Shadows deck

[menahem]

I try to build a shadows deck and I got the general idea but I want help to improve it:

reiver demon
Dauthi Ghoul x3
Dauthi Mercenary x3
Dauthi Trapper x3
Dauthi Warlord x3
Dauthi slayer x3
Platinum Angel
Phage

Dauthi Embrace x3
Grave pact

Sword of kaldra
Shield of kaldra
Whispersilk Cloak x3
Dragon Blood
Nightmare Lash

Consume spirit x3
Snuff out x3

25 Swamps

I thought about having Dauthi Horror x3 in a sideboard.
And I want to add:
Nuisance Engine x2
Caustic Tar x2
Planar Portal
Tower Of eons

But I don't know where ,and if I should add them (Of course by keeping a 60 cards limit).

[Drone]

אתה צריך Nantuko Shade
ותוריד פייג' ואנג'ל... הם לא קשורים...
מה לעזאזל עושה הWhispersilk Cloack שם ?? זה כמו לשים אנצ'נטמנט שכל הפרמננטים ארטיפקטים.. בדק מלאה ארטיפקטים...

[menahem]

OK.
Lets say I do replace the Whispersilk Cloak in Nantuko Shade, and get out the angel and phage.
I still need more too creaturs that are not shadow and can help me (or another card that will help).
And what about the others?
Should I get the Nuisance Engine in? Or maybe Caustic Tar?

[AFallenAngel]

As I see it, a "Shadow deck" is supposed to drop many hard-to-block creatures fast, and kill the opponent without giving a chance to defend, so I think you should make the following changes:

Out -
-7 Artifacts // They are ineffective and useless.
-3 Dauthi Trapper // Same as the Embrace.
-3 Swamp // Total mana curve is reduced.
-3 Dauthi Embrace // All your creatures should have shadow anyway.
-3 Consume Spirit // Consumes too much mana.
-1 Dauthi Ghoul // Not effective enough.
- Grave Pact // Only one copy isn't enough, and it does not fit in.
- Reiver Demon // Too pricey.
- Phage // Too pricey.
- Platinum Angel // Too pricey.

In -
+4 Dark Ritual // Provides an enormous boost to your speed.
+4 Dauthi Horror // A great creature. Easy to cast, hits quite hard.
+4 Diabolic Edict // You need more than three removals, and this is one of the best out there.
+4 Dauthi Marauder // Same as the warlord, only this one works on his own.
+3 Phyrexian Arena // A card-drawing machine.
+2 Dark Triumph // Once you have three or more creatures, this is extremely deadly.
+1 Dauthi Slayer // Same as the Horror.
+1 Dauthi Mercenary // Good creature overall, quite destructive.
+1 Dauthi Warlord // Once you get several of your creatures in game, this can be quite deadly.

I hope this helped,
Eden.

[menahem]

I can get the idea of taking out the expensive ones and add some other cards.
But there are some problems:
-I cant have only creaturs with shadow because I need some deffence too.
-If I take out the dauthi trapper and dauthi embrace I might be stuk without shadows.
-The consume spirit is to damage the player and his creaturs (even the small ones).
-Dark Ritual is banned
-Whats the point of drawing 2 cards at a turn and lose 1 life every upkeep, if I wouldn't have the cards I need I might be stuk with a low number of life.
-Grave pact of one copy was an idea, I can get more.
-Reiver demon, and platinum angel (and phage as well) are backups if I wouldn't succeed to win as fast as I wish (specially platinum).
-Artifacts are in to help me increasing the creaturs attack and give a posebility to attack if some got protection from black (like cop:black).

[menahem]

And about the manas, from my experience 22 swamps aren't enough most of the time.

