badjuju
08-04-2013, 02:42 AM
It's been a while since I've posted here. For those that know me, my user name used to be MCR (and still is on MTGS). I don't play much Magic anymore, but I still spend time playing multiplayer EDH and making decklists for fun.
History & Evolution
This list started as Grixis with Sedris, the Traitor King at the helm. This deck was originally based around heavy looting and single-target reanimator, followed by a late game mass unearthing of Palinchron-type cards for a one-sided Living Death. I then realized that instead of trying to mimic Living Death, I should just revamp the list to play more Living Death effects. As I shifted the direction of the deck, I realized how useless and expensive of a commander Sedris was, and how the only way to break parity with my plethora of looting effects was to use Squee, Goblin Nabob. After revising the list a hundred times over, I finally confirmed that Grixis would not satisfy my goals nor reach the power level I desired. I then consulted Kuma and Yawg for ideas and eventually drafted a The Mimeoplasm list that managed to both take advantage of early reanimation and still have easy access to game-ending combos. Green offers stronger reanimation targets and gives the deck Survival of the Fittest as well as creature tutors, leading to more lines of broken play. While I'm quite happy with the list in its current incarnation, it never hurts to get more heads in on the matter!
Noteworthy
This list is intended to hang with higher-powered decks. I don't expect it to consistently win vs Hermit or Storm, but at least be able to duke with the upper tier of generals. There have been some arguments about turning the list into dedicated Hermit, but why do that when it'd be strictly inferior to 5C Scion? I did mock up that list, and no matter what, it just wasn't as consistent. From another perspective, a good thing about the deck is that it's a flexible one, meaning you can always shoot to play a reanimator "fair" game and avoid going infinite in different metas. I've opted also not to include the "cute" Mimeoplasm targets, such as Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. I'd much rather win in a sweeping fashion and not leave any outs for my opponents.
Decklist
The Mimeoplasm
Combo Pieces (4)
Necrotic Ooze
Phyrexian Devourer
Triskelion
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Reanimation Targets (7)
Llawan, Cephalid Empress
Tidespout Tyrant
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
Sylvan Primordial
Terastodon
Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
Sheoldred, Whispering One
Reanimation (8)
Reanimate
Exhume
Life // Death
Animate Dead
Dance of the Dead
Necromancy
Victimize
Living Death
Tutors (15)
Entomb
Vampiric Tutor
Imperial Seal
Mystical Tutor
Personal Tutor
Worldly Tutor
Sylvan Tutor
Crop Rotation
Demonic Tutor
Diabolic Intent
Survival of the Fittest
Fauna Shaman
Intuition
Buried Alive
Grim Tutor
Looting (11)
Bazaar of Baghdad
Careful Study
Read the Runes
Hapless Researcher
Drowned Rusulka
Enclave Cryptologist
Magus of the Bazaar
Merfolk Looter
Thought Courier
Looter il-Kor
Ideas Unbound
Dig Engine (4)
Sylvan Library
Life from the Loam
Golgari Thug
Stinkweed Imp
Golgari Grave-Troll
Utility / Defense Suite (9)
Pact of Negation
Force of Will
Mana Drain
Plasm Capture
Cyclonic Rift
Beast Within
Gilded Drake
Phantasmal Image
Eternal Witness
Dorks & Ramp (8)
Birds of Paradise
Elves of Deep Shadow
Llanowar Elves
Elvish Mystic
Fyndhorn Elves
Llanowar Mentor
Mana Crypt
Sol Ring
Lands (32)
Ancient Tomb
Cephalid Coliseum
Dryad Arbor
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Command Tower
City of Brass
Exotic Orchard
Reflecting Pool
Forbidden Orchard
River of Tears
Underground Sea
Tropical Island
Bayou
Watery Grave
Breeding Pool
Overgrown Tomb
Sunken Ruins
Flooded Grove
Twilight Mire
Drowned Catacomb
Hinterland Harbor
Woodland Cemetery
Polluted Delta
Misty Rainforest
Verdant Catacombs
Flooded Strand
Scalding Tarn
Wooded Foothills
Windswept Heath
Bloodstained Mire
Marsh Flats
Snow-Covered Forest
Deck Goals & Game Plan
Set up looting and engines to put reanimation targets into the graveyard.
