Loot & Reanimate is a semi-competitive WUB EDH deck designed for small multiplayer games but can also function in duels and larger multiplayer games. The deck is a midrange control deck that with a reanimation theme. While Loot & Reanimate uses common reanimation enabling discard spells, it focuses on using creature loot spells like Merfolk Looter and Jace, Vryn's Prodigy. Like many Oloro, Ageless Ascetic decks, this list uses efficient removal spells and permission spells to deny our opponents board positioning and advantage. The deck wins by reanimating very powerful creatures from our graveyard to wreak havoc as early as possible. I have been playing this deck for several months now and I have a lot of experience piloting this list. Loot & Reanimate is a unique perspective on a popular general and EDH archetype. The deck is powerful and can hold its head in competitive circles but also perform in casual kitchen table games without being too oppressive.
Why Oloro?
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic may be a little expensive to cast at 3WUB but he does so much. He has a 4/5 body which allows him to beat or trade with many threats. He can be an offensive or defensive threat and he can draw us cards while leeching life from our opponents. Let's evaluate Oloro's two abilities.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
This ability is fairly basic. When Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is on the battlefield we gain 2 life. Gaining an additional 2 life may sound minuscule at first glance, but over the period of several turns this can amount to scores of life. The life gain can also be used to offset life loss from powerful efficient cards (i.e. Reanimate, Mana Crypt, that would be far less effective without extra life.
Whenever you gain life, you may pay 1. If you do, draw a card and each opponent loses 1 life.
When Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is on the battlefield, we can pay 1 each time we gain life for what is essentially an inverted Phyrexian Arena effect. Card advantage in the command zone is always a great thing and with Oloro's first ability, we can use this ability at least once per turn in addition to any other instances we may gain life outside of that ability.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Oloro, Ageless Ascetic is in the command zone, you gain 2 life.
This ability is very similar to Oloro's first ability but is especially useful because Oloro, Ageless Ascetic does not have to be in play. Generally speaking, we will not be casting Oloro, Ageless Ascetic unless we have nothing else to do and usually this is done when we are desperate. He is primarily the general of choice for access to WUB and the reoccurring life gain he provides throughout the game.
You should play Loot & Reanimate if:
You like cheating big powerful creatures into play
You like to play control
You like drawing lots of cards
You like having options and making decisions
Loot & Reanimate might not be for you if:
You like attacking with multiple creatures
You like winning via commander damage
You play in a meta with an exorbitant amount of graveyard hate
It's cute when our opponent thinks they have a choice.
Careful Study is an excellent card that enables explosive starts. It allows us to loot twice and is a great low cost tool for getting win conditions into the graveyard.
Entomb is one of the strongest cards Loot & Animate plays. It isn't a traditional loot spell, but it does cheat any card from our deck into the graveyard at instant speed! Obviously this is an very useful card and it has wonderful synergy with the many reanimation spells we run.
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy is our strongest looter. For all practical purposes, he is essentially a strictly better Merfolk Looter. Once he flips, we will usually use his minus ability to recast a removal spell or a reanimation spell.
Looter il-Kor is an interesting take on the standard two drop looter. It has shadow and loots when it deals combat damage to a player, which essentially means it is unblockable. While Looter il-Kor does not allow us to loot before our combat phase, it allows us to poke away at our opponents' life totals or weaken a planeswalker if necessary.
Merfolk Looter is the original creature with the loot ability. Nothing special but surprisingly useful. Like all looters, Merfolk Looter can easily fly under the radar and provide a lot of utility and advantage over the course of several turns.
Thought Courier is a functional second copy of Merfolk Looter. Just like the original, he is very useful for digging for answers and pitching win conditions and less useful cards to the graveyard..
Frantic Search may cost three mana but is essentially a "free" Careful Study that happens to be an instant spell. It is not uncommon to Frantic Search and reanimate a threat that we pitched in the same main phase. Frantic Search, like many free spells, is incredibly powerful.
Intuition is one of the strongest blue spells in the format. In Loot & Reanimate, its power level is on par with Entomb. Intuition is an instant speed pseudo tutor that if used correctly doesn't really give our opponent a choice in the matter. Generally speaking we will select two big creatures and Unburial Rites. Unburial Rites has excellent synergy with Intuition because it's very good no matter what pile it ends up in.
Monastery Siege is a versatile module enchantment. We can use it early game as a more resilient Merfolk Looter or we can use it mid to late game to make it more difficult for our opponents to remove our permanents.
Thirst For Knowledge is an excellent instant speed looting spell. It allows us to dig deep and is frequently draw three discard one if we don't need to pitch a threat because Loot & Reanimate runs more than a dozen artifact spells including several mana rocks that aren't as useful in the mid to late game.
Card Draw
Three cards for WUB is very efficient.
Phyrexian Arena is one of the most powerful black cards in the format. The life loss is entirely irrelevant with Oloro, Ageless Ascetic as our general. Being able to fundamentally change the 1 card per turn rule for a measly 3 mana and a 1 life per turn investment is is almost as good as Yawgmouth's Bargin. Rhystic Study draws a lot of cards over a long game, especially a multiplayer game. In some instances this card generates more value than Phyrexian Arena. Make no mistake about it, Rhystic Study is very strong card. Painful Truths is a very efficient draw spell. It draws us three cards for three mana and the life loss is hardly relevant in a format with 40 life, especially with Oloro, Ageless Asectic as our general. Early game Painful Truths is great because it can make us exceed our hand size and force us to pitch a win condition we can reanimate the following turn.
Permission Dissipate is Cancel + exile and in the format exiling a creature spell or a spell with flashback between the difference between a win and a loss.
Mana Drain is the strongest counterspell in the format. Essentially Plasm Capture for UU, early and mid game the among of tempo swing this card generates is flat out absurd. If you are playing on a budget, run Counterspell instead.
Counterspell is Counterspell. Sometimes you don’t need a fancy flashy counter. UU to reliably counter any spell is very efficient.
Void Shatter is function second copy of Dissipate. There are a lot of great counterspells with various cool effect (Arcane Denial, Dissolve, etc.) but running several removal and counter spells that exile allow us to not have to run dedicated graveyard hate so we have more room for other cards.
Bombs
Ashen Rider is an evasive 5/5 that can exile anything when he enters and when he dies. Ashen Rider is also a great target to reanimate early, mid or late game. He's also an excellent rattlesnake defensive creature because if he dies, someone will be punished.
Avacyn, Angel of Hope is an excellent bomb. She is an 8/8 with vigilance and flying that happens to be indestructible and make our other permanents indestructible. She protects our board, has great synergy with board wipes, and she's an efficient win condition.
Backbreaking and brutal. She must be answered.
Chancellor of the Annex is absolutely backbreaking when revealed at the beginning of the game and/or reanimated within the first few turns of a game. Being a 5/6 with flying is nothing to take lightly either.
Demon of Dark Schemes is an Infest when it enters the battlefield. This removes mana dorks and utility creatures (along with most of our looters) and creates energy we can use to fuel an alternate reanimation engine. Demon of Dark Schemes will generate an enormous amount of value if gone unchecked and also has the added benefit of being a 5/5 with flying.
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite is perhaps the strongest reanimation target Loot & Reanimate runs in metas that are creature and token dependent. Having a static Dictate of Heliod and a one sided double Night of Souls' Betrayal is incredibly powerful. Combine those factors with a 4/7 toughness creature with vigilance and you have an amazing stax piece and win condition. When Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite comes into play early game, if not dealt with immediately she flat out steals game.
Emrakul, the Promised End can easily take out players with her evasive body and amazing stats. She is resilient and immune to some of the most common removal spells in the format including Path To Exile, Swords To Plowshares, and Terminate. Usually we will just reanimate her, but with mid to late game it isn't difficult to cast her due to the sub loot theme Loot & Reanimate has. Making decisions for an opponent on their turn is an incredibly powerful ability. Whether it means removing their commander and putting it in the graveyard or swinging out at another player, having this powerful unique ability in addition to outstanding stats makes Emrakul, the Promised End one of the strongest creatures in the format and an excellent addition to Loot & Reanimate.
Magister Sphinx is essentially the minus ability of Sorin Markov on an evasive body. Magister Sphinx can bring an opponent's life total down to 10 and swing for five in the air. We often want Magister Sphinx to die so we can bring another opponent down to 10.
Sire of Stagnation is a very scary alternate Consecrated Sphinx. It has very respectable stats and an ability that make opponents that use fetch lands or ramp spells cringe. Sire of Stagnation will draw us a lot of cards or encourage players to skip their land drops. He is brutal if he enters the field early game.
Sphinx of the Steel Wind is an excellent beat stick. It gains us life, it is a defensive threat, and it has protection from two colors. Depending on the meta, Sphinx of the Steel Wind may be the strongest and most resilient threat Loot & Reanimate has to offer.
Sun Titan generates a massive amount of advantage over the course of a game. He brings back mana rocks, fetch lands, lands and small permanents we may have looted away early game and so much more.
Tidespout Tyrant is a great bomb that can be devastating early game. It creates excellent tempo in our favor, makes our mana rocks useful towards the late game and can set back nonbasic utility lands or lands that enter the battlefield tapped.
Void Winnower is incredibly oppressive. He stops players from playing about half of the spells in the format, including some of the strongest generals in the format and most board wipes. He's also an 11/9 that is very often unblockable.
