Mtg Deck tech: U/B Zombies in Shadows Over Innistrad Standard!

U/B Zombies is a deck that a lot of people have been excited about since Shadows Over Innistrad was first announced! It hasn't shown up much for the first few weeks of the standard season, so how can we tweak the deck to make it viable in this budding format? We'll give you our ideas as to how to make this deck competitive before this weekend's upcoming events (including Pro Tour Shadows Over Innistrad)!
Creatures (25)
4 Relentless Dead
4 Prized Amalgam
3 Fleshbag Marauder
4 Nantuko Husk
4 Diregraf Colossus
3 Liliana, Heretical Healer//Liliana, Defiant Necromancer
1 Risen Executioner
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
Spells (10)
3 Grasp of Darkness
3 Ultimate Price
2 Negate
1 Compelling Deterrence
1 Languish
Lands (25)
4 Sunken Hollow
4 Choked Estuary
1 Westvale Abbey
2 Evolving Wilds
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Island
12 Swamp
Sideboard (15)
2 Invasive Surgery
1 Negate
1 Ultimate Price
2 Compelling Deterrence
3 Transgress the Mind
2 Infinite Obliteration
2 Ruinous Path
1 Languish
1 Silumgar's Command
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[@jeanmarais337]

this was the best deck tech of yours I've watched. you talked about the why of things and put it into the context of the current standard format environment in generic terms making it applicable to deck building in general. it is insightful, regardless what deck one is brewing. thank you.

[@Bevrat]

You are the MAN! Have you ever thought about doing a MTG podcast? There's just a few out there as of right now, and there's only really two worth listening to and one seems to have just stopped making new episodes (card talk). I think you would be the perfect dude to fill the void. You talk about deck tech in a way that everyone can understand and seem to have a lot of good ideas. keep up the good work, man. thanks.

[@MisterCram]

Thank you for listening to the feedback about the font. I was particularly excited for this deck and I'm thankful you did it!

[@damiansilipo13]

Will you please update when EM comes out?! I want a strong mono black or UB Zombie deck!

[@tarn5008]

man this deck looks awesome man. your quickly becoming my favorite mtg channel, your break down and deck theory is great also i find the presentation great. my only criticism is that i want to see more of ziggy >

[@anonymoususer69]

Love the deck, really hope for more playable zombies in Eldritch Moon

[@jazzhill7069]

I LITERALLY JUST TEXTED ON YOU LAST VIDEO TO DO A DECK TECH!!! *SQUEALS* I know it wasn't cause of me but it's like senpai noticed me ^ ^ excited keep it up. love your Channel!!!

[@vengeance5579]

Thanks for all the decks as usual Dev! Would love to see Boros Midrange and Orzhov Eldrazi. All your information is great as usual tho, love your work

[@liamglasel]

I really enjoy your take on u/b zombies. I love watching your videos and your cats look so fluffy and amazing. black white eldrazi next!

[@chancewilson7918]

I love your videos! That are so helpful, Keep up the great work!

[@EnormousPhotography]

I JUST PLAYED AGAINST "SBMTG_TONEY" ON XMAGE...ME WITH YOUR U/W HUMANS AND HIM TESTIG A NEW DECK...I´m only a magic player for a short time but your channel is the one, that got me even interested in the game...what a coincidence :D keep up the good work and lot of greets from the far far away BOSNIA :D

[@mikemichielini8113]

Your the man bro ! Keep on keeping on...looking forward to U/R aggro and I'm interested in the boros midrange for sure.

[@angusseydel9733]

A durdly Midrange deck built with an awesome tribal theme in mind? That's my standard deck for this format sorted, thanks mate.

[@MafJora]

Cats make every youtube video better. See cat - press like)

[@bazzamundie]

chyeah bro keen for the UR aggro

[@chasm616]

Hey, thanks for all the cool SOI coverage! As a new player that just started playing, that helped me quite a lot. Especially liked your Vampire Deck, although I'm still missing a lot of cards that gave me a good idea of what I can look forward to with mine! If you read this, in hindsight, would you change anything about your Vampire Deck? I was in particular wondering about Murderous Compulsion, Tormenting Voice, the Neonate and Stensia Masquerade. In particular, Stensia, Tormenting Voice and Madness+Compulsion helped me quite a bit so far. Also, props for your mad cat handling skills!

