WBG Dawn of the Dead

[the boogie man]

Dawn of the Dead is one of my favorite decks, buts it's disappeared in recent months. Other posts on this thread have spurred my interest to dust off the deck and repost it here for review. I posted it on another website, and this is the list I came up with.

Land:
4x bazaar of baghdad
4x Bloodstained Mire
3x Bayou
3x Scrublands
3x wasteland
1x badlands
1x Undiscovered Paradise
1x strip mine
1x swamp

Win Conditions:
4x Tarmogoyf
3x ethersworn cannonist
3x tidehallow Sculler

Card Quality/Quantity:
4x Dark Confidant
4x Squee
2x Life from the Loam
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Demonic Consultation

Disruption:
3x null rod
3x Thoughtsieze
2x Duress
2x swords to plowshares
1x hide/seek
1x Balance

Power:
3x on-color mox/ 2x b (w/g)mox, 1x lotus petal
1x black lotus

Edit:list edited.

I think that a lot of this deck is still relevant. The Rods are still good against a lot of the important parts of the field, and wasteland is as good as ever (maybe), And the deck still has a very robust draw engine.

There are some things to be tinkered with, but I think that this is a good place to start. The first is the red splash. It's small, but it allows hide/seek, Which I think is very good, and a lot of options in the sideboard. With 4 fetch, 1 badlands, and 1 undiscovered paradise, that seems like enough ways to cast it. Red also allows you to cast squee, which could prove useful against aggro decks, since he keeps coming back.

I think that the cannonists are an excellent inclusion, because you probably are doing a lot of things that aren't playing spells. Bazaar and zombie infestation are excellent to abuse under a cannonist. Plus, null rods will keep them at your pace.

Goyfs should be obvious, and the bobs are really good. I also really like demonic consultation, and it seems to fit nicely into this deck. There are lots of 4-ofs of things you really want, and it only costs 1 mana.

The most questionable slots are zombie infestation and life from the loam. Is 2 too many? Would the second one go to the side? I also wonder if infestation puts enough pressure on the opponent. Late game its great, but early on you don't want to waste a lot of time making zombies. I think that the deck should at least have 1 of each, but other than that, I don't know.

[FadeToBlack]

Just some minor things I've picked up in playing with this deck...

First, your going to want a Riftstone Portal or two.

Next, I'm a huge fan of Tidehollow Sculler. Personally, I feel like this guy is a stronger play than Canonist, as I'd rather be Duressing my opponent and then playing a man each turn, rather than being potentially held down. But Canonist is also a little worse because of my next point..Also, small thing, but it's kindve funny that you list Canonist as a win condition and not Confidant. They both attack for two =P

I don't like Infestation main anymore. Most games, it doesn't do enough. You want to be Duressing your opponent every turn while laying beats with Tarmogoyf and your bears. Infestation sets up for a long game, where a deck with superior cards (anything with blue) will probably come out on top, due to their ability to make ridiculous plays with broken spells your not fortunate enough to have. I still like them in the board for Fish and Shop matchups, but that's about it.

Mox Diamond might be better than Lotus Petal.

No Gaddock Teeg? This guy was pretty solid every time I played with him. Maybe he's too redundant in your build since your playing Canonist...but its worth noting Teeg is unaffected by thing's like Rebuild that combo decks might be packing. He also conveniently stops EE for 2, which is kinda bananas against you.

Just random other tangent..but I never played Null Rod. Granted, this was before Tezzeret and Time Vault..but I never had it in here. Instead I chose to run more Duress/Seize, and that always worked out for me. I know that seems kind've unconventional as its almost a given that  Fish-type decks will run Rod...but if you have time, try it out.

[the boogie man]

I don't really like rifstone portal, but I suppose it's worth testing. What goes? a Bayou? I also might like mox diamond over petal. I've thought about that one, but null rod held me back. I will cut the infestations to the side, I was already considering doing so.

Sculler is probably what I'd replace the two infestations for, and a third for 1 of the life from the loam. As for teeg, he does probably deserve a spot or two. Maybe one of the cannonist spots, and i don't know what I'd cut for a second one. Maybe I'll just leave it at 1. Or would the sculler be better? I'm worried about the mana cost, though.

[Lurker101]

Would the Life from the Loam + Raven's Crime combo work in here? It seems like it would.

[the boogie man]

Kind of. I like it, but it takes your whole turn if you have a cannonist out. maybe a duress can be replaced by it. After a couple turns that card is brutal.

Edit: Not only does the raven's crime eat your turn if cannonist is out, but you cant even play it the turn you play life from the loam. But with the cannonist count down to 3 (possibly), this may not even be an issue.

