Stronghold gambit seems like a good wish target.
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Stronghold gambit seems like a good wish target.
You know, I saw Stonghold Gambit in a list somewhere, but I have no idea how this helps us.
Maybe I'm retarded, but I'm fairly positive that our reamination targets have a higher CMC than Tarmogoyf and company.
Care to explain this secret tech?
It's useful against combo storm, show and tell, control and prison. Obviously you don't play it against aggro, tempo or countertop unless they have an empty hand.
Against these decks it's not only cheaper than Show and tell. It's also a good idea to put a creature into play without having the opponent put his Emrakul/Humility/Aluren etc...
I can't wait to see someone cast this against Storm and then have them throw down a Xantid Swarm. That would be very awkward.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lejay
It happened in testing. :)
I was running stronghold sb gambit in a reanimator in a tournament in december. I had a volcanic spray in the sb and 3 main deck TS + 3 duress SB to avoid this situation.
Cool! :) I'll give it a try. So far testing with Burning Wish is working out well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lejay
I know it's been nearly two weeks, but I played Reanimator at SSG: Los Angeles and ended up going 5-3. It was my first major tournament and despite the three losses, I feel like I made few play errors and had an all-around good time. I ended up beating an Eldrazi/Cloudpost deck, Goblins, two Burn decks and a Show and Tell deck, and lost to a Madness deck (which ended up finishing in 16th place), Canadian Threshold, and another Eldrazi/Cloudpost. My list is the same as one I posted a couple of pages back, except with a Terastodon being replaced by a Tidespout Tyrant. I added in the Tyrant because I was paranoid about running into a Peacekeeper that would prevent me from ever winning. Even though I didn't run into any Peacekeepers, the Tyrant had some great moments, namely against the Cloudpost builds. I also think that Tidespout Tyrant could be good against lots of other potential future decks, and gives Reanimator an out against certain problem permanents (without the liability of several 3/3 elephant tokens). I advise anyone that's willing to give Dr. Manhattan a shot.
I will post a report a bit later.
Would love to read a report into_play :)
Here's an updated Burning Wish board.
15 Sideboard
4 Pithing Needle
3 Spell Pierce
1 Echoing Truth
1 Wipe Away
1 Show and Tell
1 Reanimate
1 Pulverize
1 Pyroclasm
1 Deathmark
1 Stronghold Gambit
So far having Force of Will as my only means of protection is working solid. I'm not sure if I'll need to add some discard or more counters. I plan on taking this to a tournament again in a week or so.
Hey All,
I recently played a smaller Legacy Tournament at Bell's Cards and Comics Grove City, PA. If you page back a bit you can see the decklist that I was running. I figured I would give a short report on how my day went out there.
Round 1: Zoo
Zoo can be a rough match up for my build. But with a fast enough hand it can be easily beaten.
Game 1: She won the roll and played. I landed a turn 2 Inkwell Leviathan and wrecked. The damage race was close but I sealed it with 8 life left.
Game 2: She was again on the play. We both kept hand that were probably less than optimal. I managed to get an Empryial Archangel and a Sphinx of the Steal Wind which eventually turned the tide of a slow game in my favor.
Record: 2-0-0
Match 2: Affinity
This can be another rough match but post board can be fixed pretty easily. I actually lent this deck to my opponent and was really biting my nails because it is pretty fast.
Game 1: I came out fast with a turn 2 Inkwell Leviathan and managed to seal the deal a turn before the artifactiod hordes would have finished me.
Game 2: I was on the draw and kept a one lander with the promise of a turn 2 Blazing Acrhon. The promise was fleeting as I didn't draw into the second land I needed... a plated dude beat me down.
Game 3: I chose to play and managed the turn 1-2 Entomb/Exhume for a Blazing Archon. This kept his dudes at bay while flying over for the win.
Record: 4-1-0
Round 3: Mono-Blue Merfolk
This can be an easy or tough matchup based on the exact build. This guy knew his deck and was on point.
Game 1: I chose to play but mulligan to 5 and can't recover. He wrecks my face with fishies pretty early.
Game 2: The outcome was not much different. I dug and dug for the reanimation I needed yet didn't hit it. I managed to counter my way to a few extra turn but was not able to stage any form of offense. Fishies come through to get me yet again.
Record: 4-3-0
Round 4: U/B Merfolk
As stated above, based on build this can be a good MU or bad. This one proved a bit better than the previous for me.
Game 1: He scoops to a turn 2 Inkwell, after I daze his FOW.
Game 2: I let an Aether Vial hit and get a turn 3 Inkwell. I follow the Inkwell with a Pithing Needle for the vial. He had a bit better board position by this point than the last game, so he races me for damage. I came out a turn faster than he did.
Record 6-3-0
Post Tournament Thoughts
This was the first Legacy event that has happened at Bell's, so going in I was not sure what to expect. My board did have some dead cards and that will be fixed for the next event there. I ended up 3rd overall and got a good bit of store credit. The Merfolk guy that beat me round 3 went on to win it. The guy he displaced in round four one upped me on tiebreakers and got 2nd. My only concern would be having a better way to deal with the fishies. The merfolk player that beat me in round three and I playtest together. I know how to beat the build but sometimes you just can't get the cards you need. I hope you guys get a kick out of reading about the event.
About the Iona: Actually that only happens when they don't have a vial or lackey active. And that situation happens only when easter is on a monday against a good goblin player.Quote:
Originally Posted by RexFTW
OK, so after playtesting this is what I've decided to run for an upcoming tournament next week:
17 Land
4 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Darkslick Shores
2 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
1 Island
1 Mountain
10 Creatures
4 Hapless Researcher
2 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Blazing Archon
1 Terastodon
33 Spells
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Careful Study
4 Burning Wish
4 Entomb
3 Ponder
3 Stifle
3 Reanimate
3 Exhume
1 Darkblast
15 Sideboard
3 Pithing Needle
3 Spell Pierce
1 Echoing Truth
1 Wipe Away
1 Pulverize
1 Pyroclasm
1 Deathmark
1 Stronghold Gambit
1 Show and Tell
1 Exhume
1 Reanimate
Any last minute suggestions are very much welcome :) I'll be sure to have a report, too.
Why not a Buried Alive in the board?
with 4 hapless, 4 careful study and 4 entomb, i doubt we need buried alive
not to mention show and tell
Buried Alive for the wish board seems a tad too slow, but I'll be sure to try it out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clark Kant
I just got third in a Trial with this list:
3 Iona
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Blazing Archon
1 Terastadon
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Platinum Empyerion
4 Careful Study
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
4 Duress
4 Entomb
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
4 Underground Sea
3 Swamp
2 Island
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
2 Bloodstained Mire
4 Pithing Needle
4 Show and Tell
4 Chain of Vapor
1 Wipe Away
2 Thoughtseize
Explanations:
I don't think Burning Wish adds enough to the deck to justify a third color. This deck is basically Wasteland-proof, and can operate at 100% of Island and Swamp.
Platinum Empyerion is a new card, it replaced the second Sphinx. I liked him because he offered free wins against Merfolk, Burn, Affinity, Storm and any other decks with no removal. Throughout the day I realized that Platinum Angel is probably better, as they both get Plowed and Angel does more (see round 2).
As for sideboarding I usually board out the guys I don't want. Just a fact about my playstyle.
I can't figure out why people want to play Darkslick Shores. With Daze that choice is downright dumb, and with no Daze I still fail to see the advantages over playing Underground Sea. The card seems bad as hell.
Tournament: (14 players)
Round 1: Combo Elves
Game 1 Iona on green turn 3, care of Exhume, stops him from comboing.
I bring in Thoughseize over Duress, and a couple Chains over Ponder or something.
Game 2 I have Duress and Thoughtseize. I lead on Thoughtseize and see Thorn of Amethyst. Wishing I had led with Duress, I take Heritage Druid because I fear he will go off. Thorn lands and I can't find a 3rd land to Exhume an Angel. I die to some 1/1's.
Game 3 Iona comes down on turn 2. I win.
1-0
Round 2: Affinity w/ Pest and Tezz
Game 1 I Entomb and Reanimate Platinum Empyerion. The way the rules work you don't lose life. He has no out to the big guy, but I can't win this way because he has a bunch of Myr Enforcers and Master of Etherium. I Force of Will a couple Ornithopters and beat with Iona, Sphinx and Archon in one turn.
I bring in the Seizes over Duress, a couple Needles and a couple Chains. I take out more Ponder and Inky.
Game 2 my hand limps around and I die to Cranial Plating. I have Needle but I need to wait for Plating, Ravager or Tezz to hit before I cast it. The Plating comes down and equips, and it's too late.
Game 3 I die real fast again.
1-1
Round 3: Belcher
I know I'm against Belcher, but a mulligan to 6 shows no Force of will. Being on the draw I know I"m dead.
Game 1 he makes 8 Goblins and I can't get an Archon/Empyeron down fast enough.
I bring in 4 Needle and 2 Thoughseize over Ponders and some bad creatures.
Game 2 I have Force of Will and get Iona down on Red. He wants to win with Burning Wish, so we move along.
Game 3 I have Force, blue card, Duress, Thoughtseize, Needle, Reanimate and something else. No land. I keep. He goes for a combo and I Force of Will targeting Seething Song. I rip the land and Duress a Belcher away from him. Next turn I needle Belcher (the other card in his hand) and then get Iona down. Good game.
2-1
Round 4: Merfolk
Wee ha! I have a winning record here, so whatever.
Game 1 my hand is pretty quick, but Cursecatcher followed by 3 more Cursecatchers render my Duresses useless, and I die.
I bring in a couple Chains and the Thoughseizes over Terastadon and some Ponders.
I get Empyrion down after Duressing away Force, and plan some beats. He has too much power on the board so I sit back and wait for a flier. He has 3 Vials, at 1,2 and 3. He bumps them all up to 2,3 and 4. I realize Sower of Temptation is in my future. I find Inky and end the game before Sower comes up. This game goes on for a long time, and I have 2 Chain of Vapor, which save me from 2 attacks. When I go for Inky he has Spell Pierce, Pierce, Daze, Daze (I Duressed a Force), and he drew another Daze. I had all my land out, so I paid for all the spells.
Game 2 he keeps a hand with only Force and 3 lords. I get Iona down. Daze is no good.
3-1 into top 4!!!
Affinity again
I'm not happy about this, I think the kid went 3-1 like me.
Game 1 I get Empyerion down again, but Plating on Ornithopter keeps Iona back. Eventually he gets 4 Master of Etherium, a few Thopters, 3 Blinkmoth Nexus and some Arcbound Ravager. This keeps my fliers back forever and I run out of cards to draw. This is why Platinum Angel should be in the deck.
I bring in more Needle and Chain.
My hand is a little slow on a mulligan to 6 and I get beat down by guys.
At the end of the day I won 36 bucks in credit, and my teammate/friend Jason picked up 3 byes, he played G/W guys with Teeg in the main, and Sword of Body and Mind (awful, couldn't get Fire and Ice). He crushed Affinity guy.
Burning Wish is an interesting direction, I would monitor whether it adds consistency or slows you down with wateland vulnerability.Quote:
Originally Posted by RaNDoMxGeSTuReS
I would also cut Stifle, Ponder, the 4th researcher, and the darkblast. Stifle is not apprpriate in Reanimator and would be much better served as more pitch counters. Ponder is not needed especially with Burning Wish. I'm assuming Darkblast is for things like Peace keeper, but it's such a niche card and you have outs with Wish.
I also believe you need 8 monsters to increase the probability of having one in your opening draw.
Null Rod is preferale to Pitching Needle in my book. Depending on how much counterbalance you face, 3 Wipe Aways may be prudent.
At any rate, until people start packing more hate Reanimator is a great choice to fly under the radar. I'm 3 for 3 in top eights with the deck over th elast month or so.
Actually Stifle is not terrible choice. Back before MT got the ban hammer I ran stifle in place of TS. It was good because I could slow down zoo's first fetch, obviously it stops crypt and relic, but in my meta Faeries was prevalent. and Stifle is awesome vs spellstutter. Two stifles on them helped win me a twister. It also works for Faerie Macabre which also saw tons of play and was unconterable.
Are there better choices possibly, it really depends on your meta. Is null rod better? Maybe it stops all the artifact shenanigans that is going around today.
No, it's really not meta dependant. Stifle is a very niche card that doesn't belong in this deck. Focus on what matters, resolving a turn 2 reanimate spell. Daze/Misdirection help you to accomplish your goal whereas Stifle does not.Quote:
Originally Posted by moseby
Null Rod solves the majority of graveyard hate while being a blow out vs affinity and Forgemaster.dec. not mention hitting things like Vial, Top, or Grindstone.
Jin-Gitaxis, Core Augur seems like an awesome reanimate target. You draw 7 cards and your opponent discards his hand.