[Primer] BRx Griselbrand Reanimator

[CovenantElite30]

Most played hate cards out of Death and Taxes: Grafdigger's Cage, Rest in Peace, Containment Priest, Relic of Progenitus, Phyrexian Revoker on Griselbrand, Thalia, etc.
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the play: none
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the draw: Grafdigger's Cage

Most played hate cards out of Miracles: Rest in Peace, Surgical Extraction, Containment Priest, Top/Balance combo, Force of Will, Pithing Needle
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the play: Surgical Extraction, Force of Will (sometimes)
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the draw: above, also Pithing Needle (sometimes)

TLDR Spending a turn cantripping isn't as good as having a turn 1 combo available if you need it. Right now, it is better to have more redundancy than counter backup, and to be a turn faster than a turn more protected.

If you have any idea how to contact that guy from the Bazaar of Moxen, let me know. I can't do anything unless he posts on here. I also don't know what the philosophy is behind the Sneak Attacks, or why there are only 3.

I would imagine the 3 Sneak Attacks are for the same reason the blue version plays Show and Tell. Sometimes you need another way to get the creatures into play. I noticed the red splash has no way of dealing with permanents. What do you suggest?

[CovenantElite30]

Most played hate cards out of Death and Taxes: Grafdigger's Cage, Rest in Peace, Containment Priest, Relic of Progenitus, Phyrexian Revoker on Griselbrand, Thalia, etc.
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the play: none
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the draw: Grafdigger's Cage

Most played hate cards out of Miracles: Rest in Peace, Surgical Extraction, Containment Priest, Top/Balance combo, Force of Will, Pithing Needle
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the play: Surgical Extraction, Force of Will (sometimes)
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the draw: above, also Pithing Needle (sometimes)

TLDR Spending a turn cantripping isn't as good as having a turn 1 combo available if you need it. Right now, it is better to have more redundancy than counter backup, and to be a turn faster than a turn more protected.

If you have any idea how to contact that guy from the Bazaar of Moxen, let me know. I can't do anything unless he posts on here. I also don't know what the philosophy is behind the Sneak Attacks, or why there are only 3.

I've been playtesting with the deck online a bunch, I find mostly delver matchups to be very difficult.

This is mostly because they play sooo many counter spells. I find it nearly impossible to get through there counters.

Any suggestions?

[xix]

I just think the blue splash version is hands down just better.

I think the blue version is better in general as well especially into more decks in the field. This versions advantage is the speed and redundancy of reanimation spells, @ your other posts, if you would post what you deck submitted/kept/sideboarded/game1/2/what you played against, It would help to see if you were keeping weaker hands or not. Also, are you on the CoTA (Annex) plan or not. It makes a big deal in these games, this deck can just flat out win turn 1/2 fairly often even through hate. And by win I mean be in a superior board position that most decks can't beat.

[CovenantElite30]

I think the blue version is better in general as well especially into more decks in the field. This versions advantage is the speed and redundancy of reanimation spells, @ your other posts, if you would post what you deck submitted/kept/sideboarded/game1/2/what you played against, It would help to see if you were keeping weaker hands or not. Also, are you on the CoTA (Annex) plan or not. It makes a big deal in these games, this deck can just flat out win turn 1/2 fairly often even through hate. And by win I mean be in a superior board position that most decks can't beat.

Maybe you can help me with my sideboard. After playing about 20 matches I've made a bunch of changes. I would be open to suggestions.

4 Blood Moon
4 Thoughtseize
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1 Blazing Archon
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
3 Reverent Silence

So the 4 Blood Moons are there to help against the delver matchups as well as the 1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All which is also helpful against miracles. I also find myself bringing in the 4 Thoughtseize so a total of 9 cards. Against Eldrazi which I'm 0-3 so far I've changed the deck to be able to deal with [cards] Leyline of the Void[cards] which before was nearly impossible to deal with. The 3 Reverent Silence have been great and I play a 1 of Bayou main to be able to cast it. The 1 of creatures are pretty standard and obvious what matchups you want them in.

[CovenantElite30]

I am now 0-5 versus Eldrazi. Reanimator in generally cannot beat a turn 0 Leyline of the Void against Eldrazi PERIOD.

Very mad....

[DNSolver]

Apart from Reverent Silence, you can win against Leyline out of Eldrazi with this (screenshot):

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnGVBTXWEAAqjZS.jpg:large

For those of you who can't view pictures: Dark Ritual -> Thoughtseize -> take opponent's big scary Eldrazi -> reanimate it.

Some other versions have Show and Tell for this matchup.

Edit: Blood Moon is an interesting idea vs Delver. Might have to try it a bit. It seems really good against the Surgical Extraction hands they have. But does this mean you don't have any Abrupt Decay in your sideboard at all?

