Vampire Hexmage isn't a usual inclusion but may be worth it. Our worst match ups: Tron and UWx both use planeswalkers to accrue advantage that we can't keep up with. So having a way to destroy them is pretty important. Making them discard their planeswalkers is a good option in the early game but we don't have enough land disruption or a fast enough clock to keep Tron or UWx off the mana they need to play their walkers given they top deck them later in the game. It's not a terrible sideboard option since it shores up at least 2 really bad match ups but Chalice decks (which like someone else said isn't a popular strategy).
Ratchet Bomb is a more standard inclusion in the sideboard and it can be good. It cleans up tokens and it isn't terrible when you start ticking it up to 1 or 2. But it's often too slow if that's your plan so it's really only useful for tokens and chalice.
So the question becomes: what do we want help against: PWs or tokens? We have Bridge and Bontu's for Tokens and we don't have anything for PWs. So you need to decide if 1 or 2 Hexmages in the board really helps your UWx and Tron match ups enough to consider inclusion, or if an extra token board wipe will seal the match up.
I was unaware that these were so problematic. The number of established/pro tier archetypes in my playgroup is pretty well represented but I don't actually ever run against these two specific decks. Disregard my earlier dismissal of the Hexmage.
Further to that, I find Ratchet Bomb is a fantastic sideboard piece in almost any deck and definitely answers a lot of problem cards. Especially when we are mono black and lacking a lot of removal options in our color.
To answer your second question, I don't find Planeswalkers are generally a big problem for us. Most are 4 cost or higher (we aren't really worried about a mirror Liliana of the Veil) which gives us lots of time to force opponents to pitch them from their hand and/or keep them off of the necessary mana with Smallpox effects.
Vicious Rumors might have some utility against burn perhaps? I often find those games turn into a race with rack effects vs. top decked burn spells. That two life swing plus the one less card in hand for the burn player could go a long way. I don't see it being main boardable though and don't know what could be cut from the sideboard. Maybe a copy or two of delirium skeins since it also gets around Leylines?
Has anyone considered running a pair of Angel's Grace in the sideboard?
This deck has worked out really well for me and the losses it has had are almost always games that have turned into races where I have been one combat phase away from smashing my opponent for a game ending 10+ damage.
Since our creatures are flying and often hexproof, our creature based opponents (Elves, Bogles, etc.) are often forced to sell out on their own combat phase to try to keep up as they have few ways to stop our creatures during our combat. Angel's Grace can stop that as well as combos such as Storm or Scapeshift, delaying them at least a turn if not longer (which I find is usually all I need). It can even stop that game ending burn spell against a red deck letting me come back with critical damage on my turn. Reading some of the recent comments seems to support that these decks can be problematic and this seems like a catch all solution.
I am going to try this out anyway. I will cut one of the two copies of Worship and probably one of my counter spells to make room. I feel like my opponents always board in hard against Worship anyway (in the relevant match ups) so I will keep the one in to keep them honest but can afford to lose the other.
I was unaware that these were so problematic. The number of established/pro tier archetypes in my playgroup is pretty well represented but I don't actually ever run against these two specific decks. Disregard my earlier dismissal of the Hexmage.
To answer your second question, I don't find Planeswalkers are generally a big problem for us. Most are 4 cost or higher (we aren't really worried about a mirror Liliana of the Veil) which gives us lots of time to force opponents to pitch them from their hand and/or keep them off of the necessary mana with Smallpox effects.
This deck has worked out really well for me and the losses it has had are almost always games that have turned into races where I have been one combat phase away from smashing my opponent for a game ending 10+ damage.
Since our creatures are flying and often hexproof, our creature based opponents (Elves, Bogles, etc.) are often forced to sell out on their own combat phase to try to keep up as they have few ways to stop our creatures during our combat. Angel's Grace can stop that as well as combos such as Storm or Scapeshift, delaying them at least a turn if not longer (which I find is usually all I need). It can even stop that game ending burn spell against a red deck letting me come back with critical damage on my turn. Reading some of the recent comments seems to support that these decks can be problematic and this seems like a catch all solution.
I am going to try this out anyway. I will cut one of the two copies of Worship and probably one of my counter spells to make room. I feel like my opponents always board in hard against Worship anyway (in the relevant match ups) so I will keep the one in to keep them honest but can afford to lose the other.