[@sainystars]

well that gives me a good few ideas for my mono black deck. As a new player to MtG your videos have been great

[@adamsaltzman6213]

Hey Dev, new subscriber. Played a slightly tweaked version of your B/W sacrifice deck this past weekend at FNM. Went 2-2. Won against Grixis and another B/W sacrifice and lost to Atarka mana ramp with world breaker as a centerpiece and to Simic with this den protector/crush of tentacles combo that kept repeating. Felt kind of helpless not playing my usual Esper control but I went out of my comfort zone to try something new.

[@emjackson81989]

Dev, I love your deck techs and I would like to request one: B/x Mill. I've been trying out some builds in Cockatrice, but I either end up dying to aggro or not being able to finish off other control decks before they can drop their big threats and win. I just can't figure out the best removal suite to help me last long enough versus aggro or give me inevitability in the mid to late game and that's assuming mill is even viable as a competitive strategy in the current Standard environment. I'd love you take on it. Keep up the great work!

[@connorhall4295]

Thank you very much for this! I'm gonna play this at FNM for your efforts

[@enlightenedlotus336]

Can you do Esper demonic pact??

[@HoratiuGabrielDragne]

Another fun deck! Thank you!

[@Lilsaint994]

what do you thing? brew that i've been working on, mono blue zombies. basically early games mill with screeching skaab, crow. pieces of the puzzle mills and finds us engulf the shores and refills hand for discard, during their second main phase engulf their bored away, bring back either stitchwing or geralf which will also bring prized amalgams. nagging thoughts helps us with pieces we need while also milling also madness when discarding, pore over the pages draws cards for discard while also letting discard pieces. we can control hand size for geralf by stitchwing and other geralfs in the graveyard. still needs work and hope their will be more tools when the new set comes out. 4x screeching skaab 4x crow of dark tidings 4x prized amalgam 4x stitchwing skaab 4 x geralf's master piece 4x nagging thoughts 4x compelling deterrance 4x pieces of the puzzle 2x engulf the shores 2x pore over the pages 20x island 4x sunken hollow

[@AzraelVM]

Now that Eldrich moon is mostly spoiled, what change you think you will make to this deck better,.I'm a big fan of Zombie tribal and I was very happy to see that new 1 drop!

[@alvaroberts6301]

With all the graveyard shenanigans going on in my area, I am really trying to get Hedonist Trove to work. I would love to see a Hedonist Trove/Starfield of Nyx deck or Blue/Black Trove.

[@zachharrell7776]

izzet aggro or boros midrange plz!!!

[@robpirivatric9181]

great deck tech! What would you think of making a deck that utilizes demonic pact and relentless punishment? Been messing around with a golgari brew that looks like it could be quite fun.

[@steelbluelibra]

Have you made any videos on drafting tips or how to be better at drafting?

[@neilguenter7037]

Would love to see Thing in the Ice - U/R.

[@jolte4]

+Neil Guenter Building this deck now!

[@red-leaf]

i will soon be getting a play set of those for monoblack zombie deck. 4:00

[@79charbos]

thanks for the zombie love. I'd love to see a mono blue investigate/mill deck.

[@E-mol]

Would be awesome if you could make UR aggro next! :D That deck har so much potential with Thing in the ice and prowess triggers

[@blackmamba0079]

nice deck! sbmtg u think zombies could be tier 1 when the next set comes out? would be cool:D some good one drops would be amazing

[@AuronDK]

hey. cool deck. When are you making the Jund deck??? :-)

[@Butterworthy]

I basically built this last night, but I think I'm going to go back and make a few changes to it. A big difference for me was insisting that Epiphany at the Drownyard go in. In this deck it's basically "Okay, so which pile of cards do you want me to have constant access to? OH WAIT." BUT I think I'm going to go home and drop in a couple of Abbeys, and Grasp of Darkness. I can't spare my Kalitas for this deck since I'm playing black/white control at states this weekend.

[@jakekelman5226]

Beautiful deck.

