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This is my multiplayer Imperial Animar, Soul of Elements deck that is tuned for an optimized (75%) meta. This is not a pure cEDH version and if you're looking for one please check out JMCraig or ShaperSavant's list. While Animar, Soul of Elements is central to the strategy of the deck, this deck can adapt into a strict aggro/control gameplan and interact with my opponents' threats if push comes to shove. Against faster combo strategies, this deck is capable of racing them into a pretty consistent turn 5 win on average if I were to go all out uninterrupted. On the flip side, I am able to play a more reactive/conservative game in a slower pod. While challenging to pilot at times, I am always having fun with this deck and hope that you enjoy my decklist. This is the deck for you if:

  • You are in a mostly optimized meta (with some splash of cEDH) and want a chance to compete
  • You are looking for a deck has some complex line of plays
  • You love casting creatures and killing people with commander damage
  • You love infinite combos

Operation

The deck revolves around Animar, Soul of Elements and leans heavily in protecting it as much as possible. Since it has protection from two of the most removal heavy colors in regular EDH, it is pretty tough to remove in most instances. Powering out Animar early game is key to success and being cognizant of the commanders and deck strategies in the pod is extremely important to pilot the deck well. An aristocrat/reanimator commander usually signals Grave Pact effects like Fleshbag Marauder, therefore playing a few dorks for protection is extremely important in that situation.

Win Condition

The main win condition of the deck is to assemble an infinite mana loop into an inordinately large Walking Ballista. If Walking Ballista is exiled, the backup combo is to assemble an infinite creature cast loop via Ancestral Statue. Payout includes lethal Animar damage and exiling everything with Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger + Temur Sabertooth. With infinite recursion, we can also create infinite swans by casting any instant/sorcery and countering it with Swan Song (get both spells back via Eternal Witness. Push come to shove, a regular midrange beatdown plan is just as effective to win the game.

Neoform Chain

This is a new innovation credited to ShaperSavant/JMCraig (and others I might have missed). This chain is enabled by Neoform through Spellseeker (to ultimately get Ancestral Statue) and requires + 4 life + 2 Animar counters:

Weird Harvest Chain (retired)

I'm giving all due credit for this chain to ShaperSavant/JMCraig (and others I might have missed). This new innovation of Weird Harvest chain is a one-card wincon with Animar and is fetchable through Spellseeker. The basic line for X = costs a total of with Animar at 3 counters. Cast Weird Harvest and tutor for Ancestral Statue + Walking Ballista (x = ). Cast Ancestral Statue infinite times for infinite counters and use the final bounce to pick up and replay an inordinately large Walking Ballista to win. This chain is only to be attempted when the coast is absolutely clear as we're giving our opponents unrestricted access to any creatures in their library.

Imperial Kiri Chain (retired)

After numerous playtesting, with other new innovations already included in the deck, I find no more uses for this loop. This recruiter chain uses Kiri-Onna. When I first started playing Animar, everyone was almost exclusively using the Hoverguard Sweepers line which is both complicated and mana intensive. I've then adopted the Kiri-Onna chain innovated together with a couple of other Animar enthusiasts. The key to making this combo work is Kiri's second triggered ability: "Whenever you cast a Spirit or Arcane spell, you may return Kiri-Onna to its owner's hand." Needs at least , 4 life, and 2 counters on Animar to work:

This will result in infinite (or any other colors depending if they are duals or not) and infinitely big Animar by repeating loops A through C below. You can also tutor all power 2 or less creatures from library by replacing Peregrine Drake with Imperial Recruiter in the loop once you've demonstrated that you have infinite mana. The fastest win after that is just to grab Walking Ballista to ping everyone to death.

Miscellaneous Combos

Please upvote if you like the deck!

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Revision 26 See all

(4 years ago)

+1 Fierce Guardianship maybe
+1 Illuna, Apex of Wishes maybe
Top Ranked
  • Achieved #19 position overall 8 years ago
Date added 8 years
Last updated 4 years
Legality

This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.

Rarity (main - side)

11 - 0 Mythic Rares

56 - 0 Rares

11 - 0 Uncommons

11 - 0 Commons

Cards 100
Avg. CMC 3.09
Tokens Bird 2/2 U, Elk 3/3 G, Food, Treasure
Folders My EDH Brews, Cool decks, 4. EDH Non-Budget Decks, CEDH, to be reviewed, Yeet EDH
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