[Deck] Reanimator

[Nihil Credo]

Hey guys, as I'm sure you have noticed the thread's primer is fucking ancient, and was always quite shitty to begin with. Since this thread keeps bouncing in and out of the DTBF basically every other month, it would be probably be a good idea to get a reboot going with a non-shitty non-ancient primer.

So if you were thinking about writing one, or even if you weren't, consider it a nudge in that direction.

[Que]

Hey guys, as I'm sure you have noticed the thread's primer is fucking ancient, and was always quite shitty to begin with. Since this thread keeps bouncing in and out of the DTBF basically every other month, it would be probably be a good idea to get a reboot going with a non-shitty non-ancient primer.

So if you were thinking about writing one, or even if you weren't, consider it a nudge in that direction.


My suggestion would be Alsan assuming he had the time and desire. heh. My 2 cents. I think hes been one of the few that continously has piloted the deck. And to good results to boot.

[spector14]

My suggestion would be Alsan assuming he had the time and desire. heh. My 2 cents. I think hes been one of the few that continously has piloted the deck. And to good results to boot.

[Alsan]

Oh! That would be a HUGE honor! If no one refuses, I'll do my best of doing a big and worked premier for this thread in 1-2 days, wednesday submitted. Thank you very much :D.

[Mr. Froggy]

Oh! That would be a HUGE honor! If no one refuses, I'll do my best of doing a big and worked premier for this thread in 1-2 days, wednesday submitted. Thank you very much :D.

Can't wait to read it :)

[novatinhu]

Can't wait to read it :)

me too

[Dyvith]

Hey all,

I was hoping to spark some conversation seeing as how this thread is kinda dead. I'm planning on playing this deck in some upcoming events as I think reanimator is all around a really solid, powerful, and punishing deck. The maindeck that I've settled on is this:

4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
1 Animate Dead (Might make this number a 2-of, and Reanimate a 3-of)
4 Entomb
4 Careful Study
4 Brainstorm
2 Ponder
2 Show and Tell
2 Daze
2 Thoughtseize
4 Force of Will
1 Iona
1 Tidesprout
1 Elesh Norn
4 Griselbrand
4 Lotus Petal
1 Swamp
2 Island
4 Underground Sea
2 Verdant Catacombs
3 Scalding Tarn
4 Polluted Delta

Reasons for some card choices:
I think Tidesprout is really bad, but a concession to the fact that sometimes it's the only way to win games. I'm playing a 2-2 split of Daze and Thoughtseize because I wanted access to remove their disruption pro-actively while also having access to more "free disruption" once a Griselbrand resolved because I noticed that there were times where Grisel would hit play and I'd need more than just the four forces. It also makes resolving a turn 1 or 2 dork infinitely more reliable.

The sideboard is where I'm stuck.

This is what I know I want:

2 Karakas
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Show and Tell
2 Thoughtseize
2-3 Pithing Needle

This is what I'm thinking for the last slots

2-3 Flusterstorm
2 Echoing Truth

Let me know what you all think.

[phazonmutant]

Can anyone tell me why the "stock" list is playing Lotus Petal to speed up, but has cut Daze? Or why you're playing 2 Show and Tells in the main (for example over bounce as a Sourcer did in Denver)?

Reasons I will not accept: because Todd Anderson told me to; because I have never played reanimator before

[Rune]

Can anyone tell me why the "stock" list is playing Lotus Petal to speed up, but has cut Daze? Or why you're playing 2 Show and Tells in the main (for example over bounce as a Sourcer did in Denver)?

Reasons I will not accept: because Todd Anderson told me to; because I have never played reanimator before

Because Daze sucks in combo decks. You only care about countering specific cards, not random Tarmogoyfs. Daze is bad at countering the things that actually matter since it becomes a blank so quickly. But it's a great card to play if you're having trouble sideboarding, because you'll always know what to cut.

[Piceli89]

Can anyone tell me why the "stock" list is playing Lotus Petal to speed up, but has cut Daze? Or why you're playing 2 Show and Tells in the main (for example over bounce as a Sourcer did in Denver)?

Reasons I will not accept: because Todd Anderson told me to; because I have never played reanimator before

I'm no Reanimator expert at all, but Show and Tell maindeck seems a clear pick to fight Deathrite Shaman, which has become an issue (a turn 1 Shaman on the play is literally unbeatable except with "Entomb with Exhume-on-stack" convolute loops). A similar motivation can be given for Lotus petal, which increases the speed of reanimating a dude to bypass DRS.

[novatinhu]

Hey all,

I'm playing a 2-2 split of Daze and Thoughtseize because I wanted access to remove their disruption pro-actively while also having access to more "free disruption" once a Griselbrand resolved because I noticed that there were times where Grisel would hit play and I'd need more than just the four forces. It also makes resolving a turn 1 or 2 dork infinitely more reliable.



In my opinion and test the deck needs:

3 thoguthseize + 1 Misdirection + 4 FOW

or

2 Thoughtseize + 2 Misdirection + 4 FOW

or

2 Thoughtseize + 1 Misdirection + 1 Fluterstorm + 4 FOW

or

2 Thoughtseize + 1 Misdirection + 1 Unmask + 4 FOW

[Alsan]

Can't wait to read it :)

Still working on it, I've been hospitalized this week, so wait a little longer.

[Kich867]

Can anyone tell me why the "stock" list is playing Lotus Petal to speed up, but has cut Daze? Or why you're playing 2 Show and Tells in the main (for example over bounce as a Sourcer did in Denver)?

Reasons I will not accept: because Todd Anderson told me to; because I have never played reanimator before

I don't like the inclusion of Lotus Petal, I'd rather just run another land. Daze has been useful to me so far in testing, it often counters Liliana's etc.

Show and Tell seems like an alternate option to Animate Dead given Abrupt Decay is running rampant right now--I think some number of Animate Dead is correct, but maybe I'll replace them with Exhumes soon to avoid that. In any event I would still run a few Show and Tell's just to help deal with shamans.

Bounce maindeck is something I've thought about a little, my list feels very tight at the moment though, maybe you could recommend something to remove? Or if anyone has suggestions to the list in general?

//Creatures:
2x Griselbrand
1x Jin Gitaxis
1x Sheoldred
1x Empyreal Archangel
1x Elesh Norn
1x Blazing Archon
1x Iona
1x Hapless Researcher

//Spells:
4x Brainstorm
4x Careful Study
4x Force of Will
3x Daze
2x Spell Pierce
4x Reanimate
2x Exhume
2x Animate Dead
2x Show and Tell
3x Duress (Don't have thoughtseizes right now)
4x Entomb

// 17 Lands

// Sideboard:
2x Engineered Explosives
2x Surgical Extraction
2x Spell Pierce
2x Flusterstorm
1x Show and Tell
1x Inkwell Leviathan
1x Tidespout Tyrant
1x Angel of Despair
3x Abrupt Decay (Testing these out)

[Johanovich]

Just wanted to post my result on a GPT strasbourg in the Netherlands last Sunday. I finished 3rd with reanimator. I played with this list:

Creatures:
3 Griselbrand
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Blazing Archon
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Empyrial Archangel
1 Tidespout Tyrant
2 Hapless Researcher

Lands:
2 Island
3 Swamp
3 Underground Sea
4 Polluted Delta
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Karakas

Spells:
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
4 Entomb
4 Force of Will
4 Daze
4 Careful Study
4 Brainstorm
2 Thoughtseize
2 Show and Tell

Sideboard:
2 Show and Tell
2 Echoing Truth
3 Pithing Needle
3 Submerge
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Wipe Away
2 Vendilion Clique

I played against the following decks:
Swiss rounds:
Round 1: The Gate (my teammate): Lost 0-2 due to play errors
Round 2: Dragon Stompy: Win 2-0
Round 3: Tin Fins: Win 2-1
Round 4: The Rock: Draw 1-1-1 (lost game 1 due to me thinking he was jund/eva green and putting iona on black to blank his removal only to have him play KOTR and fetching karakas while using a topdecked maze to hold of iona)
Round 5: Esper Stoneblade: Win 2-0
Round 6: RUG Delver: Win 2-0

Top 8:
RUG Delver: Win 2-0
Esper Stoneblade: Loss 0-2 (game 1 he topdecked his 1-off supreme verdict against my tidespout and empyrial. He went further to win the tournament)

The meta was very combo heavy (despite me facing off against only 1 of them) with a lot of show and tell decks. There was also a fair number of jund present and a few storm decks.

I found that the maindeck show and tells were pretty useless and usually only fodder for force. The sideboard cliques were also pretty useless. I might just go back to playing no shows main and 3 side and kicking the cliques for something else. I only played against one deck with deathrites but saw them every game and found them not that troublesome since you can daze or force him and since they board out abrupt decay for the postboard games, pithing needle becomes a house against them.

The karakas also did nothing, but I might keep it in for thalia, the mirror and show and tell decks
__________________

[phazonmutant]

Because Daze sucks in combo decks. You only care about countering specific cards, not random Tarmogoyfs. Daze is bad at countering the things that actually matter since it becomes a blank so quickly. But it's a great card to play if you're having trouble sideboarding, because you'll always know what to cut.
Really? Daze sucks in the fastest Force of Will combo deck in the format but is perfectly fine in the slower Sneak & Show / Omniscience decks? I have trouble buying that. You're right that it's a great card to trim postboard, but that doesn't mean it's bad in the main. The only real reason to play reanimator is because it consistently "goes off" turn 2 with protection preboard.



