Black has the potential to be one of the strongest colors when drafting the Magic 2012 set, but there are two big caveats to keep in mind when drafting Black. The first thing, as mentioned in my last article, is that you need multiple Black bomb/excellent level cards if you want Black to be your main color. The other thing is that most of the better playable black cards have two or more black mana in their casting cost, so you will have to commit a large part of your land base to swamps to insure that you can cast your black spells.

Bomb Black Cards

Call to the Grave – Just grab a few zombies or Reassembling Skeletons to keep this powerful enchantment on the battlefield, and you will dominate many opponents.

Grave Titan – A 6/6 Deathtouch creature along with two 2/2 Zombies for 6 mana, plus two more 2/2 zombies every time he attacks. Need I say more?

Sorin’s Vengeance – This card will win you the game outright in most cases, and even if it doesn’t, a 20 point swing in life totals will give you an overwhelming advantage.

Excellent Black Cards

Bloodlord of Vaasgoth – You need bloodthirst enablers and a fair number of vampires in your deck to make this card really shine.

Cemetery Reaper – The other zombies in this set aren’t great, but this guy makes them a little stronger. His true value is his ability to make zombies from creatures in any graveyard.

Consume Spirit – The requirement of only black mana prevents this card from being a bomb, but it is still great for removal or just straight damage to your opponent’s face.

Doom Blade – The best removal in the set, unless of course all of your opponent’s best creatures are black.

Royal Assassin – This guy is good at making your opponent think twice about attacking, and becomes really nasty if you have any tapper cards (Crown of Empires, Frost Breath, Gideon’s Lawkeeper).

Rune-Scarred Demon – Kinda pricy at 7 converted mana cost, but a 6/6 flyer with a Diabolic Tutor effect is great if you have enough mana.

Sengir Vampire – A 4/4 flyer is good in a limited format, and if you can find a way to feed him smaller creatures (Alluring Siren, for example), he becomes even better.

Sorin Markov – Sorin is a big commitment with three black mana in his casting cost of 6 total mana, but he can still make a noticeable impact when you get him out.

Vampire Outcasts – Unchecked life gain can quickly build you a huge advantage, and dropping this card on turn 4 with bloodthirst enabled will let you rapidly overwhelm opponents who don’t have an answer for it.

Vengeful Pharaoh – This card is a great recurring threat, as even if your opponent gets rid of him, he will lose an attacker and you can put him back out the next turn.

 

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Magic 2012 · MTGO Drafting

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