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Black is an absolute blast to design. They get so many abilities! Creature destruction, power boosts, reanimation, discard...the list goes on!

For Fires of Heaven I wanted black to have a few themes: One, that of both regeneration, alternate creature kill, and creature stealing. The Marsh is an awfully scary place and creatures don't last there very long. I wanted to run the Recursion mechanic through black, so much so that I stuck the ability on a creature (Nurok, Minister of Hate), and a creature destruction spell (Nurok's Prayer). The ability to destroy a creature but bring it back as a different form is very Black to me, and I pushed that pretty hard.

Particularly the Hoghead creatures (Hoghead Demon, Hoghead Beast, Hoghead Imp, Crooked Crawshank), which are all Markin, Vampire Lord's pets, are very strong and tied to the "keeps coming back" theme. He raised them to kill and keep killing, with some regenerating (Crooked Crawshank) while others simply Recur themselves back (Hoghead Demon). The interaction with the heavy Vampire creature theme is seen at its best with Vampire Initiate, who can get insanely huge in block play. Be careful of that one.

Here are the two antagonists in our tale of woe, the two Lords of the Durak Marsh:

Note: Coincidence that Marnin, Joondai Alchemist and Markin have very similar names?

Regardless, these two define the power level for the set with powerful tutoring and creature destruction and creation. This theme is only strengthened as the block rolls on.

I'm happy with the way Black turned out, but I'm still positive that with reflection and a new set or two that these could be tweaked a bit. But as for now, I think they play just great.

Here are a few of my favorite black cards:

An amazing uncommon, built from the ground up to be that way. He's probably too good for his cost, but I wanted a strong uncommon that could be a bomb in draft and a powerful black weenie creature at the same time. His Fear ability is just icing on the cake.

Cards that force decisions are my favorite kind of cards. False Move relies on what you value your creature at. Is 5 life worth keeping it around? How about 2 life? When life totals are thin this card gets amazingly poweful and fun.

I love cards that hose certain archetypes. Bringing the beats? This card can un-make those beats. With a powerful ability at just 4 mana, ramping up in time to snatch a weenie players best cards is one of the aspects of it that is so fun.

Sorted By: Rarity - Type - Cost (In that Order)

Rotting Wingbearers - Creature - Zombie Swampwalk Your flesh sparkles in the moonlight. It looks good enough to eat, if you ask me. 1/1 Common #101/315

Desperate Vampire - Creature - Vampire Sacrifice Desperate Vampire: Target player loses 1 life. Once you become drained to the edge of death, you know no pain or hunger, only the thirst. 2/1 Common #102/315

Hoghead Beast - Creature - Beast At the beginning of your upkeep you lose 1 life. Markin's pet was the kind to give you sad eyes just before disembowling your insides. 3/1 Common #103/315

Preying Jackal - Creature - Vampire Hound Whenever a creature dealt damage by Preying Jackal this turn is put into the graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Preying Jackal. They eat you whole, leaving no part for the scavengers of the dark. 1/2 Common #104/315

Zombie Wretch - Creature - Zombie Recursion (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a token creature into play of the same type, color, power, and toughness as this creature.) "Killing the undead? Don't make me laugh." - Markin, Vampire Lord 1/1 Common #105/315

Unholy Fleshtiller - Creature - Zombie Sacrifice Gravedigger Zombies: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game. Pay 2 Life: Return Gravedigger Zombies to your hand. Use this ability only at the beginning of your upkeep, and only if Gravedigger Zombies is in your graveyard. Dig, dig, dig, dig, dead. 1/1 Common #106/315

Undead Hoghead - Creature - Zombie Recursion (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a token creature into play of the same type, color, power, and toughness as this creature.) "Order and obey, Zombies are simple that way." - Nurok, Minister of Hate 2/2 Common #107/315

Vampire Initiate - Creature - Vampire Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a +1/+1 counter on Lurking Vampire. The lesser vampires feed only on the scraps. 0/1 Common #108/315

Durak Bloodthirster - Creature - Vampire Flying Whenever a creature dealt damage by Durak Bloodthirster this turn is put into the graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Durak Bloodthirster. The wretches flew in, and the death began. - From "The tale of Hannook" 2/3 Common #109/315

Durak Minion - Creature - Minion When a black creature comes into play, if you played it from your hand, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Durak Minion. They stop at nothing in their quest for flesh. 2/2 Common #110/315

Hoghead Imp - Creature - Imp Flying If Hoghead Imp is put into a graveyard from play, return it to its owner's hand. Pay 3 life: Remove Hoghead Imp from the game. Any player may play this ability. 1/2 Common #111/315

Viper's Kiss - Enchantment - Aura Enchant Creature Enchanted creature has "Pay 2 life: Regenerate this creature." "To succumb to the Viper's Kiss." - Meaning to cheat death Common #112/315

Power of Darkness - Enchantment - Aura Enchant Creature You may play Power of Darkness any time you could play an instant. Enchanted creature gets +2/+1. Common #113/315

Durak's Curse - Enchantment - Aura Enchant Creature Enchanted creature gets "At the beginning of your upkeep sacrifice this creature unless you discard a card." "What's worse? The curse or the cursed?" - Durak the Forgotten Common #114/315

Durak's Choice - Instant Choose one — Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn; or target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life; or regenerate target black creature. Common #115/315

Vampiric Strike - Instant If this is your first resolved spell of the game, target opponent loses 3 life and you gain 3 life. Otherwise, target opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life. Common #116/315

Grievous Mistake - Instant You may return three Swamps you control to their owner's hand instead of paying Grievous Mistake's mana cost. Whenever target creature you control deals combat damage to a creature this turn, destroy that creature. Common #117/315

Overwhelming Darkness - Instant Destroy target non-black creature. If that creature is white, its controller loses 2 life. She appeared strong at first, but soon the demons were upon her. Common #118/315

Dreadful Fright - Instant Regenerate target blocking creature. The creatures it blocked are destroyed. "This place...kinda creeps me out." - Last words, Hardin Grintock Common #119/315

Durak's Order - Sorcery As an additional cost to play Durak's Order, sacrifice a creature you control. Target player discards two cards. "I've come to give myself to you." "And give you shall." Common #120/315

Onyx Knight - Creature - Human Knight Fear Protection from Token creatures The Markin faithful know only that Durak was once a close ally and that those ties are now undone. 2/1 Uncommon #121/315

Wizard Betrayer - Creature - Human Wizard : Destroy target Wizard. Lose life equal to its toughness. His name is forever shamed, his face forever masked in fear. 2/1 Uncommon #122/315

Crooked Crawshank - Creature - Zombie Pay 2 Life: Regenerate Crooked Crawshank Markin believed that good pets were better than good servants. 2/2 Uncommon #123/315

Strangling Rotbearer - Creature - Zombie Fear , : Strangling Rotbearer and target creature get -2/-2 until end of turn. Its mind thinks of only the darkness within. 2/3 Uncommon #124/315

Witches of Hoghead - Creature - Witch Flying Whenever Witches of Hoghead becomes the target of a spell or ability, destroy it. 3/2 Uncommon #125/315

Ravenous Werewolf - Creature - Werewolf At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one — Sacrifice a creature you control and put a +1/+1 counter on Ravenous Werewolf or remove a +1/+1 counter from Ravenous Werewolf. Waste not, Want completely. 3/3 Uncommon #126/315

Silent Sinner - Creature - Vampire Flying Whenever a creature dealt damage by Silent Sinner this turn is put into the graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Silent Sinner. Recursion (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a token creature into play of the same type, color, power, and toughness as this creature.) 1/3 Uncommon #127/315

Durak Fiend - Creature - Zombie : Regenerate Durak Fiend He feeds off the innocent, and uses extra salt for the sinners. 3/3 Uncommon #128/315

Consuming Thirst - Enchantment - Aura Enchant Creature You may play Durak's Thirst anytime you could play an instant. Target creature gains "Whenever a creature dealt damage by this creature this turn is put into a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on it." Uncommon #129/315

Infectious Mist - Enchantment Tap two untapped creatures you control: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. "The smell of death, that is not a smell I enjoy." - Granook Elder Uncommon #130/315

False Move - Instant Destroy target creature unless its controller pays X life. Markin drained his victims just enough to leave life in them, and returned weeks later to finish them off. Uncommon #131/315

Nurok's Prayer - Instant Target creature gains Recursion (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a token creature into play of the same type, color, power, and toughness as this creature.) Destroy that creature. "I have asked for only what the darkness feels necessary to give me." Uncommon #132/315

Fearless Purge - Instant Creatures you control have fear until end of turn. "I can make shadow and I can certainly unmake it." - Durak the Forgotten Uncommon #133/315

Durak Creed - Instant All creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn. Swamp Blink (You may play this spell for no cost if you control an amount of Swamps equal or greater than its converted mana cost. Then remove it from the game.) Uncommon #134/315

Wail of Durak - Sorcery All creatures you control are Vampires in addition to their regular creature types until end of turn. And the call carried on through the night, the dreadful shrieks of the dead and undead alike. Uncommon #135/315

Vampiric Lich - Creature - Vampire Lich Whenever Vampire Lich is dealt damage, sacrifice a permanent for each point of damage. Pay 5 Life: Prevent all damage dealt to Vampire Lich this turn. 5/5 Rare #136/315

Hoghead Demon - Creature - Demon At the beginning of your upkeep lose 2 life. Recursion (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a token creature into play of the same type, color, power, and toughness as this creature.) "Ah, my pride and joy." — Markin, Vampire Lord 5/5 Rare #137/315

Vampire Haven - Enchantment At the beginning of your upkeep you lose 1 life and put a 1/1 black Vampire token creature with flying into play under your control. Pay 2 Life: Regenerate target Vampire. "Home. Such a simple concept, such a hard place to find." - Durak the Forgotten Rare #138/315

Dire Decisions - Enchantment At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player chooses one — Pay 5 life and destroy Dire Decisions or put a 5/5 black Demon creature token with flying into play under target opponent's control. The line between damned and damnation is thin indeed. Rare #139/315

Oath of Durak - Enchantment Pay 2 life: Draw a card. Pay half your life, rounded up: Draw two cards. "I have but my blood to offer." "Your blood is good enough." Rare #140/315

Markin, Vampire Lord - Legendary Creature - Vampire Lord Flying , : Target creature and Markin, Vampire Lord both get -X/-X until end of turn, where X equals the number of Vampires in play. , : Put a 1/1 black Vampire token creature with flying into play under your control. 4/4 Rare #141/315

Nurok, Minister of Hate - Legendary Creature - Zombie Lord At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature or tap Nurok, Minister of Hate. : Target non-Legendary creature gains Recursion until end of turn (When this creature is put into a graveyard from play, put a token creature into play of the same type, color, power, and toughness as this creature). 5/5 Rare #142/315

Durak the Forgotten - Legendary Creature - Vampire Lord Flying When Durak the Forgotten is put into a graveyard from play, you may remove it from the game instead. If you do, search your library for a card and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. , Sacrifice Durak the Forgotten: Destroy two target non-artifact, non-black creatures. 5/5 Rare #143/315

Desperate Measures - Sorcery Sacrifice all creatures you control. You gain life equal to their combined toughness. "This is what must happen. Do not think of your lives as empty, think of them as fulfilling, a way for you to live on in my legacy." - Durak the Forgotten Rare #144/315

Life Purge - Sorcery Destroy target non-artifact, non-black creature. You may then pay , where X equals the converted mana cost of the target creature, to put that creature into play under your control. Use only black mana this way. In the Durak Marsh, dead is never really dead. Rare #145/315

Bloodletting - Sorcery As an additional cost to playing Bloodletting, pay X life. You may not spend more than 3 life in this way. Draw X cards. "You ask me for an advantage. There can be no advancement without sacrifice." - Durak the Forgotten Rare #146/315

Unmarked Grave - Sorcery Target player reveals his or her hand and discards all creature cards. "Who died here? Who cares?" - Durak the Forgotten Rare #147/315

Betrayer's Whisper - Sorcery You may remove two black cards in your hand from the game instead of paying Betrayer's Whisper's mana cost. Return target creature from your graveyard to play. "Dying is much like living: You keep waiting to 'wake up.'" - Durak the Forgotten Rare #148/315

Exorcism - Sorcery Destroy target non-black, non-artifact creature. Then a X/X black Demon token creature is put into play under your control, where X equals the destroyed creature's converted mana cost. "I never imagined it would be this big." "Or this angry!" Rare #149/315

Blight of the Ages - Sorcery Destroy up to X target creatures and target opponent loses X life, where X equals the number of black permanents you control. "The ruin, the darkness, the blood. What a wonderful day to be alive. " - Nurok, Minister of Hate Rare #150/315