Reanimation
Unconditional graveyard revival for B.
Reanimate is hands down our best reanimation spell. It brings back any creature from any graveyard directly to the battlefield under our control for only one mana. It's drawback of losing life equal to the creature's converted mana cost is hardly burdensome in a format with 40 life, especially when our general is Oloro, Ageless Ascetic. Reanimate combos well early game with Careful Study or any loot effect for that matter. Sometimes it is in our best interest to skip our turn 1 land drop so we can discard a creature at our end step and Reanimate it during our next turn.
Animate Dead is similar to Reanimate in that it can bring back any creature from any graveyard, but it costs one more mana to cast and it is an aura which makes it more fragile. There is also a minor drawback of reducing the creature's power by 1. Animate Dead has fantastic synergy with Sun Titan.
Dance of the Dead is very similar to Animate Dead. Instead of the creature losing power, it gains a +1+/+1 stat boost but enters the battlefield tapped and doesn't untap unless we pay 1B at our upkeep. It is best to use Dance of the Dead on our creatures with vigilance like Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite.
Exhume is a powerful and efficient spell that is similar to Reanimate. It can only bring back creatures from our graveyard and it gives all players the same opportunity. This seems like a significant drawback, but early game it is incredibly powerful and unlike Reanimate it does not require any life loss as an additional cost!
Necromancy is a fantastic reanimation spell that is similar to Animate Dead. It works well with Sun Titan and in a pinch can be used at instant speed if we need to abuse an enter the battlefield ability or we need a blocker in a pinch
Breath of Life is unconditional creature reanimation from our graveyard without a draw back for 4 mana. Breath of Life is very solid.
Dread Return is similar to Breath of Life except it is a little more color intensive. It can be recurred via flashback if we sacrifice three creatures.
Makeshift Mannequin functions as an instant speed Breath of Life which is incredibly powerful during combat or for sneaking in Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur at the end of an opponent's turn. The drawback of the spell is that it grants the reanimated creature the illusion ability. It is best to use Makeshift Mannequin on creatures we don't mind dying (i.e. Ashen Rider, Magister Sphinx).
Resurrection functions essentially as a second copy of Breath of Life (although it does require double colored mana).
Unburial Rites is a phenomenal reanimation spell. It has flashback which means we can use it twice. It also is a great target for Entomb if we already have a creature in our graveyard and are looking for a way to cheat it in play. Unburial Rites is also a good card to loot away because we can still use it and it is fantastic in Intuition piles!
Ramp
It's already broken but Oloro makes it safer.
Azorius Signet is a standard mana rock. It is a solid turn 2 play.
Fellwar Stone is a great mana rock. It functions as a mana rock that taps for all of our colors in most multiplayer games. It also comes into play untapped.
Lotus Petal essentially functions as an additional Command Tower we can only use one time but in the same turn we play a land. It allows for incredibly aggressive early plays or gives us the extra reach we may need to cast a spell we initially thought we would not be able to play. Lotus Petal has great synergy with Sun Titan.
Mana Crypt is one of the most powerful cards in the format. It enables incredibly powerful plays early game including turn one Rhystic Study or turn two Zombify. The drawback of losing life every turn is well worth the advantage it brings, especially with Oloro, Ageless Ascetic in the command zone. Budget players can skip over this card.
Sol Ring needs no introduction due to the fact that it is the most played nonlands card in the format. Sol Ring essentially functions as an alternate/budget copy of Mana Crypt.
Talisman of Dominance functions like the signets but comes into play untapped. It is a very good mana rock.
Oust creates massive tempo advantage early game against mana dorks like Birds of Paradise but can also buy time against larger creature threats. Oust is criminally underplayed in the format. The spell can answer virtually any creature, and because of the placement of the creature on top of our opponent's library, it can discourage them from fetching, ramping or tutoring for a turn.
Path to Exile needs very little introduction. It is unconditional exile removal with a drawback that offers a small reward to the controller of creature it is used on.
Swords to Plowshares is the best removal spell of all time. What were they thinking? Similar to Path To Exile, it has a minor drawback that offers a benefit to the player that controls the creature it is used against. However, gaining life is not a problem at all for control decks like Loot & Reanimate.
Anguished Unmaking is a phenomenal removal spell. With Oloro, Ageless Ascetic as our general, paying 3 life means nothing. This spell is essentially an instant speed Vindicate. While it can’t remove lands, being able to have a catch all removal spell that exiles for 3 mana is unprecedented.
Return to Dust is among the most powerful, if not the best, spot removal spells for artifacts or enchantments. Two for one and exile in a format where there will almost always be two targets is excellent.
Toxic Deluge is a very powerful creature board wipe that gets around indestructible and regeneration. The alternate cost of life can be steep at times, but with Oloro, Ageless Ascetic in the command zone, it is a very minor draw back.
Lightning Greaves needs no introduction. Haste and shroud on a 2 converted mana cost equipment is very strong. The zero equip cost really seals the deal. It gives our major bombs and win conditions a protection and lets them attack the turn we reanimate them. This is especially useful for Sun Titan and utility looter creatures like Thought Courier. Lightning Greaves also allows is much better card than Swiftfoot Boots!
Geier Reach Sanitarium taps for C but can also loot for 2. It is nice to have a loot effect on a land because it is very difficult to interact with. It can offer advantage to our opponents, but if offers us so much more value because of the nature of Loot & Reanimate, especially when Alhammarret's Archive is on the battlefield.
Phyrexian Tower is our most powerful nonbasic land. A free sacrifice outlet on a land that generates BB is very useful in a deck graveyard theme. Phyrexian Tower can be used to sacrifice a creature to prevent it from being exiled from an opponent's effect, only to use a reanimation spell to bring it back later. Phyrexian Tower is best friends with Ashen Rider but also can be used to sacrifice looter creatures we don't need anymore to generate extra mana or even fill our graveyard to make it easier to cast Emrakul, the Promised End.
Deck Trait Breakdown
Acceleration and Fixing: Piloting a reanimation deck with a three color general means that having access to all of your colors and being able to play your mana curve is incredibly important. Loot & Reanimate has a great mana base, that only includes 7 basic lands. Additionally the deck includes 10 spells that ramp, mana fix or both. Some of the highlights include Mana Crypt, Coldsteel Heart and Lotus Petal. (7/10)
Card Advantage: Loot & Reanimate includes about a dozen loot effects that not only help us draw cards but also assist us in pitching threats to our graveyard. The deck also includes two of the best draw engines in the format, Phyrexian Arena and Rhystic Study. Additionally, if we are desperate, we can cast Oloro, Ageless Ascetic and utilize his second ability that draws us card. 10/10
Control: This deck has multiple ways to answer various threats. It should not a surprise that a WUB deck with graveyard themes can eliminate threats and keep in the board in check. (9/10)
Permission: The deck only runs a handful of counters but they are some of the best counter spells in the format and are very efficient. Loot & Reanimate doesn't need to run too many counter spells because the deck is so good at controlling opponents in other ways. (6/10)
Mass Removal: Loot & Reanimate runs multiple spells that can remove multiple creatures, with many of them getting around indestructible and regeneration (i.e. Cyclonic Rift, Toxic Deluge). The conditional board wipes on creatures like Demon of Dark Schemes are especially powerful because they often will enter the battlefield multiple times within a game. (7/10)
Tutoring: Loot & Reanimate doesn't run tutors. No Demonic Tutor, no Fabricate, no Liliana Vess. Personally I feel tutors violate the spirit of a singleton format and with enough card advantage they aren't necessary to win in most metas. There are a couple exceptions to this rule. Intuition sort of functions like a tutor, but it gives our opponent a choice in the matter. Entomb functions like a restricted tutor that is on theme but it puts only one card into the graveyard. This deck could easily amended to have a very strong tutor package. (1/10)
Other Options
Brutal but almost impossible to hard cast
Damnation and Wrath of God are excellent board wipes that get around regeneration but Supreme Verdict evading counter spells seems more relevant in the format. If you are looking for more board wipes, these two would be a great place to start.
Merciless Eviction is arguable the best board wipe in the format, but exiling creatures doesn't work well in a reanimation deck.
Consecrated Sphinx is an excellent bomb and card advantage engine, but it doesn't really necessary and the 4 power is underwhelming.
Tidesprout Tyrant is a great bomb that can be devastating early game.
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur is one of the most brutal backbreaking creatures in the entire format. Once Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur enters the battlefield, he will always be enemy number one and for good reason too. Unfortunately he has mediocre stats and no evasion.
Drogskol Reaver is a unique bomb that offers great card advantage, has evasion, and has great synergy with Oloro, Ageless Ascetic but Sire of Stagnation often draws more cards for less mana and has a more durable body.
Iona, Shield of Emeria is an incredibly powerful reanimation threat but it is so brutal, it is not acceptable in my play circle. Additionally it is very difficult to card cast, and often draws more hate than it dishes out.
Karn Liberated is an excellent utility planeswalker and can come out surprisingly early in Loot & Reanimate due to the mana rocks, however 7 mana is a lot for a planeswalker that can't be reanimated with our card selection. We have plenty of ways to answer threats without having to rely on a 7 drop planeswaker.
