Black Pill aka Reanimator

[The Pharmacist]

So when Entomb first became unbanned Konsultant and myself came up with a mono black reanimator list. The problem was that EVERYONE was packing a ton of graveyard hate at the time. And mono black list had a hard time with dealing with it.

Now with Survival of the Fittest gone and not many people playing Ichorid why not go back to the roots?

I feel that the black/blue list is good, but people need to try new things out. This deck should be rolling the formate right now.

WHY PLAY MY LIST

I feel that with the discard and the speed you should win every game 1 you play. I can Animate 2 times very easy with this list with discard back up. I've been dong a ton of testing with this deck and I've come up with a new list.

I also feel that people need to test new list out all the time and come up with some crazy ideas.

2 Duress
4 Thoughtseize

4 Entomb
4 Buried Alive
4 Careful Study

4Reanimate
4 Exhume
4 Animate Dead

2Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual

2Beseech the Queen

1Akroma, Angel of Wrath
1 Hellkite Overlord
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Sphinx of the Steel wind
1 Blazing Archon
1 Inkwell Leviathan

3Verdant Catacombs
2 Polluted Delta
3 Bayou
3 Underground Sea
2 Ancient Tomb
3 Swamp


S/B

3Krosan grip
3 Chain of Vapor
2 Duress
3 Pithing Needle
1 Massacre Wurm
3 City of Solitude

[Mystical_Jackass]

I thought you said Mono Black, but your list shows careful study and Underground Seas.. maybe I missed something. Ancient Tomb in a reanimator list with mana acceleration seems odd off the top. If you're hiding 2 in your list for the random chance to turn 2 Buried Alive, I don't think that's a good plan.

I'd say either splash or don't, but if you are I see no reason not to have Brainstorm, Ponder, Lim Duls vault, or Intuition considered then 'cause reanimator basically is a combo deck at heart, and unless you're planning on mulling a lot you need cards like those for consistency. But at that point I'd just throw down a hyperlink to the Reanimator Thread (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?8639-[Deck]-B-U-Reanimator).

[kicks_422]

Yeah, there's been discussion on Mono-black lists and mono-black splash green lsits for Grip. Those lists look more refined than yours... White Akroma MD? Really?

[arwall]

Might I suggest adding in two of Kokusho, the Evening Star.

Get both out, they null each other, make opponent lose 10 life and you gain 10.

If you do this you can take out some of those other creatures and add in draws.

[arwall]

My list.

3 Ancient Tomb
4 Maze of Ith
4 Ebon Stronghold
4 Scrubland
6 Swamp

4 Head Games
4 Mind Rot
4 Duress
3 Extirpate

4 Entomb
4 Exhume
4 Reanimate

3 Path to Exile

4 Dark Ritual

2 Kokusho, the Evening Star
2 Yosei, the Morning Star
1 Iname, Death Aspect

Don't really need all the extra fluff. Get rid of those four Stars and then get them out at the same time, clearly either Evening or Morning.

Head Games has actually won me games. It's pretty costly but if you can, during mid-game, play it and give them whatever cards you want out of their deck and then Duress and Extirpate. Pretty solid lock down to then go into getting out the two Kokusho's.

On the off chance that you do accidentally pull one of your creatures you've got Mind Rot.

Kokusho also has nice synergy with Reanimate.

With Iname, Death Aspect you can just clean your deck of the Spirits without as many spells giving more room for counter, draw, or just a useful one drop.

[NyxathidHorror]

^ Head Games has me extremely intrigued... If you can cast it turn 2-3 (or earlier) that would seem like GG against just about anything... Theoretically at least. You would definitely have to side it out against a few decks, but you can most likely play around it first round.

Definitely not meant for the standard Reanimator list, but I think it's feasible with lists running Dark Ritual and other excel. If it had a cc of 4, then I would have to say it's completely broken in half.

[arwall]

^ Head Games has me extremely intrigued... If you can cast it turn 2-3 (or earlier) that would seem like GG against just about anything... Theoretically at least. You would definitely have to side it out against a few decks, but you can most likely play around it first round.