[@PandemoniumVice]

I can't wait to see what Eldritch Moon might add to this.

[@kamea7400]

I would like black white eldrazi. Btw great job on this deck!

[@ryantalbot7714]

Hey Dev, love your work I've looked at your list of the UB Zombie and i thought of your BW Sacrifice from previous video I mashed the two together, so I've made this. I wondered if you can have look at my list and see if you like it. I played this in Games Day yesterday and it seems to have massive potential, however the sideboard I had previously let it down so when discussing with my friends at the event (who love the deck) we revamped it. Any advise would be very helpful. Thanks. B/W Zombies Creatures (31) 4x Shambling Goblin 4x Relentless Dead 4x Diregraf Collosus 4x Nantuko Husk 3x Fleshbag Marauder 4x Zulaport Cutthroat 2x Ayli, Eternal Pilgram 2x Liliana, Heretical Healer 2x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet 2x Archangel Avacyn Spells (5) 3x Grasp of Darkness 2x Ultimate Price Lands (24) 1x Westvale Abbey 4x Shambling Vent 4x Caves of Koilios 2x Forsaken Sanctuary 13x Swamps Sideboard (new from this Games Day) 4x Transgress the Mind 2x Infinite Obliteration 1x Fleshbag Marauder 2x Ultimate Price 2x Earie Interlude 2x Anguished Unmaking 2x Risen Executioner

[@moxmoonstone]

I'm using Shambling Goblin from DTK as my (B) one-drop, it has cool interactions with relentless dead and languish, and can also kill multiple 1 toughness creatures on a single swing/block, and can help your 3-powers kill the bigger creatures in the format.

[@Ultrarare_x]

I had a similar decklist, less diregraf colossus and put in 1 sidisi and geralfs masterpiece for a bit more spicy endgame (plus searching up a westvale abbey with sidisi is hilarious). Keen to build it :D

[@mikemanfredi9562]

I wanted to make the last Izzet aggro deck that you put on here so badly, it seemed like so much fun I love aggro! but by time I got the money for it it rotated out! U/R Aggro Please!!!

[@milosmilovanovic7417]

Can you build Delirium deck or Spirits but competitive version? Thank you. You are the best.

[@manoelafonso3111]

delirium deck tech please!!!

[@canadianlumberjack2112]

Please make a budget version!!

[@onewingace]

i like this. might run it, now that my Abzan is gone. i feel that maybe 26 lands would be able to run more turn 4s... ideas?

[@dethmunki4909]

I'm loving these decks, but where's the Devil Tremors? literally haven't heard anything since the initial video. If you decided against making a video for it, can you message me the decklist?

[@SBMTG]

It's coming. I'm just releasing videos based on the response I've gotten for each deck I've mentioned. But see, your comment has pushed Devils up the list. You, my friend, have affected change.

[@israeldavila27]

+Strictly Better MtG RUNNING WITH THE DEVILS! yeah man im excited for devils type deck.

[@michaelfels4742]

Interesting build! -Please remix the list after the next set comes out. -I want to see black/white eldrazi.deck tech most of all as I play blue black eldrazi. -I also love the build your own card video. You could do that once a week and maybe do a contest as well for your viewers to create a card & you choose the one you think is best for fixing standard but not breaking modern.

[@whitenerd3759]

I love this deck, but do you thing drana would be viable?

[@whitenerd3759]

Think*

[@SBMTG]

Nah. Drana is an aggressive card, and we're a more turtle-y midrangish thing. Plus we're already running a crazy amount of 3-drops

[@wynnberry9160]

+Strictly Better MtG thank you for doing this, amazing

[@DragonkingOmaga69]

+Strictly Better MtG Are you going to build a deck based on the Delirium mechanic?

[@heithrobinson5955]

built a similar deck but splashed green for collected company. adds another explosive element.

[@odygooben2505]

Hey @StrictlyBetterMagic what cards should I put in my sideboard to go against this this deck I'm playing your competitive w/u humans. Thanks

[@AnubisApprentice]

I like the deck, even if zombies aren't my thing. But I have to say I love your cat(s). I have six myself. five black, and one simease (sp) tabby mix.

