Greetings and welcome back to my Conflux review. This time I'm featuring Black and I'm not going to waste any time with it...

• Salvage Slasher - This guy's an interesting card. I find him strangely attractive to me for Affinity in extended with the recent popularity of Soul's Fire. I do find him to be decent in an Esper deck. Is he a first pick? No. He's probably a "wheel" or a 8+ pick and a 20-23 card for your deck. Not something I foresee in Standard for the near future.
• Scepter of Fugue - Disrupting Scepter was one of my favorite cards back in the day, and most of the time you used it in black decks. Fugue is obviously made for the dark mages out there and is much better than it's predecessor. However, it's still a bit slow for todays constructed and you might just find it in the sideboards of the 5cc decks out there as I think it's better than Jace. In limited, I've used it several times, with mixed results and it should be considered like Blightning might be. Certainly NOT a first pick but perhaps something to consider with a theme.
• Dreadwing - Not something I expect to see in Constructed but I definitely think it's worth playing in limited. Not a top tier pick but easily something for the Grixis player on pick 7
• Extractor Demon - Bomb rare for limited. Rare-binder fodder during the constructed season.
• Fleshformer - I love Domain in limited and this guy definitely fits into my plan. However, everyone is beginning to catch onto the domain tech so don't expect this guy to go around for a 2nd chance. You won't find him in constructed formats because he's just not too attractive.
• Grixis Slavedriver - Although he helps you with the ever so theoretical permanent advantage he is way overcosted and just not worth the 2/2s that you get in return. At least for now. Limited he can be something to consider as a 20-23 card. As for constructed.... poop.
• Infectious Horror - not a creature that really does all that much. He's over-costed at 4 and he'll probably only do the 2 life thing once... just once... I wouldn't include him in limited and I just can't see him in constructed.
• Kederekt Parasite - Although I want to see the ManaNation exclusive preview card wreak havok throughout Magic, it's just not going to happen. Maybe something to consider as a 23rd card for limited and for funzees constructed you can build around him along with your Underworld Dreams. Nuff said.
• Nyxathid might be one of the best creatures in Conflux. It's a card that forces the opponent to reconsider every play he makes, and late game it can be a force to be reckoned with. I can see it being played in some constructed discard deck but that's about it. Probably not better than an uncommon or common you'd find in the Conflux pack, but don't count in it coming back to you.
• Pestilent Kathari - 1/1 for 3cc is not that good add on a weak ability that requires a different color mana to activate and you've got the makings of a card that goes into the "poopie" category.
• Rotting Rats - When I first looked at this card, I thought it was pretty darn good. Then, I read "each player" and said,"darn, this card stinks".
• Sedraxis Alchemist - I loved Man O' War, in fact I was one of the first people to show the power of the Physaliidae back in the day. Sedraxis is NOT a Man O War! However, if main-blue for limited I'd certainly include this guy for the tempo that might be gained. Not something I see coming for constructed but there's nothing wrong with being only half as good as something :P Take him high in draft if you're blue/black but don't think it's a first pick over something that actually does something ;)
• Absorb Vis - Basic Landcycling for the win! I like the spell in a pinch as it gives an 8 point life swing. I've already seen landcycling in Alara Constructed and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be good in Standard and things that include Chrome Mox :) As I've mentioned before the landcyclers will get sucked up early.
• Voices from the Void - Domain? Check. Then this card is amazing! I see NO reason why you couldn't include 5 basic lands in 5 color control to include this card and wreck control playing opponents. Limited Domain, this a must and should be a 1-5 pick.
• Wretched Banquet - I like this card if you're not into the teenie weenies that often get played in both formats or if you don't play creatures at all. I'm sure you'll see it here and there. Don't pick it too high unless you're themed in draft or sealed. Don't play it in Faerie constructed :P
• Drag Down - Removal is good at -3/-3 for 3 mana, it's even better at -5/-5 :) I don't foresee this one in Constructed. A very high pick whether or not you play Domain.
• Corrupted Roots - Unless you have 4 of these and you're opponent is running forests and plains I'd say this card stinks. It's not constructed worthy or even sideboard worthy. Limited it's even worse and even more unlikely you'll have 4 :P
• Yoke of the Damned - During prerelease I saw alot of people play this card or even read this card incorrectly. Now that it's been played a bit more often, I've found that it's not a bad card and people are using it. It's not something that will make Constructed (like Funeral March) but it's definitely something to consider if you do not have an answer to a big creature bomb.

Black isn't too impressive to me for Conflux, but I do tend to draft it alot. I like Jund and Esper alot in Shards an what happens is I go into Conflux and start getting Absorb Vis and become Domain :) Drag Downs tend to get passed (for now) so I just go with that flow.

Thanks or reading my dark review. I sure wish it had Necropotence :P

-- Lee