Definitely not meant for the standard Reanimator list, but I think it's feasible with lists running Dark Ritual and other excel. If it had a cc of 4, then I would have to say it's completely broken in half.
I don't think there's really a bad time to play it although playing it early on has the most advantages of stalling your opponent.

I think running 3 Ancient Tomb is enough excel for it, to be honest. If you play a swamp turn one, then ancient tomb turn two, tap for dark ritual, then tap ancient tomb for the two colorless, that's head games basically turn 1.5

Not to mention how much colorless there is in the "big cards" of the deck. It really has no time to wait until turn 3 or 4 to start deterring the opponent, although PtE is usefull, i guess.

[perm]

Why does headgames belong here? this is reanimator

[arwall]

Why does headgames belong here? this is reanimator

It doesn't, really. It just saves a hell of a lot of time, to be honest.

[perm]

How does 5 CC spell unrelated to the combo of the combo deck save time

[arwall]

I never said the card belongs in the deck, just that it is neat. It works. Just something to get people thinking is all.

I'm not saying that it's any sort of deck that's a shell for anyone, so I dunno why we are even discussing this.

[Mr. Safety]

Emrakul, the Aeons Torn


Curious...just how were you going to reanimate Emrakul?

[arwall]

Emrakul, the Aeons Torn


Curious...just how were you going to reanimate Emrakul?
Easy!

He was simply going to tape a picture of a Lorescale Coatl on there and continue to draw a few times. Then, when all seems for naught, he's going to reveal his masterful plan, an Emrakul, the Aeons Torn with TWO +1/+1 counters! :eek:

[The Pharmacist]

Emrakul, the Aeons Torn


Curious...just how were you going to reanimate Emrakul?

shallow grave

This seams like it could work rather well if you ask me. There's know reason not to play it.

[The Pharmacist]

Yeah, there's been discussion on Mono-black lists and mono-black splash green lsits for Grip. Those lists look more refined than yours... White Akroma MD? Really?

What's wrong with white Akroma?

[The Pharmacist]

My list.

3 Ancient Tomb
4 Maze of Ith
4 Ebon Stronghold
4 Scrubland
6 Swamp

4 Head Games
4 Mind Rot
3 Extirpate
3 Duress

4 Entomb
4 Exhume
4 Reanimate

4 Path to Exile

4 Dark Ritual

2 Kokusho, the Evening Star
2 Yosei, the Morning Star
1 Iname, Death Aspect

Don't really need all the extra fluff. Get rid of those four Stars and then get them out at the same time, clearly either Evening or Morning.

Head Games has actually won me games. It's pretty costly but if you can, during mid-game, play it and give them whatever cards you want out of their deck and then Duress and Extirpate. Pretty solid lock down to then go into getting out the two Kokusho's.

On the off chance that you do accidentally pull one of your creatures you've got Mind Rot.

Kokusho also has nice synergy with Reanimate.

With Iname, Death Aspect you can just clean your deck of the Spirits without as many spells giving more room for counter, draw, or just a useful one drop.

I like this list. It's something new and different. Have you played this in any tournaments? Aslo, you only play 3 duress. Seams like you need more then that to me.

[arwall]

I like this list. It's something new and different. Have you played this in any tournaments? Aslo, you only play 3 duress. Seams like you need more then that to me.

I've actually yet to play in any tournaments.

And yeah, I was thinking the same about Duress. I just don't know what to cut down on because if I cut down on Extirpate then the chances of actually pulling it and having any statistical output are kind of null. I could only run 3 Path to Exile since I only have four Scrublands. Dunno why I didn't think of that before.

[arwall]

shallow grave

This seams like it could work rather well if you ask me. There's know reason not to play it.

Well, besides the fact that Emrakul can't go to the graveyard and it isn't affected by colored spells...

[Mr. Safety]

@The Pharmacist: You have to do that while Emrakul's graveyard trigger is on the stack...tricky at best and requiring a MINIMUM of 3 mana and 2 specific cards to do (Entomb/Shallow Grave.) If you have Buried Alive instead, you need FIVE mana and 2 cards to pull it off. Sounds like a pretty weak plan TBH.

