Just reading over the primer, and I have a question: What happens when you achieve infinite mana with Animar? How do you win with that?
The only thing infinite mana gets you directly is an infinite/infinite Animar which could maybe one shot someone if they can't chump it. The real key to the deck is setting an infinite bounce chain that can either win outright (Purphoros, God of the Forge) or lock the board (Venser, Shaper Savant / Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger).
I like the new emerge creatures as they offer redundancy for Cloudstone Curio loops and also have an alternate way of reducing their own costs (if Animar is not on the field or at low number of +1/+1 counters).
The difficulty as always would be finding space for them, and realistically they're not good enough to replace existing good stuff in the deck, but they do offer interesting budget options if you don't have the Eldrazi legends on hand.
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.
Hmmmm Foul Emissary could be better than raven familiar but at least in my version I feel like I have enough creature search and not enough other.
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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!
Eldrich Evolution is a pretty good card offering more flexibility that the greenonly tutors in that it can find any creature, but worse in that it requires sacrificing something within a specific range (though I guess if you're desperate you can sac a big creature to find whatever you need). The biggest advantage I can see with Eldrich Evolution would be using it to find Ancestral Statue or Purphoros, God of the Forge, both which are otherwise a bit more difficult to tutor directly onto the field. That said, not a creature, so it would have to take one of the limited spots available for non-creature spells.
Foul Emissary could replace Raven Familiar if you're really keen on the creature search, but personally I value the flexibility of being able to grab a non-creature combo piece or land if necessary. If you can fit both in or haven't got a Raven Familiar, it's a decent effect on a cheap body.
Gelf announced a couple pages back that he would be stepping away from updating the main post/Primer although he'd still post offering help/advice. Part of the Primer status rules is maintaining and updating the main post, so it probably lost the status as a result of him stepping back, although he does participate in discussion in the thread.
Basically I've moved countries (from Australia to the UK) been travelling for the last 4 months and this deck is in storage at my Dad's place on the other side of the world
As I'm unable to keep the deck list updated for quite a while, I've retired the Primer. In the future I may reapply to have Primer status again, but I would need to overhaul the OP and honestly I'd like to overhaul the deck itself at the same time.
I can't speak for Gelf, but I can't see Decimator of Provinces as a replacement for Kozilek, Butcher of Truth. You mentioned it as a replacement for it's mana cost, not it's abilities, but what relevance does the mana cost have, here? Kozilek triggers Annihilator on attack, does something when you cast him and is Indestructible. If someone doesn't have Kozilek, I don't know why they'd play this for the sake of a high mana cost that's not really relevant given it has an ability that's not particularly relevant. Animar doesn't really swing in with it's creatures as many of them are combo pieces it doesn't want to lose to response effects, so the creature buff (even if repeated) seems pretty frivolous. There's probably other choices that fit more along with what the deck does.
You mentioned it as a replacement for it's mana cost, not it's abilities, but what relevance does the mana cost have, here?
My mistake: I didn't mention that I've thought about a 10 cmc to use with Birthing Pod and Artisan of Kozilek (to add a step to the Pod's chain, so to say), but its ability activates when you cast it.
It's still cheaper than Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, but I do agree that these two cards are uncomparable for their abilities.
If you really need a 10 drop in your Birthing Pod chain, this works, though what are you going up to at 11 mana? Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre? If you can't afford Kozilek, you're probably not needing the 10 drop in the chain.
The fact that they're on cast rather than Enter the Battlefield abilities also diminishes the usefulness.
And as mentioned Kozilek has such an amazing on cast trigger, it's really incomparable in terms of abilities.
I'm excited for that card for my Teysa and potentially Selvala, but I'm pretty sad, as well. I see R&D's logic being that this effect is no longer Red, and since they just reprinted a nearly functional reprint one, that's their way of saying "Close enough" and so it's going to be years before we ever get Imperial Recruiter reprinted, if ever :/ For them to come so close yet so far is telling of how they feel about it. Maybe by some miracle we'll get both in this set, though - one recruiting by toughness for the Guard, and one by power for Marchesa.
Out of all the cards from Kaladesh so far (and even in recent sets), I think Paradoxical Outcome has the most potential to be completely absurd in Animar.
Aetherflux Reservoir is cute but it feels like a "Win More" card that doesn't really do anything until a point in the game where you could probably already win without it. That's why I like Paradoxical Outcome so much is that it does something Animar really wants to do - return a lot of creatures to your hand to play for more ETB triggers and counters on Animar, but the ultimate payoff is that it provides a massive amount of card advantage and lets you dig for those combo pieces. Aetherflux Reservoir feels like an Artifact that will do nothing a lot of the time while you're trying to get in a safe range where spending 50 life won't put you in the danger zone of someone just sniping you off in response; or while you're waiting for a Cloudstone Curio or Ancestral Statue (which by then you probably already have another combo that can win without the Aetherflux Reservoir). I feel like it's kind of the same reason Warstorm Surge isn't really a thing. Yeah it can get the job done... eventually. But, it requires a lot more work than methods already employed in the deck. That's just my take on it, though. It's a neat card I'd be tempted to run in any Black deck using Exquisite Blood haha.
I agree with Xenphire regarding Aetherflux Reservoir, much like all the storm cards we already could play (Brain Freeze, Grapeshot and others), they rely on us actually already having an infinitely big Animar (thus a win condition sitting on the table already) before we can use them to win and don't do anything (or at least enough) if we haven't already met those conditions. Don't get me wrong, it's a very cool card and I don't blame people for wanting to play it, but realise it's win more if you're using it as a win condition.
Paradoxical Outcome does seem interesting. It's a way of protecting and gaining card advantage against a board wipe (if you can hold up four mana, which is a pretty big ask), or extending your reach on a turn you're going off but haven't drawn into other card draw engines. It's probably worth playing even if you're only bouncing three creatures, gives you three more ETB effects, if you have the mana and three additional cards, though it will obviously be tempting to wait until you can return a LOT more creatures to your hand, it might not always be the best move to do that. That said, it is difficult to find room for four mana non-creature spells in the deck, and this set is spoiling a few that fit that description (looking at you Panharmonicon!).
Rashmi, Eternities Crafter - sure, I'll take extra cascade! Essentially Maelstrom Nexus for a fraction of the cost! (alright, not quite that good, since it doesn't dig for the spell, it only looks at the top card, but it's still likely to net card advantage, especially if you flash spells in during other players turns).
Verdurous Gearhulk - meh, getting extra +1/+1 counters on Animar is really not that hard, I'd only include this if +1/+1 counters was the theme and I wanted to go wide to benefit from other effects, such as Armorcraft Judge.
I think what I love about Paradoxical Outcome is just how many efficient ways there are to play it in Animar. It can be played if you're dry on ways to abuse Shrieking Drake or it's ilk and you're having a hard time finding another bouncy ETB creature. Another option is to tap 3-4 Mana dorks (or more if you want to wait and be greedy :p) to float mana then bounce those back to your hand to draw cards and you should ideally find yourself in a position to drop them back out pretty easily with half of the mana investment needed otherwise. If you're fortunate enough to have a Gaea's Cradle you may well just be able to play Paradoxical Outcome and every creature you bounce, and then some. Some day, some day...
Panharmonicon is absolutely ridiculous and I love it. My only regret is that it's so good and as a artifact, I'm going to see everyone playing it and it's going to lose it's luster pretty fast after people start getting their hands on it, haha.
The only thing infinite mana gets you directly is an infinite/infinite Animar which could maybe one shot someone if they can't chump it. The real key to the deck is setting an infinite bounce chain that can either win outright (Purphoros, God of the Forge) or lock the board (Venser, Shaper Savant / Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger).
Retired Lists: Ghave - Hanna - Thrun - Zur
Pauper: Crypt Rats
The difficulty as always would be finding space for them, and realistically they're not good enough to replace existing good stuff in the deck, but they do offer interesting budget options if you don't have the Eldrazi legends on hand.
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.
GW Rhys the Redeemed EDH
RUGAnimar, Soul of Elements EDH
WBRAlesha, Who Smiles at Death EDH
Foul Emissary could replace Raven Familiar if you're really keen on the creature search, but personally I value the flexibility of being able to grab a non-creature combo piece or land if necessary. If you can fit both in or haven't got a Raven Familiar, it's a decent effect on a cheap body.
(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
(Also known as Xenphire)
As I'm unable to keep the deck list updated for quite a while, I've retired the Primer. In the future I may reapply to have Primer status again, but I would need to overhaul the OP and honestly I'd like to overhaul the deck itself at the same time.
(for its cmc, not for its abilities ;))
Tiny - Yasova
(Also known as Xenphire)
My mistake: I didn't mention that I've thought about a 10 cmc to use with Birthing Pod and Artisan of Kozilek (to add a step to the Pod's chain, so to say), but its ability activates when you cast it.
It's still cheaper than Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, but I do agree that these two cards are uncomparable for their abilities.
Tiny - Yasova
The fact that they're on cast rather than Enter the Battlefield abilities also diminishes the usefulness.
And as mentioned Kozilek has such an amazing on cast trigger, it's really incomparable in terms of abilities.
(ok, it's not exactly the same since it looks for toughness instead of power)
(Also known as Xenphire)
But that card makes me feel that Animar will soon be banned in duel commander.
Tiny - Yasova
(Also known as Xenphire)
I think Aetherflux Reservoir is gonna be huge, it's a new win condition for Animar with the simplest Ancestral Statue loop
(Also known as Xenphire)
Paradoxical Outcome does seem interesting. It's a way of protecting and gaining card advantage against a board wipe (if you can hold up four mana, which is a pretty big ask), or extending your reach on a turn you're going off but haven't drawn into other card draw engines. It's probably worth playing even if you're only bouncing three creatures, gives you three more ETB effects, if you have the mana and three additional cards, though it will obviously be tempting to wait until you can return a LOT more creatures to your hand, it might not always be the best move to do that. That said, it is difficult to find room for four mana non-creature spells in the deck, and this set is spoiling a few that fit that description (looking at you Panharmonicon!).
Rashmi, Eternities Crafter - sure, I'll take extra cascade! Essentially Maelstrom Nexus for a fraction of the cost! (alright, not quite that good, since it doesn't dig for the spell, it only looks at the top card, but it's still likely to net card advantage, especially if you flash spells in during other players turns).
Verdurous Gearhulk - meh, getting extra +1/+1 counters on Animar is really not that hard, I'd only include this if +1/+1 counters was the theme and I wanted to go wide to benefit from other effects, such as Armorcraft Judge.
Panharmonicon is absolutely ridiculous and I love it. My only regret is that it's so good and as a artifact, I'm going to see everyone playing it and it's going to lose it's luster pretty fast after people start getting their hands on it, haha.
P.S. In my post above, fixed it to mention Warstorm Surge, not Vicious Shadows which is completely irrelevant to the point I was making about Aetherflux Reservoir
(Also known as Xenphire)
Draw three or a maybe good damage...
Edit: there's also the invention version...
... but that's not the Kaladesh Inventions card of which I'm really interested.
Tiny - Yasova