I'm no Reanimator expert at all, but Show and Tell maindeck seems a clear pick to fight Deathrite Shaman, which has become an issue (a turn 1 Shaman on the play is literally unbeatable except with "Entomb with Exhume-on-stack" convolute loops). A similar motivation can be given for Lotus petal, which increases the speed of reanimating a dude to bypass DRS.
The biggest problem with S&T is that you're running a creature toolbox and 4 Vampiric Tutors, but only if you reanimate it! As miserable as Careful Study was sometimes at binning the wrong creature, I can only imagine how a 2-card combo that's actively bad against most other combo decks in the format could be. There are better answers to permanent hate maindeck like Daze, Force of Will, and if you're really frightened, bounce.


novatinhu - You want to play 5-6 pitch spells with an already-low U count? Like what's the stock list's count, less than 20, right? Good luck having cards to pitch.


Kich867 - So you're playing 5 study effects, 90% of the time want to put Griselbrand into play preboard, but you're only running 2 Griselbrand?! Cut the cute shit like Sheoldred from the 75, Archon to the board. The only decks Archon is good against are decks without removal that need to battle...so merfolk and sometimes dredge or sneak and show?
I'd run therapy over Duress, but Duress is reasonable. Playing Pierce doesn't make sense to me though. You almost never have spare mana when you're reanimating, but that's why you play 9-10 outs - if they counter one, you just play another! So cut pierce, S&T for more outs and bounce.



I found that the maindeck show and tells were pretty useless and usually only fodder for force. The sideboard cliques were also pretty useless. I might just go back to playing no shows main and 3 side and kicking the cliques for something else. I only played against one deck with deathrites but saw them every game and found them not that troublesome since you can daze or force him and since they board out abrupt decay for the postboard games, pithing needle becomes a house against them.
Good job on the finish! It's interesting that despite 9 creatures maindeck to support S&T, it was still bad. :cool: Your analysis makes a lot of sense for Clique and Needle.

[Johanovich]

Good job on the finish! It's interesting that despite 9 creatures maindeck to support S&T, it was still bad. :cool: Your analysis makes a lot of sense for Clique and Needle.

I found myself wishing the show and tells were animate dead more often than I'd like (like nearly always game 1). Also I found that most times I could just do what reanimator does best: just binning a creature and getting it back to win, ignoring the show and tell in my hand because it was a slower strategy. I tested the same list a few weeks earlier and came to the same conclusion, but since I was expecting a lot of deathrite decks and sneaky show decided to leave the list the same to combat these decks.

I chose to have 9 creatures to have spares with hapless researcher if some got removed by deathrite. Hapless researcher was a house again btw, blocking batterskulls, hitting for more than 6 damage in some matches and avoiding getting blown out by deathrites and surgicals.

[Koby]

Caveat: I have not played traditional Reanimator, but I've played against it on numerous occasions and understand how to beat it. (Go maverick!) Anyways...

Daze should be included in Reanimator. It's one of the strongest counters when the pieces fall into place. I agree with phazonmuant that it makes more sense for Reanimator to play it vs Show & Tell variants. Of course it loses potency as the game goes on. For this purpose they can be pitched to Force of Will, discarded to Careful Study, or shuffled back into the deck with Brainstorm. Not many decks can interact in the early turns where Entomb/Reanimate is played out quickly. For those decks that do, Daze is great counter.

Lists playing situational cards need to have a very well justified reason for doing so. If your metagame is 30% Maverick, then yes perhaps Angel of Despair and Tidespout Tyrant make sense, because they are non-Legendary and provide disruption. If the metagame is a lot more RUG, then these are pathetic reanimation targets. They will likely get there anyway, since RUG can't deal with anything that flies and is large.

I would suggest the core targets become:
3 Griselbrand (and a strong case for the 4th)
1 Elesh Norn
1 Iona
1 Tidespout Tyrant

Obviously, Griselbrand is the best target in the blind. Elesh Norn and Iona deal with creature and combo decks, respectively. Finally, Tidespout Tyrant provides the most flexible "answer" to gummy situations. Terastadon, Angel of Despair, Blazing Archon, Jin Gitaxious, Sphinx of the Steelwind, Inkwell Leviathan, etc should sit in the board for their respective good matchups, and not necessarily all of them.

[Rune]

Really? Daze sucks in the fastest Force of Will combo deck in the format but is perfectly fine in the slower Sneak & Show / Omniscience decks? I have trouble buying that. You're right that it's a great card to trim postboard, but that doesn't mean it's bad in the main. The only real reason to play reanimator is because it consistently "goes off" turn 2 with protection preboard.


I didn't say Daze is fine in Sneak/Show and Omniscience. It's about a thousand times worse in those decks. It's much more debatable whether or not it should be in Reanimator, whereas you should pretty much just be ashamed of yourself for playing it in those other S&T decks. Personally, I don't like it because I will be boarding it out probably around 80% of the time in the first place. It does make the maindeck a bit stronger, but it has almost zero application in postboard games for me. However, if it's working for you, then by all means continue playing it.

By the way, I compiled the replays from the MOCS into a video here https://vimeo.com/60115813

[Kich867]

Kich867 - So you're playing 5 study effects, 90% of the time want to put Griselbrand into play preboard, but you're only running 2 Griselbrand?! Cut the cute shit like Sheoldred from the 75, Archon to the board. The only decks Archon is good against are decks without removal that need to battle...so merfolk and sometimes dredge or sneak and show?
I'd run therapy over Duress, but Duress is reasonable. Playing Pierce doesn't make sense to me though. You almost never have spare mana when you're reanimating, but that's why you play 9-10 outs - if they counter one, you just play another! So cut pierce, S&T for more outs and bounce.

Therapies were definitely a consideration for targeting myself with, as another way to ditch cards, I presume Thoughtseize operates in a similar manner. I'm also quite experienced with the card, I mean the reality is you just don't want a specific card in your opponent's hand and naming that isn't all that hard, if you whiff then they don't have it and you're fine. So saving two life might not be terrible.

In my targeted meta, there is a great deal of Hypergenesis / Show and Tell / Jund sort of decks, so for these decks I find Sheoldred and Archon to be good answers--Hypergenesis literally can't beat him and Show and Tell can have a lot of trouble against Sheoldred, same with Hypergenesis, but you may be correct and I should just opt them out for other cards, perhaps put Tidespout back in the main (he performed very well when I saw him).

Also, I sort of view Jin as an alternative to Griselbrand. He's different. If my opponent taps out, I almost always opt to get him over Griselbrand simply because the draw 7 costs no life and then the opponent is in top-deck mode, while I get to draw 7 every turn until I kill him. If my opponent is not tapped out and has possible removal, I'll opt for Griselbrand, get real low, but keep him alive.

Pierce I can agree on, S&T Main I can agree on as well, haven't seen a lot of use out of it, but I don't exactly want to be blown out by turn 1 deathrite's. Exhumes help fight him off with an overloaded graveyard but having an option to get around him feels good. Though EOT bouncing him seems solid as well.

Do you feel that Chain of Vapor or Echoing Truth is better? Echoing Truth is a nice maindeck answer to a lot of token bullshit, but being 1 mana will save me a turn of waiting.

I think I will drop pierces for Chain of Vapor's and S&T's for exhumes.

[Mr. Froggy]

I'm building Reanimator, and this is the reanimator package I'm running:

2x Griselbrand
1x Jin
1x Iona
1x Elesh
1x Sheoldred

Thoughts?

I added Sheoldred because of my meta, but she i remove her?

[Esper3k]

Is Sheoldred that much better than Angel of Despair though?

Angel just stomps Show & Tell even if they drop Omniscience.

[phazonmutant]

In my targeted meta, there is a great deal of Hypergenesis / Show and Tell / Jund sort of decks, so for these decks I find Sheoldred and Archon to be good answers--Hypergenesis literally can't beat him and Show and Tell can have a lot of trouble against Sheoldred, same with Hypergenesis, but you may be correct and I should just opt them out for other cards, perhaps put Tidespout back in the main (he performed very well when I saw him).

Also, I sort of view Jin as an alternative to Griselbrand. He's different. If my opponent taps out, I almost always opt to get him over Griselbrand simply because the draw 7 costs no life and then the opponent is in top-deck mode, while I get to draw 7 every turn until I kill him. If my opponent is not tapped out and has possible removal, I'll opt for Griselbrand, get real low, but keep him alive.
...
Do you feel that Chain of Vapor or Echoing Truth is better? Echoing Truth is a nice maindeck answer to a lot of token bullshit, but being 1 mana will save me a turn of waiting.

Well, fair enough. In a smaller meta different choices definitely can make sense. I just wouldn't Archon main to an Open or a GP. Jin is pretty cool and very good, don't get me wrong. I just think having 3-4 of the clear most powerful card and 3-4 versatile bullets makes more sense though. Jin isn't really doing anything different or "bullety"

Uh, I'm going to have to defer to more recent Reanimator players here (haven't played it since Mental Misstep). Stryfo ran Echoing Truth in Denver and that makes sense to me.

[spector14]

Hi guys! I have a question for you about PONDER:
I want to know if you find it necessary in the deck, or if You can don't enter in The decklist, And what's the right number of copies to be put!

[Asthereal]

Ponder: very nice card, increases stability and consistency of the deck, pitches to FoW.
The correct number is the number of flex slots you have. I usually play two. Some cannot find space for it at all.
If you shuffle well and usually draw decent hands, Ponder probably isn't necessary.
I draw awkward hands all the time, so I really need a couple of cantrips to sculpt into something playable.

[Julian23]

If you shuffle well and usually draw decent hands, Ponder probably isn't necessary.
I draw awkward hands all the time, so I really need a couple of cantrips to sculpt into something playable.

To be fair, this isn't the level of discussion that's promoted on this forum. Despite its disguise in anecdotical evidence, I see your point in Ponder decreasing variance though.

[Kich867]

Is Sheoldred that much better than Angel of Despair though?

Angel just stomps Show & Tell even if they drop Omniscience.

I play both between the main and the side.

[Esper3k]

Another question I had was with all the Jund running around, how do you beat an active Liliana?

Angel of Despair I guess, but other than that what's the gameplane? Get Griselbrand out and just draw 7? If we're forced to use a Reanimate though, that may simply cost us too much life in total and get us killed?

[Dyvith]

Pithing Needle? Liliana arguably isn't that scary as once you draw a new seven AND have a Grisel in your yard, you can continually reanimate with exhume and animate dead until you out-resource them.

[Kich867]

Pithing Needle? Liliana arguably isn't that scary as once you draw a new seven AND have a Grisel in your yard, you can continually reanimate with exhume and animate dead until you out-resource them.

The hard part for me with G-Brand is that reanimating and drawing hits me for 15. Against decks that run lili though, they often tap out, and in my experience so far with the deck I find that if my opponent is tapped out I snap-pick Jin Gitaxis as a reanimate target. Drawing into a counterspell for their next turn is all it takes to end the game, they pretty much get one shot at winning.

Against an active Liliana though, yeah I suppose Angel of Despair or Terastodon would be the answers.

Also, still quite new to the deck, does anyone know how Show and Tell works with Animate dead? Say my opponent casts SNT, in response I entomb Angel of Despair, I let SNT resolve and put Animate Dead into play. Do I get to target something? I thought animate dead targeted on the stack so I'm not sure if it just doesn't do anything at that point.

[Esper3k]

The hard part for me with G-Brand is that reanimating and drawing hits me for 15. Against decks that run lili though, they often tap out, and in my experience so far with the deck I find that if my opponent is tapped out I snap-pick Jin Gitaxis as a reanimate target. Drawing into a counterspell for their next turn is all it takes to end the game, they pretty much get one shot at winning.

Against an active Liliana though, yeah I suppose Angel of Despair or Terastodon would be the answers.

Also, still quite new to the deck, does anyone know how Show and Tell works with Animate dead? Say my opponent casts SNT, in response I entomb Angel of Despair, I let SNT resolve and put Animate Dead into play. Do I get to target something? I thought animate dead targeted on the stack so I'm not sure if it just doesn't do anything at that point.

So Animate Dead's Oracle text actually reads:


When Animate Dead enters the battlefield, if it's on the battlefield, it loses "enchant creature card in a graveyard" and gains "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Animate Dead." Return enchanted creature card to the battlefield under your control and attach Animate Dead to it. When Animate Dead leaves the battlefield, that creature's controller sacrifices it.

Enchanted creature gets -1/-0.

When it ETB, there's actually a triggered ability that goes off (and is Stifleable) that will return the creature from the yard and then reattach Animate Dead to it.

So yes, if you Show & Tell it into play, you do get to still bring back a dude from your yard.

I'm pretty new to the deck too, so on sideboarding, do you guys usually bring out Dazes (especially on the draw) for whatever relevant sideboard cards you need? I assume there's pretty much never a time when Griselbrand comes out and the other reanimation targets just swap in and out based on what matchup you're playing?

[Rune]

Another question I had was with all the Jund running around, how do you beat an active Liliana?

Angel of Despair I guess, but other than that what's the gameplane? Get Griselbrand out and just draw 7? If we're forced to use a Reanimate though, that may simply cost us too much life in total and get us killed?

Liliana is rarely a problem, but the few times you do lose to it it's often because of Reanimate. Since it's such a liability in many situations, and Spell Snare apparently isn't a card in Legacy anymore, you might want to play only 2 or even less copies of it.

[phazonmutant]

Also, still quite new to the deck, does anyone know how Show and Tell works with Animate dead? Say my opponent casts SNT, in response I entomb Angel of Despair, I let SNT resolve and put Animate Dead into play. Do I get to target something? I thought animate dead targeted on the stack so I'm not sure if it just doesn't do anything at that point.

Esper3k is correct (thanks for quoting the Oracle text - very important!). To generalize, if an Aura enters the battlefield by some method other than the stack, its controller choses any valid choice as it enters the battlefield - but doesn't target it. For example, if Sun Titan gets back Pacifism, you can enchant any creature that doesn't have something like Pro: W, even creatures with Shroud, because Pacifism says only "Enchant Creature". Similarly, Animate Dead specifies "Enchant creature card in a graveyard", so when you put it into play off S&T, you choose any card (conveniently getting around Ground Seal!)

[Esper3k]

Esper3k is correct (thanks for quoting the Oracle text - very important!). To generalize, if an Aura enters the battlefield by some method other than the stack, its controller choses any valid choice as it enters the battlefield - but doesn't target it. For example, if Sun Titan gets back Pacifism, you can enchant any creature that doesn't have something like Pro: W, even creatures with Shroud, because Pacifism says only "Enchant Creature". Similarly, Animate Dead specifies "Enchant creature card in a graveyard", so when you put it into play off S&T, you choose any card (conveniently getting around Ground Seal!)

I'd like to note for players that the Animate Dead getting around Ground Seal trick only works if you drop it off of S&T. If you play it as a spell, it still targets a creature card in the graveyard on the stack, so can't be used to get around Ground Seal normally.

Here's a question to the more experienced players:

I see EE in some sideboards along with bounce and Pithing Needle. Can you guys tell me when EE is preferable over those two? I would think that against most things, Pithing Needle would be best and against the non-Activated Ability stuff (Leyline, RIP), bounce would be just fine since the plan would be EoT bounce, then go off? Against Leyline/RIP, EE would only seem to hit RIP.

I'm also looking forward to a new primer since I'd love to get a better idea on how to sideboard (since I'd think that Show & Tells pretty much always come in postboard since you're expecting yard hate and wanting to dodge it).

[Kich867]

I'd like to note for players that the Animate Dead getting around Ground Seal trick only works if you drop it off of S&T. If you play it as a spell, it still targets a creature card in the graveyard on the stack, so can't be used to get around Ground Seal normally.

Here's a question to the more experienced players:

I see EE in some sideboards along with bounce and Pithing Needle. Can you guys tell me when EE is preferable over those two? I would think that against most things, Pithing Needle would be best and against the non-Activated Ability stuff (Leyline, RIP), bounce would be just fine since the plan would be EoT bounce, then go off? Against Leyline/RIP, EE would only seem to hit RIP.

I'm also looking forward to a new primer since I'd love to get a better idea on how to sideboard (since I'd think that Show & Tells pretty much always come in postboard since you're expecting yard hate and wanting to dodge it).

EE doesn't actually seem that great--You could just run 2x Echoing Truths over it to deal with the same problems. And Deathrite Shaman isn't even that big a deal, I've found that going off through him isn't particularly difficult.

I'm thinking about changing my board to this:

2x Abrupt Decay
2x Chain of Vapor
2x Echoing Truth
3x Show And Tell
1x Inkwell Leviathan
1x Blazing Archon
1x Angel of Despair
2x Flusterstorm
1x Spell Pierce

Still testing out the Abrupt Decays to bring in against RIP / DRS. If I don't feel it's worth it, I'm going to drop it for pithing needles.

[Artlee]

Just to be clear. This also means that we don't have to announce target for Animate Dead until it resolves, and play around surgical by having 2 (different) creatures in graveyard, right?

EDIT: Also, how does it work with EE and cracking it in resp to to Animate dead entering the battlefield? Do we get a chance to draw 7 with Griselbrand?

[phazonmutant]

Just to be clear. This also means that we don't have to announce target for Animate Dead until it resolves, and play around surgical by having 2 (different) creatures in graveyard, right?

No, Animate Dead targets a creature card in a graveyard when it is cast just like normal Auras. The only time an Aura does not target is if it's put into play in some weird way like Show and Tell. When you cast Animate Dead, you must announce the target as part of casting the spell.

[spector14]

Still working on it, I've been hospitalized this week, so wait a little longer.

How long before the publication of your trhead? I can not wait to read it! :)

[Esper3k]

Just to be clear. This also means that we don't have to announce target for Animate Dead until it resolves, and play around surgical by having 2 (different) creatures in graveyard, right?

EDIT: Also, how does it work with EE and cracking it in resp to to Animate dead entering the battlefield? Do we get a chance to draw 7 with Griselbrand?

If Animate Dead gets destroyed in response to its ETB trigger, the creature never comes back to the battlefield.

[Kich867]

I played at Jupiter today with my Reanimator list to a 19th place finish (4-2).

List:
2x Griselbrand
1x Jin Gitaxias
1x Iona
1x Sheoldred
1x Elesh Norn
1x Empyreal Archangel
1x Tidespout Tyrant
2x Hapless Research (I call them Rob)

4x Entomb
4x Careful Study
4x Brainstorm

4x Reanimate
3x Animate Dead
2x Exhume

3x Duress
4x Force of Will
3x Daze
2x Echoing Truth

17 lands

// Sideboard:
3x Spell Pierce
2x Flusterstorm
2x Chain of Vapor
2x Abrupt Decay
3x Show and Tell
1x Blazing Archon
1x Angel of Despair
1x Inkwell Leviathan

Matches:

Match 1: Maverick by Janene
This kinda sucked, I drove up with Janene and we got paired first round. Game one I believe I just got there with a Griselbrand. Games two and three I probably should have more aggressively mulled, but she had Karakas + Cavern on Humans + Thalia both games, and that's really really hard to deal with.

1-2

Match 2: MUD by some dude
I won the roll, played a land and passed. On his turn he goes Ancient Tomb + Chalice at one, in response I entomb, untap, exhume griselbrand. Game 2 I have another turn 2 win, but it's a one-lander and I need to get a U-Sea, he ramps into a Lodestone Golem. If I draw any land I win because I can pay through it, but I brick on a land and he wastes me so we go to game 3. Game 3 I play a land and pass, he plays an ancient tomb and goes for Grim Monolith, I force it, entomb exhume griselbrand.