Fact or Fiction digs deep at instant speed and gives us great card advantage. It is especially strong when you can single out an opponent that is poor at making decisions. It also works well in Loot & Reanimate with the graveyard synergy but keeping four mana open can be difficult for this deck at times.
Dark Tutelage is an solid source of card advantage and with Oloro, Ageless Ascetic as a general the life loss isn't a deal breaker. However looting is better and while we have a lot of life in this format, a lot of the cards in this format have incredibly high converted mana costs.
Well of Lost Dreams works incredibly well with Oloro, Ageless Asectic, but a 4 mana investment only to have to invest more mana in throughout the game is a little intensive at times.
An efficent draw engine that is mana intensive.
Leyline of Anticipation allows us to flash in all of our reanimate spells which is absurdly powerful. It also gives us access to instant speed board wipes but the card isn't necessary and seems too slow if it isn't revealed in our opening hand
Vampiric Tutor, Mystical Tutor, Demonic Tutor and Fabricate are all worth evaluating if you like to play with tutors. Personally I think they are a tad boring and not necessary for the deck to run in an efficient manner.
Buried Alive is a great spell for getting bombs in our graveyard, but it isn't an instant spell and costs 3 mana which means at times we will have to pass our turn before reaping the rewards via reanimation. This makes Buried Alive worthy of consideration but too risky.
Cryptic Command is worthy of consideration in any blue deck because it is the most versatile counter spell in the format. Unfortunately, the triple blue cost can be very difficult to cast and like Fact or Fiction, four mana is a lot to keep open.
Negate prevents noncreature spells which really are the spells that we should be the most concerned with but it can't hold a candle to Counterspell and Mana Drain.
Chromatic Lantern is a solid mana rock, especially with mana bases that include more basic lands, however it is a little slow due to its converted mana cost. .
Council's Judgment is an excellent versatile removal spell that does not target, however the sorcery speed is a drawback along with it sometimes not removing what you deem to be the most troublesome permanent based on how your play circle votes.
Vindicate unconditionally answers any permanent, but it requires three mana and can only be used as a sorcery.
Bonded Fetch is cute looter with haste, but Forbidden Alchemy is probably better and didn't even make the cut for my list because it isn't really a looter.
Lore Broker is a welcome addition to deck lists interested in running more creature looters. While Lore Broker offers advantage to our opponents, this can be a tool used politically. It also has fantastic synergy for lists that are including Consecrated Sphinx.
Fellwar Stone is a great two drop mana rock that in some games will function as a strictly better Prismatic Lens, but it lacks the reliability that Prismatic Lens offers.
How To Play
Early Game
Loot & Reanimate succeeds when it has strong openings and is able to discard big creatures and reanimate them quickly. In addition to having two or three lands, our opening hand should include a looting source, a threatening creature to reanimate, and a reanimation spell. While it is unlikely that we will have all of these things in our opening hand, a good hand would have two of these things. A card that loots is especially useful early game because it can help us dig for missing pieces necessary to successfully reanimate win conditions. Consider the following hand:
This is a great opening hand and is definitely a hand we would not want to mulligan. The lands we drew give us access to all of our colors. We have a turn one loot effect, a very strong reanimation spell and while we don't have our scariest creature, Sun Titan can help us generate advantage early game. With this hand the beginning of the game might go like this:
Turn 1: Draw Plains. Play Seachrome Coast on turn one into Careful Study drawing Coldsteel Heart and Merfolk Looter and pitching the Sun Titan and the Sunken Hollow. Turn 2: Draw Toxic Deluge. Play Polluted Delta to fetch for a Watery Grave and cast Exhume to bring Sun Titan to the battlefield which would then proceed to bring back Polluted Delta to play to find a Prairie Stream. Turn 3: Draw Magister Sphinx. Play Plains, attack with Sun Titan bringing back Polluted Delta which enters to fetch for Godless Shrine. During our second main phase we have the option to cast Toxic Deluge to kill everything that isn't Sun Titan or cast Return To Dust to remove some mana rocks or problem enchantments.
At first glance this hand seems very strong. We have 3 lands, a very strong looter (Jace, Vryn's Prodigy), one of our best creatures to reanimate (Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite)and a powerful reanimation spell (Necromancy). While all of this is true, we do not have anyway to generate U mana and we have no way to draw additional cards outside of our draw step except from Rhystic Study which requires blue mana. If we were to keep this hand, here's a simulation of what may happen if we played with this hand:
Haste and protection on reanimated bombs is very scary.
In this scenario we took a gamble on running into a mana source that generates U and it didn't happen. We would be able to reanimate Sphinx of the Steel Wind or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite by turn 6 at this rate. Maybe turn 5 if we drew something like a Mana Crypt. This isn't to say the hand was terrible, but it was a very slow start and in competitive metas we most likely wouldn't have been able to win the game. Having access to U mana early game is very important for Loot & Reanimate.
Mid Game
By the time we reach are passed turn 4, we should have reanimated at least one large creature or we should have used enough mana rocks and card advantage to be able to cast most of our creatures. Depending on how the board state looks and our board presence turns 4, 5 and 6 can all be an ideal time to clear the battlefield with spells like Supreme Verdict or Toxic Deluge. This is also an idea time in the game to set up card advantage engines like Alhammarret's Archive, Rhystic Study or level up Enclave Cryptologist. The mid game can also be the best time to protect our board position by keeping U mana open in case we need to cast a permission spell like Dissipate. Mana Drain is especially powerful in the mid game. We can use it to counter a spell with a concerted mana cost of 4 and in our next main phase we can hard cast virtually any spell in our library.
The middle of the game is a great time to cast spells like Lightning Greaves and Monastery Siege (Dragons). Often times our opponents will attempt to use their removal spells on our board position at this point in the game, for this reason a preemptive defensive tool can be extremely useful. It is also important to keep in mind that sometimes controlling the board while we have one or two large creatures out is just as effective as reanimating another creature. Protecting our life total with Sphinx of the Steel Wind while removing blockers that cause us trouble (i.e Baleful Strix, Vampire Nighthawk) or permanents that deter us from being offensive (i.e. No Mercy, Propaganda) ensures that we can hold the lead and head towards victory. At this time spells like Anguished Unmaking, Path To Exile, and Return To Dust are our best friends.
Late Game
She's a 13/13 with flying and protection from instants.
The late game is about closing things out with force and control. By turn 8 and later in the game we should have several mana resources. One of our strongest late game tactics is to generate a lot of value by recurring Magister Sphinx multiple times to bring several opponents down to 10 life. We can also severely hamper our opponents resources by recurring Ashen Rider in tandem with Phyrexian Tower. If this process is repeated enough times, our opponents will have an incredibly difficult time winning the game.
Intuition is very strong at all points of the game but it can be especially powerful in the late game. When used late game, we can often reanimate two creatures in the same turn. Demon of Dark Schemes, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite and Unburial Rites is an example of an incredibly valuable Intuition pile late game. If we are able to have both of these creatures enter the battlefield during the same turn, we can essentially issue a one sided Languish against our opponents and generate a massive amount of energy to reanimate more threats during our next turn. Magister Sphinx, Emrakul, the Promised End, and Unburial Rites is an example of an Intuition combo that will surely ensure at least one opponent will lose a lot of life. Depending on our hand, if we already have multiple reanimation spells in our hand, we can include three creatures in our Intuition selection to create more pressure for our opponents to deal with.
Demon of Dark Schemes can create tremendous value late, and if it goes unanswered he can be responsible for reanimating numerous creatures. Loot & Reanimate is also capable of casting a late game Cyclonic Rift after we have established a stable and powerful board state. This strategy often leads to some opponents conceding. Loot & Reanimate can take a more offensive approach to closing out a game with support for powerful high power creatures like Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite. At the end of a game, these powerful resilient creatures only need to swing a couple times to eliminate an opponent.
Ultimately the late game is about our win conditions taking over the game. Whether it is using an aggressive offensive or utilizing an approach based on control and denial of resources, Loot & Reanimate does not struggle to end games.
March 9, 2017: In: Prismatic Lens Out: Fellwar Stone Reason: These cards have two similar functions. Fellwar Stone is more efficient while Prismatic Lens is more reliable. From my experience with playing Loot & Reanimate, it is more common to play in a game that doesn't include a color we want to create (especially U) than not being able to cast a spell or ability because we wouldn't have had the mana available to filter colors. Keep in mind this is a meta call and in some play groups, Fellwar Stone will be the better call.
March 24, 2017: In: Tidespout Tyrant Out: Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur Reason: Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur is very strong but reanimating it game can cause problems. It often paints a giant target on our back and forces us to draw a bunch of cards we often are not able to use because our underdeveloped mana base early game. It is also incredibly difficult to hard cast during the mid game which cannot be said about our other win conditions. Tidespout Tyrant is much stronger in the early game and is an evasive threat with higher power. Being able to Boomerang in addition to every spell we cast is an extremely useful and powerful ability.
March 24, 2017: In: Council's Judgment Out: Return To Dust Reason: These cards have two similar functions but at the end of the day Council's Judgment usually does more for less mana. Council's Judgment offers us additional planeswalker and creature removal in addition to artifact and enchantment removal that Return To Dust already offers. While we do not always get exactly what we want, frequently resolving Council's Judgment will remove two or more permanents from the battlefield.
