Improving Mask

[Beatdown]

    It has been a while since I have posted here, but I figure I would give it a shot. From the first time I layed eyes on masknought it has been my favorite deck, though unfortunatly not without it's problems. Mono black suicide was  one of the first incarnations and it was very narrow. Auto-scooping to a resolved null rod was never any fun, no to mention the inability to deal with any top decked hate the opponent drew. Anyways... I have been testing a B/W version as of late and I think that it shows some promise. Many of the area's that mask has been lacking seem to be much stronger with this addition. I would like some help with card choices however, I'm having a hard time deciding what should make the cut.

Core cards: 21
4 Illusionary mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Dark ritual
4 Dark Confidant(with a mana curve that pretty much ends at 2 this guy is a definite)
4 Duress
1 Yawgmoth's Will

Search: 3
1 Enlightened tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor

Disruption/Protection: 16
3 Orim's Chant(counter protection, combo killer, and sometimes a conditional timewalk, what's not to love?)
2 Hanna's Custody
4 Castigate(yes it costs 2 when you could be playing your mask, but it's a lot better than tossing one out in the dark)
3 Argivian Find (brings back either part of your combo instantly for 1 mana, 3 too many?)
2 Swords to Plowshares
2 Seal of Cleansing

Mana: 20
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
4 Scrubland
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
5 Plains
5 Swamp

I feel like the white portion of the deck is trying to do too much at one time. I would really like to up the swords count, maybe at the expense of seal. Secondly is 20 mana enough for this deck? Hardly anything costs more than 2. Other than those questions feel free to comment, and maybe we can get some life back into mask! Also, in case you didn't realize I don't have power, not that it would have a huge effect on this deck anyways.

[Harlequin]

There are basically 3, "problem" cards for your deck:
Null Rod
Pithing needle
Goblin welder  -- can be a problem especailly because a Naught in the yard auto-self-destruct as soon as he is welded in, allowing welder you clear your board over a few turns.  Hanna's custody is nice for that.  Here is where we run into our problem though.  There are decks that run both null rod and welder, or needle and welder.   So I dont think running a deck that gets shut off by null rod/needle should be running Hannah's Custody.  It is basically giving them the game.  So what to do?
I would say cut the 2 Hana's for a 3rd and 4th swords to plow Or for 2 darkblasts (aka the welder slayer).  Then add either Dust to Dust, more Seal of Clensing, Aura of Silence, or even Aboloish.

I'm not sure what "Constigate" is but if you ment "Castigate" then I would say you have better options.  Argivian Find, Not bad .. I would say 2 at the most.  Esp if you have no discard outlet.  Also i think your mana needs some "helping" More fetches will mean you will thin your deck down and find cards rather than more mana.  Also Grim monolith turns 2 mana into 3, not bad.

So in Summary:

Non-Mana Adjustments:
-2 Hana's Custody  (now 0)
-4 Constigate/castigate? (now 0)
-1 Argivian Find (now 2)

+2 Swords to Plow (now 4)
+2 Seal of Cleansing (now 4)
+2 Dark Blast
+1 Abolish


24 Mana: (Move your dark Rits down to your mana section)

17 - Zero Drop Mana:
1 Lotus Petal
4 Scrublands
3 Swamps
3 Plains
3 Black fetch (Polluted, Bloodstained)
3 White Fetch (Flooded strand, windswept heath)

7 - Mana Boosters:
4 Dark Ritual
1 Sol ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Grim Monolith

[Gabethebabe]

Problem with this deck is that the format is prepared for it. Everybody and his mother runs artifact removal. Goblin Welder, Null Rod and Pithing Needles make you weep. It has always been a instabile deck and adding 4 Bobs is probably going to improve it, but not break it.

I don´t know what constagate does.

Hanna´s Custady is crap. I would certainly play something like 3 Negators to beat face. They rock in several matchups.
Since you don´t own power, White is a decent addition, but only for removal (Swords/Disenchant) and the tutor. Otherwise I´d certainly prefer blue for brokennes and bounce. No chants of arhivian finds

Yoiu mana base needs to be a lot blacker. I´d prefer Caves of Koilos or the tapdual over Plains.

[swooop]

Not to be dismissive but this deck is terrible as built changes I would make would be something along these lines.

