I want black to feel like it's "working" for it, whatever "it" is. Previously, black was pip dense, and tried to be high-risk high reward. I'm toying with some changes at the moment to encourage a more aggressive game-plan for black, focused more on profitable trades and combat. I also like the idea that an opponent may not know if black's offering a trade but secretly holding up Rush of Vitality. Here's what I'm toying with at the moment.

=======================================

Asphodel Wanderer -> Pharika's Chosen: I was never super into Asphodel Wandered at the one drop slot and am open to pretty much anything right now. I figured I'd try a one mana 1/1 deathtoucher and see how that plays out. It should be a nice aggressive threat against 0/X defenders, and defensive against green's counters, while still trading with 1/1s. Vampire of the Dire Moon is another possibility but it's a little more forward with lifelink than I'm trying with black.

Pharika's Cure -> In trying to give black less pip density and more combat oriented lifegain, so I need a new kill spell that's not likely to lead to blowouts on the play. Ghastly Demise caught my eye when thumbing through my black commons. It encourages black to trade in combat to bring it online. It's possible to get a turn 2 kill on the play with if you have another one mana spell but that's a pretty nuts hand (1 drop creature, two 1 drop spells, lands for each, and opponent doesn't have their own kill spell for your creature).

Infectious Host -> Cabal Initiate: Might go back to the host as a finisher, but I wanted to toy with Cabal Initiate at the two drop slot as another means of black lifegain. As a 2/1 it can trade for counter targets, bash in for 2, or trade for a creature and gain 2 life at the cost of a card. Is cashing in a creature and a card for an opponent's creature and 2 life worth it? I don't know, but that's the kind of question I want a black drafter to be asking themselves.

Herald of Torment -> Caged Zombie: I tried taking out both of black's 3 dorp closers on this pass, and need a replacement. I love how sudden death microcube lets me swap out a BNG rare for an M21 common and still have to think about if it's too good or not. It's got a 2/3 stat line which is nothing to sneeze at as an attacker, but it's the (non-keyword) reach of the activated ability that I'm interested in. The payoff supports black's identity of supporting trades. It'll slow down aggressive decks with little life gain, but a red go-wide deck could still kill if they can get around it in combat. It'll also give repeated reach to peck in against heavy white lifegain decks, who will have to consider taking their licks by trading in combat vs. letting the attacker live to attack again.

=======================================

Here are some thoughts on cards I was also considering during this update.

Quest for the Gravelord: Payoff for combat trading/killing creatures. After 3 creatures die, cash it in for a 5/5. I'm not sure how to evaluate a 5/5 token with no abilities at the moment; dies to a lot of the cube's removal, but could be splashy.

Erebos' Intervention: XB to give a creature -X/-X and gain X life. Traded in Pharika's Cure's casting difficulty for cost inefficiency. Didn't like it killing 1 drops on the play.

Drainpipe Vermin: 1/1 for 1 that lets you pay B when it dies to have an opponent discard a card. With so low land and spell counts, discard has the potential to be painful, especially if the opponent was on a mulligan.

Hired Poisoner: Another 1 mana 1/1 deathtoucher. I'm still not sure how I feel about Wildwood Tracker but as long as it's around, we can keep the balance of humans and non-humans in mind (especially for 1 or 2 drops).

Nested Shambler: 1 mana 1/1, on death create a number of 1/1s equal to its power. I'm not very interested in creatures that die into other creatures at the moment, but if any color was interested in them I think it would be black. Plays nice with counters and combat tricks. (though not Rush of Vitality).

Sanitarium Skeleton: 1 mana 1/2, can pay 2B to return it from the graveyard to your hand. While the latter ability encourages trading in the late game, I don't want another 1/2 floating around at the 1 drop slot right now.

Tempting Witch: Another finisher I was tempted with. I like the idea of giving black a finisher that has reach and can take a big stab against white lifegain. Tempting Witch leaves her food behind if she gets removed, which can be cashed in for more life giving some value even if it's answered (a la Aven Riftwatcher). I settled on Caged Zombie because its reach encourages combat instead of defensive play, and it's also repeatable if need be.

Zombie Infestation: I think this card would probably be too good on the play. It's a 2 mana enchantment that lets you discard two cards to make a 2/2 zombie. It's a high reward play but I don't think there's enough to answer the zombies. It's a cute thought that plays into a space of exchanging resources for black (a reason I like Cabal initiate).

Alley Strangler: 3 mana 2/3 with menace. Menace at low mana values would be backbreaking, but I was wondering how it would play as a finisher in a combat-oriented color.

Farbog Revenant: Another combat finisher, a 3 mana 1/3 with skulk and lifelink. Wasn't super into it.

Bastion of Remembrance: I love this card so much in general. I'm wary about it not being able to be answered, and also it enabling wins when it's played on turn 3 if the opponent has to trade to survive.