It would be very interesting if you created a distinct thread for your build (Animar tempo ?), so as to avoid misunderstandings ? I would be very happy to discuss it / contribute / playtest.
Loxmatii, could you please detail your gameplan against the most hostile matchups (namely URx ones, such as Narset, Nin or Keranos) ?
You wrote some time ago that you "ramp into big friends" but I would appreciate more advice. In my experience, ramping and hoping to cast large creatures against heavy control is often impossible as they run many counters, removal and control magic effects. The only viable plan I see is Eye of Ugin + recursive Eldrazi, but it is vulnerable to Wasteland / Blood Moon / Ruination and to control magic.
How did you manage to successfully pass these matchups (outside of lucky pairings ;-) ) ?
That's my point : for simplicity's sake, derivatives (not different) builds could be discussed here, without someone asking you to get away as soon as you mention a card that is not part of the "official" build...
Beware, as you play Painter's Servant, Birthing Pod and Heartwood Storyteller, some people here would classify your deck in the shameful and unwelcome "goodstuff" category...
Anyway, there are many URx decks in my meta (Nin, Keranos, Narset...) and all are very difficult matchups (counters, bounces, control magics, pyros / wraths). I'm looking for ideas to improve these matchups, where Animar rarely enters/sticks to the battlefield, even when I slowplay him until I would be able to combo off. Any advice ?
Another topic : with the Vancouver mulligan, Eldrazi and more generally 6+ drops tend to force us to ship hands which we would have kept with the old mulligan. How do you manage that ? How did you adapt your decklists ?
To prevent further confusions, this thread shall be renamed "Jester's All-in Animar" or something, as there are many other Animar combo builds, all of them including Imperial Recruiter and some of them being more efficient in real competitive environments.
As 80% of the competitive decks play counterspells and/or combo, IMHO Thrun is still a better choice than Titania, thanks to its counterproof aspect and to the denial included in the pack, which gives you a chance against combo decks.
I personally added Savage Punch to the pack at the moment the card became legal, as a second Prey Upon that helps me against fast big creatures decks (MW, reanimator, etc.) and fast growing creatures (Jenara, Animar...).
Another question : How do you deal with an early Jitte, considering that Reclamation Sage is not included in most combo builds ?
You wrote some time ago that you "ramp into big friends" but I would appreciate more advice. In my experience, ramping and hoping to cast large creatures against heavy control is often impossible as they run many counters, removal and control magic effects. The only viable plan I see is Eye of Ugin + recursive Eldrazi, but it is vulnerable to Wasteland / Blood Moon / Ruination and to control magic.
How did you manage to successfully pass these matchups (outside of lucky pairings ;-) ) ?
Anyway, there are many URx decks in my meta (Nin, Keranos, Narset...) and all are very difficult matchups (counters, bounces, control magics, pyros / wraths). I'm looking for ideas to improve these matchups, where Animar rarely enters/sticks to the battlefield, even when I slowplay him until I would be able to combo off. Any advice ?
Another topic : with the Vancouver mulligan, Eldrazi and more generally 6+ drops tend to force us to ship hands which we would have kept with the old mulligan. How do you manage that ? How did you adapt your decklists ?
You played Marath during Summer and then switched to Animar : what was the rational behind this choice ?
Was it only for the sake of change or do you think that Animar is better in the current metagame ?
Indeed, I'm currently considering to make the opposite switch...
Would you mind sharing your decklist ?
Regarding the other cards, you can use a Nin, the Pain Artist basis (eg Pierre Laisne latest on MTGTop8).
Prossh is obviously a good deck, but Noham is skilled enough to come with any competitive deck and win.
E.g, he won / Top8ed multiple EDH events with Vendilion Clique over the past couple of years.
I personally added Savage Punch to the pack at the moment the card became legal, as a second Prey Upon that helps me against fast big creatures decks (MW, reanimator, etc.) and fast growing creatures (Jenara, Animar...).