[Primer] BRx Griselbrand Reanimator

[Quentin Coldman]

I like collective brutality in the main because it's a protected way to get a fatty in the yard. It takes a counterspell every time regardless of whether it resolves and sets up for powerful plays. Which fatties do you feel I should include additionally beyond what I have? The fourth grisel is the only one I feel I could include that isn't there right now.

Fourth Grisel is an option. I'm really a fan of Grave Titan, against so many decks he's just awesome like Delver, D&T, Eldrazi, Lands, Aggro Loam.... Also it's not impossible to make the hardcast, and he's not as bad as Sire on turn 3+

[JPoJohnson]

I like him as well. He's in the sideboard right now, but with the right meta I do put him in the main.

[DNSolver]

I definitely like Grave Titan more than Sire.

I've been less impressed with Chancellor as I've played a few more games with the deck for the first time in awhile. A Chancellor-less version I'm thinking about would be probably be like:

4 Griselbrand
3 Grave Titan
1 Tidespout
1 Iona
1 Archetype of Endurance
1 Children of Korlis (plan is to get Griselbrand -> Iona + Archetype)
12 reanimation
8 discard
4 Entomb
4 Faithless Looting
8 fast mana
13 land inc. 1 Bayou

some sideboard, no creatures in the sideboard

[KnightJay96]

I definitely like Grave Titan more than Sire.

I've been less impressed with Chancellor as I've played a few more games with the deck for the first time in awhile.

I would agree on the Chancellor being kinda of unimpressive as a reanimation target. Cutting it and adding more silver bullets might be better. I like the Idea of Child of Korlis -> Silver Bullet/Tendrils of Agony. My idead for a chancellor-less list:

12x Creatures/Win Con
4x Girselbrand
1x Tidespout
1x Iona
1x Elesh Norn
1x Sire of Insanity
2x Grave Titan
1x Child of Korlis
1x Tendrils of Agony

12x Reanimation Spells
4x Reanimate
4x Exhume
4x Animate Dead

8x Extra Mana
4x Dark Ritual
4x Lotus Petal

8x Bin Cards
4x Entomb
4x Faithless Looting

6x Hand Disruption
4x Unmask
2x Collective Brutality (My meta is filled with DRS)

14x Land
4x Bloodstained Mire
3x Polluted Delta
4x Badlands
1x Bayou
2x Swamp

15x Sideboard
4x Abrupt Decay
2x Pithing Needle
1x Collective Brutality
2x Faere Macabre (or Coffin Purge)
1x Blazing Archon
1x Ashen Rider
4x Revenant Silence

[crowe_1]

The reason that I go for BR versus UB:
1. It's faster - It'll race most combo decks and outrace some hate.

2. It's resilient - It doesn't just *poof* get shut down like a lot of different combo decks. If you flop or get shut down, you can often go for it a turn or two later (or even in the same turn) quite easily.

3. It's protected - Why exile a card to counter a spell when you can just reveal Chancellor of the Annex T0 and combo off safely?

4. It's flexible - You can really build it with any splash, or none at all. It has access to all the sideboard cards it needs to fight hate in game 2/3 proactively and re-actively. It can also go into different colors to avoid some hate.

Not knocking on BR as it definitely has strengths vs U/B at the moment, but in all of these areas except point 1 U/B is superior. Even then:

- U/B is faster than every other combo deck aside from B/R Reanimator, Belcher and Oops, the latter two of which which are also faster than R/B anyway so that point is often moot. B/R is faster, don't get me wrong, but U/B is still a turn 1-2 combo deck. R/B's strength lies in more consistently getting under DRS and Chalice.

- U/B does not just go *poof* and get shut down. Aside from R/B's better ability to get under DRS and Chalice, U/B is harder to shut down than R/B as FoW is better than Chancellor in more situations beyond the first turn, and BS/Ponder make rebuilding a ruined hand far more likely when things do go wrong.

- Chancellor gets compared to FoW when in actuality it fills the role of Daze most of the time (anytime other than turn zero). U/B gets to use both FoW and Daze anyway for a higher chance of free disruption; same odds on the draw (FoW vs Chancellor) and up to twice as much on the play (FoW + Daze vs Chancellor). Even in the R/B decks running Unmask, the amount of disruption/protection only arguably equals, but not exceeds that in U/B; and, again, Brainstorm and Ponder help you find your disruption at the cost of a little speed. Chancellor is perfectly effective during the faster turn one hands on the play, but I'd argue that it's worse than FoW and Daze for disruption otherwise. Chancellor's real strength is that it doubles as a reanimation target IMO. That is an angle of redundancy not inherent to U/B.

- U/B splashes for third and fourth colours successfully for SB cards, and Brainstorm/Ponder make finding the sideboard cards far more likely. Not sure about how this is a plus for R/B.

Don't get me wrong; I believe R/B stands on its own as a separate deck from U/B with relative strengths and weaknesses, so I don't feel running R/B relative to U/B needs to be justified at this point. Just thought these points of comparison seemed a little off, though I may be misunderstanding the poster somehow.

[JPoJohnson]

Not knocking on BR as it definitely has strengths vs U/B at the moment, but in all of these areas except point 1 U/B is superior. Even then:

- U/B is faster than every other combo deck aside from B/R Reanimator, Belcher and Oops, the latter two of which which are also faster than R/B anyway so that point is often moot. B/R is faster, don't get me wrong, but U/B is still a turn 1-2 combo deck. R/B's strength lies in more consistently getting under DRS and Chalice.

- U/B does not just go *poof* and get shut down. Aside from R/B's better ability to get under DRS and Chalice, U/B is harder to shut down than R/B as FoW is better than Chancellor in more situations beyond the first turn, and BS/Ponder make rebuilding a ruined hand far more likely when things do go wrong.

- Chancellor gets compared to FoW when in actuality it fills the role of Daze most of the time (anytime other than turn zero). U/B gets to use both FoW and Daze anyway for a higher chance of free disruption; same odds on the draw (FoW vs Chancellor) and up to twice as much on the play (FoW + Daze vs Chancellor). Even in the R/B decks running Unmask, the amount of disruption/protection only arguably equals, but not exceeds that in U/B; and, again, Brainstorm and Ponder help you find your disruption at the cost of a little speed. Chancellor is perfectly effective during the faster turn one hands on the play, but I'd argue that it's worse than FoW and Daze for disruption otherwise. Chancellor's real strength is that it doubles as a reanimation target IMO. That is an angle of redundancy not inherent to U/B.

- U/B splashes for third and fourth colours successfully for SB cards, and Brainstorm/Ponder make finding the sideboard cards far more likely. Not sure about how this is a plus for R/B.

Don't get me wrong; I believe R/B stands on its own as a separate deck from U/B with relative strengths and weaknesses, so I don't feel running R/B relative to U/B needs to be justified at this point. Just thought these points of comparison seemed a little off, though I may be misunderstanding the poster somehow.

Sure sure, I think both decks are solid for different reasons.

The only thing I want to add some depth to is the fact that I feel BR splashes easier than UB. BR is almost exclusively black and it isn't hard to dip into other colors without affecting much. UB has a split of colors that also requires a certain concentration of blue in order to support the FoW. I feel like BR splashes easier and is more flexible with the colors because of this.

UB is still a solid solid deck that has great game.

[crowe_1]

I can see what you mean. Didn't quite understand what you meant about the splashes in your previous post. It's true that you are losing less fetching a Bayou in R/B than in U/B. I still think you're more likely to pull the actual sideboard cards in U/B though, so it's probably close to a wash.

One thing I find interesting about B/R is that Collective Brutality aside, all the cards in the deck have existed forever but it's only now that it's become a legit deck. Can't help but wonder what other decks might be possible that just haven't been put together yet.

[JPoJohnson]

One thing I find interesting about B/R is that Collective Brutality aside, all the cards in the deck have existed forever but it's only now that it's become a legit deck. Can't help but wonder what other decks might be possible that just haven't been put together yet.

Be right back, combing through niche decklists.

