Budget Reanimation Targets
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Oct. 21, 2020, 5:17 p.m. by TriusMalarky
What good reanimation targets can I use? Also, any reanimation spells that you like for bonus points.
I'll be using Korvold as the commander.
I just need some... ideas to mull around in my head, so everything goes. Thanks in advance!
VampDemigod says... #3
I have answers, I just need a more specific question.
My guess is that you’d ideally like to be continually reanimating creature, then sacing them so you can activate Korvold, right?
Also, what’s your idea of “budget”? I generally classify budget decks as $50, stretching to $100, but I’ve seen people call full-foiled, $2000 decks budget, so some clarification on your definition of budget would be great.
October 21, 2020 7:07 p.m.
dingusdingo says... #6
Sire Of Insanity is insanely good, and turns being ahead on the board into wins. Also quite inexpensive to purchase. Does great work when your deck plays from the graveyard
Terastodon is a 9/9 beater that solves 3 problems immediately. Also rather inexpensive to acquire. You can even nuke 3 of your own lands to get three 3/3's and one 9/9 for 18 swinging power on the field.
Protean Hulk isn't too expensive and is a fantastic choice if you have a creature based combo already in the deck.
Sheoldred, Whispering One is expensive to buy, but an absolute powerhouse in reanimator strategies. Sticking this on turn 3 can put you super far ahead.
Avatar of Woe can be great board control when reanimated early.
Massacre Wurm is about $2 after all the reprints, and while it isn't the best reanimation target, it can certainly bring the hurt for opponents.
Ancient Stone Idol is a 12/12 Trampler, no crazy effects but a massive beater that has a die trigger.
Most demons are decent choices. I'm a big fan of how Kuro, Pitlord can instantly clear a board, but his upkeep cost is kind of gross.
Most Titans are good choices too, Inferno Titan and Grave Titan for Korvold (no Prime Time in EDH)
As far as budget reanimation cards, I'm a huge fan of Apprentice Necromancer for reanimation targets with ETB triggers. It works extremely well with Sun Titan, which is out of Korvold colors but a gross combo to be aware of nonetheless (Sun Tit ETB returns the Necro, the attack trigger returns something else too). I also like Life / Death which has lots of potential in Korvold (make lands into creatures, then sac creatures to draw tons of cards) outside of just reanimation. Animate Dead and Dance of the Dead are both inexpensive at around $5 and $10 respectively last I checked and are worth getting, they will be staples even in 100% optimized reanimator. Whisper, Blood Liturgist has nice use when you get Korvold sac triggers, but needs cheap token or reusable bodies to use consistently and is expensive to cast at 4 CMC. Victimize is a great card, but once again requires bodies on the field. Exhume is fast to cast but you usually want to pair it with graveyard removal or time it well. Dread Return is a useful card that does well with lots of bodies and can be used twice. Doomed Necromancer is great Korvold tech but slow at 3 CMC + summoning sick, usually activating on turn 4 or later.
Buried Alive is a phenomenal card that can enable reanimator strategies, a definite must-include.
Cheap discard outlets also help move fatties from your hand to the graveyard. I can recommend Putrid Imp as the GOAT, but also Tortured Existence, Wild Mongrel, Faithless Looting, Noose Constrictor and Fauna Shaman. You can also look to some one-time spells to help you discard, I recommend Collective Brutality and Smallpox especially. Bog Witch can work wonders in slower metas, but will be a cut when your deck gets more optimized.
October 21, 2020 7:20 p.m.
You can go with some of the budget eldrazi Artisan of Kozilek, Bane of Bala Ged, Breaker of Armies,Hand of Emrakul, Pathrazer of Ulamog,
October 21, 2020 9:01 p.m.
When it comes to reanimation targets, you want creatures that function identically to spells. Removal spells, draw spells, etc. That way you can go all-in on the reanimation strategy while also pulling off interaction at the same time. With that in mind...
Solemn Simulacrum for ramp and draw
Duplicant/Meteor Golem for removal
Etali, Primal Storm because he's just straight value
Flayer of the Hatebound can deal lots of damage in a reanimator style deck
Worldgorger Dragon goes infinite with Animate Dead, Dance of the Dead, and Necromancy very easily. Then you have infinite mana to do stuff with. It's worth the price tag and is a wincon in reanimator cEDH decks.
Tendershoot Dryad/Avenger of Zendikar can take over boards. They aren't all that cheap, though.
Phylath, World Sculptor can make tons of tokens and is more budget friendly
Vilis, Broker of Blood is surprisingly budget, and takes over any game
Gray Merchant of Asphodel is designed to be reanimated as many times as possible
Sepulchral Primordial/Diluvian Primordial are like spells on big sticks
Any of the eldrazi that shadow63 mentioned
I'm mostly familiar with mono-red reanimator because of my commander Feldon of the Third Path. He would work great in a reanimator deck, too. Especially one with lots of creature-based shenanigans. Also, Chainer, Nightmare Adept
is great at reanimating. He also gives Korvold haste and any creature you have in hand (provided you discard it and cast it from the yard).
October 22, 2020 1:17 a.m.
TriusMalarky says... #10
Thanks guys! I now have enough fuel to do some brain bubbling.
(to be clear, I wasn't looking for anything in particular. Just stuff along the lines of reanimation)
October 22, 2020 10:33 a.m.
In case you have not seen it; Journey to Eternity Flip becomes a great value engine with spell-like reanimator targets. Cast it on something like a Ravenous Chupacabra then sac it, chump block with it, or attack with it until it is killed. It returns to play from the Journey to Eternity Flip trigger and kills for the 2nd time. Then your journey comes back as Atzal, Cave of Eternity. Now, you get a once per turn and repeatable reanimation ability that can become quite oppressive depending on the board state and what creatures you have in the deck.
October 22, 2020 10:54 a.m.
VampDemigod says... #12
Cards like Reassembling Skeleton might be nice if you’re going for repeated sac. I can list more if you’re interested.
October 22, 2020 11:05 a.m.
Nightblad3 says... #13
Stitcher's Supplier is a must for a reanimator deck. Etb/dies/ltb triggers cards are good, and Drakuseth, Maw of Flames is a great wincon/reanimate target
October 22, 2020 12:53 p.m.
FormOverFunction says... #14
If you’ve got things bouncing in and out of the graveyard, and there are any -1 counters, I’d strongly recommend Blowfly Infestation, one of my favorite black natural disaster cards. It can be a ton of fun, especially against goblins or elves.
Omniscience_is_life says... #2
That depends greatly on why or how you plan on reanimating things. Do you want to get these things out of your graveyard to cheat their mana costs? To sacrifice them a second time to accrue more value? Are you reanimating these cards with repeatable effects, or one-offs? Tell us more :)
October 21, 2020 5:35 p.m.