Think about Angel of Despair instead, or at least Akroma, Angel of Fury

[rufus]

Well, besides the fact that Emrakul can't go to the graveyard and it isn't affected by colored spells...

Are you being ironic?
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
The reshuffle is a triggered ability. Note that it is 'when' rather than 'would' like on Progenitus. That means that it goes to the graveyard, and then the reshuffle goes on the stack. It can RFGd from there by Tormod's Crypt and the like or instantaneously reanimated while the reshuffle is on the stack. Moreover, the 'unaffected by colored spells' ability only applies while it is in play.

Regarding the OP, playing Buried Alive and reanimation without Necrotic Ooze,Triskelion and Phyrexian Devourer seems rather silly.

[Mr. Safety]

Are you being ironic?
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
The reshuffle is a triggered ability. Note that it is 'when' rather than 'would' like on Progenitus. That means that it goes to the graveyard, and then the reshuffle goes on the stack. It can RFGd from there by Tormod's Crypt and the like or instantaneously reanimated while the reshuffle is on the stack. Moreover, the 'unaffected by colored spells' ability only applies while it is in play.

Regarding the OP, playing Buried Alive and reanimation without Necrotic Ooze,Triskelion and Phyrexian Devourer seems rather silly.

What he said, lol.

[arwall]

Are you being ironic?
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
The reshuffle is a triggered ability. Note that it is 'when' rather than 'would' like on Progenitus. That means that it goes to the graveyard, and then the reshuffle goes on the stack. It can RFGd from there by Tormod's Crypt and the like or instantaneously reanimated while the reshuffle is on the stack. Moreover, the 'unaffected by colored spells' ability only applies while it is in play.

Regarding the OP, playing Buried Alive and reanimation without Necrotic Ooze,Triskelion and Phyrexian Devourer seems rather silly.
Kind of.

It defeats the purpose of Reanimate. If it fails, then you've got all the cards that you've already used back in the deck and any statistical chance of pulling what you need instantly goes down. It'd be a whole lot faster to use Iname, Death Aspect and just play all spirit creatures. Namely, Iname as One. When it goes to the graveyard, hey! You can pull out another spirit from your grave and play it -- not implying here that it doesn't have to be in play, just that you could easily get it out using one of the reanimation spells. It dies, you get something else. It's a free reanimation at that point.

You'd have to take out Iname, Death Aspect for the second game, though.

Dunno. It's probably "not fast enough for Legacy."

[NyxathidHorror]

I like this list. It's something new and different. Have you played this in any tournaments? Aslo, you only play 3 duress. Seams like you need more then that to me.

Agreed; I always like innovation.

About Duress, How about taking a Mind Rot out for a 4th? Statistically, you would want to draw Duress before Mind Rot anyway.

[The Pharmacist]

I think you guys are really missing the point here. The point of the deck is to win as fast as you can. That's why I'm playing Akroma and Hellkite.

Anyone who has played any Reanimator deck knows, That you always don't get there with one dude and that you don't always win the race. I'm not trying to put Emerakual into play on turn 1. This is my backup plan.For all the "experts" in this thread that keep telling me that I should play the other Reanimator list that hasn't done anything in months. Tell me what backup plan do you have?

[kicks_422]

I love mono-black Reanimator. I've been an advocate for it even since Entomb was unbanned. I only question your reanimation target package.

Right now, the most rampant removal is Swords to Plowshares, I think you'd agree with me here. White Akroma used to be Reanimator's face. Now, all that it's really good against is against aggro, which honestly, you should have no trouble winning against no matter what reanimation target you get out, since you should be optimizing your deck to get one out as quick as possible.

I get your point that you want to win as quick as possible. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just that you also need to keep in mind that your opponent will not just sit there to let you bash in with a 6/6 Angel. That's why reanimation targets such as Iona and Inkwell are the better used targets, with Sphinx of the Steel Wind, Blazing Archon, Terastodon, and a few others used for corner cases. Is there any situation when you would rather Reanimate a White Akroma or a Hellkite Overlord over the other options?

[The Pharmacist]

I love mono-black Reanimator. I've been an advoacte for it even since Entomb was unbanned. I only question your reanimation target package.

Right now, the most rampant removal is Swords to Plowshares, I think you'd agree with me here. White Akroma used to be Reanimator's face. Now, all that it's really good against is against aggro, which honestly, you should have no trouble winning against no matter what reanimation target you get out, since you should be optimizing your deck to get one out as quick as possible.

I get your point that you want to win as quick as possible. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just that you also need to keep in mind that your opponent will not just sit there to let you bash in with a 6/6 Angel. That's why reanimation targets such as Iona and Inkwell are the better used targets, with Sphinx of the Steel Wind, Blazing Archon, Terastodon, and a few others used for corner cases.

I am looking into other men right now. I really like the white Akroma, but the red may be better. I just dropped the Emerakul and added the Inkwell. Much happier with the Inkwell right now.

I should also say that the Emerakul shallow grave package is out. It was worth a try tho.

I'm looking into Beseech the Queen right now. I feel that the deck really needs a better draw/tutor.

I'm going to update the list soon on the 1st page also

[The Pharmacist]

I should also say that I'm testing -4 Careful Study for +4 Undead Gladiator

I feel by dropping blue all together, I can play more basic lands. I really don't want to loose to Wasteland

[John Rohan]

Is there any situation when you would rather Reanimate a White Akroma or a Hellkite Overlord over the other options?

Yes! When your opponent is low on life, and you can kill him right away with a haste creature. Although if this is the reason, I prefer the Hellkite Overlord, since he does more damage (you can also regenerate him if you are splashing green).

Similarly, Bogardan Hellkite or even Laquatus's Champion are also not bad as finishers.

But a couple people mentioned Kokusho, the Evening Star. Really? I don't see the advantage over Platinum Emperion.

[kicks_422]

Would anyone agree that this is the best core of reanimation creatures?

1-2 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Terastodon
1 meta slot (Blazing Archon/Hellkite Overlord/White or Red Akroma/Empyrial Archangel/whatever random fat you can think about)

[arwall]

Run 4 Demigod of Revenge and one Iname Death Aspect. Send Iname to graveyard. Reanimate it, remove all Demigod of Revenge from library and place in graveyard. Reanimate one Demigod of Revenge to reanimate them all.

Unless your opponent can stop four flying creatures with haste that if they all attack it's pretty much game.

Also, concerning my other idea with Kokusho. Have two of those as well just in case you pull a Demigod. Run four Songs of the Damned. You now have enough black mana to play one Demigod and bring the other three out.

If that doesn't work and you do happen to not pull a Demigod and you send all of them to the grave, run three Pyrrhic Reviva. You have enough to cast that due to having seven creatures in graveyard. Kokusho does 10 damage to opponent because of the legend rule and you gain 10. Demigod is now a 4/3 with haste and that's game.

Run whatever other counter spells you want to keep the opponent at bay while this is going on, personally I like Duress + Extirpate. Get rid of any pesky counters that they have.

[Oxmo39]

Run 4 Demigod of Revenge and one Iname Death Aspect. Send Iname to graveyard. Reanimate it, remove all Demigod of Revenge from library and place in graveyard. Reanimate one Demigod of Revenge to reanimate them all.

Unless your opponent can stop four flying creatures with haste that if they all attack it's pretty much game.

.

Read demigod again, it's written : when you cast it ;-)

[practical joke]

Would anyone agree that this is the best core of reanimation creatures?

1-2 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Terastodon
1 meta slot (Blazing Archon/Hellkite Overlord/White or Red Akroma/Empyrial Archangel/whatever random fat you can think about)

I'd say

2-3 iona,
1-2 sphinx
1 inkwell
1 blazing archon

meta slots belong to sideboard unless you have a spot left mainboard (empyrial is slowly getting interesting again and white akroma is still the bomb vs goblins due to haste and being able to block piledrivers endlessly)

[The Pharmacist]

I think I'm dropping Akroma and adding this dude Thraximundar If you are playing from behind, he gives you a shot at coming back

[arwall]

Read demigod again, it's written : when you cast it ;-)

Ughhhhhhhhhhhh. Seriously. Fuck technicalities. :mad: