my list.
Now about some of my choices. I am a huge fan of Soul Manipulation for its potential card advantage and with all the great removal in the format now that will target your creatures. Although I found that 4 of them were too many. Agony Warp is also in for the potential card advantage on the blocks or attacks of the 2 drops in the deck. One card I am not a huge fan of Nyxathid in this deck but I needed a three or four drop that was a threat that I could play with the heavy black in the decks mana base. I tried using Vampire Nighthawk but although it is a great creature it is not a real threat, it holds the fort and trades very well. Bloodghast is there for lategame and to do some damage here and there.
I am playing a B/U/W deck with white for removal (path, wrath) and baneslayer. Early drops are black dudes and the deck while I am still tweeking it is getting better.
I did decent at regionals and it was different. It was a b/w deck that wasnt tokens. Wizards looks over decks that do well at big events. And hey my deck might of sold some Nyxathids in stores.
I found out today that on thursday my B/W deck was featured on wizards. http://wizards.com/magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/deck/199 I have since changed some cards in my sideboard and my deck seems to be doing regularly a 70% win ratio. Decks with revillark are a problem that I put some cards in my sideboard. I just wanted to let everyone know.
To expand on hamtastic's post. Utility cards are cards that can go in different types of decks and are not really build around me. Maelstrom Pulse is a utility card at rare and so is banefire and noble heirarch, they can go into different decks pretty easy. Jenera can really only go into one or two decks and the mana requirement makes the card build around me if I dont already fit in a deck. Planeswalkers are mythics for flavor and limited reasons.
Everyone knows everyone in my magic scene, and the sketchy guys usually dont come to events, because they were caught cheating in the past or borrowed cards and didnt give them back ect. Also there are only 3 really decent places to buy and sell magic so if someone noticed that some high priced cards were stolen they would tell the shops to be on the lookout for someone selling those specific cards.
I like the idea of playing a couple reliquary towers in the deck. I find after I play ad nauseam I end up having 10-12 cards in my hand and have to discard a bunch. Also I dont know if zealous persecution is main board or side board material. Granted One of my win cons is martial coup tokens and there are a lot of token decks around. And I was thinking if I need more removal put executioner's capsules in the sideboard against bant and mana ramp decks.
Ad nauseam has interested me since it was first shown but until tainted sigil came out it was always in a suicide deck. This deck is a hand control deck, the first few turns you get rid of the threats in the opponents hand then after about 6-8 turns they are in top deck mode hopefully. I have to give props to a player in my area for the idea of Ravens Crime. The win conditions are Martial Coup tokens, Bitterblossom tokens or a big Nyxathid.
I havent really played the deck in a competitive environment yet and probably wont get a chance for a few weeks. Hopefully some people here can give me some other ideas. And if someone hasnt figured out how the deck works, you play tainted sigil then next turn or if you have enough mana, that turn, play Ad Nauseam then break the tainted sigil after you draw enough cards to get you to around 5 or so life then gain all the life back.
You know what card is good with Ad nauseam? tainted sigil. I am trying out a black white standard ad nauseam deck. Maybe I will post it in decks for critique.
Well, I am disappointed it is not a creature. The BW cards better be pretty good to make up for this, in my opinion, a misuse of great art. I now know how all those esper fans feel when most of the great art is for limited fodder.
This card will find room in a lot of green or white decks that will splash for the other color if need be, because it goes in pretty much every sideboard, bant will probably run it also in the side. Also reveillark gets it back.
4x Bloodghast
4x Tidehollow Sculler
2x Fleshbag Marauder
3x Nyxathid
4x Baneslayer Angel
Instants
4x Path to Exile
3x Agony Warp
4x Countersquall
3x Soul Manipulation
3x Esper Charm
2x Day of Judgment
Lands
2x Island
3x Plains
6x Swamp
4x Marsh Flats
4x Drowned Catacombs
3x Glacial Fortress
2x Arcane Sanctum
1x Day of Judgment
4x Malakir Bloodwitch
4x Celestial Purge
2x Spreading Seas
4x Flashfreeze
4x Tidehollow Sculler
4x Nyxathid
Sorceries
4x Martial Coup
2x Mind Shatter
4x Thoughtseize
2x Profane Command
2x Ravens Crime
4x Ad Nauseam
4x Path to Exile
Enchantments
3x Bitterblossom
Artifacts
4x Tainted Sigil
Lands
4x Caves of Koilos
4x Fetid Heath
8x Swamp
7x Plains
I havent really played the deck in a competitive environment yet and probably wont get a chance for a few weeks. Hopefully some people here can give me some other ideas. And if someone hasnt figured out how the deck works, you play tainted sigil then next turn or if you have enough mana, that turn, play Ad Nauseam then break the tainted sigil after you draw enough cards to get you to around 5 or so life then gain all the life back.