2-1

Match 3: Affinity by another dude
I think he won the die roll and makes a bunch of dudes. I prompty animate dead Elesh Norn and wipe his board, then reanimate all his own dead creatures because I had a pretty heavy animation hand. I ended up killing him with his own guys, because I could race his rather massive Master of Etherium. Hapless researcher, as he usually does, won me the game by sacing before combat damage to stop Jitte counters (and drawing sweet ass cards). Game 2 was similar, I think I just animated Elesh Norn and went beats 5 times for the win.

2-0

Match 4: BUG Delver
I keep a pretty solid hand game one with I think double Rob's and Elesh Norn. Elesh Norn kills a delver, I animate it, he decays it, elesh norn beats 5 times for the win. Games two and three I keep kinda sketchy hands from my inexperience with the deck and ended up losing. Game two I actually had the game locked, Entomb + Exhume + Force + A pitch card to his I think 2 cards in hand since he mulled down a bit. Except I forgot that I cracked my fetch the turn before after I brainstormed, so I entomb on my upkeep because in my head Griselbrand is still on top of my library and I need to find a black source. I look at the top card of my library, it's a black source, I sigh and get my Griselbrand, shuffle up, draw a basic island. Fuck.

He ends up hymning me to oblivion and I just never get there.

1-2

Match 5: Burn
This felt pretty awful. Game one I had turn 2 Iona on red. Game two I had turn 3 Iona off what I thought was a cool play. He makes a goblin guide and swings me, sees a brainstorm. I play my land and pass, he swings, I brainstorm to put a land on top. My turn, I draw a card, play a land and pass, since Brainstorm replaces itself and I drew an extra land off the guide trigger, I was at 8 and just naturally discarded Iona. I then next turn Exhumed her and forgot to name a color, he said he was going to call a judge to confirm that he could still play his red cards, I explained to him that it is not a trigger and it actually has to happen. The judge agreed, because it's not a trigger and it has to happen, and he scoops.

2-0

Match 6: Maverick by Chris
Second maverick deck! Game one I get there with Iona on White and Sheoldred, he doesn't draw a Karakas and dies. Game two I mull to 5, he has a 3 Surgical Extraction hand and I can't get there. The game went really long though and it ended up being a real fight towards the end. Game three I keep an ok hand, he gets a Karakas and an Ethersworn Canonist out, I make a Griselbrand on my turn. He bounces Griselbrand, I draw 7, sac my Rob to put Tidespout Tyrant in GY, get him out of there, and my hand: Daze, Daze, Daze, Force, Force, Brainstorm, Duress. Drew into a brainstorm, which drew into another duress. Tidespout + A bunch of free spells is pretty hard to get out of.

2-1

Ended 4-2 in my first big tournament with the deck against some really excellent players. I think I beat all the decks I should of and I took it to the limit against all of the decks that have better matchups against me. I think Maverick is pretty even, so going 1-1 with it felt good. Sometimes they just have the nuts and it's tough. Tidespout though man. Hells yeah.

Thoughts about the deck: Show and Tell isn't that exciting without Lotus Petals, and I think Lotus Petals are wrong. I have so much bounce and removal in my 75, that slowing myself down tremendously without having tutors for dudes just seems bad. I am far, far, far more comfortable just playing through hate and beating it than I am trying to get around it with SNT. I'm likely going to cut it.

The spell pierces were a bit much, for the first time ever I played against 0 combo decks on the day, which felt awesome. I think they'd be better as Pithing needles. SNT's I'm not sure about. Honestly on the car ride back a friend suggested Dark Rituals so that on the draw post-board I can have these super explosive plays.

For the maindeck, I'd like to cut a Duress for an Exhume, as the only real issue I ran into was wanting ways to get dudes out.

Overall, this felt amazing.

[Dyvith]

Came in 6th at Jupiter.

4 Griselbrand
1 Iona
1 Tidespout
1 Elesh


4 Careful Study
4 Entomb
3 Reanimate
4 Exhume
2 Animate Dead

4 Brainstorm
2 Ponder

2 Daze
2 Thoughtseize
2 Show and Tell
4 Force of Will

4 Lotus Petal
2 Island
1 Swamp
2 Verdant Catacombs
3 Scalding Tarn
4 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea

SB:

2 Surgical
2 Show and Tell
2 Thoughtseize
1 Echoing Truth
1 Terastadon
3 Pithing Needle
2 Karakas
2 Jace

R1: BFS on Elves

He knows what I'm on. I win the die roll, and I have turn two Elesh Norn to end the game in a timely fashion. Game two is bad, as I keep a loose hand without needle and he has double Deathrite. There is a critical turn where there are no lands in the yard, I'm at 15, and he attempts to Natural Order for the Craterhoof to kill me. I force it, and he swings all his men sideways to clock me. I end step entomb into exhume to wipe his board with Elesh again.

1-0

R2: ??? on Esper

I remember very little except that my opponent was very jovial. I went off turn two with Tidespout and Animate Dead, which I only did because I knew that my opponent's only answer was swords, and if he tried to swords it, I'd just cast an instant and bounce animate dead so I could recast it - a psuedo hexproof. It ended up getting me there, as I was able ot keep him on two lands all game. Game two involved me landing an early Jace as my opponent spent all of his effort with Rest in Peace type effects. I won that game.

2-0

R3: ??? on Sam Black Zombies

G1 on the draw he plays a Deathrite off of a badlands and I put him on Jund. I turn one reanimate Elesh Norn and I think that I have the game locked up because I was planning on Animate Deading his Deathrite so that he couldn't kill Elesh off of a Liliana. He then proceeds to go Scrubland Swords and I think that I just lost the game. Thankfully, he has little else and I still have some gas and I get a Griselbrand in play a turn or two later.

G2 he has double Deathrite, but unlike against Elves, I have a needle and the game just ends as I'm able to reaniamte a fatty and he has nothing he can do about it.

3-0

R4: ??? on Dredge

G1 I keep a hand with turn two Elesh Norn on the draw, but he strips the majority of my hand with multiple therapies. There is one key play where I have to Entomb in response to the first therapy, because even though I didn't think he would name entomb, I'm so much worse off if he hits there. I ponder, hide my reanimate for the next turn when I will have mana, and he fails to kill me so I reanimate Elesh and win the game.

G2 I keep a slow hand thinking that he will go slower because of his hate. He ends up just going off turn two and I can't stop him, but after dredging 80% of his deck, I see no hate, thinking that he either had it in hand and just had the nuts, or just didn't have any.

G3 I have an aggresive Elesh hand, but I'm worried that if he chain of vapors my guy, I can just die to his Ichorids on his upkeep. I'm definitely a little nervous,but it turns out he has no hate at all and I just coast through.

4-0

R5 + R6 - This is a 63 man event, but it turns out I can just double draw in. Sick life.

Top 8:

R1 Vs. Maverick

G1 is interesting in that I have him on ten with Tidesprout in play on my turn, but I draw land for turn and he kills me on the swingback if I don't cast a spell. The problem is that my only spell is Animate Dead with no legal targets. Because of the Errata, I cannot cast it without a target, and therefore lost the game. Sad day.

G2 I probably boarded wrong, and just totally missed a line with the deck.


Going forward, I think I'm going to cut the Thoughtseizes post board for a Duress and either a Echoing Truth or maybe another Reanimator target. I sort of like Inkwell for the Jupiter Meta, which seems like a lot of Esper.

Sorry the report is so limited. I just lost my win and in in the 157 man Modern PTQ at the Palisades Mall in NY. Lost to Kevin Jones and Edgar Flores in the swiss. Womp womp.

[Rune]

Is Sheoldred that much better than Angel of Despair though?

Angel just stomps Show & Tell even if they drop Omniscience.

I forgot to respond to this, but basically Tidespout is better than Angel because

- it's blue (relevant because the blue count for FoW is fairly low)
- deals with multiple trouble permanents (very relevant if you face decks like Enchantress, 12Post, any Stax variant, etc. - Angel will rarely be able to cut it here)
- it's a much better stand-alone threat than Angel because it can keep the entire board under control if they have no removal. Angel can easily be raced even if she blows up a threat.

It's true that Angel is better against S&T -> Omniscience -> Emrakul, but this matchup is fairly easy to begin with, and that sequence of plays is fairly unlikely anyway. If they go S&T -> Omni -> Wish, then Tidespout is only worse than Angel if you don't have an instant to cast. If they have Emrakul instead of Wish, you'll need 2 instants, so here Angel is definitely better. But all of this is fairly irrelevant since Reanimator basically murders OmniTell before they can even try to pull any of that off.

I'm not sure what Sheoldred is supposed to do. It seems completely useless and redundant to me, but I do know that most Magic players value winning in spectacular fashion above everything else, so I'm guessing she's a shining star in that regard.



To the people who play Duress: Never ever add this card to your 75 before playing 4 Thoughtseize, and even then you'd probably never want it. Duress is actually almost unplayable in this deck.

[Dyvith]

Man, this thread is poppin'

[Kich867]

Man, this thread is poppin'

Yeah, I mean it helps that the deck is pretty solid as a general statement. I've since dropped Show and Tells from the list, since I can never find a reason to board them in that I don't just..handle already. I find it way easier to beat the hate than to try and shimmy around it with a Show and Tell. I also took a good look at your list and incorporated some of the ideas from it.

// Creatures: 7
4x Griselbrand
1x Iona
1x Elesh Norn
1x Tidespout Tyrant

// Reanimate Effects: 11
4x Exhume
4x Reanimate
3x Animate Dead

// Draw / Entombs: 17
3x Hapless Researcher
4x Brainstorm
4x Careful Study
2x Ponder
4x Entomb

// Protection: 7
4x Force of Will
3x Daze

// Lands: 18

// Sideboard: 15
2x Echoing Truth
2x Chain of Vapor
2x Engineered Explosives
2x Flusterstorm
1x Spell Pierce
3x Pithing Needle
1x Blazing Archon
1x Inkwell Leviathan
1x Angel of Despair

This is lighter on protection, but not by much, than your list, in favor of having super consistent turn 2-3 griselbrands. So far just gold fishing it for the past 40 minutes and an hour or so last night I'm getting more turn 2's than turn 3's and I've only mulled twice. Ponder is awesome.

[mike1987]

I tried playing reanimator in my casual legacy grp today and boy was it fun! To the reanimator veterans, what do you guys think of petal or daze, which is better in the deck. Petal gives us the necessay acceleration but daze is good in counter wars early in the game or even countering a drs or liliana seems good.

I playtested against miracles and that matchup was dismal. An early top/CB and its good game. Appreciate any advice on that matchup.

My sb looks like this currently:

2 Thoughtseize
2 City of Traitors
2 Show and tell
2 Jace the mind sculptor
3 Pithing needle
2 Echoing truth
1 Inkwell Leviathian
1 Flusterstorm

[Dyvith]

No Karakas?

[Dyvith]

Kich - I think you underestimate the power of Show and Tell. One of the things that makes a deck powerful is not just consistency, but rather the wide range of angles that it can attack from. This is why Jace is in the board - because if your opponent is keeping in cards for Jace, they are soft to dorks, meanwhile if they are bringing in tons of hate, they are soft to Show and Tell and Jace. Why bother fighting against graveyard hate when you can so easily sidestep it?

[Arsenal]

To the Lotus Petal supporters:

Have you tested Dark Ritual? It allows for beefy reanimating acceleration and it's less dead late game than Petal is as it can help hardcasting GBrand.

[Koby]

To the Lotus Petal supporters:

Have you tested Dark Ritual? It allows for beefy reanimating acceleration and it's less dead late game than Petal is as it can help hardcasting GBrand.

To be fair, Lotus Petal can cast Brainstorm or Careful Study too, which makes CS/Reanimate hands busted.

[Arsenal]

To be fair, Lotus Petal can cast Brainstorm or Careful Study too, which makes CS/Reanimate hands busted.

True. I get that Dark Ritual can't help out in casting the U spells, but at the same time, people are playing Lotus Petal for the accel, not color fixing, so in that respect, why not Dark Ritual? CS + Reanimate seems to be less likely (statistically speaking) then some permutation of Entromb + Exhume/Reanimate/Animate Dead. Also, being able to just flatout hardcast Griselbrand out of nowhere seems to be good.

[Dyvith]

Lotus Petal + Land lets you go entomb reanimate or careful study reanimate. If you have two petals, you can go Entomb or careful study into exhume or animate dead, or you can go thoughtsieze into careful study/entomb + reanimate. With Dark Ritual, you can only go Land -> Entomb -> Reanimate/Exhume/Animate Dead. Also, Petals allow you to hardcast Elesh and Iona, which does actually happen once in a while.

[Arsenal]

Lotus Petal + Land lets you go entomb reanimate or careful study reanimate. If you have two petals, you can go Entomb or careful study into exhume or animate dead, or you can go thoughtsieze into careful study/entomb + reanimate. With Dark Ritual, you can only go Land -> Entomb -> Reanimate/Exhume/Animate Dead. Also, Petals allow you to hardcast Elesh and Iona, which does actually happen once in a while.

Huh? With Dark Ritual, you can do Thoughtseize + Entomb + Reanimate too, that line of play isn't exclusive to Lotus Petals. Again, I get that you can't do anything with Careful Study if you're running Dark Ritual, but I think it's far more likely to open with Land + Dark Ritual -> any black spells that result in GBrand in a single turn than getting TWO Lotus Petals + Animate Dead/Exhume + Entomb/Careful Study. Also, I think it's more likely you'd hardcast GBrand with Dark Ritual than it is Elesh/Iona with Lotus Petals.

[sheoldred]

Before we're talking about hardcasting any of the fatties... Lotus Petal gives you a ton of options if drawn with Griselbrand which Dark Ritual only offers if you've still got an available black mana source. Lotus Petal is just far more flexible than Dark Ritual, both to enable the reanimation as well as to follow it up.
However, whichever one plays, they compete with Cantrips and Protection spells for slots... and they tend to lose that competition in my view

edit: well actually it's not true that Lotus Petal is more flexible than Dark Ritual when it comes to enabling a reanimation provided you play as many Thoughtseizes as Careful Studies. Nonetheless if I had the choice, I'd prefer Careful Study as discard outlet. Last but not least, Dark Ritual enables a Thoughtseize-protected T1 reanimation, though you might otherwise just draw a Daze/FoW instead of the Thoughtseize and have a similar result.
I guess you can argue about Lotus Petal and Dark Ritual as long as you play Thoughtseize as a playset... if you play any less, more and more arguments for Dark Ritual break away

[Arsenal]

I argue for neither, but I was curious as to why the Lotus Petal players chose Petal over Ritual when they seem to have the same number of pros/cons as each other.

[Rune]

Some of this has already been mentioned, but to sum up why Petal > Ritual in this deck:

- You can cast them after drawing with Gris and then Thoughtseize them, keep open Spell Pierce/Flusterstorm or use the Petals to dig for FoW with cantrips. You can't do anything with Rituals unless you have mana available already.

- You can keep psychotic hands like 2x Petal + Gris + Reanimate + Careful Study/Thoughtseize

- Allows you to keep up more mana on the opponent's turn if you're tapped out. This one is also pretty huge for me. For example, I would have lost in the semis of the MOCS if I didn't have a Petal up for my BUG opponent's Daze when he tried to Hymn me.


Ritual is better than Petal in a few situations, but overall it's much worse.


Btw, since it seems like no one is ever going to write a primer for Reanimator, I've started writing a very comprehensive piece on it that I can have done fairly quickly. If it's not possible to put it up as the primer, I'll try to release it as an article somewhere, if anyone's interested

[Kich867]

Btw, since it seems like no one is ever going to write a primer for Reanimator, I've started writing a very comprehensive piece on it that I can have done fairly quickly. If it's not possible to put it up as the primer, I'll try to release it as an article somewhere, if anyone's interested

I'd be super interested in that.

[spector14]

I'd be super interested in that.


Me too!!!

in theory was already doing it Alsan but disappeared for weeks ..

[Rune]

Aight, I'll put it up soon then. Have 7 pages in Word at the moment.

[BlackFlameAshura]

When me and my friend really got into Legacy I started with Affinity and to a lesser degree High Tide but moved to Maverick. He, on the other hand, built Reanimator and stuck with it, topping multiple times. Now we're running his build (albeit with some minor changes) in a joint venture of sorts on MTGO, given it was a far cheaper deck to build than most of my other decks especially with how cheap Graveborn became after it got passed out for free during MTGO's anniversary last year.

I've been trying to run it and figured I'd toss it up here for the chopping block. He's performed really well with this general build at our LGS' weekly events, having topped in about 75% of the events he's gone to. We're 2-2 when it comes to topping on MTGO now, though, and both of us feel like the list needs some work in some place or another.

Here's the current online build:

x1 Angel of Despair
x1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
x2 Griselbrand
x4 Hapless Researcher
x1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
x2 Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
x1 Sheoldred, Whispering One

x4 Animate Dead
x4 Careful Study
x4 Daze
x4 Entomb
x4 Exhume
x4 Foil
x4 Ponder
x4 Reanimate

x4 Polluted Delta
x1 Underground Sea
x4 Watery Grave
x4 Island
x3 Swamp

///Sideboard

x1 Angel of Despair
x2 Blazing Archon
x4 Echoing Truth
x1 Kederekt Leviathan
x4 Pithing Needle
x3 Surgical Extraction

The offline build runs a singleton FoW and he sometimes borrows the remaining three from me as I usually play Maverick, but I don't really have the budget to afford them on MTGO for the time being. It's kind of the card we're trying to get to by doing well with what we have here. Even then Foil is still good but debateable. He remains steadfast in keeping it and that's fine for his offline version but online I can't help but wonder if it's better to do something else that isn't named Force of Will.

Aside from Force of Will, the remaining three Underground Seas, and Show and Tells, pretty much anything's game with this build. I've got most reanimator targets at my disposal and a couple other cards that should be in here or otherwise might be up for consideration to be run (Urborg, Leyline + Helm, Shizo, Brainstorm, Personal Tutor, etc.).

Any sort of advice would definitely be appreciated.

[Esper3k]

Again, just wanting to ask - why do people play Sheoldred? I'm curious what she's there for that isn't answered by Griselbrand, Elesh Norn, Iona, or Tidespout?

[Kich867]

Again, just wanting to ask - why do people play Sheoldred? I'm curious what she's there for that isn't answered by Griselbrand, Elesh Norn, Iona, or Tidespout?

I've since dropped her. She won me a game once in tournament play, but it really came down to "she wasn't griselbrand, and I didn't have entomb."

Maxing out on Griselbrands is just a better call. I now run 4.

The only creature I'd like back is Empyreal Archangel, she provides excellent defense against Esperblade.

[BlackFlameAshura]

Again, just wanting to ask - why do people play Sheoldred? I'm curious what she's there for that isn't answered by Griselbrand, Elesh Norn, Iona, or Tidespout?

The answer I got for this is in my eyes that it's specifically win-more. That said, it is good in the mirror. Single-handedly shut down my opponents multiple times. Even I have to Exhume to hit her, it usually works out in my advantage since they have to sacrifice what they just put into play come their turn. Even if they get their draws off of Grizzie, I still already have my creature on the board, can most likely bypass anything else they drop via Swampwalk (especially if they just used Griselbrands D7 multiple times or used Reanimate to grab him and D7 once), and gets me more guys while continuing to kill of theirs. Their only answer becomes a Tidespout Tyrant with another card, Kederekt Leviathan, or Angel of Despair which won't always happen. That having been said, I'll probably wind up swapping her for a 3rd Griselbrand once I get one and maybe trying her in the side still, but I doubt even then.

[Esper3k]

The answer I got for this is in my eyes that it's specifically win-more. That said, it is good in the mirror. Single-handedly shut down my opponents multiple times. Even I have to Exhume to hit her, it usually works out in my advantage since they have to sacrifice what they just put into play come their turn. Even if they get their draws off of Grizzie, I still already have my creature on the board, can most likely bypass anything else they drop via Swampwalk (especially if they just used Griselbrands D7 multiple times or used Reanimate to grab him and D7 once), and gets me more guys while continuing to kill of theirs. Their only answer becomes a Tidespout Tyrant with another card, Kederekt Leviathan, or Angel of Despair which won't always happen. That having been said, I'll probably wind up swapping her for a 3rd Griselbrand once I get one and maybe trying her in the side still, but I doubt even then.

Iona on Black or Griselbrand should pretty much win the mirror as well though...

[BlackFlameAshura]

Hence me saying its still win more and will turn into Griselbrand number 3 as soon as possible.

[mike1987]

So this is the deck I am gonna bring to my friday legacy fnm, please feel free to critique

16 Lands
4 Underground sea
4 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
1 Verdant Catacomb
1 Bloodstained mire
2 Island
1 Swamp

7 Creatures
3 Griselbrand
1 Iona
1 Tidesprout
1 Elesh Norn
1 Sphinx of steel wind

4 Force of Will
2 Daze
4 Brainstorm
3 Ponder
4 Careful Study
4 Exhume
4 Entomb
4 Reanimate
2 Thoughtseize
2 Show and tell

4 Lotus Petal


SB:
2 City of traitors
2 Jace, TMS
1 Karakas
2 Wipe away
2 Pithing needle
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Spell pierce
1 Flusterstorm
2 Thoughtseize
1 Angel of Despair


I am hesitant on the 2 copies of daze at the moment, not sure if a couple is effective in game 1. Might wanna change it to one more ponder and angel of despair. What you guys think?

[Esper3k]

Not a fan of Daze as a 2 of simply because it's a card you want to see early and not late. As a 2-of, you're not going to be consistently seeing it so there's no real point in running it.

Why aren't you running the 4th Griselbrand? He's pretty much Sphinx of the Steel Wind, but better...

[mike1987]

Not a fan of Daze as a 2 of simply because it's a card you want to see early and not late. As a 2-of, you're not going to be consistently seeing it so there's no real point in running it.

Why aren't you running the 4th Griselbrand? He's pretty much Sphinx of the Steel Wind, but better...

Yea I agree but I only have 3 copies at the moment, will add it in immediately as soon I lay my hands on the 4th one.

[Dyvith]

I top 64ed in DC and will be writing a brief report. I went 6-3, beating Miracles once, Jund twice, RUG Delver once, High Tide once, and Elves once. I lost to Miracles once, TES once, and UR delver after he brought in eleven hate cards. Sad day.

I played two daze. Don't do it. I wanted more free protection as I was trying to go off or as I was attempting to draw protection with Griselbrand after he resolved, but it was too cute and it hurt my threat count way too much.

I'll post a list in an hour or two and a more detailed report of what happened.

Don't play Daze. It isn't worth it.

[Kich867]

I top 64ed in DC and will be writing a brief report. I went 6-3, beating Miracles once, Jund twice, RUG Delver once, High Tide once, and Elves once. I lost to Miracles once, TES once, and UR delver after he brought in eleven hate cards. Sad day.

I played two daze. Don't do it. I wanted more free protection as I was trying to go off or as I was attempting to draw protection with Griselbrand after he resolved, but it was too cute and it hurt my threat count way too much.

I'll post a list in an hour or two and a more detailed report of what happened.

Don't play Daze. It isn't worth it.

Or just only play them when you're on the play. I regularly counter force of will's with daze on the play. I board them out for anti-hate on the draw, and then often board them in game 3 if it gets there.

[Esper3k]

I would think that we've got a pretty favorable matchup against the Storm decks - am I mistaken on this? We've got countermagic + hand disruption on top of landing Griselbrand or Iona should usually be game over for them?

[Dyvith]

So, I don't even remember the exact list I registered because I changed it so much immediately proceeding the event because I was unhappy with specific cards. I cut the two dazes for two more ponders and I cut a land for a third thoughtseize. I'm also running a singleton chrome mox which has been insane for me.

R1 against UR Delver, I win a narrow game one and then I found out that he boarded in 11 hate spells, so I resolve nothing either game and end up losing to one threat in each game as I simply cant assemble anything. Losing to a singleton Grim Lavamancer because nothing is resolving is annoying. He brought in Surgical, Crypt, REBs, Flusterstorms, Gilded Drakes, etc. It was actually insane.

1-2, 0-1 in games.

R2 against Jund, Gerard Fabiano

Playing against the guy that just T4ed that Standard Open was interesting considering I was in the 0-1 bracket. I lose the die roll and he has T1 Deathrite. Turns out that T1 Griselbrand beats that.

G2 he assembles a clock a little too fast and I die one turn before I stabilize as he kills me for eight with two Deathrite activations on my end step and on his turn.

G3 I win because he surgicals with one mana open and a hand of REBs to my two cards. My only out is double daze, which I have because he can't REB and he can't pay for surgical. It was very lucky, but I think that if those cards were real cards and not Dazes, it wouldn't of even mattered.

1-1

R3 against ANT

G1 I assemble an early Griselbrand and win. Magic is hard.
G2 goes on for a while until he is finally able to go off with my having no fatty in play.
G3 I think I made a mistake. I assembled t2 exhume on whatever I wanted, but chose to get Iona. He blind draws Karakas off the top and kills me the turn after. I think that I boarded wrong because I didn't bring in Karakas, which I should have, but I also should have just gotten Griselbrand. It was loose and it was a direct result of not having enough experience with the deck. I'll never make that mistake again.

1-2

R4 against Jund

I don't remember exactly what happens, but being in the 1-2 bracket, I got paired against someone that wasn't so amazing. Though he was a nice guy, I quickly beat him 2-0, winning G2 by T1 Reanimating again vs his T1 Deathrite Shaman. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than skilled!

R5, R6, and R7 - in some order - I played against High Tide, RUG, and Elves.

Vs. Elves

I get him quickly G1 with Elesh after getting around a Deathrite. I'm pretty sure I SnT'ed it into play, but I'm not 100% on this.
G2 I keep a loose hand and he has double Deathrite and I can't get around it in time.
G3 I have a solid hand but he has double Deathrite again. On the critical turn, he only has mana to activate one Deathrite and I only have two mana going into my turn with Careful Study, Griselbrand, Exhume, Lotus Petal, so I can effectively do nothing to his Deathrite as I would need another mana source AND an entomb or another Griselbrand, which is of course what I draw. Then, we continue to battle back and forth, which his double Deathrite plus other dorks getting in there and me getting in there but not being able to draw any cards. On a critical turn, I'm at 12 life and he has four lands and four dorks in play. He taps eight mana and casts Craterhoof and I just tank because I psych myself into thinking he has something crazy to kill me. He doesn't and I tank for like two minutes and he can't kill me. Oy.

Vs. High Tide

This should be a bye, but G1 I cast all the ponders and brainstorms in my deck, plus half the careful studies without seeing anything besides lands and cantrips, never seeing a dork, a reanimator spell, or an entomb. I finally careful study away an Elesh Norn but my opponent has five lands and a hand of seven cards and kills me with ease.

G2 I get Grisel into play and out card advantage him.

G3 he loses to a T2 Iona with protection. Yay magic!

Vs. RUG

I resolve Grislebrand both games, with G1 being relatively easy and G2 being incredibly tight. Reanimator feels really weak to these decks that have an early clock and infinite disruption, but I'm able to get him before he can clock me, as Grisel races Goyf, Delver, and Mongoose. On a key turn in G2, I have just enought mana to cast Thoughtseize and Animate Dead, but my life total is very low. My opponent has two cards in hand and I'm worried about disruption. I know one card is Bolt, but I'm worried about Stifle so I thoughtseize him and he spell pierces rather than bolting in response. If he had just bolted me, I would have taken five rather than the three I took later on, and I would have died at exactly 0 two turns later. Instead I resolve Grislebrand and he narrowly wins the game for me.

R 8 and R 9 vs Miracles

I win R9 and lose R8. Here are the highlights.

G1 I have the t2 reanimate, but he has the blind T2 karakas + RIP hand. A few turns later I lose to his one of Entreat before I can cast a SnT or a dork.
G2 I end the game with Karakas, Jace, Tidespout, and Grislebrand in play. My opponent has no permanents left.
G3 My opponent Karakas's my Karakas, Cliques me, and beats me down for a few turns. The turn before I die, my hand is straight trash because I've drawn so poorly, and I rip Karakas #2 to keep me in it. I keep it going for a little longer and then he of course rips his one of Entreat again, which I think is just horrible against me, and he wins.

Womp womp.

R9 I'm playing for top 64, which is frustrating because I've been doing so well up until this event with the deck.

I don't remember what happens G1 but I think I win.
I win the deciding game (either G2 or G3, I don't remember if we went to 3 or not) by hardcasting three fatties in a row. Turns out the CB for 8 just isn't that reliable. He hardcasts Force on my Tidespout, then he Forces pitching something on my Grisel, and then loses to the next Griselbrand. I draw cards. He loses.

[Dyvith]

This is what I am on at the moment

4 Grislebrand
1 Iona
1 Elesh
1 Tidespout

4 Exhume
2 Animate Dead
3 Reanimate'

4 Entomb
4 Careful Study

4 Ponder
4 Brainstorm

4 Force of Will
3 Thoughtseize

2 Show and Tell

4 Lotus Petal
1 Chrome Mox
4 Underground Sea
1 Swamp
2 Island
4 Polluted Delta
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Verdant Catacombs

SB:
2 Spell Pierce
2 Jace, TMS
2 Karakas
2 SnT
2 Surgical
1 Terastadon
2 Pithing Needle
2 Repeal

I still don't really know the intricacies of SBing with the deck and I'd love some assistance. I feel like this is also one of the biggest issues that I am facing ATM.

[Kich867]

This is what I am on at the moment

4 Grislebrand
1 Iona
1 Elesh
1 Tidespout

4 Exhume
2 Animate Dead
3 Reanimate'

4 Entomb
4 Careful Study

4 Ponder
4 Brainstorm

4 Force of Will
3 Thoughtseize

2 Show and Tell

4 Lotus Petal
1 Chrome Mox
4 Underground Sea
1 Swamp
2 Island
4 Polluted Delta
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Verdant Catacombs

SB:
2 Spell Pierce
2 Jace, TMS
2 Karakas
2 SnT
2 Surgical
1 Terastadon
2 Pithing Needle
2 Repeal

I still don't really know the intricacies of SBing with the deck and I'd love some assistance. I feel like this is also one of the biggest issues that I am facing ATM.

Honestly, that may be because you have kind of a weird sideboard. I'm supremely not a fan of the Repeal--Chain of Vapor is 1 mana and it bounces anything you need. Surgical seems sort of pointless since there aren't any graveyard decks that we care about besides the mirror, in which Karakas is going to do a lot better for you.

I also don't really see how the Jace is helping there. It's not like people are boarding out threats and you have no way to protect him. You also have a pretty thick maindeck, like there isn't a lot to maneuver with in there. This is another reason I like daze: it's overwhelmingly powerful game one and not that great game 2, it makes boarding it out for anti-hate easier and the deck becomes more adaptable.

I also don't run SnT however, which also frees up slots, because I'm still quite convinced that it's not that hard to fight through hate and having a lot of answers and being faster is probably better than being incredibly slow and trying to assemble an incredibly narrow 2 card combo in hand: SnT + Griselbrand.

[Dyvith]

I don't think the board is weird at all. Surgical may seem strange, but it gives us a lot of reach, and it can be very useful after drawing a bunch of cards off Griselbrand.

Jace is pretty common in Reanimator SBs at the moment as one of the ways that we fight against Miracles and sometimes Esper. Repeal is a way of dealing with problem permanents without losing card advantage, which is often very important when you are one card short.

Also, SnT plus any fatty is fine. I board into the 8th fatty and I have 12 cards that allow me to filter. That's a pretty a-ok way to get a dork into play. I've considered running more than just 2 SnT main.

[Asthereal]

I would think that we've got a pretty favorable matchup against the Storm decks - am I mistaken on this? We've got countermagic + hand disruption on top of landing Griselbrand or Iona should usually be game over for them?
Depends highly on your and the opponent's hand.
If you have combo + FoW you'll win.
If you have to dig for the combo, your opponent can just Silence -> kill you.
One big edge you have on TES is that you can get an Elesh into play, killing the EtW guys.
But in general my estimation is 55-45 for Reanimator. Slight edge, but very loseable.

[Dyvith]

Them drawing the Karakas against you is pretty lame.

[Oiolosse]

I would think that we've got a pretty favorable matchup against the Storm decks - am I mistaken on this? We've got countermagic + hand disruption on top of landing Griselbrand or Iona should usually be game over for them?

Been practicing TES and my friend's reanimator wins 75% of time. I lack Karakas though.

[feline]

Hey guys, as I'm sure you have noticed the thread's primer is fucking ancient, and was always quite shitty to begin with. Since this thread keeps bouncing in and out of the DTBF basically every other month, it would be probably be a good idea to get a reboot going with a non-shitty non-ancient primer.

So if you were thinking about writing one, or even if you weren't, consider it a nudge in that direction.


This was a couple pages ago, I have noticed since then however, this is, obviously, still the thread being used. I have either gone insane or I'm already crazy to begin with, but I've now done 5 massive primers with tons upon tons of research for each, everything stemming from actual results that is top 16 placings, or in cases of fringe decks with fewer success, top 32 placings at the top tables at both the Starcitygames open series results, and stuff from TheCouncil that we all know and love, in either case, I would be extremely thorough and I know I could do an awesome primer for this deck, so if you like what I've done for my other primers, yell@me and let me know, now that I've basically covered all the decks I have the most experience with for the primers that were out of date, I can start a next one and at this point, it can be anything.

[spector14]

This was a couple pages ago, I have noticed since then however, this is, obviously, still the thread being used. I have either gone insane or I'm already crazy to begin with, but I've now done 5 massive primers with tons upon tons of research for each, everything stemming from actual results that is top 16 placings, or in cases of fringe decks with fewer success, top 32 placings at the top tables at both the Starcitygames open series results, and stuff from TheCouncil that we all know and love, in either case, I would be extremely thorough and I know I could do an awesome primer for this deck, so if you like what I've done for my other primers, yell@me and let me know, now that I've basically covered all the decks I have the most experience with for the primers that were out of date, I can start a next one and at this point, it can be anything.


Hello! I read your primer on High Tide and Pox and I have to say that it is pleasure to read! You have not forgotten anything, deepen any topic, from the selection of cards, etc. to Mu. It would be really great if you should reply for THIS deck! I sincerely hope it ;)

[feline]

Then consider this a reply ^.^ It will take about a days worth of work before I'll have enough relevant to make a new thread, I don't want to make a new thread that's empty and start working on it, I usually do most of the work in a document, then when it has enough on it then I make a post and finish whatever is left.

Posting updates/progress here
-edit- 9:15 am Pacific Time. Well I need a good starting point, starting with looking up when Entomb was unbanned, because I know that was banned back when it was type 1.5 if I recall correctly. (Was on a magic hiatus from like 2008-2011) BOOM found it! September 2009 http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/56d
-edit- 10:15 am Pacific Time. Done with 2010 including the Ban of Mystical tutor, now 2011 & Mental Misstep, this deck has survived alot.
-edit- 11:15 am Pacific Time. Mid way through 2012 lists.

[mike1987]

Then consider this a reply ^.^ It will take about a days worth of work before I'll have enough relevant to make a new thread, I don't want to make a new thread that's empty and start working on it, I usually do most of the work in a document, then when it has enough on it then I make a post and finish whatever is left.

Thanks feline! I will be looking forward to this:)

[Rune]

Then consider this a reply ^.^ It will take about a days worth of work before I'll have enough relevant to make a new thread, I don't want to make a new thread that's empty and start working on it, I usually do most of the work in a document, then when it has enough on it then I make a post and finish whatever is left.

Posting updates/progress here
-edit- 9:15 am Pacific Time. Well I need a good starting point, starting with looking up when Entomb was unbanned, because I know that was banned back when it was type 1.5 if I recall correctly. (Was on a magic hiatus from like 2008-2011) BOOM found it! September 2009 is the starting point! http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/56d
-edit- 10:15 am Pacific Time. Done with 2010 including the Ban of Mystical tutor, now 2011 & Mental Misstep, this deck has survived alot.

I had a 13 page primer that I was ready to release, but it's probably best you do it anyway. My style of writing is generally very assholy, offensive and sarcastic, so it's probably not going to be very well-suited for a primer that small innocent children might read.

Just don't forget to include this event (http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Digital/MagicOnlineTourn.aspx?x=mtg/digital/magiconline/tourn/4965124) in the primer. I think it's the most important Legacy event in recent times, because it was a high stakes tournament that you had to qualify for, and the event was not limited to only one continent. Todd Anderson and myself were working on the same Reanimator shell for this event, and he got 9th while I finished 1st. I believe the most competitive Reanimator lists you can build right now are not going to deviate too much from the ones we came up with.

[feline]

13 page primer, holy cow, I feel compelled to at a minimum to even ask, are you sure? that sounds intense! From a perspective, resource wise, we should compile together somehow, 13 pages of information sounds invaluable just based on that alone.

-edit- 11:15 am Pacific Time. Mid way through 2012 lists.
-edit- Noon Pacific Time. Decklists complete, with links to over 90 separate decklists from top 16 placings at larger events from Thecouncil (100+ players) & Starcity/Grand Prix events going back to the unbanning of Entomb. Card choices however will be more noted on lists since the printing of Griselbrand.
-edit- 1:00 pm Pacific Time. Card choices from decklists in.
-edit- 1:30 pm Pacific Time. Have enough to post new thread, however sections are still being worked, follow along if you wish, posting link shortly.
-edit- 3:50 pm Pacific Time. Price guide, intro, links to 90+ successful decklists, format & layout complete. -still finishing up on card selection, explanation of singles, & looking for articles related to Reanimator-
-edit- 4:50 pm Pacific Time. Everything complete except match ups & Article links, in which I'm now searching for.

New thread here completed as of March 22nd! http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?25733-Primer-Deck-Reanimator

[sheoldred]

I had a 13 page primer that I was ready to release, but it's probably best you do it anyway. My style of writing is generally very assholy, offensive and sarcastic, so it's probably not going to be very well-suited for a primer that small innocent children might read.

