Re: reanimator
Elvish Mystic & Sylvan Caryatid - Ramp us up nicely to provide options for hard-casting the fatties in case the whip doesn't show up.
Lotleth Troll and Deadbridge Chant provide methods of getting things into the graveyard conveniently. The troll is an excellent early blocker with regen, and grows. With the Whip out, he can drop a surprise into the graveyard that comes out immediately. If that happens to be a Kalonian Hydra, his counters get doubled.
Whip of Erebos, this deck wouldn't be viable without it. The lifelink is critical, as we're bound to take some hits between turns 3 and 6. The fatties all have strong ETB effects (well not Kalonian, but he triggers on attack). Dropping an Abhorrent Overlord to the graveyard via the Lotleth Troll and using the whip to bring him out along with a bunch of harpies... all of whom have lifelink, is a win scenario.
Reaper of the Wilds is a good Golgari body or just a distraction to get you through a critical point. Left alone, she can win on her own.
Garruk, Caller of Beasts because yeah.
THE FATTIES: get them in the graveyard and Whip them out, or maybe start hard-casting them turn 6. Either way, they each have nasty ETB effects and need to be dealt with immediately or they'll win the game.
Abhorrent Overlord is my #1 choice after playtesting a few of them - he comes with friends, who stick around after he gets exiled. All the better if they have lifelink from the Whip.
Kalonian Hydra is a winner on its own, helps the Lotleth, and of course enjoys being Whipped around too. Now a 4-of.
Sylvan Primordial super-sweet ETB, excellent body, reach, etc. etc.
THINGS THAT SCARE US
Decks that drop small CMC creatures and buff them or just have all the hasty guys, can kill us before we get situated. Answered by Abrupt Decay and Sylvan Caryatid, or Duress in the case of buffs.
Detention Sphere and Pithing Needle, can shut down my whip too easily. Abrupt Decay and Duress snag these as well.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Assemble the legions are popular, and Duress gets them. Pithing Needle comes in from SB of course. Golgari Charm helps against the tokens, but isn't a long-term solution. Typically I just have to hope to "get there" first. Assemble I can usually handle, but Elspeth is a b!tch.
Blood Baron of Vizkopa can often walk right through and bonk us on the head. I'll bring Erebos, God of the Dead and Lifebane Zombie in against them - and they work against Obzedat, Ghost Council which the deck would likely have as well).
AEtherling used to scare me, but Pithing Needle was MADE for it and I can usually drop bigger threats by the time they're at that mana level.
Suggestions for anything are welcome, as well as playtesting results against your deck!
Please +1 if you like it!