[jroharo]

Went 3-0-1 (ID'd finals) last night at weekly legacy with this:


Creatures: 11
2 Sire of Insanity
4 Griselbrand
4 Chancellor of the Annex
1 Tidespout Tyrant

Fast Mana: 8
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual

Discard: 8
4 Thoughtseize
4 Unmask

Card Selection: 8
4 Faithless Looting
4 Entomb

Reanimation: 11
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
3 Animate Dead

Lands: 14
3 Badlands
1 Bayou
3 Swamp
2 Marsh Flats
2 Bloodstained Mire
3 Polluted Delta

SB: 15
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Grave Titan
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Collective Brutality
3 Stronghold Gambit
1 Massacre
3 Reverent Silence

M1: Pox (2-1)
M2: UBg Reanimator (2-0)
M3: D&T (2-1)
M4: Shardless (0-0-3)

Going forward, I'm going to drop a basic swamp for another Bayou. Didn't like being so vulnerable to wasteland in post-board games (specifically against D&T).

My question for you gents is this: should I drop the Grave Titan in the sideboard for an Archetype of Endurance? And should I try to make room in my board for 2-3 Blood Moon, or is that just not worth it?

[bbogdon]

When I first saw this deck win the Euro Eternal Wknd i was very intrigued. Since the deck was so affordable I couldn't resist. As a longtime fair-deck player, I wondered if i would be able to switch gears into something so explosive. The answer is Yes. After assembling the deck I only goldfished it for a few days before playing in 2 GPT's for Louisville. I went a combined 10-2-2 winning* the GPT on the second day (opponents in quarters and finals had their byes already). I was playing the below list which is essentially the Euro EW list + decay.

4 Chancellor of the Annex
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Griselbrand
1 Sire of Insanity
1 Grave Titan
1 Tidespout Tyrant

4 Dark Ritual
4 Lotus Petal
4 Exhume
4 Entomb
4 Reanimate
4 Faithless looting
3 Animate Dead
2 Collective Brutality
2 Thoughtseize

3 Badlands
1 Bayou
2 Swamp
1 Mountain
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Polluted Delta

3 Blood Moon
3 Sneak Attack
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Pithing Needle
2 Thoughtseize
1 Elesh Norn
1 Iona

Overall, the deck was pretty insane and had multiple instances of people conceding on my turn one to blood moon, sire on insanity, griselbrand/griselbrand+another body. Other MVP's were chancellor of the annex and collective brutality (kinda want to try a third one)

I lost to DnT (gm 3 T1 sire - top deck plains/plow/plains/rip....) and sneak and show (i resolve griselbrand T2 twice and lose). Beat Chandra stompy, esper deathblade, grixis delver, infect, grixis control x2, sneak and show (exact deck as above, dif pilot) and jund. As you can see, i think these are pretty favourable matches, and i managed to dodge eldrazi and miracles. Unfortunately I'm going to be very busy until the GP and won't get to test again, I am considering making the below sideboard changes to shore up creature matches and heavy GY hate matches. Pithing needle was meh, the deck feels like it wants heavy hitters only in the sb.

3 Blood moon
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Sneak Attack
2 Stronghold Gambit
2 Thoughtseize
1 Blazing Archon
1 Elesh Norn
1 Iona

Interested to hear your thought or comments on my choices, also willing to hear about strategies for playing against eldrazi/chalice decks and miracles and other potential sideboard options.

Merry reanimating!

[bbogdon]

Went 3-0-1 (ID'd finals) last night at weekly legacy with this:


Creatures: 11
2 Sire of Insanity
4 Griselbrand
4 Chancellor of the Annex
1 Tidespout Tyrant

Fast Mana: 8
4 Lotus Petal
4 Dark Ritual

Discard: 8
4 Thoughtseize
4 Unmask

Card Selection: 8
4 Faithless Looting
4 Entomb

Reanimation: 11
4 Reanimate
4 Exhume
3 Animate Dead

Lands: 14
3 Badlands
1 Bayou
3 Swamp
2 Marsh Flats
2 Bloodstained Mire
3 Polluted Delta

SB: 15
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Grave Titan
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
3 Abrupt Decay
2 Collective Brutality
3 Stronghold Gambit
1 Massacre
3 Reverent Silence

M1: Pox (2-1)
M2: UBg Reanimator (2-0)
M3: D&T (2-1)
M4: Shardless (0-0-3)

Going forward, I'm going to drop a basic swamp for another Bayou. Didn't like being so vulnerable to wasteland in post-board games (specifically against D&T).

My question for you gents is this: should I drop the Grave Titan in the sideboard for an Archetype of Endurance? And should I try to make room in my board for 2-3 Blood Moon, or is that just not worth it?

Based on my somewhat limited experience and opinion I think the blood moon option works best when you have simian spirit guide to cast it on turn 1 more consistently. I am playing 3 + simian and it feels great! I posted my list on here recently, check it out!

[PhyrexianLibrarian]

My question for you gents is this: should I drop the Grave Titan in the sideboard for an Archetype of Endurance? And should I try to make room in my board for 2-3 Blood Moon, or is that just not worth it?

Personal opinion: I don't see the point of Archetype of Endurance in this deck. It's only a singleton so you have to either get lucky or Entomb it out, and do you really want to reanimate it first so that your other "actual" threat is protected? Why wouldn't you just get a Griselbrand first, and draw cards into a second one if/when they remove the first one? Archetype is a defensive threat in a deck that doesn't want to play defense, while Grave Titan is the fastest clock you have.

Blood Moon is a meta call, if you play against a lot of Lands/Loam/Eldrazi and other decks that are likely to run things like Leyline of the Void, Glacial Chasm, Maze of Ith, etc., I think it's a great choice. A deck that tries to lock you down T1, but doesn't kill you until several turns later, seems ripe for being Mooned.

[16km]

My question for you gents is this: should I drop the Grave Titan in the sideboard for an Archetype of Endurance? And should I try to make room in my board for 2-3 Blood Moon, or is that just not worth it?

What do you want the Archetype of Endurance for? I found trying to get Archetype out along with something else is sometimes pretty difficult. Archetype also dies to a bunch of creatures. I found Inkwell Leviathan to be better in most cases.

Not too sure about Blood Moon. I haven't played a game where I really needed it. In match ups where Blood Moon seems good, I go for Sire as my target.

[Zooligan]

What do you want the Archetype of Endurance for? I found trying to get Archetype out along with something else is sometimes pretty difficult. Archetype also dies to a bunch of creatures. I found Inkwell Leviathan to be better in most cases.

Not too sure about Blood Moon. I haven't played a game where I really needed it. In match ups where Blood Moon seems good, I go for Sire as my target.

Archetype is good against decks playing Karakas and StP.

[KnightJay96]

I'm not playing in Louisville in a few weeks, but I got a Legacy FNM this week. Thoughts on my list?

[Quentin Coldman]

Do you really need Decay, Brutality AND Massacre in the sideboard? Seems like a little bit too much 4 me.

[Doneval]

I haven't seen many lists running Ashen Rider, but it seems like a great option against the mirror (especially on the draw). Thoughts?

[DNSolver]

I haven't seen many lists running Ashen Rider, but it seems like a great option against the mirror (especially on the draw). Thoughts?

Ashen Rider doesn't do anything.

If they made Griselbrand, they already drew a billion cards. You should also, given the chance.

If they made Iona on black, you're dead. Now you can't make Ashen Rider.

If it's post-board, you should have grave hate like Faerie Macabre.

If anything, the creature that deals with permanents is Tidespout Tyrant.

[elFinFas]

Hy,
I'm new arround here and i have a doubt!
What matchups we should use the stronghold gambit and what's the tech?!
Because al the matchups i imagine ti side it in have creatures whith lowest converted mana cost!
Thanks


Enviado do meu iPhone usando o Tapatalk

[Whitefaces]

Hy,
I'm new arround here and i have a doubt!
What matchups we should use the stronghold gambit and what's the tech?!
Because al the matchups i imagine ti side it in have creatures whith lowest converted mana cost!
Thanks


Enviado do meu iPhone usando o Tapatalk

You sideboard it in vs decks with very few or no creatures usually when you suspect they will sideboard into GY hate. You can clear the way with Thoughtseize and Unmask too to make sure you get your creature into play.