[Deck]BUx Reanimator

[toor]

I did not try Inkwell. I did try 5/8 shroud angel which was ok. Its not too hard for them to get 8 power with Brimaz/Mirran crusader. FWIW I don't have Tidespout in the 75. I can't imagine its better than sphinx of the steel wind, since both lose to swords.

Part of why I like dread of night, is that it helps you race after getting a fatty. If you reanimate a shroud dude you are almost always losing the race to whatever motley crew of idiots they have on board. You also need to keep MOM off the board because of containment priest (another reason its better than RIP against us).

---
At this point (NJ in 4 days) this is my second choice deck. If I can get the UR delver matchup to acceptable point (>60%) I will play it regardless of what I think D&T matchup.

[PirateKing]

Grafdigger's Cage is already a weak hate card against us, as it doesn't turn off our Careful Study or Entomb.
The only thing Containment Priest brings is a natural instant speed as well as being a creature, making it uncounterable either through Aether Vial or Cavern of Souls.
From what I've seen in my play testing is the weakest the card can be is in play. There it dies to AD & EE. The worst place it can be for us is in hand as a response.
I agree with DoorDie that 4x Thoughtseize along with other removal is best. Force them to flash it in with Thoughtseize and then counter it or destroy it the turn before you go for it.

[PirateKing]

I did not try Inkwell. I did try 5/8 shroud angel which was ok. Its not too hard for them to get 8 power with Brimaz/Mirran crusader. FWIW I don't have Tidespout in the 75. I can't imagine its better than sphinx of the steel wind, since both lose to swords.

Part of why I like dread of night, is that it helps you race after getting a fatty. If you reanimate a shroud dude you are almost always losing the race to whatever motley crew of idiots they have on board. You also need to keep MOM off the board because of containment priest (another reason its better than RIP against us).

---
At this point (NJ in 4 days) this is my second choice deck. If I can get the UR delver matchup to acceptable point (>60%) I will play it regardless of what I think D&T matchup.

If by swords you mean Swords to Plowshares, Inkwell Leviathan has shroud. Also it should be your go to card against D&T. If they can race it, they could have raced anything else. If they can't you win.

EDIT - Unless those rare times when they overextend and you knowingly throw a Elesh Norn into a Karakas just to clear the board. Don't take my absolutes as absolute. There will always be a case to get Griselbrand against D&T, but you know, not often.

[DoorDie]

Part of why I like dread of night, is that it helps you race after getting a fatty. If you reanimate a shroud dude you are almost always losing the race to whatever motley crew of idiots they have on board. You also need to keep MOM off the board because of containment priest (another reason its better than RIP against us).

---
At this point (NJ in 4 days) this is my second choice deck. If I can get the UR delver matchup to acceptable point (>60%) I will play it regardless of what I think D&T matchup.

I will give Dread of Night a looksee. I have (probably foolishly) written off the Death and Taxes matchup as our kryptonite and just pack the popular 2x Massacre.

U/R should be favorable, just have Sphinx somewhere in the 75 so you don't die to crackbacks.

[kingsey]

Vs ur match up..we aren't just going for Grisel game 2 as well? Also if we land elesh don't they loose as well since they have no creatures?

I remember playing sphinx back in the day but unsure if he's worth a spot?

[Force of Beard]

Vs ur match up..we aren't just going for Grisel game 2 as well? Also if we land elesh don't they loose as well since they have no creatures?

I remember playing sphinx back in the day but unsure if he's worth a spot?

VS UR I like
Elesh Norn- When they have a board and I have life to eat burn for a few turns. Some versions run Fireblast, so you need to be sure you are going to finish the game with her before you commit to a 5 turn clock
Iona on Red- When they do not have a board, going very low is obviously less dangerous with red cards off the table
Griselbrand- When I have Exhume to save life this is always the go-to, since it helps chain into a second threat/answer and is nigh unraceable. Even when you have to pay the 8 he is still top of the list early when you aren't sure which type of game you are going to play

The other guys
Sphinx- I ran one this weekend at SCG Columbus (mostly for this matchup). The upside he has over Griselbrand comes up when you need to be able to attack to not die to their board. Griselbrand is susceptible to the the old "bolt my own guy before damage" play. Sphinx's vigilance is much harder for them to race this way.
Grave Titan- I don't side him out. He kills as fast/faster unmolested than any creature we are allowed to reanimate, and you still need to maintain enough guys to keep SnT turned on.

[Nuke is Good]

I had a question for the mirror match, which I find rather challenging. Do you race for Iona/Blazing Archon but hold your cards until you have all the pieces in your hand to combo out or attempt to show and tell? I'd rather not use Karakas since the card is not tutorable and might be a 1 of that ends up doing nothing during the match.


I thought of Sheoldred, Whispering one but the card does nothing against Sneak and Show when they are on their red based plan.

[Stryfo]

@toor: I don't know how the UR matchup isn't sure, it's ridiculously easy pre-board and still good post board. They have only daze and FoW, no stifles, no wastelands (some are moving back though). Just play around daze and your average hands will get there most of the time.

out of the 6 or 7 matches and 15 or so random pre and post board games I've played against UR delver, I lost one match and won most of the pre and post board games, even when they stuck a turn 1 grafdiggers cage. It's a REALLY good matchup.

@Nuke: a lot of people play coffin purge as a mirror breaker. Archon is not the best creature, Iona isn't generally either. The best guys are tidespout tyrant and Griselbrand.

[toor]

@toor: I don't know how the UR matchup isn't sure, it's ridiculously easy pre-board and still good post board. They have only daze and FoW, no stifles, no wastelands (some are moving back though). Just play around daze and your average hands will get there most of the time.

out of the 6 or 7 matches and 15 or so random pre and post board games I've played against UR delver, I lost one match and won most of the pre and post board games, even when they stuck a turn 1 grafdiggers cage. It's a REALLY good matchup.

@Nuke: a lot of people play coffin purge as a mirror breaker. Archon is not the best creature, Iona isn't generally either. The best guys are tidespout tyrant and Griselbrand.

I was testing against builds with Wastelands and submerges. I roughly agree if people play completely stock that the matchup is fine.

[Squirrel]

So, i played on Praque Eternal Main Event (144), and i was sold on Reanimator. I played a little different list, here it goes:

1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

4 Griselbrand

1 Daze

1 Misdirection

4 Brainstorm

4 Entomb

4 Force of Will

2 Show and Tell

3 Thoughtseize

4 Ponder

4 Careful Study

4 Exhume

4 Reanimate

2 Animate Dead

1 Island

1 Swamp

1 Verdant Catacombs

2 Misty Rainforest

1 Flooded Strand

4 Polluted Delta

4 Underground Sea

1 Tidespout Tyrant

1 Bayou

1 Tropical Island

SB: 2 Show and Tell

SB: 2 Massacre

SB: 2 Pithing Needle

SB: 2 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
SB: 1 Ashen Rider

SB: 3 Abrupt Decay

SB: 2 Carpet of Flowers

SB: 1 Disfigure


I decided for the 16 land version because it could actually cast more business better and grinding out an win in postboard games and was overall more stable than the lotus petal version)

R1 Elves
G1 Im Paired against Patrick, and the Game ends when i eot entomb after seeing forest, fetch, zenith and Reanimate Elesh.

G2 He starts and thoughtseizes my entomb and therapying something else. He then floods the board with till turn 42 lands, 2 dryad and 3 elves, without having any cards in hand.
Turn 5 he flashbacks therapy, an das hes calling fow i knew he drew a order which then hoofs me.
G3 I disfigure his Deathrite, fow his glimpse: He doesn’t draw disruption, and i need to fow a elvish visionary to stop his glimpse and mana production while he has 2 natural order in hand. Elesh Norn pumps the grisel already in play since turn 2 which kills him from 9 life.

2-1
1-0

R2 Elves
G1 Im playing against Petyr, and he starts with an quirion, so i entomb elesh and exhume her..
G2 I Draw Elesh, so i Turn 2 Iona instead wins the race against his board of 2 1/1

2-0
2-0

R3 Team America
Im playing against Pavel.
G1 A Hymn hits both of my Reanimation Spells, so delver kills me before i recover.
G2 i thoughtseize and see Delver, extraction, pierce, pulse, bayou, misty goyf.
I take the extraction and play a Needle into his Spell Pierce, he pierces it so i can entomb and reanimate while grisel draws the fow for the pulse. I also disfigure his delver and decay his goyf at 4 life, winning the race and reanimating goyf before my last hit to be safe against lilli or other removal.
G3 goes back and forth, with a lilli entering play, getting needled and then the needle decayed, also 2 deathrite and annoying me. There are 2 Key situations in this game. At one Point he dazed with his tropical, so deathrite ist without green, and at another he taps his deathrite for lilli, so i can win (my hand is careful study, show and tell, reanimate, exhume, ponder) with an thoughtseize taking his fow before, but i don’t see a creature in both scenarios or an entomb for tidespout/ashen rider which would have turned the game. I die without seeing any creatures.

1-2
2-1

R4 Alex with UR Delver
So im playing against a friend. We both know what each other is on, and while i’m happy about the matchup, i fear Alex is running hot this weekend.
G1 I start with Entomb and reanimate and double Exhume as well as 2 lands and something else.
I Entomb in my mainphase, for grisel and the first exhume resolves. Well i’d take it.

G2 Brings me down to 10 pretty quickly, but show and tell elesh norn, the board clearer.
2-0
3-1

R5 UR Delver
G1I’m playing against Valentin. While i needed to mull to six before, mulling to 5 is less exciting.
I keep Force, Ponder, Brainstorm, Entomb Reanimate. When i draw my first land, a fucking swamp, alex has revealed that he likes to treasure cruise, which he did twice with the help of aggressive cantripping, also playing Thought scour. Daze get’s my entomb. He even thought scours me to get information, but doesn’t bin a creature, while i need do discard cards, failing to even draw a creature to discard or another land for blue, while bolts and chain lightnings me with 2 snapcaster beats to kill me. Weird Game.
G2 I think he’s on Ur Delver, but he’s more on a counterheavy variant without monastery swiftspear, but snapcaster and an overall more Dreadstill like gameplan. I didn’t board in bosejiu against this, which i should have, and die against his relic of progenitus i need to decay, giving delver and his mass of counters enough time to finish me off. He really cruises the deck to victory, always discarding cards at his endstep because of his full hand.

3-2
R6 Burg Delver
At this point i didn’t write any names, sry for that.

G1 A Grisel takes it all why he refuses to scoop, drawing delvers to block and making the game longer to see more of my deck:

G2 Thoughtseize get’s me pretty hard, and i decay a goyf to buy time. He play an Deathrite while i’m on 10 life, and i ponder of tropical (!)and see decay, reanimate fetch. i can’t decay the deathrite because i tapped my trop (bad play )with 2 useas in play, and i can’t reanimate the grisel in the yard, because then i’m on 8 and deathrite kills me when he untaps, next turn 2 other deathrite seal the deal.

G3 im getting a needle on deathrite and a carpet of flowers, but i can’t find a creature or get it in the yard and die to double delver.

1-2
3-3

R7 UR Helm of Awakening Counterbalance deck.
G1 I play against a guy and know what he’s playing because i saw him on the feature match.
I thoughtseize him and take fow leaving him wit bstorm, snappy and lands, but he slams counterbalance from the top of his deck while i entomb grisel.
Next turn i reanimate, he prays , looks in the sky and shouts „Sensei“. We flip and he has Sensei’s divining Top. I locks me out and i concede after 2 rounds.

G2 Finally, Bosejiu time. Turn1 Ponder, Turn 2 thoughtseize, take whatever, boesjiu.
Turn 3 Show and Tell Grisel. He scoops
G3 His helm of awakening shuts of casting my exhume uncounterable with bosejiu through his hand of flusters and forces, so i have to use show and tell ☺ He Scoopes facing the 7/7 lifelinker.

2-1
4-3

Round 8 Elves
Im paired against Julian Knab, which i know from local tournaments (and internet fame) but it’s nice to get him to know me ☺

We start trashtalking a lot, and he jokes of his last tournament where he lost twice to Reanimator. I pokerface as much as possible.

G1 I lay down a Misty Rainforest, he does whatever and i can’t stop grining while entombing for elesh. He asks if i can reanimate, i show him reanimate, we’re off to game 2

G2. Where again just shuffling and joking with other people around, it’s really funny.
He has a Deathrite and a Untapper with a fetchland in grave and „taps out“ thinking he can get me.(at least i thought he thinks that way^^) I have the nuts and decay his deathrite, Entomb, reanimate, show that i dont habe elesh in hand, he scoops.

2-0
5-3


So 5-3 in the end, the deck was a blast to play and cutted through the whole ur delver/elves meta rather nicely, but i didn’t face white decks at all.

