I must admit that I thought that Magic had gone to hell in a handbasket when they announced that Legions would be an all-creature set. It just wasn't logical, and I thought it could only hurt the OnBC (Onslaught Block Constructed) format.

As I opened my box of Legions, I got mostly decent cards: various Slivers, Stompys (in the form of Krosan Cloudscraper) and all five Muses.

I hadn't read the spoiler yet, so I was completely unfamiliar with the set. I kept getting Dark Supplicants, and I was annoyed that I didn't know what the Scion of Darkness would do. Well, I ended up pulling two Scions in my box, and along with my Rotlung Reanimators and slews of other Clerics from Onslaught and Legions, I decided to make an OBC W/B Cleric deck.

Sounds like a simple task, eh? The first thing I considered was that a lot of key cards would be lost from Standard - cards like Benevolent Bodyguard and Wrath of God, just to name a few. Rotlung Reanimator is still around, and without him, I don't see how the deck would be consistently good. So, I picked through the piles of cards, filed through the spoiler and took out all decent Clerics and assisting spells. I was left with a list of these:

Rotlung Reanimator
Scion of Darkness
Dark Supplicant
Blood Celebrant
Disciple of Malice
Cabal Archon
Oversold Cemetery
Blackmail
Smother
Graveborn Muse
Drinker of Sorrow
Withered Wretch
Nantuko Husk
Fallen Cleric

White:
Nova Cleric
Battlefield Medic
Daru Mender
Windborn Muse
Disciple of Grace
Doubtless One
Foothill Guide
White Knight
Whipgrass Entangler

I looked at this stack and immediately saw that the black was stronger than the white by far. There is only one truly great one-drop in the form of Nova Cleric... But everything else is quite slow and inferior to black. Battlefield Medic and a Daru Mender can keep the Rotlung around for a while, but aren't a good base compared to what the black could be on its own. Mono Black Clerics is the way I eventually chose after testing failed with a W/B version. Here are the key cards in black and why:

Rotlung Reanimator: Serious tech. If a cleric blocks and is killed, I get a Zombie. Use Cabal Archon? Get a Zombie. How about Nantuko Husk and Drinker of Sorrow? Or - get this - Dark Supplicant! This is the most abusive card in the deck, and you should try to keep it protected as much as possible.

Scion of Darkness and Dark Supplicant: The Scion can see play, sometimes in three turns with a good hand. If the Dark Supplicant is drawn late, use it with Rotlung Reanimator. The Scions can be cycled, which not only gives you the card, but adds to Oversold Cemetery's four-creature activation. The Scion is trampling damage that can't be targeted by any destruction spell except Cruel Revival, isn't fazed by full-out Slice and Dice, and only a big Starstorm can stop it.

Disciple of Malice: Two mana for a 1/2 cleric when you need him, and a very cheap cycler when you need that card or fuel for the Oversold Cemetery.

Cabal Archon: He works great with the Rotlung and usually deals the final blow against any type of deck. He turns any Cleric into a Shock. Once again, he's another component for a loop with Oversold Cemetery if the game slows down, and two life is guaranteed to be lost each turn. He's the second biggest player next to Rotlung.

Withered Wretch: He's a 2/2 for two black, and has an added ability should the need arise. The power and toughness in proportion to his low mana cost is great, and is usually a turn ahead before any morphs that hit the table. Don't forget, he's a cleric - that's why we like him. Great against mirror matches.

Drinker of Sorrow: I wouldn't play more than two of this guy in the main deck, but he's a fast beatdown card that helps Oversold and Rotlung when its five damage is dealt. A power of five can knock out lots of creatures, even if it's only good for a swing or two.

Nantuko Husk: Since Rotlung won't always activate each turn, a massive attack with everything and a Husk will get some damage through and have lots of 2/2 zombies left over, untapped, ready to block or attack next turn. Another major player, it helps Oversold Cemetery get some fresh meat to bring back. And speak of the devil...

Oversold Cemetery: This is the card that keeps the steady flow of creatures coming in the heat of the game. The combinations with the other cards have been mentioned, and its activation needs aren't hard to meet. Also, if that Dark Supplicant hasn't shown itself, bring back a cycled Scion of Darkness. Or vice versa: Bring back another Dark Supplicant and get another Scion. Does the madness ever stop?

Smother: ...No. The madness never does. Smother and Cruel Revival are the only two practical"destroy target creature" spells so far in OBC, and both fit well into this deck and the current environment. You can Smother morphs, Wellwishers, Mistforms, Wirewood Savages, and anything in your way! Two mana, and a threat is eliminated! Supplies are limited, so order now!

Cruel Revival: It's a slow card, so no more than two should be played in the deck. It allows you to target creatures that Smother can't and - get this - it can bring back a Rotlung. Are all of the pieces of this puzzle fitting together yet?

Blackmail: The closest thing to a Duress or Ostracize around, and it's even better when a Scion is staring them down. It fills in the one-drop holes, and is the only discard of its kind in OBC.

These are the stars: Well, actually, they're the entire deck. After assembling this and eventually playtesting it, I realized that everything works together very well, and even without Rotlung or Oversold it can hold out with minimal damage dealt. Now, why weren't some key cards considered or used?

Graveborn Muse: A great draw engine, but it's a little slow. With lots of zombies on the table due to Rotlung, if a Nantuko Husk or a Drinker of Sorrow aren't pulled or in play, it can kill you too fast. I never thought it was worth the slot.

Fallen Cleric: He's expensive, he's easily killed, and he sucks except in the mirror match.

Bane of the Living: This is the closest thing to a Wrath of God effect - and would theoretically work great, except that it would take some mana to pull it off. The least that you would (or should) do it for would be for two, which can get rid of lots of annoying Goblins and the like - but without a Rotlung, it hurts rather than helps. By the time you could do it, a Cabal Archon, Rotlung, or Nantuko Husk should have hit the table, which puts you in good condition for a while.

Misery Charm: Yes, you heard me. It would take the place of the Cruel Revivals, but it would be doing half the job. The Oversold Cemetery can bring back creatures, but Misery Charm can usually put it back into play the same turn due to it's low casting cost. The Cruel Revival just worked out to be better. Another sideboard card, maybe!

Taking the key cards listed above, here's the deck I formulated:

The Dark Side of Glory
4 Rotlung Reanimator
4 Dark Supplicant
2 Scion of Darkness
4 Disciple of Malice
4 Cabal Archon
4 Withered Wretch
2 Drinker of Sorrow
2 Nantuko Husk

4 Oversold Cemetery
4 Smother
3 Blackmail
2 Cruel Revival

3 Barren Moor
16 Swamp
2 Starlit Sanctum

There aren't many nonbasic lands that would help out this deck, but Barren moor and Starlit Sanctum should be included without too much explanation. The main problem with this is that it lacks more one drops. The only ones, Dark Supplicants, are great, but the Disciples and Wretches take two, and the others take three. This was my only problem, but it doesn't affect the deck as much as it would in Standard play. As a sideboard goes, this is it:

1 Blackmail
3 Dirge of Dread
2 Drinker of Sorrow
2 Fallen Cleric
1 Nantuko Husk
2 Bane of the Living
4 Misery Charm

Now for the analysis. (Drum roll, please!) The Blackmail is good against any pseudo-control deck, and Dirge of Dread is sided in against Beast decks that are faster than your Oversold Cemetery is, and have lots of whoppers on the table to boot. Drinker of Sorrow is good against white decks, as having five damage coming each turn brings their flyers to block eventually. Bane of the Living helps out against Elves! (the OBC version, thank God!) and clears the table later in the game. Misery Charms are perfect in mirror matches, and all three abilities are useful.

Not many people playtest and write about OBC before the third set comes out, but since PT: Venice will be held soon, this would have been the deck I would take over. The three main matchups I've seen and played are Beasts, Elves! and OBC Piledriver Sligh.

Beasts: This matchup is pretty smooth. This deck usually is a whole lot faster and more efficient later in the game, and they have no way to deal with the Rotlung churning out tokens after Clerics die. Naturalize gets rid of the Oversold Cemetery, so keeping one in play could be somewhat tricky. Hold on to Smothers for when Wirewood Savages hit: those guys give them a huge card advantage.

Sideboard: +3 Dirge of Dread, +2 Drinker of Sorrow, -2 Nantuko Husk, -3 Blackmail.

The cycling Beasts (Krosan Tusker, Barkhide Mauler) do Blackmail's work of feeding the Scion if it gets in play, and Nantuko Husk plays to be a little weaker than the Drinker of Sorrow. More aggression is needed against Beasts, but it is more than provided. Record: 13-4-0.

Believe it or not, Mythic Proportions blitzed past me in a few of the slower games, due to too little clerics and not a Cabal Archon or Drinker of Sorrow in sight. Unless you keep their whoppers at bay, they'll trample over you. Drinker of Sorrow is the star here, since Mr. Nasty can take out anything short of a Hundroog. (! - The Ferrett)

Elves!: This is a rather easy match. Keeping the Wellwishers off the table is the only real key to a quicker victory, and Scion of Darkness can put those on your side, giving you the life advantage that white could have. Once again, a sideboarded Naturalize against Oversold Cemetery may hinder you later in the game, but the Rotlung proves to be the star once again.

Sideboard: +2 Dirge of Dread, +2 Drinker of Sorrow, -2 Nantuko Husk, -2 Cruel Revival.

The Cruel Revivals aren't needed in this match as badly as the Blackmails are to get rid of creature enhancers and the like, and Drinker of Sorrow once again gets rid of some elves and hinders their productivity. Depending on the deck, Bane of the Living could be used instead of the Dirge of Dreads if they had swarms of creatures.