Core cards: 16
4 Illusionary mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
2 Hidden Horror
4 Dark Confidant
2 Withered Wretch


Search: 6
1 Enlightened tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Imperial Seal
2 Argivian Find (maybe a find alright nice with dredge)

Disruption/Protection: 16
4 Duress
2 Darkblast
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Seal of Cleansing
1 Strip Mine
2 Wasteland


Mana: 23
4 Dark Ritual
1 Sol Ring
1 Lotus petal
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
4 Scrubland
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
5 Swamp
1 Plains

Even with these changes i reckon its borderline viable depends on metagame i suppose

[zeus-online]

Hidden horror is crap unless you have the mask, i'd never add it....i'd rather play negator....!
I think the creature base should include 4 Confidants and 2-4 withered wretch's (and obviosly the dreadnoughts)
Withered wretch solves all welder problems, you can even remove artifacts from your own graveyard to keep your 'Nought on the table vs. welder.

Demonic consultation is probably the most over-looked tutor in the game, but it really does shine in a deck where you want to fetch 4-of's

also, i cant believe you guys arent playing necropotence in a ritual deck?? First turn necropotence is pretty busted, and have won me countless games.

Yawg's will dosnt seem horribly broken in the deck, but you could add in a tendrils....the ability to combo out could be very usefull...and you should be able to hit the opponent with weenies a couple of times lowering the needed storm count. Also, if you're willing, you should have a  couple of rituals in the 'Yard along side a tutor of some sort (getting tendrils)....could work!

If power is added, i think blue should definetly come in.

/Zeus

[Beatdown]

Changes that I'm going to be making so far... Also thanks guys for all the imput, it has been very helpful. I'm not sure about adding strips, I feel like I have quite a bit of hate already(though not toward land of course). I know will isn't broken in here, but it's pretty much an excellent card in any deck running black. And while I would like to add a imperial seal, I'm not going to spend $100 on vampiric tutor #2.

-3 chants(to the board for combo matchups?)
-4 castigate
-1 argivian find
-4 plains

+2 fetch
+1 swamp
+2 swords
+1 necro
+1 consultation (I've had bad luck in the past, but it gets you what you need now)
+2 seal of cleansing
+2 darkblast
+2 wretch
+1 lotus petal

[Gabethebabe]

Not to be dismissive but this deck is terrible as built changes I would make would be something along these lines.
[decklist]
Even with these changes i reckon its borderline viable depends on metagame i suppose

Please, dont dismiss other decks if you can´t do better. Not playing Will and Necropotence is just plain ridiculous. Darkblast doesn´t belong in this deck, you already have Swords. Find is circumstantial, you´d rather have your first thread stick to finish you opponent off. it was already stated that the deck is Powerless, so ditch the jewelry and of course Mana Crypt should come in, how can that card be overlooked.

Try this (unpowered):

Creatures (13)
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Dark Confidant
3 Phyrexian Negator
2 Withered Wretch

Spells (21)
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Seal of Cleansing
1 Enlightened Tutor

4 Duress
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Consultation
1 Necropotence
1 Yawgmoth´s Will

4 Illusionary Mask

Mana (26)
4 Dark Ritual
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Lotus Petal
5 Swamp
4 Scrubland
1 Godless Shrine (thats the name of the new BW dual, isn´t it?)
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
3 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Plains

EDIT: SB something like 4 Chant, 2 Kataki, 2 Sacred Ground, 1 Darkblast, 2 Needle, 2 Massacre, 2 white Arcane Lab (forgot name)

[bebop3609]

I would recomed that you you look at this thread:

http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=26613.0

If you like mask so much I think something more along this build would be the way to go with some exceptions.  You could take out the red and squeze in some counters or something.  But I do believe this to be a better build.

[bebe]

bebop3609
It's not a better build - its an entirely different build.

Gabethebabe
I rather like your build - it protects the combo well, has some search and can potentially go off rather quickly and has a backup plan.
Some tops might be nice w/ few more fetches for added search?

[Beatdown]

Gabethebabe
I'm still not sure about the the finds or not, this deck doesn't have a lot of threats and we all know how hated out artifacts usually are. Of course it's not something you'd like to see early, but it does help. While this loss was balanced out by a few negators I'm really not sure about running them main, I don't plan on facing much combo or control where he really shines. The rest of the card choices however seem great, and I forgot about mana crypt!

[Gabethebabe]

Finds are not necessary, you already have four tutors and that should be enough. These tutors look through your library, which is a whole lot better than look in your GY (for artefacts/enchantments). Also you have a certain sorcery that recuperates stuff from the graveyard. Although it will not be possible to replay a Dreadnought from the GY

I´m not sure if I have got the mana right, maybe a 3rd Polluted form the Shrine could be good. You could try 1-2 Tops, but that would make you more vulnerable to Null Rod.