Probs:
Nice opponents
Nice players and friends to talk with during the rounds.
Always having at minimum 20 minutes left on the clock for a break.
People lending me cards for my deck so that i could play! Thank you!
Elesh and Grisel being badass
Partying in Praque,
.
.
.
Cons:
I should have done much better.
I only drew seven of Grisel once! And i love that feeling.

I hope there aren't any mistakes, i only have notes of the life and thoughtseize hands i wrote down. Thanks for reading

[Omega87]

I play the good old UB list, but i struggle when playing against stoneblade. StoP, counters and a fast clock seems really tough. How do you guys manage to win against this deck?

[Darksteel]

After mulling over different options, I've settled on the green splash with Show and Tell for the GP tomorrow.

4 Griselbrand
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elesh Norn

4 Careful Study
4 Entomb
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
1 Animate Dead
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
4 Thoughtseize
4 Brainstorm
3 Ponder
4 Lotus Petal
4 Polluted Delta
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Scalding Tarn
4 Underground Sea
1 Bayou
1 Swamp
1 Island

Board:
3 Show and Tell
4 Abrupt Decay
3 Pithing Needle
2 Massacre
1 Duress
1 Grave Titan
1 Abrupt Decay

I like the mixture of Abrupt Decay and Show and Tell that did well in an Open recently. For the people on the abrupt decay plan, what do you guys typically cut for them in games 2 and 3? Should I also run a Tropical Island? I don't know if I want to cut another fetchland.

[cogitoergosum]

After mulling over different options, I've settled on the green splash with Show and Tell for the GP tomorrow.

4 Griselbrand
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elesh Norn

4 Careful Study
4 Entomb
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
1 Animate Dead
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
4 Thoughtseize
4 Brainstorm
3 Ponder
4 Lotus Petal
4 Polluted Delta
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Scalding Tarn
4 Underground Sea
1 Bayou
1 Swamp
1 Island

Board:
3 Show and Tell
4 Abrupt Decay
3 Pithing Needle
2 Massacre
1 Duress
1 Grave Titan
1 Abrupt Decay

I like the mixture of Abrupt Decay and Show and Tell that did well in an Open recently. For the people on the abrupt decay plan, what do you guys typically cut for them in games 2 and 3? Should I also run a Tropical Island? I don't know if I want to cut another fetchland.

With the decrease of waste and stifle, I think you could run 3 seas instead of cutting a fetch to make room for the trop. Another option would be to go to 15 lands and 3 petals.

Also I think 3 AD is plenty. Siding them in is always matchup dependent, but they will often come in place of daze on the draw, maybe a thoughtseize or two on the play.

I like your list, with deathrite also on the decline I think moving all the shows to the side is a great call. Do you ever miss them g1?

[LeePerry]

I play the good old UB list, but i struggle when playing against stoneblade. StoP, counters and a fast clock seems really tough. How do you guys manage to win against this deck?

I just picked up Reanimator after playing Tin Fins and MonoR Sneak Attack for a year, and I was wondering if splashing Red for Rabblemaster in the sideboard might be a better plan B against miracles, stoneblade and other control decks which are pretty rampant here.

I would take out a single S&T from the sideboard, but keep the 2 City of Traitors, since they work well with the Rabblemasters, and it can definitely keep opponents guessing how to sideboard, since most soft counters are complete blanks against the goblins, and an unprepared opponent banking on GY hate (also abundant here) might find himself with too many dead cards in his or her deck before finding a solution to the rabblemaster (1+6+8 damage over 3 turns can be more then enough to take out an opponent, especially if they still have to keep in account your possibility to reanimate - which never leaves the deck)

Any thoughts? or am I taking it too far?

[Nuke is Good]

I went 5-3 at GPNJ today with UBg. Strongest performance I've ever had in a Magic tournament. I'll post a bootleg report later. 8 rounds is brutal on the mind.

I had Punishing Jund and Shortcake Painter ready for this but I saw a LOOOOOT of burn and UR Delver which scared me away from using both decks.

