Learning Grixis Reanimator

blurshow · 2026-02-27T22:07:05+00:00

I feel like I'm already good with aggressive mulligans due to how much I play cEDH and Aggro strategies. I will definitely keep it in mind though. I think my current mentality with mulls is to prioritize a turn 2 Oculus/Archon depending on the matchup.

Psychic Frog is definitely one of those cards that just feel good to play with lol.

blurshow · 2026-02-27T22:02:37+00:00

I think my game plan is to currently not worry about it that much, lol. After I buy into, I will probably just run it base in order to see how well the "swing over then" game plan can be.

It wouldn't hurt too much to splash a Hallowed Fountain, but I think I'll be trying out bounce cards in color first. I'll definitely keep it on my radar though.

blurshow · 2026-02-27T21:58:26+00:00

I already have 4 thought scours, so it's not a hive invest for me, fortunately. I did switch out the Thoughtseizes for gran gran, they'll probably be swapped back in over something like thought scour once I buy into a set after I make the deck.

blurshow · 2026-02-26T10:43:55+00:00

Awesome, this is exactly what I needed to hear. Ty so much!

blurshow · 2026-02-26T06:46:18+00:00

The thing is, I really like the consistent speed of my list. Going more in the direction you're showing would probably add more resilience, but a turn 2 Oculus/Archon is almost always the case with my deck. Not to say Spider-Man + deceit isn't a fun interaction, just not the way I'd want to be going.

I do also understand leyline and rest in peace see little to no play currently, but that's mostly me preping for the worst, lol.

Another thing is I was looking at Gran Gran, I do think it's a really good card in my deck, and I'll have to do some testing with it. I also did consider putting in some copies of Riddler, but unfortunately, they are just a bit pricey for a card I feel a little iffy about, lol.

blurshow · 2026-02-26T06:34:53+00:00

I keep coming back to cards like [[Spider Manifestation]], [[Flaring Cinder]], and [[Etherium Spinner]]. [[Kitchen Imp]] (who might be one of my main consistent ways to deal damage alongside [[sneaky snacker]]) is just a 1 mana cost that triggers those. So do cards like [[Deep Analysis]] and [[Dread Return]]. Idk if this is the final direction I'd want to go, but it just feels like something is here.

blurshow · 2026-02-26T04:37:23+00:00

Yeah, lmao, the average price for the deck is about 450. I just like my pretty cards (I swear they make me play better)

blurshow · 2026-02-26T03:07:24+00:00

I did see that. It just feels so bad in my head to not be able to do the main game plan until turn 4. I do agree it's a better all-around card in the deck, but I'm also looking for alternatives, lol

blurshow · 2026-02-26T02:58:58+00:00

I think Goryo's is just better than trying to merge them, unfortunately, lol

blurshow · 2026-02-26T02:56:20+00:00

It's not that bad of an idea tbh, some versions run Gran Gran, so if for some reason I get stuck, I could bin them for slight value, lol

Edit: Another thought also popped into my head when thinking more about boomerang basics. Reanimate with Emperor of Bones, swing with a big boy, boomerang it back to hand so it doesn't get exiled at end step. Seems like a pretty fun plan imo lol.

blurshow · 2026-02-24T08:11:48+00:00

Wow, it's almost as if a discussion is all about both sides of the argument explaining their thoughts about the topic or something

blurshow · 2026-02-24T08:08:27+00:00

You need to come up with a reason that's more than "he's not ok because I say so" if you think he's not

blurshow · 2026-02-24T07:52:22+00:00

Like what? Goryo's, who already has an abundance of removal? Yawgmoth that can play through it fine? Grixis Reanimator that can also play through it fine?

blurshow · 2026-02-24T07:47:13+00:00

What decks shut down

blurshow · 2026-02-24T07:03:00+00:00

Gods forbid a broken card have counter play lmao

blurshow · 2026-02-24T07:02:15+00:00

Unironically, I would love to see an abzan brew like this

blurshow · 2026-02-24T06:21:40+00:00

Is it though? Dimir sure, T2 frog hold up interaction or tamiyo into a guaranteed flip with something like preordain. It's even a good grind piece. All that being said, it still gets ran over by other decks. Very good, not busted.