[Tempus]

What about something like that:

4 Bazaar
3 Bayou
3 Scrubland
1 Swamp
2 Riftstone Portal
2 Polluted Delta
2 Bloodstained Mire
3 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Diamond
1 Black Lotus

4 Squee
4 Goyf
4 Bob
3 Teeg
4 Tidehollow Sculler

4 Thoughtseize
3 Duress
4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Life from the Loam

SB: (Meta unknown/special, so I try to pack enough against everything)

4 Thorn of Amethyst
3 Extirpate
3 Tormod's Crypt
3 Krosan Grip
2 Oxidize

With 11 Duresseffects and 19 Creatures you should be in.
Don't know if I need the Infestations and if not, are 4 Squees necessary?

[the boogie man]

That list actually looks really good. I have cut the infestations too, they just don't seem to do as much as I want them to.

I really think that you need null rod, It will keep more overpowered decks off your back while you crush them with bazaar. I'd take out 1-2 swords, 1 thoughtseize, and probably 1 portal. I also like cannonist more than teeg, but if you like teeg, then He seems to fill the same role. I run (probably) 3 cannonist, 3 sculler (because the mana cost is a tad restrictive), and 1 teeg. I also like demonic consultation. Instant speed tutor is tech.

I'm not really sure about how many squee to run. I do hate that they aren't that useful outside of  the bazaar engine.

Another interesting road to take would be a reanimator-type build.It's probably not as viable, but it is fun, and somewhat quicker.

4 Bazaar
3 Bayou
3 Scrubland
1 Swamp
2 Riftstone Portal
2 Polluted Delta
2 Bloodstained Mire
3 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Black Lotus

4 Goyf
4 Bob
3 knight of the reliquary/terravore
3 eternal witness
3 Squee

4 unearth
4 Thoughtseize
3 null rod
2 Duress
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Vampiric Tutor
3 Life from the Loam
1 darkblast

with bazaar and loam/darkblast, dredging threats would be pretty straightforward, and using unearth to to bring them back cheap. You still have bobs for card advantage, goyfs beat, and knight of the reliquary's cc isn't all that bad when its one black mana. You are not crippled by crypt or anything either, they just shut off unearth and loam. I like unearth because it gives you options when you want to sit around and blow up all of the opponent' stuff with wastes and darkblast.

I like the eternal witness as well. if you have spare black mana, 1 unearth can bring out all three eternal witness (assuming they are in the graveyard) and another creature of your choice, probably tarm. I'm not saying it will be an additional 6 power everytime, but it is noteworthy. You can also use unearth as a regrowth as well. animate witness, grab that necessary duress or the countered null rod. Don't have loam? grab a waste right out of the graveyard. What do you guys think?

[ktmaske]

Is vamp tutor supposed to be demonic. If not id change that. What are your thoughts towards genesis. I think that after its in your yard via bazaar or life you get a re occurring creature per turn.

[Tempus]

I don't think Genesis is good, because you don't want to use your mana just to get something in your hand. I mean, with Squees you should never be forced to discard something you don't want to.

Your list looks interesting, but you should run at least Canonist or Teeg (I'd prefer Teeg). Otherwise you could just lose to a topdecked Gifts.
Terravore is an interesting option to compensate your reduced number of turns due to the more draw/dredge you have. I think he's better than the Knight, but testing will show

With this deck I fear TPS more than Tez. And TPS can win with a Null Rod in play. But both can't win without a few handcards and spells which cost 3<. That's why I'd choose Teeg and Sculler before Null Rod (and you like your additional mana as well, because it allows you to play more disruption and threats per turn.
Consultation is a two edged sword. It gives you your card at instant speed, but might also remove your "entire" library and cards you might need after your searched card. (If I need a Teeg/Canonist now, but remove all the Goyfs/Bobs I don't have any good beats left)

[the boogie man]

I think that getting what you want for 1 mana at instant speed is worth the risk of removing a bunch of cards. with so many 4 and 3-ofs, i wouldn't worry about going through my whole deck. getting a bazaar or goyf or whatever. Hopefully that card that I got will help end the game, that way i don't need to wait to draw something else. plus, I might have whatever got removed in my hand. In games where you bring in lots of diverse hate, consultation can be boarded out.

And reliquary vs. terravore: Terravore does have trample, and is probably bigger, but the deck runs thoughtsieze and swords, so at least you will have the chance to nullify potential blockers. and reliquary doubles as disruption. really need a strip mine or a maze of ith or a bazaar? knight is your (wo)man.