Just looking for opinions. How many reanimation targets, enablers, and reanimation spells are necessary to support the reanimator archetype? It doesn't come up in my cube, and I'm thinking I don't run the support I need.
I wouldn't say I support it as an archetype, but I do support reanimation as a source of value.
I have some large monsters to reanimate in Eldrazi, Pelakka Wurm, and whatnot, but Peasant just doesn't have the bombs to make pushing the archetype worth it in my opinion.
You can make reanimation a 'theme' pretty simply. Add some filtering spells, like Faithless Looting, Frantic Search, and Compulsive Research. Just some way to pitch cards while still doing something worthwhile. Reanimate itself is actually a dangerous card if you're on the strategy. Getting your behemoth killed after bringing it back leaves you with a huge chunk of life gone. It works in constructed formats because, again, the targets available have more impact and are generally good enough to still bring upside even if they are killed quickly.
so again, the C/U cardpool just doesn't bring enough to make the archetype as strong as it needs to be to warrant being pushed. My opinion.
You're running far too few black reanimation spells...diabolic servitude being your only consistent one. At the very least you also need to run Animate Dead and Necromancy, and then two of these: Reanimate, Dance of the Dead, and Victimize would be wise inclusion too. In a typical reanimator deck you want at least 4 Reanimation spells. As it stands, your cube has 3 total....and Unburial Rites requires you to be in a 3rd color.
i feel like reanimation is good to hit most creatures in your graveyard. I'm okay with Unearthing my Dauthi Marauder or Reanimate'ing my Murderous Redcap. Or somehow doing a 3 color black/green/white and getting mah Finks back.
bump for discussion of a rakdos reanimator build. this might not be a thing for smaller cubes, but the last time I brought it up no one acknowledged it. I think it's worth brainstorming...especially with the spoiled Swift Warkite
That was just the first thing I thought of, not sure how else it could be done....anger would be an option if you're running buried alive as well. the biggest issue is devoting so many slots to narrow cards as well as guild slots.
For sure. Tormenting Voice is more interesting to me than Vaultbreaker, but Vaultbreaker has more crossover....it sure would be sweet to get a downshifted Doomed Necromancer some day...imagine that with the warkite
re Last Rites: I think it could be pretty decent in a slower sneak attack style reanimator or maybe even golgari (on curve Roar of the Wurm?). Rites strips their hand of any action, and then you reanimate a hasted eldrazi next turn to GG.
I'm less interested in Last Rites for Dimir, because Dimir tries to get the dude into play by turn 3 or 4 at the latest. You don't want to strip their hand after getting your beast into play. Although Dimir does have access to Deep Analysis and Treasure Cruise, so it might be decent there as well.
Im gonna preface this by saying im not running a strictly peasant cardpool, I have added some rares that I think up the powerlevel overall without individual cards being windmill slams.
That said, here is what a good reanimator list looks like. I might have gotten more goodies than I should have because the cubetutor bots arent the greatest, but that should give you an idea of what enablers you should have. Really the only rares that affect that deck are Vampiric Tutor, Sylvan Primordial, and Skeletal Vampire, and I think both Primordial and Vampire are worse reanimator targets than Pelakka Wurm so dont think decks like this arent possible with a strictly peasant cardpool.
EDIT: Also, I have always liked Morgue Burst - partly because it feels very Rakdos, but mostly because of its brilliant name. Shame it has such a high CMC.
I don't think Zombify is worth playing, and I REALLY don't think you can or should play five copies of it to support a funky off-color archetype.
Peace of Mind (and bad Spellshaper type cards in general, but especially this one) also seems beyond useless, "fringe use in constructed in the 90s" isn't really a criterion for judging Cube cards.
Peace of mind would get 85% of its value from reanimation decks, and that extra 15 is just because it then keeps you alive. Nobody, and I mean nobody, should be playing peace of mind without reanimator or other synergy backup. Zuran orb does cards for life better, I think. since you can actually use it when you topdeck.
How many opening hands are dead? Moreover, when it isn't in your opener it is probably a literal dead draw.
The card only really works when you have a turn 1 or 2 play, and the rest of your hand is trash, and you have access to 3 lands.
I have some large monsters to reanimate in Eldrazi, Pelakka Wurm, and whatnot, but Peasant just doesn't have the bombs to make pushing the archetype worth it in my opinion.
You can make reanimation a 'theme' pretty simply. Add some filtering spells, like Faithless Looting, Frantic Search, and Compulsive Research. Just some way to pitch cards while still doing something worthwhile. Reanimate itself is actually a dangerous card if you're on the strategy. Getting your behemoth killed after bringing it back leaves you with a huge chunk of life gone. It works in constructed formats because, again, the targets available have more impact and are generally good enough to still bring upside even if they are killed quickly.
so again, the C/U cardpool just doesn't bring enough to make the archetype as strong as it needs to be to warrant being pushed. My opinion.
CMy Peasant CubeC
On Cubetutor
In black, I'd add one more 6cc duder....dark hatchling, phyrexian gargantua, or grixis slavedriver
You're running far too few black reanimation spells...diabolic servitude being your only consistent one. At the very least you also need to run Animate Dead and Necromancy, and then two of these: Reanimate, Dance of the Dead, and Victimize would be wise inclusion too. In a typical reanimator deck you want at least 4 Reanimation spells. As it stands, your cube has 3 total....and Unburial Rites requires you to be in a 3rd color.
Making room for Jungle Weaver, Roar of the Wurm, and Ulamog's Crusher would be good too as you need juicy targets to reanimate.
theory-build:
1 Rakdos Guildmage
1 Reassembling Skeleton
1 Bone Shredder
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Firemaw Kavu
1 Shriekmaw
1 Chartooth Cougar
1 Grixis Slavedriver
1 Twisted Abomination
1 Artisan of Kozilek
1 Pathrazer of Ulamog
1 Raven's Crime
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Buried Alive
1 Last Rites
1 Victimize
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Torrent of Souls
1 Cauldron Dance
1 Mind Stone
1 Animate Dead
1 Necromancy
16 Lands
That was just the first thing I thought of, not sure how else it could be done....anger would be an option if you're running buried alive as well. the biggest issue is devoting so many slots to narrow cards as well as guild slots.
There's also Gathan Raiders
I'm less interested in Last Rites for Dimir, because Dimir tries to get the dude into play by turn 3 or 4 at the latest. You don't want to strip their hand after getting your beast into play. Although Dimir does have access to Deep Analysis and Treasure Cruise, so it might be decent there as well.
The options aren't pretty
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
That said, here is what a good reanimator list looks like. I might have gotten more goodies than I should have because the cubetutor bots arent the greatest, but that should give you an idea of what enablers you should have. Really the only rares that affect that deck are Vampiric Tutor, Sylvan Primordial, and Skeletal Vampire, and I think both Primordial and Vampire are worse reanimator targets than Pelakka Wurm so dont think decks like this arent possible with a strictly peasant cardpool.
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/273787
totally feasible. i only brought up rakdos reanimator, because its funky and there hasn't been any talk of it on here.
EDIT: Also, I have always liked Morgue Burst - partly because it feels very Rakdos, but mostly because of its brilliant name. Shame it has such a high CMC.
Peace of Mind (and bad Spellshaper type cards in general, but especially this one) also seems beyond useless, "fringe use in constructed in the 90s" isn't really a criterion for judging Cube cards.
Miraculous Recovery seems the most interesting, given it is instant, and could be playable in a wider range of decks.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Thanks for spiderboy4 of High~Light_Studios for the kick ass avatar.
Thanks for DarkNightCavalier of HotPS for the exceptional signature.
The card only really works when you have a turn 1 or 2 play, and the rest of your hand is trash, and you have access to 3 lands.
0/10
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article