Chaos Wins!

Here is the M11 review for the newly printed black cards. You can find the full spoiler here. I also reviewed white and blue previously.

M11 Review - Black

Barony Vampire

Limited - 2
Constructed - 1

Very playable in limited as a solid three drop. Underwhelming for constructed.


Blood Tithe

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

This was designed for multiplayer but I don't think it's totally worthless as a ghetto lave axe in limited. It might make my deck as a 23rd spell if it's in the card pool and I'm scrounging for filler.

Captivating Vampire

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

This is a casual card more than anything else. It's not as good as it's predecessor Vampire Nocturnus but I suppose you could stack them in a vampire deck for tribal wars. In limited it's a solid pick if you have multiple vampires in your deck. Otherwise it's a plague zombies.

Dark Tutelage

Limited - 1
Constructed - 3

Dark Confidant but more difficult to remove. Dark Confidant is sick, especially in older formats. This card will likely see similar treatment.

Demon of Death's Gate

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

This card is a silly result of top down design. More fluff than substance. That said it's still a 9/9 flying trampler that doesn't die to doom blade. If you can get it into play you win the game. The problem is it costs 9 mana. Not cheap.

Grave Titan

Limited - 4
Constructed - 3

All the titans are good. This one continues the theme. He's a house in limited play and no slouch in constructed either. If he even attacks once it's already out of hand for your opponent as he creates an army of zombie tokens.

Lilian's Caress

Limited - 1
Constructed - 2

A reprinted megrim with a cheaper casting cost. Megrim isn't very good in duels but has a place in multiplayer. This card probably won't see much play either outside of kitchen tables.

Liliana's Specter

Limited - 3
Constructed - 3

Better in multiplayer but also playable in constructed. I really like this card as a limited pick. It's substantial enough to be a threat, generates card advantage, and difficult to get rid of because of the evasion.

Necrotic Plague

Limited - 2
Constructed - 3

This is a good card when you don't have creatures in play and fanstastic when you are running tokens. It's not so great when you have creatures you care about. That makes it an interesting card in constructed and less exciting in limited. I suppose it is a Wrath of God over several turns...that can't be too bad right?

Nether Horror

Limited - 2
Constructed - 1

Giant Cockroach saw play in limited. This thing can hit hard and fills the 4 slot. Playable in that format.

Nightwing Shade

Limited - 3
Constructed - 1

This thing can get out of hand in a hurry. It's a sizeable flyer that can murder sphinxes and lesser angels. The mana cost is substantial so it's not a first pick, but I'd be pleased to have this thing in my limited deck.

Phylactery Lich

Limited - 1
Constructed - 3

I love this card because it's so powerful and has such cool fluff. It will see play in older formats, especially where artifact-lands are legal. It probably won't do much in standard but I won't rule it out as a soft combo. Don't bother in sealed deck you'll never get to play it when you need to.

Quag Sickness

Limited - 3
Constructed - 2

Quality removal for limited. Doesn't discriminate based on color. Requires a significant black commitment but perfectly suitable for a two color deck.

Reassembling Skeleton

Limited - 3
Constructed - 2

It's not a thrilling creature but if you have equipment cards this thing can become extermely annoying. Graveyard recursion is difficult to stop in limited play. I like that you can re-animate it at any time.

Rotting Legion

Limited - 3
Constructed - 1

Awesome fluff for a slow yet steady beater. The drawback is annoying but a heck of a lot better than "cannot block". This thing is too slow for constructed.


Stabbing Pain

Limited - 2
Constructed - 1

A decent limited pick that can tempo large critters and kill annoying small one's. Only useful in constructed if black is really looking for cheap removal in a specfic metagame. It's no darkblast.

Viscera Seer

Limited - 2
Constructed - 2

It's ability is less thrilling since damage no longer goes on the stack. It's still a nice way to set up a limited deck though.