"The Dark Cultists: Black Devotion Pauper 2013"

"The Dark Cultists: Black Devotion Pauper 2013"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

One of the hottest common cards to come out of Theros is the Gray Merchant of Asphodel. Despite the high casting cost at 5 mana it is the corner stone for some standard strategies that literally turn the tables on opponents by sucking in life and adding this life to the controller. It has become a magnificent finishing stab in many black decks. 

It is with this same hope that I try to carry the winning ways of Gray Merchant of Asphodel into the pauper standard arena with this deck list: 

22 X Swamps

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22 Lands

4 X Dead Reveler  

4 X Grim Roustabout 

4 X Festering Newt

4 X Shadow Alley Denizen 

3 X Rakdos Shred-Freak 

3 X Gray Merchant of Asphodel

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22 Creatures 

4 X Scourge Mark

4 X Devour Flesh

4 X Pharika's Cure

4 X Dark Favor

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16 spells 

Sideboard:

4 X Shrivel

4 X Launch Party

4 X Quag Sickness

3 X Read the Bones

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15 Cards

Alternates: 

4 X Viper's Kiss

4 X Wring Flesh

Now the creatures that I have added to this deck are mostly from Ravnica. The Black half of the Rakdos Cult make up most of the offensive power in this mono black build.Meet Mr.Haste 2/1 , Mr. Unleash 2/2 and  Mr. Unleash 3/4  or as they are known Rakdos Shred-Freak , Grim Roustabout and Dead Reveler. These guys have become fast favorites of mine because they give you the most bang for your back in this format. Rakdos Shred-Freak also give you 2 black mana for Devotion purposes. 

"Look 2 black Mana!"

Festering Newt is also a mainstay in this deck because he can add to the Devotion to Black if he survives in later turns or could block a creature and then put -1/-1 counter on another creature when it dies much like what the Necropede did for my infect decks. With all the 3/1's and 1/1's flying around (I am looking at you Boros!) you could kill 2 birds with one Newt..err...Stone.

Shadow Alley Denizen also makes the list here because she makes makes sure that all of your offensive weapons would hit home by making them have Intimidate. In case that you are facing an opponent that has some black creatures in the mix and are threatening to make your Intimidate useless I have added a whole suite of Removal spells in the deck in the form of Devour Flesh and Pharika's Cure. Intimidate the other creatures away!

"I'm sure the Rakdos guys don't mind a little Scourging..."

Now to make things a lot more hotter for your opponents I have also added Offensive Auras in the form of Scourge Mark and Dark Favor which give your creatures +1/0 and +3/+1 respectively. Scourge Mark has the added bonus of drawing you an extra card and adding to the Devotion count as a permanent as well(The reason why I did not choose the awesome Read the Bones as card draw).

All this offense in your hands without the Gray Merchant of Asphodel even hitting the floor. 3 copies ought to be enough to finish your opponents off. Assuming that you have cast at least one permanent in the last 5 turns you are looking at least 7 damage the moment that the Gray Merchant of Asphodel steps in. Why not 4 copies of this cool card? You don't really want to get a hold of this card early.3 lessens your chance of drawing so that it can be available in later turns. 

And here we are ,  Black Devotion Pauper 2013. A faster and meaner approach with the Darkness on your side.