Decklist:

Main Deck (60)
Creatures (7)
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Empyrial Archangel
1 Tidespout Tyrant
3 Griselbrand
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
Spells (37)
2 Lotus Petal
2 Ponder
3 Thoughtseize
4 Brainstorm
4 Careful Study
4 Entomb
4 Reanimate
1 Animate Dead
2 Daze
4 Exhume
2 Show and Tell
1 Misdirection
4 Force of Will
Lands (16)
1 Bayou
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Tropical Island
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Scalding Tarn
4 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea
Sideboard (15)
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Flusterstorm
2 Dread of Night
2 Duress
2 Pithing Needle
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Show and Tell
1 Grave Titan
1 Sire of Insanity

First of all, it isn't Sultai. I'll call it BUG if cards from Khans make a serious impact on the deck. I didn't call Aggro Loam Jund until BBE was a thing.

Round 1: LED Dredge (Misplays: The match!)

G1 Didn't think he was dredge when he decided to go first, until I saw faithless looting. I decide to go for the kill I see his Grave Troll in the yard and....decide to animate dead it, didn't read that his power and toughness depended on what was in MY yard. Misplay #1. So my dredge opponent starts doing his G1 antics and dread returns a griselbrand. He was dredging pretty aggressively and he actually accidentally decked himself out since he only had high dredgers in the yard and still had 4 cards left to draw from Russel Brand only to have 2 cards in the deck left.

SB: -4 Exhume +2 Show and Tell +1 Chain of Vapor +1 Flusterstorm (I didn't know what to bring in)

G2
For some reason he was able to constantly cabal therapy stripping my hand even after forcing 3 times. He was able to bring out 8 zombies overpowering my Empyrial Archangel and attacking for lethal with a dread returned Flame Kin.

G3
Elesh Norn on turn 1. He was trying to dig for answers but didn't. Victory

1-0

Round 2 Goblins
He drops down a rabblemaster. On my first turn I careful studied into Griselbrand and reanimated it. Next turn he starts dropping chalices. I dig twice forced his first one but he drops another one. I get beat to death by goblin tokens.
SB: -4 Reanimate -1 Careful Study +2 Show and Tell +3 Abrupt Decay
Game 2
I kept a hand with 3 of my abrupt decays. He chalices on 1 so I respond by entombing elesh norn. My next turn I abrupt decay it. His next turn he brings down another chalice. This repeats until I run out of abrupt decays. I force his RIP. Then came the coup de grace, the dropped a magus of the moon. I had no response.

1-1 I thought this was an easy matchup...guess not

Round 3 UWR Miracles

G1 I have no idea what deck he was this game. All I saw was a snapcaster mage and a Vendillion clique beat me to death while he forced and spell pierced me to oblivion.
SB: -1 Daze +1 Flusterstorm
G2 I see he brings down a Tundra so I'm assuming he is packing STP and . I baited a griselbrand in the yard the turn before and attempted to reanimate so he forced it, instead i show and tell an Iona on white. Riding it to Victory. He dropped a top so I can guess what he was playing.
SB: -2 Daze +1 Flusterstorm -3 Careful Study +3 Abrupt Decay
G3 I thoughtseized him seeing he has RIP so I take it away. In my INFINITE wisdom I allowed his Counterbalance Top Lock to actually happen. Show and Tell an Empyrial Archangel. He was digging a few turns with the top so he fetches since he wasn't happy, so this was my chance to abrupt decay forcing him to shuffle the top away buying me a turn. Little did I know he managed to get another one. The archangel brings the pain, in a last ditch effort he cliques me only to see a thoughtseize but I still win in the end.

2-1

Round 4 UWR Delver...The fastest loss I can think of
G1 Three turns straight he wastelands me. So I'm stuck with a hand of nothing. I get beat to death by delvers.
-2 Reanimate -1 Animate Dead -1 Griselbrand -2 Careful Study +2 Abrupt Decay +1 Flusterstorm +1 Show and Tell +2 Dread of Night
G2 He was packing more permission than I was. I try Show and Telling my Archangel into play. Forced, pierced, and he flusterstormed my flustterstorm. Then came the real kick in the balls. He attacks me with a SFM with a sword (I think Feast and Famine) which makes me discard and he untaps his lands. On that single turn he drops RIP and Containment priest. I abrupt decay the priest . Next turn he attacks again..and brings down two more priests.

2-2 Oh how I wish I had Jund for that match

Round 5 Elves

G1 Elesh Norn turn 2 next
SB: -1 Tidespout Tyrant +1 Duress -2 Daze +2 Show and Tell -2 Exhume +2 Abrupt Decay
G2: He turn 2 Nat Orders. I kept a hand that would have turned 2 since I had petals, SnT, and Elesh Norn. So that gamble failed.
G3: He cabal therapies all my reanimation strategies. So that buys him time to durdle around and kill me with craterhoof.

2-3 Supposed to be an easy match but the better pilot won

Round 6 Merfolk U/W

G1: He drops a Lord of Atlantis. I drop Iona on Blue, doesn't seem too phased by it which boggled me. Then he drops some U/W land that doesn't untap if he reveals a Merfolk and I realized...noooo STP. No STP thankfully 7/7 Flyer beating down to win.
-2 Reanimate +2 Show and Tell
G2: He drops some weird Merfolk from Apocalypse that was turning my Sea into a basic plains. I drop Iona on Blue again and win.

3-3 First time I've seen that deck and it was U/W. Weird. Nice guy though. Players are starting to get visibly tired.

Round 7 UR...no wait Grixis Delver

G1: I'm convinced he was UR delver at this point. I reanimate Elesh Norn (ouch) and he kept bolting me. But strangely enough Elesh Norn was a good enough clock for victory.
-4 Reanimate +2 Show and Tell +1 Flusterstorm +1 Abrupt Devay
G2: Cabal Therapy yada yada raping my hand. I animate dead an empyrial Archangel stalling me a turn. This part I think I should have called a judge. He said he was gonna cast treasure cruise, revealed the card but didn't pay, and he took it back and cabal therapyed me taking my third show and tell. I had no answers for the rest of the game.
G3: I'm on the show and tell plan. But I entomb griselbrand. I thoughtseized him seeing he has only a pyroblast. So I use my first Snt to get blasted. Next turn I drop down Elesh Norn for Victory.

4-3 Where was UR Mania besides on the featured tables?

Round 8 RUG Delver

G1 I reanimate a Griselbrand and he scoops
-4 Reanimate +2 Show and Tell +1 Abrupt Decay +1 Flusterstorm
G2 He stifled me twice giving him the lead. I get burned to death.
G3 I show and tell a Griselbrand but this time he has delvers on the fields. I reanimate an Iona on Red for good measure and I get the win.

5-3 RIP Mongoose. He cut them for TC.

MVP Cards:
Iona, no matter what people say this is maindeckable for me.
Russel Brand: It's not a silver bullet but damn it works
Empyrial Archangel: Having that redirect damage ability is so sweet
Show and Tell: Always have a Plan B

Not so MVPs:
Abrupt Decay: Its uncounterable sure, but my manabase is incredibly shaky.
Sire of Insanity: I've seen how powerful it is on turn 1 but otherwise it's meh. I don't think it goes well in a non 4 petal build. Never used it once today, probably would have if I encountered storm.
Dread of Night: Next to me every round was Death and Taxes. Deep down I was sighing in relief that I didn't have to deal with them.
Tidespout Tyrant: Same deal. I used it to pitch to force lol.
Pithing Needle: Didn't use it, didn't draw it in elves
Duress: Didn't use it, probably could have used it in elves
Grave Titan: Didn't use it no edict decks around


I can't bring myself to cut Dazes altogether. Reanimator is pretty light on blue cards and we need them to pitch to force.

[PirateKing]

Went 6-3 at GPNJ, losing to BUG Delver twice and UW Blade. I'll edit this post in the morning with my list and thoughts on it. All in all, everything went as expected, bad matchups were bad and good matchups were easy.

[DoorDie]

Very encouraging scores, fellas, especially at such a large event. Let's keep them dreading the graveyard!

I just picked up Reanimator after playing Tin Fins and MonoR Sneak Attack for a year, and I was wondering if splashing Red for Rabblemaster in the sideboard might be a better plan B against miracles, stoneblade and other control decks which are pretty rampant here.

I would take out a single S&T from the sideboard, but keep the 2 City of Traitors, since they work well with the Rabblemasters, and it can definitely keep opponents guessing how to sideboard, since most soft counters are complete blanks against the goblins, and an unprepared opponent banking on GY hate (also abundant here) might find himself with too many dead cards in his or her deck before finding a solution to the rabblemaster (1+6+8 damage over 3 turns can be more then enough to take out an opponent, especially if they still have to keep in account your possibility to reanimate - which never leaves the deck)

Any thoughts? or am I taking it too far?

I am adamantly against City of Traitors since we have so few colorless symbols maindeck to spend the mana on, so I'm already biased here. I don't think Rabblemaster by itself pulls enough weight in Legacy to justify its cmc or the red splash.

If we're going to do something transformative then bringing in a Delver/True-Name package with a bit more discard (something like 4x Delver/3x TNN/2x Duress) should work in principle, though I'd be surprised if it hasn't been tried before.

Anyone have experience with this kind of transformation into a normalized game?

[Darksteel]

I ended up going 5-3 at the Grand Prix. It was definitely fun, and I’m glad I decided to go. Obviously making day 2 would have been great, but sometimes you just get unlucky or misplay. Variance is a thing.

I ended up going with the 4th Ponder over the 4th Thoughtseize.

4 Griselbrand
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

4 Careful Study
4 Entomb
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
1 Animate Dead
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
3 Thoughtseize
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder

4 Lotus Petal
4 Polluted Delta
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
4 Underground Sea
1 Bayou
1 Swamp
1 Island

3 Show and Tell
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Pithing Needle
2 Massacre
1 Ashen Rider
1 Grave Titan
1 Thoughtseize
1 Duress

Here’s a brief report:

Round 1: Bye

Round 2: Bye

Round 3: Beat Reanimator 2-1. I have no idea how to play the mirror, and luckily, neither did my opponent. I managed to simply have the Thoughtseizes at the right time to reanimate his things, like Iona and Griselbrand.

Round 4: Lost to Storm 0-2. Game 1 I just didn’t hit a Force of Will after drawing 14 off of Griselbrand.

Game 2 was so much draw go since we both used early discard. He just kept drawing Cabal Rituals and I kept drawing crap. Eventually, I misplay and get an Iona with Entomb to try to reanimate and learn he has Karakas.

Round 5: Beat Sneak and Show 2-0. Both my wins involved using his Griselbrand by discarding it to Thoughtseize.

Round 6: Beat Dark Maverick 2-1. Game 1 was turn two Elesh Norn on the play against some Deathrite Shamans. Iona followed to seal the deal. Game 2 I got super blown out by Containment Priest. I totally walked into it. Game 3, I managed to Thoughtseize myself and reanimate Griselbrand while he was tapped out and proceeded to win from there.

Round 7: Lost to UWR Delver 1-2. Game 1, he cantrips and Dazes a lot of my spells, but I eventually get a Griselbrand into play and Force his removal and Treasure Cruises. Game 2, he has a lot of counters, plus a Grafdigger’s Cage. I drew very poorly and just couldn’t find my Abrupt Decays or Show and Tells. Game 3, he mulls to 4, but my hand was kinda sketchy. I miss with my cantrips, and he resolves 2 Grafdigger’s Cages in one turn. I have the Decay for one, but the other ends up beating me as I just couldn’t find anything to stop it or get around it without it being countered by his grip full of Dazes, Flusterstorm, and Red Elemental Blasts.

Round 8: Lost to Death and Taxes 1-2. Game 1, I keep a hand with multiple cantrips and reanimation spells and fail to assemble the combo while his Brimaz and Thalia eventually beat me down. Game 2 I get the turn one reanimation on a Griselbrand and he never finds his Karakas or Swords.

Game 3, He gets out a Containment Priest and Stoneforge Mystic, which I manage to Massacre away. I then have the chance to either Show and Tell a Griselbrand or Iona into play, or Entomb and Exhume a creature. I know he has Batterskull and Rest in Peace in hand, along with one unknown card (his draw). He also has a tapped Karakas in play, along with two open mana. I decide to try and Entomb and Exhume a Tidespout Tyrant, since his only way to punish me is a second Containment Priest. Naturally, he drew it and I pretty much lose from there, since he Wastelands me and cuts me off of Show and Tell. So, shitty luck but hey, it happens.

Ultimately, I was pleased with the deck. It has so much raw power. The Abrupt Decays were okay, overall. I wouldn't say I'm big on them yet. I still need to work on my sideboarding for sure, regardless. It's hard making cuts for Show and Tell AND Abrupt Decays.

Being on the play in game 1 is such a ridiculous advantage.

Also, fuck Containment Priest. lol

[toor]

I audibled to UR Delver despite winning 1.5K a couple of weeks ago. This meant that I had an extra reanimator deck on me to lend to a friend who initially wasn't planning on playing legacy at all. He hasn't played legacy in 4 years and his only games with reanimator were the night before with random people in our hotel lobby. My version was very different than the normal and much harder to play. So I built a "newbie" friendly version for the GP. It had 0 testing, though I have played 30+ sanction matches in the last 2 months.

He cashed going 11-4 with 0 byes. He absolutely punted one round (real life misclick involving careful study in round 1) and made a couple small mistakes, but overall I was impressed with what I think of as the speed optimized version. He could easily have been 13-2/14-1 with perfect play (hard for anyone).

Deck 60
Griselbrand 3
Iona, Shield of Emeria 1
Elesh Norn 1
Grave Titan 1
Tidespout Tyrant 1

Ponder 4
Careful Study 4
Brainstorm 4
Duress 2
Entomb 4
Reanimate 4

Force of Will 3 (we only had 3)
Exhume 2
Abrupt Decay 2
Animate Dead 2
Thoughtseize 4

Lotus Petal 3 (also only had 3)
Bayou 1
Fetch 7
Tropical Island 1
Underground Sea 4
Island 1
Swamp 1

SB: 15
Abrupt Decay 2
Ratchet Bomb 1
Tormod's Crypt 2
Pithing Needle 3
Massacre 2
Angel of Despair 1
Wipe Away 1
Disfigure 1
Show and Tell 2

----------
Here is the version I was playing for the last few months.

Deck 60
Griselbrand 3
Iona, Shield of Emeria 1
Elesh Norn 1
Grave Titan 1

Thoughtseize 4
Ponder 4
Show and Tell 2
Brainstorm 4
Flusterstorm 1
Entomb 4
Reanimate 4
Dig through Time 2
Force of Will 3
Exhume 2
Abrupt Decay 2
Dimir Charm 1
Animate Dead 2


Lotus Petal 3
Bayou 1
Fetch 8
Tropical Island 1
Underground Sea 4
Island 1
Swamp 1
SB: 15
Abrupt Decay 2
Disfigure 1
Jace the Mind Sculptor 1
Pithing Needle 2
Massacre 1
Aetherling 1
Duress 2
Wipe Away 1
Dread of Night 1
Bayou 1
VClique 1
Ratchet Bomb 1

This version plays out much more like a control deck. And basically isn't 0 outed to anything no matter how random your opponent's crap is (I have beaten g1 RiP, Leyline, CB lock etc...). DtT is an absolute bomb in this deck and I played 3 for a while. Unfortunately UR delver is too fast for that card (the 3 color delver variants are actually easier to beat, even accounting for deathright).

[MountainGo]

Darksteel were you using the dark blue KMC HyperMatts?

I went 4-3 with this list

4 Entomb
4 Careful Study
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
1 Animate Dead
1 Show and Tell
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
4 Thoughtseize
4 Brainstorm
3 Ponder
3 Griselbrand
1 Iona
1 Elesh Norn
1 Tidespout Tyrant
2 Dark Ritual
1 Lotus Petal
3 Underground Sea
1 Bayou
1 Tropical Island
4 Polluted Delta
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Marsh Flats
1 Island
1 Swamp

2 Show and Tell
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Pithing Needle
2 Massacre
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Echoing Truth
1 Sire of Insanity
1 Aetherling


R1 Ur delver 2-1
First game i blew him out, second he blew me out, third was very close with me taking a risk at the end attacking him when he had 2 swiftspears, an unflipped delver, a pyromancer and some tokens but he wasnt able to draw enough spells off of treasure cruise for lethal
R2 Omnitell 2-0
Early Iona on blue both games
R3 Reanimator 1-2
99.5% sure i played against darksteel
R4 Ant 2-0
Griselbrand & counters game 1, Sire of Insanity game 2, should have actually went for Iona though Sire is dangerous vs a deck with past in flames if not put in play turn 1 or 2
R5 Miracles 1-2
Iona won game 1 pretty easy, games 2 and 3 were miserable, my lack of sleep the last few days was starting to show also, couple boneheaded plays
R6 Patriot 2-1
Dont really remember how these games went
Patriot 1-2
Game 1 i thoutseized and reanimated his true name, countered and thoughtseizes him to death while i rode it the whole way, games 2 & 3 he had to much pressure and hate

Im going to have to adjust my sideboard for Miracles some more, that matchup is terrible