Imagine the wonder and joy of a excited 18-year old magic newbie when he learns about a new format called "Commander" and a card that allows you to cheat out the most Timmiest creatures known to mankind.
Yeah, that was me way back at the early summer of 2013. I had played kitchen table magic for a year or so and was really getting into the game. We had a four man playgroup back then and as soon as I learned about this new format I decided to introduce the others to it. We ordered a set of commander 2011 decks from the interwebs and the rest is history.
The deck was originally just Kaalia of the Vast and bunch of big creatures. I quickly realized that my game plan was a bit too straightforward (and a bit too powerful for our group) so something had to be done to spice things up. While studying and searching for good cards online I stumbled upon a deck list that had a reanimation sub-theme in it. I had some reanimation cards in my collection and my friends owned the Graveborn premium deck and traded me some useful from it. I have updated the deck over the years, but the reanimation sub-theme has always been present. Now it also features a infinite damage loop combo to end games even faster if needed.
I have developed a kind of a love-hate relationship towards this deck. It's fun to operate but It's one of those decks that makes my friends go ">_>" so I don't play with it very often. But whenever I see a new Angel, Demon or Dragon card that fits the deck I secretly get excited.
Many times I have thought of dismantling my creation to get some staples for other decks, but alas.
So here's my simple guide for destruction. This is also my first take on making a guide of any sort.
If you like fast action, dragons, angels and/or demons this deck is for you!
A visualization of your friends mindscape soon after the game has begun.
Almost every creature has a certain role on this deck. Some bring back the dead (how does this work with demons??), some scorches up your opponents and their creatures and some find you the tools you need.
These guys are here to do the damage.
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Balefire Dragon - An auto-include for every single dragon tribal deck. Especially good against many creature-based decks.
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Aurelia, the Warleader - Does not trigger the additional step if you cheat out her with Kaalia, but the effect is still really strong if you get to use it.
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Gisela, Blade of Goldnight Basically gives your creatures and spells double strike and protects you and your permanents.
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Hellkite Tyrant - Beats opponents up and steals their mana rocks or utility artifacts. Great against any artifact based deck.
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Lord of the Void - [Cue Black Sabbath] - Removes a chunk of your opponents deck and allows you to steal their dudes. Now thats metal.
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Rakdos the Defiler - The sacrifice ability doesn't trigger if you cheat him out. Ruin your opponents day by making them sac half or their stuff.
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Utvara Hellkite - One of my favourite dragons printed in Magic. The ability doesn't trigger with Kaalia, for the first time, but all hell breaks loose afterwards.
These guys are here to save your ass from salty opponents. Or make them even saltier. Eh..
These guys bring back the dead (I still don't understand how this works with demons. Or angels. Do angels become Fallen Angels if they die??? Please someone explain)
The Tutors: (not the bbc tv series) Show
These guys are here to find you the goods you need.
Other things worth mentioning: Show
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Reconnaissance is broken. Protects Kaalia's butt better than anything and you still get to cheat something out.
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Nim Deathmantle is broken too.
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The Razaketh, the Foulblooded combo: Razaketh is kind of able to tutor you quite many nice things with Animate Dead and Leonin Relic-Warder. With Raza and relic-warder on the field, sac the cat for Raza to find Animate Dead. Cast animate dead and target the cat on the graveyard. When the cat ETBs, it exiles animate dead and dies. The cat dying triggers It's ability and brings back the animate dead. Now its a loop. Now you can sacrifice the cat to Raza before he dies to tutor more stuff for life points. If you want to be mean, you can finish off everything with Judith, the Scourge Diva and the infinite cat-loop. The cat now pounces up and down in purgatory, unable to find rest and triggers Judith's ability for as many times as you want. Now everyone is dead except you. Happy?
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Makeshift Mannequin and Miraculous Recovery are both instant speed and can bring blockers from your grave.
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Anger can be discarded, sacrificed or get killed otherwise to get it to the graveyard. This card is much more flavourable than Fervor so I like to include it.
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Cabal Therapy works with your own hand too. Need to get Avacyn, Angel of Hope to your graveyard for Reanimate? Just shoot yourself to the feet.
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Don't be afraid to wipe the board a couple of times. Unless your opponents are running graveyard hate, you should be good.
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Graveyard hate: It's bad, but do not lose hope. The deck should be able to do some damage even when your graveyard is in danger.
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Kaalia (and you as a commander player) usually gets targeted immediately so use protection, kids!
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The landbase is missing some staples due to them being way too expensive. I might invest to duals and the last missing fetch some time later.
Other cards worth considering: Show
These cards will make the deck arguably stronger.
It is also quite easy to tune this deck to fit your meta. Many cheaper angels, demons and dragons work quite well in almost any non-competitive environments.
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Ancient Tomb, Strip Mine, Plateau, Scrubland, Badlands, Mana Crypt - Better mana fixing.
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Volrath's Stronghold - Not excactly reanimation, but gets back destroyed creatures.
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Maze of Ith - A great tool against any Voltron strategies.
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Chrome Mox, Mox Opal, Mox Diamond - More powerful mana fixers.
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Liliana of the Veil - Disrupts your opponents hands and board but helps you to get stuff to the graveyard.
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Archfiend of Despair - Shuts down lifegain decks and doubles any damage made. Even from their own sources.
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Linvala, Keeper of Silence - Shuts down many nasty abilities.
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Master of Cruelties - Cheat him out with Kaalia and It's a two one hit kill if you assign MoC to hit first.
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Steel Hellkite - Gets rid of mana rocks or any disrupting nonland permanents.
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Dragon Tempest - If you decide to run a lot of dragons, this becomes a great option.
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Armageddon or any other mass land destruction. Once you have gained an advantageus boardstate, destroy all lands, so it gets harder for anyone to try to destroy your stuff.
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Desolation Angel - Has to be hardcasted, but basically an Armageddon on a stick.
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Crucible of Worlds - If you decide to run land destruction, this will help you get back some lands.
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Sower of Discord - Comboes with any hurt outlet like Razaketh, but it can be a little dangerous.
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Archfiend of Depravity - Forces your opponents to sac 2 creatures. Very powerful.
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Thundermaw Hellkite - Gets rid of blockers once.
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Worldgorger Dragon - Another infinite damage combo with Judith and Animate Dead.
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Vampiric Tutor - A strong tutor.
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Diabolic Intent - Arguably better alternative for Diabolic Tutor.
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Damnation - Another Wrath of God
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Toxic Deluge - A really strong boardwipe
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Vandalblast - Should be a auto-include. Gets rid of mana rocks and other disrupting artifacts like Torpor Orb or Winter Orb.
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Scroll Rack - Massive card advantage giver. More fuel for Kaalia.
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Wheel of Fortune -like effects. More fuel for Kaalia and hand disruption for your opponents. Dragon Mage is very good.
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Crawlspace - A great tool for avoiding getting trampled by Elves or tokens.
Cheaper alternatives: Show
Not every card needs to be the best one available.
Thanks for reading! Any feedback, suggestions and upvotes are greatly appreciated! I will also keep updating these list as time passes.