[@patrickcasper7487]

Dev, I ran a version of this deck using screeching skaab as a self mill and corpse churn for a similar effect. The corpse churn was bulky but the skaab seemed like a decent 2 drop that got me thru the deck faster and built that graveyard for huge colossus. I also tried essence flux to blink the skaabs and to protect diregraf colossus and buff him...if you play him early he's usually a 2/2 but if you blink him with essence flux for just one mana on turn 5/6 with skaabs he may be a 7/7 or 8/8. What are your thoughts on these cards? Or do think the self mill idea requires too many sub par cards in place of the bigger creatures?

[@jackoneill2784]

could you please do an arlin cord mid range deck i would love to see that

[@CloseingStraw97]

Hey what's the intro song? You didn't put a link to it and I really want to know what it is.

[@martinolsen7183]

Red blue aggro would be really really sweet!

[@ronaldross8886]

Dev, can you please do B/G Delirium? It is very budget and very effective. I saw a few people running it at my FNM at it really put up good results. Also, there are a couple RDW lists floating around doing well, also very budget. This one was more of a hyper-aggro build with more pump spells and less burn spells with 4/9 haste flyer in SOI as a finisher. Anything is appreciated sir!

[@leonardohernandez9017]

Can you do a take on GB Delirium? with the gitrog monster, mindwrack demon, autumnal gloom, to the slaughter and stuff. I have the idea, but i need some imput. Thanks!

[@KillaWaff]

So I had a natuko no cards in hand so I top deck a relentless theres 4 prized in my grave yard and I returned a flesh bag to to field and it's amazing how this deck works

[@skengman11]

I would like to see U/R Mill.

[@afrozentric9532]

You have to try green black zombies with evolutionary leap and necromancer stocckpile

[@anthonymangano2254]

How does the scoring system work?

[@anthonymangano2254]

I mean, you've created 10 Categories of which you give a score out of 10. Can you explain what each of those categories refers to and use decks that are strong in those categories as a reference?

[@mrselfdistrucht5565]

+Toneski Mojito he has already created a video on that. It's a few months old, so you may have to do a bit of digging. But it's there.

[@anthonymangano2254]

+MrSelfDistrucht, cheers mate. Found it! It was 5 months and like 50 videos ago. It was easy to miss

[@MasterofGan]

What about rancid rats? haha i know its weird but its still a 1/1 zombie with skulk and deathtouch! might be nice with 2 or 3.

[@Mrnatethegreat2002]

Could you do a W/G Humans for standard?

[@cjimmortalify]

Another big thing to watch out for and a reason invasive surgery is useful in the board is Descend Upon The Sinful. That board exile could be a disaster for things like zombies who keep coming back from the grave.

[@danieltx1000]

what would you think about adding ''from under the floor boards"?

[@jazzhill7069]

also there is Screeching Skaab and Stitchwing Skaab. thoughts?

[@SBMTG]

A resounding "meh". Wanted Stitchwing to be good (tested it), but found that discarding two cards is baaaaaaaad with no madness cards. There are just more powerful cards we can play, despite the synergies with Amalgam.

[@yessir903]

what about Lillian's combo with fleshbag maurader?

[@c2w200]

Can you make a budget version

[@antandian123]

Can you make a deck around spring grim nemesis and. Archangel avacyn

[@TheFreshestMeat]

would it be possible to do a black red dragon deck?

[@evandower6708]

Also dev could you do a video on how to sideboard cos i am quite an inexperienced player and dont know how to sideboard really. Thanks!!

[@Jonathan-vp9td]

helped me with how I'm going to modify my zombie deck

[@TheSuperAwesomePanda]

I really like this deck, but being a bit more budget, so I subbed in 4 Undead Servant, for 1 Liliana, Risen Executioner, and the 2 Kalitas. What is your opinion?

[@plaincheckereds]

Any chance for mono red to be plyed? If yes pls build a deck vid

[@thebubba0000]

I would really like to see blue red Aggro

[@jaxonmorph1843]

How is the deck now with the Eldritch cards?

