Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Update Mar-25th-2013
Congrats to Devin Koepke, 3rd place at the open with http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=54219
Looks like the lotus petals are still good as the trend continues. This version didn't maindeck any Show and Tells, while maindecking 4 Thoughtseize instead of 2, also no sideboard Pithing Needles like some of the previous versions.
Also this one still ran Daze while the card has been cut recently in the lotus petal lists.
It also maindecked a Blazing Archon instead of a Tidespout Tyrant.
Also ponder, didn't catch that at first.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Lack of Ponder in Devin's list seemed really strange. There's no way that can be right. Also, Eleven disruption spells seems soooo high.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Lack of Ponder seems off. For a deck running 16 actual Land cards, I almost always want to see a cantrip or two in my opener.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Pretty much everything that we heard/saw from Devin's deck meshes perfectly with why Reanimator should play Ponder. They said he was "running hot" throughout the rest of the day - yeah, if you just have it all the time (or rip like a champ like he did in the quarterfinals), Ponder's going to look pretty slow and useless. But in his Semifinals match he kept a couple of hands that had Careful Studies and outs but no ins and just drew bricks until he died.
That's the perfect showcase for why Ponder is necessary.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
By and large, I think Todd Anderson's SCG Open Indianapolis list is the 'core' list that most people should look at if deciding to play Reanimator. I just can't get behind a list running less than 3 Ponder.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
phazonmuant
They said he was "running hot" throughout the rest of the day - yeah, if you just have it all the time (or rip like a champ like he did in the quarterfinals)...
Sometimes you just lucksack :rolleyes:
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Thanks for all your work, feline. Since I'm likely to be reanimating at GP Straßburg, it was nice to get a refreshing look at an up-2-date primer.
Just some minor things I came across while reading, that I think should be added:
- Karakas: came into the general spotlight when CFB included 2 maindeck copies of it to fight opposing Karakas(es).
- City of Traitors: as you mention it greatly supports Show and Tell but was also introduced to allow more flexibility aginst Spell Pierce and Daze.
- Flusterstorm: very good at disrupting your opponent; still decent but not as strong at protection your combo.
- Thoughtseize: although well know, the primer should still mention that it can act as a poor-man's Entomb/Study
- Hapless Researcher: acts as Entomb 5-6 against one-shot graveyard removal with Exhume on the stack.
- Grafdigger's Cage: just nitpicking, but in my experience Cage is just as common as Crypt these days.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Alright, so here is the decklist that I am going to be testing out.
3 Grisel
1 Blazing Archon
1 Iona
1 Jin Gitaxias
1 Flex Creature
Instants:
4 FoW
4 Brainstorm
4 Entomb
Sorceries:
4 Careful Study
4 Ponder
4 Exhume
4 Reanimate
2 Show and Tell or animate dead, depending on meta
3 Thoughtseize
3 Cabal Therapy
17 Land Build
SB-Meta Dependent
Looking at the mainboard, I think not using lotus petals gives this deck an optimal mixture of speed and power. I want to try out cabal therapies instead of daze, because it lets me see the opponents hand and actually has use after t2, and additionally serves as even more ways to bin a creature (16 in this build). What do you guys think of this move? I haven't had a chance to playtest it yet, but it has goldfished quite well.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Update Apr-21st-2013
Congrats to Kyle Hersey, 5th place at the open with http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=55303
Just can't keep reanimator down, and this version still ran Daze if you are wondering.
-Also on a personal note, I've played against this person a local events, since we are both south Seattle area, so grats from that perspective, nice to see someone from the local group have success on this day. ^.^
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Has anyone considerd Sire of Insanity?
6/4, 4BR, At the beginning of each end step, each player discards his or her hand.
If it is possible to animate this early I think most players straight up lose to it. Of course it's bad against Swords and mid/late-game but it's still a very powerful effect against anything non-dredge.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
People don't even use Jin-Gitaxias anymore really since the printing of Griselbrand.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Hi all,
I wanted to just say that the new primer is great. Very nice to have it, props and thanks to Feline.
About Jin-Gitaxia, I actually do run 1 in my list. It Pitches to FOW, which is relevant at times. And against some decks it's better as Griselbrand I think. I mean, if you're sure it will live to their endstep, they're reduced to topdecking against your fresh 7 each turn (aka, loaded with counters). Griselbrand at times is a little more risky.
But the Sire of Inasanity I wouldn't play (not blue, effect is symmetrical).
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
a body of 6/4 without any evasion is pretty much worse than a 5/4 draw Jin?
im suspecting Griselbrand will soon be Griselban :D
but hei, they will never ban a creature right :D (i'm looking at Tarmogoyf)
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Update May-10th-2013 noted & added to list. (Would have been sooner but last check this tournament results wasn't in yet, though I currently try to check at least once a week minimum between everything else at the council for 100+ or so tournaments.)
12th place - Aram Portella - LCL 2013, Abril (110 players)
Creatures [10]
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
2 Hapless Researcher
2 Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
4 Griselbrand
Instants [16]
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze
4 Entomb
4 Force of Will
Sorceries [16]
1 Thoughtseize
3 Ponder
4 Careful Study
4 Exhume
4 Reanimate
Enchantments [2]
2 Animate Dead
Lands [17]
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Flooded Strand
2 Island
3 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea
-sb-
1 Angel of Despair
1 Blazing Archon
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Duress
1 Echoing Truth
2 Flusterstorm
4 Show and Tell
3 Submerge
-This version ran Daze, no Lotus Petals, all Show and Tells in the sideboard, & also ran 2 Jin-Gitaxias & 2 Hapless maindeck, following older trends over the newer ones that have been pushing away from Daze & adding Lotus Petals. Also the 2 Jin-Gitaxias main even with 4 Griselbrand main is something not commonly seen. In either case, they pulled off a 12th place with, congrats to Aram Portella
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
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.
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 ;)
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
How essential is having Show and Tell in the sideboard for this deck? Is Reanimator viable without it?
I ask, because it seems there's a movement in this forum to get Show and Tell banned in this format.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
I have been trying lists without Show and Tell in the 75 for a while now, with low to medium success.
Right now I have 3 Echoing Truth in the main and Chain of Vapor in the side, along with Spell Pierce and Pithing Needle to try and actively fight the hate as best I can, being as fast and proactive as I can game one, and better suited to nullify their hate without sacrificing speed game two.
It seems that the best I can do is just pull even with a SB Show list, or be a little worse. I've yet to find what I would consider a better list, but I am not convinced that you require Show to play the deck.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
I've tried various sideboard strategies as to not be completely predictable in my local meta. One of my favored non-S&T options is some number of Jace & Liliana in non-Lotus Petal lists to transform into a kind of Planeswalker control deck with the possiblity to still cheat something nasty into play against an unprepared opponent. Like I said, this has just been in local metagames, and I don't have any numbers to back it up, but it's worked for me, and I definitely haven't been the first person to put Jace in a Reanimator sideboard, so it could be something to consider.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PirateKing
I have been trying lists without Show and Tell in the 75 for a while now, with low to medium success.
Right now I have 3
Echoing Truth in the main and
Chain of Vapor in the side, along with
Spell Pierce and
Pithing Needle to try and actively fight the hate as best I can, being as fast and proactive as I can game one, and better suited to nullify their hate without sacrificing speed game two.
It seems that the best I can do is just pull even with a SB Show list, or be a little worse. I've yet to find what I would consider a better list, but I am not convinced that you require Show to play the deck.
When I was playing reanimator, show and tell was more often than not a liability. I've had more than one player tell me they were hoping I would so that they could drop their Knight or Humility in. It's not actually that hard to fight through hate with Reanimator. Deathrite Shaman isn't actually -that- bad to fight through, suffice to say I've never been a fan of the card in the deck.
Re: [Primer/Deck] Reanimator