Why would improving burn have a positive effect on the format? Red decks are doing quite well atm. Perhaps even too well. Can you give examples of what better burn would look like specifically and how it would help. Thanks!
Dispossess shuts down gift, gear hulk, and to a lesser extent monument. What better options does zombies have for dealing with that right now? Do you not consider zombies to be competitive? I have had 4 sb in agaibst me twice now. Drake haven is actually very intriguing thanks for bringing that up.
Abrades and artifact destruction slow us down but it does not stop our deck. Now that this deck is everywhere decks that run black are running 3 or 4 dispossess in the side board and we can not answer that at all. Disspossess also ruins gear hulk and monument and may even see main deck play before the end of this standard. Several decks are sideboarding in grave yard hate too. So I have a potential solution a transformational sideboard. Call me crazzy but this may actually be our best sb option. I do not have a final list yet but what could we side in if we take out the combo. So far all I know for sure is gideon. The jeskai list seems to have more sb options
Sb in 3 dispel and try to bring back wanderer first unless below 10 life. I run 4 gift 4 refurbish and 4 gate. Those higher numbers really help me against control decks and rdw running 4 abrades mb. It also helps me more reliably get gift out early. Maybe increase your numbers post sb. Against control make sure you crack gate at the correct time not as soon as you have 6 in yard as they can counter the ability.
Just discovered a new cool trick. Saheeli rai copies gift and although the gift leaves EOT the token it created stays. So 2 7/7 lifelink vigilance fliers with haste. The scry helps us dig. It helps against control and shifts preasure against agro. I may switch back to USA aka jeskai.
Wharf infiltrator can be a little beast but often it gets killed before helping us or gets blocked by the many 0 or 1 power creatures seeing play right now. What do people think about switching it out for glint-nest crane?
Interesting! I did not think of hostile desert but wow that is good in this archtype. I think it may be time for me to drop the red and lose neonate for wanderer. I do think that thraben inspectir should become minister of inquiries in your uw build or atleast 2 for 2 it. I also have gone 7 - 0 and 6 - 0 the past 2 days. Partially the surprise factor is helping us quite a bit as we confuse the opponent G1. Has anyone experienced a matchup that is very bad for us?
The locust god is not a good enough reanimator target. In fact Noosegraf Mob is better and didn't even make my list. Also I think only including 2 God Pharo's Gift is risky when some decks will MB 4 abrade.
Thank you all for your help so far. I have tested out all of your suggestions and have edited the deck according to my findings. Minister of inquiries does a really good job of dumping cards into the grave so I was able to up my refurbish count from 3 to 4. I will update the original post with my thoughts on some of the other suggested cards that did not make the cut. Angel of inquiries has emerged as the best finisher by far. Creating a 12 life differential and then being able to block because of the vigilance can dig us out of a pretty deep hole.
Also I found out that our angel token can not be targeted by fatal push because it actually copies the manna cost.
The intent of this deck is to try and break God-Pharaoh's Gift. As this is an all in strategy this deck plays out like a combo deck with our goal to get out God-Pharaoh's Gift as early as possible. This deck fairly consistently can get out God-Pharaoh's Gift T4 - T6. The two ways of doing this are to use Gate to the Afterlife or Refurbish. I have chosen to use a Jeskai shell because it filters cards amazingly well.
Strengths: consistently drops a repeatable reanimation engine and a creature threat fairly early in the game. Not intentional but it is also a very cheap budget deck.
Weaknesses: Does not react with opponent. Revolves around 1 card. Weak to graveyard exile.
It was hard choosing the correct reanimation finishers because so many cards are awesome in this deck. The amount of ridiculous options is quite numerous and This could be a flexible set of options that changes with meta. I am happy to report however that after quite a bit of testing Angel of Inventions is our best option.
Important Piloting Note: If someone tries to fatal push your tokens refer them to rule 706.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object's characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether a kicker cost was paid, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The "copiable values" are the values derived from the text printed on the object (that text being name, mana cost, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, power, toughness, and/or loyalty).
Card Choices: Insolent Neonate: The reason this deck runs red and the only red card main board. The ability to filter upon sacrificing is important to this decks strategy. It can put 2 creatures into the grave to help trigger Gate to the Afterlife. This is also a decent reanimation target as a 4/4 menace is pretty sweet. Salvage Drone: Another creature that can put 2 creatures into the grave to help trigger Gate to the Afterlife or dump God-Pharaoh's Gift into the graveyard. It is a good blocker against agro and mid-range decks. Wharf infiltrator is an absolutely incredible card that I had never played with before. It filters on combat and it has an interesting evasion in skulk. It can crank out 3/2's which is a good plan B if you don't have other pieces yet. it is weak against decks that run cards with 0 power. If that becomes common this creature may need to be subbed out. Champion of wits Filtering on a body is strong in this deck and this guy may be the best at it. a 4/4 that draws you 4 cards and discard 2 is a solid reanimation target. Contingency plan This card is absolutely awesome. 5 cards is alot to filter through and this card helps make our deck consistent. God-Pharaoh's Gift The reason to play this deck Refurbish brings back God-Pharaoh's Gift also can target Gate to the Afterlife Gate to the Afterlife both parts of this card help our deck. Angel of Invention this competes with cultivator for the best finisher in the deck because the lifelink and vigialnce allow it to cause such a dramatic swing in the game. We can cast it from hand which we can not do for our other threats. Cultivator of blades Gift practically turns this into craterhoof behemoth. A 6/6 haste that gives your team a +6/+6 is insane in standard play. Noosegraf Mob a 9/9 haste that poops out 2/2's when your opponent casts a spell is a crazy good reanimation target. a good sideboard option for control decks. marionette master this creature protects Gift somewhat and may be good against decks that try to destroy the Gift.
Angel of sanctions We can cast this from our hand and It would be our only removal. Nahiri's wrath I don't know that we need this but if agro is a huge problem this could deal tons of damage. Hour of devastaion this is good against walkers and agro decks. Negate This could help protect us from graveyard hate or other counterspells.
Did not make the cut: Anointed Procession: this seems strictly win more Cathartic Reunion: not as good as contingency plan. Combustible Gearhulk: not a strong enough finisher Bane of Bala Ged: This is really cool but because they get to pick the permanents it doesn't seem as good as other options but, if you swing in with this T4 making them sac 2 lands sounds like fun. Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger: To claim that Ulamog isn't good enough for your reanimator deck sounds wrong. As a 4/4 though it is not as strong as our other options. Fraying sanity: this seems too cute and a bit dangerous.
Don't forget about Dack Fayden he fits perfectly here. I think it may make sense to add a few extra turn cards in this deck for 8 manna you can wheel swing 11 then on your extra turn swing 12 + even more if you cast another draw spell. I tested Dream Halls and it fits really well here with all the draw effects and basically lets you play your library for free. Technically not a combo but almost feels like one with all of the synergy in our deck. I dropped it T3 in a test game and won that same turn. I dropped it T5 in another game and won that turn as well. Dream Halls may even be good enough to kind of build the deck around filtering for it and then going off. Whirlpool Warrior is pretty incredible!
+1 up to one target creature gains menace until end of turn
0 Chandra becomes an X/X elemental creature until end of turn where x is equal to her loyalty with indestructible and menace
-5 deals 5 damage to target creature and 5 damage to that creatures controller
Canopy Cover despite only pumping 1 this card is still good because it dodges targeted removal.
Winding Constrictor
Sangrite Backlash gives some cool options and versatility. pump 6 for 2 manna is good
Bring to Light can search for a variety of targets and can pump 7. It fetches Rafiq to deal 20 commander damage
Crackling Doom
Mosswort Bridge
Glint-Eye Nephilim
Witch-Maw Nephilim
Assault Strobe probably deserves a place in more aggressive builds
Ajani, Caller of the Pride counters and double strike whats not to like?
The locust god is not a good enough reanimator target. In fact Noosegraf Mob is better and didn't even make my list. Also I think only including 2 God Pharo's Gift is risky when some decks will MB 4 abrade.
Also I found out that our angel token can not be targeted by fatal push because it actually copies the manna cost.
The intent of this deck is to try and break God-Pharaoh's Gift. As this is an all in strategy this deck plays out like a combo deck with our goal to get out God-Pharaoh's Gift as early as possible. This deck fairly consistently can get out God-Pharaoh's Gift T4 - T6. The two ways of doing this are to use Gate to the Afterlife or Refurbish. I have chosen to use a Jeskai shell because it filters cards amazingly well.
Strengths: consistently drops a repeatable reanimation engine and a creature threat fairly early in the game. Not intentional but it is also a very cheap budget deck.
Weaknesses: Does not react with opponent. Revolves around 1 card. Weak to graveyard exile.
It was hard choosing the correct reanimation finishers because so many cards are awesome in this deck. The amount of ridiculous options is quite numerous and This could be a flexible set of options that changes with meta. I am happy to report however that after quite a bit of testing Angel of Inventions is our best option.
4 Insolent Neonate
4 Minister of Inquiries
4 Wharf infiltrator
4 Champion of wits
4 Angel of Invention
1 Cultivator of blades
4 Strategic Planning
4 Refurbish
Artifacts:
4 God pharo's Gift
4 Gate to the Afterlife
Lands
1 mountain
3 plains
7 island
4 inspiring vantage
4 aether hub
4 spirebluff canal
Change Log:
7/13: - 1 Cultivator of blades -4 Salvage Drone -4 Contingency plan +4 Strategic Planning +4 Minister of Inquiries +1 Refurbish
Important Piloting Note: If someone tries to fatal push your tokens refer them to rule 706.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object's characteristics and, for an object on the stack, choices made when casting or activating it (mode, targets, the value of X, whether a kicker cost was paid, how it will affect multiple targets, and so on). The "copiable values" are the values derived from the text printed on the object (that text being name, mana cost, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol, rules text, power, toughness, and/or loyalty).
Card Choices:
Insolent Neonate: The reason this deck runs red and the only red card main board. The ability to filter upon sacrificing is important to this decks strategy. It can put 2 creatures into the grave to help trigger Gate to the Afterlife. This is also a decent reanimation target as a 4/4 menace is pretty sweet.
Salvage Drone: Another creature that can put 2 creatures into the grave to help trigger Gate to the Afterlife or dump God-Pharaoh's Gift into the graveyard. It is a good blocker against agro and mid-range decks.
Wharf infiltrator is an absolutely incredible card that I had never played with before. It filters on combat and it has an interesting evasion in skulk. It can crank out 3/2's which is a good plan B if you don't have other pieces yet. it is weak against decks that run cards with 0 power. If that becomes common this creature may need to be subbed out.
Champion of wits Filtering on a body is strong in this deck and this guy may be the best at it. a 4/4 that draws you 4 cards and discard 2 is a solid reanimation target.
Contingency plan This card is absolutely awesome. 5 cards is alot to filter through and this card helps make our deck consistent.
God-Pharaoh's Gift The reason to play this deck
Refurbish brings back God-Pharaoh's Gift also can target Gate to the Afterlife
Gate to the Afterlife both parts of this card help our deck.
Angel of Invention this competes with cultivator for the best finisher in the deck because the lifelink and vigialnce allow it to cause such a dramatic swing in the game. We can cast it from hand which we can not do for our other threats.
Cultivator of blades Gift practically turns this into craterhoof behemoth. A 6/6 haste that gives your team a +6/+6 is insane in standard play.
Noosegraf Mob a 9/9 haste that poops out 2/2's when your opponent casts a spell is a crazy good reanimation target. a good sideboard option for control decks. marionette master this creature protects Gift somewhat and may be good against decks that try to destroy the Gift.
Angel of sanctions We can cast this from our hand and It would be our only removal.
Nahiri's wrath I don't know that we need this but if agro is a huge problem this could deal tons of damage.
Hour of devastaion this is good against walkers and agro decks.
Negate This could help protect us from graveyard hate or other counterspells.
Did not make the cut:
Anointed Procession: this seems strictly win more
Cathartic Reunion: not as good as contingency plan.
Combustible Gearhulk: not a strong enough finisher
Bane of Bala Ged: This is really cool but because they get to pick the permanents it doesn't seem as good as other options but, if you swing in with this T4 making them sac 2 lands sounds like fun.
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger: To claim that Ulamog isn't good enough for your reanimator deck sounds wrong. As a 4/4 though it is not as strong as our other options.
Fraying sanity: this seems too cute and a bit dangerous.
Questions:
Here are some questions I still have about the deck
What should the finishing creature package be? Angel of Invention Noosegraf Mob, Cultivator of blades, marionette master, vizier of many faces others?
what is the correct numbers of Gate to the Afterlife and Refurbish?
Do we even need a finishing creature package? are regular 4/4's good enough? Should we interact with opponent instead? Counterspells? removal?
What should the sideboard be?
P.S. This is my first Primer so let me know what other things I should add or work on?
Chandra, Torch of Defiance 1RR - 3 Loyalty
+1 up to one target creature gains menace until end of turn
0 Chandra becomes an X/X elemental creature until end of turn where x is equal to her loyalty with indestructible and menace
-5 deals 5 damage to target creature and 5 damage to that creatures controller