[CovenantElite30]

Apart from Reverent Silence, you can win against Leyline out of Eldrazi with this (screenshot):

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnGVBTXWEAAqjZS.jpg:large

For those of you who can't view pictures: Dark Ritual -> Thoughtseize -> take opponent's big scary Eldrazi -> reanimate it.

Some other versions have Show and Tell for this matchup.

Edit: Blood Moon is an interesting idea vs Delver. Might have to try it a bit. It seems really good against the Surgical Extraction hands they have. But does this mean you don't have any Abrupt Decay in your sideboard at all?

What's your update list your running. I'm curious how different it is to mine. I'm basically playing the same 60 as the 2nd place list from mox but with only 3 griss and 1 Ashen Rider which has helped a ton.

[CovenantElite30]

After playing this deck for the entire weekend I've come to the conclusion: Don't waste your time, the deck is maybe 50 percent versus the field. Any deck that plays blue you just straight up lose and any deck that plays Leyline of the Void you just straight up lose. The deck has a positive matchup against D&t, Elves, Show & Tell, Burn, Infect, ANT, Maverick and Seems to be good against the Blue splash reanimator. Negative matchups are Miracles, Eldrazi, Shardless and every Delver deck. Seeing how this deck literally can't beat the majority of tier 1 decks, I wouldn't play it in a large tournament. If you want to spike a FNM, then maybe this deck would do the trick. How that guy finished 2nd at the MOX in Paris, no idea. Variance I guess.

[DNSolver]

How exactly did you lose against Shardless BUG? Miracles should be alright if they are on Rest in Peace as their grave hate. If they are on Surgical then it's more of a hard time. Also, did you try versions with maindeck discard or did you stick to the BOM list?

Edit: I don't understand how Ashen Rider helped you at all. Tidespout is better at basically everything Ashen Rider does. Going to 3 Griselbrand is something I will never consider personally.

[CovenantElite30]

How exactly did you lose against Shardless BUG? Miracles should be alright if they are on Rest in Peace as their grave hate. If they are on Surgical then it's more of a hard time. Also, did you try versions with maindeck discard or did you stick to the BOM list?

Edit: I don't understand how Ashen Rider helped you at all. Tidespout is better at basically everything Ashen Rider does. Going to 3 Griselbrand is something I will never consider personally.

Shardless plays Leyline of the Void in the side. I was playing the BOM list. Ashen Rider is was very good for me against Show and Tell. It also gives me a main deck answer to some difficult permanents to deal with like Ensnaring Bridge. I've switched up the main deck of the BOOM list and added the 4 Thoughseizes and 4 Unmask. Seems to be a bit better against blue decks, still testing.


EDIT:

ADD JUND to the list of decks that reanimator can't beat. I find myself questioning why anyone would play this deck. It's so bad...

[CptHaddock]

Shardless plays Leyline of the Void in the side. I was playing the BOM list. Ashen Rider is was very good for me against Show and Tell. It also gives me a main deck answer to some difficult permanents to deal with like Ensnaring Bridge. I've switched up the main deck of the BOOM list and added the 4 Thoughseizes and 4 Unmask. Seems to be a bit better against blue decks, still testing.


EDIT:

ADD JUND to the list of decks that reanimator can't beat. I find myself questioning why anyone would play this deck. It's so bad...

Huh? Isn't Jund's only means of interaction only DRS/discard preboard and postboard graveyard hate in the form of surgical? I can understand the high variance with a deck like this but I can't see this being a bad matchup...

[CovenantElite30]

Huh? Isn't Jund's only means of interaction only DRS/discard preboard and postboard graveyard hate in the form of surgical? I can understand the high variance with a deck like this but I can't see this being a bad matchup...

I think I just am having a bad run and being new to the deck doesn't help. I don't think my sideboarding is very optimal, any suggestions with my list would be greatly appreciated.

[Ultrab77]

Most played hate cards out of Death and Taxes: Grafdigger's Cage, Rest in Peace, Containment Priest, Relic of Progenitus, Phyrexian Revoker on Griselbrand, Thalia, etc.
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the play: none
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the draw: Grafdigger's Cage

Most played hate cards out of Miracles: Rest in Peace, Surgical Extraction, Containment Priest, Top/Balance combo, Force of Will, Pithing Needle
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the play: Surgical Extraction, Force of Will (sometimes)
Relevant to a turn 1 combo on the draw: above, also Pithing Needle (sometimes)

TLDR Spending a turn cantripping isn't as good as having a turn 1 combo available if you need it. Right now, it is better to have more redundancy than counter backup, and to be a turn faster than a turn more protected.

If you have any idea how to contact that guy from the Bazaar of Moxen, let me know. I can't do anything unless he posts on here. I also don't know what the philosophy is behind the Sneak Attacks, or why there are only 3.

