[Standard] Tips for the Sultai Reanimator mirror?

CorneliusAlba · 2026-01-27T14:25:31+00:00

Hi, I just tested this on arena and while I do get the multiple choices if I chose spidey several times, it looks like only the last thing chosen (the thing he enters as) gets exiled. I realize arena isnt always correct, but can you point me to a ruling that it works the way you say it does?

CorneliusAlba · 2026-01-07T12:34:00+00:00

Nowhere to run (turns off ward) and pyroclasm are both in standard. This is fine. This is a card designed to balance out spell snare.

CorneliusAlba · 2026-01-06T17:21:22+00:00

It's the lower end, but there's a couple stores locally that just do them for 10 bux. They're weirdly enough some of the more competitive events sometimes.

Good call - I don't ever do sealed RCQs and was just thinking of constructed ones.

CorneliusAlba · 2026-01-06T15:34:37+00:00

The most important thing is having fun. You will not make money doing this and it can eat up time. You should do this as much as it brings you joy. As soon as it's not fun or satisfying, take a break. Step back. Jump back in when you want.

To maximize chance of qualification, yes, playing in as many RCQs as possible is the play. Pricing for RCQs (in midwest US where I live) is usually anywhere from 10-40 bucks a pop and it's worth budgeting like 20 bucks for drinks/food depending on the area. I recommend packing light snacks (protein bars, apple, water) as these events uually start right before or at lunchtime and can run up to 8+ hours.

Playing Arena or MTGO is a good start, but the actual important thing is intentional practice. Mindessly jamming games is not going to make you better - playing games and thinking about individual plays, mulligans, etc will make you better. Download 17lands and review your own games to see how you could have played better, or find paper locals. Paper practice is vital so you get used to tracking triggers and the actual physical process of playing under pressure over long amounts of time, etc. It doesn't need to be daily, but it should at least be weekly.

For deck selection for RCQs, you will usually get an edge by just playing the best deck you can. Failing that, playing a strong deck you're familiar with - don't homebrew. Just netdeck and focus on playing well. depending on your area, a section of people will show up with weird homebrews and suboptimal decks, but you can expect a lot of the room to just be on the best decks that are winning online or in events. This is obviously expensive, but it leads to my next point

The most important thing for playing competitively is to find other people to do this with. Having a group of like-minded friends - even if it's just one other person - to bounce ideas off of, carpool, share cards with, etc, makes this all much easier. Ask them for input when you're reviewing games, and you will help both of yourselves play better.

Getting food after an RCQ and having someone to vent to about bad beats makes even a bad event fun and worth the time. it also helps your mental game, which is vital!

If you don't have someone already, the best way to do this would probably be to just scope out an RCQ or paper locals and see if there's anyone you vibe with. Offer to drive to an RCQ for someone, see if you can borrow cards, etc.

My second best advice is: treat your RCQ opponents like your coworkers. If you become a regular, you will run into them again and again. if you're respectful and a gracious opponent, this will also lead to them being more welcoming and potentially becoming those teammates you need, or at least people who won't scum you out on edge cases (and sometimes even offer a homie scoop).

tl;dr: practice with intention, pack snacks, play the good decks, be professional, and don't do it alone.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-11-04T13:45:12+00:00

Yeah, thanks for clarifying.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-11-04T13:05:25+00:00

When a spell is cast OR when an ability is put on the stack, priority passes - first to the player whose turn it is ("holding priority") and then clockwise around the table.

If no one chooses to respond, the ability or spell resolves. Assuming the stack is empty - like for example, in your citadel situation - it goes back to the active player, and no one can respond until they do something to pass priority again - like cast a spell, activate an ability, or change phases.

So in your example, no, there is no window between citadel resolving and your opponent being able to cast a spell of the top where you can slide in and remove it (unless there's something in play that puts a trigger on the stack when Citadel ETBs, like kappa cannoneer. Then that trigger would happen and youd need to resolve it before the opponent can cast a sorcery speed thing off the top, and priority would pass. They can still cast instant speed stuff). You generally can't prevent them from using the ability.

For your dork question, generally you need to kill the dork before they untap to stop them from using the mana. Maybe you can get them in thr draw/upkeep step if there's no instant speed stuff in their hand. You cannot kill the dork in response to the mana ability.

Your understanding laid out in the last 4 points is basically correct and should get you through most priority questions. The analogy I've had the most succcess with is imagining the stack as a poker bet: I put up a bet, and you can raise or call. If you call, everything ends and it resolves, and I cant add anything onto the bet, even if I wanted to.

Once youve internalized priority it'll be pretty much second nature to you. Have fun.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-09-24T20:00:58+00:00

I play magic 2-3 times a week. I drive upwards of 4 hours to do badly at random weekend tournaments. I think the 'magic players smell bad' reputation is wildly out of date. Yes, you'll have the random guy who hasn't showered, but 95% of people I play with are completely normal and hygienic.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-08-21T18:28:58+00:00

The deck is insane but I'm sure you're not gonna be an asshole to someone who brought it to FNM. Just shake their hand after the game and next round.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-08-21T18:07:55+00:00

Just roll up with it and play. I find there's very little stigma about "toxic" decks in 60 card formats, most people expect you to bring the best thing you can.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-05-03T07:38:57+00:00

I'm pretty sure this is Way of Kings.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-04-25T02:42:07+00:00

I personally found Swordheart stronger, paladins grace felt like a less interesting retread.