June 6, 2017: In: Massacre Wurm Out: Tidespout Tyrant Reason: While Tidespout Tyrant is a strong threat that can impact and control the board, it draws a massive amount of hate and requires multiple other spells to gain true value out of it. Massacre Wurm wipes the board of tokens and utility creatures while also hating on sacrifice strategies.
i see you want this to be a tutorless tempo deck.
i liked Walk the Aeons at the time i had my esper reanimator like this. extra nice with sun titan, but it seems like not the best for your manabase.
when looking further at your manabase i think of Tainted Pact but tutors isnt what you want.
flash is a fun discard for some of your dudes. even if it doesnt draw you a card it can be an instant double vindicate that exiles for 1U.
i also prefer zur the enchanter as the commander because he can be oath of jace or animate dead. this isnt only getting card advantage but the mana you safe can be for counterspells too. but i guess you was aware of that too.
another card to use kinda fair here is mind over matter: discard fatty to gain the mana to reanimate and when you have cardadvantage you can tap down opposing blockers to quicken your clock.
Thanks for the feedback @elfric.
Yeah, I'm not really big on tutors. The last competitive deck I built was Leovold, Emissary of Trest (see my signature) and I included several tutors. It was way too consistent and brutal. It over performed in my play circle. I feel tutors kind of violate the singleton idea of the format and they make turns take longer because of searching and shuffling.
I wouldn't want to include Zur the Enchanter because he is essentially a repeatable tutor, but I will consider adding him to the "Other Options" section. He seems like a fine inclusion for lists that are built with tutors in mind.
Mind over Matter is too degenerate and it can be difficult to cast UUUU in a four colored deck.
Lore Broker is cute. He certainly is a solid option with Consecrated Sphinx, but there are other looters that are better.
Flash is neat. It's a card I have never played against and it seems like it'd be very strong with Ashen Rider and Magister Sphinx. I believe it is worth testing for sure.
One card I forgot to mention but I will certainly add to the "Other Options" section is Miraculous Recovery. I was initially running the card but I cut it because I'm trying to foil out this deck (I'm about 93% done) and there is no foil version of Miraculous Recovery. However it is a useful card, 4W is a lot, but it isn't difficult to cast color wise and instant speed reanimation is very powerful.
Note: I made some changes to the original article. Mostly I fixed some grammatical stuff and fleshed out a few sections. I also updated the "How To Play" section but it is still a work in progress (I'm still trying to correct some of the formatting especially).
I have updated the original post with new additions to the "Other Options" section. Additionally, I made a few changes to the deck list which are noted below.
March 9, 2017: In: Prismatic Lens Out: Fellwar Stone Reason: These cards have two similar functions. Fellwar Stone is more efficient while Prismatic Lens is more reliable. From my experience with playing Loot & Reanimate, it is more common to play in a game that doesn't include a color we want to create (especially U) than not being able to cast a spell or ability because we wouldn't have had the mana available to filter colors. Keep in mind this is a meta call and in some play groups, Fellwar Stone will be the better call.
Note: These updates have also been added to the change log in the first post of the thread.
The deck has been continuing to perform well, especially in games with early explosive starts. I have made a couple more changes to the list:
March 24, 2017: In: Tidespout Tyrant Out: Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur Reason: Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur is very strong but reanimating it game can cause problems. It often paints a giant target on our back and forces us to draw a bunch of cards we often are not able to use because our underdeveloped mana base early game. It is also incredibly difficult to hard cast during the mid game which cannot be said about our other win conditions. Tidespout Tyrant is much stronger in the early game and is an evasive threat with higher power. Being able to Boomerang in addition to every spell we cast is an extremely useful and powerful ability.
March 24, 2017: In: Council's Judgment Out: Return To Dust Reason: These cards have two similar functions but at the end of the day Council's Judgment usually does more for less mana. Council's Judgment offers us additional planeswalker and creature removal in addition to artifact and enchantment removal that Return To Dust already offers. While we do not always get exactly what we want, frequently resolving Council's Judgment will remove two or more permanents from the battlefield.
Note: These updates have also been added to the change log in the first post of the thread.
One game I was able to cast early game instant speed Entomb targeting Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, in response to opponents playing mana dorks and then bringing her back on turn 2 with Exhume.
Thirst For Knowledge put in a lot of work throughout the games. Because of the high amount of mana rocks that are not very useful in the late game, because of the make up of the deck, I was able to frequently draw 3 and discard 1. In one case I was able to discard Sphinx of the Steel Wind.
Sun Titan recurring fetch lands provides so much advantage I am considering adding more off color fetches to the list (i.e. Misty Rainforest, Scalding Tarn) but for now I am leaning against it.
Tidesprout Tyrant pulled its weight and was particularly useful at bouncing lands to mana screw the four color decks.
Chancellor of the Annex was very useful in the beginning of the game. This should go without saying, but it certainly can slow opponents by a turn or two. When in play, certain decks are significantly hindered, even towards the late game.
I am considering making room for one more counter spell. Perhaps cutting Oust in favor of Negate, but I definitely would need to test because Oust has done great work for me.
jin gitax is not in the decklist but you list him at the singlecard explanations. is your list up to date?
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur is no longer in the list. I replaced it with Tidespout Tyrant and updated the change log last week. I forgot to remove him from the card analysis section, but I have now updated the list accordingly and moved him to the "Other Options" section.
I want the list to be competitive, but like you mentioned I don't want it to be too oppressive. My play circle generally frowns upon major land denial and land destruction. I also don't want to play with infinite combos or general resource denial (i.e. Iona, Shield of Emeria).
Overall I want to win with creatures that are big, scary and efficient. The deck is designed to have the upper hand early game by cheating big creatures into play, often with valuable abilities, however should the game go on for too long, I want to be able to cast these creatures if necessary and still influence the game in a significant manner.
Living Death is an interesting suggestion and worthy of testing and consideration.
I am open to all types of feedback, but I am particularly curious about alternative win conditions and alternative loot/card advantage spells.
First off, very nice write-up. I share your/your playgroups philosophy of not being too oppressive or degenerate, and I also play Oloro so this is a great thread for discussion for me. I do have some critiques and suggestions however, so I'd like to hear your opinion.
While I understand not wanting to use tutors, you end up contradicting yourself by playing both Entomb and Intuition. Any way you slice it, these are both tutors. Sure, they aren't Demonic Tutor, but the effect is the same- ripping cards out of your library. With that said, I don't agree that tutors themselves should be ruled out. After all, every color has access to them in some capacity, and you're only diluting your game plan by not using them.
It's noteworthy that because you don't use enough tutors, your deck ends up being extremely redundant when it doesn't need to be. You are running FIVE creature-looters, and ELEVEN(!?) reanimation spells, with only 13 targets in your entire deck. This means you're going to end up drawing way too many copies of essentially the same card when in reality you only need to cast that type of spell 1-3 times a game, at most.
First off, I would argue that every single creature-looter needs to be cut from the list, with the exception of baby Jace. They are just way too low impact, terrible top-decks, do nothing the turn they are played, and also get removed by pings and board clears. This makes them incredibly inefficient slots in your deck. You could argue that they "go under the radar", but that is not enough reason for inclusion in a truly Competitive or Semi-Competitive list.
Second, you are running far too many reanimation spells-- this is hindering your ability to pack your deck with much more answers. In reality, you should only need to be casting a reanimation spell 1-3, MAYBE 4 times a game. And that's not counting games where your graveyard is being hated out. Being stuck with a hand full of reanimation and no cards in your graveyard seems like a foregone conclusion with the way the deck is built. Actively protecting your own creatures post-Reanimation is a much better and safer route than having to recast reanimation spells the entire match. It also gives you more variables to work with when things aren't exactly going your way. After all, an additional counter or removal spell can be used practically any time, while a reanimation spell is very limited in scope.
I think in practice you only need the core of: Reanimate(pure mana efficiency), Animate Dead, Necromancy (these two being able to be recurred with Sun Titan is yuge), and Unburial Rites. Then add 1-2 more as you see fit. I personally run Zombify and Breath of Life in addition to the aforementioned, as they are the easiest colors to cast and have no drawbacks, but I wouldn't rule out Dance of the Dead or Exhume if I felt I needed more instances. Generally, I can just end up recurring Animate + Necromancy with Sun Titan. And if I can't that's probably because my graveyard is being hated out and I can't reanimate anyway.
With that said, in my Oloro deck, I do make use of a few extra tutors that you've not included, while also using Entomb and Intuition. I personally use Vampiric Tutor, Enlightened Tutor, and Mystical Tutor. All can be used at instant speed. This also allows me to put in get-out-of-jail-free cards; Terminus and Temporal Mastery. And again, if tutors are against your philosophy, then I urge you to remove both Entomb and Intuition from your deck.
I also think this deck would benefit from inclusion of Lim-Dul's Vault and Fact or Fiction. Additionally, Sphinx of Uthuun is one of the most underrated cards in the format, particularly in a reanimation shell. I'd also like to argue that there is not a single instance where Sire of Stagnation is superior to Consecrated Sphinx. Smart opponents will just not land drop if he's out until he's removed. Meanwhile, C.Sphinx is drawing at least 2 cards every turn regardless of opponent's actions.
Anyway, feel free to completely dissent my opinion. I know that's a lot, but I still have more to say! I look forward to hearing what you think. I'll end up posting my deck list at another time.
First off, very nice write-up. I share your/your playgroups philosophy of not being too oppressive or degenerate, and I also play Oloro so this is a great thread for discussion for me. I do have some critiques and suggestions however, so I'd like to hear your opinion.
While I understand not wanting to use tutors, you end up contradicting yourself by playing both Entomb and Intuition. Any way you slice it, these are both tutors. Sure, they aren't Demonic Tutor, but the effect is the same- ripping cards out of your library. With that said, I don't agree that tutors themselves should be ruled out. After all, every color has access to them in some capacity, and you're only diluting your game plan by not using them.
It's noteworthy that because you don't use enough tutors, your deck ends up being extremely redundant when it doesn't need to be. You are running FIVE creature-looters, and ELEVEN(!?) reanimation spells, with only 13 targets in your entire deck. This means you're going to end up drawing way too many copies of essentially the same card when in reality you only need to cast that type of spell 1-3 times a game, at most.
First off, I would argue that every single creature-looter needs to be cut from the list, with the exception of baby Jace. They are just way too low impact, terrible top-decks, do nothing the turn they are played, and also get removed by pings and board clears. This makes them incredibly inefficient slots in your deck. You could argue that they "go under the radar", but that is not enough reason for inclusion in a truly Competitive or Semi-Competitive list.
Second, you are running far too many reanimation spells-- this is hindering your ability to pack your deck with much more answers. In reality, you should only need to be casting a reanimation spell 1-3, MAYBE 4 times a game. And that's not counting games where your graveyard is being hated out. Being stuck with a hand full of reanimation and no cards in your graveyard seems like a foregone conclusion with the way the deck is built. Actively protecting your own creatures post-Reanimation is a much better and safer route than having to recast reanimation spells the entire match. It also gives you more variables to work with when things aren't exactly going your way. After all, an additional counter or removal spell can be used practically any time, while a reanimation spell is very limited in scope.
I think in practice you only need the core of: Reanimate(pure mana efficiency), Animate Dead, Necromancy (these two being able to be recurred with Sun Titan is yuge), and Unburial Rites. Then add 1-2 more as you see fit. I personally run Zombify and Breath of Life in addition to the aforementioned, as they are the easiest colors to cast and have no drawbacks, but I wouldn't rule out Dance of the Dead or Exhume if I felt I needed more instances. Generally, I can just end up recurring Animate + Necromancy with Sun Titan. And if I can't that's probably because my graveyard is being hated out and I can't reanimate anyway.
With that said, in my Oloro deck, I do make use of a few extra tutors that you've not included, while also using Entomb and Intuition. I personally use Vampiric Tutor, Enlightened Tutor, and Mystical Tutor. All can be used at instant speed. This also allows me to put in get-out-of-jail-free cards; Terminus and Temporal Mastery. And again, if tutors are against your philosophy, then I urge you to remove both Entomb and Intuition from your deck.
I also think this deck would benefit from inclusion of Lim-Dul's Vault and Fact or Fiction. Additionally, Sphinx of Uthuun is one of the most underrated cards in the format, particularly in a reanimation shell. I'd also like to argue that there is not a single instance where Sire of Stagnation is superior to Consecrated Sphinx. Smart opponents will just not land drop if he's out until he's removed. Meanwhile, C.Sphinx is drawing at least 2 cards every turn regardless of opponent's actions.
Anyway, feel free to completely dissent my opinion. I know that's a lot, but I still have more to say! I look forward to hearing what you think. I'll end up posting my deck list at another time.
Thanks for taking the time to read over my list, I certainly put quite a bit of time and effort into creating this tread. You certainly have offered some great constructive feedback.
I don not believe Intuition and Entomb are tutors. I also don't consider Polluted Delta to be a tutor. They certainly are not tutors like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, or Mystical Tutor. Intuition gives our opponent a (limited) choice in the matter. Entomb is on theme and forces the card into the graveyard (a vulnerable place). Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor are much more powerful cards for many reasons (we don't have to reveal the card, we can use the card we tutored for later, much more versatile in what it can tutor, etc.). Ultimately I feel that tutors like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Mystical Tutor, are incredibly powerful and violate the spirit of the "singleton, every game should be different" format to some regard. Sure, it's a little hypocritical I guess, but Entomb is on theme and it along with Intuition are less powerful, less overused and less versatile than traditional tutors you recommended.
Previously I was playing a different Oloro, Ageless Asectic that was more of a combo variant. I ran all the tutors you mentioned (among others) and the deck over performed. It literally was winning all the games and I felt it was boring because every game I would run into tutors and I would also be able to find the perfect answer or I would be able to win/combo out. Part of what I enjoy about piloting this deck is it runs fairly consistently, but no game is exactly the same.
I don't want to cut the looters. I would almost say that would a nonstarter. I originally built this deck as a top down "Tribal Looters" deck, and I love seeing players gawk at Thought Courier because they have never played against the card and they refuse to take it seriously. I believe you are severely underestimating the idea of a Thought Courier flying under the radar for several turns and getting massive value out of it. You can say they are slow, but they very frequently enable turn 3 or 4 reanimation of a bomb. They also can block in a pinch and have synergy with Sun Titan. Yes, they are susceptible to board wipes, but players aren't going to waste a Path To Exile, Swords To Plowshares or Terminate on a Merfolk Looter so the "fly under the radar" notion is real. Another thing I like about my list is whether it's playing looters or playing mana rocks, I almost always have something to do in the early game. Perhaps you are right that I shouldn't consider this a "semi-competitive" list, but considering the amount of value ($$$) in the deck along with many of the powerful cards, I wouldn't consider it a casual deck. It can certainly hold up against lists that are more competitive. I have brought Loot & Reanimate to circles that identify as casual and card shops I don't frequent and the deck overperforms/dominates. It certainly is stronger than most "Casual" lists on MTG Salvation.
I agree with your assessment of what the best reanimation spells are, but I don't find myself only wanting to reanimate only 2 or 3 times a game. This is especially true in a 4 or 5 person game that can last 45 minutes or even over an hour. Sometimes I will use the extra reanimation spells I encounter to block and trade with something, knowing I can bring a creature back or I may sacrifice Ashen Rider with Phyrexian Tower so I can use another Reanimation spell. I also think instant speed reanimation spell Makeshift Mannequin and Miraculous Recovery (which I am no longer running). More importantly, if I am not playing tutors, I can't pilot a reanimator deck with only 4 or 5 reanimation spells (Entomb can only find Unburial Rites, Intuition would seldom if ever search for a reanimation spell aside from Unburial Rites).
Fact or Fiction is a great suggestion that I've been meaning to make room for, but I'm not sure where to fit it. I don't like that it costs 4 mana. Aside from my win conditions and Alhammarret's Archive (which has fantastic synergy with the looters). Sphinx of Uthuun is good and certainly has been on my short list. I will add it to the "Other Options" section in the near future.
Consecrated Sphinx is good but not strictly better that Sire Stagnation (although it generally is superior). Consecrated Sphinx has weaker stats including a power of only 4. I play it in my mono blue list and I feel the card is overplayed and draws more hate than Sire Stagnation does. If players don't have an immediate answer to Sire Stagnation, they will sometimes sit on their lands which is very significant. Sire Stagnation also hoses fetch lands and ramp which is a lot of fun (one game I flashed in Necromancy to bring back Sire Stagnation in response to a player casting Boundless Realms.
How do you feel about non creature looting cards like Careful Study and Frantic Search? I guess if I had to remove some of the looters, I'd consider replacing them with more effects like these.
Feel free to share your list, I'm sure it's more optimized and traditionally competitive than my list, but I'm sure I can get some tips from it.
Thanks for taking the time to read over my list, I certainly put quite a bit of time and effort into creating this tread. You certainly have offered some great constructive feedback.
Thanks for being receptive and taking it well! Now that we've got my criticisms of the list out of the way we can talk about card optimizations and maneuvering the direction of both our decks.
Quote from Honor Basquiat »
I don not believe Intuition and Entomb are tutors. I also don't consider Polluted Delta to be a tutor. They certainly are not tutors like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, or Mystical Tutor. Intuition gives our opponent a (limited) choice in the matter. Entomb is on theme and forces the card into the graveyard (a vulnerable place). Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor are much more powerful cards for many reasons (we don't have to reveal the card, we can use the card we tutored for later, much more versatile in what it can tutor, etc.). Ultimately I feel that tutors like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Mystical Tutor, are incredibly powerful and violate the spirit of the "singleton, every game should be different" format to some regard. Sure, it's a little hypocritical I guess, but Entomb is on theme and it along with Intuition are less powerful, less overused and less versatile than traditional tutors you recommended.
Previously I was playing a different Oloro, Ageless Asectic that was more of a combo variant. I ran all the tutors you mentioned (among others) and the deck over performed. It literally was winning all the games and I felt it was boring because every game I would run into tutors and I would also be able to find the perfect answer or I would be able to win/combo out. Part of what I enjoy about piloting this deck is it runs fairly consistently, but no game is exactly the same.
That's fair enough, and if that's the way you want to pilot your deck then I have no issues with it. Though I will say that while I could live without Vampiric Tutor and Mystical Tutor, I would never cut Enlightened Tutor from my deck. Being able to fetch Animate Dead or Necromancy in a pinch has been so clutch for me. Though I also run less density of reanimation spells, favoring only the most efficient ones.
Quote from Honor Basquiat »
I don't want to cut the looters. I would almost say that would a nonstarter. I originally built this deck as a top down "Tribal Looters" deck, and I love seeing players gawk at Thought Courier because they have never played against the card and they refuse to take it seriously. I believe you are severely underestimating the idea of a Thought Courier flying under the radar for several turns and getting massive value out of it. You can say they are slow, but they very frequently enable turn 3 or 4 reanimation of a bomb. They also can block in a pinch and have synergy with Sun Titan. Yes, they are susceptible to board wipes, but players aren't going to waste a Path To Exile, Swords To Plowshares or Terminate on a Merfolk Looter so the "fly under the radar" notion is real. Another thing I like about my list is whether it's playing looters or playing mana rocks, I almost always have something to do in the early game. Perhaps you are right that I shouldn't consider this a "semi-competitive" list, but considering the amount of value ($$$) in the deck along with many of the powerful cards, I wouldn't consider it a casual deck. It can certainly hold up against lists that are more competitive. I have brought Loot & Reanimate to circles that identify as casual and card shops I don't frequent and the deck overperforms/dominates. It certainly is stronger than most "Casual" lists on MTG Salvation.
Alright. Here's my issue with looters in MY list, though I do understand that they create the thematic foundation for your list and thus why you wouldn't cut them; but I would never let them touch my deck lol.
In analyzing cards for my EDH decks, one of the largest considerations beyond efficiency, value, etc. is asking myself: What does this card do for me when I am behind or in an unfavorable position in the game?
Comparing cards like Thought Courier as my draw for the turn versus Careful Study, Frantic Search, Thirst for Knowledge, Fact or Fiction, etc. is that looters, while certainly good at developing card quality over time, just do not do enough to assist me in tight spots. And yet I still have the looting effects that I am interest in without running the creature version.
While I will concede that as a turn 2 play, any of the creature looters that you have listed are a great play and can absolutely create discreet value, I have to take my analysis beyond turn 2 and realize that late in the game, these cards are going to be severely under-performing. This is a philosophy of mine that I extend to all of my Commander/EDH decks, and the same reason why I do not run any sort of Mana Dorks in my green decks unless they have some other sort of synergy.
Quote from Honor Basquiat »
I agree with your assessment of what the best reanimation spells are, but I don't find myself only wanting to reanimate only 2 or 3 times a game. This is especially true in a 4 or 5 person game that can last 45 minutes or even over an hour. Sometimes I will use the extra reanimation spells I encounter to block and trade with something, knowing I can bring a creature back or I may sacrifice Ashen Rider with Phyrexian Tower so I can use another Reanimation spell. I also think instant speed reanimation spell Makeshift Mannequin and Miraculous Recovery (which I am no longer running). More importantly, if I am not playing tutors, I can't pilot a reanimator deck with only 4 or 5 reanimation spells (Entomb can only find Unburial Rites, Intuition would seldom if ever search for a reanimation spell aside from Unburial Rites).
I think this is where the design of our decks meet a more severe divergence(while still fulfilling similar roles), and this is just due to our individual preferences. I am more interested in running less threats but ensuring their stickiness while it seems you are content with reanimating the same cards multiple times a game. That's completely fine. I just prefer having more answers, but again that is more to speak that I am using more tutors and so I am able to have a more reactive approach. But nothing wrong with it either way.
Quote from Honor Basquiat »
Fact or Fiction is a great suggestion that I've been meaning to make room for, but I'm not sure where to fit it. I don't like that it costs 4 mana. Aside from my win conditions and Alhammarret's Archive (which has fantastic synergy with the looters). Sphinx of Uthuun is good and certainly has been on my short list. I will add it to the "Other Options" section in the near future.
Alright, onto the meat and potatoes of what we should be discussing; card selection! I think its effect for 4 mana is well worth the cost. Even if we didn't have great interaction with our graveyard, Fact or Fiction represents 2-4 cards worth of draw PLUS card quality. That's a lot for 4 mana, in my opinion. And Sphinx of Uthuun is the same thing on a flying beater body that is repeatable with our deck tech. I think you should definitely plug him in for one of your more under-performing creatures and try it out. His value really tends to be noticeable more so in practice than on paper. I.E. Once you reanimate him, you'll never take him out again.
Quote from Honor Basquiat »
Consecrated Sphinx is good but not strictly better that Sire Stagnation (although it generally is superior). Consecrated Sphinx has weaker stats including a power of only 4. I play it in my mono blue list and I feel the card is overplayed and draws more hate than Sire Stagnation does. If players don't have an immediate answer to Sire Stagnation, they will sometimes sit on their lands which is very significant. Sire Stagnation also hoses fetch lands and ramp which is a lot of fun (one game I flashed in Necromancy to bring back Sire Stagnation in response to a player casting Boundless Realms.
So in fringe situations that like, sure. I am exaggerating a bit of course about C. Sphinx being better in ALL situations. And also its a nightmare for him to be bribed/cloned, which is not something to be overlooked. However, Sire of Stagnation is just that... he creates stagnation. Which is definitely a strategy.. but is it ours? This is not a stax deck, nor is it a tempo deck. While reanimating him on turn 3/4 is surely going to put a dent in your opponent's plans, outside of the ideal situation(i.e. turn 6 or later) is he really doing much? People can forgo their land drops, probably have a ton of mana/mana rocks already, and can just wait for him to be destroyed, whereas Consecrated Sphinx MUST be answered. There's no time to wait. If he even lives for TWO opponents draw steps they are already buried in card advantage, let alone if you get to untap with him. Then it is game over. That is the value of C.Sphinx, and why Sire just doesn't hold a candle. And furthermore, I disagree with your assessment of stats. Sure, Sphinx is a 4/6 and Sire a 5/7, but flying is worth well more than 1/1 worth of stats. Evasion = better protection AND better chance to get damage in or be able to hit a planeswalker. But of course, the body is not really relevant anyway.
Quote from Honor Basquiat »
How do you feel about non creature looting cards like Careful Study and Frantic Search? I guess if I had to remove some of the looters, I'd consider replacing them with more effects like these.
As I said earlier, stone cold nuts. I wish there were more effects like these. Sadly I think Thirst for Knowledge is as close as it gets, but what can you do? Magic cards were stronger back then.
I'll post my list when I'm less lazy, haha. Also once I post my list I'll go into more depth about my card choices/exclusions and differences between our lists. But for now I leave you with this.
Also, I'm reaaaaaaally leaning towards finding a slot for Snapcaster Mage. So many games I find spells sitting in my graveyard that I want to recur so badly, but I don't have the ability.
I think it's harder to have more answers and less reanimation spells without relying on tutors to search for reanimation spells which is something I don't want to do because I feel it makes it "too easy" or "too repetitive". However I understand your logic and your deck is probably stronger/more competitive than Loot & Reanimate.
Snapcaster Mage is certainly a card that I have been curious about and I would say it worth testing. I also am curious about testing Forbidden Alchemy.
Not to much came out of Amonkhet for this deck, but I did want to spend a little time talking about a few cards that are at least worthy of consideration to making the list.
Amonkhet Review
As Foretold: It functions as a super mana rock when it has enough counters on it. It's a pretty good card if cast in the early game. We have many instant spells which makes As Foretold useful during other turns, but overall it's too slow and is too weak of a late game draw to make the cut. Curator of Mysteries: 4/4 Flying for 2UU is an efficient body. Loot & Reanimate runs about 10 cards that make us discard so enabling the extra scry would not be difficult. Still pretty low impact, but it may be worth considering. Archfiend of Ifnir: 5/4 Flying for 3BB isn't anything special, but the stats are respectable. Loot & Reanimate runs about 10 cards that make us discard. Being able to use that discard as utility for removal is interesting. Great synergy with looting cards. Perhaps this one is worthy of testing. Liliana, Death's Majesty: A planeswalker that reanimates! Plus ability protects her and card feed our graveyard. Her minus ability is Zombify. Ultimate is a board wipe that has synergy with her minus but not our other creatures. Liliana, Death's Majesty will fit into a lot of reanimation shells, but 3BB is a little too high to make the cut for Loot & Reanimate. Scarab Feast: Efficient graveyard hate that can cycle if not needed for B. Meta dependent but certainly playable. Irrigated Farmland (and others in cycle): They can be found via fetch lands and cycle late game. This makes them versatile but I like the Prairie Stream cycle more because they can enter untapped sometimes.
The deck has been performing well. Lately I have been playing some interesting games where I have been reanimating less and instead playing creatures with the assistance of the mana rocks. Nothing else particularly new to report, but I have been reaping tremendous benefits from Chancellor of the Annex lately.
Also, I have made a small change that is also posted in the change log:
June 6, 2017: In: Massacre Wurm Out: Tidespout Tyrant Reason: While Tidespout Tyrant is a strong threat that can impact and control the board, it draws a massive amount of hate and requires multiple other spells to gain true value out of it. Massacre Wurm wipes the board of tokens and utility creatures while also hating on sacrifice strategies.
Why Oloro?
Deck List
1x Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
Loot (11)
1x Careful Study
1x Enclave Cryptologist
1x Entomb
1x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
1x Looter il-Kor
1x Merfolk Looter
1x Thought Courier
1x Frantic Search
1x Intuition
1x Monastery Siege
1x Thirst For Knowledge
Card Draw (3)
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Rhystic Study
1x Painful Truths
Permission (4)
1x Counterspell
1x Mana Drain
1x Dissipate
1x Void Shatter
Bombs (13)
1x Ashen Rider
1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1x Chancellor of the Annex
1x Demon of Dark Schemes
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1x Emrakul, the Promised End
1x Magister Sphinx
1x Massacre Wurm
1x Sire of Stagnation
1x Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1x Sun Titan
1x Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts
1x Void Winnower
1x Reanimate
1x Animate Dead
1x Dance of the Dead
1x Exhume
1x Necromancy
1x Breath of Life
1x Dread Return
1x Makeshift Mannequin
1x Resurrection
1x Zombify
1x Unburial Rites
1x Azorius Signet
1x Mana Crypt
1x Coldsteel Heart
1x Dimir Signet
1x Fellwar Stone
1x Lotus Petal
1x Orzhov Signet
1x Sol Ring
1x Talisman of Dominance
1x Talisman of Progress
Removal (7)
1x Oust
1x Path to Exile
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Anguished Unmaking
1x Council's Judgment
1x Toxic Deluge
1x Supreme Verdict
Other (1)
1x Alhammarret's Archive
1x Lightning Greaves
Land (37)
1x Adarkar Wastes
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Arcane Sanctum
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Caves of Koilos
1x City of Brass
1x Command Tower
1x Concealed Courtyard
1x Darkslick Shores
1x Drowned Catacomb
1x Exotic Orchard
1x Flooded Strand
1x Geier Reach Sanitarium
1x Glacial Fortress
1x Godless Shrine
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Island
1x Isolated Chapel
1x Mana Confluence
1x Phyrexian Tower
1x Plains
1x Polluted Delta
1x Prairie Stream
1x Reflecting Pool
1x Seachrome Coast
1x Strip Mine
1x Sunken Hollow
1x Swamp
1x Underground River
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Watery Grave
1x Windswept Heath
Card Analysis
Deck Trait Breakdown
Other Options
How To Play
Change Log
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
Thanks for the feedback @elfric.
Yeah, I'm not really big on tutors. The last competitive deck I built was Leovold, Emissary of Trest (see my signature) and I included several tutors. It was way too consistent and brutal. It over performed in my play circle. I feel tutors kind of violate the singleton idea of the format and they make turns take longer because of searching and shuffling.
I wouldn't want to include Zur the Enchanter because he is essentially a repeatable tutor, but I will consider adding him to the "Other Options" section. He seems like a fine inclusion for lists that are built with tutors in mind.
Mind over Matter is too degenerate and it can be difficult to cast UUUU in a four colored deck.
Lore Broker is cute. He certainly is a solid option with Consecrated Sphinx, but there are other looters that are better.
Flash is neat. It's a card I have never played against and it seems like it'd be very strong with Ashen Rider and Magister Sphinx. I believe it is worth testing for sure.
One card I forgot to mention but I will certainly add to the "Other Options" section is Miraculous Recovery. I was initially running the card but I cut it because I'm trying to foil out this deck (I'm about 93% done) and there is no foil version of Miraculous Recovery. However it is a useful card, 4W is a lot, but it isn't difficult to cast color wise and instant speed reanimation is very powerful.
Note: I made some changes to the original article. Mostly I fixed some grammatical stuff and fleshed out a few sections. I also updated the "How To Play" section but it is still a work in progress (I'm still trying to correct some of the formatting especially).
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
Does anyone have any suggestions or relevant experience from playing against or with Oloro, Ageless Asectic or reanimator theme decks worth sharing?
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
One game I was able to cast early game instant speed Entomb targeting Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, in response to opponents playing mana dorks and then bringing her back on turn 2 with Exhume.
Thirst For Knowledge put in a lot of work throughout the games. Because of the high amount of mana rocks that are not very useful in the late game, because of the make up of the deck, I was able to frequently draw 3 and discard 1. In one case I was able to discard Sphinx of the Steel Wind.
Sun Titan recurring fetch lands provides so much advantage I am considering adding more off color fetches to the list (i.e. Misty Rainforest, Scalding Tarn) but for now I am leaning against it.
Tidesprout Tyrant pulled its weight and was particularly useful at bouncing lands to mana screw the four color decks.
Chancellor of the Annex was very useful in the beginning of the game. This should go without saying, but it certainly can slow opponents by a turn or two. When in play, certain decks are significantly hindered, even towards the late game.
I am considering making room for one more counter spell. Perhaps cutting Oust in favor of Negate, but I definitely would need to test because Oust has done great work for me.
I am still open to any questions or feedback.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur is no longer in the list. I replaced it with Tidespout Tyrant and updated the change log last week. I forgot to remove him from the card analysis section, but I have now updated the list accordingly and moved him to the "Other Options" section.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
I want the list to be competitive, but like you mentioned I don't want it to be too oppressive. My play circle generally frowns upon major land denial and land destruction. I also don't want to play with infinite combos or general resource denial (i.e. Iona, Shield of Emeria).
Overall I want to win with creatures that are big, scary and efficient. The deck is designed to have the upper hand early game by cheating big creatures into play, often with valuable abilities, however should the game go on for too long, I want to be able to cast these creatures if necessary and still influence the game in a significant manner.
Living Death is an interesting suggestion and worthy of testing and consideration.
I am open to all types of feedback, but I am particularly curious about alternative win conditions and alternative loot/card advantage spells.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
While I understand not wanting to use tutors, you end up contradicting yourself by playing both Entomb and Intuition. Any way you slice it, these are both tutors. Sure, they aren't Demonic Tutor, but the effect is the same- ripping cards out of your library. With that said, I don't agree that tutors themselves should be ruled out. After all, every color has access to them in some capacity, and you're only diluting your game plan by not using them.
It's noteworthy that because you don't use enough tutors, your deck ends up being extremely redundant when it doesn't need to be. You are running FIVE creature-looters, and ELEVEN(!?) reanimation spells, with only 13 targets in your entire deck. This means you're going to end up drawing way too many copies of essentially the same card when in reality you only need to cast that type of spell 1-3 times a game, at most.
First off, I would argue that every single creature-looter needs to be cut from the list, with the exception of baby Jace. They are just way too low impact, terrible top-decks, do nothing the turn they are played, and also get removed by pings and board clears. This makes them incredibly inefficient slots in your deck. You could argue that they "go under the radar", but that is not enough reason for inclusion in a truly Competitive or Semi-Competitive list.
Second, you are running far too many reanimation spells-- this is hindering your ability to pack your deck with much more answers. In reality, you should only need to be casting a reanimation spell 1-3, MAYBE 4 times a game. And that's not counting games where your graveyard is being hated out. Being stuck with a hand full of reanimation and no cards in your graveyard seems like a foregone conclusion with the way the deck is built. Actively protecting your own creatures post-Reanimation is a much better and safer route than having to recast reanimation spells the entire match. It also gives you more variables to work with when things aren't exactly going your way. After all, an additional counter or removal spell can be used practically any time, while a reanimation spell is very limited in scope.
I think in practice you only need the core of: Reanimate(pure mana efficiency), Animate Dead, Necromancy (these two being able to be recurred with Sun Titan is yuge), and Unburial Rites. Then add 1-2 more as you see fit. I personally run Zombify and Breath of Life in addition to the aforementioned, as they are the easiest colors to cast and have no drawbacks, but I wouldn't rule out Dance of the Dead or Exhume if I felt I needed more instances. Generally, I can just end up recurring Animate + Necromancy with Sun Titan. And if I can't that's probably because my graveyard is being hated out and I can't reanimate anyway.
With that said, in my Oloro deck, I do make use of a few extra tutors that you've not included, while also using Entomb and Intuition. I personally use Vampiric Tutor, Enlightened Tutor, and Mystical Tutor. All can be used at instant speed. This also allows me to put in get-out-of-jail-free cards; Terminus and Temporal Mastery. And again, if tutors are against your philosophy, then I urge you to remove both Entomb and Intuition from your deck.
I also think this deck would benefit from inclusion of Lim-Dul's Vault and Fact or Fiction. Additionally, Sphinx of Uthuun is one of the most underrated cards in the format, particularly in a reanimation shell. I'd also like to argue that there is not a single instance where Sire of Stagnation is superior to Consecrated Sphinx. Smart opponents will just not land drop if he's out until he's removed. Meanwhile, C.Sphinx is drawing at least 2 cards every turn regardless of opponent's actions.
Anyway, feel free to completely dissent my opinion. I know that's a lot, but I still have more to say! I look forward to hearing what you think. I'll end up posting my deck list at another time.
Username: Cabz
Thanks for taking the time to read over my list, I certainly put quite a bit of time and effort into creating this tread. You certainly have offered some great constructive feedback.
I don not believe Intuition and Entomb are tutors. I also don't consider Polluted Delta to be a tutor. They certainly are not tutors like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, or Mystical Tutor. Intuition gives our opponent a (limited) choice in the matter. Entomb is on theme and forces the card into the graveyard (a vulnerable place). Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor are much more powerful cards for many reasons (we don't have to reveal the card, we can use the card we tutored for later, much more versatile in what it can tutor, etc.). Ultimately I feel that tutors like Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Mystical Tutor, are incredibly powerful and violate the spirit of the "singleton, every game should be different" format to some regard. Sure, it's a little hypocritical I guess, but Entomb is on theme and it along with Intuition are less powerful, less overused and less versatile than traditional tutors you recommended.