I'd probably not be the only one interested in reading it anyway. Given that feline's primer is still to be written your work might as well serve as input. Additionally it can never hurt to read different approaches / opinions, especially if they are detailed and well explained (which i assume for a 13 page primer). If you're stepping back for feline to write the new primer, you'd still post your one here as there will be a new thread for the new primer anyway so people wont get confused... Though i can understand if you don't want to post it, just wanted to let you know that it'd be read in case you did

[MGB]

Hey guys, as I'm sure you have noticed the thread's primer is fucking ancient, and was always quite shitty to begin with. Since this thread keeps bouncing in and out of the DTBF basically every other month, it would be probably be a good idea to get a reboot going with a non-shitty non-ancient primer.

So if you were thinking about writing one, or even if you weren't, consider it a nudge in that direction.


Has anyone contacted the original creator of this thread (Rogdon666) about updating his primer? It would be a shame to lose all of his valuable research that he put into the original primer just to axe the thread and start from scratch.

[nodahero]

Rodgon and I have both abandoned this deck... and I think he has quit Magic all together. I never see anything from him anymore. To be fair though I keep wanting to pick it back up.

[Anselm]

I've had some problem with affinity in the past. Usually Elesh Norn is enough, but not if they have Master of Etherium, especially together with a plating. One option is Blazing Archon, but it's so bad against everything else (passable vs sneak & show, but hardly necessary there). Is there anything else I'm missing?

[mike1987]

I've had some problem with affinity in the past. Usually Elesh Norn is enough, but not if they have Master of Etherium, especially together with a plating. One option is Blazing Archon, but it's so bad against everything else (passable vs sneak & show, but hardly necessary there). Is there anything else I'm missing?

Some list play shroulded but I am not sure if its good. Has anyone tried boseiju in the sideboard against miracles or counter heavy deck? How was it?

[Anselm]

Some list play shroulded but I am not sure if its good. Has anyone tried boseiju in the sideboard against miracles or counter heavy deck? How was it?

Boseiju won't work very well as most of your key spells (entomb, reanimate) don't cost colorless mana.

[Dyvith]

Is this deck the right deck to be on at the moment? It seems so powerful, but their are times where my deck just does nothing. It seems like sometimes it can be incredibly good at plowing through hate when their isn't much of a clock, but often if your opponent presents a clock and disruption, I feel like reanimator can just flop on itself.

I'm sure I'm making mistakes, but I want for this deck to be powerful, and right now it's not happening for me consistently.

[PirateKing]

Are we not shifting over to the new thread?

[Primer/Deck] Reanimator (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?25733-Primer-Deck-Reanimator)

[Mortox]

Is this deck the right deck to be on at the moment? It seems so powerful, but their are times where my deck just does nothing. It seems like sometimes it can be incredibly good at plowing through hate when their isn't much of a clock, but often if your opponent presents a clock and disruption, I feel like reanimator can just flop on itself.

I'm sure I'm making mistakes, but I want for this deck to be powerful, and right now it's not happening for me consistently.

There's certainly a lot of maindeck graveyard hate right now with multiple decks running the RiP/Helm combo, and I've started to see Painter's Servant decks running 4x Leyline of the Void + Helm combo as well (not sure if that's always been a thing in their deck or not, recently got back into the game.) Not to mention DRS in every other deck.

I mean Reanimator can definitely still perform as seen in some recent tournament placings but as you said, it feels like a frustrating time to be playing the deck right now. No longer are the G1 wins all but guaranteed.

[rodgon666]

Rodgon and I have both abandoned this deck... and I think he has quit Magic all together. I never see anything from him anymore. To be fair though I keep wanting to pick it back up.

hahaha. cant believe this is still going. lol

i still play the eventual tournament and still kick ass with the deck even though it has been modified quite a bit to make it more viable and faster with the unbanning of entomb.

I have probably played this deck more than any single person out here, and have more information about tournaments, and match ups than the average joe playing this deck, down to strategies, little moves that no one really sees and also the big reasoning why counters are absolutely retarded in the deck without the help of tutors ;)

the beauty of the deck is that anyone can make it their own, that is what reanimator is all about! its fun to lock someone out turn 1 or 2 and seeing them side board in 15 cards just to loose again. lol

ill be happy to chip in on any information or questions about the deck that you guys might have.

here is the list i have been running lately in case anyone has any questions. won 2nd in a recent 20 person tournament with it only losing to a metalworker deck ( mostly due to me not knowing what the hell he was playing. lol )

Discard and graveyard fillers:
- 4 entomb
- 4 putrid imp
- 4 oona's prowler
- 3 careful study

Creatures for reanimation:
- 2 Iona
- 2 jin gitaxias
- 2 sundering titan
- 2 griselbrand
- 1 bogardan hellkite

Reanimation spells:
- 4 reanimate
- 4 animate dead
- 4 exhume

Acceleration:

- 4 dark rituals

--------------------

The magic ratio that has always worked for me has always been something close to 33%33%33%. creatures, reanimation spells and discard and graveyard fillers.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to not just have the reanimation be your only way out. lol this is the first mistake people make. I have won at least 5 fifth of all my matches thanks to the imps and oonas. specially the oonas. they provide block fodder, small damage inputs and distraction for yoru main strategy. plus the invaluable first and 2nd turn discard if you dont have an entomb of course. People have hated on this concept from the beginning , but its worked well for me always, thus i dont see a need to change that part at least.

The big issue here will always be: why dont you run disruption... or counters... discard... creature kill... blah blah blah... and to those people i just tell them its not needed. The deck is not going to out counter a control deck, its not going to efficiently do it at least. and the more counters you have in your hand... just means a more delayed fat creature in play. I would warrant the counters in the version with the mystical tutors, it was cute and a valid argument for them since you could search for one when you needed it, but in a world without it, the only viable strategy for the deck is to be a fast combo deck that kills your opponent or locks them out ASAP. and you do this with numbers and with the ratio i set up, its very hard to not just statistically draw into what you need.

creatures like sundering titan and bogardan hellkite might be making you think WTF... but in a metagame full of 3-4 color control decks, they win more games than iona or jin. it will reset the board for your opponent and not hurt you needed mana ratio of 1 -2 mana one little bit. hellkite is amazing vs goblins or any other hoard decks too.

decks you will always have issues with are faster combo decks like belcher or anything that can kill you turn 1 or 2. if you see these in your metagames, then sideboard accordingly. you have enough small critters to warrant 4 cabal therapies in the side to make them useful ( plus it works to get yoru shit in the yard in a last moment of need) defense grids, pithing needles and stifles always are nice additions vs these decks until a nice iona hits play winning you the games.

you should be faster than most aggro decks. you should out play most control decks, and you will always have to play around grave hate against any deck now thanks to many very very annoying cards, but learn to use your exhumes , your imps and the stack and play order to play nicely around them. EXAMPLE: opponent plays a tormods crypt. he thinks he has you beat. lol noob.

- have a discard outlet ( imp, oonas prowler or entomb)
- if you already have a creature in the yard, perfect.
- cast exhume
- other player then pops crypt to rid you of your creature. * he then smirks and is thinking he is the man! he is the champion! how can anything go wrong? he just won with a crypt! :D... he is wrong...
- you resolve the crypts effect, your graveyard is gone... but your exhume has yet to resolve ;) (in case you newbies to the deck are wondering... you dont have to target a creature as you play exhume as you do with reanimate or animate dead so until it resolves.. you dont have to name or choose)
- with an empty graveyard, and your opponent smuggly thiking he got you... declare that you will like to respond to the exhumes resolution by either discarding another fatty, or casting entomb to search for what you need.
- he will say... what?? you cant do that!! ... to which you will say... uh... yeah noob, you can! and explain the ruling on exhume to him.
- his smug look will desapear with what is now a solid face of AWWWWWW... dammit!!! why did i mulligan to 5 for that damn crypt!!!
- proceed to win the game with a griselbrand of jin. good game good sir... good game.


thats just one example. lol

hope this helps. ill post it in the other thread too... you know... since my info is ANCIENT or so people say ;)

[Anfylion]

what about Stifle in Reanimator sideboard? Somebody tried it?

It seems a nice resp to yard hate... (faerie macabre, relic, tormod, and Ooze with only one forest untapped)... and it's a useful card in general

I have no real experience with the deck, so I ask

@rodgon666 very interesting, I agree with your view about this deck ... also i add that monoblack version is not completely destroyed by Merfolks as official, but the opposite

(spanglish message)

[rodgon666]

what about Stifle in Reanimator sideboard? Somebody tried it?

It seems a nice resp to yard hate... (faerie macabre, relic, tormod, and Ooze with only one forest untapped)... and it's a useful card in general

I have no real experience with the deck, so I ask

@rodgon666 very interesting, I agree with your view about this deck ... also i add that monoblack version is not completely destroyed by Merfolks as official, but the opposite

(spanglish message)

Sideboards will really vary depending on what you see being played in your meta game. But these are some of the cards I see myself using more often than not when I do play

Stifle: solid card. From stopping a crypt to stopping storm shenanigans to stoping a fetch land. It's solid.
Thorns of amethyst( or whatever it's called. Makes non creature spells cost 1 more ) amazing vs storm decks. And fast combo like belcher. :
Duress: just good period vs anything not aggro specially after side boarding.

Pithing needle: very vesatile. Won't win games nbut will allow you to play around bad stuff

Show and tell. I never run it main. But awesome sideboard wise.

Propaganda: vs aggro it will allow you to out race them. Even under hate

Echoing truth. Repel. Or chain vapors. Either one will save you. Choose accordingly.

Honestly those are the cards I always go for. I don't have issues with much that I can't deal with with that