Report of the dude here (in French, post from "Mizouille"): http://www.legacy-france.org/index.p...ic=14234&st=60

[CovenantElite30]

Report of the dude here (in French, post from "Mizouille"): http://www.legacy-france.org/index.p...ic=14234&st=60

Link's not working for me. If it's not too long could you post it translated in here?

[Rampart]

Link's not working for me. If it's not too long could you post it translated in here?

When I had more free time and was playing on MTGO pretty regularly, I was struggling with Leyline too. I found that Stronghold Gambit was not the answer that I was looking for so, looking for options and quickly gave up on trying to cheat the big stuff into play, and ended up finding Phyrexian Obliterator as an answer to those decks. Obliterator works really well against Delver, Eldrazi and Shardless as he is cast-able and still a reasonable reanamiation target. I think i got 5 qty 5-0's with him in my sideboard but non of those lists got posted for any reason

[CovenantElite30]

When I had more free time and was playing on MTGO pretty regularly, I was struggling with Leyline too. I found that Stronghold Gambit was not the answer that I was looking for so, looking for options and quickly gave up on trying to cheat the big stuff into play, and ended up finding Phyrexian Obliterator as an answer to those decks. Obliterator works really well against Delver, Eldrazi and Shardless as he is cast-able and still a reasonable reanamiation target. I think i got 5 qty 5-0's with him in my sideboard but non of those lists got posted for any reason

That sounds awesome! Do you mind posting your full 75? I want to play this deck at my local fnm this week but haven't found a version of the deck I like yet.

[DNSolver]

That picture you posted is impossible to read, but after enough guessing I think this is your decklist:
13 land
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual
4 Reanimate
4 Thoughtseize
4 Faithless Looting
4 Entomb
4 Exhume
4 Animate Dead
4 Unmask
2 Sire of Insanity
4 Chancellor of the Annex
3 Griselbrand ?????????????????????
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Ashen Rider ??????????????????????

SB:
4 Reverent Silence
1 Blazing Archon
1 Elesh Norn
1 Iona
1 Boseiju ?? not sold on this one
2 Faerie Macabre
no idea what the rest of the sideboard is.

It is probably a little bit of inexperience with the deck is my guess. A lot of the skill from the deck comes from knowing what hands are keepable and when you need to make your move against various decks. I consistently do better than any of the three people I have converted to this deck, largely because of experience. The deck doesn't necessarily play itself.

Changes I would recommend:
-1 Sire +1 hexproof/shroud creature such as Inkwell Leviathan / Archetype of Endurance or +1 land
-1 Ashen Rider +1 Griselbrand
SB:
-1 Blazing Archon (this really isn't very good)
-1 Boseiju
without information on the rest of the sideboard, I can't advise much on it. However, I could recommend trying Abrupt Decay and a Bayou maindeck or perhaps trying the Phyrexian Obliterators mentioned above. I might try those myself.

[CovenantElite30]

That picture you posted is impossible to read, but after enough guessing I think this is your decklist:
13 land
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual
4 Reanimate
4 Thoughtseize
4 Faithless Looting
4 Entomb
4 Exhume
4 Animate Dead
4 Unmask
2 Sire of Insanity
4 Chancellor of the Annex
3 Griselbrand ?????????????????????
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Ashen Rider ??????????????????????

SB:
4 Reverent Silence
1 Blazing Archon
1 Elesh Norn
1 Iona
1 Boseiju ?? not sold on this one
2 Faerie Macabre
no idea what the rest of the sideboard is.

It is probably a little bit of inexperience with the deck is my guess. A lot of the skill from the deck comes from knowing what hands are keepable and when you need to make your move against various decks. I consistently do better than any of the three people I have converted to this deck, largely because of experience. The deck doesn't necessarily play itself.

Changes I would recommend:
-1 Sire +1 hexproof/shroud creature such as Inkwell Leviathan / Archetype of Endurance or +1 land
-1 Ashen Rider +1 Griselbrand
SB:
-1 Blazing Archon (this really isn't very good)
-1 Boseiju
without information on the rest of the sideboard, I can't advise much on it. However, I could recommend trying Abrupt Decay and a Bayou maindeck or perhaps trying the Phyrexian Obliterators mentioned above. I might try those myself.

Main board is right. My sideboard is

SB:
4 Reverent Silence
1 Blazing Archon
1 Elesh Norn
1 Iona
1 Boseiju
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Grave Titan
1 Tendrills
3 Pithing Needle

[CovenantElite30]

Main board is right. My sideboard is

SB:
4 Reverent Silence
1 Blazing Archon
1 Elesh Norn
1 Iona
1 Boseiju
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Grave Titan
1 Tendrills
3 Pithing Needle

How many Phyrexian Obliterator should I play in my side? What should I take out to fit them in?

[DNSolver]

Tendrils, Boseiju, Archon makes 3 slots.

Why play Tendrils when you don't have Children of Korlis?