OK, so this is a work in progress. Basically I wanted a new deck that doesn't use Prime Time, Prophet, Thragtusk, or any of the other cards I routinely build around. since we all know BUG are the best three colors in Magic, I thought I would try my hand at these. I'm a bit out of my element because I usually use BGW for GY decks (Unburial Rites), so I need some advice.
Memory Plunder - I went for the mass effect with Diluvian instead
Balustrade Spy - Mind Grind seems better, but maybe I'm missing something?
Dredge seems unnecessary with the Mulch, Salvage and Wayfinder, Am I off-base? Any ideas or obvious things I missed? I'm concerned about not having life gain, should I toss 1-2 Whips for that?
The biggest problem with your deck is that it doesn't do anything. No, seriously, goldfish the thing and pretend that your first Animate Deaded creature gets removed. Now imagine what would happen if your opponents cast some Grizzly Bears and Nessian Coursers. You're literally drawing dead. This deck needs an actual midgame that isn't just self-mill. Your relevant cards either cost 2, 4 or 7 mana and that's just way too big of a gap for "competitive" play. Your current build of 21 mill cards (it's literally 21, I counted) plus do-nothings such as Elixir of Immortality is simply far too durdly. Basically what this deck needs is another solid 4 drop, max 5 drop, that it can use to stabilize the midgame. Thragtusk seems acceptable given that it's big dumb thing that gums up the ground and that it curves naturally off of Dread Return or Soul Ransom. You need to cut back on the mill and focus more on payoff cards/or things that can buy you some time.
You basically just removed 2x Soul Ransom, a dorky 4 drop blocker, and added 2x Reaper of the Wilds, a dorky 4 drop blocker. That wasn't exactly what I had in mind :>.
There's just a lot about this deck that doesn't make sense. For example, why Dread Return? Isn't it basically just Zombify in this list? Is that all you're looking for? If you want this to be an Enchantment deck then just build an Enchantment deck. Run the 4x Commune with the Gods and some Kruphix's Insights and cut the Mind Grinds, Salvages, Mulches, Alchemies, etc. You don't need more than 12 enablers and so Wayfinders, Communes and Insights should suffice. Past that all of your key spells can be things like Animate Dead, Necromancy, Soul Ransom and even Diabolic Servitude can replace Dread Return. If you still need more milll, hey, there's always Nyx Weaver which is a warm body, an Enchantment, a Regrowth, etc. Want card advantage and lifegain? Courser of Kruphix is fresh out of Standard and most of your self-mill can find it.
You just need to focus on synergy more. Try to build a deck with a consistent, linear, powerful gameplan.
There's just a lot about this deck that doesn't make sense. For example, why Dread Return? Isn't it basically just Zombify in this list? Is that all you're looking for? If you want this to be an Enchantment deck then just build an Enchantment deck. Run the 4x Commune with the Gods and some Kruphix's Insights and cut the Mind Grinds, Salvages, Mulches, Alchemies, etc. You don't need more than 12 enablers and so Wayfinders, Communes and Insights should suffice. Past that all of your key spells can be things like Animate Dead, Necromancy, Soul Ransom and even Diabolic Servitude can replace Dread Return. If you still need more milll, hey, there's always Nyx Weaver which is a warm body, an Enchantment, a Regrowth, etc. Want card advantage and lifegain? Courser of Kruphix is fresh out of Standard and most of your self-mill can find it.
You just need to focus on synergy more. Try to build a deck with a consistent, linear, powerful gameplan.
I don't want another Enchantment deck, the point was to add a way to grab the Bow or Animate Dead during the mill process.
Dread Return is there for the Flashback and I would sacrifice the satyrs, zombie tokens, stolen cards with primordial or 'control magic' when it was in there. Basically, it's my idea of replacing Unburial Rites.
Courser and Weaver do look better as a starting point. I started with my core 12 mill cards and the plasm and wanted to go from there. You are right, when I look at my other GY decks, I have about 15 mill cards, not over 20. If I go 4x Commune and remove the Salvage, that makes more sense if I use Courser and Weaver. Or is it better to keep Salvage and drop Mulch?
Dread Return is there for the Flashback and I would sacrifice the satyrs, zombie tokens, stolen cards with primordial or 'control magic' when it was in there. Basically, it's my idea of replacing Unburial Rites.
DR isn't Rites. You don't have nearly enough fodder to make that gameplan consistent. The card is a glorified Zombify in this type of list. That's why I think that it's very important that you add fetchable recursion such as Diabolic Servitude and more Enchantment fetchers. Like, you cats Mulch/Salvage/Satyr or whatever and mill over a DR. When can you realistically flash it back? 5 turns in the future? If that?
Courser and Weaver do look better as a starting point. I started with my core 12 mill cards and the plasm and wanted to go from there. You are right, when I look at my other GY decks, I have about 15 mill cards, not over 20. If I go 4x Commune and remove the Salvage, that makes more sense if I use Courser and Weaver. Or is it better to keep Salvage and drop Mulch?
Mulch in a 21 land deck isn't amazing. Your P(X < 2)= 0.56224 meaning you'll hit fewer than 2 lands ~56% of the time. I don't consider that be great. It's not unplayable but you're dog to get decent value out of the thing so it really depends on how much risk you're willing to undertake.
I really want to make this deck work, but I'm having a hard time evaluating the card draw/GY dump. Any thoughts on these? I can make cases for each one, but none standout as a clear winner other than lowest CMC.
Your deck is full of powerful cards but it doesn't know what it wants to be. Right now you're split between building a Sultai value deck and an actual Reanimator list. On the one hand you have "bad" cards like Commune with the Gods and Satyr Wayfinder that don't do anything other than dump ***** into your GY. This is fine if your deck also happens to have a ton of Animate Deads and such but yours has 2. On the other hand you have all of these "good cards" such as Coiling Oracle, Courser, FoF, etc. that are good at winning fair games of Magic but at the same time you'll never beat the guy who just recurs a Sylvan Primordial on turn 3 every game by curving his "bad cards" into broken recursion.
When it comes to draw spells cards like Careful Study and Frantic Search are broken as **** but only in the decks with 4x Animate Dead, 4x Dance of the Dead, 2x Necromancy and then like 1-2x Diabolic Servitude. Otherwise they're just card disadvantage. Thirst for Knowledge is just a weaker version of either in the unfair decks and the fair decks don't want to pay 3 mana to draw a card. There's basically no reason to ever play TfK in this archetype. Forbidden Alchemy is least powerful/abusable of the lot because it doesn't provide good value until you flash it back but the game should already be won or lost at that point. Fact or Fiction is the best fair spell for fair decks but it's freaking slow if you're using it as a discard outlet. You're not even cheating your threats into play at that point because any list can crank out a turn 5 fatty. Otherwise the main card that you're overlooking is Trade Secrets which is either a draw 4 or a "you win the game" if the person draws more than once.
When it comes to Reanimation there's no reason to ever run Zombify and Exhume is too weak in an MP setting. Otherwise I dislike Reanimate because smart players will pressure you and so it will frequently be a dead draw. The others I like but when it comes to Victimize only as a 1-2 of and only if you have sufficient fodder for it. The card is very good but it's 3 CMC, conditional, the dudes ETBT, etc. In general Animate Dead and Necromancy are hard to beat and I always run a copy of Diabolic Servitude. Right or wrong I like having something persistent.
Ok, I took your advice under consideration and combined it with the discussion on the Meren/ZC thread. What about this? What are the current things that stick out or seem missing?
Ok, I took your advice under consideration and combined it with the discussion on the Meren/ZC thread. What about this? What are the current things that stick out or seem missing?
Were I building a similar deck myself I'd probably cut the DEN and E.Monument and add some more value 4 drops to try and flatten the curve a bit. I'm not sure if this is the best Wake the Dead deck either but it's tough to say. It doesn't exactly combo well with Altar of the Brood and it's not though you have Mikaeus, the Unhallowed who would enable you to permanently res your dudes with the thing. Otherwise, the main difference between our styles is that I prefer to field Careful Study where you currently have Altar of the Brood. Neither is strictly better or worse than the other or anything but CS allows for more explosive starts by easily enabling turn 2 Reanimation if desired. You have a lot of 5+ drops for a 22 land deck with no consistent ramp which pushes me towards wanting more card manipulation in general. Even if you're not doing something broken pitching creatures and finding lands is fine as long as you plan on recurring them at some point in the future.
If you're adding 4x Basalt Monolith I would personally slam 4x Mesmeric Orb in there (over the Altars) to pair with it. Monolith can continually untap itself which means that you can mill as much as you want. I realize that Orb isn't especially budget-friendly but this is such a powerful synergy that I have to propose it at the very least.
If you're adding 4x Basalt Monolith I would personally slam 4x Mesmeric Orb in there (over the Altars) to pair with it. Monolith can continually untap itself which means that you can mill as much as you want. I realize that Orb isn't especially budget-friendly but this is such a powerful synergy that I have to propose it at the very least.
This is a fantastic suggestion and I agree almost mandatory to mention it. I strongly believe if I get that combo in play I will be asked to shelve the deck. I'm using the Altar because the power level is lower and the group likes Jace's Erasure type cards. I don't want to do too much and the possibility of a turn two game changer is already reasonably high.
Are you set on keeping the Alters in there? You already have Frantic Search which is baller and now you've even added Careful Study. Is your deck going to have enough action to close the game out still? Hell, with all of this ramp and card disadvantage it might be worth taking the time to look at Sandstone Oracle even.
I always wonder... Why people play enchantment reanimation?
Probably a lot less hate in your environments.
Plus I always prefer killing and animating opposing fatties to self mill reanimate.
Killing opposing fatties is always a good plan...
So I tend to run more cards like:
Never got Chainer, Dementia Master running.
I used to love Coffin Queen but since our meta got a little more deadly she never makes the cut.
Hmmm... Maybe I should dust her off again, for old times sake.
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In magic there's Harry Dresden, Fizban, Sethra Lavode, Dorotea Senjak and me...
My meta: 3 or 4 player free for all, anything goes but boring games or broken decks cause a vote to end that game.
I always wonder... Why people play enchantment reanimation?
Probably a lot less hate in your environments.
Statistically speaking decks are (on average) going to have significantly more answers to creatures than they will Enchs/Arts. Furthermore, when it comes to a card like Animate Dead you can't really blow it out. If people have removal for it, cool. You paid 2 mana and 1 card to revive a giant fatty that A) probably got a nice ETB trigger and B) could have potentially gone unanswered and maybe even won the game. The worst-case scenario is still favorable for you and the best case is living the dream.
That said, the beacon is my least used option these days.
The lich, the rat and sometimes even the dragon (Teneb, the Harvester) are used more.
But hey, if these don't cut it for you no harm.
To me the animates, dances and necromancies are way too fragile to enter the red zone with.
But that's not what you do probably. Your Merchants and Kokuskos couldn't care less about attacking.
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In magic there's Harry Dresden, Fizban, Sethra Lavode, Dorotea Senjak and me...
My meta: 3 or 4 player free for all, anything goes but boring games or broken decks cause a vote to end that game.
To me the animates, dances and necromancies are way too fragile to enter the red zone with.
But that's not what you do probably. Your Merchants and Kokuskos couldn't care less about attacking.
In most cases, I agree with your assessment. I generally play the Enchantments on creatures that don't attack. In this deck, they are meant to also work well with the Altar. I don't play the cards you mention, but to be fair, most of mine do have ETB effects, so it amounts to a similar result.
I'm happy to report that after all the holidays and snow-mageddon, I was finally able to field this deck and try it out. It was a huge success! I manage to play it two times at a table of five and the first time I had the clear advantage and lost to Villainous Wealth cast on me, and the second game I eliminated all opponents.
It is clear that I need to adjust a few slots. When I stole form the opponents graveyards, I noticed token generators really enabled Altar of the Brood. Of note, Dragon Broodmother was unbelievably strong. I also accepted a suggestion to add Undead Alchemist. The big drawback with this guy is that I won't be able to recur those creatures if they get exiled.
The intention of this deck is not to mill out my opponents, but it seems with 2x Altar on the board, it will happen anyway and if I can push it just a bit more, I will win the race.
Does anyone have any suggestions that jump out at you?
Also to note, my underperformers were Meren and Archfiend. I think these need to go in a different deck with ZC and return to battlefield effects.
What do you think about multiples of Aberration or the Primordials?
I also accepted a suggestion to add Undead Alchemist. The big drawback with this guy is that I won't be able to recur those creatures if they get exiled.
That shouldn't matter because you'll instantly mill out the entire table and make a huge army of zombies.
OK, so I should look at it more as a win condition instead of making the gameplay lose some of its value? That makes sense. Sometimes you just need to talk (type) it out to clear up the confusion. Thanks!
Updated based on this thread.
4x Breeding Pool
2x Forest
3x Island
4x Overgrown Tomb
1x Swamp
4x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
1-drop (8)
4x Altar of the Brood
4x Careful Study
2x Animate Dead
3x Dance of the Dead
4x Satyr Wayfinder
3-drop (7)
4x Frantic Search
3x Merciless Executioner
4-drop (2)
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
1x Undead Alchemist
5-drop (3)
1x Consuming Aberration
1x Havengul Lich
1x The Mimeoplasm
1x Grave Titan
1x Greenwarden of Murasa
1x Massacre Wurm
7-drop (5)
1x Avenger of Zendikar
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Sylvan Primordial
8-drop (1)
1x Verdant Force
1x Consuming Aberration
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Havengul Lich
1x Massacre Wurm
4x Satyr Wayfinder
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
1x Sylvan Primordial
1x The Mimeoplasm
2x Animate Dead
2x Soul Ransom
1x Sultai Ascendancy
Artifact (1)
1x Elixir of Immortality
Sorcery (14)
4x Dread Return
4x Mind Grind
4x Mulch
2x Whispering Madness
3x Forbidden Alchemy
4x Grisly Salvage
Land (21)
4x Breeding Pool
2x Forest
2x Hinterland Harbor
4x Overgrown Tomb
2x Swamp
3x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
Dredge seems unnecessary with the Mulch, Salvage and Wayfinder, Am I off-base? Any ideas or obvious things I missed? I'm concerned about not having life gain, should I toss 1-2 Whips for that?
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
4x Breeding Pool
2x Forest
2x Hinterland Harbor
4x Overgrown Tomb
2x Swamp
3x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
Creature (14)
1x Consuming Aberration
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Havengul Lich
1x Massacre Wurm
2x Reaper of the Wilds
4x Satyr Wayfinder
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
1x Sylvan Primordial
1x The Mimeoplasm
2x Forbidden Alchemy
4x Grisly Salvage
Sorcery (14)
2x Commune with the Gods
4x Dread Return
2x Mind Grind
4x Mulch
2x Whispering Madness
Enchantment (4)
2x Animate Dead
1x Exquisite Blood
1x Sultai Ascendancy
1x Bow of Nylea
There's just a lot about this deck that doesn't make sense. For example, why Dread Return? Isn't it basically just Zombify in this list? Is that all you're looking for? If you want this to be an Enchantment deck then just build an Enchantment deck. Run the 4x Commune with the Gods and some Kruphix's Insights and cut the Mind Grinds, Salvages, Mulches, Alchemies, etc. You don't need more than 12 enablers and so Wayfinders, Communes and Insights should suffice. Past that all of your key spells can be things like Animate Dead, Necromancy, Soul Ransom and even Diabolic Servitude can replace Dread Return. If you still need more milll, hey, there's always Nyx Weaver which is a warm body, an Enchantment, a Regrowth, etc. Want card advantage and lifegain? Courser of Kruphix is fresh out of Standard and most of your self-mill can find it.
You just need to focus on synergy more. Try to build a deck with a consistent, linear, powerful gameplan.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
I don't want another Enchantment deck, the point was to add a way to grab the Bow or Animate Dead during the mill process.
Dread Return is there for the Flashback and I would sacrifice the satyrs, zombie tokens, stolen cards with primordial or 'control magic' when it was in there. Basically, it's my idea of replacing Unburial Rites.
Courser and Weaver do look better as a starting point. I started with my core 12 mill cards and the plasm and wanted to go from there. You are right, when I look at my other GY decks, I have about 15 mill cards, not over 20. If I go 4x Commune and remove the Salvage, that makes more sense if I use Courser and Weaver. Or is it better to keep Salvage and drop Mulch?
Is this better?
1x Consuming Aberration
4x Courser of Kruphix
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Havengul Lich
1x Massacre Wurm
3x Nyx Weaver
4x Satyr Wayfinder
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
1x Sylvan Primordial
1x The Mimeoplasm
4x Breeding Pool
2x Forest
2x Hinterland Harbor
4x Overgrown Tomb
2x Swamp
3x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
Artifact (1)
1x Bow of Nylea
4x Commune with the Gods
4x Dread Return
3x Mind Grind
4x Mulch
Enchantment (4)
2x Animate Dead
1x Exquisite Blood
1x Sultai Ascendancy
Ok, so why not add 8 ways and field revival that can also be fetched? What's wrong with consistency and synergy?
DR isn't Rites. You don't have nearly enough fodder to make that gameplan consistent. The card is a glorified Zombify in this type of list. That's why I think that it's very important that you add fetchable recursion such as Diabolic Servitude and more Enchantment fetchers. Like, you cats Mulch/Salvage/Satyr or whatever and mill over a DR. When can you realistically flash it back? 5 turns in the future? If that?
Mulch in a 21 land deck isn't amazing. Your P(X < 2)= 0.56224 meaning you'll hit fewer than 2 lands ~56% of the time. I don't consider that be great. It's not unplayable but you're dog to get decent value out of the thing so it really depends on how much risk you're willing to undertake.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
- Breakthrough
- Careful Study
- Fact or Fiction
- Forbidden Alchemy
- Frantic Search
- Thirst for Knowledge
My current list after editing:4x Coiling Oracle
1x Consuming Aberration
4x Courser of Kruphix
2x Deadeye Navigator
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Greenwarden of Murasa
1x Havengul Lich
1x Massacre Wurm
4x Satyr Wayfinder
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
1x Sylvan Primordial
1x The Mimeoplasm
4x Breeding Pool
2x Forest
2x Hinterland Harbor
2x Island
4x Overgrown Tomb
2x Swamp
3x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
Enchantment (5)
2x Animate Dead
1x Exquisite Blood
2x Sultai Ascendancy
4x Fact or Fiction
Sorcery (4)
4x Commune with the Gods
Artifact (1)
1x Bow of Nylea
When it comes to draw spells cards like Careful Study and Frantic Search are broken as **** but only in the decks with 4x Animate Dead, 4x Dance of the Dead, 2x Necromancy and then like 1-2x Diabolic Servitude. Otherwise they're just card disadvantage. Thirst for Knowledge is just a weaker version of either in the unfair decks and the fair decks don't want to pay 3 mana to draw a card. There's basically no reason to ever play TfK in this archetype. Forbidden Alchemy is least powerful/abusable of the lot because it doesn't provide good value until you flash it back but the game should already be won or lost at that point. Fact or Fiction is the best fair spell for fair decks but it's freaking slow if you're using it as a discard outlet. You're not even cheating your threats into play at that point because any list can crank out a turn 5 fatty. Otherwise the main card that you're overlooking is Trade Secrets which is either a draw 4 or a "you win the game" if the person draws more than once.
When it comes to Reanimation there's no reason to ever run Zombify and Exhume is too weak in an MP setting. Otherwise I dislike Reanimate because smart players will pressure you and so it will frequently be a dead draw. The others I like but when it comes to Victimize only as a 1-2 of and only if you have sufficient fodder for it. The card is very good but it's 3 CMC, conditional, the dudes ETBT, etc. In general Animate Dead and Necromancy are hard to beat and I always run a copy of Diabolic Servitude. Right or wrong I like having something persistent.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
4x Breeding Pool
3x Forest
2x Island
4x Overgrown Tomb
2x Swamp
3x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
1-drop (6)
4x Altar of the Brood
2x Tragic Slip
2x Animate Dead
4x Coiling Oracle
4x Dance of the Dead
2x Fauna Shaman
1x Wake the Dead
3-drop (4)
4x Frantic Search
4-drop (2)
1x Meren of Clan Nel Toth
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
5-drop (5)
1x Archfiend of Depravity
1x Consuming Aberration
1x Eldrazi Monument
1x Havengul Lich
1x The Mimeoplasm
2x Deadeye Navigator
1x Greenwarden of Murasa
1x Massacre Wurm
7-drop (4)
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Sylvan Primordial
Were I building a similar deck myself I'd probably cut the DEN and E.Monument and add some more value 4 drops to try and flatten the curve a bit. I'm not sure if this is the best Wake the Dead deck either but it's tough to say. It doesn't exactly combo well with Altar of the Brood and it's not though you have Mikaeus, the Unhallowed who would enable you to permanently res your dudes with the thing. Otherwise, the main difference between our styles is that I prefer to field Careful Study where you currently have Altar of the Brood. Neither is strictly better or worse than the other or anything but CS allows for more explosive starts by easily enabling turn 2 Reanimation if desired. You have a lot of 5+ drops for a 22 land deck with no consistent ramp which pushes me towards wanting more card manipulation in general. Even if you're not doing something broken pitching creatures and finding lands is fine as long as you plan on recurring them at some point in the future.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
4x Breeding Pool
1x Forest
4x Island
4x Overgrown Tomb
1x Swamp
4x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
1-drop (8)
4x Altar of the Brood
4x Careful Study
2x Animate Dead
4x Coiling Oracle
3x Dance of the Dead
3-drop (8)
4x Basalt Monolith
4x Frantic Search
4-drop (2)
1x Meren of Clan Nel Toth
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
5-drop (4)
1x Archfiend of Depravity
1x Consuming Aberration
1x Havengul Lich
1x The Mimeoplasm
1x Greenwarden of Murasa
1x Massacre Wurm
1x Primeval Titan
7-drop (4)
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Sylvan Primordial
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
Are you set on keeping the Alters in there? You already have Frantic Search which is baller and now you've even added Careful Study. Is your deck going to have enough action to close the game out still? Hell, with all of this ramp and card disadvantage it might be worth taking the time to look at Sandstone Oracle even.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
Probably a lot less hate in your environments.
Plus I always prefer killing and animating opposing fatties to self mill reanimate.
Killing opposing fatties is always a good plan...
So I tend to run more cards like:
Never got Chainer, Dementia Master running.
I used to love Coffin Queen but since our meta got a little more deadly she never makes the cut.
Hmmm... Maybe I should dust her off again, for old times sake.
My meta: 3 or 4 player free for all, anything goes but boring games or broken decks cause a vote to end that game.
Statistically speaking decks are (on average) going to have significantly more answers to creatures than they will Enchs/Arts. Furthermore, when it comes to a card like Animate Dead you can't really blow it out. If people have removal for it, cool. You paid 2 mana and 1 card to revive a giant fatty that A) probably got a nice ETB trigger and B) could have potentially gone unanswered and maybe even won the game. The worst-case scenario is still favorable for you and the best case is living the dream.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
That said, the beacon is my least used option these days.
The lich, the rat and sometimes even the dragon (Teneb, the Harvester) are used more.
But hey, if these don't cut it for you no harm.
To me the animates, dances and necromancies are way too fragile to enter the red zone with.
But that's not what you do probably. Your Merchants and Kokuskos couldn't care less about attacking.
My meta: 3 or 4 player free for all, anything goes but boring games or broken decks cause a vote to end that game.
Eight cold Hells that eventually lead to Diyu (the *real* Chinese Hell) as a matter of fact!
You're comparing apples to oranges. Entomb, Hapless Researcher, Careful Study and/or Frantic Search into Animate Dead/Necromancy enables extremely fast and powerful plays such as turn 2 Archetype of Endurance, Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur or Griselbrand. That's not a feat that the cards you highlighted can boast. In slower, grindier games where you need to constantly recur threats they have their place but that's a very different style of deck.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
And I only just realized that.
Call me slow.
I'll rethink. And will probably advise using Reanimate more often.
('Cause I still don't like enchantments and that 1 CMC is just too cool.)
Seeing the light (a little better),
Matthijs.
My meta: 3 or 4 player free for all, anything goes but boring games or broken decks cause a vote to end that game.
4x Breeding Pool
1x Forest
4x Island
4x Overgrown Tomb
1x Swamp
4x Watery Grave
4x Woodland Cemetery
1-drop (8)
4x Altar of the Brood
4x Careful Study
2x Animate Dead
3x Dance of the Dead
4x Satyr Wayfinder
3-drop (8)
4x Frantic Search
4x Merciless Executioner
4-drop (2)
1x Meren of Clan Nel Toth
1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
5-drop (4)
1x Archfiend of Depravity
1x Consuming Aberration
1x Havengul Lich
1x The Mimeoplasm
1x Greenwarden of Murasa
1x Massacre Wurm
1x Primeval Titan
7-drop (4)
1x Diluvian Primordial
1x Sepulchral Primordial
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Sylvan Primordial
That way your lich opens all graves...
My meta: 3 or 4 player free for all, anything goes but boring games or broken decks cause a vote to end that game.
It is clear that I need to adjust a few slots. When I stole form the opponents graveyards, I noticed token generators really enabled Altar of the Brood. Of note, Dragon Broodmother was unbelievably strong. I also accepted a suggestion to add Undead Alchemist. The big drawback with this guy is that I won't be able to recur those creatures if they get exiled.
The intention of this deck is not to mill out my opponents, but it seems with 2x Altar on the board, it will happen anyway and if I can push it just a bit more, I will win the race.
Does anyone have any suggestions that jump out at you?
Also to note, my underperformers were Meren and Archfiend. I think these need to go in a different deck with ZC and return to battlefield effects.
What do you think about multiples of Aberration or the Primordials?