Deck update! Recently Grzegorz Kowalski was testing a Mono Black Aggro deck that was very close to this shell. I modified my list to be more close to his and honestly belive that no deck is "owned" by anyone, but I do like to give credit to deck building inspirations and players very knowledgable and helpful in your Magic journey. Find him at https://www.twitch.tv/urlichmtg

 Hi, 

It's been a while because I like talking more than typing. You can find me on https://www.twitch.tv/adamtheantplays for real time interaction. I really enjoy discussing decks and MTG so stop over if you ever want to say hi.

I focus on New Players and basics of the game rather than too deeply or "good" or "bad" decks or cards. The idea is to learn how to see the building blocks and decide for yourself how to construct an effective deck. This is based on personal choice and available collection.

DO NOT CRAFT based on the suggestions I give, as often I am also learning as I go and the meta changes very fast. 

Since my collection has many cards, I don't mind testing these decks and demonstrating so you don't have to risk any of your wildcards. MTGA is stingy so be mindful.

The youtube video linked will walk through some of the detailed choices and side board options as well as how to create a Best of One version. As stated before these are guidelines and I encourage responses and discussion. We can all learn and many choices will be right for certain people and wrong for others. It is OK to have individual ideas and different builds of the same deck. Build and play what you enjoy!

1) Deck balance. 
   a) Seperate your cards into 3 piles. Lands, Creatures and Spells. with any spells that create creatures or tokens counting as creatures.         Any Mana producing cards, like artifacts or creatures can be counted as lands.

   b) You should typically have 24 "land" 

   c) Creatures are the most linear form of win con and you should aim for 20 minimal up to about 28

  d) leaving 16-8 cards left. The remaining cards should be ways to remove opponents' creatures and disrupt the game plan they have. Also adding mana drawing cards and producing value,aka when you gain cards or affect multiple opponents cards or resources with fewer of your own cost. Black does this very well

2) Curve out. when possible. Be mindful of top end spells.

The math is pretty simple, lay your deck out by the cost of spells. the majority should be low cost curving into fewer higher cost cards. This will help ensure you consistently get playable cards. You will sometimes draw badly, it happens. shuffle well and do it again.

New players miss this a lot. You want to put great cards in your deck, and normally great looking cards cost a lot of mana. When you get 6 mana down you start to really have fun. but if you fill your deck with bombs that cost a lot you often just lose before you play the good stuff.

Here is the current version of the deck as I continue to test this will change. I hope you use this as a shell and please let me know what your version looks like! Enjoy and Good luck!

- Adam The Ant

Deck
4 Blood on the Snow (KHM) 79
2 The Meathook Massacre (MID) 112
3 Nighthawk Scavenger (ZNR) 115
3 Skullport Merchant (AFR) 120
4 Shambling Ghast (AFR) 119
4 Lolth, Spider Queen (AFR) 112
3 Infernal Grasp (MID) 107
2 Hive of the Eye Tyrant (AFR) 258
1 Hagra Mauling (ZNR) 106
3 Deadly Dispute (AFR) 94
4 Eyetwitch (STX) 70
3 Faceless Haven (KHM) 255
3 Field of Ruin (MID) 262
3 Duress (MID) 98
14 Snow-Covered Swamp (KHM) 281
1 Snow-Covered Island (KHM) 279
1 Test of Talents (STX) 59
2 Ice Tunnel (KHM) 262

Sideboard
1 Necrotic Fumes (STX) 78
1 Pest Summoning (STX) 211
1 Mascot Exhibition (STX) 5
1 Containment Breach (STX) 125
2 Environmental Sciences (STX) 1
1 Teachings of the Archaics (STX) 57
2 Skyclave Shade (ZNR) 125
2 Test of Talents (STX) 59
1 The Meathook Massacre (MID) 112
1 Shadows' Verdict (ZNR) 124
2 Go Blank (STX) 72

https://youtu.be/MqQdfZMY_D8