[@Bobrob1597]

I guess with my next paycheck I'll buy this deck :D

[@TH3M4X48]

I love cryptilith right in my prossh edh deck

[@Arghore]

I would really like to see a budget version of this ... and with budget I do not necessarily mean 'as cheap as possible' but say, a blue/black (or mono black) standard zombie deck for around 30-40$ or so? ... like, you can probably build a vampires version for that amount of money (possibly black/white) that plays somewhat decent ... a werewolf deck can likely be had for that amount of money, certainly a human deck can be build for that budget ... so what about zombies? ... ... ... as far as actual next vids go, let see that black/white Eldrazi then, seeing you like it so much :) ... as for 'next-next', blue/red agro seems interesting, though personally I think a Mono-red Haste/Burn deck might be more interesting for the competitive scene, unless you think blue/red agro has gotten some really important pieces since the last set...

[@Bleargh64]

u/r aggro please. I already have my deck set up but I wanna see if there's anything better I can do with it

[@timpeters6590]

blue red aggro, and also it would be cool if the legendary werewolf ( when flipped) gave all werewolves either +1+0,+0+1, or just +1+1, but the main ability would be that he made it that a player has to cast three spells instead of two

[@stuartkernohan9]

budget and competitive turbo thing in the ice

[@sepeterson86]

UUU(3) Tamiyo, Seeker of Truth +1: Scry 1, then investigate 1. -2: Tap target creature. It doesn't untap on its owner's next untap step. -10: You get an emblem that says "At the beginning of your upkeep if you control 10 or more clue tokens, you win the game." [6] Just want a reason to build up clues and NOT cash them in for card advantage. I think they'll make her matter in this block, but not have her be broken in modern or just OP in general (her original print was AWESOME).

[@kylehock2811]

let's see naya tokens featuring westvale I'd like to see ur deck list.

[@k1n6n07h1n6]

What's the song at the beginning of the vid?

[@bryancua3190]

any update with eldritch moon zombies?

[@crystalnordeen4322]

Love it!

[@draxGuevara]

BLUE RED BLUE RED BLUE RED!!!

[@zeroravager4379]

what about some other demons for eldritch moon?whatever happened to griselbrand?

[@Methuselah1997]

I think either Avacyn or Liliana killed him

[@klobbson]

Do updated Izzet Aggro next, please.

[@lucashamilton7674]

YES UR AGGROOOOOOO. Nice deck btw

[@Asymyth]

Whats your Izzet Horror deck look like?

[@Zhengyis]

To the Slaughter not good enough ?

[@grannygumjobs8280]

I was expecting some unvreathing hordes. It's like the giant but it's with the graveyard too

[@jasonbi5277]

how come you arn't running the 1 drop goblin zombie from dragons? when it dies it grants -1/-1 to an opponents creature, it also allows you to pay 1 from relentless deads effect to bring the goblin back AND any prized amalgams that are in your graveyard.

[@ObeseJohn1]

did you test out slip through space? i feel if the deck had more draw power your build wouldnt need so many lands.

[@ObeseJohn1]

+ObeseJohn1 plus you could cut rogues passage. i mean its pretty good for later game but i feel drawing it early would slow the deck a decent amount with the double specific mana cost on so many cards.

[@deaconray8914]

Dev, can you clarify your comment about putting Grasp/Ulti Price on the stack in response to Avacyn? Sounds like you mean you can remove her as she enters if you respond to her being cast... Wouldn't she be an illegal target as she has not resolved yet at the time of the Instant removal?

[@boltsnapbolt]

+Deacon Ray You can play grasp/Ulti Price on the stack in response to Avacyn entering play, killing her before she becomes indestructible.

[@deaconray8914]

Wouldn't her entering play (making her a legal target for ulti) already make everything Indestructible? (I realize now that Grasp would kill her no matter what as the -4/-4 would still take her out)

[@boltsnapbolt]

No you can kill her before she triggers.

[@deaconray8914]

She enters, the Indestructible ability stacks, response is played (removing her), then Indestructible resolves... got it. Thanks Hunter!

[@boltsnapbolt]

No problem!

[@KeepoKreepo]

Play the one drop from Dragon's if you reaaaaaally want another earlier piece.

[@cdaddy145]

for a one drop why not shambling goblin ?