Use high-threat reanimation targets to inhibit opponents.
End the game via combo. (could also be priority 1; in a vacuum, can win on turn 3-5 consistently)
Enablers & Combos
Buried Alive / Intuition / Survival of the Fittest / Fauna Shaman
These all help set up the combos below - if you have one of these and a reanimation spell (or the general), you have the win in your grasp. Victimize is specifically in the deck for Mike/Trike. Note also that Living Death can also be used for the same purpose and not just a value play.
Necrotic Ooze in play w/ Phyrexian Devourer + Triskelion in yard
The deck's primary "I win" combo. For those of you that don't know how it works, dump Devourer and Trike in the yard, then either cast Ooze or reanimate it. Ooze gains Devourer's ability, allowing you to exile the top card of your library till you have enough counters to use Trike's ping ability to kill the table. There are enough large creatures in the deck to fuel Devourer. The case hasn't come up where I didn't have enough to kill the table, but that's why there's also a second combo in the deck.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Triskelion
The new favorite targets for TNN and Defense of the Heart can also be reanimated via two cheap reanimation spells or Victimize / Living Death. For those of you who don't know how it works, with both in play, remove two counters from Trike to shoot an opponent, then use the last counter to shoot Trike. Trike gains +1/+1 from Mike, but will retain the damage, sending it to the yard and triggering Mike's Undying clause. Repeat.
The "Why" & Notable Synergies
Why The Mimeoplasm?
I would consider Mimeo to be the strongest BUG general. While Damia, Sage of Stone is also powerful, she doesn't ever directly contribute to a gameplan. Mimeo acts as redundancy to the list's goals while not being entirely necessary either. Conceptually, this deck borrows a lot from Kuma's Damia deck, including the Mike/Trike finisher. The difference is that this deck has the potential to be much more unfair and much more early, forcing your opponents to have an answer or crumble from the multiple avenues of attack. The drawback is that it's a front-loaded, threat-heavy deck, and doesn't have the control options and safety nets that Damia has. The list is also susceptible to the age-old argument of graveyard hate, but you already know that.
Why these reanimation targets?
There are many options, but we have isolated the most devastating targets. The goal is to put yourself so far ahead so early on that you'll be able to dominate the early game. The deck will only grow stronger as they print more disruptive, large creatures. Notable omissions include: Woodfall Primus, Sphinx Ambassador, Consecrated Sphinx, and the two Eldrazi. One could make the case for Consecrated Sphinx, but it still pales in comparison to Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur, who will always be the card-drawer target of choice. Instead of playing "solid" targets, the list opts to play Sylvan Tutor and Worldly Tutor to shoot for "broken" targets only. When playing this deck, he and Sylvan Primordial will most likely be the first in line to be brought back from the dead. This deck has been well-equipped to reanimate these guys on an average of turn 3, with an occasional turn 2.
Why dredgers?
The greatest form of raw card advantage this deck has to offer comes from the interaction between Life from the Loam and Bazaar of Baghdad, hence Crop Rotation. While this is a deck that is still heavily tutor-based, the lulls in the game can be filled with intense dredging via looting to abuse with the general. While dredgers don't necessarily offer "broken" plays, they butter up the consistency of one of the deck's goals (using high-threat reanimation targets to inhibit opponents.) Note also that Sylvan Library is a great way to abuse dredge if you're digging hard.
Why mana dorks? Dryad Arbor?
This deck's curve is quite low and doesn't need very much mana to combo off with. Why include the elves at all? The first reason is to feed Mimeo. Mimeo reads that he needs to exile two creatures in your graveyard. Since we aren't running dynamic duos like Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon + Death's Shadow or Simic Sky-Swallower + Lord of Extinction, we're opting only to take advantage of Mimeo's first function: a reanimation spell. The second reason is to feed Survival of the Fittest and Fauna Shaman; in a deck that's light on fatties to pitch, these will often be palmed to start the sequence. The third, to a lesser extent, is to feed Victimize and Soul Exchange (no longer in the list). Lastly, ramp is ramp. Being a turn faster, especially when your goal is to utilize the GGG from Survival for your instant-win combo, is important in a high-powered metagame. A case can be argued for Bloom Tender and Joraga Treespeaker, but they often conflict with the turn 2 looter play and make for an un-optimal turn 4 play (after you reanimate on turn 3). Curve must be a consideration when you're playing in games where every turn matters.
Why no Hermit Druid?
Other than the case I made before about the deck being a strictly inferior variant of the 5C Scion build, running Hermit actually hurts the first combo of the deck. It's as simple as that. We could add more basics to turn Hermit into a pure value creature, but that'd hurt the myriad of varying mana costs that the first few turns require. I acknowledge that this deck would be a turn faster and more consistent if it were to be a Hermit deck, but it creates a monotonous style of play that I'm not a fan of. It'd also warp about 12-15 slots in the list dedicated to making Hermit Druid more efficient.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed & Tidespout Tyrant, not just combo pieces?
It's worth noting that a few games were won via some broken plays you can make with these guys. For more seasoned players, you probably already know that these guys can randomly enable broken interactions. Sacrifice effects, namely Victimize and Read the Runes paired with Mike lead to some devastating Sylvan Primordial and Terastadon plays. Tidespout needs no introduction, with plays that involve Gilded Drake, Eternal Witness, and even any target that you can bounce back to your hand, loot, and reanimate again. They really get to shine in this deck, even without access to any infinite mana shenanigans.
Improving the List
This is where you guys can help me point out cards that are weak, cards that I have forgotten, and other paths to victory that might make more sense. I haven't played with this list a whole lot, so I can definitely see it morphing in time to become much more efficient. Any and all suggestions are welcome!
Special thanks to Kuma and Yawg for putting up with my incessant questions on my quest to create a viable reanimator list in EDH :laugh:
History & Evolution
This list started as Grixis with Sedris, the Traitor King at the helm. This deck was originally based around heavy looting and single-target reanimator, followed by a late game mass unearthing of Palinchron-type cards for a one-sided Living Death. I then realized that instead of trying to mimic Living Death, I should just revamp the list to play more Living Death effects. As I shifted the direction of the deck, I realized how useless and expensive of a commander Sedris was, and how the only way to break parity with my plethora of looting effects was to use Squee, Goblin Nabob. After revising the list a hundred times over, I finally confirmed that Grixis would not satisfy my goals nor reach the power level I desired. I then consulted Kuma and Yawg for ideas and eventually drafted a The Mimeoplasm list that managed to both take advantage of early reanimation and still have easy access to game-ending combos. Green offers stronger reanimation targets and gives the deck Survival of the Fittest as well as creature tutors, leading to more lines of broken play. While I'm quite happy with the list in its current incarnation, it never hurts to get more heads in on the matter!
Noteworthy
This list is intended to hang with higher-powered decks. I don't expect it to consistently win vs Hermit or Storm, but at least be able to duke with the upper tier of generals. There have been some arguments about turning the list into dedicated Hermit, but why do that when it'd be strictly inferior to 5C Scion? I did mock up that list, and no matter what, it just wasn't as consistent. From another perspective, a good thing about the deck is that it's a flexible one, meaning you can always shoot to play a reanimator "fair" game and avoid going infinite in different metas. I've opted also not to include the "cute" Mimeoplasm targets, such as Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. I'd much rather win in a sweeping fashion and not leave any outs for my opponents.
Decklist
The Mimeoplasm
Combo Pieces (4)
Necrotic Ooze
Phyrexian Devourer
Triskelion
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Reanimation Targets (7)
Llawan, Cephalid Empress
Tidespout Tyrant
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
Sylvan Primordial
Terastodon
Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
Sheoldred, Whispering One
Reanimation (8)
Reanimate
Exhume
Life // Death
Animate Dead
Dance of the Dead
Necromancy
Victimize
Living Death
Tutors (15)
Entomb
Vampiric Tutor
Imperial Seal
Mystical Tutor
Personal Tutor
Worldly Tutor
Sylvan Tutor
Crop Rotation
Demonic Tutor
Diabolic Intent
Survival of the Fittest
Fauna Shaman
Intuition
Buried Alive
Grim Tutor
Looting (11)
Bazaar of Baghdad
Careful Study
Read the Runes
Hapless Researcher
Drowned Rusulka
Enclave Cryptologist
Magus of the Bazaar
Merfolk Looter
Thought Courier
Looter il-Kor
Ideas Unbound
Dig Engine (4)
Sylvan Library
Life from the Loam
Golgari Thug
Stinkweed Imp
Golgari Grave-Troll
Utility / Defense Suite (9)
Pact of Negation
Force of Will
Mana Drain
Plasm Capture
Cyclonic Rift
Beast Within
Gilded Drake
Phantasmal Image
Eternal Witness
Dorks & Ramp (8)
Birds of Paradise
Elves of Deep Shadow
Llanowar Elves
Elvish Mystic
Fyndhorn Elves
Llanowar Mentor
Mana Crypt
Sol Ring
Lands (32)
Ancient Tomb
Cephalid Coliseum
Dryad Arbor
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Command Tower
City of Brass
Exotic Orchard
Reflecting Pool
Forbidden Orchard
River of Tears
Underground Sea
Tropical Island
Bayou
Watery Grave
Breeding Pool
Overgrown Tomb
Sunken Ruins
Flooded Grove
Twilight Mire
Drowned Catacomb
Hinterland Harbor
Woodland Cemetery
Polluted Delta
Misty Rainforest
Verdant Catacombs
Flooded Strand
Scalding Tarn
Wooded Foothills
Windswept Heath
Bloodstained Mire
Marsh Flats
Snow-Covered Forest
Deck Goals & Game Plan
Set up looting and engines to put reanimation targets into the graveyard.
Use high-threat reanimation targets to inhibit opponents.
End the game via combo. (could also be priority 1; in a vacuum, can win on turn 3-5 consistently)
Enablers & Combos
Buried Alive / Intuition / Survival of the Fittest / Fauna Shaman
These all help set up the combos below - if you have one of these and a reanimation spell (or the general), you have the win in your grasp. Victimize is specifically in the deck for Mike/Trike. Note also that Living Death can also be used for the same purpose and not just a value play.
Necrotic Ooze in play w/ Phyrexian Devourer + Triskelion in yard
The deck's primary "I win" combo. For those of you that don't know how it works, dump Devourer and Trike in the yard, then either cast Ooze or reanimate it. Ooze gains Devourer's ability, allowing you to exile the top card of your library till you have enough counters to use Trike's ping ability to kill the table. There are enough large creatures in the deck to fuel Devourer. The case hasn't come up where I didn't have enough to kill the table, but that's why there's also a second combo in the deck.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Triskelion
The new favorite targets for TNN and Defense of the Heart can also be reanimated via two cheap reanimation spells or Victimize / Living Death. For those of you who don't know how it works, with both in play, remove two counters from Trike to shoot an opponent, then use the last counter to shoot Trike. Trike gains +1/+1 from Mike, but will retain the damage, sending it to the yard and triggering Mike's Undying clause. Repeat.
The "Why" & Notable Synergies
Why The Mimeoplasm?
I would consider Mimeo to be the strongest BUG general. While Damia, Sage of Stone is also powerful, she doesn't ever directly contribute to a gameplan. Mimeo acts as redundancy to the list's goals while not being entirely necessary either. Conceptually, this deck borrows a lot from Kuma's Damia deck, including the Mike/Trike finisher. The difference is that this deck has the potential to be much more unfair and much more early, forcing your opponents to have an answer or crumble from the multiple avenues of attack. The drawback is that it's a front-loaded, threat-heavy deck, and doesn't have the control options and safety nets that Damia has. The list is also susceptible to the age-old argument of graveyard hate, but you already know that.
Why these reanimation targets?
There are many options, but we have isolated the most devastating targets. The goal is to put yourself so far ahead so early on that you'll be able to dominate the early game. The deck will only grow stronger as they print more disruptive, large creatures. Notable omissions include: Woodfall Primus, Sphinx Ambassador, Consecrated Sphinx, and the two Eldrazi. One could make the case for Consecrated Sphinx, but it still pales in comparison to Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur, who will always be the card-drawer target of choice. Instead of playing "solid" targets, the list opts to play Sylvan Tutor and Worldly Tutor to shoot for "broken" targets only. When playing this deck, he and Sylvan Primordial will most likely be the first in line to be brought back from the dead. This deck has been well-equipped to reanimate these guys on an average of turn 3, with an occasional turn 2.
Why dredgers?
The greatest form of raw card advantage this deck has to offer comes from the interaction between Life from the Loam and Bazaar of Baghdad, hence Crop Rotation. While this is a deck that is still heavily tutor-based, the lulls in the game can be filled with intense dredging via looting to abuse with the general. While dredgers don't necessarily offer "broken" plays, they butter up the consistency of one of the deck's goals (using high-threat reanimation targets to inhibit opponents.) Note also that Sylvan Library is a great way to abuse dredge if you're digging hard.
Why mana dorks? Dryad Arbor?
This deck's curve is quite low and doesn't need very much mana to combo off with. Why include the elves at all? The first reason is to feed Mimeo. Mimeo reads that he needs to exile two creatures in your graveyard. Since we aren't running dynamic duos like Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon + Death's Shadow or Simic Sky-Swallower + Lord of Extinction, we're opting only to take advantage of Mimeo's first function: a reanimation spell. The second reason is to feed Survival of the Fittest and Fauna Shaman; in a deck that's light on fatties to pitch, these will often be palmed to start the sequence. The third, to a lesser extent, is to feed Victimize and Soul Exchange (no longer in the list). Lastly, ramp is ramp. Being a turn faster, especially when your goal is to utilize the GGG from Survival for your instant-win combo, is important in a high-powered metagame. A case can be argued for Bloom Tender and Joraga Treespeaker, but they often conflict with the turn 2 looter play and make for an un-optimal turn 4 play (after you reanimate on turn 3). Curve must be a consideration when you're playing in games where every turn matters.
Why no Hermit Druid?
Other than the case I made before about the deck being a strictly inferior variant of the 5C Scion build, running Hermit actually hurts the first combo of the deck. It's as simple as that. We could add more basics to turn Hermit into a pure value creature, but that'd hurt the myriad of varying mana costs that the first few turns require. I acknowledge that this deck would be a turn faster and more consistent if it were to be a Hermit deck, but it creates a monotonous style of play that I'm not a fan of. It'd also warp about 12-15 slots in the list dedicated to making Hermit Druid more efficient.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed & Tidespout Tyrant, not just combo pieces?
It's worth noting that a few games were won via some broken plays you can make with these guys. For more seasoned players, you probably already know that these guys can randomly enable broken interactions. Sacrifice effects, namely Victimize and Read the Runes paired with Mike lead to some devastating Sylvan Primordial and Terastadon plays. Tidespout needs no introduction, with plays that involve Gilded Drake, Eternal Witness, and even any target that you can bounce back to your hand, loot, and reanimate again. They really get to shine in this deck, even without access to any infinite mana shenanigans.
Improving the List
This is where you guys can help me point out cards that are weak, cards that I have forgotten, and other paths to victory that might make more sense. I haven't played with this list a whole lot, so I can definitely see it morphing in time to become much more efficient. Any and all suggestions are welcome!
Special thanks to Kuma and Yawg for putting up with my incessant questions on my quest to create a viable reanimator list in EDH :laugh: