4/1/2008: If the creature card put into play has Protection from Black (or anything that prevents this from legally being attached), this won’t be able to attach to it. Then this will go to the graveyard as a State-Based Effect, causing the creature to be sacrificed. This is a change from recent functionality.
Pretty straight forward. I enjoy shroud over haste. Thoughts or comments?
Just a thing that I have to point out: All the creatures you have to reanimate have shroud. Because of this, animate dead is not able to enchant any of your creatures. (Up to what I understand).
I considered Necromancy, but ended up not using it as I have a couple of creatures with shroud/protection from black that I want to reanimate. You should consider something else.
Now, I have been looking for ways to reanimate my creatures, and as such, I've been looking for all the possible ways to bring those creatures back to life. Why don't we try to compile a list of all the cards that could bring our creatures from our graveyard to play?
If you notice, this cards make your creatures remain in the game. But there are other viable strategies that delve into reanimating creatures that will strike once and go into exile (wow, first time using this term). Like:
Which cards could be good to give my big creatures haste? I know there is Anger and some other card, which I don't recall, that gets attached to your creatures if it is in your graveyard and the creature has power greater or equal to 6. Both cards are viable red spells, but do we have anything black? Anything else at all?
First of all, thank you for your suggestions Craven. You made me realize a couple of things.
I have some other question though:
Quote from Craven »
First of all, it's 4 Duress! Always! Drop two Swamps for them...
I think dropping two swamps is going to hurt me a bit. Do you think 18 lands will be able to support the consistency of the strategy? Although I know the spells for this deck do not require too much mana, it is still important to have a starting hand of 2 or 3 swamps. I think I may remove 1 innocent blood and 1 chainer's edict for the duress. (but that tickles my mind...)
Dimir Machinations could help, though - it can't search for Exhume, but it can grap Zombify and the Doomed Necromancer.
It's a perfect solution for me. I don't think I can afford the tutors (and their restriction/banning), but this card can do the job of getting something to reanimate and get creatures into the GY. Also, I don't think it can grab a Zombify, or am I missing something with the mechanic?
I'd rather go for Cabal Therapy. It's a sac-outlet, can serve as a discard-outlet for your own creatures as well, can target your opponent if needed...
Ok, you convinced me. That indeed can do the job. Although I hate paying that much money for uncommon cards
I think I am going to replace Rotting Rats with that card. I have discovered that too often I play that card and my opponent, knowing that I may have exhume in hand, discards a powerful creature so that he can also benefit from it.
Lastly, what would you take out for Dimir Machinations? I am not sure how I can make that card fit into the deck without taking out good things from it.
Akroma is indeed one of the best things that can be in a reanimator. The only thing that kept me from having her was the fact that it's difficult to get one (and damn expensive).
I was also considering adding Liliana Vess? What do you guys think about her?
If I wanted to add 2 more Duress to the deck, what would you take out for those spells?
Hello guys.
This post has really inspired me to try to improve my reanimator deck.
I would like you too see how I built it so that I can improve it.
Bare in mind that this is a casual/budget deck. I built all of it with less than $70 bucks.
Innocent Blood:
Of course its main purpose is to defend you in the beginning from creatures. But sometimes it is a good idea to sacrifice your own creatures. For example, Symbiotic Wurm or Woodfall Primus. Or even a pacified creature.
Rotting Rats:
In most of the games I end up with more than 1 creature in my hand (drawing them or bouncing to me). This card helps me put my creatures where they belong and at the same time damage my opponent a bit. The unearth ability is also really a key component. And, also, it can help to flashback a Dread Return.
Dread Return:
It's a little weak in the deck, that is why I only have 2. But there are good combos with it. You can sacrifice Woodfall Primus with two other creatures (a Putrid Imp or a Rotting Rats, Remeber the rats' unearth ) to destroy maybe two lands. Or sacrifice Symbiotic Wurm (or wait for it to be killed/destroyed) and flashback it again (or something else) with 3 tokens.
Defense Grid:
My weakest match has proven to be against control. It's tough to deal with counters and bouncers. This is the reason for this card. Bouncers and counters are harder to play on your turn (even the damned Force of Will). Duress is also meant to help with this, but it's also good against almost all other decks.
So what do you guys think about the deck?
It has some good combos and even a turn one biggie drop:
I.E.: Swamp -> Dark Ritual -> Putrid Imp -> Discard Hellkite Overlord -> Exhume - >
It has come up in more than one game for me!
But this deck has some problems from time to time. Sometimes I have everything in my graveyard... nothing to reanimate. And sometimes I cannot get anything into the graveyard.
I found the contrary of what you said :P, but it was about Necromancy.
Take a look at this link: http://magiccards.info/vi/en/14.html
There is a rule that sais:
Just a thing that I have to point out: All the creatures you have to reanimate have shroud. Because of this, animate dead is not able to enchant any of your creatures. (Up to what I understand).
I considered Necromancy, but ended up not using it as I have a couple of creatures with shroud/protection from black that I want to reanimate. You should consider something else.
Now, I have been looking for ways to reanimate my creatures, and as such, I've been looking for all the possible ways to bring those creatures back to life. Why don't we try to compile a list of all the cards that could bring our creatures from our graveyard to play?
I'll start with what I have on top of my head:
If you notice, this cards make your creatures remain in the game. But there are other viable strategies that delve into reanimating creatures that will strike once and go into exile (wow, first time using this term). Like:
Maybe the list, as it grows, should be added to the first post as a reference for people searching for ideas.
I'm still looking for more options, maybe Entomb + Dragon Breath is a better way to go.
And today I discovered this card: Necromancy.
Where have you heard this? This would really make my day.
Which cards could be good to give my big creatures haste? I know there is Anger and some other card, which I don't recall, that gets attached to your creatures if it is in your graveyard and the creature has power greater or equal to 6. Both cards are viable red spells, but do we have anything black? Anything else at all?
I have some other question though:
I think dropping two swamps is going to hurt me a bit. Do you think 18 lands will be able to support the consistency of the strategy? Although I know the spells for this deck do not require too much mana, it is still important to have a starting hand of 2 or 3 swamps. I think I may remove 1 innocent blood and 1 chainer's edict for the duress. (but that tickles my mind...)
And then there is Dimir Machinations:
It's a perfect solution for me. I don't think I can afford the tutors (and their restriction/banning), but this card can do the job of getting something to reanimate and get creatures into the GY. Also, I don't think it can grab a Zombify, or am I missing something with the mechanic?
In regards to Cabal Therapy:
Ok, you convinced me. That indeed can do the job. Although I hate paying that much money for uncommon cards
I think I am going to replace Rotting Rats with that card. I have discovered that too often I play that card and my opponent, knowing that I may have exhume in hand, discards a powerful creature so that he can also benefit from it.
Lastly, what would you take out for Dimir Machinations? I am not sure how I can make that card fit into the deck without taking out good things from it.
I was also considering adding Liliana Vess? What do you guys think about her?
If I wanted to add 2 more Duress to the deck, what would you take out for those spells?
I also forgot to mention, and what about Reya Dawnbringer?
This post has really inspired me to try to improve my reanimator deck.
I would like you too see how I built it so that I can improve it.
Bare in mind that this is a casual/budget deck. I built all of it with less than $70 bucks.
4x Exhume
2x Dread Return
4x Doomed Necromancer
Protection/Removal:
3x Chainer's Edict
3x Innocent Blood
2x Duress
Spells:
4x Buried Alive
4x Dark Ritual
1x Inkwell Leviathan
1x Phantom Nishoba
1x Symbiotic Wurm
1x Helldozer
1x Godsire
1x Hellkite Overlord
Other creatures:
4x Rotting Rats
4x Putrid Imp
20x Swamps
2x Duress
4x Defense Grid
1x Chainer's Edict
1x Innocent Blood
2x SmallPox
1x Woodfall Primus
4x Against Hate
Things that can make you wonder:
Innocent Blood:
Of course its main purpose is to defend you in the beginning from creatures. But sometimes it is a good idea to sacrifice your own creatures. For example, Symbiotic Wurm or Woodfall Primus. Or even a pacified creature.
Rotting Rats:
In most of the games I end up with more than 1 creature in my hand (drawing them or bouncing to me). This card helps me put my creatures where they belong and at the same time damage my opponent a bit. The unearth ability is also really a key component. And, also, it can help to flashback a Dread Return.
Dread Return:
It's a little weak in the deck, that is why I only have 2. But there are good combos with it. You can sacrifice Woodfall Primus with two other creatures (a Putrid Imp or a Rotting Rats, Remeber the rats' unearth ) to destroy maybe two lands. Or sacrifice Symbiotic Wurm (or wait for it to be killed/destroyed) and flashback it again (or something else) with 3 tokens.
Defense Grid:
My weakest match has proven to be against control. It's tough to deal with counters and bouncers. This is the reason for this card. Bouncers and counters are harder to play on your turn (even the damned Force of Will). Duress is also meant to help with this, but it's also good against almost all other decks.
So what do you guys think about the deck?
It has some good combos and even a turn one biggie drop:
I.E.: Swamp -> Dark Ritual -> Putrid Imp -> Discard Hellkite Overlord -> Exhume - >
It has come up in more than one game for me!
But this deck has some problems from time to time. Sometimes I have everything in my graveyard... nothing to reanimate. And sometimes I cannot get anything into the graveyard.
So, what will you change?