[AFallenAngel]

The deck as I presented it kept a low mana curve. 22 swamps are exactly enough.
Having only creatures with shadow shouldn't pose a problem. You rely on the fact that your offense will be better the the opponent's, which will probably be true.
Add fetch lands instead of the rituals, no one wants to draw lands on a deck so offensive (You should of said the deck is extended).
Phyrexian Arena - If you get stuck with two cards you do not need, that just makes you closer to cards you do need. If you didn't have the arena, these cards would have come over two turns, which is much worse. And also, the one life cost is nothing. The additional card is worth it, especially given the low casting cost of most cards, assuring you can always play both cards the same turn you draw them, giving you a big advantage.
Grave Pact isn't such a good idea, because usually your creatures won't die, becuase they do not engage in combat versus opposing creatures.
As I said, the big creatures are unnecessary. If you couldn't win early in the game, you are already screwed. Getting rid of a Platinum Angel is very easy, and opponent's creatures shouldn't even bother you. Just shrug off the damage and hit them harder.
Artifacts, if the only reason you add them to your deck is to get rid of pesky CoPs, it is a waste of good deck space. Even if someone does play with CoPs, I can almost assure you that you will have more creature than his lands.

Eden.

[menahem]

Just a thought, I don't have to use Phyrexian Arena every turn cus it's effect says "You may draw and card..." ,Right?

[menahem]

People told me that Dragon Blood is very usefull in shadow deck.
And I'm still looking for a place for the enchant land.
Maybe should I spare 1 Phyrexian and put dragon blood in?

[menahem]

From what I get the deck should be like that:

22 swamps

Dauthi Ghoul x2
Dauthi Horror x4
Dauthi marauder x4
Dauthi Slayer x 4
Dauthi Mercenary x4
Dauthi Warlord x4

Dark Triumph x2
Diabolic Edict x4
Snuff Out x3

Phyrexian Arena x3

[menahem]

Allthough I do know that Consume Spirit is good and usefull (specially against black decks when Snuff Out isn't working)
So I thought about putting it in as a sideboard in case I need to play against black decks. What do you say about that?

[abyss]

it's pretty obvious that 3 arenas are much more better than 2 arenas and dragon blood.
your deck should win fast and an artifact that can give you, in your 4th turn, 1 damge is very bad.

you forgot to remove 8 swamps and to add 4 poluted delta and 4 bloodstained mire.

gideon.

[menahem]

I don't see any reason to take out 8 lands and put on another 8 lands that forces me t pay 1 life and find the land I need...
The chances that I'll get those cards or get Swamps is the same, I rather just put Swamp instead of paying the 1 life.

[abyss]

the whole idea of paying 1 life is to remove a land from your libary and to get better chances of getting a creature than a land.
if you play with the deck, you will see that it helps alot.


gideon.

[Drone]

I don't see any reason to take out 8 lands and put on another 8 lands that forces me t pay 1 life and find the land I need...
The chances that I'll get those cards or get Swamps is the same, I rather just put Swamp instead of paying the 1 life.

the idea is that you are lowering the amount of cards in your deck...
you'll have better chances to get cards u need, but still will have the same amount of lands...

[menahem]

I got exactly 60 cards, I can't lower the amounth of cards more cus than wouldn't be able to play in tournaments.
And what exactly is the difference between a land card as swamp and a land and force me to pay 1 life and than I get swamp?! except the fact that I pay 1 life.

[abyss]

me and drone already told, if you have 53 cards in the libary, after you draw, 19 are swamps and 34 are usefull cards. you play a fetch then you have 18 swamps in the libary and that increase the chances of getting a good card the only thing that isn't good about the fetch is that it worth alot, not that you need to pay 1 life. how much hard is it to understand?

gideon.

[menahem]

I got the point, but from what I've heard 4 cards like this cost (when I get a cheep one) something like 100 nis. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway I still need more 4 cards and from what I've seen (maybe it was luck and maybe not) I don't need more lands!
I thought about 3 Unholy strength OR more 1 or 2 Dark Triumph and 1 or 2 Dauthi Ghoul. If you got a better offer I'll be glad to read it.

[menahem]

Although you said to take out the artifacts I think Tower Of Champions will be a great help, specialy because my creaturs usually don't get blocked.

[abyss]

again, you should win before you will have mana to use him.
you can add sinister strangth or something like that.

gideon.