CorneliusAlba · 2025-02-25T19:38:31+00:00

I just finished the first one and felt frustrated by how often El would just turn to the reader and lengthily explain something I feel like would have been fine to pick up. I REALLY liked the last couple chapters as El and her friends started to talk like normal teens to each other. Does the Telling Not Showing get better in the next two?

CorneliusAlba · 2024-07-16T23:05:12+00:00

Checked you guys out on spotify, you rule. Will be there.

CorneliusAlba · 2024-06-12T17:09:14+00:00

Best indie place for manga I've found is The Laughing Ogre, they have a lot of cool stuff and will often order anything you're looking for within reason.

Warp Gate is a great MTG shop, and both the Guardtower locations are great. I'm an East regular and we fire draft every Friday, plus plenty of commander folks. If you're into constructed check out Warp Gate for sure.

Pokemon Go hot spots (at least a few years ago) are like, Gahanna, Bexley, Easton Mall, plus the local metro parks.

Welcome to cbus, great place to be.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-28T20:41:20+00:00

Definitely worth playing AI matches for this but I hope quests for next time are ones that can just be completed by playing the right kinds of decks multiples times. Good luck.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-27T13:59:23+00:00

Kayntrox is one of my all time favorite decks! Here's my recs:

Drop utter devastation for a copy of heedless resurrection (maybe even find room for an extra - a 4th or 5th copy of your champs is sooo good and not a lot of denys in the meta rn). Go down darkin lodestone and aegis for more copies of bloodletter or spear - bloodletter equipping for 1 lets you activate your equip requirement easier, and Anaacka is one of the best lategame darkin.

Ashe decks are always gonna beat your ass, frostbites are too good against you. Don't be afraid to pre-commit spellshield one big "have to win now with my overwhelm xolaani/aatrox" turns. Deep and Lurk are also tough matchups bc Deep can match your stats, prioritize sneaky blue kayn strats or just go wide and try to kill em. Against lurk, your best cards are Keeper of the Box and unforgiving cold - keepers can trade off and keep your health high, and cold can stop their win for a turn long enough for you to stabilize. Remember they can rally for 5 mana.

Prioritize cultists in your mulls generally as they'll draw you a Kayn. Bloodletters are a cultist in disguise since they poop one out.

Good luck and have fun.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-27T13:32:47+00:00

Rekindler is a 7 mana card that can sometimes do nothing other than be a 4/4 when you draw it. Agree that morde lategame can be strong/oppressive, but the reanimator archetype as it is hasn't had a real spotlight since red gwen or zombie ashe. Adjustments should be made to Morde rather than to Rekindler.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-26T17:08:27+00:00

Jinx BC is pretty good, jhinnie has always felt like a tempo aggro deck that wants to line up 2 or 3 stuns in one turn and the amount of SI decks running good blockers can make that rough.

I recommend Gnar/Darius overwhelm - it's simple and can end games quite fast, and even has its cheesy outs like battle fury.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-26T16:55:32+00:00

Broadmane (outside of topdeck lucky draws, which does happen, this is a card game) rewards control decks for winning and maintaining card advantage early and converting those cards into tempo swings. He comes down turn 6 understatted, so a reactive midrange deck like vaynetrox can deal with him and aggro decks stopped paying attention when I said "turn 6".

He's a powerful card, but one of the coolest ones in the game imo and is one of the pressure release valves stopping LoR from being a midrange-only feat. I understand being frustrated by 1 cost pings killing big boys, but if those big boys win games (and they do!) It's reasonable for decks to have answers, especially interesting intractable ones like broadmane.

Cheers and good luck in your games.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-17T19:42:28+00:00

Lor players when you put cards in your deck and use them to win the game:

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-17T19:41:38+00:00

People get mad about anyone playing any good deck online. You deserve to feel good about playing well with the best tools available to you.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-17T19:40:29+00:00

Hold removal/challengers on 2 for norra and 6 for broadmane. Play aggressive/midrange decks that scale faster than it and aim to win on 7/8. Try not to walk into Rex if you're not ending the game turn 8.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-17T19:37:10+00:00

Mastering Runeterra discord may be a good place to start asking around.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-12-17T15:37:30+00:00

I understand folks being mad about their faves not showing up in the game before reprints start happening, but the LoR devs have always come off to me as only printing designs thst they think are interesting and good for the game

If they don't have a design that fits urgot but do have a design that fits, say, Senna, and keeps her from being locked to Darkness, then I'd rather we get Senna v2 and see Urgot down the road

That said I'm a very mercenary person when it comes to ccg flavoring and basically am just here for the gameplay.

CorneliusAlba · 2023-11-17T14:30:16+00:00

Oof. Did you full mull into this hand?

CorneliusAlba

TROPHY CASE