[zeus-online]

Hmmm about hanna's custody, i could see it work against Control slaver, maybe it could be added to the sideboard?

I think 3 wretched and 2 negators would be better...the deck looks more like a suicide deck with a hidden combo

Oh, and btw...the white arcane lab is Rule of law.

/Zeus

[nataz]

Why white over blue? Blue offers you lots of other options in FOW, Kira Glass Spinner, H-Recall, brainstorm, and the random TW/Ancestral/Tinker.
 
FOW is better then orims, Kira is a custody that can be played under a mask, castigate isnt really that good, h-Recall/random bounce can replace STP against DSC/Angels, and how badly do you really need the finds/seal?

[Gabethebabe]

Without power I´d rather have white than blue. Tinker is crap, you hardly have any food for it and it only finds you mask. If you need a Nought, Tinker does nothing. E. Tutor can find both and the occasional Lotus, Necro or Seal of Cleansing.

[Beatdown]

Why white over blue? Blue offers you lots of other options in FOW, Kira Glass Spinner, H-Recall, brainstorm, and the random TW/Ancestral/Tinker.
 
FOW is better then orims, Kira is a custody that can be played under a mask, castigate isnt really that good, h-Recall/random bounce can replace STP against DSC/Angels, and how badly do you really need the finds/seal?

First of all this deck is unpowered at the moment, however if I had power I would switch to blue.  In order for h-recall to be not hurting me I would need to not have any artifacts in play, and in that case i would already be in a jam. Also swords kills welders, oath fat and every other creature in the game for a mere 1 mana. Not counting recall blue has no way of dealing with artifacts on the board already, and null rod/needle are both GG unless you can remove them.

[cssamerican]

I think 3 wretched and 2 negators would be better...the deck looks more like a suicide deck with a hidden combo

I would almost be tempted to run four negators. Many of the control/combo Mana Drain decks only need to worry about the four Illusionary Masks and the Negators, everything else isn't much of threat due to the lack of pressure it puts on them. Plus, it isn't like you going to be the control deck in these match-ups; therefore, if your role is going to be beatdown 90% of the time your card choices should reflect that in my opinion.

[Beatdown]

Here's what I'm looking at right now. I decided to add in negators against combo/control which I have few other options. I still have 4 swords pre board and to a lesser extent seals.

Face Smashers: 16
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Dark Confidant
4 Phyrexian Negators

Hate: 12
4 Seal of Cleansing
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Duress

Tutor: 6
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Necropotence
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Consultation

Mana: 25
4 Dark Ritual
1 Lotus Petal
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
3 Bloodstained Mire
3 Polluted Delta
4 Bayou
5 Swamp
2 Plains

I still have 1 open slot for something, not sure what I should be. A lone wretch would be random, perhaps balance?

[Gabethebabe]

Balance no, you´re playing creatures.

I think the deck should have two Wretches main. They wreck a lot of strategies.

If you are playing 4 Disenchant effects, you might consider going to 3/1 or 1/3 Disenchant/Seal. You need at least one seal as Tutor target but I also think you need Disenchants, because sometimes your only removal against stacks that works is instant stuff (e.g. your tapped down under a Wire). I would not go to 2/2 because of Consult.

[Beatdown]

I was just trying to think of a 1of that I hadn't included in this updated list. I have room for 1 wretch right now, what would you cut for the other one, a basic maybe?

[nataz]

In order for h-recall to be not hurting me I would need to not have any artifacts in play, and in that case i would already be in a jam. Also swords kills welders, oath fat and every other creature in the game for a mere 1 mana.

I actually missed that you didnt run any power, which obv. makes tinker a lot less interesting, my B.

Regardless though, H-recall targets a player, so the idea is you can target your opponent and bounce all the needles and rod's that they may have played at once. If you went with three colors, and for some reason needed to include Hannah's, recall is still excellent b/c again, it targets players. I also like mass bounce much better then seal b/c it will clear the board against a stax deck, rather then just take out a single lock. 

Also, you have an even better answer to welders then STP, and that is darkblast. For angles, you can always run something like chain or e-truth, which can also answer pesky hate cards. 

I mean, if you really want to go w/ white, by all means have at it, but I still think that blue would offer you similar (if not better) removal capabilities, while giving you excellent disruption and draw.

Another suggestion would be to look at the older spoils mask decks. Really the bottle neck in this deck is the combo itself. Either piece alone isnt going to do much, w/o a mask dread is pretty much worthless, and with out a naught, mask can't do much beyond play out confidants. Spoils might clear that up nicely, especially considering that your decklist is fairly redundant.