Record: 9-2-0.

Gempalm Striders were more devastating than I thought, and even an army of 2/2 Zombies is no match for a horde of 3/3 elves. Otherwise, the situations were handled quite smoothly with Smother and late game Cruel Revivals, with Scion of Darkness coming in for the kill.

Piledriver Sligh: This is the toughest match I faced. Their deck is faster and usually overruns yours before your final blow sets in. Oversold Cemetery is very active, and Rotlung is burned out by a cycled Gempalm Incinerator, Solar Blast, or Shock.

Sideboard: +2 Bane of the Living, +2 Dirge of Dread, +1 Nantuko Husk -3 Blackmail, -2 Drinker of Sorrow.

You will be low on creatures due to their aggressiveness, so the Drinker will usually hurt more than help. A Bane of the Living clears their army quick, and Dirge of Dread helps with the final blows. Record: 12-6-0.

I kept playing until I could realize what I was missing, and that was Bane of the Living on sideboard. This deck is the reason that Bane is included - and it doesn't take a huge activation for him to be devastating. The Goblin Piledriver is easily Smothered, and is still only good for one attack. Wave of Indifference is the card that I kept losing against, but is also the card that I outmaneuver with Cabal Archon, Nantuko Husk, etc., blocking with Zombies made after the Wave has hit. Fast hands are vital against P. Diddy Sligh (word!), and Disciple of Malice is a great blocker at turn 2, usually baiting burn out of their hand to clear the path. As mentioned before, Oversold Cemetery provides you with a steady flow of creatures, so if you can control the first six turns, you've got the rest of the game in the bag.

Alas, I add in this paragraph after testing against one of the most common and raved about decks today: Astroglide. The OnBC versions leave out the green and rely heavier on the red for cards like Starstorm and Slice and Dice to clear the board. This match proved to be frustrating. A first-turn Wall of Hope can be frustrating without a Smother, and by removing Rotlung with Astral Slide, all of your clerics are now vulnerable to a Starstorm. Scion of Darkness is kept at bay by the Slide, and not even Cruel Revival can stop a protected Angel, Jareth, or Akroma, Angel of Wrath. Record: 6-11-0.

I thought I could do a lot better than what I did, but with only minimal experience with Astroglide decks, I didn't truly know every trick in the book. Sideboard: -2 Cruel Revival, -1 Drinker of Sorrow, +1 Blackmail, +2 Aphetto Dredging.

You need creatures, and Oversold Cemetery won't always be around. Play them one each turn, attacking if possible, then use the Sanctum. Or play all three at once. W/R Slide in OnBC loses a lot of good green cyclers, so every turn won't be completely locked down, giving you chances to attack often (By often I mean once every three turns. Compared to W/R/G Slide in Standard, this is a major loophole for the competition.)

How did I win those six games? Starlit Sanctum slowly but surely led me to victory. Before the clerics could be sliced, diced or pummeled with meteors, my opponent would lose a couple points of life. Oversold Cemetery kept the supply coming - and if they don't have a Demystify in sight, just keep hammering at them before they can nail you with some large protected creatures. Lightning Rift usually deals that final damage.

If Slide decides to play Akroma's Vengeance, then you're in good shape. Don't remind them about Rotlung's ability: even the best players can be forgetful. The match against Slide had me wishing that I was playing W/B clerics due to Demystify and Akroma's Blessing - two great cards against this match. Sigh...

The good thing about Slide is that it doesn't do so well against Beasts. Slice and Dice can't cover all of them, so Slide will have a loss or two if matched up against it. Beasts moves up, and if you've been doing well, you will meet it in the later rounds of the tournament.

I have tested MB-Clerics against many Standard decks and won ('Tog, G/W Beats, even W/B Cleric.dec). My only thing about it that is bothering me would be to make it faster. The only other black Cleric one-drop in OBC is Blood Celebrant, but he felt completely out of place with a useless ability. He is a great addition to current Standard W/B Cleric decks, since Master Apothecary comes out a lot easier with him in play.

Once again, I digress. I will eventually make this into a Standard deck once new sets approach and the Odyssey block cycles out, but as for the current environment expected at PT: Venice, a mono black Cleric deck might be a nice surprise.

Off the topic, Akroma, Angel of Wrath is the new Spirit of the Night. Wizards, thank you for a card that everyone can enjoy getting beat down with. Also, you've made an all-creature set: We need another broken expansion and banned cards to balance it out.

For good measure, throw in Mr. Babycakes, too. He'll be as fun as Akroma, but faster, and more expensive.

For all the people whining about the new look of Magic, think of Magic as a batch of brownies. As long as the brownies taste good, who cares how they look? Everybody loves brownies. Nevertheless, I still like the old layout better.

Good luck to all those going to PT: Venice!
Marshall Terry
guitardr@iwon.com