Skullclamp in Sui?

[trancefusion]

Just thinking about adding skullclamp to a sui deck and wondering if it is worth it. First off, with the reduction of the number of misdirections going around sinkhole and hymn are now better cards than a year ago, so while sui might not be a tier 1 deck, it can be competitive. The question is whether the addition of skullclamp helps or hinders it.

The Pros
* Skullclamp give one of your creatures +1/-1 and in an aggro deck that is a good thing.
* Skullclamp costs 1 to cast, evening out the casting cost distribution (making CotV less effective)
* Threat removal now comes at a cost to your opponent

The Cons
* Nantuko Shade is not a great card with skullclamp
* Null Rods also do not have great synergy with skullclamp

The Questions
* Is card drawing something that a sui deck really needs/wants?
* Does the addition of skullclamp make up for the loss of disruption (null rod) and a great creature like the Shade (which gives sui a late game)

I am looking at the following decklist, although I have a few other cards that I am considering (like unearth):

Spells(18)
4 Duress      
4 Hymn to Tourach
4 Sinkhole
4 Skullclamp
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Yawgmoth’s Will

Creatures (16)
4 Skittering Skirge
4 Phyrexian Negator
4 Hypnotic Specter
4 Phyrexian War Beast

Mana Sources (26)
4 Dark Ritual
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
4 Mishra’s Factory
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
11 Swamps

[Toad]

How is Skullclamp better than Skeletal Scrying or Necropotence?

And don't run Mishra's Factories in Suicide, they are kinda bad here.

[trancefusion]

Well I think they are better then scrying because they do not require a lot of mana as well as cards in the graveyard to use. The clamps are also reusable. Of course I would not hesitate to run 4 necros if they were not restricted, but one is just not consistent enough.

As for the mishra's you could be right, but they are a creature and therefore do have synergy with the clamp, though they probably just give wastelands a big target.

[Androstanolone]

Not only do the factories act as a big wasteland target, they reduce your number of black sources.  Between hymns, sinks, hippies, and skirges black sui has always craved at least 16 sources of black.  Without shades you can maybe get by on 14, still, no factories either way.  

Skullclamp gives you +1 card advantage the first time you use it, and it's at some "later time".  The second time you use it (which may never happen in T1) it's +2.  The card advantage really comes up the most in control matches, where the games will actually last a while.  Control is not sui black's problems, other aggro is, sui black is notorious for raping control.  Also, skullclamp in multiples isn't good unless you're pumping out creatures, with only 16 relatively slow creatures I don't see it giving a great boost.  Lastly, the loss of nantuko shade is keenly felt, he's simply an awesome creature in black.  

Hope this has helped.



- Androstan

[Toad]

Well I think they are better then scrying because they do not require a lot of mana as well as cards in the graveyard to use. The clamps are also reusable.

You can't kill your own creatures so Skullclamp is only good if your opponent does it. This means Skullclamp is good if your opponent has removal. Against Keeper, you'll draw cards after Balance, and 80% of the time, Balance will be game. Tog runs little to no removal. Same for Slavery or Combo decks. All these points are huge drawbacks.

Sure, Skeletal Scrying requires cards in your graveyard, but you run 4 Rituals, 4 Duress, 4 Hymns, 4 Sinkholes, 5 Strip effets. This is not a drawback. I will just mess up a little with your Yawgmoth's Will. Skeletal Scrying will always net you cards, and this at instant speed, without messing with Null Rod. That's the most important point here. Suicide is nothing without his Rods.

[trancefusion]

All very good points and various items that I had never thought of. I guess the clamp is not a good match for the sui deck. Thanks for the input.

[xrizzo]

Of course I would not hesitate to run 4 necros if they were not restricted, but one is just not consistent enough.

For the love of God, run the one Necro you are allowed.  If you go first turn ritual, necro - it is almost always GAME.

As for skull, I played a few games last night and see the power of this card in a deck designed around it, but in Suicide, I feel it is a cheap toy at best.  If someone has STP removal for a shade, yeah, its nice to draw 2 cards instead, but there is a lot that needs to go right for that to happen.  It does lessen the permanents you sac due to Negator taking 5 damage, but cmon, is suicide really concerned about that?  Or smashing face as soon as possible?

[Danzig]

I refuse to destroy the 14 creatures I run.
 

[DURESSTHIS]

have u thought about scull clamps with a myr retriever its an awsome draw engiune if ure having trouble keeping cards in ur hand

[Arvid]

I think Skullclamps seems to be quite good in this deck, but this is no reason for you to cut Nantuko Shade, I think. I would go:

-4 Skittering Skirge
-4 Phyrexian War Beast

+4 Nantuko Shade
+4 Withered Wretch (their ability is needed in so many machups)

Even though the shade and the clamp isn't 100% synergetic both are good cards on their own and should be kept. In worst case, when you only have a shade in play, you could just choose not to use the clamp OR you could pump your shade, equip it, and attack and then sacrifice it at end of turn for two cards.