[Primer] BRx Griselbrand Reanimator

[Darkness]

No problem on the wait, I'm in no hurry. I personally don't advocate for those cards either, but since they are cards that some players choose to play, I think it might be helpful to outline when they'd be useful and whatnot so that players can build their sideboard in the way they feel best suits their playstyle or local metagame.

On another note, you've got me seriously considering going back to the green splash, the one card I'd miss from my white SB is the Grave Titan. I'm not sure if I'd just go without or talk myself into cutting one 4-of down to 3 to include it.

I thought I was going to miss various fatties but it turns out I am just trying to hit the Griselbrand more consistently and even the game with another follow up fatty based on match up needs. Grave Titan is going into my EDH deck now !

[Jeff]

Full Sideboard Plan

Note that this is blue splash, not white or green. I don't remember if it mattered with white or green but obviously you can't bring in moon in matches where you also want your splash color.

EDIT: Figured I'd give some reasoning as well on your one specific question: I don't bring Moon in versus the green Deathrite decks since they're very likely going to have Forest, or against 4C Loam since they will have diamond even if they don't have forest. I do bring it in versus Pile since they can't activate Deathrite through it.

[XIII]

I am kinda the expert on depths and reanimator. While this plan would be OK vs delver, I don't think it would be good against decks with baleful strix + jace (which turbo depths can easily beat) or any deck with plow. That makes it pretty restricted to delver, but how about I try that out sometime next week?

Did you already have time to test this SB plan?

[XIII]

How is our matchup against the new "Popeye Stompy" decks? They are running rampant on MTGO..

[Darkness]

How is our matchup against the new "Popeye Stompy" decks? They are running rampant on MTGO..

Just bring your spinach and you'll be fine!

Haven't posted in a while had a couple of classes come up with tests so in full school mode atm. I will post my findings after 50 matches on the Green version. I still think green is the way to go. about 10 matches away.

[Darkness]

50 Matches completed 30/50=60% win ratio. I still think the Green is best choice. I will link spread sheet with breakdowns of matches and Sideboard results.

[TheStalk]

50 Matches completed 30/50=60% win ratio. I still think the Green is best choice. I will link spread sheet with breakdowns of matches and Sideboard results.

Really looking forward to the spreadsheet. How does your win rate now compare with the white splash?

[Darkness]

Here is the link for the spreadsheet. I think it will be live updated so you all can see my progress. As it turns out the white version had about the same win loss, I think I need to be a little more aggressive with Mulligans and maybe bring duress against other combo decks but I am happy with the green version. I was at high 60% then went on a losing streak at the end as you can see. Let's see where it takes us. Going forward the link in my signature will show progress to the match analysis.

Also, considering streaming on Cockatrice via Twitch.tv if enough people are interested. Can be made a weekly event, Sundays or Saturdays. If interested please PM or respond.

Win rate is about the same to white splash I just find the side boarding easier and complete.

[TheStalk]

Here is the link for the spreadsheet. I think it will be live updated so you all can see my progress. As it turns out the white version had about the same win loss, I think I need to be a little more aggressive with Mulligans and maybe bring duress against other combo decks but I am happy with the green version. I was at high 60% then went on a losing streak at the end as you can see. Let's see where it takes us. Going forward the link in my signature will show progress to the match analysis.

Also, considering streaming on Cockatrice via Twitch.tv if enough people are interested. Can be made a weekly event, Sundays or Saturdays. If interested please PM or respond.

Win rate is about the same to white splash I just find the side boarding easier and complete.

I rarely have a chance to watch live streams, but I would 100% watch the Twitch replays later, if that's any motivation.

When you next update the spreadsheet, would it be possible to put a "summary" portion, where you have the current win-rate against specific decks. For example, right now the only way to check your win rate against Czech Pile is to manually add up the # of matches vs wins/losses. Obviously this only works when you have enough matches for it to be significant, and there's probably not much point covering all the fringe decks, but a quick overview of win rate vs the top decks would be great.

[Darkness]

I rarely have a chance to watch live streams, but I would 100% watch the Twitch replays later, if that's any motivation.

When you next update the spreadsheet, would it be possible to put a "summary" portion, where you have the current win-rate against specific decks. For example, right now the only way to check your win rate against Czech Pile is to manually add up the # of matches vs wins/losses. Obviously this only works when you have enough matches for it to be significant, and there's probably not much point covering all the fringe decks, but a quick overview of win rate vs the top decks would be great.

I can definitely add that going forward. I did that for my eldrazi list and it took a while as I don't m ow how to spreadsheet so I had to do it manually but I will get to it.

[NegatorITA]

I can definitely add that going forward. I did that for my eldrazi list and it took a while as I don't m ow how to spreadsheet so I had to do it manually but I will get to it.

last time I played the deck I had DNSolver help me out with side in/side out, since it was a lot I didn't play (it was two week ago, in a big tournament)
I'd like to know your side in/out so I can compare.

Had a so and so day though:

- I only had two marvelous hand in the woule tournament.
50% of the time I was missing a card to combo out and likely I didn't see it in time
50% of the time I comboed out the opponent still menage to get going, samples:
- twice I got iona/grisel out and they got karakas.
- once I got iona out (white) they menage to topdeck strix, counter my brutaly and stall me from there winning.
I had three t2 win hands that went terribly wrong:
once he had daze on the first reanimation spell, force on the second spell, force on the third spell, bolt for letal on the fourth reanimation spell. (ur delver)
once he had double surgical + force which followed up by daze force force (so he saw 5 forces in two games)
once I put grisel in the yard t1 ready to go off, It got surgicaled while I got wasted twice in a row and he had like daze + force back up. (here, maybe I should have waited one turn to dump grisel in the yard, but what would have changed? nothing)


So, probably it wasn't he best day but I always felt my opponent outdrew me the whole day.

[Darkness]

last time I played the deck I had DNSolver help me out with side in/side out, since it was a lot I didn't play (it was two week ago, in a big tournament)
I'd like to know your side in/out so I can compare.

Had a so and so day though:

- I only had two marvelous hand in the woule tournament.
50% of the time I was missing a card to combo out and likely I didn't see it in time
50% of the time I comboed out the opponent still menage to get going, samples:
- twice I got iona/grisel out and they got karakas.
- once I got iona out (white) they menage to topdeck strix, counter my brutaly and stall me from there winning.
I had three t2 win hands that went terribly wrong:
once he had daze on the first reanimation spell, force on the second spell, force on the third spell, bolt for letal on the fourth reanimation spell. (ur delver)
once he had double surgical + force which followed up by daze force force (so he saw 5 forces in two games)
once I put grisel in the yard t1 ready to go off, It got surgicaled while I got wasted twice in a row and he had like daze + force back up. (here, maybe I should have waited one turn to dump grisel in the yard, but what would have changed? nothing)


So, probably it wasn't he best day but I always felt my opponent outdrew me the whole day.

My general rule of thumb is bring in 3 Decay's and take out -1 DRitual, -1 Chrome Mox, -1 Animated Dead. Really depends on the match ups. Remember games can slow down for Post board matches so speed is not as important. Also, standing at 75 game with a 64% win ratio. I have concluded that the UR Delver Match up is very easy. I may consider doing a sideboard guide and tournament report following SCG DC.

[NegatorITA]

My general rule of thumb is bring in 3 Decay's and take out -1 DRitual, -1 Chrome Mox, -1 Animated Dead. Really depends on the match ups. Remember games can slow down for Post board matches so speed is not as important. Also, standing at 75 game with a 64% win ratio. I have concluded that the UR Delver Match up is very easy. I may consider doing a sideboard guide and tournament report following SCG DC.

shall I consider I had a bad match day? ahha the opponent apologized for his fluckes afterwards though I wasn't mad.
Everyone was surprized I wasn't mad that day.
Well, I was a little pissed because I never had the perfect hand, but definitly, all I was thinking was something like :"my deck can do worse things than yours, you should be the one getting mad" eehhe

[ShiftedClock]

I'm trying to make Madcap Experiment + Platinum Emperion work out of the sideboard. Pros and cons:

* Pro: 3R Sorcery that becomes an 8/8 that protects our life total.

* Con: Can't activate Griselbrand with Emperion out. And Grisel's lifelink ceases to function if he's on the battlefield.

* Pro: Emperion can be Reanimated without taking damage, and be brought into play via Madcap Experiment.

* Con: Madcap Experiment gives your opponent a look at how you've sideboarded, depending on how many cards you have to reveal.

* Pro: Experiment dodges grave hate.

* Con: Experiment does not dodge Grafdigger's Cage.

* Pro: Archetype of Endurance + Platinum Emperion is a lock against some decks (but you still have to win, possibly through a TNN or 2).

* Con: Emperion is killed by Kolaghan's Command (sans Archetype). Even with Archetype the board can be swept by Toxic Deluge, Terminus, and others.

The biggest problem is that it costs 3R, and requires removing Lotus Petals from the main (or Madcap Experiment will randomly kill you). So I've been using Simian Spirit Guide instead, which is pretty decent. Running 14 lands like the old BR Reanimator lists (before Chrome Mox) feels better as well.

Another problem is, what do you side out? Usually you don't want to diminish the Reanimator plan A, but it kinda works here. Removing Angels or Griselbrands is also an option.

Anyhow, I've been playing with this for a while, but between life being busy and not having the deck on MTGO, I haven't been able to experiment as much as I'd like. To me it seems like there is something there, that with the right combination of cards, and knowing what to side in and side out, this strategy could be surprisingly effective.

[Darkness]

I'm trying to make Madcap Experiment + Platinum Emperion work out of the sideboard. Pros and cons:

* Pro: 3R Sorcery that becomes an 8/8 that protects our life total.

* Con: Can't activate Griselbrand with Emperion out. And Grisel's lifelink ceases to function if he's on the battlefield.

* Pro: Emperion can be Reanimated without taking damage, and be brought into play via Madcap Experiment.

* Con: Madcap Experiment gives your opponent a look at how you've sideboarded, depending on how many cards you have to reveal.

* Pro: Experiment dodges grave hate.

* Con: Experiment does not dodge Grafdigger's Cage.

* Pro: Archetype of Endurance + Platinum Emperion is a lock against some decks (but you still have to win, possibly through a TNN or 2).

* Con: Emperion is killed by Kolaghan's Command (sans Archetype). Even with Archetype the board can be swept by Toxic Deluge, Terminus, and others.

The biggest problem is that it costs 3R, and requires removing Lotus Petals from the main (or Madcap Experiment will randomly kill you). So I've been using Simian Spirit Guide instead, which is pretty decent. Running 14 lands like the old BR Reanimator lists (before Chrome Mox) feels better as well.

Another problem is, what do you side out? Usually you don't want to diminish the Reanimator plan A, but it kinda works here. Removing Angels or Griselbrands is also an option.

Anyhow, I've been playing with this for a while, but between life being busy and not having the deck on MTGO, I haven't been able to experiment as much as I'd like. To me it seems like there is something there, that with the right combination of cards, and knowing what to side in and side out, this strategy could be surprisingly effective.

Looks interesting but I am a strong believe now of the philosophy of only playing cards that enable the rest of your cards, i.e. work towards your game plan to reanimate rather than against it. I found that by doing this you increase to the consistency of the deck. I am interested in any results via testing you may have so please post again with updates, looks interesting to say the least.

[NegatorITA]

Since when is one mox and 13 lands the better choice? (Over the second Mox?)

[Darkness]

Since when is one mox and 13 lands the better choice? (Over the second Mox?)

I don't like two mox I'm on 13/1 personally. Mox is really only good when going off with griselbrand. I just prefer two basics swamps.

[NegatorITA]

I don't like two mox I'm on 13/1 personally.

Yep I see a lot of people doing this, I was thinking if there was some math behind

[XIII]

I played a stocklist BR Reanimator with a transformational Dark Depths sideboard last nights FNM. And wanted to share the experience.
The side was 4 Depths / 4 Stage / 4 Hexmage / 3 Croprotation
In the main I played 8 fetches, 2 badlands, 1 bayou, 1 Urborg and 2 swamp (so no chrome mox).

Match1: Miracles.
Won game1 through T1 combo. Game 2 I boarded in the DD package, and my opponent kept a strong anti-graveyard hand. He surgicaled Grisel and played Containment Priest (unfortunately I boarded out Collective Brutality). I drew into multiple combopieces and crops, and made Marit Lage 3 times to win (the first two were met by Unexpectedly absent and Snapcaster). I think I had some luck, because I did draw plenty of Stage/Depths/Crops and he didn't have the swords

Match2: Lands
Not much to say about the DD package, because its no good here an didnt board it. Won in three games through standard speedy reanimations.

Match 3: Painter
Won game1, and gambled he would board out his Bloodmoons game2. He didn't, and I was severely punished as he played a T1 Crypt, and a T2 Bloodmoon. Lost game3 (which was boarded back to maindeck conditions) to mulling to 5 and not having a good enough hand.

Match 4: Omnitell
Won game1 by having Griselbrand and Iona on the table T1. Did not board for game2 and was punished by a T1 Cage. I did have Griselbrand in play after my opponent Show and Telled Emrakul, but lost as I drew 21 cards to find and hardcast Tidespout and three petals, which I didn't find ofcourse.
Boarded the DD package back in for the third game, and had a slower start (which happens as the DD package trades for speed). He played a Cage after some turns, but was kept of comboing by some discard, and Marit Lage took the game.

All in all the DD package was okay. It's an al or nothing package, so sometimes I got screwed by a lone Cage when not boarding in the package. And other times I clearly screwed up by boarding it in (as versus painter). I suspect it's a strong package against Leyline of the Void, but that it isn't great against Swords + Snapcaster decks.

In order to make this DD package better against Swords + Snapcaster decks, you could cut a fetch land or a swamp (since you have 8 fetch and 2 swamp) and replace it by a Sejiri Steppe. This in combo with Crop Rotation protects the Marit Lage tokens. What do you think?

[Francisco Pires]

In construction ;)