Bride of Young Frankenstein

[Weapon X]

Far from streamlined yet, but the result of two ideas coming together. The deck played extremely well in spite of not being tuned at all.


4 young pyromancer
4 deathrite shaman
1 bloodghast
1 grave Titan
1 elesh norn, grand cenobite
1 inferno Titan
2 stoneforge mystic

1 firebolt
1 faithless looting
3 liliana of the veil
4 entomb
4 cabal therapy
4 gitaxian probe
4 reanimate
4 lightning bolt
1 dread return
1 umezawa's jitte
1 batterskull

[Weapon X]

This is where I have the deck at now

4 deathrite shaman
4 young pyromancer
2 stoneforge mystic
1 elesh norn
1 grave Titan
1 bloodghast

4 gitaxian probe
4 cabal therapy
4 entomb
4 reanimate
4 lightning bolt
3 vindicate
1 dread return
1 umezawa's jitte
2 faithless looting *
2 liliana of the veil

4 bloodstained mire
4 badlands
3 marsh flats
1 bayou
2 scrubland
1 plateau
1 plains
1 swamp
1 mountain

Sideboard
3 leyline of sanctity
1 ancient grudge
1 Iona
1 pithing needle
1 batterskull *

I feel like I have gotten to the point where the deck is feeling tight and the "*" is a highlight of that. Looting is easily better for working on a plan where batterskull is just good. Also I listed a short board as those cards seem to be the for sure ones. It has also been through the last few games that dark confidant seems to be a wasted slot. I do still want orim's chant or silence available even as a mise.

[Weapon X]

Played this in a third tournament yesterday bringing its record to a 5th followed by two 1st place finishes. This deck continues to amaze me. Still needs a little bit of tuning.

[DemolitionColorScheme]

I've been interested in the Young Frankenstein build and this really reminds me of it. The only thing I'm wondering is; isn't adding the SFM package just a bit of extra fluff? While I absolutely love the idea behind it and think it's quite original, don't you feel it's less streamlined? Especially with no cantrips and just 2 SFMs.

The Young Frankstein build basically plays to YP's strengths; which is having loads of cheap (and free) spells and netting you value and tempo in the form of tokens (like 4 Color Delver, which I main right now). I feel, even though this version runs the Probes + Cabal Therapy package, it looks - on paper - a lot slower and has less protection vs. the YF build. You don't have Daze, no cantrips (besides Faithless Looting and Probe), no FoW or any counters; the only 'free' spell is the Probe (which is even sorcery speed). The only protection you have is the Therapies, it seems. You're also playing off of the top more with this non-Blue version.

What do you do against a resolved Rest In Peace (with a meta filled with Patriot, D&T and Miracle)? Just 4 YPs, 4 blank DRS and 2 SFM aren't going to cut it when RIP drops. ;) I noticed your complete sideboard isn't listed, so I'm genuinely curious. I feel this version might be weaker against combo decks (it lacks the speed, outside of being on the play and getting your god hand to 'go off' turn 2) and Tempo Delver strategies, throwing Spell Pierces, Flusterstorms, Dazes and FoWs at you. You're not as fast as the regular Reanimator lists and almost equally GY dependent with the inclusion of DRS.

While I really think the small SFM package is cute and interesting, I do feel it tears the deck apart a bit; seeing as you're also running a basic Plains (which is abysmal without the SFM, right?). If you really want to keep the white splash in, adding Wear // Tear in the sideboard might be a good idea, next to the Ancient Grudge you already have. However, if you drop the white splash, this would enable you to run Abrupt Decay in the mainboard even. Seeing as you're not really a tempo deck, Vindicating their land is probably less important than having an uncounterable 1-less-mana-costing catch-all in AD (which jives better with YP as well) that handles the Miracle matchup better as well. This would even give you the opportunity to include Wasteland, if you wish, giving the deck a more tempo to midrange feel. To me, right now, it looks like a midrange deck with a combo package. Which I believe is what you were going for, though (and which I like, or else I wouldn't be interested in Young Frankenstein).

If you remove the white splash:
-2 SFM
-1 Jitte (optional, since Jitte is good as a standalone tool as well, but hard to consistently run into without any real cantrips)
-3 Vindicate

This opens up 5 to 6 slots, which then can be filled with 3-4 Abrupt Decay and maybe something like Sylvan Library for some more consistency and explosiveness?
This would also open up dropping the basic Plains, since all you need is Badlands, Bayou's, a basic Swamp and maybe a basic Mountain if you feel you need it. You could even add Taiga, if you feel you need to do so. I feel it's a bit greedy to run too much basics in lists like these, though I do understand it if you're not running Wasteland.

If you want to keep the white splash, I don't see much point for Batterskull being in the sideboard, you know? It's not really a sideboard card, in my opinion.
What's also an option is, if you want to be cheeky, is have a transformational sideboard. I'm not a huge fan of those, but with so much GY hate and you running none yourself, this might open you up to transform the deck into a tempo-shell after sideboarding, removing the GY package. Just thinking out loud here.

[Weapon X]

SFM I find a bad card for the most part. It is a better enlightened tutor in this deck otherwise it just functions as a way to win without needing the reanimator plan while only taking 4 slots. Ignoring that I have played RIP in the board for this deck, equipment and guys gets there. It is also worth noting that grave Titan is castable at 6 mana and capable of winning the game with 2 swings on its own. To clarify, I'm not graveyard dependant but will use it if available.

The important thing with vindicate is that it is a catch all. Decay will not deal with everything that is killing/stopping you to the point of the uncounterable part is negligible. Staring down karn, moat, tabernacle, griselbrand, etc is where I'm coming from.

Not a tempo deck. Not even trying to be one. I would sooner label this a value deck.

[maharis]

Interesting that Stoneforge seems like the cut to you guys. I just noodled around with a version of this and she saved my butt multiple times. Especially in the face of a Deathrite Shaman, setting up a reanimation spell can be really difficult. But while they're concentrating on that, you just Stoneforge into Batterskull and win.

This was the build I tried. I felt myself really wanting more removal and less wanting to set up a token-dread return. I could see it as a BW reanimator deck using Unburial Rites with the Stoneforge package. I'll try the version with Deathrite and Vindicate and Probe, but to me that seems overly greedy.

2 Arid Mesa
3 Badlands
1 Batterskull
3 Bloodstained Mire
4 Cabal Therapy
1 Dread Return
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4 Entomb
4 Faithless Looting
1 Grave Titan
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Lingering Souls
4 Marsh Flats
1 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Plateau
1 Reanimate
3 Scrubland
4 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Swamp
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Thoughtseize
1 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Young Pyromancer

[Weapon X]

It's funny you mention unburial rites, I got to this plan from burning reanimator.

I am back to batterskull and no Lilly's main at this point. The ability to gain life seems to need to be present since it factors into one path of victory. That is one of the reasons for dread return in fact, there is no life cost there. Plus bloodghast and YP make it easy to flash back. I am starting to be curious about gerrards verdict again as the few more discard spells I want still. I'm also on the fence on plow vs path.

[maharis]

Yeah this deck definitely seems to borrow from burning reanimator, young frankenstein, and BW midrange. I really like the idea of clocking them with a batterskull while you set up an over the top play, or making it look like you're setting up reanimation when, bam, batterskull! But maybe it's too greedy overall.

[MD.Ghost]

I also tried something like this (but called it "Young Necromancer" )

Deathrite Shaman fits in better, because it is more flexible like Stoneforge G1. Deathrite improves your Combo Matchup and is huge against mana denial (tempo, d&t) - the deck itself is greedy enough with BRw(+g).

A single Jitte shoud be maindecked, because you can reanimate a dead/discarded Stoneforge from your opponent to gain some value. Young Pyromancer itself loves spells, so don't put in to many creature cards.

For Reanimate-Blowouts i like Elesh Norn (kills most legacy stuff and works well with our Token Swarms) and Sire of Insanity (reanimate Turn 2 against Combo/Controll means GG and without blue, Grisel isnt good enough, Sire can also be hardcasted).

[Weapon X]

It's not that greedy. In fact it is quite easy to play game 1 only showing red and black. I've surprised a few opponents when I reveal white game 2. That said there is also ample white mana available which seems more pertinent towards sideboard options at this point. Even the single green source is really there for the flashback of ancient grudge.

I do like how plans can change seamlessly. Even at the tournament I was at yesterday I don't think I can count the games that started on one plan only to change over the next turn. YP -> SFM -> reanimate for example ran one opponent completely out of resources because of what each play represented.

[MD.Ghost]

Old Build with some notes:

4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Badlands
2 Polluted Delta
2 Scrubland
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Swamp
2 Bayou
1 Plateau

19 Lands

4 Young Pyromancer
2 Bloodghast
4 Deathrite Shaman
1 Sire of Insanity (Anti Combo/Control Tech)
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite (GG against most Creature Decks)

12 Creatures

4 Entomb
4 Cabal Therapy
3 Lingering Souls (swarm the field with Young Pyromancer and works well with Entomb/Looting etc.)
3 Faithless Looting
4 Reanimate
3 Thoughtseize
1 Raven's Crime
1 Dread Return
1 Darkblast (D&T, Elves / Dredge also helps to get stuff into our yard)
3 Lightning Bolt (fast way to kill Deathrites, shot down walkers or players)
1 Liliana of the Veil
1 Umezawa's Jitte (best equipment, works well with tokens, gain some life and loves a reanimated stoneforge from the opponent)

29 Other Spells

Sideboard
1 Ashen Rider (Show & Tell, Reanimator)
1 Ray of Revelation (RIP, CP, Sneak Attack)
2 Abrupt Decay (Flex-Hate)
2 Pithing Needle (Flex-Hate Number 2: Sensei's, Sneak Attack, Thespian Stage etc.)
1 Ancient Grudge (Equipment, Vial, LED's)
3 Surgical Extraction (Graveyard / Combo)
2 Duress (Combo/Controll)
1 Liliana of the Veil (Combo/Control or against TNN)
2 Bitterblossom (blank GY Hate, good vs Control)

The deck is under development so it has more than enough flex slots, currently i test the following changes:

Main:
-1 Bloodghast
-1 Raven's Crime
-1 Liliana
+3 Gitaxian Probe

Leads to a better Probe+Therapy or Probe+YP Plan, but also results in more lifeloss and more "maybe a good starting hand if probe draws X" situation. Without Crime (a Entomb Solution to get a fatty from hand to yard, or to abuse useless land-draws) and Liliana (good in many situations) i got some space for Probes, but i don't want drop more discard, because therapy isn't enough to stop combo decks and Thoughtseize also helps to get a fatty in our own yard.

Side:
-2 Bitterblossom
-1 Ray of Revelation
-2 Duress
+3 Stoneforge
+1 Batterskull
+1 Meekstone

Maindeck is more streamlined: Go Aggro with YP+Tokenswarm or reanimate into win, with Stoneforge as a Sidetech you can leave the reanimate Plan to blank Graveyard Hate. Bitterblossom is another option and better vs miracle (Terminus etc.), Stoneforge+Batterskull (Jitte main) can cause some problems against fair decks. Meekstone also helps vs tempo stuff (and synergizes well with our Token-Army), without the Stoneforge-Maindeck Plan, most opponents won't board into Artifact Removal G2.

[Weapon X]

I don't like sire in this deck. It doesn't go all in and keep pushing like burning reanimator. With this you want to keep your hand.

[MD.Ghost]

I don't like sire in this deck. It doesn't go all in and keep pushing like burning reanimator. With this you want to keep your hand.

Sire enables Turn 2 "GG" against some decks (Elesh covers most other decks) and this deck is crafted to win Game 1 - Without Stoneforge G1 (and clunky BSkull) you can discard your hand, Bloodghast will return, Lingering Souls can easy be flashbacked and even Young Pyromancer is a nice target for a topdecked Reanimate.

Sure against fair Decks (or decks with Swords) Sire isn't so good (besides T2 Blowouts), but as i mentioned: Elesh is the anti-creature tech and covers most other matchups (and still gets removed from swords). Without blue Counter-Magic, common targets as Grisel or Iona aren't so good here, so Sire works as a little Brother which can also be hardcasted in a long grindy game.

Afterall it is a meta-call, if you didn't fear other combo or control decks, you can skip Sire (and some Discard) for others spells, because as discussed before Stoneforge (or Gravetitan) can easly swing fair matchups in the right direction. In an open meta, this deck is also a "half-combo" deck and it shoud win against other unfair-decks, and without blue (and Grisel/Iona) you will not get the right amount of disruption. Lucky Cabal Therapy (even with Probe) isn't enough (and is easly countered with Brainstorm) to stop those decks. Young Pyromancer and/or Stoneforge are way to slow, so you need enough disruption and/or an Game-Ending Reanimate Target: Sire of Insanity

[Weapon X]

I completely agree with that assessment of sire, I also feel that with what you have it makes a better fit. I like sire better when reanimation is the main plan, like in burning reanimator. When it is not reliably turn one I think it loses value.

[Weapon X]

Well I think I've decided I need access to plow or path in my sideboard. I think path may win it but I think it actually comes down to my own need for life gain as the deck is able to generate a fast clock. Sideboard otherwise still needs tweaking but the main is starting to seem 100% done. Hopefully I'll face some new matchups and know sooner then later.


Actually as a side question, Iona vs sire, which one and why?

[Weapon X]

Another first place win. Sideboard is looking like this now:
3 dark confidant
3 lightning helix
1 Iona
1 inferno titan
1 ancient grudge
2 swords to plowshares
2 leyline of sanctity
1 rest in peace
1 marsh casualties

[Weapon X]

Well I suppose it's official, leylines on the chopping block. I feel like in the end I only wanted them against storm and glass cannon decks and I feel that space can be better utilized. Looks like I may have been right in the beginning, enlightened tutor tool box activate. I think making it a little more deadguy ale like post board is the plan.

[Weapon X]

As of sept 2014:

4 deathrite shaman
4 young pyromancer
2 stoneforge mystic
1 elesh norn
1 grave Titan
1 bloodghast

4 gitaxian probe
4 cabal therapy
4 entomb
4 reanimate
4 lightning bolt
3 vindicate
1 dread return
1 umezawa's jitte
1 batterskull
3 faithless looting


4 bloodstained mire
4 badlands
3 marsh flats
1 bayou
2 scrubland
1 plateau
1 plains
1 swamp
1 mountain

Sideboard
3 dark confidant
3 pack rat
3 lightning helix
2 swords to plowshares
1 marsh casualties ( zealous persecution)
1 ancient grudge
1 Iona, shield of emeria
1 surgical extraction

While I did like the enlightened tutor plan, this dudes/spells plan seems better. Also pack rat is a house. Playing this in the tournament today also reminded me that I can play off my deck well which does make a case for sire over Iona. Also of note is the zealous/marsh slot. I think I still prefer marsh for the potential to kill 2 toughness creatures. Persecution is good but it almost feels like its win more.

The point of contention again seems to be the desire for a 19th land again. While I played my round 4 game on 1 land and a DRS quite successfully, I feel like the 19th land would have helped. It's awkward since there is a low curve present and getting flooded is awful, but mana screw is much worse. It may be something I will have to look into again. The current thought is an undiscovered paradise for some added bloodghast triggers and mana fixing.

[EnderKR]

How's the testing been going? Any updates? This list looks really interesting to me and seems to be putting up some promising results.

[Weapon X]

I actually I have been forgetting to post some results.

I think it's gotton to a point where the choice to play enlightened tutor is the issue the affects the board. While surgical extraction has performed well, I actually miss rip. By not playing rip I am able to keep very minimal cards of the reanimation plan that are good on their own. While I had done that as well with rip, I do like the dudes plan more game 2, especially if they have seen the broken half of the deck. So that kind of highlights one point that is running through my mind.

Pack rat is a house in this deck. It may even be worth fitting some number in the main