MTG: a good black deck for a newbie

Just get 4 of the power commons like hymn and fill with the best random cards you can find. That would get you a much better deck for 10 bucks than what pre made ones offer.

>24 swamps
>4 pack rat
>32 relentless rats

Power commons?
Can i heb link/image pls?

It's up to you. I think Nissa v. Ob is better, but Cursed has zombies, which you expressed an interest in the OP post. If I were you I would get Nissa and Ob, unless you absolutely have your heart set on zombies. If you do buy Blessed vs Cursed three cards that would be fun to add to Cursed would be "Gisa and Geralf", "Noosegraf Mob", and "Diregraf Colossus". The former lets you resummon your dead zombies, while the latter let you generate a swarm of zombie token creatures
right now the power level of your group sounds really low and it's better not to absolutely demolish them every time if you can help it, if you do you'll become "that guy" no one likes
the problem with that is that it assumes OP knows how to build a deck well enough that he won't a.) accidentally make something terrible and always lose or b.) accidentally make something far too good and always win (a is far more likely btw)

I think you are suggesting a deck for me.
Where can i get these cards? (Assuming i don't have that many rat cards in my lgs)

Also consider Thrumming Stone somewhere in that package.

the relentless rat deck actually does break the bank

really not worth it for a joke deck

Maybe a cheap black devotion deck with Gray Merchant as a finisher?

I never even played the game, so i'd rather have some win button. Since i'll be one of the only people to play mtg with, then not even the dreaded "that guy" status will befall me unless i'm gonna be a dick about it.

That looks kewl
What do i need for such a deck?

tappedout.net/mtg-decks/super-budget-mono-black-devotion/

Here's some stuff:
lots of cheap zombies (1-3 mana)
zombie lords
24 Swamps
4 Sign in Blood or 4 Read the Bones
4 Ghoulcallers Chant
4 murder or 4 doomblade or 4 go for the throat (or a mix of these)
2-3 Gray Merchants
and that's it

I ain't sure if my lgs has all these cards.

For Gary to trigger?

Just lots of black colored creatures on the table. He's an effective and easy to set winning condition if you go for a zombie deck, for example.

So then take the blessed vs cursed and acquire 2-3 happy merchants?

paint it black

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...

or if you're just playing for fun and want to go oldschool

cardkingdom.com/catalog/shop/battle-deck-black-death

10 bucks and should be good for a newbie.

>doesn't list any cards

wouldn't touch that with a 40-foot pole.

It would be a decent start.

tappedout.net/mtg-decks/24-09-16-black-death/

First all, as some people suggested , you should think how do you want to play the game. Don't panic, I am meaning which format do you want to play. Each format is balanced around themselves and a meta standar deck, for example, wouldn't stand a chance for a modern meta deck, surely.

This, and another questions about the future, actually, are questions you will answer for yourselves depending on how do you enjoy the game, but it is important to bring formats first in order to explain the next point.

What they have bought are called "Planeswalker Decks". And are introductory decks based around the fluff and mechanics currently in the current standar format. Since they purchased 3 of the 4 current planeswalker decks, for fluff points you getting Tezzeret's (black and blue) deck would close the circle among a table with four temathically decks from the same format and block, which are more or less balanced to play against themselves.

I must strongly remark the "balanced to play against themselves". They are a introductory deck to the current standar format and they lack the consistency and power of a real standar deck, so they can beaten easily by a competitive deck. So, don't loose faith if you get beaten by an asshole and its meta deck as soon as you open the deck. They are made to battle among yourselves, feel what do you like the most and upgrade the deck as you learn. Chandra's deck will evolve her "Totally-not the Rebeld Alliance from Star Wars" towards what its called "Mardu Vehicles", while the Nissa's deck (that elf with green eyes), with his aether crack adiction problems, will drop blue and embrace red to use the One Punch Man strategy (Poisonless infect is called the deck) or shoot thunders from his ass with a dynavolt tower.

[1/?]

Unfortunately, eventhought Tezzeret's deck is black/blue, is about artifacts and being Magneto. Why to pay precious mana for a counterspell when I just can levitate it and make a junk shield which stops the spell? Oh, you mean those inoffensive artifacts? Don't worry, we can reshape them into more... useful purposes (>pic related). Mechanically. He uses artifacts as mana in order to cast expensive spells. Sadly, this is not necromancy.

Some people suggested here Ob Nixilis's deck. I know that deck and, more than about necromancy and sheeit, is about demons spreading rot and forceful pacts. Your enemies will crumble upon the rot spreaded in the air, as the opponent (and you) will have to deal with the demons' pact in order to not to get killed by does. Oh yeah, you. Power have a prize, you know. But if you want to play black, I am pretty sure you want to handle those prizes =P

The Blessed vs Cursed pack, in the other hand, brings a zombie deck. Because, yes, zombies are part of the standar rotation thanks to Innistrad. It is a black/blue deck where you control "apparently weak" zombies. They could look weaker than its living counterpart but, the difference, is that its counterpart won't be returning again and again. Some zombies return immediately and even more powerful when slain, which will unnerve the opposition, since they will have to play around needing to kill something twice of face a beffier threath. I feel like the deck is a little more powerful than the Planeswalkers deck but, since you won't get from the pack extra booster packs for customization, it could be more or less balanced.

In addition, I must say that around the end of next month is going to take place the beginning of an Egyptian-themed block, which will feature a black starter deck with one of the most iconic nigromant of the ip.

[2/3]

I will provide a link with the deck lists of Tezzeret's, Ob Nixilis' and Cursed decks. I don't want you to understand at first glance what they mean, just choose which theme and pictures you like the most.

magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/aether-revolt-planeswalker-deck-lists-2017-01-11 Tezzeret

mtggoldfish.com/articles/duel-decks-nissa-vs-ob-nixilis-decklists Ob Nixilis

magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/duel-decks-blessed-vs-cursed-2016-02-15 Blessed vs Cursed (at the end of the article)

After you all have your starting deck. I strongly suggest you all to avoid cracking boosters packs just for the sake of it. Instead, play against yourselves, exchange decks sometimes and try to grasp a real feel of the game and the real way you like to play. After that. just check some guides online and try to make a constructed deck by buying the singles you need. I would suggest to just going upgrading one step at a time your decks or jumping to a budget deck of around 18 $ and upgrading it from there.

Don't get tricked by trying to grab a 9001 $ meta deck immediately. In the worst case scenario, you will find yourselves sitting on a 9001 $ cardboard junk you lack of expertise of play correctly, or you don't like. Best case scenario, you will beat always your friends and the competitive spirit will turn into frustration and you won't have friends to play with. Upgrade steady and slowly, so you can test stuff without worrying spend too much money for some strategy that looked better in paper more than in practice.

[3/3+1]

Anyways, if you want to feel the rush of opening booster packs someday, go to your shop and ask about drafting. It is a game mode where everyone gets 3 booster pack from a certain block, and you try to get a working deck to beat the other players with the cards which you can find in YOUR booster packs and THEIR booster packs. Something ala Arena Mode in Heartstone. If you get the zombie deck, you will be interested in a draft with the Innistrad block, while your friends will be more inclined to make a Kaladesh block draft. Just swtich blocks if you make several drafts!

And, at last, a little last point. As I told you, a new block will start in about a month. Well, if you ask around the shop you will hear about something like a "pre-release". If you all are still enjoying the game when that pre-release is going to take place, I imperatively tell you to assist. You will get a lot of cards from the new block, some juicy extras and merchandising, and you all will spend a joyful night of Magic in equal terms of powerlevel with everyone there.

I hope I could help you out and I wish you and your friends to have a lot of wonderful times with this hobby.

Budget 8rack. Guaranteed to be fucking hilarious and fun to play, guaranteed to make your opponents fucking furious. Modern legal.

mtggoldfish.com/articles/budget-magic-48-50-tix-modern-8-rack

I run this: tappedout.net/mtg-decks/16-09-16-assisted-suicide/

Its still my worst deck by far.

As someone relatively new....

Kaladesh + Aether Revolt boosters and commander decks.

Also as someone new, the fluff stuff falls right apart when people are mildly serious.

standard/commander/pauper/kitchentable are your best bets

Here's a zombie tribal i like playing: tappedout.net/mtg-decks/15-01-17-zombie-tribal/

It runs 2x Grim Flayers and 3x Lilis tho and there's no getting around them.

You already got tons of answers, but I'm gonna share a deck I made with cards I had laying around just for fun with a casual playgroup.

18xSwamp
4x Vault of Whispers
2xUrborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Radiant Fountain

2xDross Golem
3xGeralf Messenger
4xGnawing Zombie
4xGray Merchant of Asphodel
4xPhilactery Lich
4xShepherd of Rot
3xSlitherhead

3xNecrogen Censer

2xTribute to Hunger

2xBump in the Night
4xTyrant's Choise

It's surprisingly strong

Might as well throw in a couple dark rituals instead of the messengers or whatever to make it cheaper and faster, since fuck it anything goes here

That's because you took 8rack and made it suck

im not spending 400 on lillys just because the meta told you to

Rituals are bad outside of combo decks, its card disadvantage and they make for terrible draws.

Sign in bloods then. Cheap, draw and 2 to the face of needed

Just order online

I was talking about the bad cards you included not the ones you left out. Budget 8rack doesn't use lilly

>tfw the literally perfect premade deck for OP is one hundred and fifty fucking dollary doos

amazon.com/Magic-Gathering-Card-Premium-Graveborn/dp/B005GDFLEQ

Goddamn jews. It's too bad Wizards doesn't print more intermediately powered decks like these anymore. They don't even have to be pimped out, just something made with cards that aren't unplayable would be nice.

Mono black devotion is really good in pauper.

All of these are quite solid decks, and are pretty cheap too.