Introduction:
In our gaming group, we enjoy engaging in 1V1 and FFA matches with legacy decks consisting of 80 cards. This deck size helps us prevent milling, self-decking, and encountering additional copies of cards while also providing more options. Lastly, when I build a deck, I do it with flavor, I do not deviate from that flavor even if there are better cards in other colors or if there are less flavorful cards in the same color that function better.
Deck Strategy:
The strategy of this demon reanimator graveyard deck revolves around harnessing the power of creatures with potent enter-the-battlefield effects to overcome opponents. These effects can encompass a range of abilities, such as gaining life, destroying opponents' creatures, drawing cards, or even reanimating other creatures. By capitalizing on these effects, players can assemble a formidable army of demons capable of overwhelming their adversaries.
Card Draw:
To ensure a steady stream of cards, we have included Griselbrand, a powerhouse that draws and filters cards during the discard step. Additionally, we have incorporated Castle Locthwain as reliable options for single card draws.
Removal:
In terms of removal, we have included various options to address different situations. Bone Shards serves as early-game spot removal, while Archfiend of Sorrows provides an effective field wipe that exclusively impacts opponents. Demon of Dark Schemes is particularly potent as an early-game play, with its ability to affect all creatures. For late-game spot removal, Overseer of the Damned proves valuable, rewarding players for creatures that perish. Lastly, Shadowgrange Archfiend helps tackle sizable creatures or those resilient to spot removal.
Ramp:
To facilitate gameplay and ensure access to demons, we've incorporated the synergistic combo of Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Cabal Coffers when the graveyard proves less fruitful. In the midgame, Crypt of Agadeem serves as an effective ramp option as the graveyard fills up.
Life Gain:
Life gain is an essential component of this deck, and we've included several cards to bolster resilience. Shadowgrange Archfiend can generate a substantial amount of life depending on the power level of opponents' creatures. Furthermore, High Market provides early-game life mitigation against 2/2 zombies.
Putting Demons Into the Graveyard:
A crucial aspect of this deck is efficiently placing creatures into the graveyard. Cards like Entomb serve as early-game bombs, enabling players to fetch the right demon at the opportune moment. Bone Shards functions not only as reliable early creature removal but also fuels the graveyard by discarding significant demons. Buried Alive allows players to put multiple demons into the graveyard simultaneously, although it can sometimes sit idle in hand. Realistically, it's prudent not to exceed six demons in the graveyard at a given time to mitigate vulnerability to cards like Farewell. High Market, and Phyrexian Tower help return demons to the graveyard for later reentry. Tocasia's Dig Site aids in deck filtering, while Living Death enables the exchange of demons already in play with those not yet on the battlefield. Unmarked Grave serves as a reliable alternative to entomb for early-game aggression. Two copies of Wake the Dead have been added as instant speed removal.
Reanimating Demons:
The other crucial element of this deck is the reanimation of creatures. Cards such as Animate Dead offer the opportunity to retrieve a creature in exchange for a single power point. Demon of Dark Schemes allows the use of energy counters to reanimate creatures on the player's and other players' turns. Exhume may grant opponents creatures, but typically they perish upon reentry, while Living Death mass reanimates opponents' creatures, typically resulting in their swift demise. Reanimate exchanges life for a creature, Recurring Nightmare swaps a creature for another creature, and Archfiend of Sorrows utilizes its own abilities to quickly clear the field of small creatures. Two copies of Wake the Dead have been added as instant speed reanimation.
Dealing With Exile:
To counter instant exile removal spells like Swords to Plowshares, High Market, and Phyrexian Tower provide players with tools for instant-speed removal. Feldon's Cane helps replenish the deck with living death and other needed spells, while counteracting cards like Farewell.
Utility Lands:
The deck includes several strategic lands designed to assist players in achieving their objectives. Cavern of Souls is a potent card that permits players to cast demons without concern for counterspells. Crypt of Agadeem and the Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth / Cabal Coffers combination enable players to ramp up their mana by utilizing the graveyard. Hive of the Eye Tyrant, Bojuka Bog, and Ghost Quarter aid players in controlling opponents' graveyards and disrupting their strategies. Phyrexian Tower and High Market offer an additional layer of protection against instant exile removal spells, ensuring the persistence of demons on the battlefield and continued domination over opponents.
Sideboard Options:
The sideboard contains a few useful tools. Dream Devourer proves beneficial when the graveyard is inaccessible.
Maybeboard Options:
The maybe board consists of four cards: Patriarch's Bidding, ideal for 2V2 giant games; Persist, another reanimation spell akin to Unmarked Grave; Shadowborn Demon, an additional removal option that can become a significant threat over time or act as a temporary blocker; and Death-Rattle Oni, a cost-effective enter-the-battlefield creature. The Underworld Cookbook always made for a nice discard option, but never felt useful enough to consider as a mainstay. Arguel's Blood Fast
gives were intentionally used to combat exile spells and gan life but I found it never turned over. While the reliability of these options may not be as consistent as others, they offer potential alternatives worth exploring in the future, depending on the deck's evolution.
Conclusion:
In summary, this demon reanimator graveyard deck provides players with a potent and strategic choice for those who relish the mechanics of the graveyard and seizing control of the game with mighty demons. Through their powerful enter-the-battlefield effects, graveyard manipulation, and thoughtful land choices, this deck aims to overpower opponents and deliver a satisfying and rewarding gameplay experience.
Concerns:
Grave hate sucks, and only having 16 demons sucks more.
Stats:
Lethality refers to a deck's remarkable efficacy in eliminating all players seated at the table. Lethal wins epitomize instances where a player successfully eliminates their opponents, while lethal losses denote missed opportunities to secure those kills. A player becomes a missed kill when either another player eliminates them or when the deck fails to eliminate the remaining player in time. Points are awarded in blocks of 10 for wins and losses, with smaller blocks granted if a player neither finishes first nor last. The ranking system ranges from A to E, with A representing an impeccably crafted deck and E indicating the need for further refinement.
- GAMES PLAYED 28
- LETHAL WINS 32
- LETHAL LOSSES 19
- LETHAL RATE 62.75%
- LETHAL RANK C
- 1V1 WINS 60
- 1V1 LOSSES 30
- 1V1 WIN RATE 66.67%
- 1V1 RANK C
- 1V1 GAME COUNT 9
- FFA WINS 135
- FFA LOSSES 55
- FFA WIN RATE 71.05%
- FFA RANK B
- FFA GAME COUNT 19
- ALL WIN RATE 68.86%
- ALL RANK C
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