Previously I was playing a different Oloro, Ageless Asectic that was more of a combo variant. I ran all the tutors you mentioned (among others) and the deck over performed. It literally was winning all the games and I felt it was boring because every game I would run into tutors and I would also be able to find the perfect answer or I would be able to win/combo out. Part of what I enjoy about piloting this deck is it runs fairly consistently, but no game is exactly the same.
I don't want to cut the looters. I would almost say that would a nonstarter. I originally built this deck as a top down "Tribal Looters" deck, and I love seeing players gawk at Thought Courier because they have never played against the card and they refuse to take it seriously. I believe you are severely underestimating the idea of a Thought Courier flying under the radar for several turns and getting massive value out of it. You can say they are slow, but they very frequently enable turn 3 or 4 reanimation of a bomb. They also can block in a pinch and have synergy with Sun Titan. Yes, they are susceptible to board wipes, but players aren't going to waste a Path To Exile, Swords To Plowshares or Terminate on a Merfolk Looter so the "fly under the radar" notion is real. Another thing I like about my list is whether it's playing looters or playing mana rocks, I almost always have something to do in the early game. Perhaps you are right that I shouldn't consider this a "semi-competitive" list, but considering the amount of value ($$$) in the deck along with many of the powerful cards, I wouldn't consider it a casual deck. It can certainly hold up against lists that are more competitive. I have brought Loot & Reanimate to circles that identify as casual and card shops I don't frequent and the deck overperforms/dominates. It certainly is stronger than most "Casual" lists on MTG Salvation.
I agree with your assessment of what the best reanimation spells are, but I don't find myself only wanting to reanimate only 2 or 3 times a game. This is especially true in a 4 or 5 person game that can last 45 minutes or even over an hour. Sometimes I will use the extra reanimation spells I encounter to block and trade with something, knowing I can bring a creature back or I may sacrifice Ashen Rider with Phyrexian Tower so I can use another Reanimation spell. I also think instant speed reanimation spell Makeshift Mannequin and Miraculous Recovery (which I am no longer running). More importantly, if I am not playing tutors, I can't pilot a reanimator deck with only 4 or 5 reanimation spells (Entomb can only find Unburial Rites, Intuition would seldom if ever search for a reanimation spell aside from Unburial Rites).
Fact or Fiction is a great suggestion that I've been meaning to make room for, but I'm not sure where to fit it. I don't like that it costs 4 mana. Aside from my win conditions and Alhammarret's Archive (which has fantastic synergy with the looters). Sphinx of Uthuun is good and certainly has been on my short list. I will add it to the "Other Options" section in the near future.
Consecrated Sphinx is good but not strictly better that Sire Stagnation (although it generally is superior). Consecrated Sphinx has weaker stats including a power of only 4. I play it in my mono blue list and I feel the card is overplayed and draws more hate than Sire Stagnation does. If players don't have an immediate answer to Sire Stagnation, they will sometimes sit on their lands which is very significant. Sire Stagnation also hoses fetch lands and ramp which is a lot of fun (one game I flashed in Necromancy to bring back Sire Stagnation in response to a player casting Boundless Realms.
How do you feel about non creature looting cards like Careful Study and Frantic Search? I guess if I had to remove some of the looters, I'd consider replacing them with more effects like these.
Feel free to share your list, I'm sure it's more optimized and traditionally competitive than my list, but I'm sure I can get some tips from it.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
Thanks for being receptive and taking it well! Now that we've got my criticisms of the list out of the way we can talk about card optimizations and maneuvering the direction of both our decks.
That's fair enough, and if that's the way you want to pilot your deck then I have no issues with it. Though I will say that while I could live without Vampiric Tutor and Mystical Tutor, I would never cut Enlightened Tutor from my deck. Being able to fetch Animate Dead or Necromancy in a pinch has been so clutch for me. Though I also run less density of reanimation spells, favoring only the most efficient ones.
Alright. Here's my issue with looters in MY list, though I do understand that they create the thematic foundation for your list and thus why you wouldn't cut them; but I would never let them touch my deck lol.
In analyzing cards for my EDH decks, one of the largest considerations beyond efficiency, value, etc. is asking myself:
What does this card do for me when I am behind or in an unfavorable position in the game?
Comparing cards like Thought Courier as my draw for the turn versus Careful Study, Frantic Search, Thirst for Knowledge, Fact or Fiction, etc. is that looters, while certainly good at developing card quality over time, just do not do enough to assist me in tight spots. And yet I still have the looting effects that I am interest in without running the creature version.
While I will concede that as a turn 2 play, any of the creature looters that you have listed are a great play and can absolutely create discreet value, I have to take my analysis beyond turn 2 and realize that late in the game, these cards are going to be severely under-performing. This is a philosophy of mine that I extend to all of my Commander/EDH decks, and the same reason why I do not run any sort of Mana Dorks in my green decks unless they have some other sort of synergy.
I think this is where the design of our decks meet a more severe divergence(while still fulfilling similar roles), and this is just due to our individual preferences. I am more interested in running less threats but ensuring their stickiness while it seems you are content with reanimating the same cards multiple times a game. That's completely fine. I just prefer having more answers, but again that is more to speak that I am using more tutors and so I am able to have a more reactive approach. But nothing wrong with it either way.
Alright, onto the meat and potatoes of what we should be discussing; card selection! I think its effect for 4 mana is well worth the cost. Even if we didn't have great interaction with our graveyard, Fact or Fiction represents 2-4 cards worth of draw PLUS card quality. That's a lot for 4 mana, in my opinion. And Sphinx of Uthuun is the same thing on a flying beater body that is repeatable with our deck tech. I think you should definitely plug him in for one of your more under-performing creatures and try it out. His value really tends to be noticeable more so in practice than on paper. I.E. Once you reanimate him, you'll never take him out again.
So in fringe situations that like, sure. I am exaggerating a bit of course about C. Sphinx being better in ALL situations. And also its a nightmare for him to be bribed/cloned, which is not something to be overlooked. However, Sire of Stagnation is just that... he creates stagnation. Which is definitely a strategy.. but is it ours? This is not a stax deck, nor is it a tempo deck. While reanimating him on turn 3/4 is surely going to put a dent in your opponent's plans, outside of the ideal situation(i.e. turn 6 or later) is he really doing much? People can forgo their land drops, probably have a ton of mana/mana rocks already, and can just wait for him to be destroyed, whereas Consecrated Sphinx MUST be answered. There's no time to wait. If he even lives for TWO opponents draw steps they are already buried in card advantage, let alone if you get to untap with him. Then it is game over. That is the value of C.Sphinx, and why Sire just doesn't hold a candle. And furthermore, I disagree with your assessment of stats. Sure, Sphinx is a 4/6 and Sire a 5/7, but flying is worth well more than 1/1 worth of stats. Evasion = better protection AND better chance to get damage in or be able to hit a planeswalker. But of course, the body is not really relevant anyway.
As I said earlier, stone cold nuts. I wish there were more effects like these. Sadly I think Thirst for Knowledge is as close as it gets, but what can you do? Magic cards were stronger back then.
I'll post my list when I'm less lazy, haha. Also once I post my list I'll go into more depth about my card choices/exclusions and differences between our lists. But for now I leave you with this.
Also, I'm reaaaaaaally leaning towards finding a slot for Snapcaster Mage. So many games I find spells sitting in my graveyard that I want to recur so badly, but I don't have the ability.
Username: Cabz
Snapcaster Mage is certainly a card that I have been curious about and I would say it worth testing. I also am curious about testing Forbidden Alchemy.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
Amonkhet Review
As Foretold: It functions as a super mana rock when it has enough counters on it. It's a pretty good card if cast in the early game. We have many instant spells which makes As Foretold useful during other turns, but overall it's too slow and is too weak of a late game draw to make the cut.
Curator of Mysteries: 4/4 Flying for 2UU is an efficient body. Loot & Reanimate runs about 10 cards that make us discard so enabling the extra scry would not be difficult. Still pretty low impact, but it may be worth considering.
Archfiend of Ifnir: 5/4 Flying for 3BB isn't anything special, but the stats are respectable. Loot & Reanimate runs about 10 cards that make us discard. Being able to use that discard as utility for removal is interesting. Great synergy with looting cards. Perhaps this one is worthy of testing.
Liliana, Death's Majesty: A planeswalker that reanimates! Plus ability protects her and card feed our graveyard. Her minus ability is Zombify. Ultimate is a board wipe that has synergy with her minus but not our other creatures. Liliana, Death's Majesty will fit into a lot of reanimation shells, but 3BB is a little too high to make the cut for Loot & Reanimate.
Scarab Feast: Efficient graveyard hate that can cycle if not needed for B. Meta dependent but certainly playable.
Irrigated Farmland (and others in cycle): They can be found via fetch lands and cycle late game. This makes them versatile but I like the Prairie Stream cycle more because they can enter untapped sometimes.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
Also, I have made a small change that is also posted in the change log:
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate