Magic 2014: Deadwalker's Deck Breakdown

Today's post is a guest post brought to you by Anthony Landrum (@formerruling on Twitter) of the blog rulsrants.blogspot.com.

Magic the Gathering 2014 - Deadwalkers Deck

Deadwalkers Deck Video Walkthrough

I play the Deadwalker’s deck in a more aggro style with a lot of the lower cost drops. The ideal is for me to flood the battlefield with nice little zombies and by turn 3 and 4 pumping them, giving them deathtouch, and just running over the opponent with a little removal and control tactics as backup.  I’m going to discuss my choices sectioned by mana cost as it is very important in this constructed format to develop a nice lower mana curve due to the deadly speed of some decks, namely Avacyn’s Glory, which is the deck to beat in this game right now.  

Mana Cost 1-3: 

I run almost all of the creatures in this mana range as they are all bodies to be pumped by later drops. There is some debate about Fleshbag but I don’t see it as being too situational as long as they have creatures because you are always at least getting +1 field presence over them. Doom Blade is fast effective removal but is a dead card in the mirror or against two of the popular second tier decks so I’ve been cutting one out for a Sign in Blood. I do not run Bloodghast simply because it is a Vampire and thus just an extremely weaker version of Gravecrawler here due to not being modified by other cards. For spells I don’t run Quest but I think it is a nice card and a Flashed 5/5 Zombie can be a great asset. I’m not saying it will not find its way in.  Vial as removal is playing 2 cards to destroy 1 dude; Vial is to keep big threats from attacking in but it just doesn’t work out much in this format. Exhume is too situational without cards that throw bombs in your graveyard. Shrivel is token removal which might be mildly relevant in the format if it were Instant speed.  Staff and Soul Bleed are just bad cards all around.  Death Cloud is good in 2HG, but not in 1v1 format.  I will discuss Grim Return later.  

Mana Cost 4-5: 

The 4 drops in the deck are all tide-turners and are very important to the tempo.  Warchief conducts the pain train! Reaver is still a good card, but I’ve had a change of heart on him since the video. I have been subbing in Grim to lower the mana curve a bit and it’s a nice card to play with. I put in Grave Pact because it changes who is in control of the battlefield.  It punishes their combat choices and removal choices.  Endless Ranks is what they call a “win more” condition in 1v1 (I might run in 2HG), that is you have to already be winning for it to do anything and stay winning in the board presence race or it does nothing. The rest of the 4 pack are great removal. I do not run any of the few poor 5 drops the deck has.  

Mana Cost  6+:  

I allowed myself a maximum of 3 cards that cost 6 as “game enders” if the game happened to go long. Mikaeus pumps and allows you to smash in with everything recklessly (and has added bonus vs. Avacyn’s Glory). Corrupt can break their defenses and go straight up top to win. Grave Titan is just a great card they have to answer or they suffer.  Because of how infrequently you actually reach land drop 6 and have one of these available I might cut to just 2 of these though.  Anything over mana cost 6 is just too big to play. One notable exception is Demon of Death's Gate which can come out as early as turn 3 if you pay the alternative cost. I do not run it because the risk caused by its cost is just too high in this deck and format. When you win with it sure it feels epic, but 99% of the time it is dead space in your hand or worse you pay 6 life and 4 cards to cry over an unsummon.  

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