Standard Black Swarm
Black Swarm was a Standard deck that gained popularity following the release of Torment. Designed by Brian Kibler, the deck was built primarily to counter aggressive 'Tog decks and other creature-heavy strategies of the time. It focuses on a combination of discard spells and efficient, high-impact creatures to disrupt opponents’ early game while establishing a resilient board presence.
The deck leverages the synergy between low-cost creatures such as Ravenous Rats and Shambling Swarm to apply early pressure and maintain card advantage through discard effects like Duress. Mid- and late-game threats such as Ichorid and Braids, Cabal Minion provide continuous creature recursion and resilience against removal. The inclusion of Nantuko Shade and Flametongue Kavu allows for flexible aggression and combat tricks, making the deck versatile against a range of strategies.
Black Swarm was notable for its ability to combine aggressive early plays with powerful disruption, making it a solid choice in Standard tournaments during the Torment block. The deck's balance of discard effects and resilient creatures allowed players to control the pace of the game while punishing decks that relied heavily on specific combos or key creatures.
Creatures (32)
4 Ichorid