Reanimation Viable?
Standard forum
Posted on Oct. 16, 2014, 12:17 a.m. by ducttapedeckbox
While I have my own motive to creating this post, I want to try to keep this a general discussion about the viability of a Standard reanimator build. If this has been done and already a popular/well-tested deck, then I'm going to feel pretty oblivious, but please do point it out to me.
Anyways, black gives us access to some pretty strong reanimation abilities: Rescue from the Underworld
and Whip of Erebos
. The latter has already been proved as a strong 1- or 2-of in some builds, but the former sees little play but it seems really strong. I read it as 
: Flicker target creature and reanimate another target creature" (of course my wording isn't accurate, but it should convey my point).
Aside from those, we also have the bulk rare, Gift of Immortality . This may be irrelevant and/or useless to this discussion, but I figured I'd mention it.
Now that we know we can reanimate our creatures, let's look at some targets that have both strong bodies and strong enter the battlefield effects:
Ashen Rider Hornet Queen Wingmate Roc Siege Rhino Master of Waves Resolute Archangel
Just to name the ones off the top of my head. There are certainly other excellent targets to reanimate. Yes, Hushwing Gryff can shut them down easily, but it's very easy to kill and shouldn't be a problem.
Anyways, with what I've said above and other points I haven't mentioned, is this idea too far fetched or is it viable? Any discussion is appreciated. Please try to avoid just dropping deck lists :)
I feel like the approach TolarianCommunityCollege took is the way I'd go as well. Using Whip of Erebos (or maybe Kheru Lich Lord as an alternative or supplement] to temporarily reanimate something turn after turn.
What I think of as classical reanimator - using cheaper spells to get powerful creatures into play much earlier than normal - can't really be done with current cards. Endless Obedience kind of can due to Convoke, but for the most part reanimation spells cost as much as the creatures you'd want to reanimate anyway.
I could be completely missing something, but that's how I see it.
October 16, 2014 4:59 a.m.
Endless Obedience synergizes better with Satyr Wayfinder , so I'd prefer it over Rescue from the Underworld .
October 16, 2014 9:06 a.m.
Endless Obedience can also get a creature from any graveyard not just your own.
October 16, 2014 9:58 a.m.
MindAblaze says... #6
The upside to Rescue from the Underworld is you can abuse the ETB effects of stuff like Siege Rhino while getting other fatties at the same time. I'd almost say RftU synergizes better for that reason, other than getting to tap the irrelevant 1/1 for mana.
October 16, 2014 12:03 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #7
I would be more apt to use Endless Obedience in a Sultai build that uses Sidisi, Brood Tyrant 's tokens to tap for Convoke.
I would say it's upside that it hits either graveyard, but more reliable to try to reanimate your own creatures.
October 16, 2014 12:05 p.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #8
To be honest, I completely forgot about Endless Obedience . But I do agree that it would be more useful if you had tokens to fuel it. It also isn't at instant speed. Ironically, the shell I had put together for the deck was extremely similar to the one in the video miracleHat linked to.
I see this being good in either Sultai or Abzan colors; Abzan would benefit from the ETB effects of Siege Rhino and others, while the Sultai one could just dump huge creatures out with Endless Obedience for cheap.
What do you guys think? A mix of the two reanimation spells, or just go with one? And for which clan?
October 16, 2014 5:57 p.m.
I don't like Rescue from the Underworld at all. It requires you to always have another thing on board already and you have to wait a turn, before you can access the reanimated target (prime example: You need a blocker right now or you lose). Also, your creature can't attack the turn after it got reanimated, resulting in speed loss.
The instant speed and double trigger possibilty won't make up for that. The word "Your" before "next upkeep" ruins the card.
October 16, 2014 6:18 p.m.
@TexasDice it's also an Instant so it can be done at the end of your opponents turn. So the "your" next upkeep doesn't always mean you have to wait a turn in order to get the reanimation target.
October 16, 2014 6:26 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #11
It's fair that you won't always have a guy on board when it's "block now or lose" but that comes with the game. Having to wait to attack does kind of make the instant speed mostly irrelevant. It's nice that you can use that one guy you have left to block, then cast Rescue in response though. I think the decks we're talking about will have enough creatures in them to reliably have a creature out most of the time, barring the board wipe or spot removal heavy match-ups.
I've been tempted to build around Rescue from the Underworld
so far this season. To me, Endless Obedience
just seems like a Rise from the Grave
with some upside. I'd probably test a split, and see which ones you like better. They're supported in different ways, but having tokens benefits both cards.
October 16, 2014 6:32 p.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #12
I'm with MindAblaze! on this. The decks that run RftU will easily have enough creatures to "flicker" for a reanimation. The deck I've been testing frequently does something like this:
T1 Elvish Mystic T2 Commune with the Gods , dumping a bomb into the graveT3 Siege Rhino T4 End of my opponents turn 4, RftU bomb from T2.
Even if my Rhino dies, flickering Satyr Wayfinder isn't terrible, and mana dorks as a last resort.
Since I completely forget about Endless Obedience , I think a split would be best depending on the deck. More tokens would be a higher Obedience count, more ETB effects would be more RftU. At the least, Obedience can be a SB card if your opponent is preventing RftU from going off effectively (or they're running stuff you'd want to reanimate).
October 16, 2014 6:59 p.m.
I can't and won't forbid you from using it. Just words of warning.
miracleHat says... #2
A youtuber by the name of TolarianCommunityCollege created a budget abzan reanimator deck in this video! I think that you would like it as a budget deck/video.
October 16, 2014 12:19 a.m.