While I do really like that Ezuri I dont think he is that good in animar. I could see him in a non combo version for just more pump but in combo animar I don't think he really does anything. He could be really good in corner cases where for some reason you cant play animar and get a couple counters going with Ezuri and when you finally do play your animar he pumps him but outside of that.
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SonofaBith - Wizards was so excited about making the packaging for Modern Masters 2 recyclable, they decided to make most of the rares and all but 1 of the UC's recycle-bin ready too. Convenient!
I'm personally eyeballing Illusory Ambusher. Instant speed card draw on a creature... Potentially for 1 mana? Yes please!
The thing is, I'd rather have a draw spell that is proactive instead of reactive. I ran Consecrated Sphinx in an earlier listing and then you realize that you have to let your opponent play and potentially mess you up just to get extra cards. Meanwhile, you could just play Slithermuse/Mull Drifter/whatever and draw cards during your turn and increase your options.
Big difference between CS and Ambusher. Ambusher is a surprise instant speed creature that'll draw cards, CS is kill on sight and there's 0 surprise factor. Ambusher is still proactive in a sense (suprise blocker that can basically function as removal with a decent ammount of draw) and I'd rather draw my cards on an opponents turn and have all my mana open to cast what I draw, especially with the potential to draw a lot of cards.
Skullwinder can cost G at best, whereas Witness/Warden are GG and Den Protector is 1G. I think that makes a huge difference, and opens up more possibilities for loops. I'll probably try replacing Witness with Skullwinder. My hope is that there's one player who either doesn't have a graveyard or doesn't have good stuff in it. I feel like it'll mostly be giving people fetches.
Sandstone Oracle could be very solid. It's a Slithermuse effect on ETB instead of LTB. While it doesn't circumvent Torpor Orb, it can also be somewhat recursive with all the bounce cards. And while it would require more Animar counters, it can be free instead of costing U.
It's pretty good with Cloudstone Curio. Not infinite like with morphs/Eldrazi, but you can play Oracle, draw cards, play out creatures, returning Oracle at the end and recasting.
I don't think the Oracle will make the cut for me, I got rid of Slithermuse long ago because I'd much rather have the reliability of cards like Mulldrifter. Being an artifact does make it more appealing though. I don't think I'd ever drop E-witt but I think Skullwinder will warrant a spot.
When ~ comes into play creatures target player controls gets +2/+2 until end of turn. untap them 4/5
Even without Kiki Jiki I still think this card makes a good case for inclusion especially playing aggro, and the fact you can target any play so you can affect any attack on the board not just your attack or attacks against you
Sandstone Oracle could be very solid. It's a Slithermuse effect on ETB instead of LTB. While it doesn't circumvent Torpor Orb, it can also be somewhat recursive with all the bounce cards. And while it would require more Animar counters, it can be free instead of costing U.
It's pretty good with Cloudstone Curio. Not infinite like with morphs/Eldrazi, but you can play Oracle, draw cards, play out creatures, returning Oracle at the end and recasting.
Sandstone Oracle could be very solid. It's a Slithermuse effect on ETB instead of LTB. While it doesn't circumvent Torpor Orb, it can also be somewhat recursive with all the bounce cards. And while it would require more Animar counters, it can be free instead of costing U.
It's pretty good with Cloudstone Curio. Not infinite like with morphs/Eldrazi, but you can play Oracle, draw cards, play out creatures, returning Oracle at the end and recasting.
Yes it does. It just doesn't go back and forth infinitely. It works the way I described it. Cast Oracle, draw into creatures. Cast all those creatures, returning and recasting Oracle each time (or just at the end).
I'm much more concerned about a Supreme Verdict than this guy. Æther Snap has been a thing for a very long time and it never sees play, this guy would only see play by people who happen to also run snap. I fear nothing for I am the soul of elements.
I've been on holiday in Melbourne for PAX Australia, so not been in the thread for a couple of weeks. I'll write up a review once all the spoilers are done, but there are some nice cards in the set so far!
Arachnogenesis is going to be a great Kiki answer. Deadly tempest does us no favors either. Gigantoplasm is probably the standout. Illusionary ambusher may yield great results. Sandstone oracle, pathbreaker ibex, counterflux all will get played by someone in animar surely
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URGANIMARURG In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
Just a quick overview of cards i think might be interesting for us
Gigantoplasm I don't know if I'd run it over Phyrexian Metamorph but there's something to be said for copying the best creature in play and making yours bigger/less fragile
Illusory Ambusher Not a bad combat trick on defense get a bunch of cards but probably not what we need.
Magus of the Wheel discard an empty hand and refill while at the same time disrupting our opponents hands? Sounds good to me. Has some risk to it but I think potentially worth it.
Bloodspore Thrinax great for +1+1 counter decks also great if you have to recast Animar sac a bunch of your wood elves farhaven elves that aren't doing anything for you right now and you can can cast animar with a bunch of counters already on him.
Great Oak Guardian an Auto include works great with kiki jiki also works well with Cloudsstone curio a morph/free creature and green manner cast him 4-5 times and your army gets pretty big.
Pathbreaker Ibex I think this might be an auto include as well. Imagine having this and Xenagod on the field at the same time beginning of combat use Xenagos's to double your biggest creature's power then Ibex attacks and everything gets to double that creatures power for everyone.
Command Beacon Animar gets so much hate, being able to avoid the commander tax at least once is great, if your meta is heavy on removal that isn't black or white an easy auto include and just worth considering in general.
Caller of the Pack It's a dumb beater but not bad in an aggro version works well with Xenagos/Ibex
Arachnogenesis is going to be a great Kiki answer. Deadly tempest does us no favors either. Gigantoplasm is probably the standout. Illusionary ambusher may yield great results. Sandstone oracle, pathbreaker ibex, counterflux all will get played by someone in animar surely
Forgot about sandstone and yeah Arachnogenesis is going to potentially cause issues, might need to make sure you have purphoros before you combo off.
I dint think great oak guardian is going to play well with Kiki jiki. It almost has to have animar in play and doesn't offer the utility of exarch or conscripts.
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URGANIMARURG In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
You have Kiki Jiki in play you cast Great Oak your creatures get +2+2 and untap you tap kiki jiki to copy it, the copy enters the battlefield your creatures get +2+2 and untap including kiki jiki which you can then tap to make another Great Oak ad infinitum. How does allowing kiki to go infinite not work with it? Am i misreading the card?
Sandstone Oracle could be very solid. It's a Slithermuse effect on ETB instead of LTB. While it doesn't circumvent Torpor Orb, it can also be somewhat recursive with all the bounce cards. And while it would require more Animar counters, it can be free instead of costing U.
It's pretty good with Cloudstone Curio. Not infinite like with morphs/Eldrazi, but you can play Oracle, draw cards, play out creatures, returning Oracle at the end and recasting.
Yes it does. It just doesn't go back and forth infinitely. It works the way I described it. Cast Oracle, draw into creatures. Cast all those creatures, returning and recasting Oracle each time (or just at the end).
I humbly stand corrected. I guess I just was getting too used to going infinite with the Curio.
(*) Foil (P) Promo (A) Altered (F) Foreign (T) Testing for Fun, probably on it's way out (!) Broken Beyond Belief
This is really a deck I play frequently. All cards in it, I really own. Are there glaring omissions?
Recently I kicked out Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, he wasn't pulling his weight, and RRR in the mana was just too much.
In advance, I thank you for reading, and for your well-thought-through opinions.
@Marquisd. I just meant there's already better options like pestermite, deceiver exarch, bounding Krasis and zealous conscripts. The factors that would determine value for a Kiki combo piece would be utility, cost, and tutor ability. I just think it's out there with breaching hippocampus as redundant option.
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URGANIMARURG In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
So with all the creatures and etb effects Animar runs, what are people's thoughts on Blade of Selves? (I know 4 to equip eats up resources, but it seems like it could be pretty devastating without overextending like Animar seems to do.)
Gigantoplasm I don't know if I'd run it over Phyrexian Metamorph but there's something to be said for copying the best creature in play and making yours bigger/less fragile
I'm not sold on Gigantoplasm over Phyrexian Metamorph. The ability to copy artifacts gives extra value toward the metamorph, IMO. I think you're right on the Great Oak Guardian, seems to have interesting synergies, especially as mentioned for Kiki but also if you run convoke spells (I run Chord of Calling)
I'm surprised that Ezuri, Claw of Progress didn't get an honorable mention. I think it's cool but not auto in, it has a Forgotten Ancient/Xenagod hybrid effect depending on the number of little guys you run (which I think in most decks has ramp and mana dorks for days)
If you're running Clone you should be switching over to Gigantoplasm, it's strictly better. However, I think Clever Impersonator is better than both of these despite being a bit more painful in the UU department. And Phyrexian Metamorph beats all of these, especially in Animar because it's "free" and there's plenty to be said about being able to copy some dumb powerful artifact on the battlefield. Metamorph has much more versatility. If you ARE running clone, and budget isn't an issue, I would run Gilded Drake because its better to take your opponents big dumb thing than to have two on the field (I don't yet own one but it's on my wish list).
IMO there isn't much in this rotation that Animar cares immensely about. If you put anything in it's to spice things up more than to further streamline the list. And you know what? That's ok. Because I dunno about you guys but I'm nearly overwhelmed with the amount of options available to this commander.
I think the real decision on gigantoplasm (for myself) will be in opposition of phantasmal image. One has good early game synergies with other 1-3 CMC creatures whereas the other provides late game utility in the form of a mana sink/ win con. Suddenly your opponents infect, trample, horsemanship, indestructible guy is being blocked by a larger version of himself and you have the offensive presence. Interestingly the utility this clone provides isn't redundant to other clone utility such as vesuvan shapeshifters reusability, the haste of dack's duplicate, clever impersonators artifact clause, or sakshimas ability to become a second animar. I run 4 clones personally but there increasing standards of utility push me to consider working in more over bounce agents. The 3U cost redundancy on clone is something animar has been positioned to benefit from for some time. The fact I can clone your 2 power infect guy and pump for the win is icing on the cake.
Edit: some relevant interactions for gigantoplasm beyond infinite mana, or your new bloom tender surviving pyroclasm and toxic deluge type effects are synergies with prime speaker zegana, ulvenwald tracker, and stubborn denial
URGANIMARURG In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
For me, I think Gigantoplasm is a good mana sink for when you go infinite on a Palinchron loop. When I play animar, I usually don't run into the problem of having too much mana and nothing to do with it. Giggoloplasm isn't for me.
GW Rhys the Redeemed EDH
RUGAnimar, Soul of Elements EDH
WBRAlesha, Who Smiles at Death EDH
Big difference between CS and Ambusher. Ambusher is a surprise instant speed creature that'll draw cards, CS is kill on sight and there's 0 surprise factor. Ambusher is still proactive in a sense (suprise blocker that can basically function as removal with a decent ammount of draw) and I'd rather draw my cards on an opponents turn and have all my mana open to cast what I draw, especially with the potential to draw a lot of cards.
It's pretty good with Cloudstone Curio. Not infinite like with morphs/Eldrazi, but you can play Oracle, draw cards, play out creatures, returning Oracle at the end and recasting.
BWGJunkBWG
BRGJundBRG
B1Eldrazi ShopsB1
UAzami, Lady of ScrollsU
BGMeren of Clan Nel TothBG
BUWJenara, Asura of WarBUW
GURAnimar, Soul of ElementsGUR
Great Oak Guardian 5G
Flash
Reach
When ~ comes into play creatures target player controls gets +2/+2 until end of turn. untap them 4/5
Even without Kiki Jiki I still think this card makes a good case for inclusion especially playing aggro, and the fact you can target any play so you can affect any attack on the board not just your attack or attacks against you
Cloudstone Curio does'nt work with artifact critters.
WB Ayli, Eternal Recursion WB - GUPir and Toothy GU - WBR Mathas, Fiend SeekerWBR
Yes it does. It just doesn't go back and forth infinitely. It works the way I described it. Cast Oracle, draw into creatures. Cast all those creatures, returning and recasting Oracle each time (or just at the end).
BWGJunkBWG
BRGJundBRG
B1Eldrazi ShopsB1
UAzami, Lady of ScrollsU
BGMeren of Clan Nel TothBG
BUWJenara, Asura of WarBUW
GURAnimar, Soul of ElementsGUR
GWU Rafiq
RWB Zurgo
WBG Ghave
WUB Oloro
WBR Kaalia (Archived)
My Blog, currently working on series about my custom set Cazia.
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In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
Gigantoplasm I don't know if I'd run it over Phyrexian Metamorph but there's something to be said for copying the best creature in play and making yours bigger/less fragile
Illusory Ambusher Not a bad combat trick on defense get a bunch of cards but probably not what we need.
Magus of the Wheel discard an empty hand and refill while at the same time disrupting our opponents hands? Sounds good to me. Has some risk to it but I think potentially worth it.
Bloodspore Thrinax great for +1+1 counter decks also great if you have to recast Animar sac a bunch of your wood elves farhaven elves that aren't doing anything for you right now and you can can cast animar with a bunch of counters already on him.
Great Oak Guardian an Auto include works great with kiki jiki also works well with Cloudsstone curio a morph/free creature and green manner cast him 4-5 times and your army gets pretty big.
Pathbreaker Ibex I think this might be an auto include as well. Imagine having this and Xenagod on the field at the same time beginning of combat use Xenagos's to double your biggest creature's power then Ibex attacks and everything gets to double that creatures power for everyone.
Command Beacon Animar gets so much hate, being able to avoid the commander tax at least once is great, if your meta is heavy on removal that isn't black or white an easy auto include and just worth considering in general.
Caller of the Pack It's a dumb beater but not bad in an aggro version works well with Xenagos/Ibex
Forgot about sandstone and yeah Arachnogenesis is going to potentially cause issues, might need to make sure you have purphoros before you combo off.
In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
I humbly stand corrected. I guess I just was getting too used to going infinite with the Curio.
WB Ayli, Eternal Recursion WB - GUPir and Toothy GU - WBR Mathas, Fiend SeekerWBR
1 Animar, soul of Elements
Lands (37)
5 Island
1 Mountain
6 Forest
1 Tropical Island
1 Volcanic Island
1 Taiga
1 Breeding Pool
1 Stomping Ground
1 Steam Vents
1 Arid Mesa
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Flooded Strand
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Hinterland Harbour
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Mana Confluence (*)
1 Command Tower (A)
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Homeward Path
1 Kessig Wolf Run
Small Creatures
1 Birds of Paradise (A)
1 Shrieking Drake
2 Ainok Survivalist
2 Beastcaller Savant
2 Bloom Tender
2 Cloud of Faeries
2 Elvish Visionary (*) (F)
2 Den Protector
2 Gilded Drake
2 Phantasmal Image
2 Rattleclaw Mystic
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder (*) (P)
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Stratus Dancer
2 Sylvan Ranger (*)
2 Wall of Blossoms
2 Willbender
3 Eternal Witness
3 Farhaven Elf
3 Fierce Empath
3 Imperial Recruiter (!)
3 Man-o'-War
3 Reclamation Sage (P)
3 Sage of Fables (*)
3 Wood Elves (*) (P)
4 Ancestral Statue (!) (A)
4 Glen Elendra Archmage
4 Mystic Snake
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Purphoros, God of the Forge
4 Solemn Simulacrum
5 Kruphix, God of Horizons
5 Mulldrifter
5 Peregrine Drake
5 Prophet of Kruphix (*)
5 Surrak Dragonclaw (T)
5 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
5 Xenagos, God of Revels
6 Draining Whelk
6 Duplicant
6 Oblivion Sower (T)
6 Prime Speaker Zegana
6 Primordial Sage
6 Soul of the Harvest
6 Steel Hellkite
7 Palinchron (!)
8 Craterhoof Behemoth
8 Terrastodon
9 Artisan of Kozilek
10 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
11 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre (F)
Spells
1 Exploration
1 Glimpse of Nature
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Hardened Scales
1 Stubborn Denial
1 Swan Song
2 Earthcraft
3 Birthing Pod
3 Chord of Calling
3 Cloudstone Curio (*) (!)
(*) Foil (P) Promo (A) Altered (F) Foreign (T) Testing for Fun, probably on it's way out (!) Broken Beyond Belief
This is really a deck I play frequently. All cards in it, I really own. Are there glaring omissions?
Recently I kicked out Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, he wasn't pulling his weight, and RRR in the mana was just too much.
In advance, I thank you for reading, and for your well-thought-through opinions.
WB Ayli, Eternal Recursion WB - GUPir and Toothy GU - WBR Mathas, Fiend SeekerWBR
In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
I'm not sold on Gigantoplasm over Phyrexian Metamorph. The ability to copy artifacts gives extra value toward the metamorph, IMO. I think you're right on the Great Oak Guardian, seems to have interesting synergies, especially as mentioned for Kiki but also if you run convoke spells (I run Chord of Calling)
I'm surprised that Ezuri, Claw of Progress didn't get an honorable mention. I think it's cool but not auto in, it has a Forgotten Ancient/Xenagod hybrid effect depending on the number of little guys you run (which I think in most decks has ramp and mana dorks for days)
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
IMO there isn't much in this rotation that Animar cares immensely about. If you put anything in it's to spice things up more than to further streamline the list. And you know what? That's ok. Because I dunno about you guys but I'm nearly overwhelmed with the amount of options available to this commander.
BWGJunkBWG
BRGJundBRG
B1Eldrazi ShopsB1
UAzami, Lady of ScrollsU
BGMeren of Clan Nel TothBG
BUWJenara, Asura of WarBUW
GURAnimar, Soul of ElementsGUR
Edit: some relevant interactions for gigantoplasm beyond infinite mana, or your new bloom tender surviving pyroclasm and toxic deluge type effects are synergies with prime speaker zegana, ulvenwald tracker, and stubborn denial
In the folklore of its plane, the Animar is the ultimate source of all life—the seed from which all creation grows. In the presence of Animar, crops blossom and herds thrive, and the wake of its wanderings determines the course of the seasons.
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar