Black decks in Kaldheim Limited contains many of the tricks that the color is usually up to. You’ll want to remove your opponent’s threats while playing deathtouch and menace creatures. There’s even a handful of large threats that are a staple of black decks in Limited.
Kaldheim offers a variety of different styles that black mages can use when crafting their Sealed deck. Black is a key color in B/G Elves, R/B Boast, and U/B Snow decks. When drafting black, be on the lookout for removal and the key creature types of Elf, Berserker, and Zombie.
Here are the best common and uncommon black cards for Kaldheim Limited.
Poison the Cup
- CMC: 1BB
- Type: Instant
- Rarity: Uncommon
- First ability: Destroy target creature. If this spell was foretold, scry two.
- Second ability: Foretell 1B
Poison the Cup is an excellent removal spell. The floor of this card is Murder. The key to Poison the Cup is the ability to Foretell and cast the card for two mana and get an added scry two. Murder with upside is always good. This is a great spell at all stages of the game.
Skemfar Shadowsage
- CMC: 3B
- Type: Creature Elf Cleric
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Stats: 2/5
- First ability: When Skemfar Shadowsage enters the battlefield, choose one – Each opponent loses X life, where X is the greatest number of creatures you control that have a creature type in common OR You gain X life, where X is the greatest number of creatures you control that share a creature type in common.
Zendikar Rising Limited had a surprising amount of games ended by Malakir Blood-Priest. The quick burst of life loss against your opponent was effective. Skemfar Shadowsage costs two extra mana but provides a more powerful effect. This fits in Golgari Elves as a way to help close out the game. Elves want to go wide and Skemfar Shadowsage takes advantage of that. This will often hit the opponent for three or four damage, which will go a long way with a board full of creatures to attack as a follow up.
Vengeful Reaper
- CMC: 3B
- Type: Creature Angel Cleric
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Stats: 2/3 Flying, Deathtouch, Haste
- First ability: Foretell 1B
Vengeful Reaper is another card enhanced by Foretell. Getting this creature for two mana is great. If this is in your opening hand, it comes down on turn three and demands an answer. It’s still an effective creature in the late game and benefits from Angel synergies in B/W. The deathtouch will be relevant as a blocker that forces trades.
Karfell Kennel-Master
- CMC: 4B
- Type: Creature Zombie Berserker
- Rarity: Common
- Stats: 4/4
- First ability: When Karfell Kennel-Master enters the battlefield, up to two target creatures each get +1/+0 and gain indestructible until end of turn.
This is a nice top-end creature for B/R decks looking to use Berserker creatures. Karfell Kennel-Master gives two creatures indestructible which lets them attack to power the Boast mechanic. This is a hefty creature at common that supports Boast creatures while taking advantage of Berserker and Zombie synergies.
Jarl of the Forsaken
- CMC: 3B
- Type: Creature Zombie Cleric
- Rarity: Common
- Stats: 3/2 Flash
- First ability: When Jarl of the Forsaken enters the battlefield, destroy target creature or planeswalker an opponent controls that was dealt damage this turn.
- Second ability: Foretell 1B
Black contains excellent lower-rarity Foretell creatures. Jarl of the Forsaken can turn chump blocks into removal when it’s flashed onto the battlefield. The creature can be stashed away in early turns with Foretell and cast for an efficient two mana at instant speed. Jarl of the Forsaken can come in as a blocker or a conditional removal spell.
Grim Draugr
- CMC: 2B
- Type: Snow Creature Zombie Berserker
- Rarity: Common
- Stats: 3/2
- First ability: Pay one generic and one snow mana: Grim Draugr gets +1/+0 and gains menace until end of turn.
Grim Draugr is a key creature in U/B Snow decks. This common creature has everything these decks want. It’s a snow permanent, zombie, and berserker, which are three relevant types. Grim Draugr also makes use of snow mana with its activated ability. Turning this creature into a 4/2 with menace makes it an effective attacker. The two-for-one potential when Grim Draugr attacks is decently high. This card should struggle against go-wide Elves builds.
Feed the Serpent
- CMC: 2BB
- Type: Instant
- Rarity: Common
- First ability: Exile target creature or planeswalker.
Feed the Serpent is like a slightly worse Vraska’s Contempt. Exile based removal onto creatures and planeswalkers is an easy pick up in Draft. This will be the bread and butter common removal spell for black decks.
Draugr’s Helm
- CMC: 1B
- Type: Artifact Equipment
- Rarity: Uncommon
- First ability: When Draugr’s Helm enters the battlefield you may pay 2B. If you do, create a 2/2 black Zombie Berserker creature token, then attach Draugr’s Helm to it. Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has menace.
- Second ability: Equip 4.
This is a piece of decent, versatile equipment. Dropping this card for two mana isn’t the best line of play. Saving this equipment for turn five and paying the full cost is what makes the card playable. Five mana for a 4/4 menace creature with relevant creature types is substantial. This equipment comes attached to a threat that demands an answer. Dropping Draugr’s Helm on a battlefield with other strong Boast creatures forces the opponent into unfavorable blocks and tough decisions with their removal spells.
Dogged Pursuit
- CMC: 3B
- Type: Enchantment
- Rarity: Common
- First ability: At the beginning of your end step, each opponent loses one life and you gain one life.
Persistent drain effects seem to be constantly underrated by Limited players. Dogged Pursuit isn’t a bomb, but at common this card is worth picking up. There isn’t a ton of life gain in Kaldheim. The slow drip of losing a life each turn is enough to put pressure on your opponent. When this comes in on turn four or five, an aggro deck should have their opponent below 15 life. At that point, losing one life per turn cycle starts to add up.
Bloodsky Berserker
- CMC: 1B
- Type: Creature Human Berserker
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Stats: 1/1
- First ability: Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, put two +1/+1 counters on Bloodsky Berserker. It gains menace until end of turn.
Kaldheim has a heavy two-spells theme. Bloodsky Berserker fits perfectly into decks that want to have multiple double spell turns. The two counters and menace help this creature scale into the late game. Bloodsky Berserker is particularly effective with combat tricks that add onto the standard +2/+2 buff when you cast your second spell.
Kaldheim releases digitally on Magic Arena and Magic Online on Jan. 28.