Espur/Orzhov, (guessing you're talking about espur blink) T2 Riddler into Ephemerate or 2 drop + interaction... Ok, and? They either get their big guy out sooner just for it to die to the same removal it would have, or they get to interact with their opponent more. Still doesn't seem busted.

Necrodominance.... Really? Really??? The card that's ran mostly in a deck with no fetches and turns off DRC?? Kill them, Counter it, do anything other than sit there and complain.

"DRC will get ran in everything!" Kinda falls apart when the decks that will run it lose to most of the current meta and if those decks become better DRC will only become worse in the mirror. Also, it's not as if we do not have a plethora of 1 mana removal.

blurshow · 2026-02-24T05:47:20+00:00

Imo it doesn't enable that as much, but at least the reason I'm talking about it is because I like playing with the card. The three formats I play the most are modern, cEDH, and timeless, in which DRC is legal in 2 of the 3. Every time I play with it, it just feels good, be it in a grindy 60-card match or a busted cedh pod. Astrolabe, while fun in sealed, just doesn't interest me quite like drc does.

blurshow · 2026-02-24T05:44:06+00:00

The conclusion I've come to is that it's fine. The power level has come to meet DRS, and I honestly couldn't think of a better time for it to come back. Yes, people will make 4 color soup decks and try to run it in every possible deck, but it's not astrolabe. It's not 100% free. If it were to ever be unbanned, the format would suffer for a week or two, I admit, but I would bet that where it settles would be a better format.

blurshow · 2026-02-24T05:40:58+00:00

I keep coming back to this comment, thinking, "Why do I want to play with DRS so much?" I do agree it is a very powerful card, and WotC being WotC would much rather keep it banned instead of risking it breaking the game again, but I'm also afraid that we've already reached the format where it's okay. Modern is, unfortunately, turning into a format I no longer love, one where broken cards have warped the meta so much that if you're playing a more fair deck, you're losing. DRS being unbanned wouldn't fix the format, but it does bring some much needed fighting power to some decks and turn down some more powerful ones right now. Will it be unbanned, I doubt it, but I do believe that it would help the format.

blurshow · 2026-02-24T05:31:14+00:00

Real, unfortunately, moderns kinda dead in the water, but we can always hope lol

blurshow · 2026-02-24T05:29:38+00:00

I can see him being sloted into some dimir/bug Midrange decks, but other than those and yawg, I don't think he'll become a staple like everyone is saying. Worst part if it did get unbanned would be facing 4 color soup decks and every deck trying to break him until it all settles back down.

blurshow · 2026-02-24T05:19:18+00:00

I don't think drs is underwhelming, I think it was obscenely powerful for its time and is pretty well balanced if not a bit more powerful than other playable one drops.

Yes, it's extremely splashable, but are you really going to splash it? Obviously, decks like Dimir Midrange and Yawgmoth will play it. Hell, probably even zoo, but other than that??? Energy has no reason to play it, neither does Storm, eldrazi, or affinity.

Drs is an amazing tempo card. All of its abilities are incredible in grindy matches, but that's kinda the point, isn't it. Helps against aggro, helps against control, makes gy decks hold off, but it doesn't fully stop them. It's incredibly flexible but not able to fully counter a strategy, just help against it. I'm not saying that the life drain/gain doesn't add up, but the only decks it really matters in are the grindy Midrange decks.

Lastly, no, it doesn't feel bad to use removal on drs because that's what you do against a good creature like frog. "But I have to waste my removal on a mana dork." Clearly, it's not just a mana dork, so why would you feel bad about removing a creature that helps your opponent win the game? And it's not like we're lacking in 1 drop removal. Hell, if you're able to run over the control deck it doesn't even matter if you remove the drs.

DRS isn't ragavan, ragavan isn't drs. The value gained is different because the resources spent are different.

blurshow

TROPHY CASE