Ghor-Clan Rampager is exactly the sort of Bloodrush creature I'm interested in! +4/+4 and trample for RG or a reasonably costed creature if I need the counters on Animar. Being able to cast the creature for counters and then bounce it to use the combat trick later is also an option
I've been lurking on this thread for a bit, as well as other Animar threads, and finally completed my version of cards I have lying around. While I'd like this to be able to stand on it's own in single player and multiplayer, I feel like there are too many budget-route swaps for me to both trust and enjoy it. Yes, I have trust issues with my magic cards.
Please note that I am usually a modern/standard/casual 60 card fellow, but need a new EDH deck or else all of the kids at school will laugh at me and Vicky will never go to the big dance with me.
As you can tell, I don't have a number of the mentioned or even preferred cards. I personally don't really like EDH and won't buy anything for an EDH deck past $5, though I plan to pick up a play-set of Cloudstone Curio, and will put it in here. I'm also on the fence about Skullclamp in here due to all of my little dudes..
I need some solid suggestions; if you say something is bad, come up with a budget-friendly (<$5) option.
I know it's a poopy version of the title-head, but I need help pointing out glaring mistakes (aside from land choice, though Meteor Crater is no where near as good as Command Tower).
My playgroups are converging tomorrow for a 15+ person magic day, and I need this EDH deck tweaked! IT'S ALL ABOUT MEEEEEEE!
Really though, help me out, EDH brothers (and brothers with vaginas).
Also, I think Weird Harvest has major potential here, even if it IS a bit group-huggy. My theory is, once I have 5+ counters on Animar; I can just fish out all of my dudes, which unless I'm up against other massive-threat creature decks, may work in my favor
I always ask myself the same thing about thragtusk, yet I always end up cutting him lol. I guess it just comes down to a "win more" situation.
Also anything that flickers creatures doesn't have good synergy with animar so it's tough for the combo deck.
I was really only considering it as a side-theme, the flickering. In my play group, they tend to run a good amount of wipe/removal in one form or another (including non-white/black forms). I was thinking, if I couldn't access my Animar for a little (or even while he's out), I could flicker a couple things for benefit.
I had Archwing Dragon in here, it still seems like a great choice for this deck as he returns himself after each turn. But I didn't feel like making room..
Of those three, Moldgraf Monstrosity looks like it would work the best. Worldspine Wurm is really expensive to reliably hard cast if necessary, and you usually don't want to fully wipe the board with the Colossus. The Monstrosity seems like it would be good late-game post-Wrath to help you recover.
Have you considered Artisan of Kozilek as a budget alternative? The recursion is phenomenal, the annihilator 2 gives you a lot of reach, and he's often free to cast.
Of those three, Moldgraf Monstrosity looks like it would work the best. Worldspine Wurm is really expensive to reliably hard cast if necessary, and you usually don't want to fully wipe the board with the Colossus. The Monstrosity seems like it would be good late-game post-Wrath to help you recover.
Have you considered Artisan of Kozilek as a budget alternative? The recursion is phenomenal, the annihilator 2 gives you a lot of reach, and he's often free to cast.
On the contrary, I think a red and relatively painful board wipe for 6 is something to consider. I can only aspire to have Animar at or above 7/7 to jump the hurdle, of course. But yeah, 6 damage is painful..
@Ixrixis: What is your planned route to victory? Aggro? Animar general damage?
Personally I would steer clear of Mass Polymorph as you're likely to end up with a bunch of unimpressive creatures. I can see that you might like the EtB effects, but in that case I imagine Genesis Wave would be a better choice. My feeling also is that you're running too few creatures. Do you need as many ramp spells as you're running? If you must run spells I think you're be better off with creature tutors that then find your ramp creatures. Also don't underestimate creatures such as Sylvan Ranger, Borderland Ranger and Pilgrim's Eye which don't ramp but enure your land drops while also putting counters on Animar.
AEtherize looks interesting, though it will probably not make the cut. On the other hand, it is a solid token hoser...
I am interested in Thespian's stage, but trying to think what would be worth copying...I foresee using it in my Vish Kal deck, but may end up not including it in Animar.
Oh and what do you guys think about the Spotlight? It will most certainly become an EDH staple, but i don't see much use for it in this deck...
Spotlight imo doesn't really suit Animar well. The only good tutor for it is Trinket Mage but I find it a waste to tutor for this card.
Mixed thoughts about Thespian Stage, on one hand I see it being a good card to get rid of opponent's Boseijus/Kor Haven or copying our own Inkmoth/Ancient Tomb/Temple of False God/Dual land. On another hand it is a lost of tempo having to delicate '3mana' just to copy a land, and colored mana is very important to Animar. Need more testing once I got my hands on one.
Looking at the spoilers for Gatecrash, currently only Prime Speaker Zegana and Zameck Guildmage strikes me as a must-have in Animar.
Glaring Spotlight is meta dependent. Really only worth playing as a way of pushing through damage (unblockable), but there are so many options for alpha strikes (many of them also creatures) that it seems unlikely to find a spot in the deck. I've not yet encountered a hexproof creature that was particularly worrying to Animar, but then there is no Uril or Sigarda in my meta.
Thespian Stage is good stuff, but again not sure it's worth including as more often than not it would be a way of destroying a legendary land (If only I could copy Gaea's Cradle profitably, but it's probably not worth including Mirror Gallery for that).
Once Gatecrash is fully spoiled I'll type up a review as I did for RtR
I think I'd be more inclined to play Cyclonic Rift if I wanted an effect similar to Aetherize. There are some decks where Aetherize will be awesome, but I don't feel it is this deck.
I like the Gruul Ragebeast, but I'm not sure it could replace Ulvenwald Tracker as one of the main advantages of the Tracker is that it provides utility while also being a cheap way of putting early counters on Animar. That said I'm already considering removing the Tracker anyway.
Master Biomancer might be good with Animar, especially if a +1/+1 counter theme is pushed a little further. Certainly makes the Zameck Guildmage and Novijen Sages into fairly reliable card draw engines.
Also thoughts on Forgotten Ancient given the new stuff that is spoiled? I have always dismissed the Ancient because the +1/+1 counters had no other uses and we get plenty on Animar without much trouble, but if we can convert counters to card draw... Creates a nice engine with Fathom Mage, although it is easy to disrupt and needs to survive until next upkeep.
from the spoilers I am more interested in running realmwright, most of the combos take a lot of blue sources, palinchron takes 5, good mana fixing in general is very important in animar
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"If you knew anything about the lore you'd see that they were clearly hinting that the madness on Innistrad was caused by Uncle Istvan wearing Urza's Power Armor ... tainted with Phrexyian Oil"
Graham from Loading Ready Run
Realmwright is a very good creature for mana-fixing. It enables so many stuff, just within Animar's colors he is a great mana fixer. Even better when we run rofellos while the realmwright names "Basic Forest".
Fellow Animar commanders, how do we deal with heavy counter magic? Any ideas on what cards we can use? My animar deck dies fast and furious to heavy counter magic or decks with tons of wipes.
Honestly I prefer joiner adept over realmwright. There is probably some synergy having them be a specific type, but they still don't become basics, right? Just have the chosen type? In that case it wouldn't be helpful with earthcraft and I would think joiner is way better.
Honestly I prefer joiner adept over realmwright. There is probably some synergy having them be a specific type, but they still don't become basics, right? Just have the chosen type? In that case it wouldn't be helpful with earthcraft and I would think joiner is way better.
Realmwright is a blue one drop. Joiner is a green two drop. Realmwright is better almost just because of that. Realmwright also helps get double and triple mana costs, which is a notable problem for this deck.
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Lycanthropy Awareness Day.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
I don't think counter magic should pose too much of a problem. With our own counters to help and animar and primoedial sage triggering on cast, not etb, we should be alright. If you really want, vexing shusher can help. Cavern of souls could be used potentially, bouncing it with cloudstone curio or tidesprout tyrant.
As far as wipes are concerned, you should find a lot of discussion about that in this thread. It's our biggest weakness, but some solutions include greater good, fecundity, murder of crows if you want something easily tutorable, goblin bombardment for dmg, or you can go the graft route to get animar back up quickly from a wipe. I'm a huge fan of llanowar reborn with its bounce synergy.
Realmwright is a blue one drop. Joiner is a green two drop. Realmwright is better almost just because of that. Realmwright also helps get double and triple mana costs, which is a notable problem for this deck.
Not sure how realmwright is any better than joiner adept at paying for double and triple costs. In fact, I'd say its strictly worse at it...
I've been lurking on this thread for a bit, as well as other Animar threads, and finally completed my version of cards I have lying around. While I'd like this to be able to stand on it's own in single player and multiplayer, I feel like there are too many budget-route swaps for me to both trust and enjoy it. Yes, I have trust issues with my magic cards.
Please note that I am usually a modern/standard/casual 60 card fellow, but need a new EDH deck or else all of the kids at school will laugh at me and Vicky will never go to the big dance with me.
Anyway,
1 llanowar elves
1 green sun's zenith
1 feral hydra
1 rampant growth
1 weird harvest
1 farseek
1 krakilin
1 quirion sentinel
1 elvish visionary
1 viridian emissary
1 quirion elves
1 wood elves
1 fierce empath
1 ondu giant
1 roaring primadox
1 seek the horizon
1 garruk's packleader
1 acidic slime
1 brutalizer exarch
1 soul of the harvest
1 lurking predators
1 garruk's horde
1 spearbreaker behemoth
1 myojin of life's web
1 craterhoof behemoth
1 mindclaw shaman
1 urabrask the hidden
1 utvara hellkite
1 hamletback goliath
1 imperial hellkite
1 nephalia smuggler
1 renegade doppelganger
1 arctic merfolk
1 sage owl
1 whirlpool warrior
1 raven familiar
1 aether adept
1 echo tracer
1 man-o'-war
1 clone
1 mist raven
1 wash out
1 deadeye navigator
1 mass polymorph
1 apocalypse hydra
1 decimate
1 mystic snake
1 bloodbraid elf
1 maelstrom wanderer
1 intet, the dreamer
1 etherium-horn sorcerer
1 ring of kalonia
1 ring of valkas
1 solemn simulacrum
1 conjurer's closet
1 darksteel colossus
1 platinum emperion
1 sundering titan
1 desolate lighthouse
1 kessig wolf run
1 rupture spire
1 meteor crater
1 kazandu refuge
1 rootbound crag
1 shivan oasis
1 izzet guildgate
1 caldera lake
1 hinterland harbor
1 steamvent
1 izzet boilerworks
1 vivid creek
6 island
5 mountain
14 forest
As you can tell, I don't have a number of the mentioned or even preferred cards. I personally don't really like EDH and won't buy anything for an EDH deck past $5, though I plan to pick up a play-set of Cloudstone Curio, and will put it in here. I'm also on the fence about Skullclamp in here due to all of my little dudes..
I need some solid suggestions; if you say something is bad, come up with a budget-friendly (<$5) option.
Thanks guys and guys with vaginas.
EDIT: Since posting, I have replaced Ondu Giant with Archwing Dragon and Sundering Titan with Bloodfire Colossus. Keep the suggestions coming plox :3
My playgroups are converging tomorrow for a 15+ person magic day, and I need this EDH deck tweaked! IT'S ALL ABOUT MEEEEEEE!
Really though, help me out, EDH brothers (and brothers with vaginas).
To contribute, why doesn't anyone use Thragtusk and/or Nephalia Smuggler/Deadeye Navigator?
Also, I have a Worldspine Wurm handy, should I include it?
Also, I think Weird Harvest has major potential here, even if it IS a bit group-huggy. My theory is, once I have 5+ counters on Animar; I can just fish out all of my dudes, which unless I'm up against other massive-threat creature decks, may work in my favor
Also anything that flickers creatures doesn't have good synergy with animar so it's tough for the combo deck.
I was really only considering it as a side-theme, the flickering. In my play group, they tend to run a good amount of wipe/removal in one form or another (including non-white/black forms). I was thinking, if I couldn't access my Animar for a little (or even while he's out), I could flicker a couple things for benefit.
I had Archwing Dragon in here, it still seems like a great choice for this deck as he returns himself after each turn. But I didn't feel like making room..
Now I'm reconsidering, but know not what to swap for Archwing Dragon.. *pointy eyes at Spearbreaker Behemoth*
Is that a fair trade-off? He's one of the last creatures in here that lacks an ETB effect, but he provides some seriously needed creature defense.
EDIT: dropping Ondu Giant for Archwing Dragon. Ramp at that point should be obsolete.
Damn it, didn't know :<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<:<
He's seriously been sitting in my binder asking to be used.. Figures he's banned lol.
I don't own many massive artifact creatures, unless I swap it for a color-specific creature, Myr battlesphere is my next biggest artifact dude!
I still have my runner up pile, from it I've plucked: Worldspine Wurm, Bloodfire Colossus, and Moldgraf Monstrosity. Would any of those be suitable replacements?
Of those three, Moldgraf Monstrosity looks like it would work the best. Worldspine Wurm is really expensive to reliably hard cast if necessary, and you usually don't want to fully wipe the board with the Colossus. The Monstrosity seems like it would be good late-game post-Wrath to help you recover.
Have you considered Artisan of Kozilek as a budget alternative? The recursion is phenomenal, the annihilator 2 gives you a lot of reach, and he's often free to cast.
stuff
On the contrary, I think a red and relatively painful board wipe for 6 is something to consider. I can only aspire to have Animar at or above 7/7 to jump the hurdle, of course. But yeah, 6 damage is painful..
Personally I would steer clear of Mass Polymorph as you're likely to end up with a bunch of unimpressive creatures. I can see that you might like the EtB effects, but in that case I imagine Genesis Wave would be a better choice. My feeling also is that you're running too few creatures. Do you need as many ramp spells as you're running? If you must run spells I think you're be better off with creature tutors that then find your ramp creatures. Also don't underestimate creatures such as Sylvan Ranger, Borderland Ranger and Pilgrim's Eye which don't ramp but enure your land drops while also putting counters on Animar.
AEtherize looks interesting, though it will probably not make the cut. On the other hand, it is a solid token hoser...
I am interested in Thespian's stage, but trying to think what would be worth copying...I foresee using it in my Vish Kal deck, but may end up not including it in Animar.
Oh and what do you guys think about the Spotlight? It will most certainly become an EDH staple, but i don't see much use for it in this deck...
Mixed thoughts about Thespian Stage, on one hand I see it being a good card to get rid of opponent's Boseijus/Kor Haven or copying our own Inkmoth/Ancient Tomb/Temple of False God/Dual land. On another hand it is a lost of tempo having to delicate '3mana' just to copy a land, and colored mana is very important to Animar. Need more testing once I got my hands on one.
Looking at the spoilers for Gatecrash, currently only Prime Speaker Zegana and Zameck Guildmage strikes me as a must-have in Animar.
WUBRG Reaper King - Elf Tribal WUBRG | Tribal Fun
WRG Gishath, Sun's Avatar - Dinosaur Tribal WRG | Rawr!!!
WUG Derevi, Empyrial Tactician - Enchantress Tactics WUG | Enchantments Focused
GBG The Gitrog Monster - Land Shenanigans GBG | Lands/Mill Focused
WBW Kambal, Consul of Life Allocation Matters WBW | Life Gain/Loss focused
UBR Kess, Dissident Mage of the Lotus UBR | Spellslinger
BGB Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons - Counters & Tokens BGB | -1/-1 counters focused
Personally if you pushing aggro I think Hellraiser Goblin and Legion Loyalist would be better inclusions.
Thespian Stage is good stuff, but again not sure it's worth including as more often than not it would be a way of destroying a legendary land (If only I could copy Gaea's Cradle profitably, but it's probably not worth including Mirror Gallery for that).
Once Gatecrash is fully spoiled I'll type up a review as I did for RtR
Also, Unexpected Result looks really fun!
No thoughts on AEtherize? I'm starting to like the idea more and more, but then again, it's a spell
Sylvan Primordial seems like Primeval Titan 2.0. Might even replace Terastodon?
I like the Gruul Ragebeast, but I'm not sure it could replace Ulvenwald Tracker as one of the main advantages of the Tracker is that it provides utility while also being a cheap way of putting early counters on Animar. That said I'm already considering removing the Tracker anyway.
Master Biomancer might be good with Animar, especially if a +1/+1 counter theme is pushed a little further. Certainly makes the Zameck Guildmage and Novijen Sages into fairly reliable card draw engines.
Also thoughts on Forgotten Ancient given the new stuff that is spoiled? I have always dismissed the Ancient because the +1/+1 counters had no other uses and we get plenty on Animar without much trouble, but if we can convert counters to card draw... Creates a nice engine with Fathom Mage, although it is easy to disrupt and needs to survive until next upkeep.
Graham from Loading Ready Run
Off topic: I simply saw Realmwright as another way of enabling Cabal Coffers
Fellow Animar commanders, how do we deal with heavy counter magic? Any ideas on what cards we can use? My animar deck dies fast and furious to heavy counter magic or decks with tons of wipes.
WUBRG Reaper King - Elf Tribal WUBRG | Tribal Fun
WRG Gishath, Sun's Avatar - Dinosaur Tribal WRG | Rawr!!!
WUG Derevi, Empyrial Tactician - Enchantress Tactics WUG | Enchantments Focused
GBG The Gitrog Monster - Land Shenanigans GBG | Lands/Mill Focused
WBW Kambal, Consul of Life Allocation Matters WBW | Life Gain/Loss focused
UBR Kess, Dissident Mage of the Lotus UBR | Spellslinger
BGB Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons - Counters & Tokens BGB | -1/-1 counters focused
Realmwright is a blue one drop. Joiner is a green two drop. Realmwright is better almost just because of that. Realmwright also helps get double and triple mana costs, which is a notable problem for this deck.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Level 1 Judge (yay)
As far as wipes are concerned, you should find a lot of discussion about that in this thread. It's our biggest weakness, but some solutions include greater good, fecundity, murder of crows if you want something easily tutorable, goblin bombardment for dmg, or you can go the graft route to get animar back up quickly from a wipe. I'm a huge fan of llanowar reborn with its bounce synergy.
Not sure how realmwright is any better than joiner adept at paying for double and triple costs. In fact, I'd say its strictly worse at it...
If you no red sources out, but need to get double red, realmwright lets all your lands tap for red. It turns your entire mana base onto dual lands.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Level 1 Judge (yay)
Oops. I misread the card. Yeah, your right, they do very similar things. I'll be running both, just as soon as I get some caffeine.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Level 1 Judge (yay)